Time Visit

Time changes a lot of things.

Let’s think five years back.

What were you doing or not doing?
How much has changed?
How much have you been through?
Who’ve you met?
Basically… what’s different?

Five years ago, I was in year 10 – innocent with little appreciation of the world except for the things I was passionate about.

Music? Hah, I probably knew about 100 to 200 songs in my entirety. I wasn’t a big music fan then and neither am I now; music is just filler for me but of course there are favourites of mine. UK mainstream is what I follow now I guess… Just being a sheep, meh. I’m more open to new genres of music so that’s a positive.

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.

– Plato

Work ethic? Probably the same as it is now, but that’s probably why I miss doing A-levels. A-levels were when I was on the top of my game and I would study hard – I had the motivation, you see, from not doing as well as I expected in my GCSEs. Once you develop a sense of comfortability, it’s difficult to be on edge and perform to a higher potential for your exams. Exhibit A: first year of university, I achieved a first – I became lazy and didn’t work as hard for second year and now I’m regretting it (well, amongst other reasons as well but that’s another story for another day).

You can’t have a million dollar dream with a minimum wage work ethic.

– Author Unknown

Career? Yeah, I was one of those Asians who wanted to do medicine, of course. Eventually, I gave up on the idea quite quickly and easily to pursue a field more suitable for my strengths. Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry. Can’t be anything else but an engineering degree in all honesty and that’s what I ended up doing; Civil Engineering – a bit expected and boring really.

Hmph, at least I’m a student with a long term relationship with a billion-dollar company providing me with sponsorships and paid internships every year. Boring but not bad.

“A successful career will no longer be about promotion. It will be about mastery.”

– Dr. Michael Hammer, Business Consultant and Educator

Relationships? Let’s just say I hope I find someone who makes me happy just as happy as I can make them.

The scariest thing about dating someone is that you will either break up with or end up marrying that person.

– Author Unknown

Financially? The opposite compared to five years ago. Didn’t have a job or any experience. Now I’ve gained more independence from my parents and can pay for a lot more shit of mine. It’s a very demoralising feeling for me to depend on my parents for anything. They’ve spent their whole life raising me into a person through whom they want to achieve some of their dreams and wishes as well, so if anything, I should only be giving back and I am dedicated to that cause. I love my parents and without them, I’d be nothing that I am today.

When it comes to money, everyone is of the same religion

– Voltaire

This whole post has been pointless so far and I’ll tell you why. None of these things have told you anything that’s happened to me in the last 5 years. So here are the things that I feel have been the most prominent to me in my development as a person.

I’ve moved on from my secondary school and my sixth form college after having spent 7 years with many amazing people including students and teachers – I’m glad I’m in contact with some still today but I still feel the more the merrier. Even today many people wish they were back there and that’s no surprise to anyone.

A lot of relatives I knew as a child have passed away, which included a very close someone who lived in my household. On days when I’m not thinking straight, I sometimes forget they’re not there anymore and when I do remember, it feels wrong to know you’ll never see them again and that you’ll never talk to them again. I hope they’re at peace.

Meeting new people, learning about cultures, being subjected to different ways of life, and being open minded have all helped me become a much more sociable person. Sounds like something I’d say in an interview; not a bad foundation for a potentially strong point. Shy and quiet to more confident and opinionated is nothing but an improvement. Appropriately reminds me of “Stand Up” by Bob Marley.

So yeah, a shit load has changed in 5 years and I didn’t expect to see myself as I am today.

Time really does change everything, but I’m glad I am where I am.