Juggling work and night classes

Ahh Wednesday, the middle of the week and just a few days more to go till the weekends. Time passes by so fast doesn’t it? It feels like it was just yesterday that it was the new year and it’s already the end of March and nearly the start of April already.

I feel like I’m procrastinating somehow. There are still a lot of things that I haven’t completed yet.

• I haven’t completed the new webpage for rinaz.net yet! Yikes
• I haven’t finished my motorcycle course yet! (Cut date is May, I’ve got about a month to go)
• I haven’t planned the lesson syllabus yet! Oh dear.
• I haven’t started on the photography portfolio yet! Argh!

I could go on and on about the things that I haven’t done yet, but I really want to be more reactive about it instead of just whining about it. Maybe a good way to tackle it is to take it step by step instead of being overwhelmed by the sheer weight of it all. I have a bad tendency to procrastinate. Leaving things to the last minute and then looking back and regret at how better I could have done the first time. I know that I work best when things are at the last minute. Having an adrenaline rush is a motivating partner. However, I think slow and steady should be my new mantra.

Briefly mentioning about mantras and New Year, I tend not to make resolutions. I believe that resolutions should not be something one promises to do during the new year but something one promises to oneself whenever they see the need to improve themselves.

It is similar to Valentines day or Mother’s day or Teacher’s day. One should not just appreciate them only on these days, but every day.

I’m resting at home right now after spending an entire day (and night) at work and having night classes. It’s kind of tiring to be teaching in the afternoon and then rush over to Newton (about another hour of bus journey from West Spring)

I was faintly familiar with the location since I was usually there while I was in secondary school. As a Girl Guide, we would usually go to the old guild house during the weekends to train for our camping skills, rope typing skills, and other survival skills (which I can barely remember).

The guide house isn’t there any more and is now replaced with a kindergarten. The place where I was taking my night classes was around the vicinity. I stepped in there for the first time on Monday and saw many other students pretty much like me. Many of them were working adults, there were several teenagers (or teenage looking). I’d deduce that they were like me, all wanting to improve themselves.

I looked at the whiteboard to see the placement of my General Paper class and walked to my new class. I plonked the nearest empty seat which was between a lady and a guy. An interesting self observation, I don’t like to sit alone now as compared to back in maybe Jurong Institute, I’d rather be a loner, and sit by myself and keep quiet and try not to interact with people, if possible.

I quickly made friends with the lady (Cecelia) and the Guy (George) and prepared to have our first lesson there. I was impressed by the quality of the teacher that I had for the past two days. They were more than competent, knowledgeable and engaging. I was also surprised by the level of students that attended there. Many of them sounded intelligent and had high level thinking and speech.

I’d understand the reasoning behind it. Since many were adults, we are (supposed) to be more mature, being more exposed to life already. Maybe it could be a factor for motivation for them since goals are more defined now.

I really enjoy my lessons so far. I miss having stimulating discussions about general topics and literature (though its been many years since I actually last did literature!)

I was amazed that there was not more awareness about this night time class. Truth be told, I wasn’t even aware of it if my cousin Hizam didn’t tell me about it. What I liked about it is that it was definitely more affordable as compared to other private institutions. YMCA in comparison, is conducting A level course for about 300 (or was it 800) per subject. It was a bit much for me. So I’m surprised that not more people stepped forward to enjoy education at this lower fee. Being Malay, I also only needed to pay half of the original fee since it was in the constitution for Malay Muslims. Some people might believe that it is a discrimination. But one needs to understand that since Malays make up one of the lowest income earners, more over is a minority, hence they need all the help they could get.

I wished more people would have signed up and I’m wondering why the reason, it was not so popular. Was it the lack of advertisement? Or was it because of the stigma of the word “ITE“?

Many people have the perception that the ITE would be the area where only the hopeless and the “gone case” would be since they are not strong academically. But I don’t think I ever had that type of perception. I’ve never understood why there is a need for segregation because of of a perception of intelligence back as a teenager and I still don’t understand it now.

My opinion about it became stronger ever since I’ve started to teach in West Spring, teaching the normal technical classes. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them. They are not stupid and should not be branded as that. I only wish that they were more motivated and responsive. But such behaviour isn’t just to be left by educators since nurturing environment at home also plays a huge part in a person’s development.

But coming back to ITE. Does it really have such a bad name? Many people seem to think that way. Attending to some of the talks and activities conducted there for the past year has made my positive opinion about ITE even more concrete. It was a professional institution with many of its students being responsive and helpful. I could compare it with a local top school even, with their mannerisms. I was pretty impressed.

I hope that local people here would be a little more open minded and not put a bogeyman at something that they did not understand.

Anyway, my classes are conducted by Junior college lecturers, with the ITE was just being of a bridge and coordinator which I thought was really wonderful.

(steps off her preachy soap box)

Preachy. I must be inheriting it from my mother. She tends to start with her religious views even when I have an innocent encounter with her.

For example, when I join her for breakfast. She’d start about Nazry calling us on Sunday, saying that he missed us. And then she’d continue to talk about how busy he was in camp. Then she’d say that he doesn’t even have time to pray.

Prayers are important she said. It makes you remember what is wrong and what is right. And let you know the important of time. You pray 5 times a day. You’ll know that when time passes by, it’ll never come back again and learn to appreciate the value of time.

Dont you know the value of God’s riches? God loves you. You should appreciate what he’s given you. Look at the house we are living in. If you dont pay the bills, what happens. The lights get cut off right? The water will now come out anymore, right?

But God, always makes the sun rise and the water flow. He does not expect you to pay him a bill. But he only would like to see his masses to pray … Bla Bla Bla Bla …

I slowly began to tune off. I love my mother, and respect her. However, overzealous preaching can really turn me off. I heavily believe that love is nurtured and not forced on. I don’t like being told what to do. Let a person make their own decisions if they are mature enough to handle it.

(stop with the preaching already! Okay? Okay … moving on)

Juli’s going to KL this friday since it will be good friday then and she’d have 3 days of fun. She asked me to join her and Redzuan there. Man I’d love to join her. KL is such a happening spot. In fact, I’ve always thought about working there. The Information Technology market there is definitely booming and now is a very good time to start working there. Compared to the Singapore market which is quite saturated and pretty much waning. I need a new scene anyways. Working here has made me a little jaded with many of the systems. I’d be able to earn more than what I have currently, even though the Malaysian currency is lower. I’m prepared to leave the things that I’m familliar with here just to taste the chance of greener pastures …

I’m sure Juli will have a great time, I’d liked to have seen Times Square and soak around in Sunway Lagoon, looking at the view from The Petronas towers. And the food there totally rocks. I’m drooling just thinking of Naan bread, Chendol and Teh Tarik.

But I can’t join her as I have to stick to my budget. And my priority right now is the camera. Regardless, I hope she’ll have fun 🙂