As a student, I always left everything to the last minute. I used to stay up most of the night cramming for exams. That’s fine when you’re living at home but when I was sent to a strict boarding school in Australia at 15 (I mean ultra strict), I had to adjust to their rules. Dinner was at 530pm. Study time ALONE in your room was from 6 to 9pm etc. Well, at 2am one night, I got caught for breaking the rules. All I was doing was studying late at night but lights out meant lights out at 10pm sharp *sigh* so I was put on detention and had to be Cinderella for the day vacuuming the whole boarding house.
This led to the bright idea (so I thought) of putting my jeans under the door to block out the light but my housemother caught me again! I had to think of something else. I bought a torch and was studying under the covers (as if I was on a secret mission) anticipating when she might walk in on me. Can you imagine how I felt when I left? *wink*
After 2 years of boarding school, I felt like a prisoner escapee drunk on this delicious cocktail I’d like to call “freedom”. I got my first car *yaaaay!!* and lived on campus at Curtin University in Perth for the first year of uni. I came and went as I pleased, partied if I felt like it and studied without being hassled by my boarding school Hogwarts like head mistress *thank goodness!*
If this was my first taste of adulthood, I was loving it already!! :) I worked hard and played hard trying to strike a balance between the social butterfly that I was and full-on study bug (got Asian genes what lol ;).
When I finished my business degree in Australia, I wanted to take another one. I returned to Singapore, did post-grad studies in Marketing and started off my second degree in psychology (I didn't finish it tho because I feel you should be totally dedicated and on campus for it. It's a SERIOUS amount of reading and paperwork but who knows? One day, I might return to it.
I need to say it. I know it's a cliche but true...as the saying goes "never say never" and "knowledge is power" so we never really stop. We go on learning forever. The exams may end when you're no longer a student but the "tests" in life don't :)
Hey, since we're on the topic, why do you reckon we're here? I know it's a BIG, age old question and everyone has a different answer but I'd love to hear what you think. Let me know kay?
