I suppose that this post is long overdued. Nonetheless, better late for 18 days than never. The busy December holidays have put me off from blogging, or rather there were so many other things to do than blog. It was a hectic, but good holidays spent at IHG. =) So yes, at the end/start of every year, we reflect on the good and the bad.

2007... A year of transition and change - how we finally ditch the uniforms (though I'm not sure if I really like it that way), went to work, started school on a tertiary level and of course, hall life. The year started slow, office work aint exactly my idea of summer job. It got really slow when work became a case-to-case basis. Then came the fun! My first holiday without parents, orientation camps and of course, the adjustment into independent living. Suddenly we are thrown into an acedemic environment that it is dog-eat-dog, where everything hangs on discipline. Exams came before we know it and then, boom, inter-hall games. Without realisation, we kissed 2007 goodbye and welcomed 2008.

Chinese New Year
It was a different new year. Renewed, revived and recharged. I thought that this year would be slightly better but.. till now, it is still back at square one. I was looking forward to visiting Shing's place. I know it wouldnt be like the previous years when his house was "the Katong house where we eat our beehoon lunch". We've grown from strangers to friends, at least we are more like cousins now.

23/02: The Passing of My Maternal Grandfather
Ironically, it was a shopping date with Avni that day. Well waitng for her arrival, I shopped first. It was in the changing room when I recieved news that he's gone. Poof, just like that, we didnt even get to say goodbye. My mind drew a blank at what I was suppose to react. I just continued with my shopping trip and only went to the wake the next day when the body arrived. You know, the next 3days at the void deck, I kept trying to recall our relationship. I forgot how I (when it was still just me) used to visit my maternal grandparents house every sunday after church, all the times we went to the playground, how he used to pamper me a lot, how he used to try to put me to sleep in the "yao lan". Truthfully speaking, I felt a little forgotten. During the wake services, the one person I didnt expect to see, turned up. Whereas, those that I have known for years... they attend all other's grandparents wake, but mine.. That night, she made me cry.

HATC
First was the boring office work, then a week of relief teaching and now, as a facilitator. I suppose that this was one interesting and eye-opening experience. As a facilitator, you are like the bridge between the speaker and the students. This way, I got the opportunity to befriend a lot of them and you'll see how easy they open up and even trust you with their burdens. Those really memorable assignments are those that last about 12hrs a day for 3 consecutive days. Dead tiring and boring at times, but it was the fun and ultimately the change in their attidue that makes you want to do it again and again. Perhaps the batch of students that struck the deepest impression was the sec4 normal students of HGSS. They were difficult initially but as time passed, you slowly break through their ranks and you get to see the side of them that made my heart fonder.

19/05: A Midsummer Night's Dream
My first play! This version is definitely much more interesting than the movie. HAHHAs It was good to meet up with the girls after so long! Though we cant meet up as often as we use to, you guys are still the one group of friends that I know I can turn to whenever I want to pour out my feelings.

23/05: Arrival of Samuel!
2months after the passing of my grandfather, my youngest cousin from my mother's side was born! He is love. :)

05/06: THAILAND TRIP
Travelling with no parents! Not only that, it was also the first trip which I travelled alone. =) It was really fun! No restrictions, learning how to make decisions on our own and protecting ourselves. It was a good trip!

05/07: PA Youth Camp
Da Bitch Camp man. A true policital association camp! Hahas no matter what, it was fun especially when I had my floorballers with me. Also, the GLs were great! =)

08: Hall8
Freshman orientation camp marks the start of the long await uni life. The camp did not really made an impression on me though. I suppose it was because I missed the most xiong and most memorable segment of the camp - the Amazing Race. Oh wells. Still, the friends that came out of orientation with me became my good friends =) They have really became a pillar of support especially when school itself, is not a very good platform to make good friends. Though yes, they did cause me to drift towards the "worldy side". Without them, I cant imagine what Uni would be like to just come to school for lectures and tutorials and then go home. The luxury of help and opinions that were given by seniors would not be possible if I had not chosen to stay hall. Not to mention, hall became an escape from the reality at home.

12/10: First Blood Donation
WHAHHAHAHAs MY GREEN DINOSUAR BANDAGE FINALLY!

04/11: 19th Birthday
I turned nineteen. My dear kakis organised a birthday dinner for me! =) The afer dinner party was eventful.. hahaas Drinking games are pretty scary with Da Xiong around. They tried to get the birthday girl drunk, but alas, it was all the other girls (except me) that got drunk =P HAH. Thanks to Tim and Esther who racked their brains to cook up a sinister plan to get me thrown into the pool. Too bad the rain saved my ass. Thanks to all those who wished me and of course, for the presents =)

14/11: AY07/08 SEM1 Examinations
First sem passed just like that and here we are sitting for our first University exams. I freaked out. Thankfully, my GPA of 3.5 was not as bad as I had expected it to be. In fact, I was quite stunned by the grades of a few subjects.

17/11: Uncle Daniel's Wedding
In the midst of the exams, my mother's youngest brother got married. It was a whole day affair and I was pretty glad that it was a breather from all the mugging back in hall.

19/11: Jarkata
After 19 years of my existence, I am finally going to back to my roots! HAHAHs The relatives I met there were so hospitable, they made me felt so at home. I had so much fun with my aunts and uncles (who are only few years older)! The two nights out to the shopping district was the high point of the trip. Taking picture at the fountain in the middle of a major road junction isnt something one can do everyday. We even partied at Hard Rock Cafe Jarkata.

The last 2 weeks of December passed in a blur. There were trainings and matches to go for or support every other day!

21/12: 05S225's gathering.
It was pretty werid i think. It was good to see my classmates again, I mean it. We've seemed to have grown closer slightly since we've graduated. Mind you, my class was a wreck. Still, that night, if it wasnt for 2 guys, it would have been pretty very werid for me. There wasnt much to talk to about to the girls, JM was with the nus girls whom I dont really want to talk to. So I was pretty much left with the guys.. and of course, guys and their army talk, it was hard to keep up. Both YYs made the effort to make me feel included. The both of them have matured ever since army started :)


Christmas came and passed just like that. At this point of time, most of our hall8 sports team have already been kicked out of the IHG. Softball, hockey and volleyball lost in their quaterfinals match. It is quite a pity, not just because there were potential in the team, but also cause I had made new good friends from these sports. I've gotten to know seniors that I previously would not have even said hi to. Also, I grew a lot closer to my block mates. Although I stayed in hall even more than during the acedemic semester, it was all worth it! =)

31/12: Countdown at Mel's House
Our supposedly Christmas party was postponed to this very day. Dinner was superb =D HAHAs we didnt really have much after dinner plans so we ended up watching some scary movie while waiting for everyone and new year to come. Every time some latecomer arrives, we will pause the movie and sabo the poor soul for coming late. It was pretty funny. HAHAs in the end, we took 2 years to finish the movie cause it was again interrupted by the countdown itself. We played a few rounds of drinking game and then I followed the floorball guys to their "round the clock floorball marathon". By the time we came back from the first match, I was pretty high. HAHAs We went over to Simpang Bedok for breakfast and then back for the marathon. The sun was already up when we reached back at Mel's house, the whole group of us were already damn shagged and were lazy around the patio. The moment I got home, I showered and then concussed all the way till evening.

I felt that I started the year very sure of who I was, but as the year progressed, I find myself losing my identity again.