The Year 2023

2023 is almost coming to an end and like every other year, it seems to have just begun. To me, 2023 has been THE year of changes. Every decision I made this year was crucial and changed my path greatly. 

Have you ever gotten lost in a new area? Well, that has happened to me several times, thanks to my wonderful sense of direction hahah. Jokes aside, what I almost instantaneously do in such cases would be to switch on Google Maps on my phone. And yes, it would give me the directions to my destination. However, like every other technological gadget, sometimes, it does have its flaws where it leads to me to a blocked road or suggests a much longer route to reach the destination. And so, I do not trust it entirely but since it has been reliable most of the time, I still switch it on without hesitation whenever I get lost. Owing to its limitations, how my usage of this tool has changed is that though I do turn it on, I do not follow the instructions blindly, but rather, at times, I use my gut feeling or faint past experiences of having been to the neighbourhood several years back. And indeed, I have managed to discover shortcuts to reach the destination. Admittedly, there also have been some instances where I got even more lost. Nonetheless, I still use this method. 

So, my fellow readers, you might be wondering, is this clickbait? Why did she start off with the introduction of how her 2023 went but then went on to start talking about Google Maps? Well, I am sure you are not alone. Let me explain. 

2023 marked the beginning of a new phase --- entering University. Though it might sound dramatic, I really did feel that junior college, which is the territory that I was very comfortable in, was very different from the uncharted territory, University. 

After my A Levels in 2022, we had a 7 month break before University started. During the 7 months, the way each of us spent our time was really different. I felt that since there was not any structure such as a timetable or responsibilities imposed on us, how the first half of 2023 was spent was entirely up to us and heavily depended on the decisions we made. As for me, I spent the first month of the break to get a proper break from the really hectic journey of preparing for the A Levels. This month was filled with binge watching Netflix dramas and movies, meeting up with friends and sleeping for long hours. After that month, I knew that I had to make strategically spend the upcoming 6 months. Since I was still unsure as to what I wanted to do in University, I wanted to explore the fields which I had a substantial amount of interest in, such as Dentistry and Teaching. And so, I partook in a 2 week long job shadowing experience where I learnt much more about the working styles of various dentists, the plethora of treatments available and the myriad of backgrounds of patients. After which, I partook in a 3 month long MOE teaching internship. Honestly, I believe that this was one of the most memorable and insightful experiences that I have ever gained. I taught at Bukit Panjang Government High School and the teachers were really welcoming, my fellow interns were very friendly and my students were very cheerful and each and every one of them were unique. I picked up quite a few skills such as managing difficult students, motivating students to partake in activities that might not be as interesting to them, working with colleagues and putting forth my ideas and opinions in formal staff meetings and crafting homework pieces. Being called 'Ms Ish' was really different and it is something that has etched in my mind from this experience. 

After the 4 months of productivity and gaining insights in the fields that I was quite intrigued by, my friends and I decided to go on a graduation trip. This was the first overseas trip I have been on, without my parents. It was truly a really new experience. Firstly, financing the trip with the money I earned felt very rewarding. Secondly, planning the trip with my friends (Marian, Evelyn and Peizhi) was a really new experience because we had different interests and settling on common things to do on our 10-day long trip was slightly difficult but it gave me more insight as to how I work in such circumstances. Thirdly, taking accountability of my own valuables and keeping a lookout for my friends' ones was also an integral part of the trip as only we were there for each other throughout the trip and hence, it was essential that we took care of our belongings properly. Lastly, but most importantly, the moments we shared throughout the trip were truly extremely memorable -- be it going having my friends take pictures of me outside the beautiful houses, fixing my friend's broken suitcase with the help of the wonderful hotel staff, touching an animal for the first time and even, deciding on who gets to sleep on which bed in the hotel rooms. It was really one of the best experiences I've had and I will never forget the trip --- my first ever graduation trip. 

After that, my birthday arrived. It was honestly one of my most memorable birthdays too. People that I did not know will wish me, wished me and that made me feel sort of special. Sometimes, we unknowingly create an impact on others and I feel those bonds that arise as a result are quite magical. 

My birthday was then followed by a long-awaited family trip to Bali. Ever since 2017, we had not gone to other countries as a family, except to India. This trip was different as the planning was left to me and so, I worked on including trips to various places that each family member liked. During the trip, I realised some mistakes in my planning such as factoring in the traffic conditions as well as what the energy levels of the people whom we are travelling with and took note of them so that I could avoid them in future. Our trip was quite relaxing and we managed to immerse in Balinese culture as well as learn some very interesting things about their culture such as how the Gods are not shown to the public at the temples and that only the priests see them during the major festivals which happen about once every year. 

