Be a morning bird
A day I felt spirited
On Sunday, it was my day off. But I woke up earlier than usual in the morning just because I’ve got an important task to attend to. The weather was a bit cloudy, and the sun hasn’t been up yet. It was quite cold, at around 8-10 °C. I took the metro, heading to Admiralty, and then took the bus. I was on my way to St. John Ambulance Headquarters. I stayed focused on the train ride, thinking of what it means to be a First Aider. This was a lesson I want to reflect on.
It wasn’t the first time I’d been there. I arrived a bit early, and they haven’t opened their main doors yet. Another person who was on the same bus with me, waited there too. The place is uphill towards The Peak, it’s an area where the rich live. The mid-level is somewhat similar to the Manhattan area in New York City, but even more expensive. Anyway, I was intending to get there carrying less because I have some exercise to do. So, I wear fewer layers than usual. The cold wind made my hands freeze while I was standing there. We waited for a few minutes, and the staff rushed to get the door open for us. We then went up to our assigned classroom and waited in the corridor.
There was a little reunion before entering the classroom. I met a few classmates when we took the First Aid class together last year. We recognized each other right away. “Maybe it’s for the better if we never meet again,” I said. We were there because we failed the CPR exam. That was quite a number of people who needed to retake the exam. We talked for a bit why we failed, we agreed that we missed some steps and were not performing well enough to meet the standards. A while later, we realized we were not going to the same class, but separately.
For some context, a certified First Aider has to complete a 4-day training course for a total of 30 hours. Upon completion, we must participate in three sessions of exam: a pen and paper quiz with multiple choices, bandaging, and CPR. If we fail in a single part, while the other two get a pass, we can retake the exam. The catch is, we can only have one chance. That being said, if we fail again, we have to start over again.
Our class had way more people than I’d expected. We’ve never met, and we didn’t even know each other’s names. We were there on the same day, in the same room. Yet we all shared the same goal. The instructor was very experienced, judging by the way he spoke. He knew exactly why we were there, and he gets to the point real quick. We were divided into four groups to practice CPR. In our group, we didn’t introduce each other—there was no need. We have to take the exam right after the two-hour training session. There was no time to waste. “I’ll never wanted to be here again, never,” said one of our group members. I thought the same.
During the practice, I observed everyone. I looked around and noticed that several of them were looking at their phones. I didn’t want to judge, but they kept staring at their phone the whole time, even during the exam. “No wonder that’s why you’re here,” I judged them anyway. I shake my head a bit. One of our group members noticed what I was paying attention to and put away her phone. Smart. We practiced by taking turns, repeating each step, and recounting the procedures of carrying out CPR. Most of us looked a bit clumsy. It’s because it was kind of awkward to do such things in front of people. But we helped each other, and reminded each other if we made any mistakes.
It felt like time was passing faster than it usually did. Time’s up. We must perform the test in front of the entire class, one by one. It was voluntary if anyone would like to take the exam first. I didn’t want to rush, so I waited for a bit. I was the sixth participant amongst the twenty-four of us. I announced each step loudly while I was carrying out CPR. That’s helped to gain a bit of confidence, and make sure the examiner was aware of my procedures.
We were allowed to leave the room earlier if we finished the exam. I made a thumbs-up sign for our group members. Then I left. I wasn’t sure if I performed well enough to get a pass. I think that doesn’t matter, because I have my answer.
After I left the building, I looked up at the sky. It was blue and sunny. A chill Sunday morning. I felt the breeze and decided to walk downhill back to Central. While I was on my way, I thought the exam wasn’t that hard. It’s about determination. We were not committing enough to the test the last time we did.
What I liked about this day was that I woke up early, and took on a mission very determinedly. If I put in a certain amount of effort, even if it’s a minor task, the commitment is what counts. I felt a sense of satisfaction. It was worth my time, even if I failed.
It’s not often that I fell spirited. What a lovely day.
This is #Day96 of #100DaysToOffload.