Saturday, February 12, 2011
♥ RIP Mr Isaac Bishop
You really begin to realize how important and how valuable your teachers were.... when you've finished school.
You look back and you see how talented they were.. how funny they were... how dedicated they were...
... and you really wish you appreciated them more while you still in school.
Although they may have just been your teacher for a year, they impart just that little something on your life.
Last night, I attempted to string words together, for the most difficult speech I have ever written.
And today I held back tears as I read that speech out, and was reminded of an amazing teacher I had in high school.
-----------------------------------------------------
12th February 2011
Mr Bishop would always rock up to class with a bottle of water and some fruit. After spending a good 15 minutes writing about the Poisson distribution on the whiteboard, he would turn around and ask, “are you with me good people?” and we would all, of course, nod in unison. Then he would grab his water bottle and with one gulp, the bottle would be half empty in a matter of seconds.
He was a remarkable teacher. Full of energy - You could see it in class, when he would bop up and down excitedly as he opened up our minds to the world of linear systems and trend analysis. And you could also see it when he chased students around school for not wearing the correct uniform.
Mr Bishop was approachable, friendly and had a great sense of humor. There was this one time when the class found out that Mr Bishop didn’t own a mobile phone… and as we were recovering from the shock horror of this discovery, his simply stated “my daughter told me to get a mobile phone… I told her, if I wanted you to know where I am, I’d tell you”.
He was a dedicated teacher who would rock up at school at 8am in the morning, just to hold extra help classes for the lead up to TEE. And he would always happily answer any questions you had – even when it was just minutes before your exam - and it was obvious you had spent the night before cramming the entire curriculum.
Mr Bishop was a wise man… he stressed the importance of peer teaching and how helping others also helps yourself… and he had this unique ability to not only make maths understandable, but also just that little bit more bearable…
On behalf of all past and current students, I would like to express my most heartfelt sympathy to Mr Bishop’s family.
I can only hope that one day, my children, will be taught by teachers as amazing as he was.
Labels: funeral, high school
2:27 PM
Friday, November 13, 2009
♥ rage @ principal
there are several things about the following article that just pisses me off.
my high school principal wrote it august last year..
and seriously? IT'S ALL WRONG!
okay, first of all, it's zonta award. not ward...
secondly, my sister's name is dilys. not delys......
thirdly, it is the zonta club of the perth northern suburbs.
fourtly, it was not a speech competition. in fact the competition process involved a forty minute interview and an application form with lots of questions about advancing the status of women worldwide.
next, the speech was simply so the rest of the club could get to know us - it had no part in the competition process... so no, it did not 'clinch' my position as winner..
actually, at club level the prize was $500US. and it went on to district level where the prize was $1000US, not national level with $3000US.... -.-"
at least she got the date right. and she probably copied and pasted the first paragraph from their website.
anyways my point is. throughout my high school life, i got very annoyed at my principal for several things. she wouldn't let me organise fundraising events, she wouldn't let me do this and that... she would just be a butt sometimes. she cared highly about school reputation... but how about the students? like actually caring about how they are and stuff. not just claiming all the glory when one student achieves something (and even then, not even having a good understanding of it)
so anyways. thats my rage for the day. i think my principal cared too much about her reputation and the school's reputation... she refused to let go of her pride for the benefit of her students. and i believe that principals should do whats in the best interest of their students... not of their own reputation.
on an ending note... TWOLA day today.
Labels: high school, twloha, zonta
10:11 AM
Thursday, October 15, 2009
♥ lauf memory lane
it's time for a trip down memory lane.
how sad, some of the audio has been cut off due to copyright stuff!
peer support camp memories :)
okay for this one, you should first watch this: DBSK Balloons
because this was what we were trying to imitate for a friend's birthday.
More memories :)
More memories =']
LAUF LEAVERS
LEAVERS '08
that's it for now. i can't believe there is actually SO MANY! there's still the love / domestic spy series xD
oh gosh, i loved highschoooooooooooooooool. these videos are awes!
Labels: high school, lauf, leavers, memories, youtube
11:24 PM
Saturday, September 12, 2009
♥ rollercoaster day at work
my up and down day at work...
sigh, what a day.
P.S. we have already started stocking christmas stuff. dude. it's september.. *counts fingers* there's a good three months to go......
