a few sleepless nights...
12:18 am
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O Level results was released on the 24th of January, much earlier than last year, but not as much merrier. overall, this year's batch did worse than the previous, and it has affected the results of many people, including those who i care and who cares for me too. Probably the strongest impact i felt was situation at xinmin secondary. we did not do as well as last year.

it was a pity that i couldnt be there personally to see my beloved juniors receive their results, but it was lucky that i couldnt be there, if not i wouldnt be able to control my emotions and break down together with many of my juniors. This is the first time in my 5 years of being a proud xinmin student, that i see people getting an olvl L1R5 higher than their prelims. and not to say our MSG, i could remember clearly when i was still a student at xinmin, everytime the olvl results are released, the principal will speak to the whole school thru the PA and announce how well the school have done, and declare a holiday or half-day at least, but this year the school's didnt even reveal the MSG. It might be because of the slackiness amongst my juniors, it might be the complacency of the teachers, it might be the inexperience of the new principal, it might be the slip-shot moderation from cambridge, whatever the case is, xinmin has not performed better for the first time in at least 5 years.

but it actually isnt so bad, because no matter what, those who did well did really well, i have many juniors coming up to me and telling me they got 8, 7 or even 6. We even produced the top student of singapore, with 10A1s (the newspaper reported wrongly) i couldnt hesitate but advice those able juniors to enter NJC, because it is definitely the best JC around. Actually xinmin's drop in results is reasonable, because our batch has already achieved a result that is hardly attainable, 100% jc-eligible and MSG of 10. this result already placed xinmin amongst the top 5 government schools in singapore, we can even have a xinmin junior college liaoz, since 100% of us are eligible. 所谓高处不胜寒, it is very difficult for a school to remain atop forever, at some point we have to slow down abit and let others catch up with us, so this year is the year where we rest, refill our ammunitions, and prepare for the new year ahead. i believe mdm liew and my teachers will not be shattered by this small setback and continue to work hard for the current batch of sec4s.

its already morning, and i am still unable to fall asleep, bcos im thinking, im thinking about how all my juniors are feeling right now. i've talked to a few of them, some of them are rejoiced, and some of them shed tears of sorrow. i could almost feel myself gng back to the days after olvls were released, naively happying about my not-so-beautiful olvls results, even though i did not shed any tears at this time, but those tears flow into my heart when the postings are released. but it is not about me this time, its about them, those who are in dilemma about where to go, and those who are in grieve about their results. i always believe in the ability of xinmin students, and no matter where i go to, i always feel comfortable when someone is wearing the xinmin uniform, bcos i know we are one big family. xinmin's education is not all about academics, it has thought us many others things which will be more valuable than results. so what if u think u performed badly? so what if u did not reach ur expectation? that is all other's judgement of u, what is important is how u judge urself. one humble teacher, one simple sentence, but it has followed me unknowingly for 4 years. it was by mr tan pin hock, my sec 2 chemistry teacher, he is no longer in xms, and i doubt he even rmb me, but he once said after a test, "when i was a student, i dun discuss answers with my classmates after tests, bcos i know i've put in my effort to study for the exam, and whatever result i get, i will accept it, it is no point comparing with others." i might forget mr tan's looks one day, but this simple sentence will always follow me on, and i hope those juniors who are really this, u might know mr tan, u might not, but i hope this message goes out to u, u've put in the effort, the teachers have put in their effort, and the school has done her part, whatever result we get, we will accept them as it is, there's no use to compare with ur seniors batch, or with other schools. we know that we have learnt to work for what we want, we've gave it our best shot, the knowledge is in us, one piece of paper cannot erase it.

