Isn't it strange that a slip of paper which weighs so light in your hands can weigh so heavy on your heart? The more things we relate to the slip of paper, the heavier it becomes. In a sense, those things that are considered so important to us, such as scholarships, careers and futures, are like anchors, and the more we relate them to the slip of paper, the heavier it weighs on the heart.
Back at RIJC, I was feeling quite calm and collected. Actually, I think what I felt probably resembled a sense of detachment more, a consequence of treating the slip of paper as what it really is than what it may be, without all the excessive deadweight that accompanies the anchors mentioned above.
Results. First came relief. Floods and floods of it! Then joy soon arrived, but it was kept within me and little of it was expressed, for I thought that those who may not have shared similar results might be affected in some way. Friends might recognize the happiness twinkling in my eyes, though others may mistake the passivity as nonchalance. Celebrations were similarly muted as many of my good friends did not get the results that they have had in mind.
With the collection of results over, I guess the chapter of my life that spans across two memorable and scintillating years has finally concluded. I suppose the next step got to do with the university applications, scholarship applications and other nitty-gritty stuff. Yet, I have this feeling of dislocation lodged within me, like I have no idea what to do next. I want to do something exciting! Something new! Or maybe just something that is pure fun! Maybe it's a subconscious need to celebrate! But I can't think of anything. SIAN.
I guess it's just the aftermath of collecting results, and the tides of routine from my desk-bound job will soon wash away these residual effects. But for now, I just feel like taking up a risky enterprise, because I can and because I want to.
Following your heart is the hardest thing to do, sometimes.
Showing posts with label reflections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflections. Show all posts
8 March 2009
6 January 2009
The Workplace
It was an ordinary piece of drawing with everyday manifestations depicted in a mundane fashion. The image of an everyday workplace is drawn up, and you look on with masked nonchalance at the sketches marked with ostentatious pencil markings, eraser smudges and miscellaneous lines all over. Desks, people, and the ubiquitious computer make up the essence of the artwork.
It has been three weeks since I started work. The initial awkwardness has ebbed away by a little, but it will take a while more before I become comfortable with the setting and become immersed into the surroundings. This is probably partly due to age differences and the overwhelming gender imbalance. At eighteen, I am the youngest in the department, and the majority of my colleagues are females above the age of 25. Sometimes, it is just a little hard to find common topics and hold sustained convesations. I guess the film of formality has yet to evanescent. And yeah, I have been feeling quite tired recently too, so I haven't been in any mood to talk.
Anyway, I have always regarded my working life as plain and unexciting. After all, despite the benefits of forging such an intimate relationship with newspapers (I read, cut, photocopy and file them on a daily basis), you can't really disguise the banality of the job, can you? Reading Business Times is not my idea of fun and excitement, nor is standing in front of the photocopying machine for hours particularly interesting.
Yet, it seems like the barren and bleak landscape portrayed before me is but a facade waiting to be unveiled. As time elapses, the varied colours of office intricacies and mysteries begin to permeate through the porous covering. Learning about the history behind what was and what had been breathes life into the still imagery of office life that I had first assumed in my mindscape. Names of fellow colleagues begin to mean much more than consanants to be uttered in periodic frequency as their life stories start to unfold through sporadic conversations.
In many ways, life in a workplace is not what I had expected, and I am glad to be mistaken. Despite the whinings and angst over the job, I am actually really thankful to be where I am. Essentially, there is always pros and cons, merits and demerits, as well as advantages and disadvantages to all things in life. It simply depends on our attitude, and as for me, I choose the see the glass as half-full.
You witness the vacuum fill up with colours of all assortments and start to notice the little details you have missed out on your preliminary glance of the picture. You awaken to the idea that there is great beauty and wonder in the ordinary indeed, for it is in the ordinary where the extraordinary originally emerges from.
It has been three weeks since I started work. The initial awkwardness has ebbed away by a little, but it will take a while more before I become comfortable with the setting and become immersed into the surroundings. This is probably partly due to age differences and the overwhelming gender imbalance. At eighteen, I am the youngest in the department, and the majority of my colleagues are females above the age of 25. Sometimes, it is just a little hard to find common topics and hold sustained convesations. I guess the film of formality has yet to evanescent. And yeah, I have been feeling quite tired recently too, so I haven't been in any mood to talk.
Anyway, I have always regarded my working life as plain and unexciting. After all, despite the benefits of forging such an intimate relationship with newspapers (I read, cut, photocopy and file them on a daily basis), you can't really disguise the banality of the job, can you? Reading Business Times is not my idea of fun and excitement, nor is standing in front of the photocopying machine for hours particularly interesting.
Yet, it seems like the barren and bleak landscape portrayed before me is but a facade waiting to be unveiled. As time elapses, the varied colours of office intricacies and mysteries begin to permeate through the porous covering. Learning about the history behind what was and what had been breathes life into the still imagery of office life that I had first assumed in my mindscape. Names of fellow colleagues begin to mean much more than consanants to be uttered in periodic frequency as their life stories start to unfold through sporadic conversations.
