Monday, November 14, 2011

BM paper 1

the SPM starts today with BM paper 1. the mention of that paper always sends chills down my spine. many years ago when i sat for that paper, i forgot to write my index number on a few answer sheets. which means, should they become detached from the front sheet, they could not be traced to me. i had nightmares of the examiner chucking them into the waste paper basket.

the fear of failure did play on my mind throughout the exams. i imagined repeating form 5, or forced to start work.

as it turned out, i got a P7 - a pass which allows passage to Form 6. those days, there weren't much choice for middle-income family like mine - studying at Taylor's (the only local private college those days) or overseas was beyond our means. and a credit in BM is required to enter Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, which would have fast-tracked to my dream career in engineering.

anyway, i sat for the supplementary BM paper in July the next year & got a C6. i jumped for  joy  & you'd think i score an A1!!

students nowadays are spoilt for choice for career paths after form 5. i wish them all the very best & hope they seize the day. 

but i wouldn't want to be in their shoes!!

18 comments:

Yvonne Foong said...

Har? Taylors across my house was build when I was less than 10 years old. Does that mean you are not very much older than I?

sooY said...

If u scored a P7 >20yrs ago, it means u can score an A1 now.

ilene ong said...

Wah DOC, from engineering to doctorate?! That's "fast-tracked" indeed! whahaha .... Any regrets? Many of us regret in our later life over the path we have taken and I'm one of them! *sigh* Anyway, no time for regrets now but to try and do the best in my present field and look forward to retirement! hahaha ...

Choosing a right career path for these present generation is not going to be an easy task. Yes, they may be spoilt for choice but will they find satisfaction in their chosen field? The rich kids just keep on hopping from one to another not knowing what they want and in the end, they return home only to wild away their time at the computer or on the play station!

Oh BTW DOC, I've moved my blog due to too much of rubbish being dumped into my comment box. Please visit me at: http://ilenememories.blogspot.com/

Adino said...

Wow you still have such vivid memories of that paper so I guess you were really worried at that time!

Personally I can't think of any memories of exams, other than wishing it would end quickly.

My philosophy for taking exams: don't sweat it. Either you're prepared or not.

Can't understand my peers who were pouring over books and quizzing each other even outside the exam hall.

Maybe that's why I've never been a top-scorer haha.

Reanaclaire said...

Forgot to write your index number? wow. that is serious, Doc! but seeing you what you are today, is something to be proud of... not easy to study in form 6 during my days, lest being a doctor! Getting a place in the Uni during those days, made the family proud for life.. :)

Unknown said...

Choosing a carrer is not easy. When I'm in primary school I wanted to become a doctor then it change in secondary school.. I study hard to be a lawyer and took form 6 for that. Now, I'm not a doctor nor a lawyer..hehehe.. I'm in Finance field hahahaha...

doc said...

the original Taylor's was located near the KL entrance of university of malaya, so yes, i'm very much older than you!

doc said...

SooY,

i doubt so; i think BM is the only subject whose standard has increased over the years.

doc said...

Ilene,

no regrets; in fact, i don't know how to do anything else except what i'm doing now. however, occasionally, i wondered what sort of an engineer i would have been had i not changed career paths.

doc said...

Adino,

i still have vivid memories of some of the papers i fouled up in med school as well as post-grad exams.

you must be a laid-back sort of person, just like my son, & you will live to a ripe old age!

doc said...

Claire,

in those days, getting into varsity is a big deal & something to be proud of. with the mushrooming of tertiary institutions these days, the feeling is not quite the same anymore.

doc said...

Alv,

in finance, you could be handling more money than a doctor or lawyer!

Yvonne Foong said...

Doc, I thought Universiti Malaya is in PJ, a stone's throw away from UMMC and my current home, no? Alamak.

doc said...

Yvonne,

UM has 2 entrances - one near PJ sect 12, other other near the old TNB HQ, where the original Taylor's building was located. i know the current Taylor's is at SJ.

Yvonne Foong said...

WAH! Okay, UM is indeed located near the KL border. I didn't realize this!

Unicorn Girl said...

Doc - given a choice - I would definitely want to go back to those schooling days - only difference - back then we worked real hard .....& I mean REALLY hard . Sad to say , I don't see that these days.

doc said...

Yvonne,

UM actually has a KL postcode, ie. 59100

doc said...

UG,

except for the exams, school-days were the best days for many people, including me.