Closing the year (well... technically it’s 2.13am now but i finally have some time to sit down in peace & consolidate my thoughts so.... :p) off with a mandatory review of the past year.
Just revisited my blog & i’m only appalled to find out that the latest entry was dated January 2015. Obviously somebody was too caught up with life and totally abandoned the blog. So i conveniently revisited my post about 2014 & read that one of my resolutions for 2015 was to make it an enriching one. And with that being said, i gotta say i did fulfil my resolution to a pretty significant extent.
2015 has been a rough, but fulfilling journey. There were highs and many many lows. All in all, i’m pretty much thankful for the good times as well as the bad. Oh wait, more thankful for the latter i would say, if weren’t for those rough journeys, i wouldn’t have discovered things i hadn’t known about myself all these while, learn and mature from those set backs.
If there’s one thing that I feel i could’ve done better during the year, it’d be to have a greater thirst to try out new things. I gotta say that i’m still pretty much restricting myself to be in my own little comfort zone, not being able to garner that amount of courage and give less fucks to do what i really want.
But at the end of the day, however tough times has been, there are still many things worth giving thanks to. And so here’s my attempt at recollecting some memories from 2015 that are worth giving a mention :-)
Ushered in the year with a spontaneous Krabi trip (which me, xm & jh booked during end 2014) & I’m super thankful to have met this fun bunch during the trip :’) It was a really memorable 5d4n (was it?) & the trip really started off the year right I must say.
2. Birthdays (in general)
2015 was the year of many 21st parties, I’m sure we could’ve gotten sick of tasting heavily frosted cakes already, but above all, these parties also served as a gathering for old friends and i’m thankful that i’ve managed to meet up with my old friends more often during the past years :-)
Y2S2 was a roller coaster ride in general. Having to deal with (for the lack of a better word) inefficient project mates who just probably don't care about their grades / take those who do for granted; this experience alone has opened my eyes to the different kinds of people in school and it was also from this that i’ve learnt that yes, free riders do exist. I remember editing a report till 6am, having to wake up for tutorial at 8.30am, even typing this gives me the chills already. To my dear eye bags, i hope you’ve found your answer to your existence.
Also took the gamble and registered for a totally abstract (but eye opening) ADM module, spent weeks after weeks at Tanglin Halt (our project site), gained inspiration from my fellow adm project mates who are just so damn talented (honestly i felt like i’m the free rider in this project lolz but i did help in whatever ways i could i hope..). I must say this is one heck of a memorable project. Imagine going for classes held at a coffee shop next to tanglin halt?! Yup that was our meeting point every monday evening. And exploring the abandoned estates, interviewing the regulars there, i’m pretty sure i don’t get to experience this in chemistry.
Aaaand this was taken during our final visit to the shrine (before it got torn down). Cooked clams x tomato base pasta the outdoor-way, except that it was under a shrine and beside a now defunct railway track, aka the green corridor:-)
We left a portrait of us, drawn by our talented group member, a day right before NEA came to inspect the area hahahah.
I guess at the end of the day, the greatest take-away from the module is understanding how Tanglin Halt resonates with its residences.
Y2S2 was also marked the last sem in hall 6 with my room mate, ching fen. It’s only when you’ve moved to single room when you realise how having a roomie in your room keeps your sanity in check (lol i keed, i’m still sane okay). I was super super super lucky enough to have been able to room with such easy-going, extremely nice & caring room mate despite it being a random occurrence, so praise the lord for that, thank you. We may not be the closest, but I’m thankful for all the times you’ve helped me format my report, our random talks about life or just entertaining me while I whined about my long day. Sigh now single room nobody to whine to :---( HAHAHA. Pardon the ugly photo of me, this was taken on the day when I move out and she even kindly volunteered to help me transport my barang barring (s) down AND I remembered it was a rainy day and it was slippery and all :’) xiaotouched.
In 2015, I splurged on a set of tickets which probably brought me to the land of EARGASM. It was THE SCRIPT, my all time favourite band since.... secondary school days? Listening to your fav band play live and singing all those songs you used to study your O-levels with is just... plain amazing. And surreal. Loved the concert with every single fibre of my being despite them being late. The wait was worth it. Still can’t forget how hyped up we were during the concert, me yelling to wz “OMGGG IT’S “TGT WE CRY!!!” and she yelling back “NO LA IT’S PAINT THE TOWN GREEN!!!!!” LOL SO FUNNEH. And if i’m not wrong we were supposed to sit for our first finals paper few days after, but fuck finals the concert justified our hiatus from books okay. OHOHOH and I HAVE TO ADD, The Sam Willows happened to be the opening act for the concert too, tell me how can i NOT go???? This show was meant for me.