In many ways, life in a workplace is not what I had expected, and I am glad to be mistaken. Despite the whinings and angst over the job, I am actually really thankful to be where I am. Essentially, there is always pros and cons, merits and demerits, as well as advantages and disadvantages to all things in life. It simply depends on our attitude, and as for me, I choose the see the glass as half-full.
You witness the vacuum fill up with colours of all assortments and start to notice the little details you have missed out on your preliminary glance of the picture. You awaken to the idea that there is great beauty and wonder in the ordinary indeed, for it is in the ordinary where the extraordinary originally emerges from.
31 December 2008
2008
2008 has been breath-taking. The pace, the intensity and the scope of it all often leave me wondering how time could pass by so quickly without me noticing it. I can still recall how it started off with Orientation 2008, with the frenetic schedules and hectic plans. There was Highlights too! One of the very best moments in RJ, one of the most memorable. Orientation 2, Investiture, Council Camp, IHC, Final Night, Handover, Scouts Farewell, A levels, Prom... these moments are all so similar in that I feel this tug of reminiscence when I think about them, yet each episode is unique in their own speecial way.
2008 has been enlightening. I have made many mistakes, disappointed some, and failed in a few ventures. At the same time, I have learnt many lessons, found new directions, and succeeded in several pursuits. I have tempered my idealism and added a pinch of pragmatism to it. I am discovering myself more and understanding who I am better as time elapses. I am allowing more people into my life, and letting go of some facades. I have taken up new responsibilities. I have learnt to be more independent. I have matured.
And what makes 2008 2008 are definitely my friends. From council, scouts and classmates, I learnt a little more about what friendship is about. It is about knowing when to tell a lie to comfort her. It is about putting aside your selfish needs for his sake. It is about calling her up to hear her voice once more. It is about laughing with him, not at him. It is about missing her when you don't see her online on MSN. It is about the euphoric feeling that you get when he said he's going to do well for As. It is about holding her hands and letting the silence communicate. It is about honesty, honesty and honesty.
To the special friends of mine, as the twilight of 2008 fades into the dawn of 2009, I hope that we can relive the happy moments of 2009 together at the end of the year. And may a new smile of yours grace the memories of my heart each year (:
2008 has been enlightening. I have made many mistakes, disappointed some, and failed in a few ventures. At the same time, I have learnt many lessons, found new directions, and succeeded in several pursuits. I have tempered my idealism and added a pinch of pragmatism to it. I am discovering myself more and understanding who I am better as time elapses. I am allowing more people into my life, and letting go of some facades. I have taken up new responsibilities. I have learnt to be more independent. I have matured.
And what makes 2008 2008 are definitely my friends. From council, scouts and classmates, I learnt a little more about what friendship is about. It is about knowing when to tell a lie to comfort her. It is about putting aside your selfish needs for his sake. It is about calling her up to hear her voice once more. It is about laughing with him, not at him. It is about missing her when you don't see her online on MSN. It is about the euphoric feeling that you get when he said he's going to do well for As. It is about holding her hands and letting the silence communicate. It is about honesty, honesty and honesty.
To the special friends of mine, as the twilight of 2008 fades into the dawn of 2009, I hope that we can relive the happy moments of 2009 together at the end of the year. And may a new smile of yours grace the memories of my heart each year (:
9 December 2008
27
When we recognize a person, a series of 'terms' may vacillate through our minds even as we greet him or her. These 'terms' are what constitute the identity of that person. Everyone has an identity that is constantly evolving and adapting to ever-changing contexts. A boy, a friend, a son, a brother, a student, a teenager, a scout, a councillor etc... These varied terms collectively form who we are and how others perceived us to be. Simple terms they may be, but they could mean so much to the right person.
27. If you had told me that these two numerals would take up such a huge slice of my current identity a few years ago, I would never have believed it. They seem so simple, yet they could mean so much. With unpredictable subtlety, this term has stolen into our hearts, transmuting the ordinary into extraordinary, just as how stones turn into gold, and what used to be shades of monotonous grey is now instead a spectrum of vibrant colours. Even as we drift towards our individual paths and even as we break apart, ‘27’ will never mean the same as before. It means something special now.
To me, I don’t think ‘27’ can ever be just another number or term. It has become the collective fusion of the highs and the lows of council life, the seamless combination of unbridled celebrations and uncontained heartaches, as well as the beautiful symphony of voices made up of unique and unforgettable individuals in the 27ths. With these friends, I have literally been through a whole new world – I have changed, I have matured and I have found new directions in life.
