Memories...
Sunday, May 25, 2008
ON GRAD TRIP TO BALI
Chermaine mentioned during dinner that dae, that once people start work, they seldom or rarely blog anymore. For a variety of reasons.
Haha, I do hope to continue doing so even when working. If anything, just to catch up & keep my circle of friends updated about my livelihood.
But if the past 2 weeks since post-exams are any gauge, the frequency of blogging has indeed decreased substantially. Come to think of it, its like only 15 daes since my last exam paper, but it feels like 15 years oredi wahahah!
So much has happened I guess, and its fascinating to think that this time tomorrow night, I ll be in Bali lo yahooo!!! heh heh :p Kinda surreal feeling I m having now, that i m embarking on my grad trip. Though we are not going somewhere far far away like Europe or North America, but I feel whats most impt at the end of the dae is the company. And i m so glad to be going with a wonderful group of PS chaps haha. n_n
I ll be flying off tom Sun evening at 7pm, and be back in Singapore somewhere around next Fri (30th May) midnight. If any of u need to look for me urgently, do drop me a mail yeah.
And yes, i ll be checking my exam results on the morning of 30th May in Bali. For the final moment of truth wahaha.
Very much looking foward to the trip. So much that I have oredi packed my stuff and all set to go haha! So unlike Hock. I was always the kind who ll ba long longly prep my stuff on the morning itself of Camps and take my own sweet time in the past.
And it striked me todae that its only 1 month left to Arts Camp 2008. Which means pre-camp shud be approaching soon as well. My, time really flies man. The other dae I dropped by clubroom to borrow some stuff, and I observed that Rag is also kicking off full-swing. Brings back a lot of memories haha.
The realization hit me that for the 1st time in 5 years, I wud be totally uninvolved with FOP. haha. Not that i m complaining though. I gave whatever I could for the past 4 years of FOP, from a freshie to Arts Camp PD to President and to House IC. The long daes n nights of planning, ragging, and yes, sometimes tearing your hair out, sometimes crying, sometimes quarreling with friends, sometimes frustrated, sometimes angry, most of the time tired (both physically & mentally)...
But then when u look back on Day 5 of Arts Camp, when u see freshies (from strangers on the 1st dae) cheering their hearts out, when u see the long-held Arts Club tradition of Circle of Friendship formed among the entire camp, when the tears start to flow among the O Com members and House ICs, u finally understand why u put yourself thru so much over the past year.
When the Arts Rag float is being pushed out before the NUS population at Padang (or SRC), and all the techies, dancers, & raggers huddle together to give that 1 final pep talk...u finally understand why u put yourself thru so much over the past year.
And then everything falls into place. U finally understand why u run (or re-run) for Arts Club, why u join each of the 6 O Coms, why FOP means a lot to so many seniors, past & present. In fact, sometimes I think FOP is like a drug, like the Artstasy theme last time wahahhaha. You just can't help but keep coming back for more.
Heh ok i better stop. Getting carried away again. As I was saying, 4 FOPs gave me tons of memories in Arts, in NUS, and in life. Esp now that I have graduated. Not to mention countless friendships and bonds. =) I have no regrets becoz I gave the best of my ability for each FOP. To those who are going thru the entire experience of FOP now, Arts Camp, O Week, Rag, Flag, Matric, & Bash 2, enjoy it while u can! No more such joyous experiences when u graduate!!! haha
Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breaths away. Do not wait until its too late to have regrets, because life never stops for us to reclaim our regrets.
So till then, goodnight my dear friends, and its off to Bali for me! :p
Does Bali smellllllllllllllllll what the Hock is cooking????????!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
ON SOME UPDATES
After consulting many friends, seniors, ex-colleagues, my brother, more importantly my elder sister (who has almost 10 years of working experience in a related industry), & perhaps most importantly my own heart, I have decided to go for the Changi Airport T3 offer.
A combination of factors & not just simply 1: portfolio, level of exposure, working environment, internship experience, internal culture, my love for the airport, prior network & contacts, learning opportunities etc.
Still, I must add it wasnt easy to decline an offer from 1 of the best airlines in the world, and the no 1 employer of choice for graduates for dunno how many years oredi haha. I called Nerice of SIA HR in the morning to thank & inform her about my decision, and I was touched by her professionalism. In a sense, she welcomed me to apply again perhaps after 1 or 2 years if I m still keen to do a switch, adding that my experience in the aviation industry would make me a more valuable employee for SIA in future as well.
Very impressed by her professionalism and response.
Met Chun Kiat again yesterdae at Holland V, and I m really happy for him that he's accepted the SIA offer. :p I m sure we ll go for many future dinners around the Changi area haha. Hope to introduce him to Daniel as well. After all, they ll be future SQ colleagues heh.
