Lily Jade Chung Kim Yuen
7 July 2011
Departures and the start of a new journey – the journey of YOUR life!
Hello everyone!
I hope that you have all pulled through your exams successfully, and that you have tremendous plans ahead for your winter break. Some of you might be celebrating as this is your last ever semester at university. Others might be looking forward to when uni will be finally over, so they can enter the workforce.
This semester, or in fact this whole year, has had a particular feeling for me. I guess it’s because I know that I am in my final year. People are always asking me what my plans are once I graduate or where I see myself once I leave uni. These are certainly very good questions, but they are questions I do not have the answers to, or I believed I didn’t.
I find it really scary to start thinking as an ‘adult’, and start planning the foundation for my future. First and foremost, the most difficult part is going to be to saying goodbye. I have met so many extraordinary people during the last two years at La Trobe University. They are the ones who have inspired, motivated and encouraged me. Our friendships rested on honesty, humility and were genuine.
Now it is time for many of us to part company. Some are going back home to start their careers, others are going back to start their own families and some are taking different routes to chase after their dreams –and build their future.
Our paths are certainly different at the moment, with all of us having a different focus as our goals are now different. I was very sad thinking that I will have to say goodbye to so many people who I love. But I guess that life is a series of goodbyes, but also a series of ‘hellos’ as well. New people come and go in your life. The most important thing to bear in mind is to make the most of each and every day that you spend with them.
In addition, your true friends will always be there by your side (even if they are from the other side of the globe). True friends will stay true to you, even the ‘new’ you! I consider myself lucky to have such friends. Even though we are on different continents, we always make the time to Skype with each other, and stay in touch. These are the friends for life – the ones who accept you for who you are, and have evolved along with you too.
Similarly, having seen how quick this semester has gone by, I am starting to realise that my life as a student is nearly over. I used to be very scared of what is waiting for me at the other end of the rainbow. Uncertainty surely plays a massive role in making you want to run away from the future.
However, through the wonderful mentoring program organised by Careers and Employment, I realised that I was actually running away from myself. How fantastic it was for me to reach the conclusion that most of the time, if not all the time, the only obstacle along my way is myself!
You might be asking yourself if I am crazy because I am trying to run away from myself?! I would give you credit for asking such a question. It took me a while to figure it out. I am grateful that my mentor, Peter, is always there to help me out. The answer was that I was too scared of rejection and failures to actually venture out, and try new things. In being scared, and wanting to attain ‘perfection’, I turned down many opportunities, which would have most certainly have contributed tremendously to my life.
Who is losing? Me, of course!
Now, I have decided to take ownership of my destiny. No one can do it better than me. And if there is failure along the way, then that is a good sign! There is a saying; that those who have encountered failures are the ones who are successful; as such failures are testimonials that they have actually given it a go.
Those who have a spotless record are the ones who have not tried. Now, that I am actually starting to connect the dots, I realise that it’s the things that I failed that have given me the opportunity to learn tremendously. Such experiences have shaped the woman I am today.
The future definitely looks uncertain. However, I am confident that the experiences that I have acquired so far will help me get through my new journey.
Like Peter says, ‘It is exciting to be Lily.’ It is exciting that at this point in time, I am finding who I really am. Unless I am able to define Lily, then I will be in no position to define my future.
For all of you who are graduating at the end of this semester, or at the end of this year, don’t be afraid of what the future holds. Your experiences have shaped who you are now. You are stronger than you think. Where there is a will, there is certainly a way. Keep faith, and always try.
If it does not work out during your first try, try again and again. You never know how close you are to success. Thomas Edison tried thousands and thousands of light bulbs before he could produce electricity. We can all be successful in our own right, given that we try hard enough!
4 May 2011
The hurdles of life
Life has an entire meaning of its own. It depends on how each one of us categorises it. For the bloke living next door, life might be a set of daily chores that makes up his daily routine. Someone else might see each day as being a day for new opportunities or re-birth. The girl next-door might think that life is like the solution in a test-tube: where she has to do several experiments before getting to the solution she is seeking for.
My point is, life has the meaning that we give it. Through our actions, we reflect the value of life – its meaning, and how much we value it.
Some might argue that life is just life, and there is nothing much they can do about. That is true only to a certain extent. There are circumstances or outcomes in life that we have no control off. However, we do have control over the way we respond to those circumstances.
There will be times that we will just close our eyes, praying that a situation will just vanish into thin air. That is what we call turning our back to our problems! Does it work? Yes, it certainly does! But for how long though? That is the real question. It works only for a while. We cannot constantly and indefinitely put the problem at bay. When it comes back chasing at us, it is even bigger and more challenging.
This is why there is an old saying that we should nip the problem in the bud. How easy to say though! Most of the time, our philosophies in life are part of our dictionaries and journals, rather than our daily habits.
Having great philosophies about life make us look good. This is sending a message to the world that we have got everything under control. But in reality, do we really? Most of the time, the answer is no.
The reason why I am talking about those is because I have been in a similar situation a few weeks ago. And God, that is hard! You just have this feeling that you are drowning. The next question would be: Did I do anything about it? Nope! Not at all! I acted as if everything was rolling out perfectly, wearing a bright, crisp smile on my face every day. I was telling the whole world that everything was fine in Lily’s world, when in fact this was not the case.
I reckon that the reason I did not seek help was because I did not want anyone to see this vulnerable side of me. Big ego you would say. I couldn’t agree more.
But when you get this massive wake-up call, it hurts much more than it would have hurt my ego in the original place. So, my suggestion would be, when you have a problem, act fast!
You will be pleasantly surprised to see how many people out there are keen to help you! If you ask, then you shall receive!
Like my mentor said to me, start by crawling, then try to stand up. The analogy behind this is that we should not run until we learn how to stand.
This experience that brought me back to making the most of everyday. There will be good and bad moments as well. The most important thing is to be able to treasure the good ones. These are the ones that will allow us to get through those dark days.
Most importantly, there is an important lesson that I learnt. It is how failure can be success inside-out. It certainly took a while to figure this out! I reckon the value of life’s challenges are the lessons that we learn out of them.
So, boys and girls, put your seat belt up for what is going an exciting journey – that of living Life!
22 March 2011
Hello Everyone!
This week started as any ordinary week – going to uni, the occasional outings with friends – you know, the usual routine. I was far from imagining that this week would bring with it loads of surprises, and good surprises indeed!
Firstly, I had the chance to listen to Dee Hughes talk. He is what people call a corporate hippie. When you look at him he is a man like any other man. He started the session by telling us where he comes from and his career path. He has had amazing careers, in a vast number of sectors. Above all, the lesson that I took out of it was how he handled opportunities.
