My Name Is Wing: December 2013

This blog entry took a while for my to complete - although I graduated on the 7th November 2013 I had been speechless because it was finally the end.

Allow me to have the round of applause at my direction because I have finally graduated with a degree in International Business. Yes a honors degree as well. With 1200 hours of study (as written on my certificate). It does show I have been studying, well classroom and private studying is a different matter but I suppose it all adds up, not forgetting studying in the library during the midnight hours.

The past three years had been relatively special. I have learnt how to be officially independent, moving from Milton Keynes to Kingston Upon Thames by myself was something new to me. Although I always fly on holidays by myself, to different countries and traveled a lot by myself, it was different. I was going to be completely alone, no family members and no friends around. It's a place to start a fresh.

Let me tell you all a story..

I remembered when I first arrived up to Kingston Hill, it felt really strange, I didn't think my university campus would be uphill and surrounded by trees and slopes. The sounds of the trees being blown by the winds, the glistering sounds and the two squirrels running and stopping in sync with each other, it was like watching them dance and there was me being completely lost with my suitcase. I remember being greeted by this friendly "fresher angel" who helped me with getting my flat key and taking me to my room and thankfully my room was on the ground floor right next to the main door. I remember being really afraid, I even cried. I connected myself to the internet and it was pretty nerve wrecking, although it was something I did all the time anyway, I wonder whether my internet usage would be monitored etc. I remember the first thing I did was putting my bed sheet and pillow sheets into my brand new pillows along with my duvet. It wasn't like a room at all. It felt like a little room with a shower room that looked rather, simple. It was cold.

I met my flatmates, there were three out of 5 of us. That was the beginning of my fresher's week. I made my first shopping trip to Tescos and bought enough food and daily products to last me for half a year with constant use. I never been to a supermarket and actually think about household goods before. I really thank the people that's helped me.

I remember taking the university bus for the first time - the KU1 towards Seething Wells. I remember there was an "angel" telling everyone that the main first stop was "Town Center" then "Penrhyn Road" and lastly "Seething Wells". I remember I went inside the building and I had to walk around 5 minutes to get to this other building known as John Galsworthy Building and there was a queue of fresher's. I was in the queue and feeling extremely scared, everyone appeared to be talking to each other and I was alone, well there was a Chinese guy in front of me. But we didn't talk. After a while and taking my first ever university mugshot for my ID and getting lost, I bumped into that same Chinese guy and we just talked and chilled out. Turns out he was on my course too but living at Seething Wells and I had the luck to live right on the same campus as my lecture halls. I remember I was struggling to get back to my university campus because town was complicated and I didn't know where to take a bus, until I luckily bumped into a familiar face - someone I met at the student union bar. I didn't even remember his name. We both took the 85 back to Kingston Hill and that was my first ever bus trip in London - yes my first in my life too.

I remember I went to my first ever "club" in Kingston during Fresher's week and that night, I met Ken. It was a coincident because we both had a friend who knew each other and going to the same party and us both Chinese just got asked to go and met up.
We just talked as it was good knowing someone I can talk to and someone that lived less than 30 seconds on a different block to me. We went to Fresher's fair together on that Friday morning and signed up for societies - I joined the Badminton, Fencing and Volunteering.

I remember attending my first ever lecture and I was super scared, that was when I met my friend Jimmy. The Chinese guy who said "Hi, how are you?". I remember the feeling of relieve that I wasn't alone. I then attended my first ever Mandarin lecture and I met Joanne and Jimmy again too. Learning Mandarin was strange, it was difficult learning the basic tones and even three years later, my tones are a little dodgy too.

I won't forget the first time I met her. The girl who I met and became super close with. The girl who I became friends with on Facebook in August before university even started. The girl who I lived with. The one who I cried over and the one who will always be that special girl to me. The girl who I told all my issues and oversaw the flaws I had. The girl who always said "yes - lets do it". I call her my best friend. I remember I was home sick and I spoke to her about it. I remember I always used to go to Thorpe Park as an annual uni tradition and we went together. I've known her for three years. We been to Thorpe Park together three times.

I remember being elected as a Treasurer for my university's Business Society, the society was relatively new and it was only the second year that it started and it wasn't properly developed. I remember I was nervous when I introduced myself to these second years, I felt different. I remember everyone was really friendly. I met Ali, Henry, Carlos and Andreas. These four taught me so much and welcomes me really quickly. There was another girl similar to me who was the secretary, she became my good friend too - Ejiro.