- the senior went on lunch break as soon i got to work (1pm) so i was left in charge.
- an aboriginal lady walked out of our store with lipstick slipped into the back of her pants, i could do nothing, she already left the store, but a customer was nice enough to let me know
- two of my high school teachers dropped by, ms pearson - a nice relief teacher, and mr uren - my awesome calc teacher. it was nice to see them and have a chat, but i could feel my supervisor eye-ing me as i stood there and talked to them.
- there were several things mispriced / mistagged. it was frustrating. very. frustrating.
- i served a customer with bits of her skin picked off. you know, kinda like those images they put on tv or ads to scare you about taking drugs. where they believe theirs bugs under their skin so they pick at it... at first i just saw it on her face, then she took off her jacket telling me how 'it gets hot when ur walking around hey'.... then i saw it all over her arms. at first i thought they were burns from cigarette butts (ahh criminal minds!) but then i realized they weren't burns, they were fresh wounds.
sigh, what a day.
P.S. we have already started stocking christmas stuff. dude. it's september.. *counts fingers* there's a good three months to go......
Labels: customers, drugs, high school, reddot, work
5:47 PM
Sunday, September 6, 2009
♥ [camera roll] my busy saturday
saturday, 5th september 2oo9.
tracy's hens party.
dude, i want my bridesmaids to be as cool as these girls. they did such an awesome job. i loved it. the decorations. the FOOD. the games. it was such great fun.
the food was soooooooooo gooodddd
isn't my toilet paper wedding dress awesome?
ahaha. i even have a RING, and DARTS for my dress, and SHOES.
i heart trace. i can't believe she's getting married!!!! i am super excited for her wedding.
group photo
tinh's 18th.
i heart ribs. honey bbq ribs mMMmmMMm. pricey, but oh so good. i use to hate kareoke, but i think i'm getting use to it, it's quite fun.
tinh & i
well, it's been a busy (and somewhat tiring) few days. today has been pretty chilled, fathers day. half way cleaning my room now, even though i should be studying. for some reason i'm in the cleaning mood, so better make the most of it while it lasts x)
tracy's hens party.
dude, i want my bridesmaids to be as cool as these girls. they did such an awesome job. i loved it. the decorations. the FOOD. the games. it was such great fun.
the food was soooooooooo gooodddd
isn't my toilet paper wedding dress awesome?ahaha. i even have a RING, and DARTS for my dress, and SHOES.
i heart trace. i can't believe she's getting married!!!! i am super excited for her wedding.
group phototinh's 18th.
i heart ribs. honey bbq ribs mMMmmMMm. pricey, but oh so good. i use to hate kareoke, but i think i'm getting use to it, it's quite fun.
yummmm
tinh & iwell, it's been a busy (and somewhat tiring) few days. today has been pretty chilled, fathers day. half way cleaning my room now, even though i should be studying. for some reason i'm in the cleaning mood, so better make the most of it while it lasts x)
Labels: 18ths, birthday, friends, high school, lauf, party, weddings
4:20 PM
Thursday, August 27, 2009
♥ my girls
these are my girls (well most of them).
there's something about this picture that's really cool.
Labels: friends, high school
5:29 PM
Sunday, August 16, 2009
♥ a mate indeed
josh talks about his friends a lot. he tells me how he wishes they were siblings, rather than just friends.
it amazes me sometimes, the close-ness and bond he has with his friends.
it kinda makes me think of my friendships a bit.
anyways today i want to talk about my best mate. i was going to blog about him fri night, but got home too late.
he's really an amazing guy. but we weren't always such good friends.
it started way back in year 2/3, when we were in the same class, i was yr 2, he was yr 3. i had this crush on him back in like year 5 or 6 i think. we didn't talk for two years, once he went to high school, and even the first year i went into high school. we dated when i hit year 9, gosh i still remember that first day we were walking next to each other and his friends ran past and put our hands together. how awkward! ahaha, anyways, it turned out to be quite a disaster, we lasted from the 28 aug (tanya'sbday) to the 6th nov (josh yen's bday). and after that we didn't talk for years.
so it wasn't til upper school, that we actually started talking again. it began really slow. just general chat. it took us a while to get over our iffyness with out past together, it was especially hard, when people would talk about us, like we couldn't just be friends.
