Downhill

I have some friends/acquaintances, who think that because they have gone through NS, they know more than me. They are more mature. Basically they like to say " you haven't been through NS, you don't know one." Ok, I do understand that NS is a trying time and that it does change people. But does that warrant a "I look you no up" behavior?

Frankly, I do not believe its NS per se that makes someone grow/mature. I think its more of going through a down experience.

Many of us have had it good. Good school, good grades, nice friends....we pretty much had it all going for us. For the guys, esp those in certain units, this smooth path is suddenly made bumpy with NS. Where they are the scum of the earth. Unless your unit is a white horse type...

But we don't need NS to bring us crashing back down to reality. There are many other things.
Personally, I was bullied when I was 9. Well, why am I talking about it? I guess cos I realized it is this experience that has made me who I am today. It was due in part to me, because I was used to being popular n a leader in my old pri school. In my new one, the culture was diff and I could not adapt in time. So I was bullied, called names, no friends...I pretty much had to be strong...in front of pple, self reliant..go home can cry..just not in front of THOSE people.
I never told my parents. Till the teacher told them at the end of the year. Yes, this was a year long affair.
I don't wanna go into details. But I can guarantee you it was a shock. From popular to unpopular and bullied. And I was 9. I swear my world crashed. So who needs NS to wake one up?

This little spiral down to earth has made me more aware of other people. Of the left behind, those who cannot make it in society, of the weak....I feel a need to protect them, esp if they are bullied
I feel for them. Something I might have been able to do before that experience...and personally, I'm aware I can fail. Life is not a bed of roses.