The Life of a College Bowler

Name:
Location: Singapore

Thursday, March 20, 2008

This week, is NOT my week -.-

If I had to rate the worst week of my life, this week would be somewhere in the top 3, and the week isn't even over yet.

Sometimes, I'm really unsure. From what I observed and what I read, our attitude makes up most of our mood. We can see the glass half empty, or half full. Despite myself being a GREAT worrier (If Worrying was an Olympic Sport, I'd get Gold, no questions asked), I do try to remain optimistic. Didn't work all the time though, like the entire semi-depressing state of my mind in JC (Thank God for the friends I have), and possibly, this week. Part of the way I remain optimistic is to count my blessings (There's always people worse off than I am), and to downplay any major events and to brainwash myself (A levels did badly? So what, I am not defined by a set of grades after all.. -shrugs-... -continues bitching about the education system-).

This week, my emotions and thoughts seem to be yo-yo-ing out of control. I believe that I'm a rational person. So rational that my rational brain often beats my emotional brain into submission with the voice of reason. Yes, I've had hysterical moments, and a hell lot more moments where I 'panic' (really, NOBODY have seen me REALLY panic) and worry like hell over something. (OMG! Lit homework not done! 10 chapters to do! OMG! Ms. Chua will kill me tomorrow and hang my intestines all over the desk!). These few weeks however, especially this one, my emotions are really really jumping all over the place.

For one, I get annoyed at my mother much more easily this week. I don't know why. Hormones? PMS? Perhaps its just what I expected to be treated as and what I got. I love my mother, no doubt about it. I love my family, but I'm also entitled to expect a certain treatment by certain members of the family. Like I don't expect my brother to argue with me and to throw a tantrum when I teach him his maths, not only because I'm trying to help him, but also because as his elder sister (his only sister actually, but the keyword is ELDER :P), I expect a certain amount of respect from him unless I do something to screw it up. So, when my mother starts nitpickiting about my behaviour. Every single flaw, and not one bit about my positive traits (such as, not smoking, rational, not a drug abuser, not rebellious, a family person etc...). But she keeps going on about my less than positive traits (lazy being the chief one... I'm a terrible procrastinator).

Its not that I don't feel loved, but sometimes I just wish that she puts it nicely. I'd prefer a "Pamela, can you do me a favour and keep an eye on Nick's maths? He's doing well in his Biology and Literature, but his Maths keep failing. Help me keep an eye out can? Try to find out what's wrong?* Rather than *Pamela! You have so much free time at home, and yet you play play play. Don't care about your brother's results at all. He failed maths right? See? So bad! F9 summore. Everytime fail maths. -sigh- That boy ar, dunno what he's doing, still don't want to put in effort for maths. Stop being so lazy and actually do something for once can? You're not even working now, just brush up your brother lah! You know I working so hard, what for? For you and Nick lah, and yet, you all have such a good life still cannot do this. I not asking for all A's what, but you and I both know that Nick can do better than now.....-keeps going for another 10 mins-*

Maybe I'm being pressimistic on this point. But its like, recently, I'm seeing a different side of my mother. The not-so-positive side. I'm not sure if she was always like this, and I was too young to see it, or its the recent problems that has got her acting this way. The colder, harsher and more exacting mother that I see. There's still moments where I feel that she's the best mother on earth, but there's also moments now, getting more frequent, where I sit and think about what's happening and why is she acting like this now.

I'm not sure what I feel. Its an entire internal battle with me when it concerns my mother. On one hand, i feel that she doesn't realise how cutting her words are sometimes. In addition, she seems so negative all the time now, and I expect (or want) her to be more understanding, to be more 'gentle' in that sense. Just, to be more appreciative of us and our good traits and be thankful that we're not delinquents rather than to nitpick on our faults and keep complaining about them. On the other hand, I also understand where she's coming from. She's working hard, her work place is stressful and tiring, and she has her own internal battles to fight and her own demons to overcome, and she wants us to be better than what we are now.

Maybe I'm asking too much here, and maybe my self-esteem isn't all that great to begin with, for my mother to so easily make me feel like an ungrateful bitch with just a 10 minute random lecture. So perhaps, it is expecting too much for my mother to, instead of point out our flaws, just tell us how much she loves us and what of our good qualities she likes about us. Its the same message, just a different way of delivering it. *sigh*. Perhaps I shouldn't expect too much out of anything. Sometimes, I wish I can be just like a whiny bitchy teen. Selfish and Uncaring, so I won't have this internal emotional conflict, of understanding, yet also wanting something more.

Aside from the frequent clashes I've had with mom this week (especially Monday), there was the Jon's party thing. Jon's birthday was last Friday. 14th March. I was in Malaysia and my phone wasn't with me, hence, I wasn't able to wish him a happy birthday. I believe the entire XO team forgot as well. That's just so us -.-.

