I know that the title is funny, cos year 2011 is coming to an end and I'm recapping on last year's events, but I feel that I should take down some of the memorable events that happened in JC before I forget.
Just to sidetrack a bit, I remembered that when I was in Secondary 4 back in Nanyang, I was
dying to go cross the road and go to Hwa Chong. I might have mentioned it in my previous posts, but I deliberately surpressed myself in secondary school to be more humble/less agitated/more forgiving/listen more and as a result, basically hid behind my spectacles and bushy hair. I didn't showcase my strengths and potentials in front of others, and of course wasn't given given recognition for the things that I did. Which--I think, was a mistake I made in secondary school. Life would have been a whole lot different if I had been more outgoing and relaxed.
Oh well, I can't relive those 4 years so I shan't complain. I eagerly awaited for JC life to start.
To the surprise of many (and myself), I chose to enter the Chinese Language Elective Programme after hearing a terrible 30min speech given by the CLEP seniors in Hwa Chong. It was after the HCL O'level exams, and despite the speech being all terrible and lousy, I made the decision to study CLEP instead of Econs, which 33/36 of my classmates did, I think. Even though some people thought that it was natural for me to take this programme (after all my Chinese is not that bad haha), I think that was the defining moment of my life, and possibly the
3rd (and last) sensible thing I did in Nanyang. [The 1st was to join Choir, the 2nd to take triple science and get into class 301] Prior to that talk, I never even thought for the slightest bit of studying literature. Chinese literature, somemore. Ironic as it seems for someone who easily passed with flying colours for HCL but struggled to get an A for English, I could read Shakespare with ease but couldn't understand Li Bai.
So I went to Hwa Chong, and decided to revamp myself. Four years of self-surpression seemed enough to me to ditch my high-profile, arrogant character that I once possessed when I was a snobbish kid in primary school, and it was time for me to regain that "Kancheong-ness" and show my true abilities. I decided to actively take part in class activities (something that I forced myself not to do for the previous four years), and the rest just followed.
Orientation passed quickly, CNY went in a breeze, and I found myself pulled into a cat fight to vie for the fac comm position. It was the first time I was involved in a political struggle, abeit a small one, and I must say that my first term in HC went a bit more miserable and tensed than I would have liked. That was a good exercise for me though, as I realised in the following months how it tiring it was to be fighting with others for a specific position.
Then there was a series of events!! Fac Outings, Fac CIP, LEP Publication (omg I could write one book on it), various interviews and of course, Emceeing for MOE forum and Awards Presentation Day. Some of these activities were really enjoyable while others taught me how to "在哪里跌倒就在哪里站起来". There were moments of highness and at times moments of low, and I hope that I have grown and become more poised and mature as a result.
Then came end-of-years, and then the holidays, when I embarked on a 2-month trip to Japan, Beijing, Shanghai and Kunming. [Did I really go to that many places??]