to those of u who have done well, WELL DONE, but in the midst of enjoying the fruits of ur success, dun forget to share some of the rewards with our beloved teachers and school. some ppl say that behind every raffles student, is a group of experienced tuition teachers. even though xinmin is often called "raffles of the north", behind each successful xinmin student, is a group of delicated teachers, who work timelessly just to mark our weekly test scripts, chase us painstakingly just to make sure we sit down and study, and teach us patiently so that we learn while not losing the joy of learning, where else in the world can we find a group of teachers like this? where else in the world can we find such enriching school like xinmin? so no matter how well u've scored, how will u do in the future, even if u bcum the president scholar, which i think is highly possible, always rmb these ppl whom have built a strong foundation for u, and allowed u to stand on the giant's arm, taught u how to fly, helped u reached the clouds, and aspired u to reach out for the stars.

i seemed to have a strange feeling all thru 24th jan, for some reasons. everytime i look at one J1, hanging around just waiting for the clock to struck 11.30 so that they could leave the school and go back to their secondary school, a weird feeling brewed inside me. later i realized its bcos of my own olvl regrets, i've been trying to bury it deep inside me, but that day it threatened to unearth itself and resurface again. i know i've been trying very hard to forget abt the past, and really truly enjoy being a saint and love the school, but i dun think i'll ever make it, bcos i havent found a purpose here. u need to have a purpose in order to be proud of the place u live, in xinmin my purpose was to bring out the best of xinmin thru bringing out the best in me, and thats what i've been working on even up till today, i feel proud to say im from xinmin, but i hate to look at the person's eyes when i tell them im from sajc, this feeling is really un-tahan-able. i dun want to, like many ppl do, spend their 2 yrs in JC and have no memories except studying and CCA, it is not the life i want, thats why im trying to be involved in more things around the school and try my best to make small changes, but im have my own dilemmas too, something like an identity crisis. i dunno who am i, a defiant student? or a goodie-boy kind? its hard to strike a balance, and that why im constantly getting myself into trouble, and i will stop and ask myself, how the hell did i end up like this? like what i said in my last post, i do hope as i get myself involved i will soon find my identity in the school and find my purpose, i dun want to lead 2 years of my life in jc and end up with nth else but the alvl cert.

its hard to answer when juniors ask me," hey is sa good?" one hand i hope that more xinmin students will come to sajc, so the xinmin culture will be stronger, but one another hand i regretted staying in sajc, and i dun want my juniors to walk the same path again. the only right thing to do is to promote my school, while emphasising the impt of making your own decisions. those of u who got 7 8 or 9. plz go to NJ, i hope to see more and more xinmin ppl in top 5 JCs, we have already conquered TJ, now its time to dominate the population in NJ and VJ, and one day we will be able to take down the name of raffles jc and replaced it with xinmin jc. im also happy for those who are gng to come into sajc, im really happy to see more xinmin ppl in our midst, so i can find some feel of home in the foreign land.

have been slacking most of the time this week, bcos my father was back and he kept asking me to use the comp and help him send things, and i ended up playing the comp for the whole night, talk abt discipline. MSA is ongoing and more challenges will emerge as the yr progresses, and very soon we will sit for the final test. i hate it when teachers talk to me as if i will not do well for alvls and asking me to wake up. what makes them think im still asleep? i understand it is partly my fault bcos i really am sleeping for the most part of last year, but the power supply of my engine has already been turned on, all i need to do now is to get it started. but like i always say, im a very difficult engine to start, but plz dun pour more cold water on me? i dubbed this yr as "The Takeover", and i cant wait for it to begin.

most part of this post is delighted to my dear juniors who just gotten their results, if ure not one of them, big thanks to u for reading until the end! and to my juniors, i cannot give u anything but my true thoughts, and hopefully it will be of abit use in facing the many paths in life for u. im just one of the many seniors who love xinmin, and who cares for every single person in the xinmin family, so dun hesitate to come to us with any problems and im sure anyone of us will lend u a listening ear. but all in all, i think xinmin has still done very well, bcos u have became the person u are today, we all learn and mature thru every obstable we encounter and destroyed, and so do not fret, lets work towards our dreams together. 人生的道路上,你和我都是同路人!