I found out what it feels like to be part of a team that has become alienated by success as we challenged the impossible, yet I have also savoured the feeling of closeness that comes with uniting against obstacles that goes beyond literal points to reach the walls of stereotypes and pessimism. I learnt that shared grief is half grief, but joy shared isn’t double joy – it’s multiplied so much that your heart is almost bursting with it! I saw how friends could drift apart so quickly and treat friendships with such carelessness, yet I have also witnessed friends who never fail to make others experience a special or fuzzy feeling every time they meet, just by being who they are.
I am a 27th, and that is something that will never change (: Memories may fade, but feelings are immortal. Green never used to be one of my favourite colours but it has since become a special shade that I will cherish ever. Being a Rafflesian never used to feel so awesome, and now I feel simply privileged to be part of the family. Lorry rides will probably seem unworthy of a moment’s attention to anyone else, but I will always see it in great doses of nostalgia. And there are probably a million other things I can mention that will never feel the same way again.
I think we live life not to get rich or get hooked, but to make ordinary things extraordinary for the people around us, just as they have done so for us. We live life for these simple moments that we could look back at with sweet reminiscence. Most importantly, I think we should live life not to become a special someone, but to make someone special.
27. If you had told me that these two numerals would take up such a huge slice of my current identity a few years ago, I would never have believed it. They seem so simple, yet they could mean so much. With unpredictable subtlety, this term has stolen into our hearts, transmuting the ordinary into extraordinary, just as how stones turn into gold, and what used to be shades of monotonous grey is now instead a spectrum of vibrant colours. Even as we drift towards our individual paths and even as we break apart, ‘27’ will never mean the same as before. It means something special now.
To me, I don’t think ‘27’ can ever be just another number or term. It has become the collective fusion of the highs and the lows of council life, the seamless combination of unbridled celebrations and uncontained heartaches, as well as the beautiful symphony of voices made up of unique and unforgettable individuals in the 27ths. With these friends, I have literally been through a whole new world – I have changed, I have matured and I have found new directions in life.
I found out what it feels like to be part of a team that has become alienated by success as we challenged the impossible, yet I have also savoured the feeling of closeness that comes with uniting against obstacles that goes beyond literal points to reach the walls of stereotypes and pessimism. I learnt that shared grief is half grief, but joy shared isn’t double joy – it’s multiplied so much that your heart is almost bursting with it! I saw how friends could drift apart so quickly and treat friendships with such carelessness, yet I have also witnessed friends who never fail to make others experience a special or fuzzy feeling every time they meet, just by being who they are.
I am a 27th, and that is something that will never change (: Memories may fade, but feelings are immortal. Green never used to be one of my favourite colours but it has since become a special shade that I will cherish ever. Being a Rafflesian never used to feel so awesome, and now I feel simply privileged to be part of the family. Lorry rides will probably seem unworthy of a moment’s attention to anyone else, but I will always see it in great doses of nostalgia. And there are probably a million other things I can mention that will never feel the same way again.
I think we live life not to get rich or get hooked, but to make ordinary things extraordinary for the people around us, just as they have done so for us. We live life for these simple moments that we could look back at with sweet reminiscence. Most importantly, I think we should live life not to become a special someone, but to make someone special.
29 September 2008
Grades, grades, grades...
I was feeling pretty down this morning. First, the disastrous Econs grade. Next, the loss of my GC. I was thinking just how my day could become worse. Maths lightened my mood by a lot, and so did hanging out with friends. I feel so glad to have these friends (:
Anyway, I was quite devastated after Econs and did some writing therapy. Didn't want to post this at first, but I thought that maybe it might help someone for all I know. Oh and I added the last two paragraphs after getting back Maths. So ya, here's my emo-momo musing.
Yea, that's the end to my writing therapy. You may agree with it, you may not. And what started off as a bad day ended up pretty good.
Anyway, I was quite devastated after Econs and did some writing therapy. Didn't want to post this at first, but I thought that maybe it might help someone for all I know. Oh and I added the last two paragraphs after getting back Maths. So ya, here's my emo-momo musing.
I guess I have been living in this sheltered bubble all this while, confronting life with a Polyannaish attitude that does not reconcile reality with imagination. I have always had this total and wholesome belief in myself, that I would be able to succeed in anything and everything eventually. Ya, I would say it even borders egocentrism sometimes. But it seems like such a belief isn't really justified all the time, especially now. Yes, I know that there exist different strains of intelligence - social intelligence, emotional intelligence, and other varied intelligences, but in the end, what society judges us by is how we have achieved academically. In other words, the bottom line is that academic intelligence is the most important one, with all other forms of intelligence being subordinate under it as long as far as society is concerned with. In this depressed state of thinking, it just seems as if we are only allowed the luxury to entertain other forms of intelligence only after we have achieved a modicum of respectable achievements in academia.
