Disheartened

Nothing comes easy in life. Undeniably, determination and effort are crucially important to achieve all the good things in life. My application for postgraduate programme has been really harsh on me recently. There are just too many complications occurred along the journey. Just when I thought I had filled in all the necessary sections in the forms and had provided them with all the necessary documents, there had to simply crush my hope again and again. I had been waiting patiently for every single day since January and it was not until February that I was told that I was required to provide the university with a copy of ACCA transcript to prove that I am currently a full time student for this programme at my current university (in the first place, ACCA is not even a requirement for the postgraduate programme). Upon submitting the transcript, I waited patiently again until recently when I was told that I have to provide the university with my IELTS score as part of the English language requirements. To make things worse, they will not continue processing the application until I am done with my IELTS test. IELTS has always been a part of the requirement for a conditional offer. However, why does the university have to be unusual this time by not offering me a conditional offer at all? Why does the university have to stop processing the application altogether? The date for the next IELTS exam will be in the month of May. By the time the result is released, I am pretty sure that there will be no capacity left for the postgraduate course. I had been doing my research for months since end of 2011 for a suitable postgraduate programme. I thought I have found the ideal choice until today. Apparently, patience does not pay off, sometimes.

Chef Wannabe

Just so you know, I survive the ordeal! I managed to pass 2 out of my 5 ACCA papers! Voila! I couldn't remember how many donkey years ago since I was so nervous over my results and the level of ecstasy is probably indescribable. With another 4 months to go before the arrival of the June sitting, I shall appreciate every single moment of freedom now.

Homade Sushi Platter

On a random note, I have brought my cooking skills to another level recently, by diversifying my forte into the field of Japanese cooking. Constantly craving for Japanese food but being on a tight budget, I thought of the the ultimate solution, which is by making these little cuties myself. Surprisingly, the entire process was not difficult, although I have to admit that it was very time consuming. However, the entire process ended with nothing but satisfaction. Looking at the colourful pieces of thoroughly made sushis really made my day. This is when the phrase "Patience is Virtue" really pays off. 

Homemade Tempura - Enoki Mushroom, Prawn, Crabstick and Green Beans

During my second attempt, I made some tempuras for side dish as well. I especially love the enoki mushroom tempura for its awesome texture. The downside? Well, the tempuras were kind of oily. A little note to myself is to absorb the oil with kitchen towel before serving them (in the future). Nevertheless, I was extremely pleased with the outcome. Best of all, preparing my own Japanese dishes is an economical alternative to satisfy my craving as it not cause a big hole in my pocket. The total cost was less than £10 (for a portion of 4), in contrast to £2.90 - £5.90 for two pieces of sushis at the local Japanese eateries. On top of it, the overall satisfaction is priceless. =)

Outcome

The results of my first 2 ACCA papers will be released in less than 3 hours' time. Undoubtedly, I'm extremely nervous now. I don't even feel a tinge of sleepiness. My mind is totally messed up. I believe this is one of the most crucial results in my life, as the plan for my next half of 2012 will totally depend upon this. I just need to get through this so badly. I'm just not young anymore. I HAVE to get this done and move on to the next stage of life for I know I need to do this while my age still allows me to. Never in my life I've been this freaked out for my results. At the same time, being consistently reminded about the horrible global passing rate is not contributing to anything at all.

As we get older, the significance of each outcome increases vastly. I'm feeling extremely tired of waiting for the outcomes and being helpless in the process. I tried to think of a backup plan to make myself feel better but I know I won't be able to face it if things go wrong. Examinations have always been kind to me since I was at my tender age. I guess I'm just not ready if I were to face anything negative out of it. There is simply no reason for a negative outcome, especially when this is a full time course. There just no solid excuse for this. Sigh. Please let this be another bright moment in my life. I just want to live my life with no regrets.