Reflections on the 21st year of my life as I turn 22.
I have learnt a very important thing in life throughout this significant year.
Contentment is happiness. Life is always unfair, but how we look at things in life affects the way we are. I feel that I think much positively than I did in the past.
In fact, I feel blessed.
Throughout this year, I think I am very fortunate to have met/known these people. I am really thankful that they appear in my life. I don’t express myself well in person, but I’m really appreciative deep in my heart.
Jack. Time really flies. I have been working for him for a year. The longest job I have been holding on to. I forgot when I exactly started, but I remembered it was just a week before my birthday. Seriously, I always wonder how he can stand a slack employee like me. Ok, not exactly. It is just that I’m not performing well at all with the kind of job I’m doing. He is really a nice guy! I always love to say I am the “boss” who gets to choose whenever I want to work. I know I always take advantage of his flexibility, but I am really thankful for it and how he can fully understand from a student’s point of view. I remembered once I told him I could not make it last minute because of CCA stuff. He actually told me it was ok as school work is more important. I was really touched; especially that was how I was kind of dismissed from my previous job in school. I think the times he said no to me were when he said “No problem.” Just recently, he was really nice to spend his precious time to provide free advice for 1 of my close friends, and went an extra mile to do her a favor, everything done without asking anything in return at all. From him, I learnt how to differentiate between persistent and convincing. Not all financial consultants are irritating and persistent. He is one good example. I may not be the best employee he deserves to get, but he is definitely the most wonderful boss I have met so far.
Margaret. I must be the luckiest vice chairperson on earth to be able to work with her. Being the chairperson, she respects my opinions for many decisions that we have to make together. Unlike some leaders who like to draw a clear line in between, she does not give me the feeling that I lead THES under her, but I lead THES with her. I always find the chemistry between us amazing. She is a chairperson who is really blur, forgetful and makes mistakes like anyone else, I am exactly not the world’s most patient vice chairperson who can stand the silly mistakes she makes like the rest, but I can never get angry with her. These few flaws of hers are what I make up for, and things I dislike doing is what she makes up for. I always like to say she is made out to do the big and important things in THES while I am made out to do small things and pay attention to teeny details. Accommodating and understanding is really important. Despite her flaws, she makes up for them with her responsibility and selflessness. When it comes to rewards, “we” is what she says. When it comes to mistakes, “I” is what she declares. The reason I can never get angry with her is because I know this is her. There isn’t a need to change her flaws, because she has more than enough good points to make up for them. I really learnt a lot from her. From T.H.E.S to CSC Day, I really enjoy working with such a capable leader who is rare to find.
T.H.E.S. I really feel fortunate to have so many excellent volunteers during this academic year that I am running as the vice chairperson. I remembered the previous year when I was a freshie, volunteers started disappearing slowly. Even the chairperson went MIA, and so was most of the committee towards the end. And I used to skip several visits because I did not really feel a sense of belonging to it. Now, it is rare to see less than 10 volunteers each visit. A few volunteers told me before that Margaret & I have been doing a great job leading it. However, I differ to agree totally. I just feel that we are lucky enough to have such dedicated volunteers to make our jobs done easier. Without their self-willingness to stay on, we are helpless on our own. We have a great committee of 8 who are there most of the time, lightening our workload of administrative stuff. The rest of the volunteers are just as fun-loving and passionate towards helping the elderly. Now that it is almost time to step down from my role, I have much confidence about the two new leaders who are going to take over. It is really difficult to decide who to choose because everyone is really great. I wish them good luck in continuing to lead T.H.E.S. with more passionate freshies to come in the next academic year. Of course, I will still be there for them as an advisor whenever they need as this is the place I belong. =)
Janice, Joey. I can’t decide whether to write about them together with the two below because I know them at the same time. After some thought, I guess I shall write them in pairs. These two are the new addition to the Website team helpers. It is really great to have both of them around! I am great that the Website team is no longer Ivalyn & I alone anymore. With their help, they really lighten our workload a lot. I am really glad that both of them agree to help out and make Website team a more cheerful place to be in than before. I always believe a team in working towards the same objective is the place where team spirit truly exists and keep arguments to the minimal. None of us have selfish thoughts about having to gain benefits by being in the Website team, unlike how some people do. I am happy to know that I am not wrong about taking both of them in to help me. We will continue to strive in working towards the common goal we share to make Website team a wonderful one! One thing I never get to figure out is, did JJ just happen to have more media exposure in the recent year? Or did Janice make something to happen that Website team is overwhelming with more workload than we can handle before that? Haha…
Julie, Edelyn. The 2 wonderful teachers-to-be! Though I do not know them for very long, but they are really great friends one can have. I have no idea what to write about them, but I just know I am lucky to have them as my friends. Sometimes, it is not how much you can praise about your friends, but how the comfortable feeling is always there whenever we hang out. They are selfless when it comes to JJ matters, unlike some JJ fans I have met so far.
Wing. The machoboy whom I know through E6. I am really glad to know she will be there most of the time whenever I need her. Although we do not really meet up after the camp, but I can tell her almost anything online. Initially, I thought she might change after bidding farewell to singlehood like many friends who I know do. I was wrong. She remains the same as who she is. I really love her as a close friend, someone who I can share my secrets with safely. Thanks for being there for me!
