You’re not behind time, never will be ✨
I was 16 years old when I graduated from Secondary School in 2016, I really did not know what to do with my life, I was not like other students who knew what they wanted to do or even further studies on despite the constant research on the ITE’s website. I strongly knew I wanted to enter ITE College Central due to the distance from my house to school and it being the biggest ITE College but not the course.
I was 17 years old when I entered Institute of Technical Education via the EAE route for Nitec in Visual Effects in 2017 (which has been discontinued in Nitec, but still offering in Higher Nitec), didn’t do any research, basically just bombed during the drawing test and interview with the question of ‘What made you want to join our course?’ with the reply of ‘I found the name Visual Effects really intriguing and made me want to find out and learn more about the course’ got me into the course. Of course, throughout the course, there were modules that were not my strongest suit and despised it a lot a lot such as 3D, rotoscoping.. But I managed to graduate after 2 years because of the friends I’ve made, they were always there when I needed help and I would return the help whenever they needed it too.
I was 19 when I attended Higher Nitec while others were in Polytechnic, I’ve got rejected by my top choice, Performance Production (stage related), hence being offered my second choice, Broadcast Media and Technology which I felt that if I rejected it, I would not have anymore chances in advancing to Polytechnic hence the choice of going with it for another 2 more years knowing very well that I will no longer be in my teens anymore.
After 4 years in ITE which I spent all of my teens, I got into Polytechnic when I was 20/21 while my peers were 17/18/19 or even younger than me. That really struck me hard because while they were excelling in life, enjoying their teens, able to make friends easily, loved what they pursuing, I was stuck once again like ‘what was I suppose to do..?’
I was given the testers of courses before choosing the one I preferred, but of all I chose Design in Communication & Experience which was the hardest and most dropout rates amongst all the design courses offered in Singapore Poly. And as you know, design courses have the most group projects and me being an introvert and always lack the ability to think of ideas on spot aka critical thinking, which is why I never rated myself highly at all during peer evaluation assessments (50% of your gpa is affected by this). I always self-blamed myself for being so lacking and stupid when in fact I was already trying my very best, and critical thinking was not my strongest suit which was something I couldn’t accept at all, like I had something I am not good at..?!
And.. finally.. I graduated from Polytechnic when I was 23 years old. Was I the oldest when I graduated? No, there were a few of my peers who were older than me by 1-2 years and they did graduated too even though we were almost/in our mid 20s.
Right now, at the age of 24 I am could not secure a spot in university, yes I dwelled and blamed myself for not working extremely hard and now the result is like that. Going private universities was definitely one of my alternatives, but I did not want to burden myself nor my parents with huge financial debts to deal with down the road. I know how well of a financial situation I am in hence I decided to forgo private universities as well. However, after months of tediously finding a job, I was offered the opportunity to work under a 6 months contract as an Operations Coordinator for a huge MNC company which gave me the first taste of working world even though it is not considered as a ‘full-time job’ though I am working like a full-time.
In life, there’s nothing such as you’re absolutely behind time you have planned, sometimes disruptions in your plans may be a good thing to get you walking to the other path that you were meant to take which you weren’t in the beginning. Whatever age you are, don’t ever compare your first step with others’ hundred steps, you are exactly where you are meant to be for a reason. Age doesn’t matter, there are people who are way older than you but still constantly giving their best and wanting to learn, or even graduated top of his/her cohort at their ages. You should too even if at the end of this path, there’s nothing in sight, at least you have learned useful and meaningful lessons!
Throughout my journey, I realized that the pressure to be 'on time' with peers can be overwhelming. There were moments I wondered if I was behind, especially when friends progressed faster or seemed more certain about their paths. But what truly helped was shifting my focus inward and appreciating my own growth rather than comparing timelines. Finding your own pace is crucial. Whether it’s education, career, or personal milestones, everyone’s clock ticks differently. For example, I spent years exploring different fields before settling into something that suited me, which actually enriched my skills and perspectives. It’s also important to acknowledge the value of experiences that aren’t always linear or traditional. Contract roles and internships, like the one I had as an Operations Coordinator, taught me practical skills and resilience that textbooks never could. If you feel behind, remind yourself that life is not a race. Being older than your peers doesn’t lessen your achievements; it often means you bring unique insights and maturity to the table. Embrace learning at your own pace and remember that every step, regardless of when it happens, contributes to your story. Lastly, take comfort in knowing that many have navigated similar paths and uncertainties. Your timing is your own, and that is perfectly okay.
I feel like it's great that you went to poly, teaches you alot of things