ArnoldSYC



a few cloudy days...
11:46 pm
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rainy days most of the time this past week, i wonder how many of u have ran in the rain, got drenched on the way home, got ur shoes and socks all wet even though u carried an umbrella, or purely grumbled abt the fact that u have to carry a stupid umbrella to school. but as we continues to grumble about the rainy weather, we should stop and observe what happens b4 a rain, the cloudy days, it is signaling to us that a rain is coming, but why are we still out in the rain? humans, we love to challenge the difficulties, simply bcos we ignored it...

for these past week, i've been pondering about the question of how we handle life and its many events which are gng to unfold in the next moment. and this song 阴天 by karen mok has been circulating in my mind, the lyrics repeating in my thoughts. i must compliment 李宗盛 for composing this masterpiece, the catchy music brought forward a sense of realization, which i've been eagerly trying to find.

what have i been doing, and why i've been wanting to some things, are making me confused. normally when u've failed and been hurt real bad in an experience, u'll tend to become more careful and avoid the same mistakes in the future, for me initially i wanted to avoid doing this task which im not gifted in at all, but these days something inside me is telling me otherwise, and im tempted once again to embark on the journey which i onced walked on. but how can i be sure that i will succeed this time? what will happen if i fail again? just like the lyrics of the song depicted, ppl just cant get enough of things, for example relationships, one after another, hoping that the next one will be THE ONE, but most ended up having their hearts broken one time and another, is it worthwhile?

back to my context, im really afraid, that if i choose to embark on this journey again, i might come back even more weathered and beaten than ever before. i'm still pondering, not knowing whats the next move i should make, and how should i make it, theres too many infomations, too many uncertainties, too many difficulties.

but like how the song sang, 要想真明白,真的要好几年. which means wisdom and knowledge comes with experience, and only by making mistakes and facing failure will u be able to learn and improve. some ppl are afraid to make mistakes, bcos they're afraid that when they've learnt, it would be too late. and thats exactly the case for me during my previous attempt at the task, which i ended up having to regret for a long period of time, but i'll rather learn it late, then to not learn it at all.

so i hope the person up there will give me ur blessings, give me this chance to embark on my journey, as long as the chance is given, and the timing is right, i will definitely do my best and not disappoint myself and everyone around me.

these past week has been crazy, i reach home after 7 everyday in the weekdays, due to trainings, lectures and an outing with royston, totally beat when i reach home, no energy to execute any brain cells to study, but nevertheless i've been trying my best to keep up the pace, and get things started slowly. Lessons has been gng on fine and training is getting more hopeful, im delighted that i havent lost a single match since the start of the year, partly due to the fact that i didnt play with the best players in the team, and another reason is due to the effectively of my china trainings ba. its the start of the week again and things are gng to repeat themselves once again, hope my body can continue to take such stress, both physically and mentally.

i will be involved in a couple of performances in the near future, chinese new year and the opening ceremony of fujian student's association. i feel grateful of all these opportunities to perform in public bcos after last yr's numerous failure performances, i realize i still lack experience when performing in the public, thus i do not hesitate to grab any chance these days, just to perform for a few minutes, i'll be contented. and im picking up my singing again, trying to master the new technique to sing keys i couldnt reach in the past, and have been making progress, the final test is to see how my live performances will improve liaoz.

and sajc chinese song writing competition is starting soon! music enthusiast please look out for it! i've already began to refine my first self-composed song with my guitar teacher, so those who have heard my first demo, im still writing the lyrics so do give me ideas if u have, and to all, do come down to support the competitors on the day itself. which day? i also dunno yet lei...lol but im in the chinese society, so if the date is released, i'll be one of the first to be informed.

alot of random blabbering in this post, plz pardon me, i dunno what im typing half of the time, im grabbing the last few minutes b4 sleep to blog, thanks to my busy schedule, i returned home at 8 plus again today! sianzz...but the days seem to be more meaningful when things get concentrated, and hope more good events will unfold as the year progress, im putting all my hope in year 2008, so i'll not disappoint myself, plz dun disappoint me too yea?