Yes, yes, all this focus on results and grades... it seems so superficial, huh? But that is what we students have been conditioned to accept, isn’t it? That scoring stellar results is the only way to survive in this mechanic society that has students striving for results as though we were governed by the laws of demand and supply i.e. Government demanding results and we as students have to supply them. Streaming, GEP/Express, PSLE, O’ levels, etc... these institutionalized identifications and recognitions just serve as constant reminders that our society is continually being stratified by the meritocratic brand that has for so long defined the core existence of our over-achieving island.
Even if I am aware that, at the end of the day, what matters most aren’t the results we receive, or that grades do not define who we are, and even if I comprehend that what we achieve in academia is hardly representative of us, does it make a difference? Does this understanding of the ‘intangibles’ even matter at all? After all, what are the considerations of individuals when juxtaposed against the ‘greater vision’ of society?
I question, and question, because questioning is all that is within my capacity now. I can’t change the past, and the present is drifting too fast away from me, so I can only work towards the future where my hopes and dreams continue to keep me afloat in these turbulent waters. Damz, this sounds super emo. But I guess we have this tendency to exaggerate and magnify the extent of our thoughts after they have been processed through our minds. So I’m not really as sad as you may imagine.
I guess this is a better time than any to remove myself from this bubble where I have been contained for far too long. Take a breather of the cold, fresh air and feel the bite of the frigid winds against your cheeks. We have insulated ourselves against the harsh truth of reality for so long. Yes, perhaps it’s time to face up to reality. Perhaps this dose of truth could be the antidote that we have been seeking for all along.
...
All of a sudden, the rays penetrate through the proverbial dark clouds, and the day seemed much more cheery. How frivolous our moods and feelings are, oscillating between good and bad so quickly, so suddenly, as if the swinging pendulum is purely dictated by grades. Another case of superficiality, but that’s reality for us students I guess. Tethered to expectations and societal pressures, we tie our emotions so closely to results that an A or U could make all the difference to our day. As much as we may tell ourselves that we should not share this unhealthy asymmetrical relationship with grades, and that we should stop being so reliant and overly-dependent on it, I don’t think it is something within our means to control. It just happens.
We have been so perfectly conditioned throughout our lives beginning as early as primary education. Teachers favour the better students no matter what they may say. Children with grade improvements are rewarded, whereas those without are punished. Society lavishes attention on those who excel in academics and has the tendency to marginalize those who suffer the deficit in grades. It has already become part and parcel of our lives now, these responses to grades.
In the end, no matter what we may say, no matter what others may say, grades matter. Great grades matter greatly.
Yes, yes, all this focus on results and grades... it seems so superficial, huh? But that is what we students have been conditioned to accept, isn’t it? That scoring stellar results is the only way to survive in this mechanic society that has students striving for results as though we were governed by the laws of demand and supply i.e. Government demanding results and we as students have to supply them. Streaming, GEP/Express, PSLE, O’ levels, etc... these institutionalized identifications and recognitions just serve as constant reminders that our society is continually being stratified by the meritocratic brand that has for so long defined the core existence of our over-achieving island.
Even if I am aware that, at the end of the day, what matters most aren’t the results we receive, or that grades do not define who we are, and even if I comprehend that what we achieve in academia is hardly representative of us, does it make a difference? Does this understanding of the ‘intangibles’ even matter at all? After all, what are the considerations of individuals when juxtaposed against the ‘greater vision’ of society?
I question, and question, because questioning is all that is within my capacity now. I can’t change the past, and the present is drifting too fast away from me, so I can only work towards the future where my hopes and dreams continue to keep me afloat in these turbulent waters. Damz, this sounds super emo. But I guess we have this tendency to exaggerate and magnify the extent of our thoughts after they have been processed through our minds. So I’m not really as sad as you may imagine.
I guess this is a better time than any to remove myself from this bubble where I have been contained for far too long. Take a breather of the cold, fresh air and feel the bite of the frigid winds against your cheeks. We have insulated ourselves against the harsh truth of reality for so long. Yes, perhaps it’s time to face up to reality. Perhaps this dose of truth could be the antidote that we have been seeking for all along.
...
All of a sudden, the rays penetrate through the proverbial dark clouds, and the day seemed much more cheery. How frivolous our moods and feelings are, oscillating between good and bad so quickly, so suddenly, as if the swinging pendulum is purely dictated by grades. Another case of superficiality, but that’s reality for us students I guess. Tethered to expectations and societal pressures, we tie our emotions so closely to results that an A or U could make all the difference to our day. As much as we may tell ourselves that we should not share this unhealthy asymmetrical relationship with grades, and that we should stop being so reliant and overly-dependent on it, I don’t think it is something within our means to control. It just happens.
We have been so perfectly conditioned throughout our lives beginning as early as primary education. Teachers favour the better students no matter what they may say. Children with grade improvements are rewarded, whereas those without are punished. Society lavishes attention on those who excel in academics and has the tendency to marginalize those who suffer the deficit in grades. It has already become part and parcel of our lives now, these responses to grades.
