Page 4 - 德望學校（家長教師會22期）

Marina Chan

While preparing for your DSE exam, some of you may have wondered what it is. You may not understand why you are
required to memorize 12 Chinese passages, or to write near the speed of light. You are tired of ceaseless quizzes, tests
and tutorials. You know you are not learning, but you do not know what to do. You cannot see the end of this – or how this
will end – and you just want to give up. You are suffocating.
DSE itself is a demanding examination. But how I see it, it was never really about the knowledge being tested. It was
defi nitely not about who attended more tutorial schools or who memorized more information. It was about learning the
most effective and effi cient way to study, an insight which will stay with you for a lifetime. It was about managing your time,
your stress, and your emotions. It was about fi nding tiny sparks of joy even when all seemed dire. It was about learning to
prepare for the best and the worst.

If you are frustrated about your learning process, just ask. Ask your classmates - all those “study ig” guys (or even me!) -
how they study. There is no universal way to study, but they could be inspirations for your own study routine.

Rest well – both your soul and body. Take time off. I am not saying you should go into a 50-ep Korean drama marathon,
but when you feel stressed and unmotivated, just stop studying for a bit. Sleep. Listen to music in the sun. Hang out with
your friends. Go on a uni tour. Do anything to relax and fi nd motivation – and don’t feel
guilty about it.

There may be nights when you go to sleep feeling lonely and anxious and confused: do
not let them go on. Talk to your parents, teachers and friends about your fears. Let them
channel energy into you and remind you that you are not alone in this battle.
DSE can sometimes feel like a lonely fight. But there is always some joy to it: finally
getting a question right, producing a good essay, studying side-by-side with your
friends… So, do not despair.

And of course, at the end of the day, this exam hardly defi nes you. There are a million
ways for you to prove yourself and you should treat this exam as only one of them. It is,
however, a moment you want to look back on with no regrets, no matter what your results
turn out to be. So fi nd your way, take care of yourself and endeavor!

Ruby Leung

“Trust yourself, you can do it.” I kept saying this to myself every time I walked into the examination hall. Looking back to
those days when I had my DSE examination, what I feared the most was not the examination itself, but that I could not
do my best. After the start of study leave, I kept questioning myself. “Am I on the right track?” “Do I have enough time to
handle all the subjects?” “Am I prepared for this examination?” Pressure was all around me, I felt so vulnerable.
After this incident, I did not give up on myself. Instead, it taught me a life lesson that I will never forget, which is to always
have faith in myself. When I started to believe in myself, I found things went smoothly. Unlike in the past, I was now able
to concentrate and focus because I was not over-worried anymore. I followed my study plan and obtained a work-life
balance whilst still challenging myself. As days went by, I found myself becoming more and more confi dent. I felt like I
could pass through all the obstacles ahead of me and this spirit led me all the way on my DSE journey.

If I were to share my little secret of success, this would be it. Apart from having faith in God,
the person who we should always believe in and rely on is ourselves. If we do not trust
ourselves, failure is destined. Success never comes to those who keep questioning their
own abilities. I hope this spirit of mine can keep encouraging me and pushing me to become
a better person. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the
world,” said Nelson Mandela. With my knowledge, I hope to contribute to society by making
the world a better place.
My dear little sisters: going through the DSE journey is never an easy task. However,
remember this: you are not alone! You always have support from your family, your school,
your teachers, your friends and even your schoolmates no matter where you are or who you
are. It is tough, but eventually you will get through it. One day when you look back, you will
say, “oh, what a milestone.” You learn something from taking the DSE examination, not only
on an academic basis, but also in the aspect of personal development.

Have faith in yourself and I wish you all the best in your DSE examinations.

4