I’m Faith, in my first year at Temasek Polytechnic (TP) studying for a Diploma in Veterinary Technology.

Though I have only been on this journey for five months, it has not been a smooth-sailing one. 

I was thankful that one of my closest friends, T, got into the same course as me. But when I learnt we were enrolling into different classes, it was difficult for me to accept that.

I felt really lost and worried, so I decided to take some time to seek the Lord in prayer.

I remembered asking Him, “God, why am I not in the same class as T? It would definitely be fun if we were in the same class.”

I bared my heart to Him. But at the end of the day, I nevertheless trusted that His ways would be better than my ways.

During the first few weeks of going to TP, I remember being really fearful and anxious as it was a new environment and I did not know anyone except T.

On the other hand, I’m an extrovert so I was also excited to make new friends to go through the next three years of poly with.

When I entered the lecture theatre, I was surprised as I realised that most of my classmates had already formed cliques.

I tried finding friends whom I thought would be willing for me to join them for lunch breaks or even sit together for lessons.

After some time, I found out that it was super tough for me to connect with my classmates. 

Most of them gave me the impression that they are not really open to making friends with people outside of their cliques. Others were simply more interested in focusing on their studies. 

These experiences caused me to be less open and more introverted in school.

Eventually, I managed to make some friends in my class.

But while I am thankful we were able to relate to one another, I still felt lonely at times as they already knew each other and I had joined them at a later time.

Friendships are still something that I struggle with, but I remain thankful for everything God has blessed me with so far.

The silver lining

Indeed, through this tough journey, God also blessed me with a super caring and patient teacher, Ms A.

Since I was quite weak with math and needed lots of guidance, without hesitating, she set aside a few hours each week to teach me the basics and go through whatever that I don’t understand.

Although she always says that this is part of her job, there are not many teachers like her.

Apart from teaching she also took time to hear me out about what I was going through in school and life, encouraging me in the process.

With my permission, she prays for me at times. She encourages me when I tell her I struggle to make friends in poly.

If I were in the same class as T, I would not have met this teacher of mine.

I now believe that meeting Ms A was part of God’s plan for me, so praise God!

Lord, I pray that I will have friends in school.

Just when I thought that I would be lonely for the next three years of my poly journey, the Lord blessed me with two friends from other classes.

This is definitely a blessing from God and an answered prayer because I told God: “Lord, I pray that I will have friends in school.”

Through this, God taught me to trust Him even when my situation is difficult and when things do not go my way.

Wherever I’m in and whatever I face, I will still choose to trust that God has other purposes for me here in poly!

If you have times when you feel that you’re all alone, I want to assure you that you’re not alone in the journey.

I want to end off by encouraging you with Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

You may not see why God has allowed a particular situation or issue in your life right now, but remember that He has greater plans for you in His time!