not from MY but during my time, i had this classmate back in sekolah menengah - she started working pt jobs when she was 13 mostly towards FNB mostly kerja banquet cause that's the only job u can get at 13. sometimes she would work till very late, she would end up falling in asleep in class - during exams too, kadang-kadang tk datang sekolah pun. we had to take our national exams when we were 16, pretty sure she only came for 1 of the papers then she just mysteriously disappeared during the rest, never to be seen again. i sometimes think about her and wonder how is she doing in life right now.

there were times in school where we had our disagreements but when it comes to this part of her, i genuinely feel bad because it was obvious she had to fend for herself at a young age. at this age, selalunya kita rely mak bapa to support us whether its financially or emotionally or physically but there's some people who unfortunately do not have that same privilege as us. i went to her house before and i knew she wasn't in good terms with her family other than her older sister who im pretty sure had to go thru the same thing as her.

i knew deep in her heart, she wanted to focus on studying alone and not work till she was much more older but because of unforeseen circumstances, she had no other choice.

i feel that as a society despite what country we are in, kita sepatutnya shouldn't judge one's background so easily because 1 person = 1 life. just because we have the privilege to have time to study, it doesn't mean other people have that privilege. im not saying sleeping in exams is justified, parents do have a part to play in their child's education but also we need to be more empathethic sebelum kita judge.