Thankful

Hmm I shall not talk about today, or yesterday, but I want to talk about something. Why I'm thankful. Of just a particular thing out of the many things I'm thankful for.

This morning I come to a realisation of how thankful I am to have participated in so many overseas trips held by SP throughout the 2.5 years of my poly life. From the DPA camp in Mawai, to the Inner Mongolia OCIP trip (which is the best trip so far), SPSB Korea trip and last but not least my LEAP Intermediate at Mount Kinabalu. Also not forgetting the events which I've signed up throughout these 2.5 years as well. From the band concerts, poly50, Stand Chart and Sundown.

I just somehow feel that well now I'm having attachment. So by right, I'm "working" and by left I'm partially a student, still. I'm working from 9-5. Perhaps being a student will be in band, since I'm still a member of the band and that I come back for rehearsals and yeah, I'm a student. And of course the other things like helping out with your teachers, lecturers and so on.

Partially I'm working, and being a student.

Yet somehow I realised, currently I'm still partially a working adult. Yet I find it difficult and somehow uneasy to find some times just for myself. Just to do whatever I want, relax for a day, forget about life, don't think about work. Time to myself. And thinking of holiday... Nah don't ever think about that. Till my project ends I guess, that's considered holiday to me. So whatever holiday there is in front of me, I think they deserved to be called "breaks" instead haha.

It's my final year! Press on~

Okay I'm not complaining about the lack of holidays and time and whatever. But I'm just thinking that this ITP has given me a glimpse of the working life. Of being an adult, of being a worker, of being a man of (more) responsibilities. Basically, no longer being a student. Life of a student, and life of a grown up working adult is totally different. Very, very extremely different.

I know that at times we feel life of a student is stressful as well. We have lots of projects, lots of assignments, lots of issues, exams, friends, CCA, this and that. Trust me when you're into the working life, I think things will be even more spiced up. But then it all comes down to a fact that well ultimately it's how we handle things, and how we work things out.

You can put it in a way that as we grow up, we no longer hold responsibilities for ourselves only, but also for others. What you do in some (more) ways will affect others, and not just yourself. But back when you're a student, well more of the things we do only affect ourselves. In one way or another. As we learn to be more responsible for others, then yeah we feel the heat.

So yeah. Back to the title - thankful.

I'm really really thankful and grateful to have been selected for those trips. To be a part of the trip, to have the memories of the trip, to GO for the trip. ITP has given me a glance that when I grow up, I might not have the time, the ability, the capability, the determination, the will and ultimately the CHANCE to do all of the things that I've done in my past 2.5 years.

The Inner Mongolia trip. It's such a rare chance for the 25 of us, young adults (Kwok and Jess you're young too!!! :P ) to go to Inner Mongolia? And even better - to participate in a huge environmental project. To get out of our shell, and explore the unknown place, and unknown world and face the problem it is facing and in a small but significant way, try to fix the problem?

SPSB Korea trip - I think we are all so lucky to have the chance to perform overseas. And in public. To me the performance in Insaedon was the highlight of the trip. Cause it was my first time performing in public overseas. And I love sharing music with others, so I see nothing wrong with that. It was a really enjoyable performance too.

Mt Kinabalu trip - Perhaps when I'm born, when I'm young, I never know I can climb a mountain before 20. And yes now 19 years later, I know I did, and I have done it. Climbing a mountain was not in my life's agenda at this age. I feel great and lucky too. I kept on telling myself in the future, there might be chance. Or maybe I can do it next year, or two years later. No, I did it then. I did it four months later when I first told myself that perhaps I should go for the next year's trip.

And many more events that I have went through in SP, small or big, significant or just little. I have participated in them and I'm proud of it.

The thing is, I really might not have the chance to do all of the above when I grow up, when I leave SP, when I leave the education world. When I step into the real life, when I am no longer a student of an institution. So through these experiences I've learnt, and I have become who I am today. Things happen for a reason, we all know that.

I'm young now, was young then. I still have the energy, the ability and the determination to do all these. I still have the will, still have the confidence to go. I'm young and wild, was young and wild. With determination soaring in the sky. I just feel lucky and thankful. Really.

My mum always tell me to go for these trips. To seize the chance to go to somewhere I've never been before. She tells me I might not have the time when I grow up, and I might not be able to find the time and make the time to go. I guess now I know why.

It's June now. I have till next year's May I guess? Before graduation. So... Yes. 11 more months to go, I'm going for more, seizing every chance I can get. And well, I'm already planning to go for one. And I can't wait for it. I hope it will be a dream come true for me! It's my last leap in the LEAP programme. And I will finish it, once and for all.

Carpe diem - seize the day!


What a long post. I enjoyed writing this post. Now, live the moment.