With the Board Examination, as our thoughtful reviewers often remind us reviewees, just a month away and with the surface of the seemingly bottomless topics and concepts hardly even scratched, is beginning to (despite my initially cool and unconcerned mien) make me markedly anxious. Faced with this threat and the likely possibility of my actually failing the aforementioned examination (of which I already passed, I must mention), I am forced to device changes to my daily habits and vices - thus, my so-called extra-New Year's resolution:

1. Although I will never give up working out (for the body, if not put into occasional exertion, will eventually exhaust the mind) I will, however, be giving up my nightly excursions to internet cafes and imprison myself only to my boardinghouse's cramp quarters or the freezing confines of study centers, and will remain detained therein until the examination is over.

2. I will commit myself to serious study and decidedly ignore the seduction of literature (not related to nursing), obsession for computer games (an addiction of which I thought I have outgrown, but has made a baffling comeback at the most intimely of times), temptation for movies, abstain from romantic (oftentimes lustful) daydreamings, and otiose writings (mainly blogging) .

3. Improve my grades (a direct consequence of studying hard but may be beneficial in my finding that illusive motivation, that drive; may serve as an evaluation tool whether to poison myself or not).

4. Pay more attention to the sweaty reviewer in front and avoid flirtatious conversations with young, pretty, overly perfumed, self-involved girls in kinky skirts and pink tanktops; and to fight the allurement thereafter of texting their phones in the middle of the night; or delete their phone numbers altogether (which is impossible).

5. Be more punctual (in the mornings), eliminate inexcusable absences (however, I may still have to go home next week, which is probably an exemption), and more coffee (especially in the afternoons).

I am aware of the sometimes inevitable tendencies of resolutions, but these I intend to keep, and may prove in fact not too difficult. For the consequences are too great, for if I do fail to succeed in the June Board Examination - my father, as he so calmly yet so menacingly put it, will castrate me hanging from the Mango tree in the front of our house. Hopefully, I will return blogging, a month or so from now, with my manhood still intact.

Wish me luck (I will be needing it quiet badly).