A perfect day to my honourable judges, respected timekeepers, teachers and fellow friends!

Today I would like to talk about validating your own opinions.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Have you ever validated another’s opinion over your own? Because I have. Truthfully, I
suspect I picked up this habit during primary school where I’ve been way too quiet and
reserved.

However, as time progressed, I started ignoring my personal preferences and instead

heavily depended on other people's views. Quite recently this year, I found myself rethinking
my decision to choose the science stream because of my peers' choice of the computer
science stream. It’s surprising because, until that day, I was very confident in choosing the
science stream!

Later that day, I went home and reflected on this in my journal. As I was reflecting, I felt
embarrassed that I could be so easily persuaded. So the next day, I woke up and promised
to make a conscious effort to validate my opinions. I also stuck quotes about validating your
own opinion all around my room. It is hard to break years of habit, but hey, it’s the effort that
counts right?

In conclusion, your opinion matters. It always has and always will. I’d also like to remind you
that it’s okay to ask for opinions from the people you trust when you need help, but you must
ensure the decision is yours. Truly yours.

Thank you!