we finally broke through it all, and became good (if not better) mates by the time i was in yr 11. two years it took. and many mistakes in between. i kinda felt bad sometimes, because he took quite a bit of crap from his friends.
most of the guys i was with over my high school years were slightly edgey about him. they knew how much he meant to me and how close i was to him. i guess they were scared that i would fall for him again, but by then i had already realized, that we would never work as a couple, that he wasn't what i wanted and that our friendship was so important to me.
i took him to my year 12 ball - as friends, of course. i've been shopping with him countless times. we've gone to eat at the c restaurant. we've gone to parks to play tictactoe. we've gone for bubble tea countless times. we've had sago fights. we've gone for dinner countless times. we collect baby shoes, and he gets the left and i get the right shoe (weird, i know...). my parents buy him gifts when they go overseas. he's been to my dad's workplace christmas function. he looks after my house when we're all away. he lets me drive his car xD.
yeah we've done lots of things. but it's not just the things we do. but it's one of those low maintenance friendships. he'll be on holiday, or i'll be on holiday, and we won't talk to see each other for months. but as soon as we see each other again, it's back to how it always is. i think those kinda friendships come with having known each other for such a long time.
anyways the other night, i was kinda stranded in nb, after not being able to get into justworship at metrochurch. it's a long story, but basically my sister was inside, and i wasn't.
my first person to call? him. and yup he came and saved me, haha. we ended up dropping by burswood, and then eating after in nb.
but like that day made me realize a few things about our friendship. and added are a few other things i've picked up over the years.
1. i can always call him when i need something. and he'll always help me out. (e.g. friday) unless he's like trashed or something and can't drive.
2. i tell him a lot of things, that many other people don't know. and i know i can trust him with that. that he wont tell anyone and that he doesn't judge me either.
3. he rarely gets to the point. really, on days that i message him telling him that i need to talk to him, we basically go out all night to eat or timezone or something, and in the last half an hour he'd be like "so what did u want to talk about". but none the less, friday surprised me. when just before we reached my house, he threw a question at me, that i could not answer while looking at him.
4. haha he was the first person i told when i started dating josh. and i think he was the first i told when i broke up with ken. actually he's usually the first person i tell about most things.
5. sometimes his advice sucks. but it's good to know he listens and is honest with me. and i know that he is worried or concerned about certain things.
7. he drives me everywhere. well, most places. he will always pick me up if i need to be, and he never complains, well to me at least xD. i'll make it up to him, when i get my licence, but i have a feeling he won't like sitting in the car where i'm driving anyways.
8. he dresses well. i think he knows me so well, he'd be able to differentiate between something i would wear and something i wouldn't. i think its because we use to go shopping together so often.
9. he's such a kid sometimes. he likes his toys. esp new toys. he's the kinda guy who would spend more, on exactly the same product, except one looks better than the other... (e.g. this usb he bought once, it costed so much more, but looked cooler... -.-")
10. he's been such a big part of my life, and still is... and i don't really know who could take his place.
and when u have mates like that, how can you not feel blessed?
it amazes me sometimes, the close-ness and bond he has with his friends.
it kinda makes me think of my friendships a bit.
anyways today i want to talk about my best mate. i was going to blog about him fri night, but got home too late.
he's really an amazing guy. but we weren't always such good friends.it started way back in year 2/3, when we were in the same class, i was yr 2, he was yr 3. i had this crush on him back in like year 5 or 6 i think. we didn't talk for two years, once he went to high school, and even the first year i went into high school. we dated when i hit year 9, gosh i still remember that first day we were walking next to each other and his friends ran past and put our hands together. how awkward! ahaha, anyways, it turned out to be quite a disaster, we lasted from the 28 aug (tanya'sbday) to the 6th nov (josh yen's bday). and after that we didn't talk for years.
so it wasn't til upper school, that we actually started talking again. it began really slow. just general chat. it took us a while to get over our iffyness with out past together, it was especially hard, when people would talk about us, like we couldn't just be friends.
we finally broke through it all, and became good (if not better) mates by the time i was in yr 11. two years it took. and many mistakes in between. i kinda felt bad sometimes, because he took quite a bit of crap from his friends.
most of the guys i was with over my high school years were slightly edgey about him. they knew how much he meant to me and how close i was to him. i guess they were scared that i would fall for him again, but by then i had already realized, that we would never work as a couple, that he wasn't what i wanted and that our friendship was so important to me.
