BEING a Top 10 student in my school for two consecutive years – is it all down to natural talent, pure luck or sheer hard work?
I still vividly remember receiving my long-anticipated exam results two years ago. That day, I got back my Science paper, the subject I had studied the hardest for. I didn’t dare look at my marks and instinctively covered them with my hands as my teacher handed me the paper.
Later, my shriek of excitement was deafening to my seatmate, who curiously asked what I had scored. I showed her the A* I had received and asked about her results.
Embarrassed, she muttered that she had only scored within the 80s range – still a remarkable feat. In an attempt to lighten the mood, she jokingly said, “You could probably get an A even without studying.”
I often hear remarks like these from my friends and classmates, who insist that I am naturally talented. Some even claim that no matter how many hours they study, they could never match my level of academic achievement, which I always find odd.
Make no mistake – despite my peers’ dramatic claims, I am no genius. I was never really “top student” material, especially in primary school, where I mostly got Bs. I did not study hard and only aimed to pass my exams. That was my mistake.
When I entered secondary school, I had no intention of changing my study habits. Before my first exam, I simply flipped through my books as usual, thinking it would be enough to pass. It wasn’t.
I failed both my Malay and English papers, and barely passed my Science and Chinese exams. I was absolutely shaken.
Luckily, those first-term exams were not included in the report card, which was a huge relief because it meant I technically didn’t have to tell my parents about my marks.
But carrying my head with shame, I decided to tell them anyway. Instead of scolding me, they were encouraging, offering advice and even taking time out to help me revise – something I remain deeply grateful for.
From that day onwards, I decided to buckle down and work hard.
Midterms, my first official exams, were only a few months away. I studied harder than I ever had before. It worked somewhat. I mostly got Bs and a couple of As, far from the miraculous improvement most people would have expected. Despite that, I felt a rare sense of accomplishment, which only motivated me to work harder.
People see my success today, but they don’t see the hours I spend poring over my books.
“Success doesn’t come overnight” is a common saying. At first glance, it may seem obvious, but sometimes people need to be reminded that the effort they put in does not go to waste.
Chasing results seems to be human nature. After all, results are what people see. Multimillionaires rarely get praised for their years of dedication. World-class athletes aren’t always applauded for their sacrifices. Straight-A students aren’t always recognised for their hard work.
But despite what others may think, we are not defined by our results, but by the process we go through to achieve them.
Keep putting in the effort, and one day, your achievements will speak for themselves.
Rui Lin, 15, a student in Kuala Lumpur, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team.
For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