Either way, Pearly decided to have a get-together session and a belated 'party' for Jon. We settled on my home as a venue, since we used to have most of our bowlers get-together at my house. Pearly invited Darren, and she didn't ask me if I was okay about it until AFTER she invited Darren. I panicked the most of Tuesday Night. I've been avoiding Darren for months ever since the entire cleavage-staring incident the night of his first book-out. I felt that he hasn't changed one bit. So, the big dilemma. To say no, and appear to be a petty, whiny bitch and to deprive Jon of his friend at his belated birthday get-together, or to say yes and spend a day being in awkward silence. I chose the latter, after a few hours of thinking and just, reliving bad memories. Isn't it funny how bad memories stick more than good ones?

So yeah, that was the whole crappy incident on Tuesday.

Wednesday, today, was the get-together. I woke up late, but the bowlers were even later. We planned at 2pm. Jon arrived at 3pm, Pearly, Brian and Gerald at 4pm, Darren at 4.30pm , Kari around 4.45pm and Marcus at about 5pm. I somewhat ignored Darren the whole of today. Spoke to him, about 4 lines in total. LOL. I think everybody noticed, but I really really did not want to interact with him. At least, on the bright side, he did behave himself rather well today. No weird stares, no excuses to come near me, no lewd comment. Just engrossed with his computer in the study room along with Brian and Jon. BUT, like everyday this week thus far, today held the worst surprise of all.

I planned most of my Basic Theory Lessons, Practice, Evaluation and Test on the 10th January, when I first signed up with the school. I changed the Lessons timing a few dozen times as it is. But the Evaluation and Test remained the same. So, today, I logged on to double check my Basic Theory Practice timing for tomorrow, when I realised that my Basic Theory Test was not included in the entire schedule as reflected online. I panicked, and tried to rebook the test. There's no more slots left on march, and the next avaliable one would be on the 10th June. So, I booked that first, and since my Evaluation had to be done within a fortnight before my Test, I tried to shift my Evaluation Date. There are no open dates for Evaluation in May or June. I panicked, and checked my account transaction.

According to the system, I cancelled my Basic Theory Test on Sunday Night. Around 11pm. A few minutes before midnight. See, even if I ACCIDENTLY cancelled my Basic Theory Test, I'd've probably booked another Practice/Evaluation in its place. But, the ONLY transaction I did that day was to cancel my Test. I can't remember doing anything related to rescheduling my test on Sunday Night (I was zonked out from the trip from KL back to Singapore). I checked my chat logs and I was making a call at that time. I have no idea what the hell is going on, but I am calling the centre tomorrow and demand that they fix it. It was NOT ME that cancelled the booking and I have NO IDEA what the hell is happening. But I want my license AS SOON AS IT IS POSSIBLE.

*sigh*.. this week sucks. Really. Emotional conflicts about random issues, my family, my life. Maybe its because I did badly for A levels, and hence, everything is so... loose at the moment. There's no fixed structure, and its scary in a way. I just hope that this week has enough surprises for me. I just want a more relaxed 2nd half of the week.

Monday, March 17, 2008

A level results

I'm late in announcing my A level results. LOL. Not because I was ashamed of it, but because I needed time to get my bearing before I blog again. I openly declared my A level results on my MSN Personal Message. There's hardly any regrets, or I don't allow myself to regret, either way, its the same to me.

GP - C
Literature - D
Biology - D
Maths - E
Chem - E

So, according to my H2 subjects, I got a DEE. I'm not so optimistic to think that I can get into a university with my results. Especially since Psychology seems like such a popular option this year.

I think, in some ways, the weight of the results haven't really fully hit me yet. I'm not asking to be the best, I like competition, but not as much as I faced the past 2 or so years. I think, in a way, I gave myself too much excuses. I spent most of my time complaining about the education system, and the unfairness of whatever, without really stopping to think of how I can change it. Its not anybody's fault but mine. However, I'm choosing to look at it as a lesson, a painful lesson, but a lesson nonetheless. I won't be in a hurry to make the same mistake again, that's for sure.

Sometimes, I feel like crying, I look at my results, and I think to myself, that I failed. For the first time, I failed in a major examination. And the worse thing is that I didn't fail a thing. BCDDEE is a pass, I passed everything. But DEE as H2 subjects, I won't be able to enter any course probably. But I still passed.

LOL, the first thing I said when I saw my results.. *HEY! I passed! XD*. Then I saw my results carefully... E's, not good, D's expected. Where's that B I wanted for GP?! o.0. Then.. that's when I started crying and soaking Kari's shirt. LOL. Oh well. Crying's over. Crying won't change what happened. I passed a very low pass. I just need to do what I have to do. I've already thought it out the past week. I submitted my application for Uni at the NUS portal as it is. Nothing left to lose after all. I'll apply for retaking the A levels, the exact same subjects. Then I'll apply for SATs 2 if I have time, and that's me all set. I'll work this year, and afterwhich, I'll take the exams at the end of this year and see how it is.

