Since the day I entered foundation studies, it took me about 2.5 years to finish some materials starting from calculus of 1000+- pages to 400+- pages P manual to 500+- pages FM manual to 1000+- MLC manual to 350+- MFE manual to 1200+- C manual, thus making a total of around 4500 pages of papers full of words and numbers. This is the actuarial pathway, and I expect another 6000 pages for the two final advanced exams.
Until today, having just sat for the last preliminary exams, the fresh memory of sitting for the first exam is still deeply etched in my mind. That was May 2007, 12pm. I can still remember: I could solve some of the questions, and some couldn't, I heard sighing from the one besides me, someone was having a typing test (The sound of typing by that time still sounds in my mind)... Now, I have already finished exam C. It is fresh in reminisce, but it was already 1.5 years ago.
During the years, my mother has been urging me to stop taking it and to have a break, for she indeed witnesses my aggressiveness in studies. My friends in my university viewed me as nerd who only knew studying when I was in the first semester, for I always carry a 500+- pages file with me when I go for class. Some of the members in Actuarial Outpost also encouraged me to go for development in other aspects instead of taking actuarial exams. My housemates keep reminding me that my grey hair has grown more, and I defend it by saying that it is because of gene. Some lecturers said that I can never make it, some said I should go on, some said I should go for other modules... There were so many people advising, but in the end, still, I am the one who made the decision to finish it.
These years, I don't have the freedom to get 'crazy' or to have great fun as common campus students do. I had a preconception that, campus life should be relax and easy, should be full of fun, should be fun of fresh and exciting experience. When I was in foundation studies, I was expecting a 3 years-course with much leisure time. Nonetheless, mine is definitely not. Everyday, my sleeping time is averaged at 5 hours, and I deeply know that I need 8 hours per day. My mother and some of my friends advice me not to do so, for it shortens life. Well, sometimes, when we are committed to or commissioned by something, we have to go on with all the price.
Many people say that I am gifted, I am blessed with brains in many aspects, but I am trying to be frank here: I am not that intelligent as many think. As life goes on, as life is experienced deeper and further, I come to realize that, there are simply too many genius out there, and there are too many people who are much much better than me, and that I am indeed too small to be compared to them. There are unseen things unseen. This is a true word, not sarcasm. Even intelligence itself doesn't guarantee anything. It is just an add-on priviledge in life. Hence, a word to actuarial students here: if you think that you are not brilliant, make sure that you are diligent, and diligence is most of the time evaluated by the time you spend.
At a blink of eyes, I have already gone through half of my campus years. Did I utilize my time effectively? Are those which I have gained, obtained worthwhile? I am still evaluating, and I will decide what to do for the another half.
So, are the points above related to the topic? I think so.
