Written: 31st July 2010

In the wake of the 2012 matrics currently concluding their schooling career, memories flood my mind of the time when I was in their shoes. This post is something that I actually wrote 2 years ago, the title being :

As I approach the end of my schooling career.....



I still remember the day when I entered school for the very first time, with soft blue ribbons in my hair, my uniform crisp and new and with the brightest smile that I could manage. I remember the hopes of making many new friends and the dream of being the class star. I remember the fruity smell of the fresh lunch that our parents had lovingly packed for us and that intense fear of what could happen whilst we were away from them for the very first time.

Twelve incredible years have passed in the blink of an eye. It was like living life on roller-skates, we were guided through the mud, the puddles, gravel and through the hills in becoming experts, while our fingers were interlinked with those of a teacher’s, first very tight, then slowly we began to loosen our grip and the time has finally come to let go. At last we have mastered the skill of balance, work and play, friendship and love, rights and responsibilities, rules and freedom. We were sculpted into bright individuals who are now ready to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.

As I approach the end of my schooling career. I reflect upon what I have learnt thus far. School is where my life began. It was the minute world that I grew accustomed to whilst on my path to independence. We were presented with the opportunity to be who we wanted to be, to try and try until we have achieved our goal, and to take risks and try something new, whilst still under the safe wing of our teachers.  The success and downfalls which I have experienced have created who I am, and the bad experiences were learnt from. In fact, they were probably the most significant ones to me.

What I shall never forget is the vegetable patch that my class had created. For me, it represented our relationship to one another. We were once strangers, but now family. Just like how we nurtured the plants from seeds and took care of them, we sowed the seeds of friendship and let it evolve to something extraordinary. We took care of each other. We grew close to one another and our friendship flourished.

School gave rise to the basis of a blooming social life which grew to become the experience of a lifetime. All it took to start a life-long friendship was a sweet smile and a simple “Hi”, and then it built itself upon common interests, juicy secrets, and inside jokes. It influenced the way we walked, the way we talked, how we dressed and what we did. We learnt how to trust one another, support one another and accept each other. We touched each other’s lives in a very positive and rewarding way and we will soon part ways to embark upon life’s greater opportunities and wonderful lessons.  My class is the thing that I shall miss the most as we stand as proof of being “All for one and one for all”. The flame of our friendship shall forever burn with the fuel of our fondest memories and the hard times that we have together endured.

 As I approach the end of my schooling career, I’m presented with the final opportunity to make my mark in the land of youth and knowledge. My childhood has finally come to an end, where I now leave the youthful city of my comfort and enter the wilderness of my future. I plan to utilize all that I have learnt from teachers who have shared their knowledge and years of experience, and who have devoted their time and patience to ensure that we were the best that we could be. I will work consistently to pay tribute to my parents who have made numerous sacrifices for me, to ensure that I have a brighter and more contented future.

I plan to make every day count, to appreciate every moment and take everything that I possibly can from it. I would like to hear those around me and be heard. I would like to notice the finer details of every moment, and be noticed. I would like to create doting memories, which I can reflect upon and smile later in life. I want to enjoy the essence of my youth. I want to surround myself with those who make me smile, laugh and happy. This is my chance to break free and set my sights high. I strive to be the creator of my own destiny and orchestrate my experience of life. This is my time to create my life and then let go and live it. It is not too late to become what I might have been. If I want my dreams to come true, I must not oversleep.