His opening line was that opportunities are everywhere. I was very sceptical about this statement at first. The more he related his experiences to the opportunities that he had, the more I started to see his logic.
He said that to see opportunities, we first must open our eyes. And for us to be able to see them, we have to be prepared. I am sure that you will be asking – how exactly will I know what to be prepared for?
In fact, most preparation comes from the things that you do on a daily basis. It might be things that you have to do, or things that you do because you are passionate about them. This preparation will also bring with it its challenges. What some people qualify as failures, others will see as stepping stones to bigger and better things.
My point is: in everything that you do every day, even the smallest things, give it 100 per cent. Start out with baby steps and you will eventually be able to achieve tremendous things. These small things may well be the ones that will lead you up to recognise opportunities. And it is those opportunities that will help you in achieving the success that you are longing for.
After hearing Dee speak, I decided to apply his philosophy for a week; just to see the results. In doing so I changed my mindset from expecting things to come to me and instead, I went out for things. Believe it or not, this worked out really, really well. I actually saw opportunities that were so conspicuous but still I didn't even know were there! That was a great learning curve indeed.
I like to think of it as a rainbow. After walking through the rain and the gusty wind, there is a rainbow that appears. And a rainbow is made up of different colours. This shows us that there are a number of facets in life that we are here to explore them. We simply have to open our eyes to recognise the true beauty around us!
As a child, I was told that I would fine gold coins at the end of the rainbow. To put it another way, the more you strive for things that you believe in, the closer you become to finding the rainbow. There will be times when those things will not make sense to you. That’s fine! Things don’t have to make sense all the time!
Let’s open our eyes and take advantage of opportunities that are waiting for us to come!
Lilly
17 February 2011
Dear Readers,
I hope that you all had a fantastic time over Christmas and New Year’s. My break was A-MA-ZING! I had the opportunity to spend Christmas in Rodrigues and Mauritius with family and friends. Loads of presents were exchanged and plenty of food and wine was consumed. It was simply bliss to be able to spend such quality time with those closest to me.
The highlight of my holiday was the arrival of my friend Eva from Sweden during the first week of January. I was delighted that she made the effort to visit me – she spent thirty hours on a plane! Now that is the mark of a true friend!
We had such a great time. We went to Rodrigues (a small island east of Mauritius) for a couple of days. Our days there were filled with boat trips around the island, scuba diving and gorging ourselves on the local cuisine. These were heavily packed days indeed. I particularly enjoyed spending quality time with my parents and it was wonderful to be able to share those moments with Eva. Then it came time to say goodbye to my parents. This was particularly hard as I am not sure when I will be back home again.
The second part of our journey took Eva and me to Mauritius. There we had more degustation meals and spent lots of time shopping, of course. We both had a fabulous time together. Eva, along with my family, made this trip back home a memorable one that I will cherish for a very long time.
Then time came to say goodbye to beautiful Eva. It was very sad as we had spent so much time together and shared so many things. The most amazing thing about her is that she brings out the best in all people she meets. She embraced the culture in Mauritius and it really warmed my heart to be able to share this with her. This strengthened our friendship even more!
Watching her push her trolley through the gates at the airport was sad but I have no doubt we will meet again. We will meet and talk about the challenges that we have faced and how we have grown as a consequence. This is what is beautiful about friendship – that it grows along with the ‘new’ you that has been moulded by the circumstances of life and the route you have chosen.
Quite simply, we should never stop being grateful for those wonderful friends that we have around us. Life is so much better and more worthwhile when you have great friends by your side.
Keep faith as true friends will always be there! :)
13 December 2010
Bonjour les amis!
This means ‘Hello friends’! I am now back at home after two years. I have been at home for a week now. It felt so weird to be back at home after such a long time away. First and foremost was the language. I struggled a lot to go back to French and creole, my mother tongue. This was kind of an ironic situation. The reverse happened to me when I first landed in Oz.
But now, after a week everything’s falling into place. I am much more familiar with the places now. I have found my bearings as well. Now the holidays can truly start!
The culinary degustation has already started. It felt amazingly good to be able to bite into the traditional food that I’ve missed for so long. I’ve eaten quite a lot since I’ve been here. Basically what I’ve been doing in this first week was to eat and sleep. That was very lazy on my behalf, but come on, that’s what holidays are there for!
I was talking earlier about how weird it felt to be at home. It might seem very odd of me to say that it was odd for me to be back at home. I guess that the main reason attributed to this is change. The island has itself changed. And I’ve changed too.
The experiences that we go through change the lens through which we look at the world. They also alter the way that we interpret the way the world looks back at us. This is what I presume happened to me.
All in all, this is a good experience to take. It was rewarding for me to see that I have learnt from the experiences that I have had in Australia. It was a great learning curve.
It also does feel really good to be back to the comfort of home, and have no worries in the world. But most importantly, I am loving that mum is cooking me the meals that I love so much!
I wish all of you happy holidays, and make the most of all this time to chill out with your friends and family!
I send you all lots of love from the island in the sun, Mauritius.
Lily
24 November 2010
Hello Pals!
I hope that things are going well for you, and that most of you are almost done with exams now! It’s been such a long time since I’ve written my last blog. And since then, a lot of things happened in my life. Looking back, it is astounding to notice how many things have happened and changed for me this year. I knew that 2010 was going to be a big year, and it was a big one indeed.
My work at the National Union of Students opened up a new avenue for me – providing me with infinite possibilities. I was also entrusted with great responsibilities. There were times when I thought that this is simply too much, I can no longer bear the burden of work. But eventually, I managed to pull through. Like my dear friend Eva says, ‘There are times when you simply think a task is tantamount. But deep down, you know that at the end of the day, you will be successful in your endeavour. The completion of the task ahead will eventually happen.’ When she first told me that, I was thinking that it is impossible, or even ridiculous to think this way.
But now looking back, I realise that she was right indeed. Like I’ve learnt this year, most of the times, the only obstacle that we are faced with is ourselves. And as such, we do not make the most of the present and we tend to miss out on the good memories that will never come back.
Now I feel I know better and learnt to accept success and failures alike as they are stepping stones to greater and better things. In fact, I found that each failure is indeed success inside out, as there is no way that you would make the same mistake again (hopefully you don’t because this would mean you haven’t learnt your lesson!)
One of my other friends, Karly, just started her own blog. She had one which related to smile: smile to life, and life will smile back at you!
My work at the International Students’ Association (ISA) has been great! I have an awesome committee. It took us some time to find our bearings. Now, everything’s going smoothly. This is kind of ironic as it is towards the end that things always work out. On the other hand, this does show that perseverance and hard work always pay off in the end. Our combined efforts resulted into amazing events that we have organised this year. As for next year, our vision will be stronger than ever, and it is going to be bigger and better.
