|
READ ME
entries
profile
links
extras
TWITTER
|
SLOW DOWN, IT’S HAPPENING;
Sunday, December 27, 2009
*Note: this post is long. When I post up something lengthy, it means I felt very strongly about something. But if you really cannot stand reading long long posts, at least read the quick add-on at the end. Christmas has come and gone, but reality hasn’t quite sunk in yet. With the end of Prom, class, trip and SPM, my secondary school life really is over. I feel more than a little disappointed to find that the national school system has failed me. I’ve hardly learnt anything in secondary school. We swallow and regurgitate formulas and sophisticated vocabulary and historical factlets, but of the leadership, speaking up for what we believe in and believing in ourselves (and other gaff) we learnt nothing. Thinking back, the one thing I really wish my teachers had taught me is the ability to question. “Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt.” - H.L. Mencken Our education system combined with Asian values (high emphasis on respect) hardly allow any room for questioning elders and speaking up. Teachers always say, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” but what most of them really mean is, “You can ask questions, just ask the right ones.” The right questions meaning the questions they can answer, which will make them look good. As a result, we’ve been turned into a bunch of robots that know how to answer complicated add maths and physics questions – which is all very good and well done, but nothing more. We can’t think out of the box. We find it difficult to apply what we learn to the real world. We don’t question what the teachers teach. It’s a teacher, right? So it must be true lah. If any of us had bothered to ask further, I think we would discover that most teachers (by no means all!) know very little more than what we do, and they’re afraid of letting us find out. "I never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain. & when you think about it, most of the things that you are glad you learnt in during your teen years were not learnt in a classroom, but through other activities, mostly on your own.You never ever see people being thankful, years on, that they managed to memorize all the laws of physics and every formula and every historic event. Instead, people find joy in celebrating the life’s lessons learnt: all the things regarding friends, leadership, time management and other stuff. The minute I realized this, there were so many things I wanted to do to change the rigidly obedient part of me. I sat down and I’ve drawn up a list of things that I want to do before I hit university, because I know that I learn best through experience. Effectively, I’ve kind of drawn up my own education system. I’ll put it up here, when I have the time, and you can comment and add on to it. I wanted to get started on it this year, but every time I wanted to, something/someone would scream in my ear, “SPM!!!!” And of course, that took priority. As a result, I’ve spent much of the time of this smashing year preparing to meet the attack of the Super Peperiksaan Man head-on. It was like a buffer, a damper, a wet blanket on all of my ideas and plans for my life. Whatever I wanted to do, SPM came first. And, as you all know, it turned out to be *snaps fingers* like that. Like, WTF? My time could have been better spent. That sounded really cocky. Okay lah, touch wood. But I’ve given my best for the SPM already. The important thing is that now (NOW!) it really, truly is over. The buffer, the harness, the wet blanket, the restraining belt, the straitjacket – it’s gone. My real learning can get back on track. I can go out and learn to drive, then go on a spontaneous road trip to whoknowswhere. I can take up Ju Eng’s offer to start writing articles for the Youth Network thingamy (I get paid!). I can indulge in BRATs activities again. I can get more deeply involved with church and charity. I can learn to dance properly, seeing as I don’t know how to at all. I can read ALL of the books I missed out on without feeling overly guilty. In fact, I’m going to have to, if I’m taking English Lit for A-Levels. I can go bungee jumping, I can go for holidays overseas. I can, I can, I CAN!!! Freedom takes some getting used to. (: [And I better get used to it fast. Orientation’s on January 2!] ***edit*** A quick add on: This post is very emotionally-charged, but reading back, I don’t think it makes much sense. Clearly my brain cells have yet to fully recuperate from Penang. Here is pinkpau’s blog post appealing to all high school students. What she says is somewhat related to this one. It’s a bit late, but I think it’s a must read. If you’re not Form 5 yet, lagi more must read! Here’s another of pinkpau’s posts that I like, but unrelated. I just like it cause I’m a real sucker for smart people as well. LAAAAAAA ~ I know that if any of you readers follow celebrity bloggers, most of you follow xiaxue. I know xiaxue is super funny. I laugh at some of her posts, and I really like the way she just goes “BAH!” whenever anyone criticizes her. She’s really blunt and straightforward. And she writes the most hilarious stories. But personally, I think pinkpau rocks more! I like the way she argues something calmly and maturely, and goes into great detail on whatever topic she happens to be blogging about. She doesn’t churn out a long post every single time, but I love it when she does, because she touches on things that really matter. She’s really honest and sincere. A lot of her posts reflect my thoughts, but she knows how to put it in such a way that is faintly amusing and appealing to readers, whilst I simply blog whatever’s in my head. Therein lies the great difference. (Pei She, I think you’d like the way pinkpau blogs. And yes, I’ve learnt my lesson. No more making up my own words! :D) Besides, xiaxue is Singaporean. pinkpau’s from good old Malaysia. Go pinkpau! :D
INTRODUCING
Name: Louise
13 April 1992
You can only call me Lulu if you don’t think the name’s funny.
I am a member of the Smiley Conspiracy and a proud ex-CHS-ian, graduating class of 2009. Now doing A-Levels at HELP University College. Is proudly Malaysian, but doesn’t look like it and is proud of that too.
This is the 7th time I am editing this about section of the blog this year; I have sort of accepted that my personality is ever-evolving, ever-changing, therefore rendering my moods as volatile as the weather. But just as there are some things that have stood untouched across the centuries by harsh weather, so there are some things with me that remain ever the same: a belief that to live is to learn, and the ability to bounce back from setbacks.
