3rd last exam of Uni life; this sem is over...

It didn't really occur to me that I had two more exams left in my uni life till quite late...anyway finished my exams today and went to Dragon Gate at Harbourfront to eat Dim Sum buffet...it was ok lah considered the fact that we paid 15 bucks only...had quite a good time...then went Paulaner with CY n Ling; Francis came later. Drank 1litre of Munich Dark...beer expert CY could even taste that it was freshly brewed but it didnt fail to make my day lah - good company, good beer.

Anyway, my whole honours cohort took a group pic after our last paper today. Didn't really strike me but it'll be the last time all 29 of us are together. Next sem, there're no compulsory mods so we won't see everyone, plus one and possibly another will be graduating. I think I will miss this semester, though I didn't really get to know everyone? It's a little too late for that; some ppl in class will still have that mysterious veil covering them, in my eyes.


Social Work Honours Class 05/06

Took this other pic when we were at Dragon Boat...heh...according to surely...it looks like I have my own fan club already :p


Cheerio!

Mambo Mood?

This is really weird but on the way back from church I heard "Love changes (everything)" on the radio and then I just felt like in the Mambo mood again. It's been a long time since I had the craving and even longer since I actually went. Listening to my fav song "Summer Rain" now just adds to it. I have to go after exams. K for now...in the midst of the exams (or rather the beginning)...here's Love Changes (everything) by Climie Fisher...

I was only seventeen when she looked at me that way
Seems like yesterday
I was only foolin' 'round but she stole my heart away
I've never been the same

I felt the strangest feeling like a raging fire it burned
She left I cried for weeks and
I can't forget her or the lesson that I learned

Love changes, changes everything
Love makes you fly it can break your wings
Love changes, changes everything
Love makes the rules from fools to kings
Love changes, love changes everything

Then the years went rollin' by
I grew up and moved away
Had to earn my pay
Found another lover then
But my heart is sad to say
It only ended up the same way

And I wondered was I destined to spend my life alone
Oh girl you answered my question
This time it's working you've given me new hope

Love changes, changes everything
Love makes you fly it can break your wings
Love changes, changes everything
Love makes the rules from fools to kings
Love changes, love changes everything

I've seen the way love shakes ya makes ya break ya
It's got a power of it's own

Love changes, changes everything
Love makes you fly it can break your wings
Love changes, changes everything
Love makes the rules from fools to kings
Love changes, love changes everything

17 years of studying...

I decided to take a break from studying. Since 3pm...no mood lah...I think that after 17 years of studying, I've hit the saturation point...thank goodness for the 2 years 'break' in the army.

2 yrs - PAP Kindergarden
6 yrs - St Gabs Pri
4 yrs - St Gabs Sec
2 yrs - NYJC (1st 3 months); NJC (remaining time)
3 yrs - NUS (thus far)

I was trying to think back to my fav schooling time but I can't decide bet. sec sch & jc. Maybe in terms of being the most carefree it has to be NYJC since it was the 1st 3 months, I didn't do any readings and all you do is have fun! Of cos there were the few times I got into trouble with authority lah...don't know why but though I stayed a 5 mins walk from NY, I was almost always late...and everytime I walked on the grass across from one block to another, I was caught, thus I served my fair share of detentions (for those who don't know, NY had this stupid policy of not being allowed to walk on the grass though there were like benches in the middle!). Anyway, I liked that time cos it was carefree lah. No pressure.

Kindergarden & Pri sch was kinda insignificant in my opinion cos I don't remember much. I seriously don't see how some of my frens made then could even rem who I am or what I look like. I mean, to be honest, I don't rem a single one of them (esp so for kindergarden)...for Pri sch i rem only those who had been from Pri. 1C-5C with me; those from Pri. 6B I remember only those who went on to St Gabs Sec with me. I do of cos have memories of pri sch lah, like of writing super duper no. of lines though I was a Prefect and playing soccer with Milo caps (from waterbottles)...I don't know whether guys from other schs did the same?

