My experience at AL Dente was one of the most enjoyable one, meeting great friends like Jun, Nick , Jeremy & Ben... till now, we still keep in contact occasionally and I really miss them a lot a lot! haha.. U learnt abt skills tt u nv knew.. for me, italian food! hahaha.. bar!! wines!! spirits!! beers!! u see how ugly men become when they fight for promotion and pay increase!!
Point in life when u start to make decisions about your own future, some may already have a partner whom they intend to spend the rest of their life.. some still single.. some attached and stuff... U experience working life if u are a Poly student and if a JC Student, u learn all about stress!! hahaha... U see more backstabbers and hypocrites.. u start to miss ur childhood! U gossip about somebody around the clock.. u stare at guys in lectures, follow them, appearing at the same canteen many times a day in the hope of seeing them.. hahaha..
For me, i met another group of close friends, Shuin dee & JANICE & Jiaying who did all the above with me.. Getting enrolled into TDP provide the environment for me to mature, learnt how to handle politics better than in sec sch, made presentations in classes and grps, peer tutor a grp of students etc etc... & this was the first time i was able to officially skip classes w/o gving any1 any excuses! Damn cool! hahhaa.. I love Jan & Omma.. cause they really brought me tons of laughter and taught me different lessons in life, different from those that SIDY & SH & Deb did.! I learnt first hand auditing experience too @ EY.. i will always be grateful to AG for showing me the ropes back then, for being a mentor, a friend, a confidant, and a BOSS...
I moved into nightlife with Ben upon leaving EY and right there I met A, someone whom I shared an ambigious relationship with. Back then he often set me into thinking about the future, and I'm glad I met him. He made me realised what I wanted in life most, and in him, I found the courage and perseverance to set out for what I wanted most in life, to travel around the world. Without him, I doubt I will ever embark on my adventures to the different continents in the world. The exposure in ICB opened up my tiny little world, I became more receptive towards the different cultures, values, behaviour, etc.
In the last lap of my polytechnic education, I met another 2 good friends, Allan & Shuren. Two young, smart, and, promising lads who will some day in the future become our future leaders. The long and gruelling nights of current affair discussions, preparing for our scholarship interviews, psychometric tests, etc. always seem less tiring with their accompany. Finally, before I knew it, it was time for me to graduate from the Polytechnic and i dreaded it because it meant that everything was reset and I had to start all over again as a fresh undergraduate! Haizz....
After graduation, I went on cruise, and even got a job @ Hilton hotel working @ the front desk. Since I am so passionate about travelling, picking up the know-hows of the tourism industry is a must. It was right there where I get to interact with people of different nationalities the most. However, I was also exposed to the backstabbing world, the scandals.. etc etc.. I finally truly UNDERSTOOD the importance of education in SG. The privileged ones are always the smart ones. I see why foreigners dominate the F&B industries because Singaporeans are choosy characters when it comes to working.
Then I had to face one of the toughest decision in my life: Scholarship or SIA?
Ambition : Air-stewardess or Teacher/Lecturer?
20-23 years old:
And so I chose knowledge over glam, and I have to salute myself for making this wise choice. Come to think of it now, it shouldn't have been that hard a decision. I've to admit that studying in NUS is not as easy as what others perceive it. The rolling tons of coursework, competition, assignments, exams that you are have to deal with will easily turn a sane person insane anytime. Without the right balance in life, leisure activities, friends who show support, one will easily sink into depression. Of course, that's only if you wish to ace your exams and emerge as a top class honours graduate. If you are just aiming for a pass, it's as easy as ABC. Just show up for your tutorials, put in the minimal effort and you will be guaranteed a 'C' every semester for every module.
Joseph & Sharon; my first few friends in NUS who walked through the tortuous year 1 phase, me laughing @ their lame jokes while they laugh @ my laughter and poise because I burst into tears too easily while laughing. If you have ever been alone in a social setting, you will understand how much of a comfort it is to have someone sitting beside you during lectures, in tutorials, planning modules, etc.
Pauline, Rachel, HuiYun: I wasn't too receptive towards Pauline when I first met her because she was very quiet and looked like the studious type who was only interested in studying. So despite taking 2 modules tog with her, Calculus & Econs with her, we only attended school together and parted ways after classes. But never in my imagination would she become my best friend in NUS, who tolled through the first 3 years of school. Lunches, Dinners, takeaways in LTs, and eventually gatherings outside school with Rachel, Huiyun to the Botanic Gardens, Waraku, etc.
And I'm kind of tired..... Shall continue with it some other day about the interesting characters I met in my life..
