FollowToday marks the beginning of the SPM written papers, and what a way to kick-start the exam season — with Bahasa Malaysia, the must-pass subject that decides the fate of the entire exam. No matter how many As you score in the other papers, BM (and Sejarah on Wednesday!) are the gatekeepers. No pressure, right?…
All posts in Cassandra’s High School
From Picture Books to Prizes — Cass’s Beautiful Journey as a Reader
Cass walked through the door today, looking as calm and collected as any normal school day. Then she casually said, “I won something in April this year and I only found out today,” and pulled out a trophy from her bag. My heart stopped for a moment. She told me — in the most nonchalant,…
The Real Prize: Celebrating the Courage to Compete
Yesterday, the air in Subang was buzzing with the kind of nervous, excited energy that only a room full of high-achieving students can generate. It was the venue for the announcement of the winners and prize-giving ceremony of the Pearson Test of English (PTE) competition. Cass was among the attendees. She went there with her…
SPM Prep, PTE Scores, and a Mother’s Concern
The start of the week brought a mix of relief and celebration for my daughter, Cass. After a grueling three-hour session for the Pearson Test of English (PTE) online competition, she received her score: a remarkable 82 out of 90. This places her firmly in the “Advanced” range of the PTE Academic scoring scale, which…
Balancing Act: SPM and Pearson Test of English (PTE) Finals
Today marked a major milestone for Cass, as her SPM journey commenced with the Chinese oral test. As part of the first group, she was out of the house by 6:45 a.m. and back home before 9 a.m. While her classmates will be taking their turns throughout the rest of the week, the main written…
My Last Parents’ Day After 15 Years
Today may be a Sunday, but it wasn’t a sleep-in day for us — Cass had to be at school bright and early for Parents’ Day and report card collection. As one of the official photographers for the school (she’s in the Photography Club this year), she had to be there early to capture the…
A Peachy Chicken Chop and the Cost of Dreams
Cass’s lunner (lunch + dinner) yesterday was a delicious yet simple homecooked meal — air-fried chicken chop with tomatoes and blanched broccoli. The chicken was marinated with a mix of teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, a bit of oyster sauce, Lea & Perrins, black pepper, minced garlic, dried rosemary, and my secret twist — St. Dalfour’s…
Burning the Midnight Oil
This semester, Sherilyn is back at it—running on sheer willpower and caffeine, pulling all-nighters in her university studio with her course mates as they scramble to complete back-to-back assignments. For the past week, she’s left home in the morning and only returned around 7am the next day, barely catching a few hours of sleep before…
When the Music Stops
Last Saturday was quite a significant day for Cass. She headed off to Sunway College to participate in the Sunway Ox-Bridge Essay Competition — a prestigious nationwide event co-hosted by Sunway College and the Oxford & Cambridge Society Malaysia. This annual competition attracts bright young minds from all over Malaysia, and with cash prizes and…
Welcoming October 2024
Welcome October 2024!! As we step into the last quarter of 2024, I’m reflecting on how fast the year has flown by and how busy life has become for everyone in the family. My three daughters are all moving full steam ahead with their studies, hobbies, and personal goals, each on a unique journey. Here’s…
A Week in Our Humble Abode
The past week has been an intense period of dedication and sacrifice in our household. For nearly two weeks, the lights and fans in our home have been working overtime, as they haven’t been turned off at all. This might sound unusual, but there’s a perfectly good reason behind it. Cass has been burning the…
Quick Random Updates
Hey peeps, just a quick update as I have to be in bed early tonight for a very early appointment with my physiotherapist tomorrow morning. I think I have tennis elbow, a very painful condition affecting my right elbow, which makes bending my arm and using it difficult. Dang it, it’s on my right arm,…
Thursday, 2 November 2023
I just found out from Cass today that she’ll be sitting for the JUEC exam this week – commencing this Saturday through next Tuesday. Sunday INCLUDED. And this girl is still so chill!? What is UEC?The UEC was set up to unify the exams for independent Chinese schools, which uses Mandarin as their language of…
My Life In Photos The Past Week
This past week has been an eventful one in our household as we rallied around our youngest daughter, Cass, who has been tirelessly preparing for her mid-year exam. Her commitment to her studies was unparalleled as she immersed herself in rigorous preparation. Late nights became a norm as she burned the midnight oil, going above…