The Year of 2014

The Year 2014 has finally come to an end.

It's time to reflect back on what I have done right and wrong.

This year has been a year full of transitions. I have been through different stages of life all in one go which is a good and bad thing. Bad thing is that, because of the constant changes, I had a hard time (and still am) trying to find my balance and settle into my environment. By that I mean adjusting my body and sleeping hours to suit the momentum as well as mentally hypnotise myself that I am no longer a student but a working adult. Good thing is, I saved lots of time. Instead of spending a year for each transition, I do it in one go.

Normally, fresh graduates will spend a few months after being out of school, to relax before flying off for their graduation trip. Then, after their graduation trip, spend another couple of months partying before settling down on a job. So the process can take about a year plus.

For me it isn't.


First Four Months

I was in my final semester and was stressing for my projects.  I can't recall what modules I took because it seems AGES ago but I was really angst about the project and worried if I can graduate successfully. If I didn't manage to clear all my modules, my graduation trip due in two months time would be cancelled, I will have to attend next year's graduation ceremony instead of this year without my friends plus, job search would have to start next year.

Finally had my ABRSM theory exams in March, one that have been dragged for ages.

I sat for my final exams in May and then after that was the anxious wait for the release of results.

Image via Google Image Search

June

Due to my incredible splurging habit, I predict know that I would more or less exceed the budget I had set aside for myself for the upcoming graduation trip, so I got myself a part time job to save up a bit more before I fly at the end of June. Even though it was my last school holiday, I didn't managed to rest as much as I wanted to.

Mid June my results came out. My grades wasn't that fantastic, but on the bright side, I managed to graduate successfully!

I have also managed to save up more than my budget to go on my grad trip.

Image via Google Image Search

Last week of June, I finally flew to the land of KPop and started my first and last overseas exchange program.

Image via Google Image Search

July

Made new friends who unsurprisingly came from Singapore but managed to befriend some of the locals.

Travelled to Busan which is another province of South Korea and had a blast!

Finished our project that we have been struggling to complete, but actually it doesn't really matter since we don't gain any credits for it.

On the last week of July, I finally went to the country I have been wanting to go FOR YEARS.

JAPAN!

As it was summer and the hottest period of the year, the scenery wasn't as spectacular as I thought it would be. 

It was a major disappointment.

Not because I didn't get to see Japan in its most spectacular period but because several things had not meet my expectations.

This Japan trip has been on my list for as long as I remember but when I finally reached the land of the rising sun, I was slapped real hard by reality.

I realised I had been living in a fantasy that those Anime and Manga I read, have been feeding me with. It has been romanticised. In fact, Japan was pretty much like Korea and Singapore. Looking back I realised I have always been portraying Japan as another realm. 

Nonetheless, I still want to go back to Japan in another season, visiting its other province. 

August

Convocation! My graduation ceremony. 

I am finally a graduate!

After 3 years of worrying and struggling, I finally made it!

I was back from my graduation trip on the first week of August just in time to try out my graduation regalia and celebrate National Day.

My teaching schedule resumes and I'm busy once more. This time I didn't take up any part time job. However, I still don't have time to slack around because I was busy job hunting.

Going interviews to interviews was hard and demoralising especially when one of my Uni friend already gotten herself a job. She too, just came back from Korea but in my defence, she started her search at least a week earlier.

Thank god, after three weeks later that I received a call back and was offered a full-time job.


September- December 

Officially started my working life and here I am now, working my ass off.

So far so good, nothing too life threatening and unpleasant.

Even though working life is exhausting and irritating, I had a great time during this period. In fact,  I managed to fulfil one of my goals that I had initially set for the upcoming year. It was merely pure luck.

Long story cut short, I decided to give X and wrote in knowing that I will not get it as for the past few years they have not been replying back. Well who knows, the deal went through!

I was really elated! That means that my goal is now complete!

..
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To sum it up, I really had a good year amidst the several transitions that I have to go through.
I managed to tick off several of the resolutions that I had set myself last year this period which is good sense of achievement.

I will be writing up my resolution for the new year as well, but at a later date.

I really wish I would have a better 2015 and I hope you guys managed to tick off several of your last year's resolutions as well!

