I received the Certificate to Love People

That’s it. CLP. Done and dusted.

(aka Certificate of Legal Practice, which is a requirement for those who would like to practice law in Malaysia)

Had an overwhelming storm of emotions today starting from the moment I stared at the results slip:

General Paper – P

Civil Procedure – C

Criminal Procedure – P

Evidence – P

Professional Paper – P

What the hell is a P?? Pass izit?? Please tell me it’s a pass omg

Then I looked down.

Overall Results: PASS

“OMG!!! I PASSED!!!” I yelled at my parents. “THIS IS NOT A DREAM RIGHT??”

I couldn’t believe my eyes, wondering if I saw another person’s results mistakenly.

My eyes scanned upwards.

Melody Woon Sze Mun.

Yep, that’s my name, and the IC too.

And even then I needed 3 other friends to verify it before I truly believed it myself.

I have done it. I have passed the CLP in one sitting. I was beyond ecstatic.

But I’m rambling.

This post is for me in the future, to remember the roiling emotions I felt today.

But this is also a post where I want to dedicate my deepest gratitude to the people who have stuck by my side throughout the past year as I set off on my quest to complete the CLP.

First of all, I would like to dedicate this to my parents, for without their insistence that I complete my CLP even though I was very reluctant to do so (knowing the passing rate and all), they had been very gracious in allowing me a gap year in which I played, did my volunteer work and worked for Pesticides Action Network (PAN AP) an NGO in Penang before they put their foot down quite firmly and insisted that I finish my CLP. Without your unwavering faith in me, I would not have been able to reach this point of my life today. Thanks mum, dad. <3

Family pic <3

Secondly, I’d have to contribute this to my relatives, the first being my maternal grandparents in Ampang. Even though she nagged at me day and night, and found fault in much of my activities and behavior, I always had a sanctuary to call home in KL. Grandpa lent me his old Getz without which it’d have been more time-consuming and tiring to commute to and from classes, some of which were held til 9.30pm Both of them also ensured that there be a constant supply of food at home so I’d never starve even when I reached home late after class, tired and hungry. And even though it took me several seconds of yelling through the phone before it got through her terrible hearing today, I teared up because I heard it, I heard the pride in her voice. Her granddaughter made it.

From left, Yee Seng, Howard,
Grace and Wen Chi :') 

I must also contribute this to another family in Seputeh, without which I would have panicked not making it in time for the CLP examinations at Universiti Malaya. Thank you Tai Q Po, who cooked delicious home cooked food every time I visited and even a special meal to celebrate the end of the last paper of CLP. Thank you Henry qq, Kanglu qq, Bee Bee q meh, Ai Kim q meh and Belinda yiyi, all of whom always gave me a ride back home whenever I needed a lift from the bus or train station. And the kids, I wouldn’t have made it without them. Whenever I felt stressed out after studying, revising, class, topics, the sheer volume of texts I’d have to read, spending time playing with the kids always calmed me down and helped me destress because I never could stop laughing at their antics. One day when you are older, Howard, Grace and Wen Chi, I will explain to you again, how important you were to me during that period of time. I miss you all already.

Q po and Howard <3

I must also contribute this to my beloved Q po and Q gong in Seremban, whenever I wanted a place to just be myself and just rest and calm down, their house was always open to me. It was my sanctuary, my place where I could take a nap without stresses or worries and when I wake up, Q po always has a plate of freshly cut fruits waiting for me before I drove back to KL. She is an amazing woman with such a lot of love to give and I''m so lucky to be one of her recipients of her love.

I am also dedicating this to my paternal grandparents and my uncle Tom and aunt Irene in Seremban whose WiFi at their house was central to me doing a lot of online research when I needed it.

