Thursday

In just a blinking of an eye we've come to the end of the 3rd week in school,
which somehow signify the completion of some form of achievement at this point of life.
To me it does not only meant that the JC curriculum officially kicked in,
but also a sign that I've manage to survive the preliminary stress,
and transit into the next phrase of life successfully.

In one way or another I tend to find myself happier these days;
happy as in the form that I tend to view things less seriously.
Maybe I've become more nonchalant and callous,
or maybe that I learn to take things easier as I've grown in life.
I would say that I tend not to view work so seriously anymore;
as in a sense that I do not get myself occupied with work all day long,
but however I do see the meaning in every piece of work that is given to me.

Happier, maybe because time passes so fast that I only remember the funny moments.
Or maybe it's because that things are much light-heart around me nowadays.
Or is it because no one tends to show their serious and rigourous side in front of me?
There's so much yet to know, and so much that I want to know-
so much that I'm curious about this new phrase of life,
not just only the academic portion, but of people around me,
how they think, how they perceive, how they feel, everything.
Maybe it's just natural instincts that is working on me;
the desire of human to know more about something that they have little knowledge about.

But somehow I manage to come home with a smile everyday;
certainly not because of whatever that is happening around me,
but due to the fact that I choose to perceive things in a certain manner.

I wonder does the current situation explains all for life in tertiary education,
or there are more to come in the later phrases of this life?
Somehow I wish that things would remain status quo,
everything just seems to be rosy and cheerful as they are-
the class's okay, work is still yet manageable, no friendship problems,
no communication breakdowns, no screw-ups, nothing negative.
Is life really that simple, or am I the one that's simple after all?
Maybe there are disagreements that I've yet to know.
Maybe there are dissatisfaction that I've yet to feel.
Maybe there are discouragement that had yet to come.
Maybe, there are so many things still hidden from me.

Well, things might take a turn for no reason in the next second.
But I guessed I'm already trained for counter-measures.

It just all seems to simple, simple to the point that I can't believe.
Maybe it's because that it's only the beginning;
what that I've observed is just the tip of the iceberg.
Maybe there's more, who knows.
Maybe there's going to be a revelation of things we never know.
But all I know is, we got to be ready.

"That's like managing to swim across the English channel, and then trying again in full combat gear." - a friend's comment on O level graduates taking the A levels

Leadership?

I would like to ask everyone reading this a question:
What is a leader?
Or maybe if you would like to to rephrase that,
what is leadership all about?
Maybe to elaborate even further,
How do one define a leader?
What does a leader do?
What are the key principles of leadership?
How is leadership presence in life?
How does one consider oneself a leader?

Leadership, what exactly is it all about?

For the past 5 years I've been trying to find an answer to this question,
and to find the answer to this extremely generalized question,
I sought opportunities to develop myself as a leader,
and to also have a try at taking up leadership roles,
doing things that 'a leader should be doing',
and try to 'act like a leader'.

I gave myself a go at various leadership roles,
voluntary, appointed, elected and nominated ones;
doing things what a class monitor, subject representative, level coordinator have to do.
Back then I used to have the immature mindset of that 'a leader is equivalent to the top gun who takes control of the situation';
leadership to a 13 year-old me was then more like an asset instead of a responsibilities,
lest talking about it as a role of servitude and dedication.

My misconceptions of leadership then resulted in disastrous consequence;
people coined me with the term 'boastful', 'childish' and 'authoritative'.
The process of working together with people taught me that leadership was more than dictating the process and outcome of a particular situation;
somehow a leadership requires one to have the ability to listen most of the time,
rather than talking at one's own free will.
For that, I found out that leadership is an idea of taking responsibilities-
the higher your position, the larger your responsibilities, the bigger the range of activities you got to account for.

Common sense, but it really took me some time to understand that.

Stepping down from my positions after Secondary One,
I gave myself a one year hiatus from any leadership roles,
thinking that the absence for the need to account for people would then protect me from the 'claws of leadership'.
I assumed that the lack of any leadership positions that you hold responsibilities would actually make life better;
now onward, I'm only required to account to myself for my own doings,
instead of having other pinpointing you for your actions when you're a leader.

But all that effort to put myself away from any leadership roles did not deprive me of chances to develop leadership in myself,
or to 'understand the needs and negative consequences of leadership;
it was then the academic valor of the school that obliged everyone to develop a form of leadership among themselves.
We call this process self-leadership;
doing what a leader should be doing, but in this scenario you're your own leader.
You work independently, set aims and targets for yourself,
learn to account for your own doings, and learn to be responsible for your properties.

It was the process of self-leadership in the academic arena that gave me a better idea of what exactly leadership is about;
a leader does not only accounts for his doings towards his followers,
and besides being responsible for his followers and himself,
a leader must have a realistic aim and outlook of the path that he is taking;
a leader must know how to be dependent on his own thinking and turn his thinking into reality.

