NUSWhispers – Confession #5308

I live in a one room flat above a shophouse in the geylang area alone with my mum. (Just imagine a living room sized room with a kitchen attached and a toilet). We don't have beds nor pillows, just two mattresses with clothes stacked up at the foot of the mattress. I've been wearing the same set of formal clothes for presentation throughout my 4 years here. My mum works tirelessly for more than 12 hours everyday 7 days a week selling fishball noodles in her stall nearby. She has been doing this alone since I was 12 as my dad left around then due to large gambling debts. Both my mother and I just came home one day and never saw him return. She is the sole family member I know (as for the rest of my relatives I am not remotely close to, they look down on my mum for having a gambler husband). Despite this, she still managed to put me through jc and uni, although we did manage with bursaries and scrimping and saving where ever and whenever we can. I'm 23 and yet to have sat on an airplane or travelled further than Malaysia. Every holiday period and almost every weekend, I will head down to help her tend her stall, usually helping with the money side or rolling fishballs. 90% of my friends do not know this side of my life and those that do always comment that I have a hard life balancing studies and helping my mum. They don't understand but my mum has it way harder than me. Recently during graduation, my mum took her first off day in years just to come down to nus to watch me graduate. Even though she didn't understand a word of the speeches or what I have been doing these 4 years, the smile on her face is something I won't forget for many years to come. With first class honours I'm really thankful to say it wasn't difficult to land a job (CAP matters guys) and my mum can finally retire in a few months time. I can't wait for the day where I can drive her around or buy her a proper bed where she can sleep in an airconditioned room. Ma, this one's for you.