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Post-exam & graduation activities havent really died down I suppose. Been meeting & catching up with a lot a lot of old friends. Only thing which i havent been doing (strangely) is DOTAing and mahjong (much less sessions than I expected ahha).
Sooze & Siying have welcomed me to the impending working world as well haha. I m glad I can spend more time with them on weekends as well, talking trash, watching football, & splendid movies.
Weekly football games have resumed, as expected. For the 1st time in a long long while, all of us lads are no longer students as well, and i think the realization hit everybody that we better strive hard to maintain these Sundae games else we grow fat once working starts haha!
I ve also spent a lot more time training up & jogging. Wanna clear my IPPT asap, hopefully before reservist. Weather these few daes has been absolutely brillant! n_n
Remy's bdae celebration at Camy's house was wonderful as well. What else can u expect from them haha. Every time i attend their gang's bdae activities, I feel really touched by their warmth & friendship. I hope they continue to have whacking fun during this year's FOP and also share their love and guidance for incoming juniors hehe =)
Saturday, May 17, 2008
ON A HAPPY DAE AT FASS DAY!
I was supposed to take my IPPT at 715 am this morning...but guess what? I woke up at 1 pm instead whahahahahahaha!!
Aiyah nmind la book again next week heh.
Anyway I went for FASS Day today at the invitation of the Deans Office, to help out with the parents' tour & sharing a bit of my own FASS experience in general. Met a lot of juniors as well.
Really enjoyed myself, and again, lotsa past memories flood me. Really honoured that the Deanery use me as 1 of the "show-case" graduates hahahah. I guess todae is just 1 of the little things that I can contribute back as an alumni (I m so not used to being called this term haha!), and I do hope to continue helping out the Arts Deanery in whatever way I can. Esp in terms of imparting career advice n mentorship programmes for current n future undergrads.
Hopefully long term wise, I can be able to inspire fellow Arts undergrads n encourage them to pursuit n fulfill their dreams.
Prof Straughan & Joanne also filled me with some great news that really made me quite excited!
Apparently this year they are making some changes to the Commencement ceremony. In the sense that President SR Nathan ll be coming for the 1st session I think... And they have drawn up this so-called C1 list of past student leaders who have done well in NUS..Prof Straughan and Joanne have submitted my name into the C1 list. Which means I might be able to receive my degree scroll from President Nathan himself on Commencement day. I was really delighted to hear that! And fingers crossed that I fulfill the criteria to be in that C1 list.
Obviously the downside is that I wont be going onstage with my Political Science peers to collect my degree scroll. But I can still be present during the PS Commencement ceremony, which really matters a lot to me. =) Wanna throw my mortar hat with all of them haha.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
ON ANOTHER GREAT WAY TO FLY........?
I m troubled. But I guess its a really happy dilemma for me.
And actually the picture above summarizes how I m feeling right now.
This morning, not long after reaching home and settling down after another night of booze & clubbing & madness (this time at Zouk), I received a call.
I looked at the number and expected it to be from CAAS to confirm my security clearance & contract signing date. Turns out that it was actually from Singapore Airlines. They have made me a job offer as well, the position being Ground Services Executive.
Obviously I was elated. SIA was the company that once inspired and sparked off my ardent interest and research into the aviation & airline industry, when I was just year 2 then. Always been my dream to join the company since year 2.
Yet over the years, esp after my internship with CAAS at Changi Airport last Dec, I have grown fond of the organization as well. Developed very very strong feelings for the airport. Seeing it as part of my 2nd home.
Obviously there are a lot of other factors involved. But I m really quite troubled now over which organization to opt for. Previously I have adopted a wait-and-see approach, meaning I would only decide about this after receiving the SIA offer. Now that it has come to reality, I would have to make a really tough personal decision for my career and my future.
Both are wonderful & leading organizations in their own right which I really really respect & hope to work for. So obviously, regardless of which offer I take, I am still going to be disappointed in a way that I rejected the other.
And I have until Tuesday to confirm my reply.
Headache...But a pleasant headache. And one which I m really thankful for, and which I appreciate.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
ON GRADUATION & BOOZE IN MY MIND
Ugh. I have to say, I cant really write a coherent graduation post as of now. Ever since the last paper, it has been hardcore partying n booze. St James with the wonderfulest PS lads on Fri night, Wala Wala with the presidents on Sat night, and going off to witness the most important match day at the end of EPL with Sooze & Siying.
If we win tonight, I ll prob go get some more beers to celebrate. =)
Woke up at 6 pm todae. hahaha! Damn shag la.