That 3 day trip was almost immediately followed by a month long trip to India. It had been 4 years since my brother and I had visited our relatives in India due to the covid restrictions and lockdown restrictions that ensued. The trip, overall, was a good catch-up with the extended family. Also, we went to Bangalore, which is a place I have wanted to go back to ever since our last trip in 2013 and visited our relatives there too. The climate was really chilly and I really enjoyed the stark contrast in weather. The weight that I managed to lose from the graduation trip from the daily more than 10000 step counts creeped back into me due to the variety of food I tried in India. 

After that, I experienced my first makeover. I went to rebond by extremely curly hair! Rebonding my hair was something I really wanted to try as I felt that straight hair would look a lot more professional and neat compared to my naturally curly hair which was also quite frizzy, despite my various attempts to make it softer and silkier. This really involved convincing my parents greatly but I am glad they gave in eventually and let me try a new look. My hair felt a lot lighter and yes, it did become more thin compared to the thick hair I had previously. However, I do not regret it since I really enjoyed how low of a maintenance it required and how much more neater I looked. This decision really surprised me too since I realised that I can be quite daring at times too. Usually, I always fear big changes since I know that they can have a quite a long-term impact on me. However, when it came to my hair, I just felt so decisive and really wanted to try something really new. And yes, I am proud as to how I have grown because I can feel myself becoming more decisive and bold. Not just with my hair, but in life in general. 

After all the party and fun, it was time to make yet another decision -- which is to settle on what course I was going to pursue for the next couple of years. This is where my decisiveness stepped in once again and led me to choose Dentistry. Yes, I did face quite a lot of opposition from my family as they really wanted me to go with the other offers I received such as Data science, accountancy and business. After weighing the pros and cons of each of these courses, I explained my decision to my family and we chose to go with Dentistry in the end. 

The later half of 2023 was filled with my memories from the first semester of University. At first, I was feeling really hesitant about going for University as I did not know anybody who had been enrolled in the class, partly because nobody from my batch in JC had entered the course. Regardless, there is always a first time and so, I tried to get to know as many people as possible and pushed myself out of my comfort zone while doing so. Indeed, my hard work paid off as I met really amicable people, who have now become my friends. In University, there were also many firsts because most of the things we learnt were new, the uniforms we wore were different and had our names stitched on them and also, our exams were all online. 

After our series of examinations, our break started. During the break, I went out with my friends to different places and tried something different every time. Also, I got my second piercing!! Moreover, I went for my final overseas trip of the year, this time to Batam with a group of 8 other families. Going with such a huge group was indeed a new experience and it was really chaotic yet fun. 

To end off this year, which was really different from the previous years since it did not have much structure but depended on what I chose for myself to do, we will be having a year end party to say goodbye to 2023 and usher in 2024!!

To summarise 2023, I would say that it was a year of many firsts. And drawing back to my Google Map example that I had mentioned at the outset, yes, this year was very akin to my Google Map experience, in that I received guidance and advice from various people. I listened to their advice, followed parts of them. Instead of following them blindly, I analysed the various inputs I received and went with what was best for me. Indeed, there were some mistakes I made due to some of the decisions I made but there were also some decisions I am really happy about. Learning from the pitfalls from 2023, let us all walk into 2024 with determination and hopefully, success follows!!  

Life is a beauty, yet to be discovered

 

Every time we have to pull through a rough patch,

we become blind to all the good happenings 

and instead, tend to muse only about the sorrows;

the hardship;

the misery.

However, 

we fail to see the joyful times;

to live in the moment;

and to treasure the good times. 

Only when we are forced to overcome challenges do we test our limits,

realise our utmost potential and

be grateful for those who stand with us through our ups and downs.

There will be no diamonds if there isn't any dark mines, isn't it?

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Hi friends,

I just wanted to assure you that the tough times that you might be going through now will not last forever and that there will be an end to it. Just remember to persevere and take those challenges in your stride. Whenever you feel like giving up, always be reminded that,

'There will be no rainbows, if there is no rain'. 

The tough times you are going through now is just a test of your ability, to set you on the path to achieve even greater heights, to ensure you value your loved ones who stand by you throughout this tough period and to let you know how grateful you should be. 

Here is a list of a few things that might help us:

Firstly, whenever you feel overwhelmed, take things one step at a time. Usually, we get overwhelmed by the huge amount of tasks that we have pending. However, by writing down the various deadlines and thinking of them one after another might help. We might want to start to complete the few tasks that are due today, then the tasks due tomorrow and then the task that are due the week after. Well, instead of getting exhausted by attempting to complete everything in one day, it might be better if we set more reasonable goals. 