ArnoldSYC



Year 2008 : The Takeover
11:15 pm
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About Year 2007

If theres one song that can summarize the whole of year 2007...it will be 梁静茹's 可惜不是你:

这一刻 突然觉得好熟悉
像昨天 今天同时在放映
我这句语气 原来好像你
不就是我们爱过的证据

差一点 骗了自己骗了你
爱与被爱不一定成正比
我知道被疼是一种运气
但我无法完全交出自己

努力为你改变
却变不了 预留的伏线
以为在你身边 那也算永远
仿佛还是昨天
可是昨天 已非常遥远
但闭上双眼 我还看得见

那可惜不是你 陪我到最後
曾一起走却走失路口
感谢那是你 牵过我的手
还能感受那温柔

那一段 我们曾心贴著心
我想我更有权力关心你
可能你 已走进别人风景
多希望 也有 星光的投影

true enough as the lyrics depicts, i didnt achieve anything in year 2007, i practically didnt do anything for the past year, and i've let it slip away from my grasp unknowingly. i spent most of my time in despair and grumbles about the major setbacks i faced this past year, and forgotten the importance of letting bygones by bygones and start moving ahead in a new direction. the year started well, with a new school for PAE and knowing a group of fun-loving OG, everything seemed to be gng the right track, until the day JAE posting was released, i've long forgotten which day was it, but it was the day that turned my life up side down, and dropped me down from seventh haven. the damaged is so hard on me that i cant say i've fully recovered from its aftermath even at this moment.

It is one of the biggest mistake i've made in my life up till now, and i am truthfully regretful about my naiveness and lack of matureness. everything that i wanted to achieve last yr did not succeed in the end, and at the start of 2008, i feel as if 2007 was a waste of my life, that i've remained stagnant and not moved forward, and that i've value-minus my capabilities and let myself down. Academics aside, i did not achieve what i wanted in table tennis, neither did i achieve anything i wanted in my personal life.

should i say i've failed to be myself, a person who believes in what i wanted and will go all out to get it. i rmb in my SL trainee days, during the first trainee selection camp, i performed badly and gave the seniors a very bad impression, and was even on the edge of being sacked, but in my testimony for the camp, my seniors said one good point about me: determination. that i was determined to be a SL, no matter how bad my performance was, i still tries hard to be heard and to achieve what i want in life. but where have i placed my determination last year?

my classmates often refer to me when they needed a leader, even though most of the time i did not think of myself as a competent leader bcos theres so many other good personalities around like chairman ben and captain look, but when i ask them why they believed i was a leader, they said it was bcos of my ability to know when to have fun, and when to be serious and firm. like how i always have fun together with the rest in class, doing all sorts of stupid stuff together, but when it comes down to duties and attire checks, or any serious issues, i will know whats the correct attitude to handle things. but have i been having too much fun and losing myself, so much so that i've lost the balance of serious and casual?

my brothers often say that i have a positive thinking about situations, which is encouraging, but do they know what half of the time when i said "no worries, it can be done." last year, i was in doubt myself. i seem to have lost hope about the situations in my life.

but as i tell others too, when u lose something, u will gain something in return, and that very true. i think the most valuable thing i've gained this year, is being exposed to my weakness even more, and got to understand myself better, know what i am really going after in life, and it helped me pave my path for the years to come. and i've also learnt the importance of choices in life, yes choices...one wrong choice like mine, and you will end up in grieve for the rest of your life, everytime u look back into this period of ur life, u will despair, "o man, i shouldnt have..." but what is already done is done, the damage has already been taken, its a blessing that i learnt this at the age of 17, where i still have so many more 17 years to go and make sure similar mistakes doesnt repeat itself, ever again, its time to start things anew, as we move on to a new year...

