Hardwork does pays off.

There was this suggestion made in my ask.fm. Asking me to update my blog on my Os journey  I thought it was a pretty interesting topic that I would look forward to reading it again when I grow old. So here it goes.

O's Journey

Hmm how would I start it, I am a procrastinator. Like no joke, I think i am one of the best procrastinator in my batch. Nobody would even know. I didn't like studying. I mean ok i know, who likes it right? Whats worse? Knowing that the my weakest subject was the most important subject. Before in the past, I always didn't think of much importance on Math. I thought it was like just another subject. But only till Sec4 then i realise how important Math was. But still I didnt want to buck up at the first semester of the school. Moreover, I was too active into my council and dance cos' yes i love them both. So whats the best tip that i can give to those who's taking O's this year?

START NOW.
no joke.

First semester, I still remembered how slack i was, totally. Yes i do study and all but my grades weren't improving. They were like going down the drain like a rainfall. Especially my math, I got a F9 grade. HAHAHA. Imagine my misery, "I'm gonna take the O's in another 6 months." YET i can get a F9 grade for my math. I still remember my mum was called upon & all to school. And i was in this STAR programme i remember. But let me tell you, My school's that STAR programme is just shat. It's like the opposite of useful. You know what i mean? ;) HAHAHA. 

BUT how stupid i was, even for prelims; I didnt want to buck up. Thats how daring i am. But luckily, I took up tuitions. I took up Chemistry with Mr Yang, Math, (SciPhysics/SciChemistry) with Mr Chui & also took up POA tuition with Terence. I wanted to give up on POA, becos i think it was my second weakest subject? But i had this friend. He was a guy. Haha, I will ALWAYS remember him becos' he was the one who asked me not to give up on POA & somehow i listened to him. But i couldn't cope with Biology, so i gave up on Biology even though how much i loved Bio more than POA. Sighhhh. It felt super duper bad becos Miss Sarah Goh, who's my biology teacher had never ever gave up on me despite the grades that i scored for Bio is not even satisfactory. Luckily for me to, I had friends along to guide me along. To like drive me to study together everyday at the library. Idek if studying with friends is useful for some other people? But it is productive for me, if its a small group of friends. Maximum up to at least 4 friends? WHO REALLY DOES STUDY. I mean what for study with a group of monkeys with no motivation to study right? I remember my school had like ISPs till late around 6 and all. After that i would immediately go to the Queensstown Library to study.

I was in Mr TanSoonYong, (who's like my crush 5eva now) class, I respected him to the point that for every math lesson, I would run to his class for lesson. I was in the last band for math. But really hendersonians, if you were in his class for math, despite that you get F9 all your life for math. You WILL get a pass grade or even a better grade than a pass grade if you are willing to work hard. He WILL help you. I think i bucked up after having a talk with him becos i think how not motivated he saw. Yep, his words were hurting and all to the point that till now, I WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT HE SAID. But it was definitely for my own good. :) I don't think i've like told anyone that he had a talk with me but yep. He was the one who made me buck up so much for the last semester of the year. If you do read my blog often, You would know that i met some problems throughout the year.
Family problems, Friendship problems.. You name it, I have it. I'm a very emotional person who likes to just poke into people's business. Its just me. I cant help myself either. 

 I was in fact very distracted with everything around me. There was this point of the time i think i was too stressed that i shut myself down from people around me. Hahaha. I started to stop replying texts, I started to communicate lesser to people, even in school. I stopped going for breaks instead just run in front of the staff room to ask teacher for consultations. It was near the Os period i think, like around 2 month left to Os? Then i woke up, haha. For that last semester of the year, I literally chiong-ed my life in studying. As soon as i got home, I would be just sitting on my study table and study, study and study that i would forget to eat my dinner everyday. I became very weak and just hate everyone else around me. My brother would feed me becos i just wouldn't move an inch from my table to eat. HAHAHA. I have a good brother dont i. There will be nights that i just get so emotionally, physically tired that i would just cry on my study table and ask my mum/sister/brother to not console me. "A girl is always okay after a good cry." Trust me, thats the truth. I was lucky and blessed that i had teachers that never does gives up on me. I remember it was Miss Sarah Goh, who made me open up again. She just gave me a simple text saying " ARE YOU OKAY GIRL? You seems to have lost "colour" in school!! " & it was then i realise many people does cares.

