Dear 2020: Making Moments Matter

In our ‘Dear 2020' series, students of SIM pen their heartfelt letters as they share their personal struggles and joys of what has been an unprecedented year.


Dear 2020,
Some call you horrible, others call you a wasted year or the worst one ever. I, for one, think you have been wonderful as compared to previous years and have chosen to take away some positive lessons that I have learned from you.

Back in March, I recall my professor telling us that we should prepare for the pandemic to worsen during our class. Within that same hour, we received an email that classes would be switched online for the rest of the semester.

Surprised. Anxious. Sad.  Those were my feelings when I heard the news. I remember telling my friend just a few days ago before that email that we should cherish every moment with our friends as we would not know when our last day of physical classes would be. You certainly taught me the importance of ‘cherishing every moment' in the present and the future.


I have come to treasure my family even more.

When the Circuit Breaker (CB) kicked in, I experienced things that I had never experienced before. When the supermarket shelves went empty, I started getting fearful of the virus. However, my parents and family members would assure me that everything would be fine.

You allowed me to learn to be more vulnerable with my family members as we started to share our feelings of uncertainty and our thoughts with each other. Being more open with my loved ones made me feel better and I learned that no matter what happens, my family will always be with me.

While we couldn't meet each other physically, I learned different ways of growing my friendships. My friends and I made an effort to call and check in on each other weekly. We would also play games together via Zoom and even surprise each other with food deliveries. These small gestures made me realise the importance of family and friends. Without them, the one and a half months of the CB would have felt like a year.


Cherishing the moments that I spend together with my friends.

At the start of the year, I wanted to achieve three key things: Grow in my knowledge, build my self-esteem and improve my social skills. I attended a range of workshops organised by SIM Career Connect and SIM Student Care. These workshops from career to wellness, helped me to discover more about myself and taught me the importance of self-love. I learned important skills and techniques that I can apply to everyday life. The old me always felt that I wasn't good enough but now I believe that I am enough and that I deserve to be happy. When the campus was closed, workshops were moved online and this allowed me to attend even more workshops! If it was not for the pandemic and the CB, I highly doubt that I would have seized as many opportunities as I did to become who I am now.

As you come to an end, I want to thank you for allowing me to experience so many things and feelings throughout this year. It might have been a roller coaster ride but I definitely had a lot of good times, especially with my family and friends. Hence, 2020, thank you so much for this fruitful year because I have grown a lot!

With lots of love,
Alicia Wong