Now that the year is drawing to an end, it is with nostalgia that I am looking at the two years that I’ve been here in Australia. There have been a lot of things happening – great things, and departures too. At the same time with people walking out of my life, there were also new ones coming in. I am glad to have met each person I came across, even though they might not be close to me anymore, they brought a sparkle to my life.
And last but not least, I would like to dedicate this blog to my family and friends. Without their ongoing support, I would have gone crazy this year. They were pivotal in all my key achievements for this year - always there when I needed a shoulder to lean on.
For those of you who still have exams, I wish you all the best! And for those who are already on holidays, make the most of it and have plenty of fun!
5 August 2010
Hello all!
I hope that you had an amazing winter break! In my opinion, it was too short indeed. I did however have plenty of fun and adventures to remember!
I recently went to Hobart for the International Students' Conference. The National Union of Students (NUS) along with other peak bodies held the first ever conference for international students! There were about 80 international students across all sectors and across all the states! It was a fantastic opportunity for me to finally meet all the people I have been exchanging emails with. It was simply wonderful!
The conference was stretched over 4 days. We had stakeholders such as IDP and AEI attending. They came over to present to us what work they have done so far in terms of the welfare of international students. All the students enjoyed those sessions. What was particularly fabulous was that we spoke about the issues as one single, united voice.
At the end of the conference, the Council of International Students Australia (CISA) was born. They have the responsibility to address the issues faced by international students in Australia. La Trobe should be proud to have one of its students as the Secretary for CISA- Dzung Ta.
Now the tourist things. Hobart was beautiful. From Mt Wellington, you could see the whole of Hobart - its mountains, the sea. This reminded me a lot of home, except that in Mauritius, it is much much warmer.
There is a place called Salamanca Place in Hobart. They have the best seafood and home-made ice-cream there. Just delicious.
Back to Melbourne, ISA hosted a BBQ for orientation week and also a bar night. Both events were a great success and heaps of fun! I particularly enjoyed the karaoke during the bar night.
And now it is back to basics - semester 2 has begun. New semester, new beginnings! That is how I see it. The first semester was a building block for the second one.
I like the lecturers that I have this semester. I am looking forwards to this semester as I am sure that it will be interesting and fulfilling. It will probably be hectic. But then I won't be able to say that I am bored!
I wish you all best of luck for this new semester!
Send your comment to ltinews@latrobe.edu.au
29 June 2010
Hello All! I hope you are all well, even though in this crazy period which of exams! At times, I just despise the word ‘exams’, and at other times, I just tell myself that it is yet another step in life that we have to go through in order to be able to attain our goals. My view is that each time I have completed one exam, that takes me closer to my dreams. This sense of purpose gives me a motivation boost. However, there are times when procrastinating is the more thrilling and attractive option!
Like anything in life, exams help you draw on that extra strength level that you did not know that you had, and you are the first one surprised at the many wonders you can accomplish. This is the beauty of life, its ups and downs.
With this semester drawing to an end, the best lesson I have learnt or to put it more accurately the encounter that moved me most was meeting Eva. Nothing stops her, and she has this inner strength and determination that distinguishes her from her other people. She knows what she wants and she strives for it. She made me hone my skills so that I can be the best I can be. And this is truly a gift that I will carry along with me. She’s been an amazing mentor, sister, and a great friend above all!
She made me realise that life is made to be lived, and not to be afraid of tomorrow, but to take it with open arms. She made me realise that it is better to be always daring rather than always staying secure in my comfort zone.
That made me realise that it is during those times when you are daring that beautiful things happen. But mostly, have faith in life, have faith in you! What happened to me last night can reflect that. I got a scholarship for the most outstanding international student for completing first year of Bachelor of Finance! I am over the moon, and I still cannot believe it! See, everything is possible, just open your eyes and dare to dream!
17 May 2010
Looking at the autumn leaves this afternoon, I realised that it was more than one year ago that I was sitting at the same spot, thinking about the future. I was asking myself so many questions – how the future is going to be, how will I be performing academically, how my life in Australia will be in general. I am still asking myself those questions, however, with a renewed insight. Since last year, there are so many things that happened, so many happening; and some more yet to come.
Throughout all these experiences I realised that sometimes I tend to worry too much about what the future holds and I tend to overlook the great things that are happening in the present – now! This belief was further reinforced when I was looking at the cutest toddler running after a duck on Simpson lawn. He was enjoying himself so much and laughing. Everyone passing by smiled when they saw him having so much fun. All of this is to say that as children, we know how to make the most of what we have now. But when we grow up we tend to forget about the simplest pleasures of life and we allow ourselves to be engulfed in life’s whirlpool of anxieties and stress.
I found this insight useful - especially now with the hectic assignment period! It is hard to bear all of this pressure; handling more than two assignments at the same time, trying to reach the deadlines, and so on. Assignments, tests and exams are certainly very important. On the other hand, if you are not taking advantage of the little joys of life, you will not feel in a good enough mood to start your assignment or have the motivation to study for your next test.
All of this is to say that making the most of the present goes hand in hand in embracing what is happening in your current life. Some of you might be having a blissful time, while others might be facing some difficulties along the way. Either way, embrace the joys and sorrows life brings about as they are the greatest lessons you will ever learn. These are the lessons that will allow you to build a strong foundation in reaching your goals in the future.
What you are doing now is what is going to be part of your future. Now, get to your pen and paper and finish off your assignments! Those assignments are the stepping stones towards your dreams, YOUR Future!
16 March 2010
Dearest Readers,
Welcome back to the second part of this first semester. I hope that you had a great Easter break! I had a lovely Easter with family and friends! I loved having my auntie here with me. She’s like my second mum. It felt so good to have her with us. We had a great time together. She provided me with this stable framework I needed after the hectic weeks I have been having lately. The time I spent with her and Gaelle was a like a breath of fresh air in my life!
Now that the Easter holidays are over, I am starting afresh. New beginnings like I say to myself! The road has been pretty rocky and tedious lately. This is a good thing as I have learnt heaps from it, exploring areas I never ever thought existed. Now, I have realised that I have so many things to be grateful for that I have no reason at all to complain.
One great example is what happened on Sunday. I went to a footy match with Kirby, Eva, Gaelle, Daley and Tommy. That was my first one, and the Western Bulldogs won of course! Special mention to Kirby for organising it all, and the meat pies were delish! The beauty of the situation is that the people present are those who have made my bad days brighter! There are more challenges now certainly, but there are also more wonderful people entering into my life. And for sure, the bonds I have with my friends are becoming even stronger!
Then, when I stop and start to think about it, I feel silly to be whinging about trivial stuff when there are so many good things happening. This was my lesson from the Easter break.
