Chapter 5.3 - The future that flashed past.

Already been a week since I came back. Started school, attended lectures, lab sessions and farm practicals. Feels like nothing's changed ever since I went back to singapore for a couple of weeks. Other than a few new faces in school, the lecture theatres feels the same, smells the same. The air here tasted no difference, except a lil colder this time. Perhaps towards the dry side.

This semester seemed tough. I'm getting all of it in the first week already. 2 lab sessions, and a farm practical every week. Three hours each. Add these to the lectures and tutorials for each of the units. Nope this isn't going to be tough, I prefer to see it as a challenge, a challenge to me. And these challenges and obstacles are present before me for me to overcome them. That's their only purpose. For the future I will fight for it, or the future I never will once say I give up. I guess when you know what's worth fighting for, you will go for it. well, to put it in another manner - mind over matter.

My farm practs is kinda crazy. Examinations' on cattle, horse, pigs and sheep handling. Approaching them, bringing them into the shed, walking horses, feeding and stuff like that are all assessed. The amazing part is species identification. Little did I realised the incredible number of different breeds of horses, cattle, pigs and sheeps! Assessement is like me in the horse paddocks alone, with over 20 students and examiners standing outside watching. As one of the lady in the farm mentioned - I'm not going to listen to reasons like oh you can't perform when everyone's watching you if you fail the exams. When you guys graduate as vets, you will be always dealing with customers and you're not going to be alone with the owner's cattle, everyone's going to watch what you do. You guys better start getting use to it, and don't blame me if anyone of you fail my assessement.

Scary woman. Everyone's so scared of her. Talking to her alone is worse than being with a bull alone in the shed. Lastly..She'd be the one who will test us on identifying 20 different species of plants and herbs! I heard it's tested off the plantation itself.. she'll point at the plant and we've to write down the specie name of the plant, almost immediately.

Her words seemed so harsh, yet impactful. She set me thinking on how a farm vet works. Clinical and farm vets are like two different profession. The way of life is so different. Farm vets not only ensure the well-being and health of the animals, but know the breeding season, suitable types of soil for different grass and thus food and nutrition. When you deal with pigs, there're many biosecurity issues as well, given the currently global pandemic. It's a very very very dirty work. such a vast difference. It's really nothing about the soil and mud and menure. Yes they stink, they smell, it's wet and definitely not the kind of working environment many vets who are used to staying in highrise apartments, will be used to. I'd beg to differ...if you're dirty, you can always clean up at the end of the day. If you truly believe in what you do, where your passion lies, nothing will present itself large enough to stop you from doing it.

As I am still going on and on and on about farm vets, I realised I've an imminent issue ahead. The idea of applying as a PR isn't something I'd look forward to. which means, I wouldn't be able to leave here for the next two years. It's two years. I haven't told many, for I don't see the need to. for me, I believe nothing is certain, things will change. it's always about the 'who knows..?' and the buts and ifs. That's how I am looking at it at the moment.

Life is amazing. Live life to the fullest! Everyday is a gift, count your blessings. Today must be better than yesterday and tomorrow will be better than today. :)