Yeap! This is the topic that I have been dying to write! After experiencing a whole 5 months of JC life, I have enough content to write about.

Academic wise: Sucks.
Friends wise: Awesome.
Free time: Negligible.
Teachers: thumbs down.
CCA: Super tiring.

Now I realize how easy 'O' Level actually is. Many of current sec4 cohort will certainly disagree with me, neither will I if I were a sec4 student now. Truthfully, 'O' Level seems hard chiefly due to the pressure by your teachers and peers! Question- and content-wise, they are extremely MANAGEABLE!
-Secondary life is heaven compared to JC!

Honestly, I am not super stressed about JC life though I occasionally do - when there is a day when 2,3,4, or 5 equally important appointments are due and you know that time is not on your side.

Amusing it is, when I reminisce the time back during orientation. I was completely 'brainwashed' by the orientation program that I innocently believe that JC is going to be entirely more happening and exciting and enjoyable period than secondary schools.

Dont be fooled by the fewer number of subjects that you are taking in JC. 1 JC subject is approximately equivalent to 2.5 O level subjects.

This is aggravated by the more-often-than-not unhelpful tutors and lecturers. It is quite obvious that they try to teach too much while it is actually out of their capabilities to finish the syllabus on time. I think this is what many schools proudly boast as "INDEPENDENT LEARNING (sometimes including) JOURNEY (just for the sake of making it sound more 'docile')".

Okay, CCA-wise. In my case, training is 3 times a week and 3 hours for each session. start at 5 and end at 8. reach home at around 8.30 then do anything thats possible to be completed before midnight.

No Free time! I find myself, deliberately or not, taking of SOMEtime from the weekend to finish off any LEFTOVERS tutorial. This is hardly the practice of Secondary school life, at least in my case.

But in terms of friends, it is generally fantastic, still it depends on what class you are in. In the case of 1SC4, where the love unwinds, it is 'AWESOME la.' haha

Sometimes I feel I am putting up a smiling mask too, trying to bury some bitterness deep. Fortunately, most of the time it does not show. ^^

In a way I feel lucky. Lucky not to have 'pitted' myself into a famous and insanely popular IB school. Many old compatriots have expressed unspeakable angsts and rants listing their stress from EE, IOP to portfolio. pity them.

pity me - to a smaller extent.

CHEErSS!!