Volunteering for the first time was different, I made friends who all thought similarly to me, I remember the first time I did a fundraising event with a partner and he told me he was a Prince from some country.. etc. I didn't remember what he was saying but it was interesting to hear.

Second year - 2011 - 2012

This was the year where I moved out of university and lived with my best friend Kylie. It was different than first year because this time, we had to think about electricity bills, council tax and broad band choices, house chores etc. It was really exciting, stressful at the time but something I learnt. I was actually considering things like an adult. It was different from living at home, I actually learnt that in my flat, electricity bills were paid monthly, water is free at that flat and broadband is paid monthly too. (Mini success).

I was more aware of my university area by the time and I remember always taking the K3 towards Roehamptom Vale to Kingston Hill and I would sometimes take the 85 towards Kingston back down or the KU1 back. It was really convenient. I lived 4 mins walk from a fresh salmon bar, and Chinese take away, Hair dressers, Estate Agents, Wine and Cheese Store and even Asda. I could use 15 mins to walk to town or walk 5 mins to Norbiton train station.

University was different this year, I have a strong set of friends who I met in first year and even a group of society friends too. It was quite a pressuring year as I had discovered this year is equivalent to only 20% of my my final grade but at the same time I have to manage 8 modules, be part of a student society and courses too. As well as all of these, I would be travelling home every so often and have a social life. It was rather stressful at the time but it was also something great because I had been attending events every month due to society and I met a lot of different people from different courses, companies, and even learnt how to talk to different people in the same room who all had different experiences in life. It also meant I had to juggle gym every week and attend the conferences I had signed myself up to. But I kept myself extremely busy, every week so a little stress should be able to prepare me for the year after where I would be more busy. I also had a mentor in Croydon too. I met her at least once a month discussing my concerns regarding career, university and progress and she had helped me with interviewing skills, as well as CV and cover letters and how I could improve the writing structure.

I remember the Business Society's Ball being hosted. It was a success. But also strange as we had some issues with the committee members. But here's our society committee group. Being the only female was strange. I looked awful but this lot of people, helped me with my university stress and talked to me a lot and told me never to give up trying.

I remember failing an exam for the first time at university, which triggered my own inner fire. It was a module where I wasn't so sure of because I did struggle a little however I always did extra study on the module (Management Accounting) but I still didn't do well. I did remember I did reasonably "ok" in Financial Accounting, it was really different. But realizing the result in March had a little impact on my perspective for my other examinations during June, having to wait until the end of August to retake and results towards the end of September was something rather scary, especially it would affect whether I was able to continue onto my final year, or whether to change my degree to an "non honors" degree and spending an extra year to "top up" for the "honors" title was a difficult choice. Not forgetting the fact I had already been accepted by a university in Hong Kong I had to submit university and personal information about myself I felt lost. I was confused and had no idea how to choose.

Final Year

I remember I received an e-mail towards the end of September regarding enrollment, having being one of the last of many to receive the details made me a little worried because I had not received my details regarding my retake. But having double-checked, things had been clearer. I met my personal tutor a few weeks after that. This year felt a little like my first year at university because my friends were all studying abroad and I couldn't seem to recall as many people from the other modules, especially when I studied International Trade Law. I felt alone, everyone seemed smarter than myself and trying to fit into the lecture group was difficult because I knew no one and everyone had already formed their own circles before of their other modules in law. I made some friends who I was able to talk to during lectures but that was it because there was only 1 class and 1 seminar class a week and it was the same set of people.

Writing my own dissertation was something I had always wanted to do. I know it's strange, but I once had myself being asked why I wanted to write one and I had issues because I didn't study a certain module in my second year. But thankfully I was allowed. I chose Payment Protection Insurance. I was one of the last people to submit my proposal, the last few to send my survey and the last few to write my statistical analysis. I learnt how to use IBM's SPSS to analyse my results with just 1 month left to go. It was such a manic rush and in the end, I rewritten my whole dissertation as I had passed the 10,000 word limit and I didn't think my work made sense so just the last remaining 24 hours I rewritten my piece of work with 9900 oor so words on my dissertation. I had always been the one to complete my set tasks two weeks before a deadline but I chose to rewrite it last minute. I achieved my 2:1 which I was rather shocked. I found my own dissertation on my university's "dissertation" reference page. It felt good. It felt good that maybe someone some day at my university could use me as a reference, just imagining someone write "..as Tsang, W (2013) wrote.." and in someone's reference they will write: "Tsang, W. (2013). Payment Protection Insurance - Is it necessary?" on their work excites me. It was the biggest achievement of my education life. It's nothing major to many but to me, it was. I learnt so much in such a short amount of time. I didn't get the certain degree classification as I wanted and what others had thought I would achieve but I tried my best. I tried so hard. But I guess the most effort I had put in through the past three years was probably in my second year.