As I reach the third year of my secondary school curriculum,
I was again given a chance to have a go at being a leader.
Appointed as a Platoon Commander and nominated the monitor of my new class,
I was put in front of a leadership journey that requires me to understand everyone that is following my advice or orders.
It took me effort to understand my new classmates and new subordinates,
and even more to get them to listen to me and follow my directions.
Here I learn that leadership was also about earning trust and faith,
and the development of mutual understanding between a leader and his followers.

While I am once again put on task to the responsibilities as a class monitor,
my appointment as a Platoon Commander led me into a new area of leadership.
Leadership in uniformed groups or the military was not only about subordination, obedience and attentiveness;
it was a whole chain of obligations ranging from communication to brotherhood.
Leadership was here, not just a matter of pulling rank and subjugating others;
it was about developing belief, respect and understanding among everyone,
from a leader to his smallest follower.
The prospects of my appointment include teaching and developing skills in my followers;
it was here that I learn a leader is also one that imparts knowledge and corrects the mistakes of others.

Coming to the final year of service both as a class monitor and Platoon Commander,
I was obliged to lead my juniors to success the appointments that we have left them.
It was all a process of monitoring, guidance and development;
leadership is now not just only a matter of self-development and self-improvement,
but also an idea of sparking inspirations and motivations among others to be like us.
Here, I took effort to impart my skills and experiences to my successors,
guiding them, correcting them, and at the same time,
challenging them, to overcome their obstacles and outshine their predecessors;
inspiring them, to be like us, lighting a flame of passion among the hearts that have yet to come.

As I happily end the four blissful years in Secondary School,
I went on to tertiary education in one of those Junior Colleges in the East.
Here, I once again observe the development of people in the field of leadership;
the requirement of everyone to lead oneself,
the passion of many to become servant leaders to repay the community,
the immaturity of some that are stubborn of leadership being an asset,
the process of leaders guiding leaders-to-be,
and the inspiration and motivation leaders have sparked in the hearts of their followers.

Listening to the campaigning speeches of nominees of the Student Council,
I asked myself a question that I've asked five years ago:
What is a leader?
Or to be more specific,
What exactly is leadership about?

After experimenting with different forms of leadership in the past five years,
having lessons learnt and achievements made,
frankly speaking, I still don't really have a direct answer to that.
For this, you might be thinking that the four years of leadership in my life is then wasted,
or thinking that I've not learn anything after the sagas of leadership in my life...
But well, I guess right now if I were to ask you WHAT is LEADERSHIP all about,
you too, are unable to give me a direct answer to that...

But all in all I am glad to say that even if I couldn't define leadership,
I know how it feels like, in the perspective of a leader and a follower.
I leave it to every individual to define leadership for themselves;
we all have different ideas and beliefs in the same concept after all.
I leave it to others to define my competency as a leader-
those that have worked with me before,
those who have lead me in one way or another,
those who I've lead in a way or two.
But I don't really think that I've made a good leader myself;
there's more that can be done about it.

In conclusion, despite saying so much,
I just want everyone to understand that the concept of leadership is very simple.
While leadership training, concepts and discussion sprung up all over the society,
I would like everyone to consider leadership in this perspective:

When a soldier participates in a battle,
he will always follow his sergeant and never lose sight of him;
because he know that this is the person that he can entrust his survival upon,
and he know that in one way or another,
this person will be the one that guides him from the start to the end,
without abandoning him in the process.

Leadership, after all, it just a simple belief, that's all.

embracing life

I've decide to divert myself away from all that stress I'm going through now,
and just spend some quality time with my PC,
all that social networking sites, blogs and games.
Looking through the archives, it seems like some time ever since I've last blogged,
and I think that perhaps maybe I should give this site some update once in a while.

Finally JC life kick-start into the proper curriculum,
and for the past two weeks I've been having a go at JC lifestyle,
and all the little experiences and sensations that come along with it;
these include changes made to my daily routine, habits and practices.
Things are not as simple as taking the East-West Line everyday,
or wearing a cream-coloured uniform with red belt-
drastic changes have somehow or rather took place,
yet it seems like for this particular round,
I'm able to comfortably assimilate into the new environment.

Are things supposed to be just as simple as such,
or there's more than it meets the eye?

Here goes the old phrase that's been used countless times;
new chapter, new life, new environment, new people, new experiences.
So far things are still manageable, I've not yet flunked any of my test or assignments;
but somehow or rather I feel that the stress adds up as each day passed by.
You don't have the liberty of spending time with your PC daily anymore,
and neither do you have the freedom to do recreational activities during weekends.
Tough, that's all I can say, in the time to come;
but I wonder, since so many students came and went before me smoothly,
perhaps I can also do the same.

Not much of any inter-personal problems this time round;
amazingly you get an average class, with good teachers and lessons doesn't seem too boring like before.
One big difference here is that everywhere you go, you see people mugging-
unlike in my former school, time is always devoted to recreational purposes.
certainly this add on to the stress level,
but then, there's nothing I can do about this but to follow the flow.

