on being nineteen.

firstly, the thank-you’s.
thanks serena and shane for the birthday present. (:
thanks karen, karen’s mum, xueli, serephina, wilbur, joel for the birthday present. (:
thanks yane for the birthday present aka. famous amos cookies. (:
thanks abby, for the hilarious yet meaningful birthday poem. (:
thanks sam, for the nostalgic hand-written kc-style letter. (:
thanks to those who sent me birthday smses and good-luck-study-hard msges. (:
finally, thanks to those who flooded my facebook with birthday wishes! (:

secondly, my thoughts.
this year was yet another birthday spent mugging for exams. (i recall last year i was mugging for literature exam on my birthday!) its interesting cos i really didn’t expect myself to be studying on the day of my birthday again this year. this never came across my mind until only a few weeks ago. but in fact, contrary to popular belief, i wasn’t really mugging much on that thursday. it was basically a day of nua-ing, and more nua-ing. sad to say? perhaps, perhaps not. 

THREE MORE YEARS of such birthdays! sigh, what sorrow. *shakes head*
 
but this year was definitely and even more noticeably quieter. it was all-in-all an ordinary day, with just a simple dinner with my family at the end of the day. (: not that i have anything to complain about. the very fact that friends and family remembered, some being thousand of miles away from home (i.e. abby, sam, steph) and some being caught in the frantic studying, but actually bothered to send their birthday wishes; it’s something that i can’t ask for more already. (:   

however, one thing i did realise was how much i missed those that were far away from home. there is an inexplicable tinge of sadness everytime when i get excited and pick up my phone ready to text them a message when i realise that in actual fact, i can’t. simply cos they wouldn’t be able to receive it anyway. perhaps that’s why i was so surprised when i saw Steph’s name in my hp’s inbox today morning! (steph is your presence in singapore right now??) aside, on an even BRIGHTER note (let’s think sunshine and daises), they are coming home soon for christmas! (:

on the other hand, taking a bird’s eye view on all my birthday made me realise that how significant it is in making apparent those who care, those who have came and went, been a part of my life and have sinced moved on, and those who mark a new chapter of my life. but nevertheless, i truly cherish each and everyone and every experience all the same.  

new hopes. new goals. new experiences.
but God to guide me through all the same
every step of the way.  

so it is;
nineteen.
it’s one year away from the big two.
but well, still a teen. (:

By God’s grace;

writing a 20-page social science research paper within 24 hours is pure academic suicide.

 

if there’s one takeaway from this crazy experience, it will be to never, ever, misread datelines.

but thank you lydia, serena and shane. By God’s grace you guys were there. (: and thank you mr security guard. By God’s grace you were there too, albeit in a different sense (: you’re officially my new best friend!

 

 

oh, it’s twenty more minutes to nineteen.

the evolution of the “mug”.

when i was younger, it was this:

now when i’m older, it is this:

oh how apt this picture is. notice the silver stars/snowflakes in the background. literally studying as the christmas season draws near.

 
(Aside, I just added in all the stuff i’m gonna have in Dec into an excel spreadsheet calendar and the end result was so startling it can very well go into the Guiness Book of Records, Singapore version.)

more than just a rat race

here i am, sitting in a GSR (group study room) with serena, listening to hillsongs, doing the most silly thing ever together. we’re are talking to each other on msn, though we are just sitting inches apart. look what smu has done to us. haha okay she just broke the silence. she cannot take it anymore (: 

it’s been quite a while since i’ve posted an entry here. time really passes so fast, so much so i dont even seem to have time to sit down to pen my thoughts down. such reflection sessions are necessary to keep me sane sometimes, especially when everyone around you is so caught up in the rat race of doing well, getting good grades, being an all-rounder. but somehow it the midst of all the madness, i still get to see random acts of kindness and love. it’s pretty interesting how even in tough times, goodness in people still shines through.

my family has been a huge pillar of support to me for the past few weeks. from staying up late till 11pm to prepare dinner for me, to buying bottles of herbal tea every now and then, coming out to the dining room to accompany me as i rush to finish an assignment into the late hours…basically being there for me when i needed them. made me really appreciate how wonderful they are, and realise how fortunate i am to be in the position that im in.

well anyway, it is technically the last week of school already. most reports/assignments/presentations have been cleared, so am just taking a more laidback stance in this week. (: before retreating back to my books for the upcoming final exams on the last week of Nov. i can’t believe it is already November! this year had really gone past so quickly. and i just realised that my lil bro’s PSLE results are released on the same day as my birthday. i think my parents are more stressed than him. haha on the other hand, i can’t wait for December! Lots of exciting stuff coming up. Camps, trainings, holidays, gatherings (:

remember how they always claimed that
there was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?
well, i never got to find out. 

I was content with having the rainbow.