Intelligence is a double-edged sword, it can be that x-factor that propels someone to be greater heights; or, it can be that virus that breeds complacency in us.

The latter was to be the case for me. Being called 'smart' and 'clever' for basically the entire of my childhood made me perceive myself to be 'better than the rest'. I had this inclination that I was gifted and could achieve what I want easily. Unfortunately, this way of thinking was to have a serious detriment to my learning during my teenage years.

I was complacent, lazy, everything. In secondary school, i failed so many exams, but i still had this illusion that i was 'smart'. I would remind myself that 'I'm in a good school, the paper is tougher, it's okay to fail'.

And so this naive nature of mine accompanied me for my entire teenhood.

It was only in my final year in PJC, I grew out of my stupid thinking. Being placed in the bottom rungs of the bell curve (or rather, the extreme left of the bell curve) was the best thing to happen to me. I realised I was a horrible student and I wanted to become a better student. I tried to change but failed, succeeded, and failed again, but I never gave up or become complacent after I made progress. Which is why I am so thankful to PJC and the teachers here, they alerted me of my wrongdoings, persistently, and i guess it eventually got into my head.

In PJ, there is no elitist mentality (or i would like to think so), instead, the school advocates sheer hard work and down-to-earth learning. Sure, students with good grades can commended occasionally, but I see it as inspiration to others, instead of an act of favouritism.


Now i'm in the midst of my A-levels, and i realised it's not such a big thing after all. Whatever the grades that I will receive next March, I would like to think that I did well.