Somehow or rather I've not come to the point to accept the fact that everything's been started for some time;
not even the fact that I'm currently a JC student preparing to take the 'A's next year.
Perhaps I'm still in my own world, somehow,
but the pace of the activities around me subconsciously guide me to follow the fast pace of my current routine.
Perhaps everything's going too fast, or maybe I'm still stuck in my old assumption of my environment, I guessed.

While academic stress does not trouble me currently,
somehow I see the need for academic rigor in the environment that I am in now.
As the old saying goes, "When in Rome, do what as the Romans did",
I guess the best way for me to really follow the pace of life is to do whatever everyone else is doing.
But it seems like everyone around me are either smart or muggers...
Times are bad, that's all I can comment.

While it still seems that it's still too soon to bade adieu to my old life,
my new life somehow just comes in and take position all over me.
Maybe, things are getting quick and hasty, and I got to adjust myself to the new environment as quickly as possible.

So far, still good.
Maybe there's still more to come, but well,
isn't life a process of dealing with things that comes your way?
Who knows what have in place for us in the near future...
All I know is, this current path is one that I've handpicked myself,
then I am obliged to give my very best and walk till the end,
no matter of the outcome and consequence.

Adapt and Survive; as my former Co-Form Teacher Mrs Koh said during the first day of Secondary 4,
one have to adjust to the circumstances of the surroundings in order to know what is happening and keep oneself in the game.
I guess no matter where we head towards in life,
everything voice down to the need for adaptation and adjustment.
Only by doing so, then we can maximize our opportunities and chances,
and make full use of all resources around us.

Should the road gets steeper and the weather gets rainy,
I guess all these doesn't matter.
Maybe the old principle still applies;
just do whatever you can in the best of your abilities and the outcome will be more than just satisfaction.
It's the process that matters, not the results.
Maybe it seems that I'm too idealistic to make such comments as a tertiary student,
but well, I can't deny the fact that the big picture of life is to learn and grow.

What that confuse and fear many is the unknown;
the unknown of the future, the unknown of whatever that is going to take place.
Maybe, this might be a wrong choice for me.
Maybe, my first self-decision is going to lead me nowhere.
Maybe, things might not be so simple as it seems.
Maybe, I might not survive even if I adapt.
Maybe, I should be taking Chinese Studies in NP.

Forget about all the pessimistic assumptions,
and it is still too early for any optimistic outlook.
Life is never a bed of roses;
never in life we can have an all-win situation.
But no matter what, it seems important that I finish the game;
maybe it is the process that makes me level up, not the outcome.
If this is going to be a struggle, then I shall struggle well;
no matter what, we all got to put in our best and never quit.

It's been 4 years of hardship, now it's time for something harder;
it's an honourable ending for that 4 years,
why not keep the record and give everyone an excellent finale with success and glory at the very end.

"Life is full of challenges. Embrace them." - Mr Tham Otto, former Mathematics Teacher of ZHSS (2008-2011)

新的开始

某一个情节的结束，代表着另一个情节的开始。

光阴似箭，一转眼就来到了二月；
开学了，是时候穿上校服上学去。
我如愿以偿地进入心目中的理想学院，
带着那份好奇、探索的心情，
我翻开了人生的另一部情节，进入了人生的另一境界。

当初我还在中学念书、在超市打工；
难以相信我现年已有十七岁，已经是个初院生了。
时间走得太快，让我难以跟上它的步伐，
也没有给我太多的时间，让我跟过去的一切道别。
就在那匆忙、感叹的情怀下，我开始了人生的另一篇章。

我是一个念旧的人；唯有在离开了中学后，
才发现我是如此的想念那个地方；
那个令我成长、让我领悟、使我成熟、富有人情味的地方。
然而，天下无不散之筵席，所有美好的东西，毕竟有曲终人散的那一刻。
但是，往往在一切结束时，我们开看见所有的美好，
所有的人情世故，在结束时才学会去珍惜。。。

此时让我做出了一个决定；
我不想再像往常一样，因为失去或结束的东西，
而错过了现有的美好。
如果一切的人、事、物都要我学着去珍惜，
那么我应该在他们还在身边时，而学着去感恩。

也许是往常的那份执著，使我无法接受所有的一切；
可能是从前的那份念旧，使我无法珍惜眼前的美好。
但是，这一次我要学会去珍惜，而不是等到失去时，才来后悔。

眼前的路是一片迷茫，是直是弯我也无法任别；
但是这一次我心里有数，此路是一生中唯一一条自己选择走的路，
无论如何一定要走完它，一定要走下去；
自记的决定是没有回头路的，所以一定要坚持到底。

现在，我竟入了人生的新一篇章，希望在开始这段旅程前，
能够克服所有的恐惧，让我一口气走到终点。。。