Hard to Say Sorry, Thank You and Goodbye

It's official. This is the 50th post for my blog in 10 months. It means about 5 posts per month. A reason to celebrate? No. Maybe, consider there is 50 more to go before it is 100 posts. I feel funny looking back at all my complaints and rantings these 10 months. I thought of writing a 'special edition' but I scraped the idea as I feel I prefer to stick to express my feelings more.

I feel a little bit sad today. The reason? It was the last lecture for 'Critical Thinking' class. Some of the people that I know don't really like this subject as it was hard but for me, I love the subject. I almost cried when I was in the class just now. I was trying to hold back my tears as the lecturer said goodbye to all of us. Funny izit? Who the hell in the world will cry over this? It's a truth that I cried when I went back to my room later. I never cried in front of anyone here. NEVER. I think that the reason I cried is because I was reluctant to accept the fact that this class is over for all of us. I enjoyed every lecture that I went to.

I can't say thank you and goodbye to the lecturer as I know I will cry. This is the weakness in me that I couldn't change even after all these years. I cried when my people that I know left this country. I don't have the courage to tell them goodbye face to face. It's only a word, why it is hard to say it?

But the most important point that I realised is these 3 things are the words that I never expressed to my family members. I think most of us also have the same problem with this. We can say sorry when we did wrong to others but the words seem to stuck in the throat when we did wrong to our family members. We said thank you when people help us even with the smallest things but we failed to say thank you for all the help and the support that our family members gave to us. We did not say goodbye when we left for anywhere we go yet we will say goodbye to others without fail.

Why is it so? Ok, maybe not all of us acts like that, but it's true for me. When I encounter problem recently, I realised that my parents is the biggest supporter of me yet I never say thank you to them. I can say thank you to the others that helped me through all the hardship but not my parents. They support every decision that I made even though they may not agree with it. I failed to thank them for their support. I think for most of us, the best supporter will be your family members especially your parents but at the same time, they can be the opposer.

"Sorry seems to be the hardest word" sang by Elton John. How true could it be. It is really the hardest word to say (for me yeah). I can't say this simple word for the things that I did wrong. Maybe it was my ego that makes me can't say this word. I can say sorry to anyone but not to my family members.

Well, this makes me realised that family and friendship is something that is really important in my life. More than anything else. Never take them for granted. It's too late to wait till they are gone to realise how important are they to us. You'll never know just a simple thank you can make a difference in someone's day :)

That's all from me.

~KEAT YEE signing off~

The Transition Pace

It was 2 months since I enter university. Everything went so fast, and now I am about to have my finals in 2 weeks time. I think this kind of life is crazy for me. I talked about it with two person that is also Form 6 students and they agree that even though Form 6 studies is really tough compare to university but we only have to study and different from university which is all about assignments and assignments and well, assignments, and also not forgetting the quizzes and also weekly assessments. Well, I remember my academic advisor told me, "Welcome to university life". Haha, guess it is so.

Well, forget about this thing since I'm already here. And people always say to me, "Wah, so nice ar, already in university. Things must be easier for you." Yeah, university life is easier in terms of their flexibility in time schedule but definitely not in terms of workload. Workload is definitely is much more than before.

But the most interesting that I have done here in MMU is definitely the Critical Thinking assignment. To me, Critical Thinking is really an interesting subject even though most people will say that this subject is hard and boring. People think I am really crazy in saying this!! To tell the truth, I never really using all those principles when I was in trouble myself because I can't think calmly when I am in trouble and do whatever it takes to deal with problem.

Back to the topic, I did an assignment that started last Wednesday and already have the idea for my writing part. And again, I'm out of idea when it came to the creativity part. Basically our assignment is about combining creativity with the practical part of this subject, i.e. using it in daily life. Wasted my whole week doing the whole thing and even do it till the time I am about to pass up the thing on Wednesday, 13th September 2006.

I made a house, where the idea I got from a book in the Popular bookstore. Wasted my whole day there just to get ideas, and then rush back home when my mum called me. I forgotten that they have a wedding dinner to attend. Got commented by my dad for this and ok with it though. It's my fault plus I was exhaustive of ideas. But finally I got the idea and started to work on it but somehow I am perfectionist, so I wasted time just to plan how to make the things until the last minute where I still figure ways for making it the best I can do.

I even resort to not sleep the whole day just to finish the whole thing. Haha... new record for me. And probably the craziest I've ever done. People just take a few hours to do it while I take the whole week... And this explains why I got sick now - have flu and sore throat. But it's all worth it. I don't really like the outcome because it is different from what I have expected. My lecturer praises me for doing a good job and said the house is nice even though he just did it for motivation, I feel relaxed the moment he told me that. At least someone noticed what I did even though it is a lousy one. I should have took a picture of the house to post it here but I don't the time for it. Maybe I just do it when I get it back.

The house that I made for Critical Thinking subject. A bit out of place with me not satisfied with it but luckily I got a satisfactory score for it....I'm not telling the grade but if u asked me probably I'll tell.

Being a perfectionist I am, there is an advantage and disadvantage. As my friend put it, I am really choosy and a perfectionist where they couldn't even stand it to some extent, hehe...

Well, that's all from me...

~Keat Yee signing off~

The 'Malaysian Time' Syndrome

Phew! Finally I found some ample time to blog again...I did blog the for a few times last month but that was not the time where I can relax - I have assignments and tests!

Today, I saw things that remind me of something. Something that is uniquely Malaysian - never on time. This have been really related to Malaysians that there is a special phrase for this type of attitude - "Malaysian time". Basically, this is the thing that annoy me the most - probably I was trained from small to be punctual by my parents (thanks to them for that) but lately I was really tired to be on time.

The first week, I go on time for every class. But the attitude of the students and also the lecturer alike had made me tired to come on time - late to classes. Now I stay in hostel until 10 minutes before class starts so that I won't waste my time waiting. Furthermore, I can do more things if stay hostel a little bit longer. Kinda fall into the category of 'Malaysian Time' people with this kind of thoughts but I can't help it. I still arrive at classes, meetings or gatherings on time though, if not earlier.

What I notice in MMU today? Well, today is the due date for paying fees and people had been lining up at the Finance counter to pay their fees. And at the meeting tonight there are people that even can be half an hour late and it is stated there that 'punctuality is priority'. There are people that wait till last minute to do assignments. This is crazy! People doing things last minute almost scared me to death (even though I do things last minute sometimes but this is at my own expense). No, I will not do this on individual assignment this time (for my Critical Thinking subject).

Not only MMU students having the 'Malaysian Time' syndrome of course. Malaysian as a whole. Doing last minute work - applying for MyKad when it is about to due in 1 day (the latest that affect the whole nation even though it happens last year), submitting forms (like income tax forms) right on due date. The government offices will be crowded with people, rushing against the time.

Guess what is the worst 'Malaysian Time' phenomena is Chinese wedding dinner. It is stated there in invitation card that the dinner will start sharply at 7.00 pm but guess what, it will only start at 9 pm and drag till midnight (more like supper than dinner) People have this kind of thoughts that other people will not arrive on time. Sigh. Why can't they just arrive on time? This is better than thinking negatively about what other will do. If everybody make an effort to come on time instead of thinking people will not arrive on time, wouldn't it be better? I'm sure most of the Chinese encounter this before (am I right?)

Enough to be said. Mind had been set that way, it's hard to change it. I still encounter this problem during outings or gatherings - I am the earliest to arrive and will be there waiting.....

That's all from me.

~Keat Yee signing off~