Now, when you have a problem, thinking that your universe has collapsed, stop and think. You will then realise that if you cry or bang the problem will still be there. Trying to give a positive light on it will put you in a better position to solve it rather than just thinking the situation is bleak. Sometimes, when faced with adversity, a smile is better than a face contorted with stress. Like Daley rightly says, ‘We have only one life!’
Good luck to those of you who have assignments due. Please remember, always keep smiling. A smile is more likely to attract good things than a pout!
4 March 2010
My second year at uni! I was thrilled to start uni this week. It was so good to catch up with all my friends from last year. But above all, it was exciting to get an introduction of all my new subjects for this year.
I feel that with this new year at uni, I am approaching everything in life differently. From what I have learnt from my first year, now I am building on that. Hopefully, by now I have been able to build a solid foundation. And I can start building my little ‘house’: paving my way towards my goals.
Goals, a simple word but with such a great meaning attached to it! Throughout the experiences I have had recently I realised that I had to put pen to paper and start writing down everything I want to achieve in the future. Not only in my personal life, but also with everything I do in general. It actually did help me a lot putting my goals down on paper. I did some visual maps. This way I can look at them when the road gets rough, and the construction of my house becomes harder. It is a wonderful way to motivate myself too!
I learnt this from my mentees at Menzies College. We had our first mentorring session for the year on Monday. I enjoyed our games together as it was a great way to get to know each other. They remind me so much of myself when I was in my first year. They are a fantastic group. It is a real pleasure working with them. I think that right now it is me who is learning from them rather than the other way around. By talking to them, I got ideas of how to structure my mentor activities in such a way to help them with their academic coursework as much as I can. I was very apprehensive at first for standing up and speaking up in front of a whole group of students. But I felt much better once I did it.
This is one of the many examples of how my extra-curricular activities have helped or are still helping me in always going out into an unknown territory. I guess that the greatest challenge for me was to get out of my comfort zone. However, once it is done you feel so much better and stronger than you had before. One of my new resolutions for 2010 is to do something that scares me every day. It can be just speaking to someone whom I find intimidating or trying a new dish that I would not have done otherwise. These little things amount to big ones.
In building up from scratch like that, I think that this is not only the best way to learn but it is also a good assessment technique in evaluating whether I am still on the correct pathway or not. Whatever you might choose to do now, don't tell yourself that it is just a small thing. All the things that you do now will pay back in the future, whether it is tomorrow or in a few days or in several years. One day or another they will pay back.
The real beauty of life is that it does not only bring along challenges along your way, but it also brings in people on your way to help you out with those challenges. Like the other evening, I had a lovely night out with Eva. She is from Sweden and we are living together at Menzies. She is awesome!
Last but not least, there are always Kirby and Ana. Every time I come back home after a long day, it feels so good to see Kirbs again and share how our days went by. She is my sunshine here at Menzies. She’s always here by my side in whatever I am undertaking. Her support is one of my greatest assets, especially now that I have so much on my plate.
As for Gaba, she is simply wonderful! We are both on the same wavelength. Communication is so easy and we understand each other. Sometimes, we don’t even have to talk much as we know what each other is thinking!
So, to all of you who think that life is not good at all or that you have been jinxed, please take time to think about it again. If you stop focussing on the bad things that are happening to you, you will see that there are wonderful things happening in your life too! So just take some time off negative thinking and focus on the good stuff. You will be amazed of what you will discover.
To finish up, I would like to say that you should always continue to persevere with whatever task you have at hand. You never know how close you are to success until you do that extra mile!
18 February 2010
Hi everyone! The summer holidays are almost over! I just don’t want them to be over so quickly! I don’t think that I am in a study mode yet.
It seems to me that the days are flying and we are getting to the end of the holidays. Last week has just gone by in the blink of an eye. I had mentor training at Menzies College. It was great! Now I have a clear and definite idea of what I will be doing this year. This is all exciting. But what is most exciting is that I am now back at Menzies with Kirby. I have a new room, new floor mates and new everything! I can’t wait to meet the new residents once they move in this week. This is definitely going to be a huge year!
During the last two weeks, so much has happened that it is somewhat overwhelming! I have been nominated national/international student officer for the National Union of Students (NUS) in Australia. My role is to deal with issues that concern international students, and also to conduct campaigns aimed at promoting diversity among the different cultural groups.
I love my new job! Each day is a day of discovery and I am always on the go. This is the way I like it! I do not have time to get bored. I have already been on my first trip to Canberra and it was a productive one.
There is nothing holding me back anymore. I am now looking forwards, welcoming the future that lies ahead!
22 January 2010
Hello Everyone! I hope that you are all enjoying your summer holidays - whether it is here in Australia or back at home! Holidays are the best way to do whatever we have not been able to do during our busy academic year. It is also a good way to charge our batteries for the new year ahead. When I say new year, I mean new life experiences, new journeys and also new you as well! I do not know about you, but I feel that I always grow up and mature during the summer holidays.
These holidays have been the highlight of my year. When the academic year was over, I thought that my life was going to go back to its old routine again. But no! It turned out to be another amazing journey. First of all, I moved out of college to stay with my cousin. It feels so good to be living in a home, a real one. College life is good, but sometimes I miss living in a real home! This was really good.
And also, I had a job in telemarketing. That was really something! I got fired after one and a half day of work. My manager told me off for not being aggressive enough! I was not going to change myself for a job. Anyhow, I learned a valuable lesson through this job - how to accept rejection with a smile! I met wonderful people who worked there. Each of them had their own stories, and it was fantastic to be part of that, even though it was short-lived!
Afterwards, I participated in the NUS (National Union of Students) conference in Ballarat as an observer. I have never been involved in the political arena before. But once again the experience was fulfilling. What I appreciated the most was that it did not matter from which political faction you were from, they were all very passionate about the work they were doing at their universities! It was also a good way for me to improve my geography knowledge. There were students from all the universities across Australia. I enjoyed the time we all spent together talking about where we come from, and what our goals are. Once again, I savoured every moment of it! Sometimes people did go a bit overboard with their passion. But overall, the cake was great.
And now, I am getting involved with the ISA (International Students’ Association). We will be helping out with the international orientation week. So we all have a lot of work in front of us not only for orientation week, but also for the year ahead. The ISA usually organises trips to various locations in Victoria, such as Philip Island and the Great Ocean Road. We are trying to get everything in the pipeline so that we are ready when the semester starts. All of this is new to me, and it can be very overwhelming too. And at the same time, I am preparing for my future role as a mentor at Menzies College. Looks like 2010 is going to be a huge year for me! All these new responsibilities are exciting, but also scary! So many contradictory feelings...
