Approximately 4 More Weeks

This week has passed really quickly, and I find I am gaining the momentum to start revising intensively for the examinations which are arriving in 4 weeks' time.

Have not been feeling emotionally stable this week, as it feels as though everything's piling up, and yet I'm not doing anything. Have to start reducing the pile to nothing from Sunday. Today had a practical test for IA, went relatively smoothly, and due to a silly thing I did to the program, I ended up losing marks. Before that, went to Level 6 to study in the air-con with the remaining third of the class while the first shift was having the test. Instead of studying, we ended up slacking, listening to music, playing games and lastly, enjoying a buffet! Yes, a buffet, but on a very small scale. A member of the staff (a lecturer I guess) brought a trolley load of disposable plates and cutlery together with food packed into dispocable containers(those used to pack takeaway food from your neighbourhood hawker centre)! 2pm, the second shift left, and the first shift came to enjoy the food. I left at 2.20pm to do some revision at a more quiet place with friends.

Well, that's about all for tonight. Long day tomorrow, so I guess I might turn in early tonight, and wake early tomorrow.

Entering the 13th Week.

The weekend was rahter eventful, thankful the competition was cancelled till further notice. Friday went to Ang Mo Kio for Steamboat with the founding members of the Videography Club, to celebrate a birthday. Yes,it's late, but Happy Belated Birthday Violet. Still partially legal, but you're almost there. Met at 5.30, but we only started at 6.30 when everyone arrived. Had a hard time making up our minds where to go next, and finally decided on playing pool. As I did not have time to get a gift, I decided to pay the full rate for one of the two tables we used. Left really late, and I reached home close to midnight.

Saturday, I started revision for the final examinations, though I did not really do much.

Sunday, it was out to help prepare for as well as attend Chi Kai's Farewell party at Zhong Rong's place. Met Xue Li, Gabriel, Wei Xiang, Jun Jie, Kwan Wei, Ying Xiu, Chie Heng and some others(sorry I can't remember everyone) at IMM. We managed to get everything we needed in a mere hour! Wow. We arrived at the pit close to 5pm, after climbing over and crawling under two sets of barriers before arriving at the condo's gate. Everyone had changed. That evening was great. The food was just enough for everyone. There was exactly half the class who attended(minus Sean and Vignesh who are already overseas) the barbeque. Finally met Miss Lim after one long year. As usual, I am 'too shy' to speak. Anyway, it was a great gathering, and I managed to catch up with all the scandals going around, and catch up on lost time with everyone there that night. Siang Lin if you're reading this, your dream was kind of right. I had a bad outbreak shortly after the common tests were over, but now at least I have about 2 to 3 left on my forehead. Anyway, when we left at 10, I felt as though I was still in holiday mood, as though there was no school the next day. Just before the remainder of us parted ways, we met Mr Liew and Chun Hui at the MRT Station. It's been a long time, but, I still think they look just the same.

It's been a long long time since I heard the rumbling of MRT trains and walking along the long path to school. The school(just opposite Zhong Rong's place) really brings back lots of memories. Perhaps, that place, was just the perfect venue to have our class gathering. Seperated by the school by 2 fences, 2 cycling and running paths and a canal,and that was also the place where Chi Kai has been, and would be staying till this Wednesday when he flies off. So, 2 friends are already accepted into university. One in Australia, the other in San Fransisco. In a year's time, my turn to register would arrive. Everyone's changed, but it doesn't end here. Live goes on. To the near future, where we would all soon meet again, all 46 of us.

Today, Left for home immediately after school ended, due to my lower back injury. It's been there for more than a week. But today it was so bad I can't run for that long when we were late for the last lesson of the day at 3pm. Alright then, off I go.