i took him to my year 12 ball - as friends, of course. i've been shopping with him countless times. we've gone to eat at the c restaurant. we've gone to parks to play tictactoe. we've gone for bubble tea countless times. we've had sago fights. we've gone for dinner countless times. we collect baby shoes, and he gets the left and i get the right shoe (weird, i know...). my parents buy him gifts when they go overseas. he's been to my dad's workplace christmas function. he looks after my house when we're all away. he lets me drive his car xD.yeah we've done lots of things. but it's not just the things we do. but it's one of those low maintenance friendships. he'll be on holiday, or i'll be on holiday, and we won't talk to see each other for months. but as soon as we see each other again, it's back to how it always is. i think those kinda friendships come with having known each other for such a long time.
anyways the other night, i was kinda stranded in nb, after not being able to get into justworship at metrochurch. it's a long story, but basically my sister was inside, and i wasn't.
my first person to call? him. and yup he came and saved me, haha. we ended up dropping by burswood, and then eating after in nb.
but like that day made me realize a few things about our friendship. and added are a few other things i've picked up over the years.
1. i can always call him when i need something. and he'll always help me out. (e.g. friday) unless he's like trashed or something and can't drive.
2. i tell him a lot of things, that many other people don't know. and i know i can trust him with that. that he wont tell anyone and that he doesn't judge me either.
3. he rarely gets to the point. really, on days that i message him telling him that i need to talk to him, we basically go out all night to eat or timezone or something, and in the last half an hour he'd be like "so what did u want to talk about". but none the less, friday surprised me. when just before we reached my house, he threw a question at me, that i could not answer while looking at him.
4. haha he was the first person i told when i started dating josh. and i think he was the first i told when i broke up with ken. actually he's usually the first person i tell about most things.
5. sometimes his advice sucks. but it's good to know he listens and is honest with me. and i know that he is worried or concerned about certain things.
7. he drives me everywhere. well, most places. he will always pick me up if i need to be, and he never complains, well to me at least xD. i'll make it up to him, when i get my licence, but i have a feeling he won't like sitting in the car where i'm driving anyways.
8. he dresses well. i think he knows me so well, he'd be able to differentiate between something i would wear and something i wouldn't. i think its because we use to go shopping together so often.
9. he's such a kid sometimes. he likes his toys. esp new toys. he's the kinda guy who would spend more, on exactly the same product, except one looks better than the other... (e.g. this usb he bought once, it costed so much more, but looked cooler... -.-")
10. he's been such a big part of my life, and still is... and i don't really know who could take his place.
and when u have mates like that, how can you not feel blessed?
Labels: exbf/exgf, friends, high school, relationships
11:59 PM
♥ camera roll [sma dinner & eurobar]
wednesday 12th august 2oo9
@ nathan's house
nat & me, webcam haha. @ agni indian restaurant
me and george with the door guy
my underdressed boyfriend and myself =P
our awesome table (with nathan missing because he was taking the photo)
first years. excluding josh, tj and ben (because they left pretty quick!)
friday 14th august 2oo9
@ billy lee's, nb
haha, our meal from our wins. dinner with nig
saturday 15th august 2oo9
@ nb, jb's bday at eurobar
waiting for david using the atm
me fiona and chez (old high school friends)
casey, jb, david, me
yes i drank. im 18. it's legal. but i didnt get drunk =)
these girls we met, robin and brianna. now i understand how people meet people at bars. there's not enough tables then u end up sharing tables with randoms and introducing urselves haha.
more high school friends. d'vids, coorey, me and ayshe
@ nathan's house
nat & me, webcam haha. 
me and george with the door guy
my underdressed boyfriend and myself =P
our awesome table (with nathan missing because he was taking the photo)
first years. excluding josh, tj and ben (because they left pretty quick!)friday 14th august 2oo9
@ billy lee's, nb
haha, our meal from our wins. dinner with nigsaturday 15th august 2oo9
@ nb, jb's bday at eurobar
waiting for david using the atm
me fiona and chez (old high school friends)
casey, jb, david, me
yes i drank. im 18. it's legal. but i didnt get drunk =)
these girls we met, robin and brianna. now i understand how people meet people at bars. there's not enough tables then u end up sharing tables with randoms and introducing urselves haha.
more high school friends. d'vids, coorey, me and aysheoh another note.. parents come back tonight. YES. decent food!!! loveLOVElove.
