On Dropping out of School.

Vast oceans, clear skies. Jordan, 2011.

Well, so I decided to drop out of school.

Firstly, the heptathlon during the weekend went well. Results wise, not amazing, but it was a good sign of progress. I’m uploading the videos right now and will do a detailed post about the race last weekend tomorrow.

But it was what happened after the race that will be a big change in my life going forwards from here.

I’ve decided to stop hiding behind the pretext of being a student and move on with my life now.

You see I had 2 coursework assignments due in earlier today and I was trying to get it done during the night before (yes I know it was procrastination at its full effect once again), but I realised the problem was something much deeper than just procrastination. I had absolutely no motivation for doing them because I felt there was absolutely nothing I could gain from the program anymore.

This idea of withdrawing from the master’s program has been brewing in my head for several weeks now. Over the last semester I’ve realised that the program I’m on is not exactly designed for a former student of the undergraduate program in the same faculty (I’m the only one who stayed on from the undergrad program). Most of the times during lectures I get a sense of ‘I’ve kinda done this before’ feeling, because the things they were teaching were so similar to those that I’ve been taught during my undergrad years.

When I first started posting on this blog a year ago about my decision to continue on a master’s program here, I said it was because I wanted to be able to live and train here for another year. I needed to do so as I’m a Singaporean and I needed a student visa to continue staying in the UK. But now with the business starting up, I’m converting my visa to an entrepreneur visa so I would no longer need to be a student to remain here.

Plus I’ve already paid about £2,500 for the first instalment of my school fees, the next two instalments I would need to pay is more than £7,000 (which is equivalent to around SGD 14,000) to complete the course. It’s hard to justify spending that much amount of money, which would leave me in a tight financial position, but the more important thing that I would be wasting is the one thing money cannot buy back, time.

It’s funny how after I’ve mentioned this some of my friends (and definitely my parents when I tell them later) are telling me to hang on or postpone my studies as it would be better for my future.

But truth be told, I’ve always felt that the conventional education system is kinda like a scam. It makes people go through certain institutions at a considerable cost, promising them the good life after.

So far for the majority of my friends graduating with good degrees, all they get is ending up doing TGIF jobs and bitching about it on social media. I see no point in joining their ranks to lead that lifestyle. (But don’t get me wrong, basic education is absolutely necessary for basic literacy and numerical skills that are essential for success, it’s just the paper chase that goes on after for a degree in a subject they have absolutely no interest in, a post-grad qualification that serves no purpose other than wall decorations or a PhD for a title that is worth nothing in reality).

I sincerely believe that life is what you set it out to be, and as my hurdles training partner said, there is no need for an ordinary life.

I must say going forwards from this point, it feels a little scary, but I guess that’s what keeps life amazing and exciting.

So today I declare myself having graduated from the school of Hard Knocks, where my sport has educated me in the art of life. I’m now 100% committed to my training and my business going forwards. A world of possibility awaits, it’s time to experience it.

Man is free at the instant he wants to be. – Voltaire

Forgive me for my love of freedom this lifetime, I’m only afirad that one day I too will fall. Giving up on dreams is something anyone can do, I’m only afriad that one day perhaps like me you will too.

I know I twitted this a thousand times, and apologies for those who don’t understand the language. I tried to make a loose translation of the chorus above. It best conveys my emotion right now and that of the past two days. Follow this link to view the wiki page of this band for the meaning of the song why this performance is so emotional. Many thanks to my bro Shiyang for sharing the song.

Someday the skies will be clear and the oceans will be vast and free.