Anyway, in Sec sch...I seriously don't remember studying very hard or often...it was only during the exam time that I really went full swing...I still rem copying A Maths hw almost everyday at the prefect room in the morning. I think that was the only subject tt required constant work. I think I enjoyed my days in sec sch cos of the band. We had practices like every Tues, Thurs, Fri & Sat and then we'll hang out after that - either soccer or Kopitiam. I rem getting upset over grades but I don't think it got to me much. Of cos all the perks of being an all-guy sch holds :)

In NJ things were rather different cos it's a more mugger atmosphere, esp when compared to NY. I was blessed however to get a class comprising mostly 2nd intakers and most of the class are those I can click n hang out with. I think all my gd JC frens have seen me cry at one time or another and I've seen most of them (gals only) cry too. So many memories man. The only sucky part was of cos the very reason I was in NJ - academia. Oh well, I guess the important thing is that I made it to NUS though barely.

And of cos NUS...will save this reflection to the time when I grad...which happens to me coming soon...k shall end off with a quote I saw in my readings...found it hilarious:

"Men, I want you to fight vigorously and then run. And as I am a little bit lame, I'm going to start running now."

Gen. George Stedman,

U. S. Army (Civil War)

The Last Day of the Sem

And so the first sem of my year 4 life ends...

it started off fucked up. The stupid photocopying room was full of freaking useless technological gadgets...first the freaking feeder kept jamming...I mean if it can't freaking work why put it in use in the first place?? Then I thought I lost my cashcard (why can't stupid NUS allow me to keep my matricard which had the cashcard?) and searched for it like a fool only to realise it was in the damn cashcard machine...then the stupid stapler thingy couldn't freaking work properly...my anger just started accumulating till I felt I was gonna explode. Sorry to ahbao n carol who had to see it.

Anyway, it got better lah. Had a nice surprise when Dr Ng gave me a nice little notebook for doing well in her pre-post test, test. heh. She's a really great lecturer and I hope that I will be able to study under her again one day :) The day ended off rather well with some of my classmates having tea with Prof Ngiam. He's a really great guy and it kinda soothed my nerves before exam mugging starts again.

This sem is different. I realised how focused and dogmatic I had been in my readings the whole of year 3 that I didnt have much catching up to do just before exams. Things seem to be different now. Damn scared for policy. Sigh. Oh well...will see how it goes. Looking forward to the 28th. Then I can start work on my thesis proper.

And so it ends...

As with all the things in my life that I treasure and the times that I enjoy, the ending is always anti-climatic. It didn't end off with the bang that I expected or with the photo-taking session that I was hoping would immortalise the moment. Nope, none of it. But nonetheless I got to take a few pics and I will get to see them all next Sat (I hope everyone comes). Someone said she already miss me, and I guess I already miss all of them too. I don't know how I will fill this emptiness. You know how it is when your heart gets filled with love and then it's kinda taken away? Like a death of a loved one? I don't know if it's the cynicism in me but it has happened before and it will happen again. Can you remember a good friend whom you were so close to that you felt time would do nothing to ravage the friendship, yet now this friends seems more a distant memory than a reality? Ya, tt's about it. Oh well, I'm trying to change and focus on the good things that has happened...these wonderful gems that have come into my life. The ups as well as the downs. They kinda made my life worth it this year, especially during the darkest time for me this year when it seemed meaningless to even carry on. I love them.

It's been a long time...

since I had a full day at home. I've never really resented going to school until this semester. So the breaking point comes after 7 sems. As I toiled away at my laptop, I failed to realised the beauty that lay outside my window. I don't know why (had I forgotten that scene) but the view just looked beautiful today. The luscious green together with the clear blue skies plus that illusive mountain in the background (in Malaysia); I was just awe struck and the scene made me feel serene and happy though I had a paper under construction right in front of me.
I guess with all things there's something to be thankful for, such as for the friends who keep you sane (or maybe insane in the case of some; e.g. Keenan) and who keep you alive. There's a presentation that could have turned out much worse and many other things like having Tock give me a lift home, but alas my feeble mind can't remember everything. What overwhelms my mind now is this coming Sunday, a day when a journey ends.