First Step Into SPS

Yesterday I entered the St. Patrick's School(SPS) for the first time. First impression? No wonder the both of them were complaining when they visited the new Yuan Ching Secondary building. The school building looked more modern compared to YC's old building. In fact the school was really big with many blocks. Went around during the carnival with them, and WM passed me off as his brother, who was once a part of St Patrick's. Wow. I met them at 2.20pm, went on a little tour around the school, before we started slacking for one and a half hours. We bought mainly food and drinks during the short stay.

It was a carnival with an unusually low number of visitors. One thing that amazed me lots. Stall holders had to go by the book in selling food, drinks and games. Wow. Back in Yuan Ching, we had the freedom to sell our food, drinks and games at any price, at any time. It was as if we were running our stalls as a class. We did not need the teachers to be there at all times to supervise us. Back in those days, although we did not study Economics, we were able to apply the concept of demand and supply.

At 3.45pm, I noticed a girl who sat across the table we were at. She looked a little like you, except, younger and shorter. At 3.50pm, they left. 10 minutes later, we left as well.

The journey to the school was just great. I regret not bringing my camera to snap pictures during the journey. At 12.25pm, I left for Clementi Interchange on board SMRT Service 189. Transfered onto SBS Service 196 at 12.48pm. I missed the 12.35pm bus. I refused to allow myself to fall asleep on the second deck of the bus(although it was really peaceful at the time, since I was the only one dominating the whole second deck). I wanted to look at the sights and note some of the places the bus route visited. After an hour, I gave up and slept for about 30 minutes. 10 minutes later, I alighted a stop before SPS, to take the short cut. Never did I expect it to be so extreme. If I had wanted to take it, I had to walk through it sideways. Thus, I decided to walk to the school's front gate via the canal. 2.20pm, I met the group once again.

4pm, we left for Dhoby Ghaut via SBS Service 36. Failed to find a LAN shop to play L4D, so we went on to have our dinner instead, at Carl's Jr. I ate a little cheese, however I don't seem to be developing any rash from it. Could the cheese be lacking in that special ingredient, or have I overcome the allergy? We left at 7pm, and I took SBS Service 14 back to Clementi Interchange. This time it was the new bus. Transferred onto SMRT Service 189 and reached home at 9.20pm.

Today, went to IMM and Chinatown with my parents to shop for pants for my brothers. I was too bored to stay at home, chatting with a friend I have never met in person before, through a computer screen. Somehow whenever I chat with these friends, it gives the feeling that I am interacting with angels (since no one has any idea how angels look like). I have never seen their real physical appearances, however, I have only heard their voices no more than twice so far. Youthful and full of energy, except for one. I met Mr Choy, a teacher who I have lost contact with for over 6 long years. He has changed alot, and I could hardly recognise him when he walked past us with his daughter who would be celebrating her second birthday this month. Hopefully, I would still be in Singapore on the day schools celebrate Teachers' Day, so that I could return to the schools to visit the teachers I have not met with after so long.

Reached home at 5.45pm. Had dinner, practiced music, and left at 7.10pm. Sent my brother to his friend's place where he would spend the night, before I went to Hong Kah North Community Club for the lesson. Now, I'm back at home, slacking. After tonight, I would not be slacking as much as I used to. 6 weeks to the final examinations. 6 weeks to re-claim my place on the Director's List.

It's been a more than a week. No matter how long it would take, I'll just coninue waiting for a shadow to appear from the horizon. Somehow, I would rather wait longer, and carry it on the same way we are now, till it's September Nine.

11th Week

This week was full of ups and downs. This week was filled with miracles. This week was great. This week is past.

I did little this week, getting back papers, reading through notes, understanding new material, chatting with friends, CCAs, slacking off. Next Monday, is when the action begins. I'll cut down on computer activities, and catch up more on all modules.

Today I overslept after dreaming a dream that seemed too good to be true. I woke up, got changed, packed my bag in 5 minutes and left for school. I managed to reach the classroom in just 30 minutes after leaving home. Got back the last paper, did worse than expected, and I started accumulating assignments again today. IA practical left me lost in the first 5 minutes, but somehow, after looking around I managed to connect everything with much ease. After little explanation, I felt as though there was something in me, guiding me through every single step. It was as though a miracle was unfolding in front of us.

