Away From Home Again

Finally moved in to my ridge view tower block residence, and so far I quite like the room. Its at the top level, and the 'feel' of it is rather good. Some people say the room is rather small, as compared to those in the other halls, but I guess I am someone who prefers it to be not as big. I mean, it may still be too early to say, but I guess even with this limited number of sheleves and drawers, I doubt I would be able to even fill them all up. Then again, half of my other stuff are in clubroom, and I may get a better gauge when I move them over. Furthermore, a small room makes it more cosy, and easier to maintain. Had a tough time last night, making two trips to and fro the clubroom carrying all my stuff, and spending about an hour cleaning my room. Its relatively clean, for now that is. Need to get more stuff to fill up the room though.

It has been almost a year since I moved away from home, of course not counting the number of days I spent camping in the clubroom last year. I remember initially I said I did not want to live in a hall or residence, as I kind of had enough of that kind of a living while I was in army. From a 12 men bunk in BMT, to a 2 men bunk in OCS, back to a 2 men bunk in BMT, and then to a one man office after the mosquitoes chased me out of my bunk. But after a year in NUS, I realised I got sick of all the traveling, and how important it is to have a room during the exams and hectic period. Plus, I get to spend more time with my friends, and can sleep and bathe comfortably in school as and when I want. And yes, more tennis with Joshua too :)

Well, I am feeling kind of sick. Immediately when I felt I had a dry throat and starting feeling feverish, the thought of dengue came to my mind. Just woke up and feeling a little better today, but still not sure if I am all well. I definitely do not want to be in that ill-fated list of dengue victims, as meiling was telling me the pain of contracting dengue. To make things worse, while I was reading the news last night, there is a new hotspot for dengue with 33 new cases there. Its actually at a construction site opposite NUS! And if I imagine the site to be where it is, I think it is very near to rag site and the new clubroom. Gees what luck! Lets hope that either I am imagining a wrong site, or that the mosquitoes cannot fly across Clementi Road.

Back to some much needed rest. Then again, I wanna finish cutting the cans I promised to.

Somewhat of a Reunion Dinner

Just had a dinner with my paternal uncles, aunties and cousins, as one of my aunty and her family has came back to Singapore from Canada, on a short holiday. Its been really long since I have seen them, and boy have my cousins grown. One has shot up so much that he is almost a head taller than me, and another has matured and grown pretty. The last time I saw them, I still remember them in children's clothes walking around, all shy and quiet. Somehow it felt good having this dinner with my father's side relatives, as we usually only meet up during chinese new year. In fact, the last time two times I saw my aunty (from Canada) was only when she came back because my grandparents had passed on.

Well, as usual, when relatives meet up, its always the same topic about work, studies, hardships of life, and my brother will always get the "got girlfriend?" question, and my mum will always worry. Haha.

Well, you know, at the same time, its really scary how we have all grown up so quickly. In the past, when we meet up, our parents will always talk about us in school, this subject, that tuition etc. etc. But now, the topics are all different. Its about us working, going overseas, studying in the universities, getting ready to step into the working world. Hmm, dun really know how to explain, but man, it has suddenly struck me that perhaps the next time my aunty and her family comes back for their next holiday, our parents might all have retired, and we take over the roles of the matured working adults. Scary.

Reflecting Back

*dusts off the cobwebs* ... again

Well havent really been updating my blog, not really becoz im too busy to update, but more of like being both busy and lazy at the same time. Many things have happened over the past weeks, and many a times after each event or happening, I wanted to blog about them, but somehow I just don't seem to be able to find the right time and mood to blog them down. The same for arts camp, eventhough I must say I am contended enough to leave those memories and moments in my mind, instead of on my blog space. So to make up for my absence in the past few weeks, and to try my best to keep things short and readable, I shall use two sentences to describe each happening and thought.


O-week precamp was fun for me, taking up a whole new different role from arts camp. I am glad I got to make even more friends, both seniors and freshmen, and I really do believe that O-week will still be very fine, despite what others think.

It's really exciting to see how our rag is going a level up in terms of tech and dance, and I really cannot wait to see the end product. However, I wish we had more time, and I am feeling rather guilty that my other commitments (yes and honestly some laziness) has resulted in me somewhat neglecting rag.

Treasury is a big headache, as its just horrible to know that when everyone is celebrating after the end and success of every project, I will have to start doing the 'clearing up'. In fact, it has already started, and the many other commitments I have for the other projects is not really helping me.

This whole period is really tiring everybody up, and I do not know if its too early to say this, but somehow or rather, it is not serving its 'special purpose' well. Somehow or rather, the fire is getting so big, and I'm really not sure if we really have that much 'water' to fight this huge combined fire.

