For my NYJC students

I know some of you did well for your promotional exams and some of you did not. One of you sought my opinion on whether to retain or not in JC1. I thought my response to this NYJCian might also help you and your peers. More importantly, I hope it also serves as some kind of encouragement.

1) Self-awareness for Long-term Improvement
Seek advice from tutors to know what went wrong. Hard work does not always necessarily translate into good results. You have to find out for yourself if you had the right focus, in terms of study skills, answering techniques, time management and exam skills. This awareness is essential for you to improve over the long run. A lot of JC students fail to realise that the skills required for JC are very different from that of secondary school. They end up feeling dejected and demoralised once they are unable to attain the same good results in JC with the same old skills they have been using in secondary school. But it doesn't work that way. It is important to ask yourself if you have been doing the right thing, using effective skills and techniques. Sometimes it not always about studying hard, it is about studying smart.

2) Promotion to JC2--pros and cons
Consider the pros and cons of retaining and promotion. Ask other seniors or peers who have gone through the same struggle to understand which is better. There are people who do better after being retained and there are also people who still continue to badly after retaining. Nevertheless, there are also people who do well after promotion. And it's important that you spend time talking to your tutors, because most of them will know your strengths and weaknesses. Hence, they might be in a better position to offer you sound advice.

3) Determination and Self-motivation
Many people are easily daunted by failures but it's not the end of everything. Failures are inevitable in life. And they happen for a good reason. Always allow yourself to learn from a mistake. Milk it for what it's worth. If you don't do well this time, it doesn't mean you fail in everything else. It could mean that your success requires more effort and takes a longer time to happen.

4) Integrity
Once you have made a decision on whether to retain or not (including your initial decision to pursue education in JC), it is important to you stick with it and see it through sustained effort and conviction. There are countless people who would give anything to be in your shoes. Education is not a given. Cherish the opportunity to learn, for once you start your adult working life, you will realise how much you miss being a student!