Let's start from the very beginning, from the very first day I entered the Boarding School, 6 years ago - it seems so long ago now, and so unimaginably distant. That today seemed impossible then, and this moment so inevitable now, is a rare feeling I won't forget, not yet. The first people I met - my fellow malaysian scholars, still very much ground my experience here. Brian, Hoe Kit, Bin Sheng, Kelvin, Dennis, Wilfred, and all the others, you guys have been there were our families couldn't, and because of that, I think it's impossible to imagine this life any other way from now on. Bin Sheng: thanks for being the most amazing roommate, although a bit scary at times! Kelvin & Wilfred: Kingdom hearts and final fantasy all the way! Dennis: you're always cheerful and funny, it's scary, and sometimes annoying, but that's why I'll remember you. Brian & Hoe Kit: canteen mates and class mates (in that order of importance), and we lived through high school! Together we have cut this path through adolescence, and that's something I still can't believe we survived! It's amazing, though, and I thank you all.
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High School Section
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Aphelion, 1D, 2B, 3B, and 4B, with the craziest guys I've ever known (besides you rocking OPC guys and gals, but more of that later...) Yu Jay from 2B, you probably can't imagine how much I want to thank you for putting up with me and my ramblings (which were probably half incoherent and mostly lousy teenage angst), so I'm gonna do that now while you can't hear me embarrass myself. (But I see you're still alive! Good.) My only (!) EP3, Vocal Ensemble, with Siew Yee Ping and the team: we had a rough start, but I really cherish the memories we made. Jian Yi, Darrell, Jason, Bin Qian, and Yong Quan are names I remember especially. Thank you guys.
Xuan Yi, Zhen jie, Stanley, Alvin Kuk, Chun Yin, Benedict, and Hui Jie (sorry for those I missed...): crazy ass people who made random moments in the school randomly fun. Not forgetting the all-mighty UK Humans Trip which still blows my socks off thinking HOW AMAZING WAS THAT! Because of you guys, chasing sheep will always remind me of Ng Soo Nee, and Phua Chu Kang boots are things that belong with the creek near Grasmere at the Lake District along with freezing cold water, snow/rain/sun in the same day, and sleeping in Youth Hostels but forgetting to put on the cover sheets (yuck). God forgive that horrible poem about the cold during the Poem Idol contest (lame but sweet). While rushing up and down the whole bloody island the quiet moments in the bus were probably the best. Well, they weren't exactly quiet. But still, they were super-duper-mighty amazing.
Speaking of trips, I won't forget the *lovely* sec 2 camp with our esteemed Commandant you-know-who (ESTER, ESTER...), and my team, BUSTED (read: bastard). Chun Yin had better remember the first time we met. And I still can't believe I refused to do the flying fox (regret, regret). But cooking and eating lousy food, and pretending to *trek* through the Singapore *urban jungle* from Chinese Gardens to CEDANS was something downright hilarious, now that I think of it. And not shitting for 3/4 however-long-it-was days? Embarrasing. Why did I bring that up? Dunno. Posterity. Not forgetting OBS. (I must admit here memory fails me.) Our instructor's name: Michelle? I forgot, but I still remember her face. Ah, what a kind soul. I mean this sincerely. Thanks for taking care of us, and for the night in the rain when the whole camp flooded 5 hours away from the nearest shelter and we had to hold up a tent that was so gonna fly away from us. Nothing escaped dry, but I loved it. Perth Trip: the perfect ending to 4 years at High School, in my opinion. Sleeping in an open tent during winter in Australia, and trying damn hard to hug Chun Yin to keep warm as he simultaneously shivered stoically and attempted to push me off was probably the highlight. I thought I'd never play the piano again. Also: stargazing with Ben Kee and the rest. Sharing a loaf of carrot cake in the middle of the night. Life hasn't been boring, hasn't it? They say high school is the best time of your life; I hope that although high school ends, THIS will never end.
Rounding up my high school experience are the 4 Aphelion Nights + sleepovers, and Grad Dinner. Watching cheesy performances is probably the best thing that ever happened to me (I think). It probably robbed me of IQ points, but what the heck for a laugh. Watching Lam Poh Ling give up on "suck cock" during Grad Night Peng You singalong? Priceless. All those sabbaticals, especially the pop music class (which only had, what, 5 students?), and the CAD/CAM modelling course, were probably transient in terms of content, but unforgettable for the feeling of being in that small group, and working on something I'm really passionate about.
Finally, the teachers that I want to thank the most- Teng-Chia Fui Ling: you seriously make math seem easy, i appreciate that so much now. Seck Bee Choo: I love your strange life lessons, and when you smile, it really means a lot to us. Har Hui Ping: because of you I love(d) bio. Shen Lao Shi: you tried. You honestly did. Thank you! Vivien Sim: you are probably the teacher that cropped up most consistently in my high school life, and you're always interesting and funny to talk to. Foo Kam Meng: I hate physics, but you're a great class teacher. Loke Lai Fun: "Banadict? You want to be called Banadict? Guys arh..." Loh Wei Ling: Macbeth is (sorta) fun. Charles Low: one day we'll sit down and discuss philosophy further, but until then, thanks for Plato and all. We won't call him Plahtoh anymore, I swear. Jeffrey Lim: the first reason I'm here, and you always care. Thanks so much! Mrs Jacqueline Kee: for english lessons, and watching The Weakest Link, which was much fun, especially for those late lessons in the evening. Cikgu Tan Hui San: hands down the easiest A I ever scored in my life, and loving it for you. Mrs Cheryl Wong: you're just so funny! And afraid to see me. What's life if not coincidences ALL THE TIME?
