13 November 2009

Graduation

I've finally graduated. I recall stepping into the plane on 26th Sept 2006, reminding myself to remember how I feel, so that when I look back in the future, I would not feel that time flies. Despite that, TIME BLOODY FLEW BY!!! There is a twinge of pain as I hold on tightly to the present, afraid that all these would be wrenched from me as 10yrs of my life fly me by. 30 years old. I wanna look back with no regrets when I am 30 years old.


Housemates



Returning to London for my graduation was a bitter sweet experience. Leaving college was different compared to leaving other educational institutions when I was younger. In the past, when I leave a school, all my friends left with me. The sentiments associated with the school were practically washed clean, because it no longer contained the elements which made the stay memorable. Moreover, all my friends would still be around me. Friends in London however, remained in London while I left. Some remained because they are still studying. Some remained because that is where they belong. I returned to where I belong, yet it's difficult to be whole again, because a part of my memories and lifestyle have been left behind.


Biomedics


Still, seeing familiar faces in familiar settings eased the pain a little. It helped to see that life in London still goes on without me and I should move on too.


Biomedics


On a separate note, I am rather indignified to find out that pubs actually serve half pints. For all 3 years of my life in London, I always end up giving my unfinished pints away. And these guys NEVER told me that I can order just half the amount!!!! Makes me wonder who my real friends are...:(

18 September 2009

Thanks, my dears!

Met up with my primary school friends, Joanne and Wendy. They were one of my best friends back then. I was rather afraid that things would be awkward between us. Amazingly, the chemistry was still there and we talked non-stop. When we left the meeting, there was this happiness flowing within me, the kind whereby you feel good about yourself and your friends. Haven't had such a feeling for a long time. Perhaps it is indeed time for class gathering.

13 September 2009

Good Old days

I seldom have a picture post. Make that never. All of my posts depend on my words. Today, however, is an exception, because I just uncovered some pictures in a forgotten XD card. They were taken from my fresher year in Imperial, and brought back tons of memories.





Rugby Christmas dinner 2006
The one on the left was my vice-capt:)




The 2 girls whose names I ALWAYS mixed up. Now I remember. Karen (left), Helen (right)



Jess, the girl who gave me a HUGE bruise on the very 1st training. For that, she received a placement in kangaroo court. Kangaroo court is an annual event whereby we get "punished" for the stupid stuff we did in the year.



Familiar scene here...



Another familiar scene...



John (Coach) and Borja (who started from being Rugby girls' most popular guy to most hated)



I didn't post larger pics of me, because most of them were not focused. Seems that I was the only one who could focus that night. Hur hur...






My first snowfall in London! With my best friends from hall.




The next time the camera was used, it was for Vday. That was my present, perfectly preserved, shipped all the way from Sg. 3 years on, it isn't the same anymore.



Gggrrrr.... The last pic my cam took. On the way to Spain. In fact, the only pic the cam took for that trip:( BOOOO:(:(:( Damn Evian bottles.

Sigh... I can barely accept the fact that I have graduated and returned.

01 August 2009

Is 22 considered too old for everything?!?!?!?1

It has been a long time since I last blogged properly. Since the post in April, I have taken my final year exams, finished my final year project, returned from London, gotten my results and started work. It is amazing how it is possible to summarise what happened in the last 4 months in just 1 sentence. How sad have our lives become, as we pursue the luxuries in life, and lost track of the details. Everything we do becomes condensed into just the outcome. My six weeks of sweat and tears and fun reduced to just a normal phrase of "finishing my final year poject". Whatever happened to the process? I guess this is what happened as we grow old and life becomes less structured.

When I was young, my life was mapped out for me (i was supposed to follow the conventional way of life). Go to kindergarden, enter primary school, fight to enter good secondary school, wrestle into desired junior college, then enter college to wither. All my goals were set for me and I just have to make the slightly less important choice of which school to go to, what subjects to take. It was never an option of "let's go fashion school instead" or "let's start work, study later". This worked very well, because there was no need to work hard to prove that the unconventional choice I made was right, unlike those who bravely trodded down those unexplored paths; there was no need to rack my mind on setting goals, because I just had to follow the default pathway and I would be safe. I was indeed sheltered.

However, recently, I find myself in unfamiliar territory. My default pathway has come to a deadend. I have dutifully finished my college degree (and even the goals were not set by me! It was set by A*, which asserts that all scholars should attain 1st class. So I was pretty much guided by that their policy.). But no one told me what is next. Yes, I am supposed to do a year of research attachment, then embark on my PhD overseas before returning to serve my bond. But this is not exactly conventional. I have many other choices awaiting me. I can do my PhD locally, if I am brave enough. I can choose between UK and US. I can choose to do a mix of local and overseas PhD. Hell, I can go into management and not finish my PhD. Then there is the issue of what should I specialise in. There are gazzillllions of options.

No, I am not upset that I have too many options. Rather, whilst I am still trying to find an answer, I find myself floating aimlessly in life, trying to find stable ground. Yet, this is not possible without knowing where I am going. Already, I feel like I am wasting my life away, as I am just living day to day, instead of spending the time productively towards my goals. The worst thing would be to live till 30 and wonder what I had accomplished in my past 8 years. I know the answer "receiving my doctorate" would be insufficient. Still, the search is on for the missing element. Is it being a good mother (doubt so)? Being the oldest ah ma to dance on bar tops (highly so)?

Unfortunately, this problem would not disappear just overnight. In fact, I foresee it getting worse, as I age and the things I used to want to do go unaccomplished and the regret sets in. As work gets busier and friendship circle shrinks, I hope that I would not end up just leading day to day and lose track of the big picture.

13 June 2009

BIRD BOMB

I think God has the same sense of humour as me when he sent a torrent of bird shit raining down on me right before my interview:(

26 April 2009

Singaporean Love by Singaporean on Singapore Day 2009

It's 2 days from exams. Or rather less than 2 days. So I couldn't go to Singapore Day 2009, which was held in London today.


But Yijun, who was volunteering at the event saved me a curry puff, a Yeo's drink and even the goodie bag. SOOOO SWEEET of her right?!?!?! Nothing can express how touched I was by her kindness. Thanks, girl!!!! Thanks for even bringing it all the way to my house, when I should be the one going over to collect. You indeed"brought a piece of home closer to my heart". No, not through the curry puff, but the "piece of home" being the care shown by a fellow Singaporean. It's always sweet to know that wherever Singaporeans go, we look out for each other=D (Esp when it comes to food.)




The curry puff and drink... UMMHMMM!! Old Chang Kee!!! :):):):) I wanna go home where there's endless supply of Old Chang Kee. Incidentally, Jin Yang also brought back the same drink for me:) Heh!!!! Loved! Loved! Loved!!!


And Gabe who was jealous of all the love I received, insisted that he did bring back food. Only that they were in his tummy.



Gabe's (soon to be) TUMMY!!!! hehehhe!!

21 April 2009

study observations

I was rather entertained by two Drosophila (scientific name for the flies species) doing the mating dance in my room.



Until I realised that they would end up mating on my bananas.



Then I stopped being amused.