the Present situation

if theres one song that can describe my feelings now, it will be 林志炫's 进退两难:

我真的不愿承认你心中
有个完整的世界随你躲
那儿有山有水有天
留不下空缺让我来填
要痴痴等待很简单
要若无其事很困难
要让你信任很简单
要和你恋爱非常难
曾经我费尽心思
走到你心门口
我努力努力
这门槛我却始终跨不过
我悄悄回头
发现来时太执着
把路都踏破
我进退两难


many of you might have similar feelings as me before, where you're put into a situation where u're forced to remain stagnant, bcos u want to advance, but someone is stopping u, but ur heart also cannot allow u to back away from what u really feel. thats how im feeling right now. after so many setbacks and life-changing events that toook place in 2007, it is not easy to say,"ok thats move on!" and really start advancing ahead, becos where i am standing now is like a bridge that is about to break with any slight movement, and theres no way to leave the bridge, so i cannot retreat, neither can i advance. but im not gng to let myself remain stagnant any more, not for this year at least, im gng to take a step forward, one step at a time and hope that the bridge doesnt break, even if i have to fall again, i will stand up strong and rejoice about the fact that i've left the bridge, i can also hope for an angel to come by and carry me to my destination, thats the ideal situation. but for now i have to put my worries and fears aside, and move on, thats the only way out.

about Year 2008

if theres one song that preludes what im gng to do for year 2o08, it will be 曹格's 刮目相看:

告诉你我不是一个会认输的人
当我不得不承认
从跌倒失败
也曾经守在阴霾
不看不听不说傻傻的发呆
难道我就被打败
多幸运有你
使我的生命充满希望
从今之后不在垂头丧气走开
所有人的期待让我站起来
甩掉了主败
从今全打开
我终于明白
fly 尽全力在飞起来
没有后悔不后退
我让你
刮目相看
just fly
向世界证明我存在
努力过的汗水不断灌溉
美好未来
cause i can fly
yes i can fly


yes, i can fly, you can fly, all of us can fly...as long as we believe we can fly, and now i believe if theres any way to get out of the broken bridge im standing right down, it is to learn how to fly. xinmin secondary school has taught me how to fly, inspired me to head to the sky, made me aim for the stars. many ppl doubted me these few years, and even more in sajc, partly due to my fault, i was doubted by more people, but i know theres still some people in our midst that believed in me, and im gng to show the world, and all those people that doubts me, that you're WRONG!

i can nvr forget benedicts words in year 2006, it was at night when we were sitting at the busstop outside xinmin, waiting for his bus, when he told me,"yuchuan, im sure u can score single-digit for olevels." just a few simple words, some ppl might think that he's just saying without going thru his brains, but at that pt of time, no one has said similar things to me, no one has expressed their confidence in me, even i myself was in doubt of my own potential, but after hearing his words, i got this boost of energy that survived me thru that yr, and in the end i did not disappoint him.

another incident happened last yr, at around june, under the house of benedict, with roy and i, i told them abt the problems i was facing last yr, and told them i might retain. but benedict and roy both said the same things that reassured my unsure heart and mind, and their support was what i was holding on all this past yr in sajc, so big thanks to their pillar of friendship that kept me moving on, no matter how big the problem is, i know i will not face them alone.

i've seen long new year resolution from other people, 9 or 10 plus of them...lol my new year resolution is very simple, be myself, know what i want, and achieve what i want using whatever ways deemed fit, and make sure i do not have anymore regrets in sajc, and that i will finally learn how to like this place called sajc, and reassure myself that i did not ended up here by chance.

i dub this year, 2008, as The Takeover. im gng to takeover every aspect of my life and not let any things get out of hand. im gng to set my directions straight and show my true self to my network of friends. its gng to be a year of breakthrough, where i will shut the mouth of all my doubters, and finally prove my worth, everyone that watching me, at least you who have read till the end of this post will know my goals for this year, and i will not let myself and become ur laughing stalk next yr. im gng to takeover year 2008, just watch.


