A Fresh Start.

To think that at the time this picture was taken, many of us could hardly wait for school to end. Well, well.

A few weeks ago, my peaceful hiatus of roughly four months from formal education was finally halted. The time had come to leave Dreamland and make my first steps into the real world.

Everything had been more or less put on hold since school ended. I needed time to relax, to take a break. I felt that after eleven years of school I had earned it. This wasn't the time for life-changing decisions. Those would have to wait.

And now the longest holiday of my life so far is coming to a close. After deciding that I would study Actuarial Science for my tertiary education, the next step was to find a suitable institution, and a suitable program.

At first I was attracted to the American Degree Transfer Program. Through it, I wouldn't need to undergo any Pre-U nonsense, as I would be jumping straight into my degree. Two years at a local college, followed by two years in a university of my choice in North America. It was like a dream, and not just because I would be given the chance to return to the country of my birth. The holistic American education system also excited me, as I knew that I would be learning much more than just the skills required for my chosen future profession. There would also be a bunch of cool stuff like Psychology and Basics of Film-making.

However, its only downside was the insane cost. A scholarship would have put any worries to bed, but there was no guarantee that one of those would suddenly come knocking at my door anytime soon.

Then my mother got a call from a company that promised an overseas education, plus the guarantee of a JPA loan. It seemed too good to be true. Why not, we thought. A meeting was arranged at the company's office in Kuala Lumpur.

The meeting turned out to be quite fruitful. The proposal went like this: a year's foundation in KL, followed by another four years at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) in Indonesia, with a study loan from JPA for my second year and onwards. The plan seemed perfect, but for one problem - Indonesia.

Of course, I don't claim to be an expert on the country, its culture, or its people. But, with all due respect, it just didn't seem as enticing as the US. However, my mother managed to talk me into it. I realized that overseas is still overseas, and I'd have to take things one step at a time. Maybe I could eventually end up doing my Master's degree in the States, you never know.

So anyway, I begin my tertiary education next week, at Nirwana College in KL. After visiting the place earlier today, I found the campus to be quite nice. Even if it didn't have any futsal courts. They do have a pool table on the top floor, though.

College promises to be a new experience, and hopefully one that I'll always remember for all the right reasons. It's time to get rid of the old habits - procrastination, sleeping in class, laziness, etc. - and turn over that new leaf I've been meaning to turn over for a while now.

They say in football, and indeed in other sports as well: if you don't shoot you don't score. If you don't make an effort, then there ain't no way you'll get want you want. And here I am, taking the plunge.