SPM 2008: Questions?

Yesterday was a HUGE day for the family: Manja Princess got her SPM results. I'll be honest: I forgot about it until atthan reminded me, then I called her, she picked up the call, breathless; they were calling out names & the results, but her name hasn't been called out yet. I started to feel nerves for her & had to be assured when she said she will call me back.

5 min.

10 min.

*sigh*

She calls me back, I've never gripped the phone so tightly & she says (in that high-pitched voice bubbling over with excitement) that she got straight A1s. I closed my eyes with relief & happiness. See, I was worried that she might not have gotten straight As...My belief in her is such that even an A2 is impossible.

She really is that smart :D

Later in the day the family asked about what she should do: what course, what route to take, scholarships etc. coz now she has the ticket to do anything & go anywhere she wants. The dilemma is Manja Princess doesn't know what SHE wants to do for a living. I recall she wanted a course in business because "I want to get rich fast". 

The best answer, I suppose, is to know what you would enjoy doing for 20-30 yrs. I've complete faith that you'll be brilliant in whatever you do, you're too sensible & smart not to. The answer is, quite simply, know what you would love to do for a good 2-3 decades. Being in desperate need of connection, I would encourage a course in a scientific field, eg. engineering, perhaps because too many people are doing business & we could use a couple of bright brains in engineering; there are, after all, many fields of engineering that Manja Princess could check out.

But I'm rambling.

Look at the bigger picture. When we thought that SPM was a huge deal, in an instant it's now small potatoes, the next step is bigger & certainly more challenging. So take a deep breath: SPM is just 1 step you have to take to complete your education & get a job. It doesn't secure wealth or fame; it doesn't determine your future. Take what opportunities are thrown at you, don't waste them, manipulate & optimize them to bring you one step closer to success. 

So congratulations to those who did well, to those who (think they) didn't do well, take heart & know that it's not over, be prepared for the next stage will be challenging & sometimes heart-breaking. You'll need confidence, hard work, dedication & a positive attitude to make it the next round! Have faith in yourself & know that only you can change your future. Cheers & good luck in the next round!