Labels: 18ths, birthday, drinking, high school, old mates, outing, photo, sma, uni
6:19 PM
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
♥ A Celebration of Young Women - Zonta Gala Dinner
Today I returned to the Zonta Club of the Perth Northern Suburbs, as last years club winner of the Young Women in Public Affairs Award for 2008, and this years International District 23 winner =)
You know, when I found out I had won International Districts, my heart slightly fell, as I felt that I didn't deserve it... that I wasn't good enough for it. I was scared of returning back to the club - I wasn't sure what I was going to say. It kinda felt like "Hey! Thanks for picking me as your winner and giving me great prizes and $1k... and yeah you know all that stuff i said about wanting to become a doctor, i still want to. I just sorta failed last year. So I guess you guys picked a failure for your winner...But hey! It's all good."
I could have wrote a speech, on simply what they asked - my experiences over the past year. I could have chosen not to go deeper. I could have even covered up by saying that I want to do post grad med. andd.. i want my degree in psyc first. But the truth is I missed the mark. I wasn't good enough.
I actually wrote this speech in the car... on the way home from uni... the day I had to present it. So excuse the bad english, grammer etc... But I feel it captures feelings that I don't often share, yet have felt in the past year.
Happy Reading
s2 ditz
Good Evening Ladies & Gentleman
A year ago I stood here and gave a talk on my role model, Doctor Fiona Woods. This amazing mother of six impacted the lives of many. She changed lives. She made a difference. She made her footprint on this world count. It is no wonder why she was named the most trusted person. She’s simple amazing.
As I stand here today, I think of the women who have stood before me, here, at this very podium. And probably shared stories of success, inspiration and accomplishment. Rarely do we hear the stories of failure, setbacks and complications.
When people think of Dr Fiona Woods, they see strong, trusted, highly recognised and inspirational woman. We rarely hear of the days where she might have woke up to a crying child at 1am in the morning, and wondered how she was going to wake up again at 5 to get to work in time. We rarely hear of those days where a careless mistake may have set her back weeks in medical research.
I think we all reach points of our lives, where things do not go the way we had originally planned. To be honest, I am at that point. But let me share with you my story. My story of perseverance, in hope that I can encourage every single one of you. And maybe even challenge you.
I have a heart for helping people. It is my passion. My dream is to become a doctor. To be able to travel to third world countries and make my footprint in this world. To then come back and stabilize my career as a paediatrician, while starting my own family.
September, last year I received my results for the UMAT, the undergraduate medicine admission test, and found out that I had fell short of the top fifteen percentile I needed to secure an interview. This meant that I was unable to get into undergraduate medicine for 2009.
When I received my TEE results, I had to make a choice. I couldn’t do medicine because of my UMAT score. But I had the marks to pursue a degree in Engineering or Law. This was a big hurdle for me. My dreams had not completely shattered, but it was certainly not going the way I had hoped or even planned. I had to ask myself if I could spend the rest of my life doing something that I may have had the brainability to, but didn’t have the heart for.
The answer to that was no. I couldn’t let go of my dreams. I had to change my perception, and I had to start seeing this situation not as a dead end but as an obstacle - a setback. And just simply that. My dreams on hold. But not shattered.
Six Months ago I began my first year of university, doing a Bachelor of Science at UWA. My first challenge was finding my first class, which was probably purposely placed on the other side of campus, just to confuse us first year students. My next challenge was too understand my lecturer despite his very strong accent... and the challenge after that? Probably staying awake in those lectures.
Okay, I’m only joking. I have some fantastic lecturers, some better than others, but I have realized how important my high school teachers were on my schooling life. Teachers, who would encourage you, support you and help you. This of course is slightly harder for lecturers in university, especially when you have eight hundred psychology students in one class.
The past six months have had its challenges. I’ve had to make some very important decisions. Like deciding to get up in the cold morning with no daylight savings to wait at the bus stop at 6:45am to get to uni in time for my 8am class. Or... sleeping in and listening to my lecture online in the comfort of my nice warm bed. Technology is amazing really. And you really learn to appreciate it once you hit Uni.
