A look back at Year 3 Semester 1.

As I sit in front of the computer, trying to reflect back on those past 5 months of so, it was undeniably one hell of a ride. Nevertheless, it was one ride that I will never forget.When I joined the SBS club as the main committee. I thought to myself that I must be crazy. Here you are, going through the toughest semester ever in school, in a semester where you by all means have to excel just to nudge your GPA to the 4.0 region and at the same time shouldering a heavy responsibility in your extra curricular activity. I even consulted my friends for their advice, weighing my options thoroughly, deliberating till the last minute when the nominations and interviews to select a new committee ended. I thought that I must be shooting myself in the foot. How can you commit time on both areas in school and expecting to do well in both?

But I did it.

I made it.

I made what I thought was impossible, possible.

I remember going through 7 modules every week, day in day out. Hours upon hours of lecture, and hours upon hours of video lecture for revision. The constant studying, sacrificing so much of my time, on top of my commitments in the SBS club. How I made all happen, I couldn’t say for sure. I just did. 7 modules is no joke. Its not the stress that almost killed me, its the workload that accompanied each and every module last semester that is the killer.

My results cGPA wise was the second best performing, despite the toughest semester ever experienced. It was beyond my most optimistic of expectations. I did my GPA calculations many times, and despite my optmistic calculations, I had a very slim chance of breaking the GPA 4.0 barrier. But I managed to do it. And with some breathing room to spare. I almost got straight As in my results with the exception of one module. Then again, I achieved the impossible.

Personally I would never want to go through it again. Its unhealthy in the long term. I sacrificed a lot of things, my time spent with my family, friends, and my health even. But thankfully nothing major happened to me during those period, and I was blessed with good health along the way.

When I started my life in NTU. I started creating a goal for myself. I set to achieve a GPA of 4.0 at the end of the day. My resolve wasn’t strong initially. But at least I never let go of that goal nor made it easier. I stuck to it semester after semester. It took me 3 years to achieve, but I achieved it nonetheless. The GPA may be just a number. But for me, its a milestone, a marker for me to set and reach it. To find a purpose in school with determination and to reach it eventually.

So what have I learned so far after going through that grueling semester?

Well for one, I learned that, while it may take a long time to reach your goals, never let go of it, provided you have set it out realistically. You will eventually reach it. It doesnt matter how long you took to reach it, so long as you achieved it at the end of the day.

Believe in yourself. Have faith and somehow things will all fall according to your plan. Just dont expect it to see it at first glance. There are grander schemes in life that you are too near-sighted to see it.

Don’t set lofty goals. You can dream of it, for one day you will achieve it. But if you set it too high in the sky, you will never see the step you need to take in front of your feet to achieve and realise your dreams. In other words, the small steps you take matter as much as the goals and dreams you set out to achieve. Small baby steps are the key to your success.

Never never neglect yourself. Always tend to yourself first, then your family, then your friends. It is never selfish to tend to yourself first.