Annnnnd a few months later, listened to Gentle Bones live with Jy, courtesy of wz’s free tickets to NUS Rag and Flag! It was amazing as usual.
Wanted to channel some inner GB with some club masters but NUPE.
HAPPY US WITH OUR PRETTY GENEROUS GOODIE BAG TOO.
NTU up your game and invite TSW too plox??
Threw a small 21st party at my very own crib right after finals on 8th May 2015, and boy was it the best decision made. At first, I was hesitant towards the idea of throwing a 21st party. mainly because, 1. Location, 2. FINALS, 3. Guest list (to only invite the close ones, or to not to?), 4. Cost, 5. Awkward .... and the list goes on. Decided to have it at my house since it is decently wide enough to house my guests, and also because I can settle and put up my decorations days before the party (aka study break but it was therapeutic putting them up amidst all that mugging + if i were to book a function room, i can only put it on the day itself which would be mad rush since my finals just ended a day before the party thus the LACK OF TIME, yes TIME) ANNND MOST IMPTLY
HAH so when the thought came across my head I was like, THAT’S A GOOD IDEA. Scraped all those initial ideas of holding it in fancy but painfully cramped hotel rooms and started planning the party all together, but wouldn’t have done it IF NOT FOR MY PARENTS. YES. THEY HAVE BEEN THE PILLARS BEHIND THE PARTY I LITERALLY MEAN PILLARS HAHA, really fucking grateful for them for supporting financially (without me even asking :’) ), voluntarily collecting balloons, cakes, etc on the day of the party. And for being so understanding.
All I could remember was that I genuinely felt happy at the end of the party, albeit freaking shagged from talking NON-STOP HAHA to the extent that I really heaved a sigh when everyone left because I could finally stop talking HAHAH. But it was a fulfilling kind of tiredness, seeing all your friends gathering in a common space, and i’m immensely grateful for all who turned up, especially those who came alone despite fearing that it’ll be awkward :’)
All I could say is, Thank You for making my 21st a memorable one and I’m grateful.
2015 summer break was a fun filled and fulfilling one.
TBH, SUMMER BREAK IS MY FAV TIME OF THE WHOLE YEAR (besides christmas) EVER SINCE ENTERING UNI.
It’s the time you finally feel liberated to do the stuffs you like.
Managed to catch up with some friends over the break,
Did stuffs like having a pic-nic at Marina Barrage,
Signed up for driving at BBDC (LOL BUT APPARENTLY STOPPED STAGNANT AT BTT LLOLLLLLL due to the lack of determination and laziness),
OSE with FOOT15 (tbh, i’m missing those times. but first, fuck those sand flies. ok that’s another story altogether)
YES. Now don’t say I’m being crude, but look how nasty those flying creatures could be?!?!?! SWOLLEN HAND during FOOT CAMP. And still recovering from those sand fly scars even TILL NOW. And I seem to be the only one having issues with sand flies lol.
But yes, I miss the outdoors sigh. And I miss being tanned. Guess I have to take more precautions like wearing tights, to ward off those sand flies (if I’m even allowed to go outdoors now hahaha).
During Foot camp itself! I finally understood what they meant when they said it’ll be exhausting. HAHA, can’t forget how we slowly got used to looking more like a panda every morning when we looked at ourselves in the mirror at the SRC toilet lolol. Looking at these photos made me feel nostalgic. Can’t deny that it does feel a little different now that I’ve “graduated” from odac hahaha.
Look at how burnt we look! Sigh missing those days, life was really just about odac stuffs lol. This was taken in our bus bound for Penang! Can’t forget how we managed to travel to Penang for 10 hours, on wheels. Spent a couple of days in Penang for our retreat, chilled in our swanky villa.
After retreat, people were flying off for exchange, so those few days were just about send-offs and wishing we were the ones flying.
(it all depends on jan14 now sigh)
Making use of the holidays by doing stuffs like kayaking, further burning myself under the merciless Sun but :-)
Somewhere towards the end of summer break, went on a trip to taiwan with my yang to the ying! Planned and did our itinerary from scratch, kudos to us! Look at how tired I look lolol but even though it was tiring, I guess that’s what makes travelling an enriching experience.
I RMB THIS WAS LITERALLY TAKEN AT 4AM ON THE STREETS OF XMD. Good times good times. Somehow we weren’t afraid of getting robbed or smth lolol.
