Results were out yest. I'm happy this year :) They're average but I'm happy cos I did better than last year.

Sometimes, I feel like I have everything and yet, I have nothing. There seems to be an unexplained feeling of emptiness and meaningless.

Today, we saw a boy formerly from the gifted stream and our brother sch who had sunk into depression because he couldn't keep up with the academic stresses of life. That, in addition to his expectations, parental pressure and the fact that everyone around him had gone on to our jc. He had done so poorly he didn't even make it to jc. And he wasn't the only poor kid.

Who in the world gave us these ideas that we have to do well academically so that we can...I don't know, get a good job and pay for the house,car,kids,nice handbag,etc. Doing well in sch seems to be such a necessity that once we fail to attain such standards, our self-esteem and how others view us (whether or not that matters is another issue) decrease exponentially.

Yes, education is important but it seems to be the ultimate goal for many. I cannot claim to understand his situation - my setbacks are nothing compared to his. I would never know what would have become of me should I have failed my O's or A's. There is such a delicate balance btwn educating, challenging and bringing out the best in our young, and driving them to sheer frustration and insanity.