Turning 22

Alright, it's official. I am finally an adult. At 21, you plan the biggest celebration of your life. You eagerly anticipate the benefits of adulthood. 21 is the age where you are an adult but you believe that you are still a teenager. You go around laughing at people who still can't qualify for the Singapore shares, who can't vote, who can't enter certain clubs. You laugh because you know you are old enough to do these things yet young enough to laugh at those who still can't. 21, to sum up in a few words, is a period where you are in transit from teenage to adulthood.

Today, as I type this entry, I am undisputably 22. I tried hard to unconvince myself but I took 2007 minus 1985 and I found out that figures can't lie. It's 22 staring at my face. As I blew the candles on my birthday cake last night, my father asked me to make a wish. I asked myself what wish? What do I want now since I am finally finally an adult?

I realize, all kiddy nonsense should stop and all the cliche stuff like world peace and a better Africa should go out of the window as well. I decided that today on my blog, I should devise a list of practical wishes for myself and my country, Singapore.

1. No inflation please

For all those who are oblivious, our minister said that inflation will rise to 5 percent next year. These latest statistics were released after analysis of our CPI (Consumer Price Index). This leads me to a several questions. First, the government insisted that the increase of GST from 5% to 7% was inevitable and it was better to take the bitter pill sooner than later. The GST was increased amid a hazy cloud of justifications(excuses). Today, Singapore, being a price-taker in the world economy is faced with a shrewd of price increases ranging from food products to oil. Together with the GST increase, we are trapped like a dog in a fortified electric cage. Whichever way we turn, there is no escaping this rise in the cost of living. How did we not envision this problem? The government said that the rise in GST was to assist the poor to improve their standard of living. I would now like to see now how this rise in prices plus GST allievate the misery of the poor.

2. Singapore to qualify for the World Cup

Amazingly, Singapore defeated Tajikistan 3-1 on aggregate to book a spot in our first ever World Cup qualifying group stages. In other words, it means that we are now going to rub shoulders with the very best in this region, the likes of Australia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and China. Singaporean football officials have gone around claiming that we have finally proven that we are the best in ASEAN. Are we really? Suddenly, the rallying cry by our then PM Goh is returning. ''Go forth and dream. Let there be a Goal 2010. Let's qualify for the World Cup by this date." These words suddenly don't ring hollow anymore. We are a group stage away. Are we going to surprise everyone? Singapore for the the 2010 World Cup is my second wish.

3. Friends

My last wish goes out to all my friends out there. For those who are attached, I hope the relationship lasts forever. For those who are not, I hope you will find you partner very soon. I hope that the SSA will remain strong and influential in UNSW. To achieve this, I hope politics and mudslinging within the committee take a backseat and welfare for our Singaporean community takes paramount importance.

As I blew out the candles, my father urged in the background, "Wish for a girlfriend lah!"

I pondered for a while before smiling to myself. This really is adulthood.