Its a weird feeling, really. I don't have school, I'm waiting to enter into my next contract for work. I just have to self study. Never before have I appreciated school as much as I do now. For the past decade and a half, school was all I've known. Life was set in that sense. I wake up, go to school, get home, do homework, and slack. I always had school. be in in Singapore, England or Scotland. Its ALWAYS the same, school. I looked forward to breaks and holidays, and made the usual excuses for homework not done. I smiled when I got A's and I promised to do better if I failed (not so much in the past few years, but that happened alot in the UK).

I'm not sure where went wrong. I was SO ambitious. I wanted to be the best in the school, I actually did my homework, I studied hard, and not only that, I ENJOYED studying hard. That was in the UK. I came back to Singapore, and suddenly, I wasn't so good anymore. I got thrown into the Normal Academic stream, coz nobody thought I was good. I went to express, and from there, everything went downhill. O levels was just a stroke of really good luck.

I'm not too sure where that love of learning went to. Now, its like, I feel so loose. No school, no pressure. Just work, do my own things, and retake the exams. I feel slightly lost, without the constant guidance of the teachers I've taken for granted the majority of my life thus far. What's worse was the look on my teacher's face when I took my results. It was disappointment, pure and simple. I don't like people being disappointed in me, and what's worse, I don't like being disappointed in myself.

I seem to have lost my way academically the past 6-7 years, and I didn';t realise it until this ONE result. The DEE. It woke me up.

Results isn't the world. I know that, I've been telling myself that for the past few weeks. I am more than that. My personality, the way I carry myself, the way I talk, the way I relate to others. That's me. That's the true me. Not the 6 letters on my result slips.

Nobody goes through life without falling. I've been lucky so far to not suffer a big 'fall'. This A level results isn't even a big fall, its just a minor stumble. I'll pick myself back up and retake it and try to conquer it. I just hope I'm strong enough for it. I have to be, this is life, there will be far more things to face, far worse with far more at stake. This will be my trial run.

I'll post more next time about my trip to malaysia, as well as the sleepover at Azu's house =).

Friday, March 07, 2008

Pre A-Lvl Results Release

Yes yes, I know, I haven't updated this blog in over 2 months.

Some brief recap of my life. My contract with Orchard Hotel Singapore has expired. So I'm technically looking for another job =P. I'm thinking of the one where Macy's sister works at. The event company. I'll probably meet up with Patsy soon to talk about it.

Other than that, I'm also totally broke O_O. Spent quite a bit these few weeks. There's the dental fees, doctor's fees, the fees for removing the planar warts on my toes, that time I spent 150 buying books coz I walked into a bookstore unsupervised, Buying mom's valentine's day present (uPapa), buying some random things for myself, the stupid bus fare increased, fixing the comp etc...

So yeah, despite my somewhat reasonable salary, I'm broke -.-....

Waiting for my final Paycheck from Orchard Hotel ^^

Anyways, A levels results are to be released in about an hour (Now add an additional hr for all the speech, statistics etc... to be done with). I'm scared, scared witless. This will be my 2nd time taking the results for a national examination, with the first being O levels. O levels, I didn't know what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised when I got all A's and B's. So Surprised that I cried =P. Now, my emotions are conflicting. Part of me wished for the luck I had during O levels, that I will get good grades (Good as in A, B or C, my standard isn't that high) despite the fact that I failed my way though JC exams. Then again, PJC isn't a top JC, BPGHS is one of the top high schools. So I had faith in BPGHS, but not as much in PJC. Furthermore, I really really was not ready for the A levels exams. Hell, I wasn't ready for the O levels either, but I scraped through.

Part of me is wishing for a miracle, and part of me is bracing myself for the worse. The rational me is expecting something like BCDDC (yeah, I actually DREAMT that O_O) for my A level results. However, I could VERY easily get worse than that, and I could get higher. The chances of me getting lower than that is higher though, which is what freaks me out. Actually, BCDDC is gonna suck however I look at it. B and C will HAVE to be GP and Lit, my best 2 subjects. Meaning I'll get CDD for my H2 subject, means I won't really have anywhere to go O_O.

I really really REALLY hope I get better than that.

Stupid thing is that I've all these plans. I plan to go to JCU if I get adequate grades, NUS/NTU into ANY course if I get not-so-adequate grades, and retake if I did crappily. I'm prepared for (nearly) any scenario. But I don't wanna put the last 2 to the test T.T

Anyways, no point worrying myself sick.. I'll get my results soon, and maybe an interview with Patsy. I'll post my results up on this blog later this afternoon if its not that hedious. Then I'll have to call my mom and tell HER the results (coz she's in KL at the moment, business trip. I can't even rush to my mommy and cry on her shoulders).

Tata for now, its time to face the truth and grab the results. Hope for the best, prepare for the worse.