Haha am really glad I managed to lose some weight, despite all the doubts, and am a few more kg to reach my target, don't wanna be too thin though. And oh, rag supper is definitely not helping my cause here, eventhough its really enjoyable :)


Yup, just some random thoughts which I had in the past few weeks. Well had a talk with hock just now, and you know its really good to sometimes just sit down to talk and chat with someone. Well on my way to pass tyler the bash contract just now, some random thoughts also flashed thru my mind. One year has just passed like that. In about a month's time, the 27th would be stepping down. Still remember how I looked up to my seniors last year, like hock as the 26th president, chong han as my most respected house ic, and many more. And just one year on, so many things have changed. Never would I expect myself to be chatting happily and working closely with hock and chong han, and the many other seniors whom I only saw as 'seniors' last fop period. The feeling is somewhat, 'strange', in a good sense of course :) Well and school is starting soon, and somehow I'm just not really ready for school to start.

Modular Headache

Currently having a headache choosing my modules. Somehow or rather there seems to be not enough modules for me to take this semester, or maybe I am just picky. Somehow or rather having done well last semester, there seems to be a personal expectation of needing to do even better next semester. Well, its true though, that if I can afford to do well for another semester, I can roughly lock my cap there and apply for an SEP.

However, I am not feeling as confident this upcoming semester. Well, eventhough I said the same thing at the start of last semester, but this time it really seems harder. Why? Because firstly, I am going to clear my humanities exposure, and its proven that I fare horribly in non-NM modules. Secondly, my modules this time seem to give a larger percentage weightage to final examinations, something which I tried so hard to avoid last semester, because I know I also fare horribly in final examinations. Thirdly, I'm starting to have a little phobia about group projects. I am definitely comfortable if I am doing my projects with people I know, however after last semester, I am starting to be a little reserved about doing projects with total strangers. Some can just get on your nerves. What worries me now is the intercultural module I am looking forward to take requires us to be in groups of 8-10 people! Omg. And lastly, my modules this semester looks quite memory intensive and heavy.

Oh dear. Lets just hope it turns out to be like last semester, when I remembered I didn't start off too confident as well.

It Seemed Like Yesterday

While doing rag yesterday, Bobby dropped by to have a talk with me, and the common mention was, how time really flies. He will be year 4 soon, and I will be moving (or have already moved) out of my freshmen life. I still remember not too long ago, hock and the other seniors saying 'you only get to be a freshmen once', and now, that time for me is over. Looking at the juniors around me cutting papers and cardboards, its really amazing how one year has just flown by like that.

I felt the exact same sentiments during arts camp, and I am sure many around me felt the same way too. On the first day, while I was looking at the freshies streaming into Eusoff Function Hall, I couldn't help by remember how just one year ago, I was the one walking in with a nervous and lost face. I was all so reserved about how crazy the cheers were on the first day, as was thinking, oh man am I at the right place. Still remembered how I told someone that this was the biggest camp I have ever seen, and cannot imagine how messy it would be. And then now, just not too long ago, I actually achieved something that I would never have ever thought possible just a year ago, and that is to actually be the one to organise this biggest camp. The feeling is just soo, strange.

On the last day of camp last year, I really looked up to Chong Han and Carrie, as I felt that I was very lucky to be Ramica, and to have the two coolest House ICs possible. Still remember that before we left last year, they both stood on chairs, and Chong Han asked for us to do the "We will win the war" cheer, just one last time for him. At the moment, I actually nearly teared, as that cheer just seemed to wrap up how wonderful the last 5 days really were. And yes, I still think that that is the coolest cheer of arts camp :D No one would ever know, that this year when the Rumpa OGs were doing the "We will win the war" cheer, how many times I just wanted to join them.

Thoughts on Arts Camp 07

I just typed a super long entry about my thoughts on Arts Camp 07, but then after looking through it, I hit the delete button. Why? Because I guess I can never really pen down my feelings, and I shall let it remain within me.

To sum it up, I am really glad that arts camp turned out well. The emotions and tears on the last day can really never be described. But with a good, there is always a bad. I am quite upset about the many hiccups that came along the way, many of which left me really frustrated because there was nothing we could do about them. Especially the food. Am utterly disappointed with Nouvelle, and to put it very frankly, not only have they partially affected the feedback on arts camp, they have totally tarnised their own reputation to at least 450 people. Quite disappointed that these unfortunate incidents had almost erased all the hard work my comm and I had put into arts camp for the past half a year. Was looking thru some other comments and feedbacks about the camp, but somehow they seem to be contrasting. Guess as always mentioned before, some people may like this, but others may not, and it is never possible to please everyone. Furthermore, no one from the outside will ever be able to understand all the last minute fire fighting that my comm had to go thru.

Really learnt alot, including alot about myself, thru the entire phase of Arts Camp 07. Definitely a great experience, and just wanna thank all who helped me and joined me in this journey. The thing I am most proud of is that we had managed to set quite a few benchmarks this year, and have proven to the past and the future, that it is definitely possible to successfully break off from some traditions.