6 Things SPM Students Should Know
Another year, and another round of students who have just sat for the SPM. The usual routine. Or, not so much with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a crazy, scary time, with all of us learning new skills, and so much more, on the fly!
This is for YOU, the 2020 and 2021 cohort, the batch that has gone through an emotional whirlwind with the delays and reassessments to their classes and examination, endless studying and finally.
You’ve all gone through a crazy time and you should be proud of yourselves for making it through. And we’re here to give you an important message- actually, make that a few!
1. Your Grades Do Not Define You
When your results finally come out, some of you may be thrilled with your SPM results. Others, not so much. But at the end of the day, your grades will not define you. Only your choices after getting your results can do that. Sure, you may have a few of those *ahem* overly-concerned relatives and neighbours asking about your results, but hold on to this: by the time you start college, no one is going to care about your SPM results. Yes, they are important, as far as getting you into college or enrolling for a choice of interest is concerned. Once you have crossed that hurdle, people are no longer interested in what you did back then. They’re interested in what you can do now.
2. You Have A Lot Of Options Available
A running joke in most Asian families is that you have four career options: doctor, lawyer, engineer or family disappointment (not true by the way). The truth is, you have a whole world of options before you! The main thing is to explore them; study and understand your strengths. That way, you can narrow down your options and start plotting out your pathway for both your studies and your future career.
3. You Don’t Have To Break The Bank
A lot of people are under the impression that college loans are something that will MAJORLY dent your wallet. This isn’t quite the case. While tertiary education can get a little pricey, there are also numerous schemes and payment plans which can help ease the stress on your wallet, while guaranteeing a top-quality education.
4. Studying Does Help
This is more for when you do start college – yes, it’s a bit of a cliché, but studying your class material does make life in college a whole lot easier. Read up on your class work (and if possible, read ahead) to make sure you’re on track with your syllabus (something that’s easier now, with all the new-fangled methods of tracking your classwork). After all, that’s better than being lost and not knowing what’s going on in class (worst feeling ever- especially when the lecturer decides to call on you)!
5. Take Care of Your Health – Physically, Mentally and Emotionally
When the word health comes to mind, most people automatically think of physical health. Thankfully, mental health and emotional health are being given more importance nowadays and we are more aware of how the three are intertwined – ignore one, and the other two suffer. Take care of yourself- on the physical side of things – stretch, get plenty of exercise, eat and sleep well. On the mental and emotional side – take time to rest, and treat yourself with kindness. Learn to recognise when you’re stressed, when your boundaries – emotional or otherwise, are being encroached upon, and when to step back and take time for yourself. You deserve to treat yourself with kindness.
6. It’ll Be Okay
So many of us rush through life, that we often forget how something as simple as those three little words can do so much to comfort and reaffirm our feelings. Wherever you are, whoever you are, and whatever you’re doing, we want you to know – it’ll be okay. Things will get better, and you’ll start feeling less worried, and more confident about the future. There are people to help guide you to your future (we’re over here if you want to visit)- but the choice is ultimately yours. And you know what? It’ll all work out. Hang in there.
Good Luck guys! We’re rooting for you!
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