Outward Bound Singapore (OBS)

 A few days ago, before logging on to my online classes, I switched on the video call function as instructed. Then I stared at the video cam that was turned on and glanced upon the symbolic neon pink OBS shirt that I was wearing that day. It was reminiscent of my Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) journey. Well, most teenagers in Singapore who have went through this OBS journey at the age of 15 will be able to share an array of experiences with you. I can bet that you will be bewildered by the range of experiences that you will hear as that was how I felt a two years ago when I was preparing for the same course. To get a preview of the journey that I would be embarking on, I chose to ask my seniors and friends about how their OBS journey was like. To my awe, I was left even more perplexed and surprisingly excited to experience the journey which I had heard extreme views about. Some commented that it was very exhausting and that they were glad to have finally finished the course and never would have to be compelled to go through that entire journey again. However, on the bright side, I also had heard from some others that they had the time of their lives and wished that there were more of such opportunities. 

The myriad of flaura and fauna in every garden spanning across Singapore never failed to amaze me. Once a fishing village, now a garden city. This sea change not only in the appearance of this small nation but also in the lifestyle of every citizen here is indeed mind boggling. After the merger when Singapore's future was shrouded with uncertainty, our founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew toiled away for years to carve out a better future for us and this is one of the underlying reasons for our success. Although we are a well known trading port in Asia, our nation is not as highly industrialised and surprisingly, elements of nature are well preserved. From the 'plant a tree' initiative that dates long back, we have now thrived to become a garden city.

Just the other day, I was strolling through the garden in my vicinity in search of some eye catching scenery and tranquility. As I sat amidst the swathes of lush greenery, a collection of memories jolted across my mind. The natural landscape was reminiscent of the heart warming journey I went through a few months ago. Outward Bound Singapore is the leader in outdoor education here. MOE-OBS challenge is a journey that every 15 year old in Singapore must go through. It is a journey through which students learn more about their inner self and physical strengths. A week without handphones might be a horror to many teenagers given this day and age but this is one of the few conditions of the journey. To some others, being separated from their friends in school and being coerced to socialise with unfamiliar individuals might be even more terrifying. However, this is another condition of the journey as well. In this OBS journey, students are separated from their phones and are grouped with around 3 other students from their cohort and another 6-7 others from different schools. Deprived of many luxuries such as a bed to sleep on and potato chips to snack on, students would have to go through many challenges with their new groups for an entire week, in locations far away from the metropolis. Is it a boon or a bane? Well, that depends on the student and the team...

As October came around the corner, nearly everyone was buzzing about OBS as our exams were all over and OBS was the only thing next in line for us. The two other schools that we were paired with for the course were Deyi secondary and Queenstown secondary. (Nearly all schools in Singapore will be grouped into threes and they will take part in OBS at different times of the year.) With a week more to prepare for the OBS journey, many of us made a beeline to decathlon to get all the items we needed off the checklist. Track pants, Sunblock, Sleeping bag, wet shoes were all robbed off the shelves in Decathlon shops across Singapore mainly because of OBS. After the weekend, we arrived at our schools with gigantic bags stuffed with our essentials for the next one week.We all had a vast array of emotions that run the gamut. Some of us were exhilarated to experience the OBS journey that was often the talk of the town, at least in our school. Some of us were scared because the entire journey was shrouded with many uncertainties(such as the personalities of the group members, the instructors, the site allocated etc). Some of the other students were just indifferent as they treated the journey like the other camps we had in school and simply took it in their stride.

We boarded the bus to the starting site where we would meet the students from the other two schools and would disperse to our various campsites. Upon reaching the site, I realised that I was just about to embark on the de facto OBS journey. It was no longer a dream or a wish but it was real. I was actually about to spend a week without the comforts at home and without meeting my family and friends. All the other students from other schools arrived en masse. As I glanced through the sea of eyes, I realised that every individual was different through and through. They represented how they were brought up, their values and their personality. Excitement kicked in as we all moved into our groups. In my group, there were 11 of us, all from different walks of life which was clearly evident by our attire, our camping bags and the way we communicated with one another. Fortunately, the two other students who were in my group from my school, were my acquaintances. We had socialised occasionally at school and they were really genial. Well, the other 8 people were from different schools and we all hoped to work amicably with one another. Next, we were assigned to our instructor. The inkling of hope that we could sail through the week without feeling regret became wilder as the instructor was extremely affable.

We went through the admin matters and the code of conduct which we should adhere to. Though easy going, our instructor did demand discipline and neatness.After which we played many games to break the ice amongst us and get to know each other better. I still clearly remember that one game where we had to tangle our hands up and try to get out of it one by one without breaking our grip on our friends hands. It was one of the most long lasting ice breakers and the most fun too... Then to ease us into the adventures which we would be taking part in, we had a mini flying fox journey from a small hill to the ground. We geared up for it and zipped through the air one by one. I can still remember how we laughed at each other at how funny we looked with the gear and helping each other out and consoling those who feared heights in the team. I was also inspired by how our instructor was such a daring and bold young lady in her mid 20s. Going through this every week, especially without the luxuries that other commoners would have, is a nightmare to some but our instructor seemed to love every bit of it.
Day 1 rolled by pretty quickly and the real venture began. A total of 3 trail walkers and 8 hiking bags were given to every team. We had to repack our items into the identical hiking bags given to us for the expedition for the next 3 days and 2 nights. Some of those in the team who had back issues chose to take the trail walkers and placed their items in the hiking bags of their partners. After packing everything, we pitched the tents to have a good nights sleep. (Since there were many first timers like me, we picked up a new skill- pitching a tent!. Well, I would say that the tents made us more united honestly because when a group of people are put under one tent, more conversations, laughter and fears are shared with one another. Each group is given three tents and although it did seem shocking that the 6 of us girls must share one tent, there were no regrets as those times really strengthened our bond.)