Clockwise starting from me, Poh Yee, Boss
Yanyan and my cousin SzeQing <3

And I must thank my uncle and aunt in Cheras, who always gave me a place to stay during the weekends so that I could have access to the Internet and good food. Sleeping over at my cousin’s during the weekends always made the rest of the week easier to get through because I could always look forward to the weekends. Qing, who studies medicine, always shares her medical stuff with me whenever I got tired of law, and then I’d tell her about tort and medical law and we’d have such a good time chatting it’d be nearly dawn before we collapsed from exhaustion and her bed is just so comfy to sleep in I even dedicated a poem to it once ;) the link can be found here. Whenever I needed good food to cheer me up, she would take me to our favorite steamboat restaurant, Taifeng for a good meal with some friends: Boss, Yanyan and Poh Yee. Then we’d head home for a crazy round of mahjong before we all said our goodbyes and I’d go home to my books. The month before CLP, my cousin took me to a really nice, quiet café, Broffee so that I could study in peace and quiet. She also took her medical books out to study with me and her quiet, solid companionship is all I needed to keep myself focused on the task at hand. Thank you cuzz, for everything.

Because I needed a pic of a RED T-REX MUAHA

A Chinese Proverb states that, “At home, you rely on your parents; outside, you rely on your friends.” I was lucky enough to have another place in Cheras to study and eat home cooked food during my exam period. The Oons were incredibly warm towards me, opening their house and hearth to me every day before I had an exam paper. I remember Mama Oon saying that outside food is no good, especially when I was taking my exam papers and she invited me to come over for some good, home cooked food throughout the CLP examinations. I had brain food every time LOL steamed fish in 3 different sauces all three times I stayed for dinner with them. I still remember the time when I wanted desperately to watch the Olympic badminton finals but Yanyan was adamant I studied so she (literally) jailed me in her room upstairs while I stared blearily at my notes listening to the family watching the game downstairs. Thanks dear, that lockup was worth it ;)

Even today when I received my results, mum said, “You have to call and tell Yanyan’s mum thank you for feeding you during your exam period ya,” Yanyan was one of the first few I Whatsapped to share the happy news but I was the one who was surprised because she was the first to call me the whole day. Thanks dear, I couldn’t call you coz I knew I’d break down but you called and I broke down anyway LOLLL. Then I called her mum but couldn’t get her. To my absolute surprise I received a call from an unknown KL number and lo and behold, Mama Oon’s voice in my ear saying, “You’re Melody right? I’m Yanyan’s mother, your results out already?? How was it?” I was dumbfounded, but recovered quickly to tell her and thank her at which point she brushed it off and congratulated me and ended the call by saying that she hoped to see me very soon. And that was my second call of the day :)

From left, Pik Yee, Sheryn and myself :)

Now I come to my comrades, those who understand the struggle of taking the CLP examinations, my fellow comrades who passed, congratulations and all the best in the next step of our lives. Those who did not make it this round, CLP is a bitch and luck plays a huge role in it, therefore please do not give up the struggle and try again next year, my best wishes go with you. I have a few CLP friends without whom my daily struggles as a CLP student would have been unbearable. Pik Yee and Sheryn, my best buddies who cheer me up during boring classes, eat meals together and accompany me to explore places and events that I want to explore, you guys made CLP life bearable and for that I thank you both.

Clockwise from top left, Sheryn, Siau Kee, Pik Yee,
myself and Josephine

Also I must thank Siau Kee and Josephine, who took time off revision to celebrate Pik Yee and my own birthday for us even though it was so close to the CLP examination. Felicia, who prepared breakfast sandwiches with avocado and smoked salmon for me during CLP when it was too early for me to buy my own breakfast. Ashu, who is my best Yindian buddy for everything political, artsy-fartsy and adventurous. You guys made CLP bearable, fun even!

Clockwise from top left,
Sze Yung, myself,
Ron and Elucia

And to my best mates back in CH, without whom I'd die like a fish out of water because I need your idiotic puns and jokes and laughter to keep me going whenever I miss CH. Thanks especially to Elucia and Sze Yung who were both always just 'One Call Away' or 'One Whatsapp Away' for that matter. The calls to cheer me up, the Whatsapp messages to ask me how was I coping, I am eternally grateful for their concern for me. 16 years and counting guys, (18 in Elucia's case ;)

I have now come an to an end of my gratitude post, I actually think there are more people to thank but at this particular moment I'm feeling rather sleepy after such an emotional roller coaster ride today so I'm going to sign off on a happy note. Besides, I think I got the most important ones :)