ok so SIM requested from me to send a story of what difficulties i encountered in my school years, and some advices i should give to my juniors. Just thought i will share it here as well. :))
In my school years in SIM, i encountered difficulties paying the school fees. Each time the school fees was due, my family, especially my dad will be super vexed. To help solve the problem, every 3 months holidays, i will work and take on different kinds of jobs such as admin/HR/sales/ tution teacher/accounts. By doing so, i did not realise that my resume has become so impressive. I have work experiences that not many have. I am proud to earn $14000 on my own during the period in school. The rest was borrowed from my dad, the only sole breadwinner in the house, who is 63 years old. There are 4 kids in the family, all schooling. It was really a tough journey for us as the issue of money is so real. I had to stop myself from feeling envious of all my richer friends around me, who don't have to work so hard during the holidays, and don't have to work hard in school. We are in the same school, but our lives are so different.
It was a hectic time for me. Study for 9 months, work for 3 months, and the cycle continues for the 3 years. However, i made really good friends in SIM, and the journey became less painful. Lecturers were also very helpful, and i am glad and proud to say that i am from SIM today.
As my 3 siblings are elites of Singapore, one from Cornell(USA), two from NUS, I always felt inferior to them as i never make it to local university. (although i was offered nursing,teacher interview in NUS) I was upset that no organisation was willing to render financial aid to us, just because i wasn't from a local university.
I realised the sentiments in SIM is the same, many of us feel that we are inadequate, because the society only allows local uni grads, to feel that they are the normal, and we are lesser. We are judged everywhere. Every job i took on, people told me they have children, relatives who are in NUS,NTU,SMU. I felt really discriminated as we are judged at first impression, as people who cannot make it to local uni.
With my strong faith in God, i summon up all the disappointments, being looked down at, and promised to never look down on anyone if i succeed one day. It is the heart which are often overlooked. Many of us have a heart of gold, but we are not recognised. I had only average IQ. I am not a smart person at all.
I will advice all my juniors, not to feel inadequate. We are in fact, no different from the local grads, the only difference we have, is they are more hardworking than us. The most important thing, is not to look back and regret not working hard in jc, poly, but to live in the current, fight hard to achieve your dreams. Do your very best! Do everything you can, and you can definitely achieve what you set out to achieve.
I knew i wasn't smart, and it was really the 99.5% hardwork+faith which lead me to get 7-8As and get the prestigious Sliver award in SIM. There are no shortcuts in life, if you are serious about achieving your dreams.
From now on, i won't feel inferior when i say i come from SIM. Instead, i will feel proud and know deep in my heart that with the 9jobs work experiences, the success in academic, the character building that being in SIM has moulded me into, I am even better than the rest.
I am now a person with resilent and strength, knowing that nothing can ever bring me down again. Of course, i will continue to stay humble, and is planning to do some community work to help out those poorer citizens in Singapore. I have a wonderful job now, in school-working as a finance officer-the govt sector (which was my dream ever since i entered SIM), and have many months of bonus to look forward to.
It is with bittersweet memories when I look back at my university years, but i would say, all the discipline and hardwork was worth it!
Don't give up! Your dreams are possible, if you are willing to give up everything(the playing and fun!)to achieve it.
Class of 2012,
Mei Fung - Bsc Accounting and Finance- 1st class honors
In my school years in SIM, i encountered difficulties paying the school fees. Each time the school fees was due, my family, especially my dad will be super vexed. To help solve the problem, every 3 months holidays, i will work and take on different kinds of jobs such as admin/HR/sales/ tution teacher/accounts. By doing so, i did not realise that my resume has become so impressive. I have work experiences that not many have. I am proud to earn $14000 on my own during the period in school. The rest was borrowed from my dad, the only sole breadwinner in the house, who is 63 years old. There are 4 kids in the family, all schooling. It was really a tough journey for us as the issue of money is so real. I had to stop myself from feeling envious of all my richer friends around me, who don't have to work so hard during the holidays, and don't have to work hard in school. We are in the same school, but our lives are so different.
It was a hectic time for me. Study for 9 months, work for 3 months, and the cycle continues for the 3 years. However, i made really good friends in SIM, and the journey became less painful. Lecturers were also very helpful, and i am glad and proud to say that i am from SIM today.
As my 3 siblings are elites of Singapore, one from Cornell(USA), two from NUS, I always felt inferior to them as i never make it to local university. (although i was offered nursing,teacher interview in NUS) I was upset that no organisation was willing to render financial aid to us, just because i wasn't from a local university.
I realised the sentiments in SIM is the same, many of us feel that we are inadequate, because the society only allows local uni grads, to feel that they are the normal, and we are lesser. We are judged everywhere. Every job i took on, people told me they have children, relatives who are in NUS,NTU,SMU. I felt really discriminated as we are judged at first impression, as people who cannot make it to local uni.
With my strong faith in God, i summon up all the disappointments, being looked down at, and promised to never look down on anyone if i succeed one day. It is the heart which are often overlooked. Many of us have a heart of gold, but we are not recognised. I had only average IQ. I am not a smart person at all.
I will advice all my juniors, not to feel inadequate. We are in fact, no different from the local grads, the only difference we have, is they are more hardworking than us. The most important thing, is not to look back and regret not working hard in jc, poly, but to live in the current, fight hard to achieve your dreams. Do your very best! Do everything you can, and you can definitely achieve what you set out to achieve.
I knew i wasn't smart, and it was really the 99.5% hardwork+faith which lead me to get 7-8As and get the prestigious Sliver award in SIM. There are no shortcuts in life, if you are serious about achieving your dreams.
From now on, i won't feel inferior when i say i come from SIM. Instead, i will feel proud and know deep in my heart that with the 9jobs work experiences, the success in academic, the character building that being in SIM has moulded me into, I am even better than the rest.
I am now a person with resilent and strength, knowing that nothing can ever bring me down again. Of course, i will continue to stay humble, and is planning to do some community work to help out those poorer citizens in Singapore. I have a wonderful job now, in school-working as a finance officer-the govt sector (which was my dream ever since i entered SIM), and have many months of bonus to look forward to.
It is with bittersweet memories when I look back at my university years, but i would say, all the discipline and hardwork was worth it!
Don't give up! Your dreams are possible, if you are willing to give up everything(the playing and fun!)to achieve it.
Class of 2012,
Mei Fung - Bsc Accounting and Finance- 1st class honors