The next day, we managed to wake up and get ready on time without any alarm clocks(which was really an achievement for me since I depended on alarm clocks to wake me up but luckily another team member was used to waking up early at around 4.30, so he woke us up so that we could be prepared for the day). To kick start the day with more enthusiasm, we had physical training in the morning. The training sets were really authentic and symbolic to OBS. With the sun dance to the ninja game, we interacted with one another and had a whale of time while our muscles were being stretched and worked out. After which, we started the tough journey. We had an adventure camp where each group would be separated further to 3 mini groups and we were given an adventure booklet where we would have to write down the answers to the questions in the booklet. The answers could be found on signboards and information kiosks. Frankly, I felt that it was to ensure that we were vigilant during our trek and communicate with one another so as to alleviate the pain experienced during the trip. Well, it was more than what I had expected as I truly enjoyed the scenic locations which we travelled to, sites which I had surprisingly never seen before in this tiny red dot. They were very lush and green, sites which are rare to be found in cities where land is scarce, like Singapore.

We embarked on an expedition the following day, to Pasir Ris beach and clocked nearly 10km. Personally, I never expected myself to be able to carry our luggage (which consisted of food and clothing needed for the following three days) and walk such long distances. It was definitely an exhausting trip and a few of my teammates started to feel frustrated. Motivating one another and getting through the challenging times together was tough but it really managed to inculcate certain significant values such as perseverance and compassion. 

The next day was more challenging as we embarked on the land expedition to Changi Beach and  we rafted back to Punggol. Honestly the rafting activity stretched me to my limits the most because the current of the water was against the direction we were moving towards and also it was very difficult to remain high spirited throughout the entire journey. It was an incredibly long journey and the strong current made prospects bleak for reaching the destination in time for dinner.  We gave up at times as we were left hopeless in the waters. There were times where we just stopped rowing and gave in to our aching arms. However, we had to pick ourselves up and boost the morale of the team so that we did not lag behind. It really ensured that we were strong willed and pushed our limits so that we could reach our destination. We really wore ourselves to a shadow trying to push through the entire journey but it is indeed the most memorable and the most meaningful activity. I recall this moment whenever I feel taxed and this never fails to serve as a motivation to push me even further.

All in all, this entire OBS journey was definitely worthwhile and momentous. 

With a smile that slowly inched its way onto my face as these memories flooded through my mind, I attended the biology lecture online. 

New Year, New Beginnings

Dear 2021,

I hope that you will be extra friendly to me especially since I am entering junior college this year and I want this year to be a smooth sailing and a memorable one. While it may be a roller coaster ride and I might have to face numerous obstacles, I hope that I am equipped with sufficient determination and perseverance to overcome them and benefit from the learning outcomes. This year will definitely bring a lot of changes to my life journey as I have recently moved house so I need to adjust to this new environment, travelling routes, neighbours and much more. In addition to this change, I am also entering junior college this year. Even though studying in the integrated programme will reduce the number of changes i need to adapt to as my secondary school is where I will also be studying for the next two years(jc) and even though there isn't a change in the campus or the familiar faces I might see, I still feel that junior college will be extremely different from secondary school. Firstly, there will be more new faces as our cohort size will be doubled, there will be a new department of teachers tutoring us, there will be a different learning style which we would need to master and the academic rigour and the number of commitments we would need to take on will be vastly different. For orientation this year where will be introduced to our new cohort mates and our new class for the next 2 months, I hope to form new relationships that will ease me into my new journey. Orientation will open the doors to my new journey and I really hope that I can start on the right footing. Hopefully, this orientation journey will allow me to get to know more people and form good ties with them; be portrayed for who I really am; start my junior college journey with enthusiasm and hope. Hopefully, my wishes come true.

Thank you.

Cheers,

Ishvaryaa.

