Since it seems customary for us to write a list of resolutions whenever New Year's Eve strikes, I decided to make one that's simple, not overly-ambitious and mandatory even. Without further ado, here I present my 2012 Resolutions:
1) Do more writing.
It's no secret that I have a horrendous writing skills, and even horrible use of grammar whenever I write something longer than two paragraphs. Yet when it comes to correcting people's mistakes, I can be quite sadist and cruel that some even label me as Grammar Nazi. I can't help myself throwing gentle reprimand or harsh insult here and there to people who abuse the grammar. It is much easier to find fault with others, than to be faultless ourselves after all. While I feel uneasy after showing such rudeness, I recognize its importance to improve our skills so I won't stop. I also recognize that with my current pathetic excuse of writing skills, it's very easy to reverse the situation. Therefore, as a defense mechanism for myself and maybe you, I declare that it is a must to write more in English, be it on blog, notebook or other social sites. If I can save a more room to breath, what's with thesis must be finished before August 2012, I'll start writing fanfiction again.
2) Speak more.
Before entering uni, I hadn't taken any English courses due to some financial problems. My parents always place their financial priority elsewhere: my grandmother, my younger sister, distant relatives, even my neighbors. They never see the importance of English since they can still live peacefully, albeit very frugally, with stable income comes from teaching mathematics to undergrads. I remember how I became a target of mockery in elementary and a joke in junior high school due to my poor English thus I envied people who can get enrolled to any English courses easily and become experts after that. Don't you know that you're so lucky? You can practically go anywhere since English is international language. At that time my only mean to improve the skills is by playing lots of games, but they only do so much to increase my vocabularies. Then I resort to visit internet cafe every weekend to access any kind of articles written in English. The wonderful discovery and regular reading of e-book and fanfiction takes my English skills to the whole new level: I scored 503 on my first TOEFL Prediction Test in 2008. Sure lots of you may score higher, but still, that milestone will be one that I cherish the most due to hard, independent work spent to achieve it. It seems I'm still pathetic in speaking though, since I don't have a conversation partner and due to save face attitude that has been ingrained deeply by my parents, I'm reluctant to utter any single words if I'm not sure of the grammar. New friends gained during the uni years have opened my eyes though, as they directly or indirectly give me boosts of confidence to speak more. I don't want their attempts to become futile. Therefore, I declare myself that this year I should speak more in English by entering a conversation club (plan to join one on March) or volunteering in multinational events that will give me a chance to interact with natives.
3) Be healthy.
I've tried various ways to lose weights, and after numerous failed attempts, I decided that losing weights isn't something that can be simply done and I should be grateful with my current physical condition. It's wiser to focus more on keep being healthy rather than becoming slim, or so I think. Therefore, I declare myself that this year I will eat more nutritious, healthy food such as vegetables and fruits and also exercise more by saving up money to apply for gym membership.
4) Graduate.
It's highly mandatory to achieve before August since the government through Educational Ministry has established new regulation stating that undergrads that haven't finished their thesis after August should publish at least one article on academic journal before they can graduate. While I can see through its reason, I think the regulation has been thrown too hastily. Since I don't want to publish the article (I have enough of it in my high school years), I declare myself that this year, before August and preferably on June, I will finish my thesis and graduate with stellar GPA.
5) Get a job with high salary, preferably in a multinational company.
Call me materialistic woman and a traitor, and yet I won't ever change my mind. I know that people should get a job based on their passions but since I haven't had one (or haven't realized it yet), I decided to choose to the job with highest salaries (yet I'll refuse it if the offer comes from banking industry, I don't have the spirit to work that hard and live out of stressful environment) preferably in multinational company to better utilize my current English skills and improve them. I sincerely wish that in three years I will have to know my passions thus I can choose a job that can accommodate those passions. After all I have a motivation to pay for my sister's tuition fee to ease my parent's burden... and this time, being idealist cannot help me to realize that motivation.
And that's all. If you're deeply moved with these resolutions, or at least appreciate the time spent to write it, please wish that all of them will become true in 2012. If you're not... well, I wish nothing but the best for you (credits to Adele for these words).
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