In the end, no matter what we may say, no matter what others may say, grades matter. Great grades matter greatly.
Yea, that's the end to my writing therapy. You may agree with it, you may not. And what started off as a bad day ended up pretty good.
23 September 2008
Scouties
Today was a full day out with the scouts, with Marcus, Raj and Vinod showing me the insides of the gym followed by a long lunch at the expensive Cafeteria located in Vinod's clubhouse. Following that was five games of bowling where we had lots of fun competing, making fun of one another, blessing one another with 'bad karma' as well as trying out freak shots (which didn't work out) xD
Tired but contented, I think I'm ready to kickstart my mugging regime again by holing myself in the council room starting from tomorrow! haha scouties rock. This reminds me of a line I wrote in the reflection I did for scouts under my portfolio submitted earlier. I can still imagine myself meeting them 30 years down the road, introducing our kids to one another and sitting around as usual, doing nothing yet doing everything at the same time. So true (:
So here are some reflections on one of my favourite bunch of people as well as the CCA which brought us all together.
Batchmates and our juniors at the 02 Farewell organized for us.
At the start of 2007, my batchmates and I were struck by indecision as to whether we should continue serving the troop. The potent combination of a new schooling environment, Orientation, as well as the host of new Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) abound, had overwhelmed and won many of us over. Essentially, the problem lay with reconciling personal interests with the Group’s interests, and already, a significant number of the batch had declared that they would no longer serve in the Training Team. The greater issue behind our indecisiveness was that should we lack a sufficient number of scouts willing to take on this new helm of leadership, the Group would become destabilized.
During this course of debate, I have learnt something valuable that continues to shape the important decisions I make today. The whole uncertainty made me think about just how impactful our actions are and how we have the choice to make a difference. We can choose to leave behind a legacy, but we can also choose to become a liability to the progress of the Group. However, for every choice decided, a sacrifice has to be made.
Even more importantly, we have to look away from the micro scale of the issue of reconciling the conflicting interests between self and group, and instead, look at the macro scale of the matter. Putting aside our vested interests, I realized just how important obligation to a cause is. It is a sense of duty to the Group, and a need to give back to it what it has given us throughout the past four years. This includes the many unforgettable memories that I have accumulated, the plethora of leadership opportunities that have shaped me and made me who I am today, and the countless friendships I have made across the different batches of scouts. Are we so selfish as to discount future batches of scouts what we have enjoyed and gained from our enriching scouting experience? Who are we to decide?
In the end, it was the idea of 'giving back' that found resonance among the few of my batchmates and I, and made us decide to continue serving the troop even as we pursue our individual interests in Junior College. Blessed with the benefit of hindsight, I am glad to have made this decision to stay on. While it was difficult balancing my commitments to Scouts and Students’ Council as well as managing my schoolwork all at the same time, it is certainly true that the most memorable times are often those that we find ourselves struggling alongside our friends, and yet are still able to find the strength to assist one another.
In fact, due to the structural changes that took place within scouts, we have, by choosing to continue to serve in our capacity as leaders to the Group, inadvertently left behind a legacy – the legacy of being the longest-serving leaders in the entire 86 years of the Group’s history. Had we chosen to conclude our service to the Group back then, perhaps we might have been known as the batch that marked the start of the Group’s downfall. What a contrast that would have been.
My experience in scouts has left me with many valuable lessons, but among them all, this is definitely one of the most important and relevant lesson. In today’s globalized context, we live in an ‘upgrade’ culture where the new often undermines and replaces the old, but this has reminded me to always look back at one’s roots and recognize the importance of tradition in the new world order. Even more important to me, though, are the friendships that I have forged with my batchmates, and I can still imagine myself meeting them 30 years down the road, introducing our kids to one another and sitting around as usual, doing nothing yet doing everything at the same time.
Tired but contented, I think I'm ready to kickstart my mugging regime again by holing myself in the council room starting from tomorrow! haha scouties rock. This reminds me of a line I wrote in the reflection I did for scouts under my portfolio submitted earlier. I can still imagine myself meeting them 30 years down the road, introducing our kids to one another and sitting around as usual, doing nothing yet doing everything at the same time. So true (:
So here are some reflections on one of my favourite bunch of people as well as the CCA which brought us all together.
Batchmates and our juniors at the 02 Farewell organized for us.
At the start of 2007, my batchmates and I were struck by indecision as to whether we should continue serving the troop. The potent combination of a new schooling environment, Orientation, as well as the host of new Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) abound, had overwhelmed and won many of us over. Essentially, the problem lay with reconciling personal interests with the Group’s interests, and already, a significant number of the batch had declared that they would no longer serve in the Training Team. The greater issue behind our indecisiveness was that should we lack a sufficient number of scouts willing to take on this new helm of leadership, the Group would become destabilized.