On a more serious note. Exactly one week ago, I retook the UMAT, in hope to secure an interview for one of the fifteen places UWA offers non high school leavers for its undergraduate medicine course.
For those who are not familiar with the UMAT, it is not a science or medical based test that you can study for. It contains Logical reasoning, Problem Solving, Non-Verbal reasoning... things that you can’t study for. I can happily say that this year I went into that exam room more prepared than I did last year, and I came out of that exam room a lot more confident than last year. I won’t know the results til another month or so down the track... nor will I find out if I got one of those fifteen spots til end of this year... but I do know that despite what happens, I will get there one day. However long it may take.
Every day is a new day. Everyday has its own challenges. Some are new challenges... Last Friday, I saw my first cadaver. At 2 o’clock this afternoon, I dissected a pig’s heart in my human biology lab. Some are not so new challenges.... like staying awake in class or deciphering the scribble your lecturer leaves on the board...
Today I challenge you to follow your dreams. To persevere. To not give up.
It sounds cliché... I know. But if Dr Fiona Woods decided to give up that day she had a setback in her medical research... what would have happened to the hundreds of people wounded in the Bali Bombings in 2002.
Everyone will have their setbacks in life. But I urge you not to let turn your setback into a dead end.
And who knows... in a few years time, maybe I’ll be able to return to this very podium, and share with you my story of success. Inspiration. And accomplishment.
Thankyou
You know, when I found out I had won International Districts, my heart slightly fell, as I felt that I didn't deserve it... that I wasn't good enough for it. I was scared of returning back to the club - I wasn't sure what I was going to say. It kinda felt like "Hey! Thanks for picking me as your winner and giving me great prizes and $1k... and yeah you know all that stuff i said about wanting to become a doctor, i still want to. I just sorta failed last year. So I guess you guys picked a failure for your winner...But hey! It's all good."
I could have wrote a speech, on simply what they asked - my experiences over the past year. I could have chosen not to go deeper. I could have even covered up by saying that I want to do post grad med. andd.. i want my degree in psyc first. But the truth is I missed the mark. I wasn't good enough.
I actually wrote this speech in the car... on the way home from uni... the day I had to present it. So excuse the bad english, grammer etc... But I feel it captures feelings that I don't often share, yet have felt in the past year.
Happy Reading
s2 ditz
Good Evening Ladies & Gentleman
A year ago I stood here and gave a talk on my role model, Doctor Fiona Woods. This amazing mother of six impacted the lives of many. She changed lives. She made a difference. She made her footprint on this world count. It is no wonder why she was named the most trusted person. She’s simple amazing.
As I stand here today, I think of the women who have stood before me, here, at this very podium. And probably shared stories of success, inspiration and accomplishment. Rarely do we hear the stories of failure, setbacks and complications.
When people think of Dr Fiona Woods, they see strong, trusted, highly recognised and inspirational woman. We rarely hear of the days where she might have woke up to a crying child at 1am in the morning, and wondered how she was going to wake up again at 5 to get to work in time. We rarely hear of those days where a careless mistake may have set her back weeks in medical research.
I think we all reach points of our lives, where things do not go the way we had originally planned. To be honest, I am at that point. But let me share with you my story. My story of perseverance, in hope that I can encourage every single one of you. And maybe even challenge you.
I have a heart for helping people. It is my passion. My dream is to become a doctor. To be able to travel to third world countries and make my footprint in this world. To then come back and stabilize my career as a paediatrician, while starting my own family.
September, last year I received my results for the UMAT, the undergraduate medicine admission test, and found out that I had fell short of the top fifteen percentile I needed to secure an interview. This meant that I was unable to get into undergraduate medicine for 2009.
When I received my TEE results, I had to make a choice. I couldn’t do medicine because of my UMAT score. But I had the marks to pursue a degree in Engineering or Law. This was a big hurdle for me. My dreams had not completely shattered, but it was certainly not going the way I had hoped or even planned. I had to ask myself if I could spend the rest of my life doing something that I may have had the brainability to, but didn’t have the heart for.
The answer to that was no. I couldn’t let go of my dreams. I had to change my perception, and I had to start seeing this situation not as a dead end but as an obstacle - a setback. And just simply that. My dreams on hold. But not shattered.