Well, I was quite anxious about orientation a few weeks ago because I had to be separated from my close friends and had to mingle with a bunch of new peers whom I was not very close to. Wanting to set a good impression and form stronger ties, I mustered the courage and set foot into the new classroom. A wave of memories of my old class surged upon me and I started to feel nostalgic and started to miss my kakis. Escaping from that tsunami of memories was in fact really difficult but with the constant reminder, to socialise with my new peers, ringing in my head, it was possible. Getting to know more people in my orientation group allowed me to feel more confident and gave me the courage to start expressing myself freely. The hesitation to socialise had disappeared and I started to thoroughly enjoy myself.  We had a lot of activities and games in line for us and excitement never failed to fuel me everyday. Learning more about the various backgrounds my peers had come from and embarking on the orientation journey with them was truly a memorable one. A big thank you to the orientation leaders who helped to break the ice and allowed us to have such an unforgettable orientation experience. It was evident that a lot of effort and time had been put into our orientation as every activity had been meticulously planned in order to keep in line with the COVID-19 safe management measures. Moreover, even though there were such restrictions, all the activities really allowed us to bond further and have a whale of fun. 

I felt that both my orientation group mates and my orientation leaders really matched my personality as we were all enthusiastic and very determined. The high energy levels kept me going and lifted my spirit. I am sure that many of my group mates felt this way too and I am glad that we had such a good start to this short yet vigorous junior college journey. Moreover, it is really a boon that I can spend more time with my group mates as we are all posted to the same class for the next few weeks until we have been allocated our form classes. This orientation has also boosted my confidence and I am sure that easing into the new form class, which we will be posted to soon, will be much easier.

Once again, a big thank you to everyone who made this orientation a truly memorable one and I hope to pass it on:)

And I would like to end off with a quote that I strongly believe in...

No matter what comes your way, you can overcome it - for you are capable.

Gratitude

Every year, when we visited our motherland, I felt as if it were another holiday trip. Though I was brought to life there, I felt more attached to the land which brought me up for 15 years. 

Even though I only visited my motherland once every year, that one month flew by in a blink of an eye because my itinerary was packed. Visiting my relatives made up the bulk of it and shopping, sightseeing made up the rest. 

Usually, around 10 days of that one month was set aside for visiting my paternal grandparents. Initially, I felt that those 10 days were pretty boring compared to the rest of my trip since I mostly stayed at home throughout the 10 days. Since my paternal grandparents were quite old, their physique did not allow them to travel within the city or play with us (common ageing issues). Since my other cousins would not visit my grandparents during that time since their holidays fell in a different time period, it was just my grandparents, my parents and my younger brother. Usually my parents would head out for most of the day since they had many official matters and health check ups to tend to. So, it was just me, my brother and my grandparents. At first, I felt that my first few visits were not as interesting. It was just about eating, sleeping, watching tv at times and helping my grandparents do some household chores. Sometimes I would feel tired and would dread doing the chores but soon after I realised how much effort my grandparents had put in for us to ensure that we enjoy our stay there, I regarded it as my duty as a filial granddaughter.  My grandfather would bring us to the supermarket nearby and buy all of our favorite fruits and vegetables though he had difficulties moving about. My grandmother would always greet us with a cheerful smile on our face in the morning though I knew that she had many chores to do that would challenge her physically and mentally throughout the day. For our morning drink, since my brother, my grandfather and I would want different drinks such as coffee,tea and horlicks respectively, she would make all of those drinks separately without ever complaining about it. Moreover, although my grandmother had more health constraints as she had severe knee pain and could not stand for long periods or walk, except for within the house for short distances, she would cook all of our favourite dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, despite having had to stand for really long periods of time. 

Even now, I am absolutely dumbfounded as to how she never ever showed a sign of irritation or exhaustion when she was posed with such mentally and physically taxing tasks. Given her age, I was really shocked how she managed to do all those without losing perfection. She would even want us to stay longer though she knew that it would equate to much more work. Food is really a form of art which serves as a form of expression of the emotions that the chef had. My grandmother would always always always cook really well and would cook whatever we wanted though those dishes required much more effort to cook. She is really the best chef that i know of: a chef who never failed to pour in affection and care into every dish she cooked. Seriously, at the age of 68, it is no joke to cook by oneself, not forgetting the high standard of the food cooked. At the age of 16, i already dread washing the dishes, but my grandmother used to cook all these wonderful dishes and wash all the vessels and our plates too… This meant that she had to strain her knees, which was already a pain in the neck for her, but she did it for us…It was no mean feat!

I used to chip in as much as I could by doing some of the chores such as sweeping the floor, hanging the clothes to reduce the burden on my grandparents as much as I could. However, last december, when I visited India as usual, i came down with a bacterial infection. It was really very painful and difficult to put through with it. However, that meant that not only could i not help my grandparents but that they had to do more,mainly my grandmother, to take care of me. Every night I used to wake up since I felt very nauseous. My grandmother, who used to sleep next to me, would wake up immediately as well despite having been through an exhausting day, to check on my wellbeing. Moreover, she would cook porridge for me, in addition to the dishes she cooked for the rest of my family. Moreover, since I could not eat properly, I would avoid eating and would choose to sleep. However, she would walk to the room and would convince me to eat the porridge so that I would have the strength to handle the bacterium that invaded my body. But, by then the porridge would have turned cold and she would heat it up even though i was fine with eating slightly cold porridge. She would ensure that I took my medicines and would apply the cream on my forehead whenever I had headaches. Though she was old and was already challenged by her health issues and further challenged by the addition of chores, she would never fail to ensure that I was recovering and that we were happy.