During this course of debate, I have learnt something valuable that continues to shape the important decisions I make today. The whole uncertainty made me think about just how impactful our actions are and how we have the choice to make a difference. We can choose to leave behind a legacy, but we can also choose to become a liability to the progress of the Group. However, for every choice decided, a sacrifice has to be made.
Even more importantly, we have to look away from the micro scale of the issue of reconciling the conflicting interests between self and group, and instead, look at the macro scale of the matter. Putting aside our vested interests, I realized just how important obligation to a cause is. It is a sense of duty to the Group, and a need to give back to it what it has given us throughout the past four years. This includes the many unforgettable memories that I have accumulated, the plethora of leadership opportunities that have shaped me and made me who I am today, and the countless friendships I have made across the different batches of scouts. Are we so selfish as to discount future batches of scouts what we have enjoyed and gained from our enriching scouting experience? Who are we to decide?
In the end, it was the idea of 'giving back' that found resonance among the few of my batchmates and I, and made us decide to continue serving the troop even as we pursue our individual interests in Junior College. Blessed with the benefit of hindsight, I am glad to have made this decision to stay on. While it was difficult balancing my commitments to Scouts and Students’ Council as well as managing my schoolwork all at the same time, it is certainly true that the most memorable times are often those that we find ourselves struggling alongside our friends, and yet are still able to find the strength to assist one another.
In fact, due to the structural changes that took place within scouts, we have, by choosing to continue to serve in our capacity as leaders to the Group, inadvertently left behind a legacy – the legacy of being the longest-serving leaders in the entire 86 years of the Group’s history. Had we chosen to conclude our service to the Group back then, perhaps we might have been known as the batch that marked the start of the Group’s downfall. What a contrast that would have been.
My experience in scouts has left me with many valuable lessons, but among them all, this is definitely one of the most important and relevant lesson. In today’s globalized context, we live in an ‘upgrade’ culture where the new often undermines and replaces the old, but this has reminded me to always look back at one’s roots and recognize the importance of tradition in the new world order. Even more important to me, though, are the friendships that I have forged with my batchmates, and I can still imagine myself meeting them 30 years down the road, introducing our kids to one another and sitting around as usual, doing nothing yet doing everything at the same time.
10 May 2008
it's never the end
Memory is a child walking along a seashore. You never can tell what small pebble it will pick up and store away among its treasured things. Pierce Harris
Drawing parallels to the quote, my council term can be compared to the journey along the seashore. Rummaging through my treasure trove of memories, there are really many moments that had unexpectedly become important and precious. Going into the council room during a particularly savage storm and singing songs together was one. The decision to bake 250 cookies for J2s based on impulse, and the subsequent shopping at Holland Village and baking at Felly’s with HouseD late into the night, was one. Walking with Sarah to Concourse to purchase Teachers’ Day Gift Bags and ended up lost, but having lots of fun talking, was one. The nice uncle who gave us Highlighters a ride back to school on the back of his lorry was one. The birthday dinner at Fish & Co. with T’stardust was one. And the list goes on... 
I am really grateful for the opportunity to serve the school, and in the process of doing so, encounter so many unique and amazing individuals both within and without council. BB House D, Teachers’ Day Committee, Highlights, Orientation, T’stardust... every experience has its ups and downs, moments of joy and sadness, times of regret and gratitude, memories of light-heartedness and seriousness, but most importantly, each of them has carved out a space in my heart and taught me invaluable lessons, lessons I will carry with me for a long time to come. I have learnt, I have adapted, and I have changed, and at the end of the day, I hope I’m a better person.
It has been a full circle.
A journey that began with such youthfulness and anticipation has ended in confidence and camaraderie. Dreams have been realized, promises fulfilled; aims achieved, and visions too were met.
But I can’t say it has been always been smooth-sailing, for it hasn’t. There were many times when I wished my classmates and friends had understood me better, and instead of making insensitive or derogatory remarks about council, supported me through the tougher periods of my term. Most people simply skim past the superficial surface and see that council is all about having fun, making friends and enjoying yourself. They couldn’t see that underneath this veil lies the arduous and difficult times when we had to sacrifice time and effort, endure many a sleepless nights and cope with snow-piling homework, all for the sake of the school, all for the sake of them. Many complain that councillors are exclusive – but sometimes, do they reflect that what they are doing is in fact the centrifugal force that drives us away from them into the comforts of our fellow councillors, the only people who understood us? Speaking without thinking is akin to shooting without aiming.
Alas, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. After all, all the thoughtlessness only reflects frivolous friendships, filtering out the superficials and retaining the ones who will really stand by you. For that, I’m again thankful. Lizzie recently told me that I like making lists, and upon reflection, I guess it’s somewhat true. In my mind are many lists, and among these lists, I have one of the people who played a significant role in my council term, and I really wish to thank them for the lessons they have taught me, the inspiration they have given me, and of course, the friendship we have forged. I respect and look up to many of them, and I am glad to know them as fellow 27ths’ student councillors. Respect is never given – it has to be gained, and the various remarkable traits these individuals have displayed certainly earned them my respect.
