A Letter to My Friends Starting University

A gentle shoutout to all who have voted in my Instagram poll on whether this will be a Personal or Current Affairs post. There has been an overwhelming vote for me to write something personal, so this post (and probably the next) will be about stuff more personal than not. I have also received some good suggestions for my posts. One of them I will adopt for my next week's post. But for this week, since NUS, NTU, and SMU will start school tomorrow, this post is dedicated to my friends starting university.
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To My Friends Starting University,

Most of you will be starting the next (and probably final) chapter of your studies tomorrow. Some of you have already started (like SUTD and NTU Medicine). Some of you will start next month or in October (those going overseas).

I always wonder what it will be like starting university. They say that university is a whole new ball game from back in JC/High School. To a large extent I do agree. This is where you will learn your content at a very high level in your chosen discipline. Your passion and ability to learn may/would/will be tested. You will study less subjects, but go into greater depth. I hope the degree programme offered to you is one of your choice, or at least one you gain interest in after researching the programme and through orientation.

You will not have teachers guiding you and motivating you on anymore. But yet again, you can also interpret this as you don't have people nagging at you anymore. You're free to do what you want, as you're an adult now. Many of you moved into halls and RCs, so that now you live on your own away from your parents. But this also means your education is now in your own hands. However your grades fluctuate (up or down) is now up to you rather than anyone else. Freedom and Independence may sound like the same thing, but the latter also brings about the burden of taking care of oneself. Just thinking about it makes me nervous for what is to come, but I hope you guys succeed in every way possible.

I guess this will also be where you guys meet new people. For many of us, we've only interacted with people within our own circle, otherwise known as SES in Singapore context. Some of us have been in academically-better classes and schools since young, some have gone through the alternative routes to university. Here is where you will meet people of different backgrounds and societies. This is also where you will make new friendships that may last a lifetime. For some, this is also where you will meet your soulmates. This is also probably your first look at what the real world is like, how people work, interact, and live with one another.

To My Friends Starting University, you are about to begin on a new start, with new friends, a new adventure. This is also where our friendships will start to stand the test of time, whether we can still interact as much despite our busy schedules and newfound friendships. To the friends I am close to, I hope we can still keep in touch and update each other on how we're doing (and maybe provide me tips on how to survive uni).

To My Friends Starting University, all the best, glhf.

To My Friends still not yet Starting University, it'll be our turn soon, be it in 1 or 2 years. Let us continue to SAF - Serve And "Fly" off. 😉😉😉

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