What I love also remains constant. I love good food, dancing, fresh experiences, open minds and friendly people, all of which can be found in the wonderful wonderful city that is Istanbul. I love musicals, plays, good books, stickers, owls, colourful wrapping paper, hugs and kisses, chocolates, almost any music from the 17th to the 21st century, intense debates and post-it notes.
Fictional characters I have been compared to (in terms of personality) are Piglet from Winnie The Pooh and Kelsi from High School Musical.
I dream of finishing this list [29/8/2010: list is undergoing revamp!], and my secret ambition is to become a hairdresser or bartender. Unfortunately I’m also incredibly kiasu, so I’m going to go to university just to show everyone that I can. But want to go to uni also because I love learning lah!
Words that describe me are impulsive, impetuous, quixotic, sanguine, quirky, bewildered, kiasu and hodgepodge. The last one also refers to my sense of fashion.
*GRINS* :D
SLOW DOWN, IT’S HAPPENING;
Sunday, December 27, 2009
*Note: this post is long. When I post up something lengthy, it means I felt very strongly about something. But if you really cannot stand reading long long posts, at least read the quick add-on at the end. Christmas has come and gone, but reality hasn’t quite sunk in yet. With the end of Prom, class, trip and SPM, my secondary school life really is over. I feel more than a little disappointed to find that the national school system has failed me. I’ve hardly learnt anything in secondary school. We swallow and regurgitate formulas and sophisticated vocabulary and historical factlets, but of the leadership, speaking up for what we believe in and believing in ourselves (and other gaff) we learnt nothing. Thinking back, the one thing I really wish my teachers had taught me is the ability to question. “Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt.” - H.L. Mencken Our education system combined with Asian values (high emphasis on respect) hardly allow any room for questioning elders and speaking up. Teachers always say, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” but what most of them really mean is, “You can ask questions, just ask the right ones.” The right questions meaning the questions they can answer, which will make them look good. As a result, we’ve been turned into a bunch of robots that know how to answer complicated add maths and physics questions – which is all very good and well done, but nothing more. We can’t think out of the box. We find it difficult to apply what we learn to the real world. We don’t question what the teachers teach. It’s a teacher, right? So it must be true lah. If any of us had bothered to ask further, I think we would discover that most teachers (by no means all!) know very little more than what we do, and they’re afraid of letting us find out. "I never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain. & when you think about it, most of the things that you are glad you learnt in during your teen years were not learnt in a classroom, but through other activities, mostly on your own.You never ever see people being thankful, years on, that they managed to memorize all the laws of physics and every formula and every historic event. Instead, people find joy in celebrating the life’s lessons learnt: all the things regarding friends, leadership, time management and other stuff. The minute I realized this, there were so many things I wanted to do to change the rigidly obedient part of me. I sat down and I’ve drawn up a list of things that I want to do before I hit university, because I know that I learn best through experience. Effectively, I’ve kind of drawn up my own education system. I’ll put it up here, when I have the time, and you can comment and add on to it. I wanted to get started on it this year, but every time I wanted to, something/someone would scream in my ear, “SPM!!!!” And of course, that took priority. As a result, I’ve spent much of the time of this smashing year preparing to meet the attack of the Super Peperiksaan Man head-on. It was like a buffer, a damper, a wet blanket on all of my ideas and plans for my life. Whatever I wanted to do, SPM came first. And, as you all know, it turned out to be *snaps fingers* like that. Like, WTF? My time could have been better spent. That sounded really cocky. Okay lah, touch wood. But I’ve given my best for the SPM already. The important thing is that now (NOW!) it really, truly is over. The buffer, the harness, the wet blanket, the restraining belt, the straitjacket – it’s gone. My real learning can get back on track. I can go out and learn to drive, then go on a spontaneous road trip to whoknowswhere. I can take up Ju Eng’s offer to start writing articles for the Youth Network thingamy (I get paid!). I can indulge in BRATs activities again. I can get more deeply involved with church and charity. I can learn to dance properly, seeing as I don’t know how to at all. I can read ALL of the books I missed out on without feeling overly guilty. In fact, I’m going to have to, if I’m taking English Lit for A-Levels. I can go bungee jumping, I can go for holidays overseas. I can, I can, I CAN!!! Freedom takes some getting used to. (: [And I better get used to it fast. Orientation’s on January 2!] ***edit*** A quick add on: This post is very emotionally-charged, but reading back, I don’t think it makes much sense. Clearly my brain cells have yet to fully recuperate from Penang. Here is pinkpau’s blog post appealing to all high school students. What she says is somewhat related to this one. It’s a bit late, but I think it’s a must read. If you’re not Form 5 yet, lagi more must read! Here’s another of pinkpau’s posts that I like, but unrelated. I just like it cause I’m a real sucker for smart people as well. LAAAAAAA ~ I know that if any of you readers follow celebrity bloggers, most of you follow xiaxue. I know xiaxue is super funny. I laugh at some of her posts, and I really like the way she just goes “BAH!” whenever anyone criticizes her. She’s really blunt and straightforward. And she writes the most hilarious stories. But personally, I think pinkpau rocks more! I like the way she argues something calmly and maturely, and goes into great detail on whatever topic she happens to be blogging about. She doesn’t churn out a long post every single time, but I love it when she does, because she touches on things that really matter. She’s really honest and sincere. A lot of her posts reflect my thoughts, but she knows how to put it in such a way that is faintly amusing and appealing to readers, whilst I simply blog whatever’s in my head. Therein lies the great difference. (Pei She, I think you’d like the way pinkpau blogs. And yes, I’ve learnt my lesson. No more making up my own words! :D) Besides, xiaxue is Singaporean. pinkpau’s from good old Malaysia. Go pinkpau! :D
|