Let's see. Results. I underperformed last term, scoring 3As and 2 Ds. All the A grades I scored were A+ grades, while I had 1D and 1 D+. A+ for Industrial Automation, Engineering Mathematics 3B and Applied Mechanics. D for Introduction to Advanced Mathematics. D+ for Thermodynamics. Clinched top few positions for IA and EM3B. Introduction to Advanced Mathematics was supposed to carry a failure grade at 45points. I was given 50 after some changes were made. Thermodynamics, I did all I could, though it was last minute. On my part I did not practice enough. However, our tutor did little to help us during the tutorial period. Is he not allowed to at least show us the important stuff to note in each chapter when we are doing the tutorials? We enter class to complete the questions, submit and go off. It's almost similar to having a class test, except that discussion is allowed. So, when everyone does not know the ful solution to a problem, and the tutor does not help remedy the problem, all we could do was to be sitting ducks waiting to get bullets punched into our heads in the examination hall.

Alright then, I have decided. Anything that I do not know, I'll just shoot it at the lecturer, especially for the weaker modules. This is my last chance for the semester. I'll grab it, and let my grades to rise back up to 4.0.

These days, I feel it growing. It's no longer what we feared it would be. I am sure this time, it's for real. It would not fade like before. The time hasn't arrived although it's ready for take off. I'll wait for the winds to be in our favour, and I'll wait for the day you decide to enter the cockpit with me.

Retrace

So far this week, things have been going fine, and a miracle occured today. And, after Monday's training, I have been limping around as I have not been attending regular trainings due to my health and commitment problems caused by my 2 core CCAs. Honestly, I never joined the school's Taekwondo club for the belt ranks, nor did I join the club to take part in competitions. Ultimately, I did not join for the sake of CCA points. I joined it to maintain my fitness(very effective but tough training schedule which I'm afraid I might not be able to cope with as time passes) and also to gain some self confidence. I have promised a member of the alumni I would train hard as it is not cheap to convert from a federation to another. So, chances are, I might leave after the inter varsity-polytechnic championships next year, and return for ad-hoc trainings once in a while to keep fit.

There was no school on Tuesday, so I took the time to relax for the whole day, to get out of the holiday mood I had been having for a long time since April. I did nothing, other than sleeping and reading up on notes.

Yesterday, I got back my paper for EM3B. I finally managed to find myself at the same wavelength as my lecturer during the 10TH lecture. I'm so going to stay at that frequency until when the holidays arrive. Went home at 4.20 instead of 5pm as the chapter was very straightforward. I was involved in a phone conversation with 3 others which lasted for 2 hours. Wow. That's really a record for me. At least I managed to understand why some people are able to stay on the phone for such a long period of time.

Today was a great day. The start wasn't that great though. The lecturer for 13TH was really generous on her break time today. We were granted a 20-minute break from 9.30 till 9.50 this morning, shortly after we got back our papers for checking. 10TH lecture again at 11, but it ended just 20 minutes after we started at 11.15. Went with the class for lunch, before rushing off at 12 for IAM tutorial. Got back my papers as well. Went for a break from 1 to 2 before continuing with the lecture till 4. I thoroughly enjoy the lecturer's lessons. I am never able to find a chance to fall asleep during her lectures, which I do not find to be boring at all. In fact, I'm always looking forward to the next time I would be attending the class! Went home, took a short break, before heading back to school for Videography once again. Today, was a day of miracles.

Tomorrow, I would be getting back my last paper to check. Tomorrow, it would be a long day with many things waiting to happen. Tomorrow, might be the day I get to chat with everyone again. Tomorrow, is the last day of the week. Tomorrow, is the end of week 11.

Indeed, I guess it's time we should retrace our steps.Hoping for a miracle always.