My First Time

My years as a student were mostly spent as a school debater. Most of the people who come across me would identify me as a debater first, student second.

It crossed my mind sometimes whether I should continue to debate again. At the risk of sounding a bit pompous, everyone was expecting me to debate again as I set my foot in university. I hesitated for a while not to make any important decisions as I also needed a break from everything. Hence, every decision must be made with a thorough consideration.

I have this fear that if I were to repeat anything that I had done in the past, it might lead me to stay in my own comfort zone. The moment that I did not make it to the UK, I know that for every single thing that I’m going to do next, it must be something new and different. Moving on to new frontier often offers you new experience and more importantly, you know where you stand.

In that respect, my recent participation in a moot court competition in University Malaya gave the most valuable lessons of all. It was so refreshing to see myself back in the same business again albeit it was in a different setting and the competition itself demands more hard work and expectations from the participants.

I had problems in the beginning to make myself comfortable with the team. I was taught since day one that chemistry among team members plays huge role in determining the success of any teams. That was my first time having non-Malays team members fighting alongside me in a competition (see, it doesn’t take a hollow slogan to unite us the Malaysians). That was my first time went against participants who spoke better English than me. That was my first time being judged by law lecturers and practicing lawyers who constantly asked tough questions in every single minute of my oral submission.

We did not make it, but it was such a great deal to me as my encounter with this “new thing” reinforces my belief to keep doing new things although I may not be that good early on. At the end of the day, it is the journey that matters and not the destination. I learnt many important lessons, the same way I did during my debating years.

And remember, practice makes perfect (and our FIRST TIME is always ADDICTIVE ha ha)