JPA, PSD or whatever name you call it...

The JPA craze is back in town, this time with a bigger momentum. Multitudes of top students will make a run for their money. It's becoming such a normal phenomenon in our country.

This year around, the competition will be times stiffer. With over 15000 applications, not-to-mention at 8000 worthy entries, JPA officers ought to be given a raise for being able to handle this. However, once again, there will be mess later.

Many students (juniors) have been asking me the same stupid question "Did you go for JPA Interview last year?" I will answer abruptly "No". I guess something in my voice must have told them to shut their mouth up, because none of them asked me further questions except this one:

X : Did you go for JPA Interview last year?
Me : No.
X : Wow, no interview? JPA scholarship not good enough is it?

I did not reply him. He's of course, another top student and all.

I guess all these brings me back to my old days, when I am filled with hatred in my soul towards JPA. To tell the truth, I have not get over the JPA failure, especially when I am not given a justified explanation. But yes, who owes me a scholarship? No one. Now, many will be following my path and I hope that the number is not big, though it is quite unlikely.

If any of your juniors or friends did not get any scholarship from JPA, please remind them not to be too sad. Someone has to win the race, and if it's not him/her, it must be because there are other races for them to win. They have to back off from the car, took another one and start the new race. Then, stand tall.

People getting into Cambridge, students getting 13A1s, 14A1s, seniors scoring straight As in CAL Exam, Randal got chosen as the Apprentice...all these sometimes made me think, am I not good enough to be in that position? Don't I have the same discerning ability as them? They don't have paranormal abilities; they are just human beings like you and me. Or is it because I have wasted all my childhood playing and enjoying while others packed themselves with classes after classes of music, taekwondo, band, tuition and others? Or maybe it's just because it's not my turn yet. Same goes to others. It's not your turn yet.

An anecdote: An adventurer once challenges all his partners that he will climb the highest mountain ever found by mankind. No man has ever reach the peak before. Therefore, he climbed and climbed. However, he too experienced difficulties as he can't advance any further although he tried very hard to do so. Then, as he is too depressed because of his failure, he committed suicide there. The truth is that he has reached a point that no man has ever reached, though it's not the peak. He has set a new mark. However, being too distressed because he couldnt reach the peak, he took his own life.

If I think I am a failure, think again. I am in a much better position than many others.

Albert

PS: By the way, congrats, Patrick. SO your rants at the beginning of the course that it's hard to enter Cambridge pay off. I can only apply for UCL or Newcastle, no Oxbridge for me.