With our impromptu company (sham’s SMU friends), who made our last night in Taipei a kick ass one.
BOOO. YEAR 3?? YOU KIDDING ME??? Yes my exact sentiments prior to the first week of school. I was totally not ready for school to start and took sometime settling down. And also accepting the fact that I am already in year 3. Felt like yesterday when we just matriculated.
Was lucky enough to have gotten Crescent hall, my new home for the academic year. Yes, staying in a single room does have it dull and lonely moments, but it also became a hideout for me to seek solace whenever I feel the need to be a hermit and isolate myself from human beings HAHAH. With that being said, I’m thankful for having jy as a squatter during the first half of the sem, keeping my sanity in check.
Staying in crescent hall also meant being hall mates with ^! So thankful for having her in hall dance. Cultural night was a great exposure for me, rekindling that love for performing in me again. Tbh, I’ve always wanted to try or learn dancing (ever since i stopped years ago) but have always been conscious/afraid cuz everyone else who dances are skinny af and I’m not, but after realising that this would probably be my last chance to try it out (in uni), I decided to just fuck all expectations (lol) and go for it.
Went for SCT despite the haze and it was a perfect escape from the wrath of mid terms and deadlines.
I look like I’m scaling the summit of Mt-Rinjani or something with that flushed out look on my face but in actual fact it’s just Berkelah falls. HAHAHA but I didn’t fall or slip this time so kudos to me LOL.
The sem got pretty intense, with the constant fight against time (& me taking insane modules like Intro to Korean History; READINGS!!!!!), ridiculously abstract modules, lack of motivation etc etc but I’m thankful for friends like ^ for keeping me going (oops xm is blocked). Now that Eugene has graduated, I hope our supper sessions never stops!!!!
Ended off our last paper with a fancy meal (with a hefty tag) at PS CAFE!!!! I only had 3 papers this semester, with 2 non-examinable modules. Decided to MC one of my modules for the first time and yes I feel bad about it. But I didn’t regret it because it could have pulled down my gpa for this sem pretty badly. I guess the main take away for this sem will be to never give up and have faith, because at the end of the day you’ll do fine as long as you put in the needed effort. Thank you, God. (HAHA SO CONTRADICTING SINCE I’VE TAKEN MC BUT QUANTUM IS ANOTHER THING ALTOGETHER OK)
8. December (!!!)
MY ALL TIME FAV TIME OF THE YEAR. Because finals are over. And Christmas. And Hong Kong.
Managed to spend some much needed family time with my loved ones. Family times are always the best. Period.
Japan was really beautiful by the way, I am so looking forward to making another trip there.
Spent christmas over in HK and hanged around with my relatives over in HK, good times.
2015 has been a journey of self-discovery; in terms of identifying with my strength and weaknesses, a journey of new experiences and set backs that moulded me into my current self. Not regretting a single thing that happened during the past year, because Everything happens for a reason (PREACH).
Thank you friends for sticking with me, I guess at this age you’ll really see who your true friends are. Friends who are willing to sacrifice minutes of their lives just to hear you rant about your life, you know who you are, I’m so thankful for you guys muacks. Wouldn’t have survived the year without the constant encouragements and messages.
And of course, my family.
I always believe that if things are meant to happen, it’ll happen and there’s no point crying over what you don’t have, it’s just a matter of which perspective you want to view the situation from. You can choose to look at good and ignore the bad and simply choose to be happy. I guess that’s how the quote “Happiness is a choice” came about. And it’s gonna be one that’ll keep me through 2016.
2015 has been a memorable year.
2016, you’ve got quite a lot to live up to.
Not gonna pen down cliche resolutions (e.g.: LOSE WEIGHT, BE HEALTHY) but in this upcoming year;
Be more courageous, try more new things, because like they all said it, YOLO.
Travel more. Super cliche but I believe with the discipline to save up and with the luxury of time (and also parent’s consent, it is possible).
Be less afraid of judgements, more willing to step out of comfort zones. Still a work in progress.
Be less afraid of awkward conversations/interactions with people, because “if you think it is embarrassing, it is.”
Be more giving. Nuff’ said.
Have a greater sense of time. LOL work in progress. I’m trying. Let’s look past the fact that this post was delayed shall we.
Set myself & work towards what I want, instead of spending half the time doubting myself.
Never to take friends & family for granted, and to spend more quality time.
More discipline, in all aspects.
Be more optimistic. To see the good in the bad.
Be more spontaneous. Say YES.
That’s all that I can think of for now.
Have a great 2016 everyone!
