I really think that I could adapt well with people. I might have that social awkwardness with people in the beginning, but over time, I really think that I could blend well with the people around me. I am really good at reading emotional cues and behaviour. And I know how to make people comfortable with my presence. I guess maybe it came from the way I was raised. Due to the nature of their job and studies, my parents had to move a lot when I was a child. So I had to adapt to new environment, new schools and make new friends. I tell you during my childhood years, I went to five primary schools! That's almost a school per year.
During my high school years I only changed school once. I went from PFS to MRSM. But it was a totally different experience for me. In Penang Free, the students are more outspoken. They were more enterprising and a little mischievous. And with its hundred of years of historic traditions, I get to experience different culture and mentality from the students there. MRSM on the other hand, was different. The students there are clever, polite and a little bit raw. The social context was pretty high unlike Penang Free, where the slightest thing you do might offended some people.
I learnt a lot from both school and there's no way I could choose which of the two that was better. So yeah, I get to meet all sorts of people. The standard deviation was pretty high too. Dari yang kaya sampai yang miskin. Dari yang pandai sampai yang kurang pandai. Dari bandar sampai la ke kampung. I get to meet each and every one of them. And each and everyone of them is different. For example, in Penang Free being outspoken is acceptable because it signify responsibility, independent and leadership. However in MRSM it's a no-no. They value discipline, respect and humility more. So it really depends on the culture and the environment you live in. Tu baru at an institutional level, belum lagi at a personal level.
So yeah, over time I developed skills on how to get a long with people from different backgrounds. Dari gang nerd sampai la gang budak-budak nakal. Dari gang kampung sampai la gang bandar. Dari gang bola sampai la gang rempit. You really could do it too, it's easy. You just have to learn about what they value the most and identify with them. Learn new things. Broaden your standard deviation. For example, learn eating from a croissant with cream cheese to gulai batang pisang sambil bersila bawah pokok. Of course, you'd have to enjoy it, or you'll just end up being that hypocritical guy who's just trying to fit in.
Having high adaptability and high standard deviation sure has its advantages. We'll get to improve our social and interpersonal skills. We'll learn to have empathy and it enhance our EQ. But it also has it's downside. The fact that people with high standard deviation could adapt really well means that they might allow unnecessary behaviour to seep in. For example, kalau dia lepak dengan gang-gang tabligh dia pi masjid, tapi kalau dia lepak dengan gang-gang judi dia pi main nombor ekor. See what I mean? I sometimes suffer from that too. Well takla teruk sangat sampai pi main nombor ekor ka apa ka. For example, when I went to sdp recently, I succumbed to the corporate social pressure. Seeing everybody shaking everybody's hand, I too participated with shaking the opposing gender's hand. Sedangkan kat rumah dengan cousin-cousin perempuan aku pun aku tak salam.
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