ArnoldSYC



hongkong trip recount...belated!
9:04 pm
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ok i know this is abit late...but i havent been getting the blogging mood since the new year started, i shall recount my hongkong trip last year as a start.

The ferry ticket from macau to hongkong!

i see hongkong!! (typical crowded buildings)

my mother's classmate's house, she was kind enough to accomodate me for 2 nights, if not hongkong's accomodation will cost a bomb =/
so i set out on my trip on the mrt, to TongLuoWan for shopping!

i also took the bus, looks just like singapore...
8P, the bus i took from TongLuoWan to meet my mother's classmate, she invited me to join her in a function that night.

the hongkong convention and exhibition centre...the place the function was held

guess what...rmb that i attended a function in macau where i won an iron? this was the exact same function, just that it was in hongkong and there was less prize to be won..lol the person talking on stage was the mayor of Taizhong of Taiwan.

the night view of hongkong from the convention centre, one word: beautiful

one final photo at the function

the next day i woke up late as usual...so after lunch took a bus to OCEAN PARK!!

had a fun-filled afternoon exploring the giant place and thrilling myself, this is me sitting the SPACE WHEEL, i believe many of you sat it before...i love the thing that brings u high up and drops u down, i sat that twice, and i sat the roller coaster 4 times!! hehe

cos it was near christmas, there were artificial snow near the ice palace, and i went in for a walk, nth much but a small walkway below -10 degree. i lost track of time on top the mountain, that i forgotten about the other part of ocean park, below the mountain, so im only 50% in exploring it, the rest shall be left for my next visit!
before night falls, i made it to the Avenue of Star


theres nth much there except some statues, but i had some fun looking for the place itself and exploring parts of JianShaZui

handprint of Jacky Chueung!

time flies..and before i had enough of hongkong, i had to leave, this is my final photo in hongkong at WanZhai, with the bus that will take me to ShenZhen

my ticket to ShenZhen Airport

ShenZhen airport...

before i know it...im at shanghai, from 20 degrees to 5 degrees..

hongkong had really left a deep and good impression in me, the place and esp the people, i must say the hongkong people are very friendly and cute, its hilarious experience to ask for direction around hongkong and you go communicating with both ur mouth and hands. it was a pity that i hand to embark on this hongkong alone, becos its not nice being alone at OCEAN PARK, and its neither enjoyable to shop alone. i'll definitely to back at hongkong this year end, and since i know so many friends from hongkong, i can call them up and let them be my tour partner..hehe hope they will agree.

this trip to macau, hongkong and finally arriving back in shanghai with my uncle has been most fullfilling, it was a good time that i set aside to relax and forget about all the troubles that bothered me this whole last year. As the place i stayed in hongkong could view the sea and JianShaZui, i spend most of my nights sitting next to the window and looking at the lights of hongkong, and it hit me how insignificant my troubles and worries were as compared to the world. as i looked at the tiny lights shining out of the flats of hongkong, as if all the stars in the universe had united infront of me, i see hard people has tried to advance and succeed, and how many different memories are alive in people's mind. since theres so many ppl sharing this world with us, i shouldnt be complaining abt the past, or my past mistakes, bcos no matter how bad things has turned out, how i punish myself by drowning in grieve, the world still spins, those people continues to fight for their goals, the night lights of hongkong will not stop shining no matter how many ppl lose themselves in grieve of their mistakes and failures. so all i can do now is to place my hopes on the new year ahead and give it my best, and not allow failures to ever occur in my life again.

thank you hongkong, for giving such a wonderful experience, i'll be back
thank you my parents, for giving me full support when i told you about my plans for the trip
thank you godmother, for providing me transport and accomodation at macau
thank you auntie yumin, for allowing me to stay at ur house
thank you hongkies, for giving me a good impression of hongkong
thank you, for sticking with me for so long and reading my blog posts...haha happy new yr!


ArnoldSYC