Final Night is a not a night where journeys end and bonds sever. It is a night where the end marks the dawn of a new beginning, a time where friendships become stronger as we let our emotions interact and interweave into a singular entity.
I have walked the whole length of the seashore,
And I have picked up many pebbles along the way.
Stored in their present state pure and raw,
They shall always remain in my heart every single day.
<3 27ths!
1 January 2008
2007!
When I think of 2007, I will remember...
Orientation L'audeamus and my OG L'egolas BB07!
The excitement; the anticipation; the enthusiasm; the evanescence; the disappointment.
jean, brian, dexter
Scouts Reformation.
The willingness; the sacrifice; the end of everything; the start of something new.
raj, funx, vinod, marcus, weizhi
ODAC Basic Training Camp and Interview.
The experience; the familiarity; the indecision.
Council Elections.
The uncertainty; the gamble; the final decision.
Council Campaign. SAND!
The thrill; the novelty; the confusion; the joy; the sadness.
shihua, anna, dexter
House Capt Campaigning.
The choice; the courage; the commitment.
Council Investiture.
The exco; the planning; the first hardcoring; the craziness; the finality.
siti, ian, giraffe, lynette, david, ben, anna
IHC Dota
The underdogs; the challenge; the belief; the strength; the odds; the victory.
yu jun, xianjie, andre, stanley
BB House D.
The passion; the warmth; the work; the happiness; the sleepless nights; the trust; the pain; the brainstorming; the jubilant; the ihc trophy; the satisfaction; the reflections; the let down; the regrets; the change; the understanding; the baking at felly's; the hardcore stayover; the blog; the newsletter; the collar pins.
kovan, shihua, giraffe, felly, anna
Teachers' Day
The many, many, many, many hardcore sessions; the regret; the sadness; the fatigue; the comfort; the uncountable sleepless nights; the planning; the learning; the lack of support; the unbelievable artwork; the concourse; the pride; the success; the relief.
sarah, ben, ashley, xueqian, yanneng, tan chen, shiyu
Open House
The Befriender's Dance; the tiredness; the soloing; the laughing; the happiness; the secret corner; the crazy shifting.
lynette, giraffe
J2 Farewell
The council sweetheart game; the sharing; the loneliness.
joseph
01 & 02 Combined Overnight Cycling
The battle against sleep; the brotherhood; the fun; the enjoyment; the test of willpower; the hardcore cycling; the sleepless night; the wandering and talking.
scouties, royce, chin yang, hiok, and others.
Highlights
The fun and laughter, peace and joy; the countless singing sessions; the teasing; the bullying; the chemistry; the phone call scam; the camaraderie; the highlights hand signal; the tshirt; the understanding; the fatigue; the lorry ride; the sewing at karen's; the burning; the burning once more; the eraser clique; the insanity; the happiness; the love; the tension; the dry run; the banner; the shopping for paint; the gate-climbing; the secret chambers; the cheat to unlocking the gate; the emoing; the satisfaction; the excitement; the PROposal.
wanjoo, giraffe, lynette, zhiying, jevon, ye wei, karen, joel, evona, aaron, warren, alywn, humairah, ivan, sabby, andrea, yiran, jeremy, tanvi, ee kuan
Scouts Annual Camp 2007
The hardcore juggling between scouts and orientation dry run; the support; the joy; the courage; the passion; the emotions; the wargames; the payback; the fatigue; the satisfaction; the belief;
scouties
Orientation
The dry runs; the pseudo og, t'ongkat ali; the EA; the station games and wargames; the experience.
BB02 T'stardust
The talking; the shopping; the og gifting; the gossiping.
yihui
BB House Councillors
The support; the enthusiasm; the passion.
mel, mandy, jiaying, wanjoo, junwei, ye wei, sabby and all the rest!
Dotarians
The games; the fun; the craziness; the steamboats; the insane 3am x-hero extreme 3 game.
08S05A
The lectures; the pe lessons; the tutorials.
royce, funx, taufiq, mel, pris, sharyn, nigel, yijing, choon wing, lijian, siti, ame, long qing and all the rest!
Council
The essence of hardcore; the fun; the memories; the tears; the joy; the sadness; the pain; the life.
Scouts
The trust; the camaraderie; the ability to talk about anything and everything; the confidence in me; the support; the memories; the discussions; the stayovers; the lanning sessions; the soccer games; the importance.
There is too much to recall about 2007. It has been a journey of self-discovery, of excitement and fun, of never-ending surprises. More importantly, it was the fire that tempered my spirit, the clay that molded me in greater definition, the waters that sooth my turbulence, the wind that took me to my potential, the earth that allowed me to stay on to reality, the plane that showed me a glimpse of paradise.
