Incident 1:
When I was six, my father suffered from a stroke and became bed-ridden ever since. It was the toughest period for my family, especially to a young kid who needed his father the most. I lived in fear and insecurity for many years until I met a group of friends who truly understand me and accompany me through my ups and downs. I gradually walked out from the shadows and became more extroverted and willing to try new things. I put in a great effort to excel in exams and participate in various activities to gain experiences and skills so that I can carry the responsibility of supporting the family. After my SPM, I was awarded a prestigious scholarship to further my studies without putting extra burden on my family. My childhood experience allowed me to understand that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. As long as I don’t give up, I can eventually cope with whatever kind of challenges or failures.
Incident 2:
Two months before my PT3 examination, my teacher informed me that I was selected to participate in a national innovation boot-camp/ competition for a month. My family and teachers opposed my decision to participate in the camp because I was one of the potential straight As students in school. However, I decided to follow my gut and attended the camp. It was an intense month for me to juggle both my studies and the competition. I worked on building my project in the day and stay up every night to revise for my upcoming examinations. There were some occasions where I was on the verge of giving up (especially when my prototype broke down, or I couldn’t understand a specific topic). Fortunately, I had a group of supportive friends and mentors who assisted me along the way and helped me get through this difficult time. Eventually, I became the national top 10 finalists and scored 9As in my PT3 examinations.
Incident 3;
KYUEM is my first boarding school. Before I enrolled in this college, I have heard a lot about how brilliant the students are and how intense school work is. When I finally entered the college, I found that these facts are all true. It was a culture shock to me because I have never been in a learning environment where most of my classmates are top scorers in the country. To make the situation worse, teachers in this college like to give extra difficult tracking tests which differ a lot from what they taught in class and the real exam. I became extra competitive and hoped to remain at the top of the rank. It hit me hard when I scored my first ever B in Mathematics in my Semester examination. For once, I doubted my ability as a top student. However, I got over it quickly and decided to change my study method by analyzing questions from past year paper in-depth to understand how the questions worked. I also established a study group with my friends to revise the school syllabus together. After months of effort, I successfully obtained a perfect score in a Mathematics tracking test in Semester 2.