My cousin’s friend invited us to spend the weekend with her family in Lorne. That was the getaway I was looking for. The ride there was breathtaking! The windy road reminded me so much of home. I loved the wind brushing against my cheeks, breathing in the smell of salt water. I felt alive with happiness! The scenic view was beautiful. The beaches were perfect representations of heaven! With the sun light filtering through the azure water, the birds flying high in the sky and the laughter of young kids being carried in the wind, it was like heaven!
I have not felt so relaxed as that for a long time. It was as if the wind rustling by was just taking all my worries and apprehension away in its wake! The water was freezing cold! At first, I said that there was no way that I was going to swim. But then my cousin said that she was going anyway. So, I decided I need to be bold! I went into the cold ocean water. And believe me, it was extremely cold! Then, I got used to the temperature, and was having the fun of my life with each wave coming my way; getting splashed and drinking more sea water than I was planning to!
With each wave coming in, I was laughing louder and having a great time. This was when I realised that sometimes we have to shoulder new responsibilities and positions that are unfamiliar to us. But then, it depends on us to make the most of each of them. First of all, we have to be bold enough to throw ourselves into the arena and get started. Once we are in, it is a matter of giving the challenges our best go. Above all, however, I think that you have to make the most of each moment, not worrying about the future nor the past - just be present!
I still feel apprehensive about those new responsibilities and my new positions, but it is now a good stress. I will give each of these opportunities my very best. I will also make the most of them, enjoying each moment. Moment missed, is a moment lost!
5 November 2009
Hello Everyone! This semester is drawing to an end now. I still can’t believe how fast this year has gone by! This is kind of a repetitive adjective that I have used all throughout my blogs, but it is true, uni life goes on at very fast speed. I did learn how to put my seat belt on, and go on for the ride of my life.
This week I was thinking how sad it was that this semester was ending. I thought that there was a definitive aspect associated with it. But how wrong I was! Yes the semester is drawing to an end indeed, but it is kind of an opening to a new era as well. I don’t know about you guys, but that’s how I feel.
I kind of had this inkling, like a bulb lighting up in my head today. I am going to be a mentor as well as a faculty representative for Law and Management at Menzies College next year. And today we had our October planning day. This was really great as I got to know the people I am going to work with. They are all awesome, and I can’t wait to start working with them.
We outlined what our functions would be like next year, and what sort of events we’ll be organising as well. I could now finally picture it in my head how my role is going to be, and what is expected of me. I am excited for next year to begin because I know it would be a superb experience. It would certainly be challenging, but I think it would be very rewarding.
And this evening I was having a good chat (like always!) with Kirby on our way to the cafe. We were outlining how the day went by for us (she is going to be a social representative next year), and what we are planning to achieve next year in our respective positions. We had a great time indulging ourselves with delicious cakes and iced chocolates! The best part of it all was that we were talking about our future. It felt nice as even though this year is kind of over, we know that next year is going to be even better. I feel that I have gained so much life experiences this year that I feel ready to move ahead.
So, for me, this academic year is certainly coming to an end, yes, but the journey is certainly not over. There are still more good things to come my way! I feel more serene now. I know where my bearing points are and which way I want to go.
This second semester was in fact a real success for me in terms of growth, now that I look at it in retrospect. The challenges and problems I encountered made me stop and think and adjust my internal GPS. At first I thought that they were like real curses! But now, I think that they have been blessings-failures, turning out to be successes.
I feel that I am running towards the finishing line, as I am nearly done with my first year at uni. At the same time there are still many more blocks to cover. I feel like I have accomplished a lot this year as I would never have imagined that I would experience such a whirlpool of emotions in these last few months! Reaching this finishing line is a stepping stone in going further.
Now, I am not sure of what the future holds. Like Kirby rightly told me this evening, it is the unknown that makes it exciting. I am really excited too!
And thanks heaps Kirb! It is fantastic to have a friend like you to share the good moments with. And also, we did have a very good time eating those exquisite cakes!
It is my last blog for this academic year. I wish you all the best of luck in your preparation for the exams! I’m sure you will all do well. Never give up in the face of adversity, you never know how far you are from the end of the tunnel unless you continue to hold on! It was a pleasure to share my experiences with you.
And, by the way, my plane might have undergone some technical problems, but it is still flying! So keep your spirits high, and never let a problem overwhelm you!
8 October 2009
Our tenth week at uni is almost over, and only three more to go! That is so weird and scary at the same time! It is weird in the sense that it seems that only yesterday I started uni. The time has gone so quick, and this academic year is almost over. It is scary how time flies.
I think that most of us have our hands full with assignments, if not starting with our revisions. It is a stressful period indeed. I think that the best way to get through this is to draw up everything that needs to be done. From there, we can prioritise the tasks at hand. In this way, we will feel more in control. This really does work for me, and as such I feel more confident in my revision. As my mother always tells me, a mindset which is void of any troubles is the best way to be efficient.
I would like to emphasise the fact that with exams so near, we tend to either slack off or study day and night. We have to be rational with it as well, as more does not always mean the best. I found that putting time aside to spend with friends is what provides leverage in my life. Friends will always be there for you through thick and thin. They are the ones holding the torch for you in the dark tunnel. For instance, I went to see the Josh Thomas show with Kirby, Paege, Mel and Emilie. We had so much fun together, and it was a good way to chill out as well. There is often this misconception that spending time with friends will take a lot of your time. It is so untrue! Just having a coffee break together is good enough. I had coffee this afternoon with one of my best friends, Ana, and she made my day!
I am going to end up by wishing you all good luck in your preparation for your exam, but also do remember to spend time with your friends. They are the ones who would always be there to turn your day into a good one, especially with this ever-changing, cloudy Melbourne weather!
2 September 2009
Hi there dearest readers!
I hope that you had a great week-end. Mine was a fantastic one. I worked as a host at Open Day for the Faculty of Law and Management, which was last Sunday. It was great fun! I got to meet other hosts who were doing the same subjects as me, or even some who were on their last semester, and others still doing their master's or tutoring here at La Trobe. It was so wonderful working with all of them! We were an awesome team!
My job consisted mainly of welcoming people at the Menzies Conference Centre, where the faculty is. It was quite an amazing and touching experience to welcome all those young people (this reminded me of when I was planning what to study, which seems like ages ago!) along with their parents. Some had this twinkle in their eyes when they arrived. I could feel their excitement, anticipation, and also their apprehension. All those mixed feelings filled the atmosphere. It was a real pleasure to show them their way around, or to assist them.
