WHEN Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination results were released recently, I came across a number of my students who were elated with their results.
Some had scored straight As, and some nearly all As. They seemed so thrilled and relieved that their hard work had paid off.
Then, there were some who were upset because they didn’t get what they had hoped for.
Some were crying because they had failed a subject or two, while some were heartbroken for not being able to attain as many As as they had planned on clinching.
Some even questioned their self-worth and displayed suicidal tendencies.
I remember when I collected
my SPM results slip all those years ago.
My results were nothing to shout about (to this day, I wonder how I managed to pass my Mathematics paper!), and I remember being distraught because I thought that I was going nowhere in life.
I regretted every homework that I didn’t complete.
I regretted every minute that I didn’t pay attention in class.
I regretted every day that I didn’t attend school.
My parents, however, didn’t worry, for some strange reason. Perhaps they knew that I would have it figured out.
Two months later, that’s what happened.
I thought long and hard about what I wanted to achieve in life. I decided that I would not let a piece of paper dictate the rest of my existence.
I realised that I wanted to be in the field of academia, and I told myself that it is never too late to go for my dreams.
I enrolled in Form 6 with renewed vigour and graduated with results that I was contented with.
Years later, I completed my degree in my chosen field and graduated with honours. It has been a decade since, and I’ve never looked back.
My advice to youngsters out there is to not despair over a few lost As. Your life is worth more than that, and it is certainly not the end for you.
You’re bound to follow the right path in time. Give yourself the opportunity and time to find that path in life.
Do not allow a piece of paper to dictate your life choices.
We all stumble once in a while.
We all fall down once in a while.
We all cry once in a while.
What matters most is that we don’t let the missteps, tumbles and tears stop us from getting back up, dusting ourselves off and continuing our journey.
Bear in mind that the blunders that you make are what shape you as a person.
The mistakes that you make will teach you to be a stronger person. They will make you a better human being.
So you didn’t study hard enough — no big deal. You’ll still find a way to get your education sorted out, get a job and maybe raise a family of your own some day.
There are many things in life that we can only learn and make progress with as we live each day.
Do you think that the Pytha-gorean theorems, the periodic table and the laws of motion are going to be of use to you in daily life?
Unless you’re dealing with the subject matter because it’s your job, I can assure you that the answer to that question is no.
As you grow older, there will be other things that you’ll need to figure out. Everything from how to exercise your voting rights, how to pay your taxes accordingly, to buying your first home.
These are lessons that are far more valuable than those you missed in school.
To those who are dismayed about your exam results, let this day be your last day crying and being unhappy.
When you wake up tomorrow, remember that you’re capable of success in life.
You just need to convince your heart and mind that you can do it, and everything else will fall into place.
The writer, a lecturer at Sunway College, is a Malaysian-born Eurasian with Scottish/Japanese/Indian lineage. She believes in a tomorrow where there is no existence of racism and hatred