Page 3 - 德望學校（家長教師會22期）

DSE Top 4 students

Cheris Lee

Looking back, I am still in awe of what has happened in the past few months: achieving a full score in the DSE
examination, being interviewed by newspapers and magazines that I actually read, being criticised by netizens for my
aspirations and, of course, meeting a big group of new friends at university. There have been a lot of ups and downs ever
since I picked up the title of “top-scorer”. While it is undoubtedly an honour that affi rms my efforts, I was almost instantly
stereotyped as nerdy and boring, especially during the university’s orientation period. Not only that, I was also openly
challenged on what I said in interviews, being attacked for not commenting on sensitive political issues. This unfamiliar
identity brought with it a sense of accomplishment, but also a fair share of frustration.

However, the truth is that my mentality is not really affected by all of these: I am not particularly infl ated because of my
results or especially down due to others’ opinions, and I believe this is my magic formula to academic success. Preparing
for the DSE examinations can be a tough process, not only for its broad syllabi and tricky questions, but also the stress
and pressure that inevitably come along. You may spend an incredible amount of time digesting and memorising pages of
textbooks, but still end up with an unsatisfactory result. The point is that a huge investment may not necessarily guarantee
a fruitful return, and you have to accept this cold hard fact. Keeping a calm and stable mentality, unaffected by things
around you, is not a painless task. Yet, if your emotions fl uctuate easily, it will be diffi cult for
you to ace your examinations, and be even more demanding when you encounter questions
whose answers you do not know under the time constraints.
You may ask: how to maintain such a peaceful state of mind? I would humbly say, at the end
of the day, it is all about believing in yourself. Trust yourself, because nobody knows you better
than you do. Strive for your goals fearlessly and never let self-doubt hinder you from your full
potential. Change your perspective and treat failures as excellent opportunities to thrive. A bad
result in mock examinations is not disapproval of what you have done, but instead a chance
for you to review your weaknesses and adjust your revision tactics.
The DSE is much more than merely a public examination – it is a course of time in which I
have learnt so much intellectually and grown up mentally as a person. Despite hurdles and
obstacles along the way, remember to stay calm and have faith: this is all you really need in
life.
Me at a uniform-themed Superpass Party organised by The University of Hong
By Lee Cheuk Ying, Cheris Kong earlier. A Superpass Party is a unique aspect of HKU culture where we write

fai chuns, making our wish to get good results in the upcoming examinations.

Chloe Cheung

‘Wake up with determination, go to bed with satisfaction.’ This is a quote I wrote onto a piece of paper that I stuck to my
desk front during my DSE-preparation period. I would say having clear goals is the key, whether it is a daily goal or a long-
term one. Goals are fuels to keep you going.

I’d start with daily goals fi rst. During the study period, the fi rst thing I did every day was to write up a list of study goals.
Studying topics randomly is not an effi cient studying strategy and a lot of time gets wasted because of it. Try to carefully
plan your study schedule, such as doing Mathematics past papers in the morning, writing a Chinese composition after
lunch, doing Physics multiple-choice questions in the evening and revising Biology after dinner. This will help you keep
track of your progress and ensure that you do not develop a backlog in any subject.
Apart from these short-terms goals, set long-term goals for yourself to aim at. For instance,
which university programmes do you want to get into? What is your dream career? Once
you’ve got a clear goal, it will help you remain focused throughout your DSE preparation.
Motivation, along with hard work, is the key to success.

Last but not least, always bear in mind that you are not alone. Your parents, your peers,
and your teachers are always by your side fighting this hard battle with you. I would like
to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who supported me unconditionally all along
the way. Whenever I was in desperation and wanted to give up, they were there to provide
me with the greatest support and encouragement, giving me strength to persevere and
endeavour.

Remember: “Don’t stress. Do your best. Forget the rest.” I wish you the best of luck!

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