Feeling of graduation havent sinked in fully yet for me. Too much alcohol in my blood. But I must say the feeling of waking up noeing that there are no more essays, tests, projects, exams is an indescribable & sacred feeling. In a sense, I feel like I have been floating the past 2 daes. Feel really light. hoho.
Gotta run. Happy Mother's Day to my mum! n_n
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
ON THE 120 MINUTES THAT STAND BETWEEN ME, 2ND UPPER, & GRADUATION
I didnt feel too good after Yoshi's paper just now. In the sense that I didnt really finish my conclusion, and didnt feel that I wrote well, esp when he is such a strict marker.
Was thus a little upset. For the 1st time this semester, it dawned on me on how I would react if I dun maintain my 4.0 cap. Maybe I ll douse myself in alcohol on the beaches of Bali or something haha. Esp when my job offer requires 2nd Upper or else its no deal. Need at least B+ for each paper.
But Hock being Hock, I dun get upset over this for long. I mean, the impt thing for me was that I did my best. And since the paper's over, there's nothing I can do, except to study doubly hard for my last paper China FP.
I think its going to be an emotional journey right up to the last paper. For the past few daes, I realize the fatigue has been catching up on me. Both mentally & physically.
But like what I told Daniel todae, there are just so many, so many so many things I want to learn & do after graduation. So many so many things I m looking forward to.
The world is waiting for me out there. There are great things i wanna do. I cant wait. I m so excited deep down inside. =) After all, I am an Adventurer heh heh.
For now, 120 minutes remain.
And then, a new rainbow will arise. And a new phase of life will begin. n_n
Saturday, May 03, 2008
ON GOODBYE IPC & DR CHONG, SOUTH PARK & CHEESING, DEEP TRASH, FACEBOOK TAGGING, HUNGER, LOVE, AND SEEING AN OLD FREN WHILE JOGGING
What a long & messy title. But it kinda reflects my mood now hee.
International Politics of Communication paper is finally over todae. It was undoubtedly the toughest paper I had to prepare for. And I was initially quite worried that the words just wont flow when I see the questions. Thankfully, I survived that.
That sorta wrapped up my educational journey with Dr Alan Chong, who sent a very sweet msg/ email to all of us after the exams. Really enjoyed my lessons with him, from Singapore Foreign Policy to The Study of War and finally IPC. What a brilliant & truly personable educator & academic. =) I tot about replying his email, but decided that I ll write a nice card for him after all my papers instead. Would be more personable hee.
Act there's a number of Professors and other staff whom I really wanna write to. Gotta put that on hold 1st tho.
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1st time I watch a full episode of South Park todae in Hons room. Haha its like damn trashy and funny la!! I totally love it, and I think i ll try n catch up with every past episode after exams.
Now i think about cheesing whenever i see cats. Heh.
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6 of us went Vivocity to lunch at Bosses after IPC paper. The DD Boyz plus Hummer & Ah Mah. Then after that coffee & more trash talking, while busking in the sun (for Daniel & Kelvin Fu). Its quite fascinating the amount of deep trash 6 male chaps can come up with haha. I can so foresee next time when all of us are working, more of such chilling out sessions to come.
Yes, and more cheesing.
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I finally learn how to tag facebook photos todae heh heh! What a noob. Put up 2 pictures of the cheesing Daniel n Kelvin.
But the best noobie line came from Sean Ler: "Wah, Facebook can automatically recognize the person in the pictures wan ah?"
Haha. Awesome line.
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Somehow the trash talking doesnt stop heh. But over dinner it moved to more serious stuff.
I guess its inevitable that when u put PS Hons lads together, they cant help but talk & speculate about politics. heh.
And then on the topic of hunger. Inspired by Dr Chong's email. Had a great chat with Kelvin Fu on this.
Indeed, we must not lose out to the hungry talents from China and India. We need to be even hungrier than anyone! Not just hungry Singaporeans!! But hungry global citizens!!! ("Now, bring me my CHEESE burger!!!!!")
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As I was riding home, I heard this line over Class 95, on love:
"You can always give without loving, but never love without giving."
Food for thought.
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To round off this wonderful dae, I went for my customary jog at 1230 am, and so qiao, saw Gerard at a bus stop haha!
Always enjoy talking and learning from him, since the army daes. Someone I respect a lot. =)
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Ok. End of another fascinating dae for me. With each passing dae i take a step closer to end of exams and graduation. In fact, only 7 exact daes lie between me and my graduation, and most importantly, my leaving from NUS with absolutely no regrets.
Hummer was right when he said to live life with no regrets. I think we have rather similar philosophies in life, although he more lao beng than me heh. Glad to have known this penguin, I mean chap.
