Turning 31

Getting older? Remember, age is just a number. I celebrate my birthday on each 1st day of Chinese New Year and 15 February. Why? Because I was born on the 1st day of Chinese New Year, Year of Sheep/Goat in 1991. So I celebrate it twice. Probably a reason for me to treat myself for the hard work I've done since SPM. I've worked since the day after my last SPM paper in 2018 and it hasn't been easy to be unable to rest. So, my body could've responded negatively and now I have Multiple Sclerosis. To those who say we should work overtime, please think of the time you'll spend recovering when it finally hits you.

Turning 31 today means many things:

1. 14 years since I finished SPM

2. 9 years since I graduated from university.

3. 13 years since I got my first driving license.

4. 7 years since I started teaching in a government secondary school. 2015 - 2021.

5. 9 years since I got my first contract salary that I was able to buy my own make up and glasses.

6. 14 years since I started working part-time to gain experience and try to control my own money & expenses.

7. 5 years since I got married to a man I'm still getting to know, who doesn't make it less interesting to spend time with him.

8. 5 years since I got the diagnosis of highly active & advanced Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

9. About 11 years since I lost a man who I look up to, my late paternal grandfather who was a teacher.

10. Probably 12 years since I got a 7.5 for IELTS, then 3 years since I took it as a disabled candidate and got a 7.0.

Throughout the years we've lived, we'll go through many things that shape us into who we are. I remember doing a QuantiQuali Final Year Project thesis in 2013 for Communications major. Quanti for Psychology major.

So for all of my theses (we had to do a lot of research throughout the 4 years of studies), I'm always reminded of the importance of the 5W1H. People think that we don't really learn much of anything applicable in life while in school. However, I should correct that by reminding you how our teachers used to emphasize on 5W1H while doing essays. That is still applicable in preparing reports if you work at HQs that require many reports throughout the year.

Add math? You learned to calculate carefully, because you might miss an element that should be added or deducted, divided or multiplied. It's also usable in calculations of zakat, dividends, etc. The same goes for other subjects: you don't realize how you've applied it in daily life.

Here's to another year of learning. By the way, having Multiple Sclerosis made me revise my Biology texts and Psychology texts because it has to do with the brain and spinal cord. Learning is evergreen. You only stop learning when you're not in this world.