Character X (3) -- Gratitude

"The quality or feeling of being grateful and thankful."

Dictionary.com

Gratitude is an attitude of knowing and acknowledging kind acts from others. 

Too often that we sometimes took so many things for granted. So many times we hold in mind that everything will fall into place automatically, that success and achievement comes naturally. 

Too often that we had neglected, or event tried to reject claims that the life that we are living now were the results of the contributions from people all around you. We tried to claim that it was only us who could lead ourselves to the life now we are living. 

But deep in us. We know.

We know that there were too many times that when we were on the brink of falling, someone held our hands.

We know that there were moments of self-collapse in our lives and someone was there to give you a pat on your shoulder.

Being grateful to others does not mean that you are relatively inferior to that individual. It doesn't mean that you are weak and therefore you need help from others. In fact it is just the opposite. Showing gratitude shows that you have a healthy self-image that you know how to acknowledge and appreciate what people had done for you.

Gratitude means acknowledging the past, enabling you to live rightly in the present, and give you legacy to strive into the future. 

Gratitude. A Grateful Attitude. 

What's after Form 5 -- Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia

In this series of "What's after Form 5", I'll post up different opportunities that one may take on and pursue after your form 5 studies and it is based on personal experiences and opinions so feel free to correct me if you found what posted isn't the fact right now.

So here it is: What's after Form 5? 

First up: Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia or in short STPM

A brief introduction on STPM. STPM is a pre-university course in Malaysia run by Malaysian Examination Council, which takes 2 years time for completion. Many has argued that STPM was one of the toughest pre-university examination due to its broad scope of studies as well as how results of students were determined in one final exam towards the end of the studies. That was the case during my time but recently the government had revamp the previous system to a semester-based modular system that will be implemented in the 2012 Lower Six batch of students.

Choice of streams:
Science stream or Arts Stream

As mentioned STPM is a pre-university course so it allow students to take up subjects according to their interest. But bare in mind that your choice of subjects may affect the types of degree that you could apply to when you have completed your STPM. Candidates are to take at least one and not more than 5 subjects.

#It is good to note that from 2012 onwards the government had revamped the STPM, so students will be accessed in semester basis, with a GPA each semesters contributing to the final CGPA.

Possible advantages
Relatively cheap
(Need not pay anything except for school maintance fee provided you're studying it in a local secondary school)
Gives you more time in thinking what exactly that you want in the future
Broad syllabus

Possible disadvantages
The length of studies
(From the day you finish SPM till the day you enter public universities is approximately 2 year and 9 months)

Personal view
I myself have been through STPM, though some may argue that the standard of STPM had dropped compared to earlier days but I can say that it is still a very good Pre-university course that has international recognition. When I was in my degree studies I can really see the benefit of studying form 6 as most subjects and scope of studies in my first year of study had already been covered or brief during my form six days. This has got a lot to do with the broad scope of knowledge that you would gain if you enter form 6.

Having said that, most students whom had studied form six intended to get entry into local public universities but if you want a relatively cheap Pre-univeristy education with international recognition form six would be your choice as it cost as little as your typical secondar school fees if you study it in local secondary schools. And I have friends that took STPM, got great results (National Top 5 scorers) whom are studying medicine now in King's College London under scholarship. So if you decided that you want to go abroad after STPM, not an issue as it is internationally recognized.

Form six life was some of the best days of my life thus far I could say, teachers don't treat you like they used too, they are more like your friends in form six! Time together with friends are always great and sometimes, in my opinion, there is no need to rush into the society as you will have plenty of years for that.

Stay tuned for the next in What's next after Form 5 series: A-Levels

Days at Work

Working life is indeed a life that requires much dedication and determination.

Some argues that you should really do what you are passionate about, but how many people out there really have the opportunity to do what they like yet making a living out of it? It is indeed a pleasure or you should say a dream de anyone who can do whatever they like but at the same time make a living out of it.

Thank God, I belong to this group of people!

Its was always my aspiration to become a researcher, a scientist if you want the textbook term. And as of today, I'm doing what I aspired to be: a Scientist.

I really thank God His guidance and grace all these years, if it's not of Him I'm really not sure where would I be right now, and as I now look back to the days of my STPM and degree life all I could say was the by the grace of God I made it through with a pretty good score, not to mentioned that I had to juggle between studies and work at the same time.

I may have had a chance to make a a little bit more money should I chose money over what I want to do. But hey, that's life and for me, life is about doing what you love to do! ;)

Negaraku, Malaysia

Negaraku, Malaysia.

It is 31st of August tomorrow, a date to remember for all Malaysians. A day where Malaya had achieved its independence which later on led to the formation of the modern Malaysia consisting of the Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. 

It is a historic day, a day that had change the destiny a nation.

A nation called Malaysia was born. 

I'm proud to be a Malaysian! A place that is so unique in it's own way. Not often that you can find a country with so many different races living together in harmony, respecting, adapting and accepting cultural differences among races and cultures. I would say the country can boast of its people ingenuity in gauging between languages! An ordinary Malaysian would have at least spoken more than 2 to 3 languages in their daily lives!

Different races studying together, 一, DUA, மூன்று!

And not often, only a slightest of chance that you can find a country like Malaysia where it is free from almost all types of natural disasters and add on to that, we have so many beautiful natural heritage in this country that would put natural lover in awe of the creation of God! This I can say is a gift from God to all Malaysians, assuring that we could live in this land peacefully given that we won't take these blessings for granted.

Pulau Redang - One of the most beautiful island in the world!

Mount Kinabalu - Highest peak in South East Asia

And the food. The diversity of the food here can almost make sure that you can have different types of food for each of your meals daily and you can go 1 week or more without needed to repeat the same menu! This is certainly one of the greatest asset that the country possesses!

Nasi Lemak!

Asam Laksa...

AND MANY MANY MORE!!!!

Many had said this coming general election would be one of the defining moment in the history of Malaysia. Regardless of how it would eventually turn out to be, let us just take one day off to just appreciate the blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices that people and leaders had made to give the country a brand new hope, an Independence.

Kuala Lumpur skyline

Revive this land, heal this land, and restore this land into glory and glory! 

Reliving the moment of Merdeka...

Rahmat Bahgia, Tuhan kurniakan!

I love MALAYSIA!

I dreamed a dream

Dream, dream, dream. Whats the dream about? 

What were your dreams? 

Dreams that you dreamed when you were a young innocent kid,

Dreams that you dreamed when you had the boldness and youthfulness of youth,

Dreams that you dreamed when  you stepped into the world with so much passion and expectation,

What were your dreams?

Had a chance to share about (yea, you guessed it right) dream during cell meeting just now, a word that I had almost forgotten in the midst of things happening around me. Dream.

So amusing, so lovely. That was how we perceive dreams in the earlier days in our life. Dream, a noun and an adjective. In order to make the earlier true, the latter has to follow suit. But hey, its easy to be said than done. How many in this world had actually achieve the dream they dreams? 

Dream seems vague, untouchable. But some people live by the existence of it, it is the life and breath of many  human being that lived and is living on this world. Some people are cynical of it because it sometimes mislead you into a non-existing Far Far Away Kingdom, making you to believe what was impossible, to believe reality overrule, ultimately, your dreams.

But then, fact that we could not deny; Dream makes the impossible possible; Dreams make the non-existence exist; Dreams drive thousands and millions of lives. 

 

One of the most inspiring fairy tale I've heard, which gives fellow dreamers now more reasons to dream.  

Fellow dreamers, let's dream! ;)