Happy New Year!

My Plans for now

My plans for now.

Currently between stage 1 and 2

Good Times Don't Last

That day when I planted the seed,

I know it may soon not live.

That day when it grew bigger,

I know it will soon shrink smaller.

That day when its first leaf appeared,

I know it will soon grow brown.

That day when its first bud came out,

I know it will soon drop out.

That day when it has its petal ,

I know it will soon be its last.

That day when it dried out,

I know,

the day has come.

Good days don't last long,

it will soon be gone.

That's why you have to seize those days,

and keep it in your heart.

----

Best Regards from me (Ariel)

Heehee

Chinese New Year 2014

Lunar New Year becomes quite boring as you age because the routine is always the same and the programs is just as stale. Ang Bao don't make you happy anymore. The only thing that is worth looking forward to is the reunion dinner and its array of choices. 

But I guess because I have always been around with my family that's why I don't feel the significance of the event unlike all other friends who had gone sentimental due to the distance between them and their family.

I should be grateful....

(pause to do some reflecting)

Think that will take some time.. haha.

Garden

Took me several attempts to get this. The first few attempts failed because there wasn't ample sunlight, so I switched the area. This time not only did it work but my efforts actually paid off and "blossom"! Such an excitement when I first saw its bud and then for it to slowly grow and blossom into a pretty flower.

This is Cosmos considered to be the flower of October, derived from Greek and means orderly, beautiful, and balanced. The other meaning is peaceful. Honestly, when I choose the seeds I didn't really bothered with its meaning but more of because of its beauty and the degree of easiness to plant.

Mum actually wanted me to be "careful" of what I plant because of their relative relevance and meaning. But I dismissed it for a flower's significance shouldn't be judged because of some background or its uses on some religious practice.

It is just an innocent fellow, waiting for love and care and to finally blossom and showcase to the world its beauty and radiance.

Happy Since Christmas

I don't have New Year resolution and don't really have the habit of writing one.

But I can give an update of what I have done for the past two months.

Have been growing seeds on off for the past one year and so far all the seeds that I have sowed died off after 1 month even though it did sprout and grew to about 5 cm.

After gathering some advice, I have decided to change the location of the pot and to increase the success rate, I planted more seeds than before. Instead of one, I would use 2/3.

The first few weeks when the first shoot appeared, I crossed my fingers hoping 'this time it would work'. And so after like one month, it seems like not only did it work but I had over succeed. I mean the saplings are now a bit more sturdy and independent, but.. somehow the number of plants seems to doubled!

I remember clearly where I have planted the seeds and even though I did put in more of them, it wasn't this many!! So I guess it most those seeds that I have planted before which I thought they had failed (because they didn't sprout after a few weeks) and had now grow because of my supposed increased concern. Didn't know seeds can hibernate that long. Let's just hope this batch would work. I am already making plans to move some of the older ones out of the nursery and into its own pot.

Meanwhile, somehow I became more popular in the tutoring industry. I had received more calls and queries about the fee and timing. I know some are referred by my existing tutee's parents while others are from no where or referred by parents who I don't even know. 

So you can say, I have lots of assignments on my hands now and I even have to reject some of the assignments because I just couldn't commit no matter how much I want to. 

But no matter how I try, the income earned just don't seem to exceed a certain threshold. Hmm.. which I really want to. 

I guess I had made quite a reputation of myself however, I wouldn't know if this reputation is good or bad and will it benefit as it does now.

There are quite a lot of changes I had made during these two months, and those above two were just few of them. 

I had also managed to successfully pass my TOPIK Level 2!! Hooray?

Honestly, the score wasn't that fantastic so I didn't show but I'm glad I sat for it. It means that I am a bit more closer to what I want to achieve- fluency in Korean. So far I'm only in beginner level, which is a bit upsetting since I had learnt for almost three years now on off. Therefore, my friend suggested going for Topik 3/4 this coming April. And they are changing the format really soon and we are still in the midst of learning. So strike the iron while its hot. 

I guess its pretty much like this for now.

But I have several plans in line now and hopefully I get to realise them. And if I'm done, I will blog. :)