After I managed to recover, she cooked all of my favourite dishes and she would usually cook more so that there would be enough to eat for everyone. However, there would always be leftovers since we could not finish and instead of eating the food she cooked for dinner, she would finish up the remaining rice and curry from lunch. But because of this, whe would not cook less the next day: she would always cook more so that everyone can have a hearty meal.

I would always sit by her when she was cooking and exercising and would ask her about her childhood and my father’s childhood ( her early parenthood). She would always think about it and would laugh for a bit and would start talking about them. It was really interesting to hear how she was brought up back then and how she brought up my father, my aunt and my uncle. She would share her life lessons and would share some valuable advice.

These stories and advice are still etched in my mind as these stories and the moments I shared with her for the past few years have become the last… How I wish I had spent more time with her when she was around… Truly, a great person.

Circuit breaker

I am sure many of you are well aware of the situation and it is nearly impossible to avoid the topic on the novel coronavirus. So why bring it up here as well?

Well, I understand that most of us are currently at home either due to lockdown or other government initiatives. So I would like to share how I utilise the time that i have and hope to spur some of my readers into action as well.

1) Catching up

So firstly, there were piles of school work to catch up on since there were assignments and extra practices posted across various educational platforms and also, for live lessons, we now use a variety of platforms to maximise our learning and this also means more toggling of tabs on the computer.  So it is essential that we are organised and don't wound ourselves in a state of frenzy. Thus, I ensured that I was clear headed and organised(more tips at the end of the post!). Moreover, although mid year examinations were called off in light of the crisis, we still do have end of year examinations and these topics still need to be revised thoroughly. So, I did some revision and notes on the topics that I was still unclear about. After getting a grip on the new mode of learning and it is time we build a new repertoire of learning strategies! Fret not because teachers are still there to help and there are also search engines out there stretching out a hand to help you. Just a simple search will do-  khan academy, amoeba sisters and crash course videos will come your way!(once again thank you to all the producers of these videos and several more! They really help a lot!)

2) Hobbies

I am sure it is not uncommon for people to set aside certain activities for a later time. Unsurprisingly, I had a long list of activities yet to be fulfilled. Learning new recipes, doing more DIY, creating vlogs, exercising at home, drawing and so on and so forth. I had a lot of downtime during the first two of weeks of the circuit breaker that has rolled by and I utilised it to bond with my family and friends and also had set aside some time to do some of the activities I had been yearning to. I started off to cook some new recipes and even made some vlogs. Then I also tried some minute colouring which truly is very therapeutic! 

3) Decluttering

This is something that i was pushed to do but no regrets! Initially, it is very difficult to kickstart the engine but once you have started, you will be on the roll and you will only want to stop after you have finished cleaning up that shelf of yours! With the need to be organised, this was absolutely helpful and satisfying!

Some tips to tide through this tough period~

1) Please appreciate the frontline workers as they are doing so much to protect us( Here's a very big thank you to all the frontline workers on my behalf!)

2) Be safe and wear a mask to prevent inhaling the coronaviruses which might be adhered to dust particles suspended in the air

3) Practice social distancing 

4) Try to avoid going out as much as possible

5) Send some funds to the organisations who are providing for those affected by this novel coronavirus(Chip in a bit of funds because after all, drops of water make the ocean!)

Some tips to stay organised and maximise your learning(tips that i find very helpful)...

- Start with your study shelves. Separate the books by subjects. Most importantly, file all your worksheets in an order you are comfortable with

- Mini booklets

I love to make these mini booklets. Just take an a4 sheet of paper and fold it in half. The front page    is the cover of the booklet and you can add in the content in the other three pages. If that is insufficient, you can fold another a4 paper and staple it to the back of the original booklet. These have proven to be very helpful for me and i hope they are for you as well!

- Timetable

Draw up a simple time table that you want to stick to and this can be easily done on google calendar    as well. I use google calendar because it sends notifications 10 minutes before the next activity that i have scheduled myself to do and it is very easy to adjust(after all most of our schedules are different for every week right?)

That's all for now! Stay safe and take care of your loved ones as well:)

Appreciation

Puzzled, lost, stranded.
I stood there bemused and stricken. Desperately typing in the bus code into the tiny screen that was surviving on a percent of battery, I yearned that the tiny inking of hope left in me would become wilder. However, all hope was lost. I was helpless. Even my trusted Google maps could not help me.

