Relook back 2 years later
I started this blog in Sec 3, or Pre-IB year 1. Now, 2 years on, I'm in Year 5/IB 1. The inaugural batch of IB students from acsi. 2 years. To many, it is a short time. To others, it is a very long time. For me, these 2 years have marked a major change in me. A major change in my life, moving from a secondary school student to an IB student.
One major change of course is that for the first time since kindergarten, there actually are girls in my school. 10 years as an ACSian meant that I've grown up in an all-boy environment. At the same time, I have 3 siblins, and would you have it, all are boys! So it has been a change for me, an interesting one that is. For one, whenever we persuade some of them to partake in a long-time ACSian tradition of playing soccer, I'll hear all sorts of screams whenever the ball nears them.
I have to say that many people have become more subdued. You know, less fooling around the like. One event that contrasts the general behaviour of my schoolmates was during Founder's Day. Last year, one member of the upper gallery in the auditorium decided to give the principal a nazi salute in the name of fun. The whole upper gallery proceeded to join in. This time, when the same people tried to do so, only one-third joined in. Blehz. I guess I miss those carefree years in Sec 3 and Sec 4. A lot. Those years, as one classmate put it, were the golden years. The years when the class spirit really existed. From Sec 1 to Sec 4, I've enjoyed being in my classes. I remember in Sec 1, and one guy came into our class and said, "1.7 sucks!!" We looked at each other with shocked expressions on our faces. Suddenly, something that was not pre-planned happened. We shouted a warcry, lifted up some tables and ran out of the classroom to chase the guy. But nothing happened of course =P I'm not saying that my current class isn't fun though. Don't get me wrong, because I do like the people in my class. Yet, I can't help but comment that the ACSian spirit in the class has died down a little. Suddenly, everyone is so serious about grades. Just yesterday, a good friend of mine took part in a mass Chinese oral test. He had prepared a whole lot of points to mention on the subject, but someone else decided to take his paper and throw it away. Well, to tell the truth, I don't know what was behind that action, but I believe that it was done in order to prevent my friend from getting too many marks. Ah well, I'm getting ahead of myself here. But all I can say is that I really respect that friend of mine for keeping his cool. If it were me, I would seriously get very very pissed that my hard work was taken away from me.
The good old days. In Sec 3, if one person said that he didn't feel like going for chem prac, two things would happen. Either the class would disagree and persuade him to go, or the class would agree and everyone decide to pon prac together. The teacher would of course get mad at us, but she could do nothing, since all of us ponned together, even the good boys in the class. All we had to say was that we forgot, and that's it. But now, when one guy wants to pon, the rest would ignore him. It is even possible that some would decide to go without informing the rest. Of course, this led to anger by the others in class. Those who were angry, were angry for one of two reasons: One was that they felt it was unfair that they had to do a makeup prac. Two was that they were angry that the class was not united in their decision. I guess with the current state, many were with the first reason. However, the people I respect are those who were angry for the second reason. These are the people who value class spirit above all else. So they lost time in having to do a makeup prac, but they don't mind and will live with it. What they care about is the class spirit, which they value above the one hour and forty minutes spent doing the makeup prac.
Those good old days. When I look back, I do find it quite queer that the class I was in, who ponned pracs and locked the classroom door to act as if we were out, never missed a single school event. We were there for the rugby finals. We were there for sports meets and cross-countries. We cheered our tennis players and attended a party to say goodbye to one of our members who would be leaving us for overseas education. But I myself have changed too. I ponned a few days of school in order to avoid handing up homework, I left school early when the teacher wasn't around, and I held back some techniques that I used in my academic subjects. I have changed, and many around me have as well.
Last night, I was thinking about what makes a typical acsian. What qualities does an acsian possess? What makes up this ideal acsian that so many of us liked being around?
Well, I believe that firstly, this acsian is suave. He has the ability to gain the respect of others around him and behave in a way that is dignified but not conceited.
Secondly, he should be able to come up with good work. Of course, the ACS specialty is to leave everything to the last but still manage to get a good piece of work done. At the same time, this typical acsian is able to slack while looking busy. Kinda like that JC joke about acsians not fixing a light bulb and hiring others to do it for them =P
Thirdly, he is what we call a nice guy. Honest and sincere, especially to his peers. Of course, acsians do come up with all sorts of rubbish to fool teachers, but to our peers, are totally different. This typical acsian respects his peers and is always willing to give them a helping hand. He does not care what kind of status you have, and will always be there to encourage you and push you to do your best, even if it's at his own expense. If you have an oral exam comin up, he'll give you pointers to help you. He also does not go all out to blame others. If others make a mistake, he understands that they already know that they messed up and do not need for it to be rubbed in. He cares about important things like grades, but does not put them as his ultimate priority, and at times, dispenses information to others even though the latter can use this information to beat him in the exam.
Fourthly, this is somewhat optional, but he should like soccer, also known as "The Beautiful Game". He does not necessarily have to be good at it or to love it. He also does not have to play it often. However, he should have played it once in a while and enjoyed it somewhat.
Well, after thinking up all these pointers, I realized that these points were based on one person in my class. One person whom I see as the typical acsian that we all perceive in our minds. So who is this person? Well, I won't say who he is, but here's a clue: the initials of his hanyu pinyin name are the same.
This very day, I am very far from being a typical acsian. I hope that one day, I'll find it in me to change my character.
