I remember sitting in the school field on a Monday morning when I was in Form One. I was about to doze off halfway through listening to a speech when something caught my eye.
Two Form Five girls in their vibrant green Girl Guide uniforms were standing beside the podium. What caught my attention wasn’t their uniforms, but their yellow sashes and Guider’s hats.
Then came the announcement of their names as they marched up the podium and received a certificate each from the principal.
Awestruck, I made a little wish in my heart – that I could one day walk up the podium just like they did! At that moment, my dream of attaining the coveted Queen’s Guide Award – the highest level of achievement for Girl Guides – was born.
I became a Girl Guide the following year. Being the timid and introverted girl I was, I did not have the guts to ask anyone about the award and how to achieve it.
I sat for tests not knowing their purposes. It wasn’t until I was in Form Three that I expressed my wish to attain the award before I graduated from secondary school.
A close friend told me that it would be hard for me to keep up since I had already wasted two years. I laughed off her comment but deep down, I felt discouraged.
Thankfully, one of the leaders found out about it and encouraged me to give it a try. I’ll tell you upfront. The journey to achieving the Queen’s Guide Award is nothing less than stressful. I had to complete never-ending logbooks and practical tests all while juggling my academic assignments.
There was a time where I wanted to quit but I asked myself, “How badly do you want this award?” I knew it was a goal I really wanted to achieve.
There were also tons of camps and events that I had to attend to show that I was active in Girl Guide activities. From organising district- level camps to taking part in international talent competitions, I saw my way through nonetheless.
The final stage was a three- month community service project that required me to lead a 10-person team. I decided to make use of the old wooden tables in my school and turned them into recycling bins. We did everything from scratch with little supervision from our teachers.
It was also through our hard work that we obtained funds for the project as we were not allowed to use a penny from our pocket money. Even though there were ups and downs, we were able to complete it ahead of the deadline and the project was a success.
Despite the obstacles throughout the two years and three months it took me to complete the entire course, I am grateful for my experience. It made me step out of my comfort zone and do things that I wouldn’t have done. I am confident the leadership and problem-solving skills I gained from there will always stand me in good stead.
N ote: This article was written and published in The Star's NIE pullout in August 2018.
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