Some prospective students really knew what they wanted to do, and went straight to the fields in which they were interested in. Others were more hesitant in their strides. I could see them getting accustomed to this new environment, and stepping into the real world like one parent summed it to me. It was great to notice that most of the parents were there to assist their children in their best possible way. Some were just observing from the corners of their eyes, letting their kids spread their wings. It was very cute when a dad told me that he was allowing his son to spread his wings, and let him discover how it is outside. I could easily distinguish the emotion in his voice.
It was as if I was sharing this experience with these people. It was simply amazing. I have no right words to describe it, but it was really really good. I also met some mature age students who had left school about six years ago, and now they are coming back at uni as they told me that now they know what they really want to do, and that they have acquired enough maturity to work towards their goals. I think that is so good when you have been able to figure out what you want, you know what you need to do. It gives your life a meaning, but also, now you do have a more specific purpose.
With the other hosts, I took people to and from the Eastern Lecture Theatres. This was an ideal opportunity to have a good chat with the visitors. Some were there just to accompany friends or family members, or just to have a look around.
I think what I enjoyed the most was this direct contact with people from different age groups, and the team work involved in hosting. This gave me invaluable experience. If you are thinking about hosting next year, I would definitely recommend it to you! It would be much more that you would have bargained for! I am going to put my name down again for next year. That is for sure!
20 August 2009
Hi all! I hope that all of you have finally been able to settle in this new semester; and that now you are operating at maximum gear! For my part, now everything seems to be in much more focus, and the future does not seem as blurry as it seemed to me a few weeks ago. The trick , I will tell you what, I have simply changed my lens - the lens through which I was analysing everything, every event and every circumstance. I can assure you it took me a while, quite a very long time; a lot of time getting lost in my tunnel and trying to find a way out, where there is light within reach.
Now I can feel the sunlight on my skin. I am enjoying each step I am taking. For instance, last weekend, I went to Stacey's place at Bogong. She organised a snow trip for our floor. It was fabulous! It was such an amazing and wonderful experience for me. I have never seen the snow before. It was a dream come true. I had so much fun tobogganing along with Mel and Kirby. We made a snowman called Boris. He was cute in his own way! But not much of a personality!
We spent Saturday at Falls Creek. It was so much fun just walking in the snow! Then, I got the fright of my life. We took the chair lifts. I did not realise how high I would be suspended in the air! My heart was beating so hard in my chest, I could barely breathe. But when I saw Kirby so calm sitting between me and Mel, I felt more reassured and I was finally able to enjoy the rest of the ride.
On Saturday night, we celebrated Stacey's birthday at the local pub. I was so happy to be there! There could not be anything better (well my body was a bit soar from the tobogganing, but my spirits were high)!
It was sad to leave Bogong on Sunday. Stacey organised everything so perfectly, and the scenery with the mountains covered with a snow cap in the distance simply made this place look like paradise!
On our way back, Kirby took us to Beechworth. They have the best bakery ever there. When I saw all the variety of delicacies, it was hard to resist! It took me a long time to decide what I wanted. I wanted to try everything! I finally decided to have a lamington with cream and a beesting. They were both delicious!
I never thought, except in my wildest dreams, that one day I would be able to see the snow this close, and all the beautiful sceneries along the way. I saw these only on television, and I always told my parents that I would want to be there! And they did it, they gave me that opportunity! Thank you mum and dad!
I think the analogy I want to make there is that sometimes you can think that you have wild dreams, but if you really believe in them, there should always be a way. You have to give yourself this freedoom - to look beyond the horizon and have faith in yourself and you will be able to look beyond the horizon and build your own.
Sometimes, it feels a bit weird for me. I just look around at the buildings, and I tell myself , 'You are here now! You'd better make the most of it!' So now I do not let myself be overwhelmed by small matters. They don't deserve such importance. Whenever you feel that you have done and given all your best, there is nothing else you can do, like Kirby always tells me. At least you know that you did it and gave it a try.
Now, is the time to build up and go forwards! Do not let anything hold you back! We are here as carpenters trying to shape our future. Sometimes, it is very difficult indeed, and believe me, I know what I am talking about! I was so worried about trivial stuff that I did not realise how lucky I was. I was just too lost in my own bubble. It is a good thing that my parents always ring the bell, when they know I am stressing too much!
Last Friday, I went to the First Year Summit. This was an amazing experience where first year students were given the opportunity to talk about their experiences and what can be done to make things better. The main focus was on orientation week. We all agreed that the bonds we form during this occasion help us a lot.
That is true! It was then that the bulb in my head started to light up! I am ever so grateful that I have made such great friends. All of them are amazing in their own ways! Whenever I come back from uni, and feeling so tired, Kirby's bubbly personality always make me smile even if I am too tired to! As for Paege, she is not only the best neighbour ever, but it is always a pleasure to come back and see her. Even a simple hi from her is like a welcoming note to home.
Stacey always has a smile for me. This makes me kickstart the day! Mel is really awesome. When I showed her my house, she calls it my 'house from overseas'! She has a great personality as well. Emma and Crystal are so nice. I love their hugs!
I met Ana during the internationals' orientation week. I am so thrilled that I have met her! We are both on the same wavelength!
So, during my dark days, I just tell myself that I am so lucky. It is too much of a waste of time. My new motto now, 'Worry about today, tomorrow can take care of itself!' Also, success is not measured in terms of achievements, but how tight you have clung to this dear rope that sometimes feels like it is getting out of your grasp.
Life's challenges smear your rope with oil, at times making it too hot to hold. But what differentiates a success from a failure is how tight you are still holding on. It takes time and patience to turn the mulberry leaf into satin!
Keep holding on everyone! Eventually success would be knocking at your door, and you will be the first one surprised! But above all, value your family and your friends as it is them who make your life whole with deep meanings! A great thank you to my wonderful family and amazing friends!
06 August 2009
Hi Everyone! Welcome to this new semester! I still cannot believe that five weeks of holidays are already over! They have gone by so quickly, too quickly if you ask me. My brain was still in the holiday mode, but once I went to my lectures, it has started to work again; not at one hundred percent, but at least at seventy five percent!
This first week of school has been quite overwhelming in different aspects for me. I was delighted to go back to uni and see all the new faces, especially the new internationals. They have these looks of uncertainty and apprehensiveness on their faces. This reminded me so much when I first came to uni. It was not long ago. In fact, it was only six months ago. I remember that I was so nervous that I could not think straight. I travelled around the Agora for at least fifteen minutes before finding the Eastern Lecture Theatre! But still, even though I am now undertaking my second semester at uni, I still have this feeling of apprehensiveness that tingles my stomach.
In some ways, I do feel like I am starting over again! I am now undertaking new subjects, meeting new lecturers, having new workloads... everything is new! It is as if I never did the first semester before, like I am starting afresh!