Six Months ago I began my first year of university, doing a Bachelor of Science at UWA. My first challenge was finding my first class, which was probably purposely placed on the other side of campus, just to confuse us first year students. My next challenge was too understand my lecturer despite his very strong accent... and the challenge after that? Probably staying awake in those lectures.
Okay, I’m only joking. I have some fantastic lecturers, some better than others, but I have realized how important my high school teachers were on my schooling life. Teachers, who would encourage you, support you and help you. This of course is slightly harder for lecturers in university, especially when you have eight hundred psychology students in one class.
The past six months have had its challenges. I’ve had to make some very important decisions. Like deciding to get up in the cold morning with no daylight savings to wait at the bus stop at 6:45am to get to uni in time for my 8am class. Or... sleeping in and listening to my lecture online in the comfort of my nice warm bed. Technology is amazing really. And you really learn to appreciate it once you hit Uni.
On a more serious note. Exactly one week ago, I retook the UMAT, in hope to secure an interview for one of the fifteen places UWA offers non high school leavers for its undergraduate medicine course.
For those who are not familiar with the UMAT, it is not a science or medical based test that you can study for. It contains Logical reasoning, Problem Solving, Non-Verbal reasoning... things that you can’t study for. I can happily say that this year I went into that exam room more prepared than I did last year, and I came out of that exam room a lot more confident than last year. I won’t know the results til another month or so down the track... nor will I find out if I got one of those fifteen spots til end of this year... but I do know that despite what happens, I will get there one day. However long it may take.
Every day is a new day. Everyday has its own challenges. Some are new challenges... Last Friday, I saw my first cadaver. At 2 o’clock this afternoon, I dissected a pig’s heart in my human biology lab. Some are not so new challenges.... like staying awake in class or deciphering the scribble your lecturer leaves on the board...
Today I challenge you to follow your dreams. To persevere. To not give up.
It sounds cliché... I know. But if Dr Fiona Woods decided to give up that day she had a setback in her medical research... what would have happened to the hundreds of people wounded in the Bali Bombings in 2002.
Everyone will have their setbacks in life. But I urge you not to let turn your setback into a dead end.
And who knows... in a few years time, maybe I’ll be able to return to this very podium, and share with you my story of success. Inspiration. And accomplishment.
Thankyou
Labels: expectations, high school, medicine, umat, uni, zonta
11:25 PM
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
♥ then and now
today was the curriculum council awards night...
and i sat in this non airconditioned room... where it was hot and sticky...
and i watched my mate and my boyfriend get some well deserved awards on stage.
i was so happy for them! so proud of them. i was smiling so much.
i know they deserved it. they both worked so hard for it.
soo a guy today was giving a speech on 3 types of men. englishman. irishman. scottishman ( is that right? i forgot already.. haha! )
and i liked his story.
the englishman represented students brought up in a good environment.. posh school maybe. good teachers. they are pretty much pampered xP
the irishman came from the slums. he had to work his way up... to get a good education. he worked very hard.
the scottishman had a natural ability. he didn't really have to work, yet still did well.
so i started to think about me. the speaker said that we're not just one, but a mix. and i agree.
englishman: good home. good parents. good upbringing. good teachers. good support.
irishman: public school. asian background (esp from the public speaking aspect). female.
scottishman: maths. it would just click for me sometimes... where it took ages for others to pick it up. economics. i never really studied hard for the tests... but still scored really well. english. i never read the books, i never really tried like i should have... but i still did "okay".
so i look at myself as a child.
and i look at myself now.
i mean yeah. if i read the books in lit, i guess i could have done better...
if i went to a private school, maybe i wouldn't have gotten scaled down in physics and calculus.
maybe if i didn't do all those extra curriculum activities... i would have focused more on work.
but to be honest? i'm happy with how it turned out. reading those lit notes was just as good, i never was a fan of literature anyways. i loved being at my public school - the people i met, and the environment built me up to be a stronger person. i loved doing those extra curriculum activities - its made me who i am, socially and personality wise.
i've changed a lot. i may have regretted things i've done (or didn't do)...
but i've learnt a lot of things too... and i'm a better person for it. and i'm happy it turned out this way. i'm happy that God was carrying me the whole way through. That despite the days i felt like giving up... that i felt like it was too much... that i hung onto the hope that there would be a better day. And there always was.