Looking around frantically, in search of a familiar creature,  I started to run. With fear and embarrassment making their appearance on my face, I wanted to break down. I wiped away the tear drop that rolled down my cheek. How could I be lost? Well I did manage to take a bus to this place... so there should be at least a few people in this area... But then again, if I am lost, how will I escape? How will I go back home? Will that hot chocolate my mother had given me in the morning be my last one? I tried to switch on that electronic gadget that had betrayed me once again. It was dead.
There I was with my electronic gadget that had barred me from communicating and seeking help from my loved ones. There I was dreading the decision to have taken the wrong bus because I was glued to that new tiktok my friend had posted. There I was missing all the simple yet memorable times I had spent at home. That one experience was enough, it was enough to teach me the importance of appreciation- though every day might seem boring and mundane to us(waking up at 6am to start the routine and returning home at 6pm after sports training or a long day at work), not everyone has those opportunities and there are people out there yearning for such a stable life in order to avoid being uncertain if there will even be food on their plates the next day. That one experience was enough to teach me that we need to strike a balance between the two worlds- the virtual one and the actual one. That one experience was enough to teach me how much more there was out there in the world  that I needed to learn.
After having sprinted my way along the road that the bus journeyed with me, I was lost once again. I wanted to demystify the situation. I was so puzzled as to what had happened to me that I was clouded with so much of negativity.- so much that I could not handle. I halted. I had alighted from the train as per usual and had made my way to bus stop. Suddenly my phone started notifying me incessantly and I started to pacify it by clicking on the notifications. Before I knew I was scrolling through the new posts that appeared on Tik Tok. I realised I was getting late for my usual morning morning class. I boarded the bus that came to the bus stop without realising that I was the only one that had boarded the bus when usually people will swarm into the bus that I usually take to go to the class. After I finished watching the video, I looked around to check if the bus stop I needed to alight had arrived. To my horror, all I saw were trees, trees and more trees. I alighted fearing that it would take me to even more unfamiliar places and also becauseI was too shy to ask the driver how I could make it back to the train station. I regretted it, very much. I tried to search Google maps hoping it would help me get to my class on time and save me from that unfamiliar place. It showed that I could only drive my way out. I knew that it was failing me as going by logic, if I had came to that place by a bus, I should also be able to make my way out of the place by a bus, right? However since I had no clue as to how to take the bus back to the familiar train station, I scrambled through my wallet in search of some cash to take a taxi to the train station. I was that helpless! However, I realised that I was only left with  a few dollars as I had spent my money on breakfast. I could also not access grab as my phone chose to betray me and leave me helpless; the battery had drained.

After I was clear with the situation and how I had ended up in that place, I looked around once again. The meditation classes had helped! I was in a state of calm and I saw a construction site a stone’s throw away. Energy surged in me. I saw a fellow human!!! Hope pounced onto me as I jolted into motion.Then again, fear gripped me- I was too afraid to talk to others as I feared that I might be judged. However, I threw that fear away, my situation mandated me to. I approached the worker and asked him how I could go back to the train station. Seeing that my face was coated with sweat and that I was very worried, he said “The train station is not in this year”. The hope in me left me as fast as it had entered. I wanted to quickly explain how I actually took a bus to that place and the words ran up my throat but soon braked as he started to continue with his advice. “ Walk to the bus stop down the road and board the bus(which also happened to be the same bus I took to that place) and alight from the bus after nine more stops. This is a construction area and this is the only bus that travels through this area.” he said, in a very calm manner. I thanked him profusely as only I knew how much the directions meant to me. I thanked him once again before I ran back to that bus stop with a smile inching its way on my face. I was so thankful for the worker. If not for his directions, I would have been lost and late for my class. I boarded the bus and glanced at the numerous construction sites and trees that it drove past. Initially, I was quite scrared as the train station and houses were nowhere to be seen. But just like what the worker had told me, the train station arrived. My eyes brightened up upon seeing fellow human beings and familiar places. I was safe. I made it back without the use of my phone. Relief flooded through my mind.
I glanced at my watch, ten minutes more to the start of my class. I waited for the bus and boarded the right one this time around. I made it in time for the class and my friend asked me why I was perspiring so much. I stared at her with a sneaky smile.

Although this situation might be illogical or even comedic to some, only I knew how worried and panicked I was. I had learnt so much that day and had also escaped from the fear of speaking to strangers  to seek help. From a girl who used to think twice to even ask the cashier if there were any discounts for the things I had bought, I had changed. I had changed and I was proud of it as I was now more confident to express my thoughts and seek help from others I do not even know, if such a need arises. But most importantly, I learnt to appreciate the people around me and be thankful for the routined life I am able to live.