All I wanted was to go back to my first semester- to the safety of all the subjects that I have been accustomed to, to the lecturers and tutors that I already knew...Because it was safer, or rather I felt safer. I was too afraid to start over again from scratch and I know that I will have to face new challenges and make new decisions that will be determinant for my future.
So, I started the week worrying. Lucky for my beautiful mum’s advice, who always has the right advice to give. Above all what I have learnt during this past week is to stand up for myself. This encompasses the fact that whenever I am faced with indecision and have to decide which way to go, I have to always follow my instincts, but above all have faith that out there, there is surely someone or a twist of circumstances that are going to help me to find a solution!
This semester has brought its load of challenges, and it will surely bring some more to come ahead, but what distinguishes the grandeur of a person is the way he faces his problems. He does not run away from them, but he welcomes them and deals with them with great ability and skill. One sentence occurred to me this week as how I could sum up what I have learnt, ‘You carry your own weather with you’. So, if it is raining in your head, then all you are going to say would be a gloomy scenery with downpours dominating it. I have made this mistake of thinking that everything was bleak and what looms ahead was just an uncertain future.
How wrong I was to think this way. I know better than that - In whatever you do, have faith in your decisions and faith in your family and friends, as they will be always there to help you out! My friends here, Ana, Paege, Stace, Mel, Kirby, Crystal and Emma have made my journey a wonderful one. They are always there by my side to help me out and to take me out of my gloomy phases. Friends are the cornerstones of a peaceful life with oneself and with others. They are my lanterns out of the tunnel.
So, to all new students, it does not matter whether you are new or not, it is still difficult at first to take the first steps as you do not know what is outside. You are not the only ones. Even though I am in my second semester, I still feel the same at times! Just tell yourself that each new step you take will make you more comfortable in your shoes. Everything will then flow smoothly. There is no greater difficulty than you!
23 July 2009
I am on holidays now!!! What a wonderful feeling, one that seemed to be so remote a few weeks ago is now within reach – freedom!
Freedom to sleep over till 12pm in the afternoon, freedom to watch as many movies as I want without feeling guilty for not studying, all in all freedom to do whatever I want... But then this question occurred to me, ‘Is there anything like true freedom?’ Well I will share what I have been through this week and my little experience can be a good attempt at answering this question.
I have been trying really hard these last two weeks to find a job - sending applications everywhere and also doing a lot of research online as well. It was very time-consuming, but I was driven to find a job and I kept it up, until this Monday. I was supposed to get a phone call from one of the places I had applied for work. I had a group interview with the company and I really enjoyed the experience.
On Monday, I woke up with a lump in my stomach as I knew it was going to be THE day. I was really hoping that I will get it as the job prospects were simply fantastic. I clung to my mobile all through Monday morning and afternoon as if it was my life-board! It seemed to me that it took ages for the minute hand to shift by one minute! Every time my mobile rang, I would jump in the air, with this wonderful feeling of anticipation through my throat! But then, it was a wrong alert. And all my excitement and anticipation would just fade away as quick as air being taken out of an inflated balloon!
And all morning and afternoon dragged on like this. I was constantly checking my phone like a lunatic. But then, by 5pm, I had to admit to myself that I would not get this job in the end. Believe me, I felt shattered. I wanted this job much much more than I had realised. I was just like a moving vegetable. And I felt so down and discouraged that I only saw the future ahead as a bleak one – all in black. I felt so depressed. I took it as a personal blow and I do not have to tell you how this lowered my self-confidence.
I stayed in my vegetable state for two days. And then, with the help I got from my parents and my friends here, I realised that perhaps this failure was meant to be. Or on a broader spectrum, we need to have failures in our lives for us to realise that sometimes there are things to be reviewed, and do corrections where necessary. It is during these moments that I realise that small pleasures in life make up for the bad moments we have to go through.
And thankfully enough, I have two very best friends who helped me out. They are truly wonderful! They made me laugh and they made my day! Then, I said to myself, ‘Lily, just get a grip!’ And like one of my best friends says, there will be always more jobs! And now good news started to pour in. She invited me to her place next week. I am so excited. But also, I am truly thankful to have such good friends who are always by my side through thick and thin!
I think that our lives are like plain white paper. It all depends on us to write out our own story. Sometimes in gloomy times, we would use black ink that will spill all over the place, but there would also be times that we would use ink as colourful as the rainbow!
To sum up, we are the authors of our own destiny! And as Sally rightly says, Perseverance and Determination are the keys to success! And guess what I am doing now? I am filling up even more applications for jobs!
Life is like a white sheet of paper! So, come one guys, let's grab our pen and start writing out our future!
25 June 2009
Hola Everyone! One week has gone by again, bringing along its new challenges, hopes, joy and stress as well! For me, this week seemed like the tide levels. There were low tides, and some high tides as well!
This week I decided to identify my objectives and set my goals for the near future: what to do, what to study and how to study and what to study. There is a good feeling when we know where we are going. And above all, we are being productive. During exam period or intense study times, it is so difficult to imagine that a day has 24 hours. It seemed to me there were barely six hours in the day.
And then, my high tide periods. I can’t find a suitable word to describe it. It is just like being in a plane, and due to some technical problems, the plane was losing its poise in the air. I could feel it falling down, but none of the control apparatus was responding.
Intensive stress was my technical problem this week. It seemed to me the more I wanted to do all the revisions I was meant to do, the more I kept going backwards! Believe me, this is the worst feeling ever! It seemed like I was in a spiral, and everything was turning around, but I was stuck in my own little stressful world, and could do nothing about it. I kept trying to regain control of my plane, but my mind would not budge from the stress mode! I think it was due to the fact that despite of myself, I was clinging to that negative feeling.
My plane kept going downwards for four days in a row! I really felt that I would never be able to get out of it. But guess what? That is when the magic happens! And I am giving you the formula (I actually read it from a book and it worked for me!):
I Believe + I Can + I will = I DID!
Well, let me explain how this happened. I had a real work-out on myself, especially on my stubborn brain! I took time off study, and I called it ‘Lily's time’. It is similar to saying time out, and just take time for myself and assessing myself and my response to pressure from another person's point of view. I knew stress was ruining my mood, and making me waste precious resources. All of this might seem obvious to you. However, when you feel stranded in your own little world, nothing else apart from what you are allowing to get through your walls is going to change your views towards things, a change in your perspectives. Even though I was receiving endless support from my beloved parents and wonderful friends, it was not doing the trick. The walls that I have erected around me were too thick!
I decided to say STOP! I knew that it would be yet another journey between myself and I. This is where the formula comes into place. It mean in essence to go down to the very deep of your mind, and put back everything into perspective, with my new motto leading the way- like trying to make the control panels work again by listening and applying the procedures advised by the control tower.
