Early Education...

Hi fellas,

During my school years I used to be very naughty and all. Honestly, I didn’t like to study. My mom used to scold me for failing to complete my homework. There were times when I was so angry at her back for forcing me to study. Every morning I used to drag my heavy feet and with half awoke eyes to school. I couldn’t see the purpose of doing all of these. I knew both of my parents were very strict when it comes to education. They realized how important education was to me. They simply didn’t want me to end up like any one of them. My mom only managed to complete her Standard 3 and my dad was born during the Japanese occupation in Malaya. So… no school. I don’t blame them. They were born in a different ‘time zone’ and ‘era’. And, I was not.

I can still remember how naughty I was when I was in my Primary school. I loved teasing girls and made them cry. I would hide their pencils. I tied their school bags’ straps to chairs so that they couldn’t leave the class as fast as the boys. Sometimes, I took out staples and twisted them and pour a few on some girls’ chairs so when they sat on them they would jump up like sitting on a durian… I would laugh till my tears came out. There were a few occasions when my tears came out pouring not because of excitement but due to something we call ‘Corporal Punishment’. Ever heard of it? But even so, I would do it again. So much fun at the expense of others… When it was lunch break, my friends and I used to run to the back of the school. There were a few fruit trees owned by an old Chinese man. We would sneak out from a hole we made on a school fence. We climbed and tried to ‘get’ the fruit as much as we could. The best thing was when the owner of the orchard came we all ran away like as if we were blown by a big typhoon. To the old man (R.I.P) and some of my school mates (girls) I would personally like to apologize, wherever they may be.

I was just an average student. I did not dream big. All I could think of at that time was to complete my studies as fast as possible and I wanted to earn money. I am sure most of us have similar thinking. Until I was thirteen I started to realize that a person has to have a dream in life. Some of my friends were planning on going to colleges and universities. Me? No Idea! Had no plan at all. Nada! Zip! But deep down in me I wanted to get pretty decent results, if I could. I changed my learning styles. I started making a little effort of visiting library now and then. Though the main purpose was checking out some…you know what I mean. What..? I was just a thirteen year-old boy…But, trust me I was not an aggressive type, though I was a bit naughty and all. My parents started to realize the changes in me. They supported me and my mom wanted me to go for tuition. I kindly refused for I did not have much time to complete my school work if I were to attend one.

To be continued…