Identity

Identity gives everyone a personalised touch
that characteristic that allows everyone to be unique is what I am speaking about
Identity is what matters to most
Keeps them sailing in the direction of their destiny
and assures a guarantee
that they can leave behind an indelible mark of their legacy
pulls them out of their misery
and drags them into positivity
Never failed. Never caused any destruction
but has only given a sense of security
The identity.

Identities are unique and they keep us filled with curiosity to learn more about the various cultures and backgrounds. Let's appreciate every individual for who they are:)

When the going gets tough

Hi everyone! Hope that this post helps you get rid of your sorrows and start soaring!


Life gets harder and harder as you grow older and older so...
1) Try not to procrastinate
So try to tick off those items on your to do list as soon as possible:After all, the best view is the one after the hardest climb, right?

"You may delay but time will not"- Benjamin Franklin

2) Persevere as much as you can
I really think that this is easier said than done but anyways, it is definitely important to give your best in everything you take part in... Whenever life gets tough and painful, think of the person who inspires you/ the reason why you are doing what you are doing and don't give up! Keep in mind that you are almost there and that you are not going to let the negative vibes get to you. So keep striving and do others and yourself proud:) Give it your best such that you have no regrets when you experience the outcome.

"It's not that I'm so smart;It's just that I can stay with problems longer"- Albert Einstein

3) Resilience
Even when you do not procrastinate and give your best in everything you do, there might still be unexpected presents waiting for you- Yes, presents! It might seem really bizarre to call failure as presents... But, why is failure portrayed to be something so uneventful? Well, it has all to do about our mindset. If you give up, that present could have just limited your success but if you strive hard and keep running on the right track despite all the bruises, those presents would just end up as the things that got you running with much more grit than what you started off with. Yes, it is definitely easy to ask for someone to keep striving but remember, when a door closes on you, another would have opened(A bigger and a more gorgeous one). So, keep striving even when the going gets tough!

"A life spent making mistakes is not only most honourable but also more useful than a life spent doing nothing"- George Bernard Shaw

So give yourself a pat on the back for being so brave and trying that method out. Then, since it did not work as well, be adaptable and tweak the methodology based on your experience- After all, you have more wisdom than before

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With these three tips, I would like to end off with a poem that I have recently penned down. Hope that these help you to succeed in whatever you are doing and achieve those expectations and goals you have in mind:)

Set foot on the path you desire
without ever looking back, without ever feeling the slightest regrets
Carrying all those load will definitely be hard
but holds of high regard
and soon, you will be able to taste the honey- the fruit of your hardships
When opposed by setbacks,
I wouldn't ask you to sit back and relax
but, recover from them and continue fighting
Sure you can excel at it
with all this foresight and grit
not only as a saviour
but also as a  true warrior

~Ish

Respect

Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you about three situations which many of you will be familiar with. When the class gets too unruly, the teacher asks us to show respect. When there we get into a disagreement with our parents, they ask us to show some respect. When we do not heed our grandparents advice, our parents ask us to show more respect. What is respect all about, and, who do we show respect to? Only the elderly or those who impart knowledge, or anyone and everyone?

In my speech, I have identified three distinct groups of people whom we should show respect to.

In order for one to respect others, he must first respect himself. Only when we respect ourselves, we will understand our own worth. This involves a need to work harder to present a better image of ourselves, to give others a better impression of our character and abilities. When we persevere and strive to clinch a higher position, which is to stand out from the rest, we will view ourselves worthy and equal to others and we will then start to work harder by taking them as role models and respecting them. Thus, in order for one to respect others, he must first respect himself.

The second group of people whom we should show respect to are people who do not overtly demonstrate outstanding qualities. All of us have a tendency to display respect and admiration for those who have great charisma or are known to have achieved great things. But we should give each and every human being equal opportunities despite their appearance and behaviour as we tend to snap judgments easily. We should give basic respect to everyone as long as they do not break the law. We should respect them as there is always something to learn from everyone and the quality in them might just go unnoticed because of their shy or introvert character. When we do so, we help to boost their confidence and help them feel more included. Thus, it is important that we respect them for who they are as long as they have good morals.

Lastly, we must also show respect to our elders and those who impart knowledge as for our elders, they have lived a longer life compared to us and have gained much more experience than us. Thus by listening to them and heeding their advice, we will avoid making the same mistakes that they did. Although many differences in opinion might exist because of the age gap, it is important that we show respect to them and listen to them as well. As for those who teach us, they play an important role in our society by educating the future citizens and since teaching is a very noble profession and since they are helping us, it is important that we respect them.

Thus, the three distinct groups of people are our elders and Teachers, those who do not overtly demonstrate outstanding qualities and ourselves. Thus through my speech I hope that I have set across a clearer understanding as to whom we should respect as almost everything revolves around respect.
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Hope all of enjoy this new post of mine and sorry for the large amount of time I have taken to post this:)-S.Ishvaryaa