In high school, I spent the majority of my time dating girls. I wished I had spent more time and effort studying, but hormones damage a boy’s brain during puberty. Unfortunately, there was no course at school that taught me about love and how to love. My family would not discuss this matter openly at home, so I learned the hard way through trial and error, which was unfortunate. I was too shy as an introvert to tell the girl I liked her. I was attracted to a gorgeous girl, and that was my first love. It was so innocent and naïve. Cupid shot the arrow at me, and I fell for her. Jessie was her name. She was a classmate who appeared to be a nice sweet girl. I stared at her occasionally and fantasized about all the love stories that may happen to us. But it never happened because I was too embarrassed to ask if she felt the same way about me. Life is funny; instead, other girls fell for me. I had an ordinary, quiet, composed appearance.

To make matters worse, one of the class’s worst girls was aggressive to ask me out, and I accepted her offer because I didn’t know how to decline her pursue. Ultimately, this ugly girl became my first girlfriend. Meanwhile, I found out that the pretty girl I liked had discreetly reciprocated my feelings. When she discovered that I was going out with that ugly girl, her heart broke. Yes, I shattered her heart. This puppy love came to my attention a little late in the game, and it’s a straightforward love story laced with remorse. As a young introvert, I learned the lesson of the first love.

There were five classes in the same cohort in high school, and I was in the weakest class in the school, but I was the best student there. Something went wrong in my class culture: pupils were bad in puberty, and there was a lack of drive to learn. Because the females were so open, touching each other’s sex organs out of curiosity with a high level of sex hormones, I began to have complicated love relationships with other girls in the class. I used ICQ (an ancient online messaging app) to meet a girl from the next-door school. We met and dated in the dark cinema to watch movies, and then she put my hand on her breast. She drove me home after the show; it was my first sex education. After school, I learned more than I did throughout the school day. Students were always cheating on tests using past test papers from repeat students. I was in the worst class, and even teachers had lost interest in teaching us. Thus, I lost interest in studying.

I’ve had a lot of influence from the girls I’ve dated. I stayed outside the home longer and returned home late after midnight when I dated a bad girl. After more than ten chaotic short relationships, I became interested in dating the best student in the best class. Her name is Doris. She was the top student receiving straight A’s in all courses. Doris outperformed the rest of us, and the school named her the M.C. for all of the school’s events. She talked confidently in front of the students. I was looking up at her on stage as a dirty boy, admiring her. I set out on a mission to turn this best student into my girlfriend. Out of everyone’s envy, she miraculously became my girlfriend. Because my academic scores needed to catch up, I began to feel under pressure. On every subject, she beat me. However, by taking her as my girlfriend, my self-esteem improved. I began to work harder in class and eventually received top grades in chemistry, winning her just in one subject. I was more motivated to learn and improve as a student. The change in my behaviour was due to her credit. We had a stable and steady relationship, and this lasted till we went to different universities.

We must take one public exam before beginning high school. The competition became fierce when the school reduced five classes to only one science and one art class. I knew I should concentrate on the exam, but I prefered extracurricular activities over academics. To meet girls, I joined various societies, such as a dancing club. I eventually rose to the position of president of the graduation dinner committee, planning the event. I enjoyed being a leader in the association, and Doris, of course, was the night’s emcee. It was stressful to talk about budgets and shoot videos, and no matter how hard I tried, some disgruntled pupils refused to go through with the idea. That encounter taught me a lot. Although I did not devote 100% of my attention to the public exam, I received 24/30 points with 6 Bs in all areas, placing me in high school.

The first round of public examination was entering high school. For A-level students who wanted to go to university, there was a second general exam. It was one of the most difficult tests I had ever taken, and the competition was keen. Once again, I did not solely concentrate on academics and stood for president of the student union. Because it was difficult, it was the most unforgettable period. I only got 3 hours of sleep per night because I dealt with my studies and the student union. I had confidence in my ability to balance both at the same time. However, when the midterm exam results were announced, I was totally at a loss. Dismal and distressed, I had to decide whether to continue with the works of the organizations and studied for the final examination whenever I had the time. I bit the bullet and continued with the status quo. There was a volume of works to do at the students’ organisation. I organised charity activities to support the 2008 China’s earthquake. I raised funds for the refugees and planned a fashion show. Most of the events went on well, and the fashion show was a huge success. At least, my hard work paid off, and people began applauding my efforts. It felt nice to give back to society, and my public examination results were strong enough to get me into the Chinese University of Hong Kong to study chemistry.

Chinese language and culture became my favourite subjects in the A-level test. I adored it and, as a scientific student, I even outperformed my art peers in terms of grades. The subject led me to ponder the meaning of life as well as Confucius’ principles. I was attracted by any intellectual conversation about the ideal political system and what to do with my future life as a young man growing up and maturing. I was influenced by Li Tiamming’s book, which is written by a famous philosopher, about his art of thinking. I don’t need to look for the ultimate explanation of life’s meaning. I just need to come up with a good enough answer, such as:

  1. Expand my knowledge
  2. Broaden my experience
  3. Take pleasure in life
  4. Contribute to society
  5. Develop interpersonal relationships

These are my motivations for living a meaningful life, and serving as President of the Students Union is a step ahead in my education and service.