This year:

... Malaysia has been experiencing terrible haze, probably one of the worst in history.
... the government implemented GST.
... MYR is losing its battles.
... Malaysians are paying more for tolls thanks to the recent toll hike.
... the spike in the number of dengue cases in Malaysia is the highest in history.
... we saw rabies cases giving us a scare.
... we saw a typhoid outbreak.

Okay the list of bad news can go on and on, but really chances are things are going to get a lot worse as we near the end...


But personally, this year has been a significant year for myself. As we're nearing the end of the year, I took some time to reflect back on what happened in the last 12 months. Some highlights I can remember while I'm typing this down:

1. University life is over. So while I was bumming around and doing internship (post-uni), some of my friends were still attending classes and I felt a little left out in the WhatsApp chats. Hah. 4 years just flew by and though there's no campus life (thanks to the lack of campus environment), I enjoyed the time spent learning, chattering away and picking some skills here and there.

2. Transitioning from uni to work is... how should I put this? I can't think of a suitable word from my vocab right now but it has been interesting. I did a lot more networking this year, and though I dread it, I try. I'm also happy that I'm finally going to settle for a full time work in Jan.

3. For the 2-3 years, reflection posts used to include what are the main things that I've won this year. This year I didn't win anything significant that I'm utterly proud this year of but I'm happy I won the battle against time and expectations. Against all odds, I've finished my bachelor's degree on a high note and I was one of the first from my batch to finish.

4. I met more people, made a few friends and acquaintance and lost a few too. Well, not really lost but you know when relationships are estranged, you feel it. The 15-year-old me and the me typing this now are the same. I still feel bad when relationships fall apart and I wonder, how did it all happen. How did we arrive to that point when you feel like you've met a stranger when actually you've known the same person for almost more than 15 years, a friend that you grew up together.

5. This blog has surpassed 500k views, after blogging for about 8 years. I'm really proud because it's a personal feat and it's one of the few things that I've been consistently doing over the last decade. I really doubt anyone is really following the blog, just mainly getting hits from SEO. But I've actually removed a lot of posts from public, and views are slowing down but I don't really care. In the past I've made a lot of stupid posts and while I'm not ashamed of them (it's part of growing up), it's just that I value some privacy now.


6. This year, I walked with thousands and thousands of Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur, and other parts of the world calling for better and cleaner government. Malaysia's political turmoil and economic situation is worrying but we pick ourselves up and everyday, we fight for a better Malaysia because that is how much we love this country.



7. This year, I went to Singapore for the first time in my life. I love Malaysia better.



8. I attended a makan + chit chat session with the top political leaders from Parti Amanah Negara and met a few others from DAP too, including Tony Pua and Rajiv Rishyakaran.

9. 2015 has made me see drastic changes of the people around me. There's a lot to think about and digest. It's been a challenging year when often times people and circumstances around have made me question my beliefs. Disappointments crept in to cast doubts over my own judgments. Yet, although it's difficult to see what's beyond the terrible and annoying situations which are beyond my own control, perhaps it's very well that I finally see the hidden side of people and start to embrace and appreciate what's real.


10. Some things in 2015 ended in a sombre mood and there the feeling of regret still lingers while I write this down. I wish I done this. I wished I said it better. I wished I took the chance. But more than anything, I look forward to 2016, to new beginnings. The hardest thing is to find peace with yourself and I resolve in my heart that certain things happens, and those things are just beyond my control. I pray that as I continue to journey this life, I continue to learn to be at rest and trust in the amazing Father I have.