To start off this post, do take note that I have way more than 3 people to thank. I personally believe that every person who I ever encountered in my life have had a part in shaping who I am as a person. Whether it be someone who I’ve only spoken to a couple times all the way to one of my closest friends, each and every person has had part- no matter how small. In order to not make this essay over a million words long, I am just going to stick to thanking 3 of the main positive influences in my life.
Firstly, I would like to thank my grandmother. Whenever I think of her, the word “kind” always comes to mind. I’ve lived in Asia my entire life so i never really got to see her as much as your average granddaughter but not seeing her often was kind of bittersweet.Sweet because whenever I actually did get to see her I knew had to cherish the time spent with her which sometimes made activities more fun than they actually were but bitter because she was a great person who always showed so much care and concern for me no matter what- who wouldn’t be bitter about that? My grandmother did a ton of charity, always helping out at the local church and donating when she could. She also was a very friendly person, everyone in our town knowing her and always greeting her with a smile.My grandmother taught me to be good-hearted to everyone i meet. Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, be kind, always. She also taught me to cherish any time i have with family. It’s only a matter of time before I head off for university and I won’t be able to see my parents as much as I see them now.
Secondly, I would like to thank my primary school principal.Being in a local school system, there is a lot of pressure on getting excellent grades, I remember being in fifth grade and getting some not-so satisfactory marks. Being a year older than everybody else in my grade- that was due to some complications when i was applying, and getting bad marks? It was pretty demoralising. On the last day of fifth grade my principal prepared a speech for the entire school and i distinctly remember her say, “at the end of the day, nobody is ever going to judge you for how much you scored on an exam, they will judge you for your character and your attitude.”. From that day forward, i learnt to be less pent up about exam results. Yes, they do hold their own significance but getting a bad mark every now and then does not mean it is the end of the world.
Lastly, I would like to thank my best friend, Sophia. She does not go to UWCSEA but rather local school, though our schedules are rather different, I always will find time to see her. Despite not knowing her for very long, i feel that her and i connect on a whole new level.I know, it sounds cliche but, we really do sometimes finish each other’s sentences. Sophia taught me how to venture out of my comfort zone, before her, i always just stayed cooped up in my bedroom. She teaches me how to find the good in everything, for instance, late for a bus? That just means we can walk to our destination and explore.Ran out of my usual order on the restaurant menu? Perfect for trying a new meal. Thanks to Sophia, I actually go out with friends and do “teenager” things and just enjoy life while i’m still young.
Now, to reiterate from my introduction, just because I thanked 3 people in this essay, that in no way means that they are the only people i would like to thank. Everybody who i have ever met in my lifetime has played a part in impacting a certain aspect about me which i am grateful for. All the way from the pre school bully who taught me to develop thick skin to my best friend who taught me how to live my life, you all deserve a thank you.