P.S. WHYYY am i an inset for the big GROUPIE school shot.. G_G why did i have to be in sydney during photo day!
and i sat in this non airconditioned room... where it was hot and sticky...
and i watched my mate and my boyfriend get some well deserved awards on stage.
i was so happy for them! so proud of them. i was smiling so much.
i know they deserved it. they both worked so hard for it.
soo a guy today was giving a speech on 3 types of men. englishman. irishman. scottishman ( is that right? i forgot already.. haha! )
and i liked his story.
the englishman represented students brought up in a good environment.. posh school maybe. good teachers. they are pretty much pampered xP
the irishman came from the slums. he had to work his way up... to get a good education. he worked very hard.
the scottishman had a natural ability. he didn't really have to work, yet still did well.
so i started to think about me. the speaker said that we're not just one, but a mix. and i agree.
englishman: good home. good parents. good upbringing. good teachers. good support.
irishman: public school. asian background (esp from the public speaking aspect). female.
scottishman: maths. it would just click for me sometimes... where it took ages for others to pick it up. economics. i never really studied hard for the tests... but still scored really well. english. i never read the books, i never really tried like i should have... but i still did "okay".
so i look at myself as a child.
and i look at myself now.
i mean yeah. if i read the books in lit, i guess i could have done better...
if i went to a private school, maybe i wouldn't have gotten scaled down in physics and calculus.
maybe if i didn't do all those extra curriculum activities... i would have focused more on work.
but to be honest? i'm happy with how it turned out. reading those lit notes was just as good, i never was a fan of literature anyways. i loved being at my public school - the people i met, and the environment built me up to be a stronger person. i loved doing those extra curriculum activities - its made me who i am, socially and personality wise.
i've changed a lot. i may have regretted things i've done (or didn't do)...
but i've learnt a lot of things too... and i'm a better person for it. and i'm happy it turned out this way. i'm happy that God was carrying me the whole way through. That despite the days i felt like giving up... that i felt like it was too much... that i hung onto the hope that there would be a better day. And there always was.
P.S. WHYYY am i an inset for the big GROUPIE school shot.. G_G why did i have to be in sydney during photo day!Labels: awards, boyfriend, curriculum council, friends, high school, life, memories, regrets, TEE
11:07 PM
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
♥ ouch...
sigh.
it hurts.
but it doesnt matter right?
it hurts.
but it doesnt matter right?
Labels: high school, results, TEE
1:01 AM
Monday, December 22, 2008
♥ results soon...
ahh... TEE results are out soon...
it's only down to a matter of hours...
it's quite daunting....
i mean, to be honest... i dont really need much. i dont neeeeeed superduper high.
so in that sense, i dont really mind what i get.
and yes, its true. my parents... are being parents. and they want me to get superduperhigh T.T
but u know... i guess it all comes down to the futureee...
and i know that i didnt get into medicine already, so i'm going to have to go the long way
but i'll get there in the end right? it's perservance. persistance....
just never giving up...
i think thats what matters.
i think with the results coming out soon.. it's not about getting into the course that i'm worried about...
it's whether i can get a scholarship or not.
and the scholarship isnt necessary or anything. but it's handy. it'd be good to get it. but i dont absolutely need it. u know?
but yeah. im not expecting anything - to be honest. just hopeful.
but either way. i'll be happy. happy that i've finished highschool... and moving onto the next stage of life...
ahh the pieces of my life are surely falling into place... =)
it's only down to a matter of hours...
it's quite daunting....
i mean, to be honest... i dont really need much. i dont neeeeeed superduper high.
so in that sense, i dont really mind what i get.
and yes, its true. my parents... are being parents. and they want me to get superduperhigh T.T
but u know... i guess it all comes down to the futureee...
and i know that i didnt get into medicine already, so i'm going to have to go the long way
but i'll get there in the end right? it's perservance. persistance....
just never giving up...
i think thats what matters.
i think with the results coming out soon.. it's not about getting into the course that i'm worried about...
it's whether i can get a scholarship or not.
and the scholarship isnt necessary or anything. but it's handy. it'd be good to get it. but i dont absolutely need it. u know?
but yeah. im not expecting anything - to be honest. just hopeful.
but either way. i'll be happy. happy that i've finished highschool... and moving onto the next stage of life...
ahh the pieces of my life are surely falling into place... =)
Labels: high school, life, results, TEE
6:49 PM
