Hey guys, happy (belated) new year! Hope the first month of 2013 has been good to everyone so far.. 🙂

I spent my first day of 2013 overseas – in Chengdu, China – which officially marked my first country abroad in 2013. I was actually scheduled to fly back to Singapore on that very day. Chengdu was freezing cold in December and I didn’t really enjoy myself there despite the snow (couldn’t believe I saw falling snowflakes!) and the cute pandas. I shall leave this part of the story to another time. For now, I’d like to pen down the events that shaped 2012 and of course, my resolutions for this new year 🙂

Probably what happened most significantly was my acceptance to WKWSCI (NTU) which took me by surprise because I thought I flopped the interview. I can never forget my outburst of joy at work when I receive the call from Bf informing me about my acceptance e-mail from NTU. (He has access to my e-mail inbox to monitor my online shopping spendings hahaha).  Then it was the orientation day where I made new friends (mentioned in the previous post), followed by my first few days getting lost in NTU.

Of course, 2012 also marked the end of my one-year (or more) stint as a full-time supervisor at a tuition centre. I faced many challenges during that mere one year, from handling difficult customers to disciplining stubborn and spiteful subordinates. The most unreasonable and ferocious parent I had come across was one who had an upper-primary son. The mom wanted to enrol his son in classes which he was very weak at (failing grades), but because our curriculum was tougher and faster than school’s and it was a large-grouped tuition, I really had no choice but to break the news to the mom that he wasn’t suitable for our courses. I totally understood the desperation both the mother and son felt but as an employee, there was nothing much I could do, especially when this is a managerial decision that was practised across the board. In fact as a near-EM3 student back in my primary school days, I knew how it was like to be ostracised and turned away especially by an education centre which was supposed to be assisting students in their studies.

So obviously the mom took offence and started making a big fuss in front of other customers. I tried to keep my cool until she took out her phone and wanted to snap a picture of me so that she could lodge a complaint to the headquarters! I dodged and told her it wasn’t needed, telling them my name would suffice. She just went on, so determined to get my picture and finally gave up after I told her firmly to leave. But this feisty young single mom wouldn’t let the matter rest so easily of course.. She publicised my name on a parenting forum (my instinct told me she’d do that) and recounted the whole incident to her favour, conveniently leaving out the part she wanted to snap a shot of me, and many others which are not necessary to be mentioned here, to make me seem like a total villain. Please lor so disgusting can *roll eyes*

If this happened 6 years ago, I would have commented on that thread and cleared my name. But now I thought, what for? Parents would always side parents because I don’t have kids so I’m ignorant ma.. Oh well. And not that I’m against single parents, but erm… especially single mothers, I know you women are dying to show your independence and capability but please, don’t overdo it? So far my worst customers (as in rude, demanding and “know-it-all”) have always been single parents. Just sayin’.

Anyway I digress. So on top of my one-year permanent job position, I had also been abroad for a record-breaking of 3 times! I went to Beijing in May where I successfully climbed the Great Wall of China, followed by Taiwan in July which I fell in love instantly and last but not least, Chengdu, just last month. I’m going to blog it about once I got the pictures from Bf’s DSLR. Out of the three, I enjoyed Taiwan the most and will probably go back again during my term break! Teehee so excited!!

Hopefully in 2013, I’m able to visit Hong Kong which I’ve been dying to go. I want to buy things, eat things, buy things, eat things HAHAHA. If time and money permit, I also want to visit Australia (Melbourne or Sydney.. any is fine) which I hope to do so if Tetrina gets accepted to UQ (then Wenqin and I won’t have to fret over accommodation hahaha). Of course, all this can only happen if I stop splurging on stuff I do not necessary need.. like -okay- clothes. I already have 2 huge wardrobes packed with clothes, so packed to the extent that I can’t take them out anymore, lol. So yeah… I hope, hope, hope I can control my hands. Sigh, online shopping is really evil! But I definitely won’t stop shopping altogether. Perhaps like limit myself to 5 purchases a month? HAHA so recalcitrant.

And in academics… well, I didn’t do as well as I expected for my first term and I’ve experienced the downside of bell curves. Irritating moderating system! Modules which I was so confident in getting an A turned out to be a grade lower -_- So my aim for now is to strive for the best, clinch at least an A.. To meet this, I’m going to do hardcore mugging at least twice a week. Or if I know I’m not gonna do well, just try my best and enjoy what I’m doing since I’m very lucky to get all the modules I wanted! 🙂 So yeah.

Oh did I also mention I’m already a Year 2 student in NTU? Haha because I’ve met the minimum AUs for a sophomore due to my exemptions! But it’s really tough and long-winded for me to explain why I’m in Year 2 when it’s only my first year there. So should I introduce myself as a Year 1 or Year 2 student?

Also, I know I’ve screwed my body clock up during the term break by sleeping as late as 5am. So this year, starting from THIS WEEK, I shall sleep by midnight so that I can be fresh and awake for 9am classes (and allow my skin to recover)!! This is super tough (tougher than curbing my online shopping  addiction) but I will do it! I CAN DO IT!! And by doing so, I will NOT be late for 9am classes and will be early instead!

Lastly, okay this is going to sound superficial but I’m just going to say it anyway: TO LOSE WEIGHT, at least 5kg, from a UK8-10 to a UK6-8. I know I’m not the fattest person in the world and should be satisfied with my appearance but clearly I’m not and I want to look even better in everything. I’m not going to drastically change my diet but I’m probably just going to work out more. This shouldn’t be difficult! But the most challenging part of it is probably to shrink my arms -_- Stupid stubborn flabs, refusing to disappear since 2005.

Okay that’s the end of my ramblings. Hope I can find time to blog about Chengdu!