Oh well, I guess there are a lot of people that I see as a role model for me to strive to be. But this person definitely is one of them. To this person, if you even read my blog, I salute you, for being the typical/ideal acsian that we all have come to like.
One major change of course is that for the first time since kindergarten, there actually are girls in my school. 10 years as an ACSian meant that I've grown up in an all-boy environment. At the same time, I have 3 siblins, and would you have it, all are boys! So it has been a change for me, an interesting one that is. For one, whenever we persuade some of them to partake in a long-time ACSian tradition of playing soccer, I'll hear all sorts of screams whenever the ball nears them.
I have to say that many people have become more subdued. You know, less fooling around the like. One event that contrasts the general behaviour of my schoolmates was during Founder's Day. Last year, one member of the upper gallery in the auditorium decided to give the principal a nazi salute in the name of fun. The whole upper gallery proceeded to join in. This time, when the same people tried to do so, only one-third joined in. Blehz. I guess I miss those carefree years in Sec 3 and Sec 4. A lot. Those years, as one classmate put it, were the golden years. The years when the class spirit really existed. From Sec 1 to Sec 4, I've enjoyed being in my classes. I remember in Sec 1, and one guy came into our class and said, "1.7 sucks!!" We looked at each other with shocked expressions on our faces. Suddenly, something that was not pre-planned happened. We shouted a warcry, lifted up some tables and ran out of the classroom to chase the guy. But nothing happened of course =P I'm not saying that my current class isn't fun though. Don't get me wrong, because I do like the people in my class. Yet, I can't help but comment that the ACSian spirit in the class has died down a little. Suddenly, everyone is so serious about grades. Just yesterday, a good friend of mine took part in a mass Chinese oral test. He had prepared a whole lot of points to mention on the subject, but someone else decided to take his paper and throw it away. Well, to tell the truth, I don't know what was behind that action, but I believe that it was done in order to prevent my friend from getting too many marks. Ah well, I'm getting ahead of myself here. But all I can say is that I really respect that friend of mine for keeping his cool. If it were me, I would seriously get very very pissed that my hard work was taken away from me.
The good old days. In Sec 3, if one person said that he didn't feel like going for chem prac, two things would happen. Either the class would disagree and persuade him to go, or the class would agree and everyone decide to pon prac together. The teacher would of course get mad at us, but she could do nothing, since all of us ponned together, even the good boys in the class. All we had to say was that we forgot, and that's it. But now, when one guy wants to pon, the rest would ignore him. It is even possible that some would decide to go without informing the rest. Of course, this led to anger by the others in class. Those who were angry, were angry for one of two reasons: One was that they felt it was unfair that they had to do a makeup prac. Two was that they were angry that the class was not united in their decision. I guess with the current state, many were with the first reason. However, the people I respect are those who were angry for the second reason. These are the people who value class spirit above all else. So they lost time in having to do a makeup prac, but they don't mind and will live with it. What they care about is the class spirit, which they value above the one hour and forty minutes spent doing the makeup prac.
Those good old days. When I look back, I do find it quite queer that the class I was in, who ponned pracs and locked the classroom door to act as if we were out, never missed a single school event. We were there for the rugby finals. We were there for sports meets and cross-countries. We cheered our tennis players and attended a party to say goodbye to one of our members who would be leaving us for overseas education. But I myself have changed too. I ponned a few days of school in order to avoid handing up homework, I left school early when the teacher wasn't around, and I held back some techniques that I used in my academic subjects. I have changed, and many around me have as well.
Last night, I was thinking about what makes a typical acsian. What qualities does an acsian possess? What makes up this ideal acsian that so many of us liked being around?
Well, I believe that firstly, this acsian is suave. He has the ability to gain the respect of others around him and behave in a way that is dignified but not conceited.
Secondly, he should be able to come up with good work. Of course, the ACS specialty is to leave everything to the last but still manage to get a good piece of work done. At the same time, this typical acsian is able to slack while looking busy. Kinda like that JC joke about acsians not fixing a light bulb and hiring others to do it for them =P
Thirdly, he is what we call a nice guy. Honest and sincere, especially to his peers. Of course, acsians do come up with all sorts of rubbish to fool teachers, but to our peers, are totally different. This typical acsian respects his peers and is always willing to give them a helping hand. He does not care what kind of status you have, and will always be there to encourage you and push you to do your best, even if it's at his own expense. If you have an oral exam comin up, he'll give you pointers to help you. He also does not go all out to blame others. If others make a mistake, he understands that they already know that they messed up and do not need for it to be rubbed in. He cares about important things like grades, but does not put them as his ultimate priority, and at times, dispenses information to others even though the latter can use this information to beat him in the exam.
Fourthly, this is somewhat optional, but he should like soccer, also known as "The Beautiful Game". He does not necessarily have to be good at it or to love it. He also does not have to play it often. However, he should have played it once in a while and enjoyed it somewhat.
Well, after thinking up all these pointers, I realized that these points were based on one person in my class. One person whom I see as the typical acsian that we all perceive in our minds. So who is this person? Well, I won't say who he is, but here's a clue: the initials of his hanyu pinyin name are the same.
This very day, I am very far from being a typical acsian. I hope that one day, I'll find it in me to change my character.
Oh well, I guess there are a lot of people that I see as a role model for me to strive to be. But this person definitely is one of them. To this person, if you even read my blog, I salute you, for being the typical/ideal acsian that we all have come to like.
posted by fieryfate @ 2:49 AM
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