True, it was a year with many regrets, but it was also a year with greater satisfaction. An age where awareness awakened from its slumber, where ignorance is no longer bliss, where knowledge is a double-edged sword. A time when strangers no longer remain so strange, when friends become even friendlier.
2007.
I think I will name it the Year of Wonders. =)
Orientation L'audeamus and my OG L'egolas BB07!
The excitement; the anticipation; the enthusiasm; the evanescence; the disappointment.
jean, brian, dexter
Scouts Reformation.
The willingness; the sacrifice; the end of everything; the start of something new.
raj, funx, vinod, marcus, weizhi
ODAC Basic Training Camp and Interview.
The experience; the familiarity; the indecision.
Council Elections.
The uncertainty; the gamble; the final decision.
Council Campaign. SAND!
The thrill; the novelty; the confusion; the joy; the sadness.
shihua, anna, dexter
House Capt Campaigning.
The choice; the courage; the commitment.
Council Investiture.
The exco; the planning; the first hardcoring; the craziness; the finality.
siti, ian, giraffe, lynette, david, ben, anna
IHC Dota
The underdogs; the challenge; the belief; the strength; the odds; the victory.
yu jun, xianjie, andre, stanley
BB House D.
The passion; the warmth; the work; the happiness; the sleepless nights; the trust; the pain; the brainstorming; the jubilant; the ihc trophy; the satisfaction; the reflections; the let down; the regrets; the change; the understanding; the baking at felly's; the hardcore stayover; the blog; the newsletter; the collar pins.
kovan, shihua, giraffe, felly, anna
Teachers' Day
The many, many, many, many hardcore sessions; the regret; the sadness; the fatigue; the comfort; the uncountable sleepless nights; the planning; the learning; the lack of support; the unbelievable artwork; the concourse; the pride; the success; the relief.
sarah, ben, ashley, xueqian, yanneng, tan chen, shiyu
Open House
The Befriender's Dance; the tiredness; the soloing; the laughing; the happiness; the secret corner; the crazy shifting.
lynette, giraffe
J2 Farewell
The council sweetheart game; the sharing; the loneliness.
joseph
01 & 02 Combined Overnight Cycling
The battle against sleep; the brotherhood; the fun; the enjoyment; the test of willpower; the hardcore cycling; the sleepless night; the wandering and talking.
scouties, royce, chin yang, hiok, and others.
Highlights
The fun and laughter, peace and joy; the countless singing sessions; the teasing; the bullying; the chemistry; the phone call scam; the camaraderie; the highlights hand signal; the tshirt; the understanding; the fatigue; the lorry ride; the sewing at karen's; the burning; the burning once more; the eraser clique; the insanity; the happiness; the love; the tension; the dry run; the banner; the shopping for paint; the gate-climbing; the secret chambers; the cheat to unlocking the gate; the emoing; the satisfaction; the excitement; the PROposal.
wanjoo, giraffe, lynette, zhiying, jevon, ye wei, karen, joel, evona, aaron, warren, alywn, humairah, ivan, sabby, andrea, yiran, jeremy, tanvi, ee kuan
Scouts Annual Camp 2007
The hardcore juggling between scouts and orientation dry run; the support; the joy; the courage; the passion; the emotions; the wargames; the payback; the fatigue; the satisfaction; the belief;
scouties
Orientation
The dry runs; the pseudo og, t'ongkat ali; the EA; the station games and wargames; the experience.
BB02 T'stardust
The talking; the shopping; the og gifting; the gossiping.
yihui
BB House Councillors
The support; the enthusiasm; the passion.
mel, mandy, jiaying, wanjoo, junwei, ye wei, sabby and all the rest!
Dotarians
The games; the fun; the craziness; the steamboats; the insane 3am x-hero extreme 3 game.
08S05A
The lectures; the pe lessons; the tutorials.
royce, funx, taufiq, mel, pris, sharyn, nigel, yijing, choon wing, lijian, siti, ame, long qing and all the rest!
Council
The essence of hardcore; the fun; the memories; the tears; the joy; the sadness; the pain; the life.
Scouts
The trust; the camaraderie; the ability to talk about anything and everything; the confidence in me; the support; the memories; the discussions; the stayovers; the lanning sessions; the soccer games; the importance.
There is too much to recall about 2007. It has been a journey of self-discovery, of excitement and fun, of never-ending surprises. More importantly, it was the fire that tempered my spirit, the clay that molded me in greater definition, the waters that sooth my turbulence, the wind that took me to my potential, the earth that allowed me to stay on to reality, the plane that showed me a glimpse of paradise.
True, it was a year with many regrets, but it was also a year with greater satisfaction. An age where awareness awakened from its slumber, where ignorance is no longer bliss, where knowledge is a double-edged sword. A time when strangers no longer remain so strange, when friends become even friendlier.
2007.
I think I will name it the Year of Wonders. =)
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