On the day of my graduation I was so nervous. I woke up super early and traveled to Kingston and took my parents to a town where I spent the most valuable and most exciting three years of my adult life. The town where I cried, place where I made lifetime friends, the place where I failed, where I succeed and where I ended a chapter of my life. My thank yous to these set of people..

My family
Without the family support, I wouldn't be able to complete my studies. The acceptance of me not being home, the acceptance of me not being caring enough, the acceptance and the endless support and freedom they had given me throughout my education life and especially the three years where I worked for my future and the same moment where I close my education chapter (for now) and begin a new chapter of the "real world". I cannot wait till I get to study for Masters, I hope I will study for it. Education never stops because people will eventually study for a professional degree or something different, and as my degree is CMI verified - apparently I have a clue of what to study later. But I loved how all my life, I had no pressure with the studying from my parents. I was really happy they spent the day with me on my graduation. It made my day. I love my family. "We believe in you, don't give up", "If you fail, try again"

My sister
She isn't my real sister. We are not blood related in any way. We grew up together and had always been close. My first real friend. The first person who taught me what friendship is. The girl who I looked up to as I was growing up and struggling to realize who I was. The endless support given from her. The girl who I contact first regardless of what happens and always the first point of contact for me whether it was something good or bad. She's the sweet girl who helps me turn my world right when it's tipped. The one who encourages me to do my best even if it was nearly impossible at the time. I remember attending her graduation in 2010's November and I sat wondering where it was my turn and on Thursday 7th November, it was my turn. Thank you my dearest Tiffany. "Love yourself before others" "You made a long way, I know you can be the best"

University family
This set of people. My university family. Ginny, Joanne and Jimmy. What can I do without you three? I remember meeting all three of them in different situations, Jimmy on my first ever lecture, Joanne during my Mandarin Lecture and Ginny, oh we met at Oceana Club, at the Bar. Yes a bar as well. We clicked, I think purely because the first thing we noticed was I had the Sony Experia X10 Pro and she had the bigger Experia version.

I remember I saw them more in my second year and it was great with them. My third year was lonely but we all kept in contact, we had a lovely dinner before they left to study abroad and had dinner when they came back. It was really good. We were always supportive of each other and always there. Oh we have Ken as well. :) Haven't really seen him much during my university life unless it's during the library revision period and third year but I am glad we became friends. I won't forget the phrases of "Will miss you all", "Life at uni is different", "You can do it", "I'll call you Wing jeh because you're the oldest"..

Friends
I have made quite a small number of friends during university. But at the same time, it's not the number of friends one can have but the number of friends who you both keep in contact with that actually matters. I made some friends who I will keep in contact with, and the friends who I will always remember. I made lovely friends, and friends who I still talk to. I am really glad I met them. Thank you for the support and saying "Wing you can do it"

Childhood friends
The set of friends who I knew from a young age and the ones who I became friends with the years before my university life. Thank you for always being there for me to fall back and talk to. Thank you to those that said "Kiddo, keep going", "Remember what you said to me before uni?"..

Vince
The one I met in April 2013. I can not thank this person any further. We argue A LOT. But without him being there for me during the stressful times during my final year, and constantly uploading delicious photos of food, I wouldn't remember to ensure I eat regularly because of studying. Thank you.

My three years in pictures.

First year

Ginny BB and myself. Our first and my favorite photo of us.

Thorpe Park with Kylie, Charlie, Jeremy and Harrison.
Me and my many facial expressions from the cold with Charlie.

My first K-Pop party.

Small world that Tiffany and Yung were friends.
Then came me and Kylie and we became friends the year after.

The first Chinese I met at Freshers! Ken!

Christmas Tree at Kingston in 2010.

Kisses for Kylie for her 19th.

I don't remember what happened there.

Jordinii and myself.

Myself and Kylie <3 td="">

K-pop's school night.

Pre-Christmas meet up with the girls.

Linde's Karaoke party.

Second Year

Last minute decision to party after a whole week of last minute coursework study in the library.
I loved how everyone were doing different coursework but
we all sat together and had dinner together as well as playing pranks on others.