To say Adam was nervous to pick up his SPM result would be an understatement. I am old now so SPM doesn't really mean that much to me but I was in Adam’s shoes at one time and I totally understand his feelings. We got to his school as fast as we could that morning, traffic and all. By the time we arrived the results announcement was in full swing. They announced all the straight A students from every class in the hall and the students along with their family will walk on stage to receive them.
Now Adam got 5 out 6 As for UPS and 8 out of 9 As for PT3. That was already an excellent result for me but not for Adam since he studied hard and was visibly upset when he missed that single A on both occasions. So imagine his delight when his name was called on stage that morning. Linda and I were likewise overjoyed and proud to walk behind him that day. Adam could not hide his tears of joy as we hugged the moment we came down the stage. For the record Adam got 8 A+ and one A but do we care about the solitary A? Absolutely not.
As the happiness wore off, we did not waste any time in applying for all available scholarships out there. So far he got rejected a few times but also progressed to the later stages of the interview process of a few others. Like today for example, he’s still in the capital for a two days assessment with the central bank. We as parents would be ecstatic if he secured any of the scholarships offered. If he doesn’t, we certainly won’t be too disappointed with it and we hope he does not as well. As you must have learned by now, you don’t always get everything you want in life and you’ve got to prepare yourself for some disappointments. It’s inevitable. Besides, local universities are not that bad. Is not where you study but how well you do and if you enjoy yourself. I firmly believe you have great things in store for you no matter where you go next.
While waiting for his university call up/scholarship application result to come out, Adam decided to work part time at a Big Apple donut kiosk at The Mines. He didn’t really have to but he wanted the money and we thought it would be good for him to experience a minimum wage job to build character. Now The Mines and our home in Semenyih are quite far apart. The first week, Adam rode his bicycle to the KTM Komuter station some 5 kilometers away, locked it at the parking lot and took a train to the Serdang station. From there, he walked up the pedestrian crossing to The Mines. His shift is usually in the afternoon so he didn’t get home until 11:30 in the evening. The next three weeks, Adam had wisened up (or he got tired of riding the bike) and followed his mother to the office every morning. During lunch time, Linda will send him off to the mall some 5 kilometers away.
How much did Adam get after a month of slaving away at the kiosk? RM834 after EPF contributions. Not much but certainly a lot more than what I got working at a petrol pump at the same age. But as I said, it’s not so much about the money but more on the experience. Hopefully one day when he’s in a C suite somewhere, he won’t forget his experience working at a minimum wage and will treat his subordinates with respect.
So that’s my report with regard to my eldest son at the moment. The world is your oyster son. Go forth and prosper.
