Testimonial II by Syafa Rawaida, Auckland University

When I was asked to write a testimonial for her, I thought I did not deserve the honour. A part of me wanted to give the very best I could but the evil side of me weakened me with my inadequacies.

She really is not the type of girl that you look at and get mesmerized. Definitely not one of the kinds you find on magazine covers, yet she would never fail to impress you. I am not wrong if I say she was the one who taught me a lesson on judging a book by its cover. Small and petite, who is this girl who used to play the piano for the school assembly I thought, walking around putting a blank expression on her face every time she was seen. What surprises me more was the multiple posts she held in school. (Yes, for some reasons, she was the apple of everyone’s eye, mine excluded).

It happened that one day the school was organizing a drama competition and we were required to present the drama. She was the class monitor of 5 Science II and liked it or not she had to produce a drama, taking all responsibility and blames (if there ever was) into her hands. Competitions naturally make individuals competitive and so were the fifth formers. 5 Science II emerged the champion leaving 5 Science 1, grew green with envy. Many pulled out childish feuds about who should be winning the competition and everyone did their part in fuelling up the fire. She was calm despite the burning feud and as teachers were dragged into the matter, she played her part.

It was then that I realized that being the best does not guarantee the highest position in community and oddly, I was taught by the least suspected person. She enlightened me with all due respect that it was never right to put labels on people and practice superiority.

Now, when I think back, AKYH, who is also a diploma holder in music at only 16, puts a blank face not because she is inattentive, but because she disengages herself from sources that would diminish her personality. Her imperfections could never attempt to flaw her, as she is humbled by them. The diploma that she has received is the best example of her intense commitment towards a task. With a remarkable wit and intelligence, she has the ability to make one ponder with speechlessness.

Yea…I suppose she is the apple of my eye, with exclusion for bad hair days when she normally would go crappy over simple stuff. Period?? Yes, I get that too. We all do :)

P/S: Was whipped down FLAT by reading your writings...nonetheless thank you. I take all that in as compliments.