Happy New Year! With a blink of an eye, 2010 became history as we usher in 2011. For this year's new year eve countdown, I spent it with the navy lads over hardcore mahjong throughout the night at one of the guys' place. It is something different, at least in the past few recent countdowns whereby I would almost certainly be at some obstreperous place. My pocket hurt quite alot as expected since I am a mahjong newbie (only started knowing how to play since 2010 CNY). Nonetheless, what's more important is that I gained more mahjong knowledge and that all of us had fun.

So what are my hopes or resolutions for the new year? Well, studies is still my utmost priority. The upcoming semester will be a very tough one, if not the toughest so far in my NUS undergraduate life. Tuition is my 2nd priority since it is a long-term source of side income. However, I would not be taking in so many students for fear of distracting from my 1st priority. Frankly, it is not easy trying to balance studies and tuitions, especially when most of my students tend to be from upper secondary.

Besides studies and tuitions, I realise there is a need to spice up my life through various means. This can be achieved through pursuing a new hobby or interest etc. I hope to be able to do so after the end of this upcoming sem. However, monetary factor weighs in as well. Hence, there is a need to manage my finance better.

Maintaining good health is also an important task, which is my 3rd priority. In fact, it is a life-long goal to keep fit and maintain my lean figure. For the new year, I would like to be more disciplined by forking out more time to run and do more pull-ups. I feel that working out twice a week like in the past is not sufficient. Clearing IPPT and maximising my chance of getting a better monetary reward from the government is what I am looking forward to achieve this year.

As for my social circle, there is a palpable need to widen it. For this year, I hope to know more people, especially more like-minded people with possibly similar interests to pursue together. If fate allows me to meet the right girl at the right time and place, it would definitely be great. However, as the years go by, I learn that attempts to create contrived routes will most certainly end up nowhere. The higher the expectations, the bigger the disappointments. This quote constantly reminds me not to waste time thinking of what does not belong to me in the first place.

Happiness and success are still my ultimate goals in life. For the new year, I hope I have more courage and wisdom to surmount various kinds of obstacles that lay ahead of me. Only by overcoming these seemingly overwhelming odds, then can I be a better person.