At first, I must admit, I was having some trouble. But in the end, I just told myself that I have nothing else to lose by trying. Slowly but surely the magic started to operate! I was the fist one amazed!
All I am trying to say is that we are all students striving hard to do our best: to get good grades, to have a better future, etc. Whatever reason we have, we should always do what we can do achieve it. Like I said earlier, it is the journey leading to our final destination which counts, and not the destination in itself.
One thing that I have now realised (that was a good one mum!) is that whatever challenges we have to face in life we should try to extract the best part of it and learn from our mistakes. Sometimes we need to stumble and do mistakes in order to grow up and be a better person. A person dear to me once told me: ‘Corals facing the waves are brighter and healthier than those which are shielded from the waves’. This is to highlight the point that we grow from these challenges, better equipped to cope with even greater ones in the future.
And above all, the world would still continue to spin whether I get a C, an A or even fail my exam! I mean I feel lucky right now as I have made such wonderful friends here that have shown me their friendship in more than one occasion, and my family is supporting me. So, from now on I will endeavour to do my best in whatever I do. Whatever happens, happens.
Now I really do feel alive after such tumultuous week! :) My plane is still in the air, no longer diving downwards, but in a horizontal position. Oh, and I can see the rainbow starting to get out from behind the clouds!
So, best of luck for all of you guys who still have exams going on! Remember to take time off for yourself.
11 June 2009
Hello everyone! The semester is over, or nearly over if we do not take into consideration the exam period. I feel a bit sad, with this semester which has drawn to an end.
My last week at uni was tinged with traces of nostalgia. It was such a wonderful experience - trying to find out the lecture theatres, getting accustomed to the lecturers, and trying not to get lost, keeping in touch with the lecture materials as the weeks sped by...! All of these small things amount to a great deal to me. They have helped me to gain more maturity.
It was a wonderful journey, and life experience for me. If I had to do it again, I would have no hesitation! I have met so many people along the way that have helped me in more ways than they could have ever dreamt of! Through them, I have learnt so much, and now I am really starting to feel at home! They have made my first months at Uni a most amazing experience,and I have had so much fun along the way.
Now, I have a new outlook on life. It seems that this semester has brought along a lot of joy and sadness at the same time. But what counts is not the destination, but the journey along the way.
All of us have exams which for some look like a bleak future looming ahead. However, I try to look at it as a stepping stone to achieve my degree; even though at times this seems to be so far away! But like this semester proved it, time flies! We are able to accomplish whatever we want to do. The issue is knowing when to say, this is my chance,and I'd better grab it. There is nothing better than the present! What we are doing now is going to be our foundation for the future!
So best of luck to you guys! And have faith!
2 June 2009
Hello guys! I still cannot believe it! Another week has gone by. Again, time is becoming an even more precious commodity, especially now that the exams are so near! It seems to me that you can do everything you want to escape, but eventually what you are trying to escape will catch up with you sooner or later. That is one of the most valuable lessons I have learnt this week.
I was so stressed about the upcoming exams that I could not bring myself to think clearly, and most importantly, I could not get my brain to work! So, I spent all the days worrying and worrying, and not getting anything done! I was just in my little stressful world.
But then, I realised that I can do whatever I want to do, bang down my feet, or even crush my head against the wall (I do not think this would help though), the exams would still come no matter what. And also, an exam is not a fatality. It is just a stepping stone towards my degree. It is a bit like all the steps that you have to go all throughout your life.
I think that the best way to handle the stress of the exams is just to enjoy the process of getting there. Some might think that I am crazy to say that, but it is better to see it from this point rather than fretting about it! All stress can do is to diminish my mental performance and capacity. So, I choose to act upon it, rather than being acted upon by it.
Now, I feel so much better that I have been able to figure this out for myself as this gives me strength to go forwards again! Each step I take during my journey is going to make my degree even more worthwhile and precious when graduation day comes!
And also, like the autumn leaves, we need to know when to let go, and accept that there are certain things like stress, pain,…that we cannot control. But we do can change our outlook on how things work out. With time, and sufficient perseverance, the puzzle will fall back into place. I am not giving up now! I have come this far, and I am willing to make the most of it, and everyone surely can do it!
In a nutshell, guys, exams are not that bad. It is the adequate time for us to assess our weaknesses and work on them, and to polish our knowledge on the subjects in which we are at ease. This is what I have started to do now. In doing this, you would notice that you will grow more confident and when you see the date of the exams approaching on the calendar, it would not look as if a bleak future is looming ahead, but as an opportunity to prove how much we know!
13 May 2009
Hi everyone! My name is Lily Yuen and I am new to this method of blogging. In fact I am new to everything since I have come to Australia three months ago.
I am from a small island called Mauritius, which is located in the Indian Ocean. It is such a small island that not many people know about its existence here! Life out there is really nice and, it is a bit like life at La Trobe as well as we have a multi-cultural society; with all different kinds of ethnic groups.
The transition was quite overwhelming for me. The shift from a small island into such a big country as Australia was quite an experience, and each day is still a learning experience for me as I go along with my new life here!
During my first days at Uni I always got lost, and I still do sometimes now, though. Fortunately for me it is less often. All of this is to say, that as an international student, and I am sure that almost if not all, internationals would agree that our first steps here required us to use all our resources – thinking skills and initiatives! And in my case, it was mostly my cooking skills which put under test. I am ashamed to admit it, but before coming here, I did not even know hoe to fry an egg properly, without it looking like someone has thrown up! That is an understatement!
But now, I feel really at ease with my new life, my new routine, my new friends and my new me! I guess that since I have been here, I have experienced such a rollercoaster of emotions – from homesickness to apprehension of this new academic workload, that I came out stronger than ever. The experience here is fantastic as it is the ideal place to learn and to make use of our capabilities to the fullest; to discover strength which was unknown to us until now, and learn from our own mistakes.
The other day I was watching the yellow leaves on the trees along the Moat, as well as the brown ones which lay on the floor and was being carried away by the wind. And I thought to myself, that like those leaves, the time has come for me to do away with any burden that I have thrust unnecessarily upon my shoulders; like homesickness and stress about school, and let all of them be carried away by the wind. And like the bare tree, with winter coming soon, I feel better armed to face the adverse weather conditions as I am lucky to live at Menzies College, with fantastic friends, and an awesome Senior who makes the floor one of the best! There would surely be more challenges coming along my journey, but what I have learnt here is that all depends on my attitude.
All of this is to say that sometimes the tunnel seems very dark indeed and there seems to be no way out. I have learnt to be patient, there would always be a light, even if it takes time! There would be always be someone out there to help, and most importantly I am grateful to have all my family and friends who have helped me out loads!