But hard work does pays off. :) My grades really jumped, maybe for some subjects i just jumped an inch. But from my prelim, My Os grades were so much better. I couldn't even believe it for myself. Definitely feels the sense of satisfaction. Even though my grades werent up to standard, but i know i still only does deserve that. I wouldnt say i did very well and i wouldnt also say i did very badly. I would say its just moderate? Haha. But i guess, its also my luck that was on the good side. I'm a buddhist. I prayed a lot during that period of time. Just hoping that i would be able to score well and all. Hehehe. But to whoever who's going through Os now,

Tips if you're studying for Os

- Find out your best time to study,
I am nocturnal, so i usually absorb most of the things at night or early in the morning. So i would either sleep in the afternoon and wake up at night to study or wake up early in the morning to study.

- Find out if you study best alone or with a group of friends,

If you already know that you work best alone, don't tell your friends that you're going to study. Find a study place that only you yourself knows and study alone. However if you study better with friends, find a few friends that you find trustable and does work. You wouldn't want to study with a bunch of friends then start playing afterwards.

- Find out your weak subjects and focus on it more.
I knew that Math was my weak subject and Math needs a lot of practice. So whenever i had time, I would just whack my TYS or do other school papers. But for subjects that i'm more comfortable with, I usually only spend it for a few hours and focus on subjects that i was more weak in. Find teachers for consultations.

- Have your target/ goal in mind or stick it everywhere.
To remind me of my target, I would use a notepad and write it every where, to remind me that i have to score that much of points. Its crazy but yep, It will make you scared and make you crave to study more. But i didnt score my ideal points sigh.

- Don't get distracted by relationships/ friendships. 
I know i shouldnt be saying this since i got distracted. But really, if you're in a relationship; be in a healthy relationship. Help each other to do well in it. If you have friendship problems, put that aside from your mind and just stay focused.

- Don't try to compete with your friends.
I've to also admit that i'm competitive, but however; during a few weeks before Os i just let it go, I told myself that even if this friend tries to compete with you, it's normal. Becos in Os, its just about the bell curve. If your friend do well, you wouldnt do well. BUT dont ever have that kind of mindset, instead work together with your friend. Even she/he doesnt want to. Take the first step to work together. Tell him/her that you don't want competition.

- Find things that would allow you to de-stress.

Too much stress is not good either, healthy stress is when it motivates you to work harder. But too much of stress will actually make you lose focus, believe it or not. You might even go into depression and shit. DONT. Its okay to be stressed. You're not alone. When i'm stressed, I would take a 15 mins break just listening to music or pray.

- Study smart.
I usually doesn't understand this in the past when the teachers said this. Till Mr TeoWH talked to me, i still remember he went like "You're working, but are you working smart? You have this this much of time left, Its impossible for you to get the grades you want if you 're not working hard." I then assess myself on the areas to improve myself on. Find out whether you're a visual, vocal or a listener. I was a visual person. I prefer to visualise to expand my thinking and all. Writing notes is useless for me. HA. Find ways to improve on how you should study.

-Lastly, Stay focused and DONT give up.
I'm sure there are times you would want to give up. Becos O's is definitely not an easy journey even though i have friends who really took O's like an easy journey. O's is easy if you stay focused and dont start too late. START asap. You wouldn't want to regret not studying right? haha.
Tell yourself that everything will pay off in the end. :)

These are my tips for now. For my juniors or anyone studying for Os.
I have no idea who will read it, but yeap!
My friends will find it surprising i guess. HAHAHA
Lights out ellen! :)