Some things just refuse to leave

back then in high school, i was a really active student, especially in debate. Since i was in form 1 i had been exposed to english parliamentary style debate, and i never looked back :) I had my secondary education at a well known school in kuantan, at a sekolah harian biasa. yeah, i've never been put in a hostel before this, and yeah, PLKN taught me a lot. haha haih only friends that went through all those memorable experiences together with me can judge my adherence and resistence ahaha these blabberings are done as i am too lazy to press 'backspace' :P


back to the subject, debate. When i was in form 2, my team represented Pahang to the Piala Datuk Wira's English Parliamentary Style Debate Competition, at the national level. we lost to Selangor, if i'm not mistaken it was sekolah damansara something something. Erm let me recall my team members. Dalvin, Renard, Kak Ju, Hwee Yin, Anusha and myself :) i was the youngest debater, i was 14 at that time :) During form 4, we got into the nationals again, and this time, against a school from Johor. We won :D the speakers were hwee yin, anusha, myself, nadia and karen :) it was really sweet as we managed to be in the same position, only this time its sweeter because we won. yeah, it was really sweet :) we were supposed to represent malaysia to the next level but it was cancelled last minute due to unknown reasons. (if only i know i have the RIGHT TO ASK back then, i would use it) :P


my team members during our second time at the national level were all girls, pretty2 girls *ehem, and always our teacher would tell us to use our persuasive and innocent, sweet voices and pretty faces to convince the adjudicators to be on our side. i don't know if that really worked but nevertheless, we had fun, especially when our rivals were from all boys school :P the strategy always works ;P we had great fun, i tell you :D after that level, we were replaced by all new faces as the seniors had left school and nadia and i were busy preparing for our SPM. but, we helped out when the school team needed us :)


debate is fun. i tried forum. it was not my thing. i tried public speaking. it was not for me. its funny when i actually told myself to stop debating, i thought i had too much debates already but when i stepped into law school, i can't really quit from debates because our english course requires the students to debate, as one of the ongoing assessments. so. yeah. but i must admit that the experiences i had back then really thought me to think critically and spontaneously, and alhamdulillah i am able to use them when i need to :)



i was really moved to write about this, because yesterday when i was cleaning my room, i came across my colourful cue cards (little cards used in previous debates, mine were of many different colours) and i realised instantly how i miss those times. the best team ever, we were practically sisters of different parents. my teachers. they were our second, third mothers. debate has taught me so much. the joy of success, the pain of failures, the frustrations, the sacrifices. but i also realise one thing. eventhough i was given the opportunity to go back in time, back to those times, i would refuse. throughout my 21 years of living, i realise that there are things that i have to let go. that is just the way nature works :)

my colourful cards :)

the sole reason why i refuse to get involved in debate now is because i had went through it once, and once is enough for everything. deep inside, i have this stand that i have to try other things. i had done so many things during my secondary school period, and there are so many other things that i can do in future :)

when i was cleaning my room, i also came accross so many sentimental things.



- one of my diaries. very very meaningful you see ;P
- my plkn autograph book :) awwwh i miss you guys lah!
- wish cards
- kad raya from you, with rm10 duit raya in it :) u sent it back in 2007 :)
- garfield papers ;)
- pictures taken at times square in 2007 :) i still have them.

these things will remain, while other unnecesary papers and books will be recycled soon.

p/s:

"noor yasmin, you can't keep all those things, they will take a big space.
just keep in your memory. and learn to let go." (papa, 2010)

some things just refuse to leave,

yasmin