Finally, Green Plate, for the most amazing canteen food in the world.
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College Section
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Wow, it's already this long. I promise it's ending soon; there's not much left to say. Hard to imagine how 6 years could have squeezed into this singular, summative blog post, but it has. Amazingly.
My class! 07S76! Amazing people who are just so varied and different. We complement each other in the most amazing ways. Wang Shu and Yan Ting: you were meant to be. Carlos: thanks for the birthday bubble tea! Sheng Wei: stop slapping my back. Shoes, Carin, and Chelsea: Rule Japan one day! Tragic: great job as CT rep! Nickoh: you're really bouncy, you know that? Moses, Wei Liang and Kah Yim: mug on. Ying Hui and Clara: we made a great team. Sam and Jeremy: yeah, keep running across the country. Michelle and jinglin: you guys sit in front and behind me during exams, and really make me feel at peace. Peaceful people! Your auras are strong. Thanks! Shao Jie: thanks for keeping it light! Zheng Tao: band major! Jia Yuan: you're a really great dancer. Yi Jing: you're really funny in a strange way. I guess I am too. Mei Ying: your laugh is crazy contagious! Sherene: when you speak you remind me of someone. Funny.
Can't forget Orientation O1 "Turbo Charged", DramaFeste, Scream '07 (which I totally didn't get tickets for), SYF, and the GREAT BOMB:
OPC.
Oh my god, the day it ended, I really wished the plane would crash, and my last moment would have been spent with you guys. Time simply stopped then, and we were in this amazing bubble where the world was just perfect. I cannot possibly put in words how much I love you guys. This is one memory that stands above all else. Even when I got pushed into the freezing cold waters (thanks Ron) during the rafting, or all that unnecessary butt smacking in the caves (uh, thanks again, Ron?!), or just fooling around in the lounge around the sofa, playing, of all things, Monopoly, and MUNCHKIN!, and Jenga. Writing in the log book to make Jessica "thunder thighs" (she don't really have those) laugh (I still have it. the log, that is), and shooting the stars with Esmond. Up and down Ruapehu and Tihia, I'd do it again a thousand of a thousand times more for you guys.
Photog and Guitar, for filling up my time really well with pointless activities most of the time. Loving Esperanza. Especially Vivien, Cheryl and Ryan, thanks for your support these two years. Klauferdhount exists because of you; through some insane turn of events, an album actually came true, and this journey would have been impossible without you guys lighting the way, all the way.
Finally, Dr Choe Kee Cheng, Ms Jacqueline Phua, Mr Andrew Tan, Mr (Andy!) Lau Hock Soon, Ms Angel Yang, Madam Khatijah Tay, Mr Augustine Wong, Mr Matthew Lim, Mrs Ee-Chek Yui Hong, and Mrs Lee Chay Koon, for being the best JC teachers I could hope for. Additionaly, Mrs Foo Woon Keat, for the best bio jokes around. "You better BUCK UP or ROLL out of this hall!" Should I frame that picture of you as a grown human in the bio application notes? Hwa Chong has been an insanely memorable experience. Three overseas trips in three consecutive years! That's gotta have to express how I feel about this school.
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Other Amazing People
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From the boarding school: Mr Toh Liang Seng: You're an amazing cluster mentor, and always holding the best BBQ parties! Pauline Yee: the funniest hall-in-charge, and great fun to talk to. Erika Hew: you love scolding us, and somehow it's extremefun to listen to. Food vendor: you guys helped me discover Aston and Prince, and I'll never forget it. Love your minced meat cakes though.
From Malaysia: I don't really remember much here, but to my primary school friends (+Cikgu Fairuz), the last reunion (2?) years ago was something to remember, and I still (sorta) recall how things were that many years ago. I'm sure the world is a completely different place now, god knows this whole experience I'm writing here will be completely different in a few years time, but it's still great to know we remember each other. Sorta. Erik Kee and Yvonne (I insist on spelling.): good lord that was a fun day at Sunway Lagoon. Not bad for a first time introduction, eh? Gotta thank Kelvin for that. Teik Bee, Ian Yap, Adrian Leong, Ivan Cheong: we managed to keep in touch far longer than I expected! So primary school must have meant something together. Sue Shen: weirdo! Please randomly ask to be my girlfriend (like you meant it?!)! I still don't know what you were thinking. One word: weirdo.
From home: this I keep short for my sanity. Mom and Dad, and Jocelyn, I love you guys.
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It's graduation from our senior year. The end of a chapter, and the start of a new one soon. Up or down from here, it was completely worth it to get to this view. Keep in touch, and keep it alive - everything we had together is all that we need.
One minute to midnight. Good night, and good bye.
