Hey, you! Yes, you in front of that PC screen! Want to know the secrets to success? In this article, I'll do my best to provide my very own advice to the younger children of Cempaka as well as those in the same year as me, based on my experiences here as a whole. Here are a couple of golden rules which, in my opinion, may help you as a student within this prestigious school we call Sri Cempaka.

Manage your time.
Time is money and money is time. With the recent increase in petrol prices, you'd think that people would spend their time more wisely but the opposite is true! A timetable helps (actually sticking to it helps even more). Now, where did I put mine?

Respect your teachers.
They're people too. Some get angry, some get sad and some are just plain insane (just a little)! As the saying goes, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Treat your teacher as a friend (don't get too friendly, though). I'm sure they'll appreciate it and return the gesture. A healthy student-teacher relationship is bound to help you on your road of education.

Get off your butt!
Engage in the various activities and/or societies the school has to offer. I, myself, regret not heeding this piece of advice earlier on. After the 11 years I've been in Sri Cempaka (this year being my last), I only really took interest in co-curricular activities at the beginning this year (thinking of all those shiny medals I could have won earlier on). So, yes. Just do it! You'll have loads of fun and not to mention you'll learn a thing or two about life including the things thrown at you (one being lemon).

I guess in the end it all boils down to self-confidence – believing that you can achieve something not because of arbitrary levels of intelligence that you see whenever you receive your grades, but because you are the person who knows yourself best; and with that, you should know that you can and will succeed as long as the faith is there.

Now, I admit I was never in the Top 10 Percentile during my years, and neither was I ever anywhere close to being included in that group, for that matter. But I try my best in whatever I do, and that's what matters to my very supportive parents, and more importantly to myself! But hey... in my eyes, I'm still top!

P.S.: How could I forget... the most important rule of all: Don't (get caught) fall(-ing) asleep during Mr Sheat's classes!