Reflection 2006

As the last chime rang and fireworks lit up the midnight blue summer night and party goers sang Auld Lang Syne to usher in the new year 2007, I spent my last seconds of the year.. sleeping 2006 away. Hm.. perhaps I should have showed more enthusiasm for the New Year and should have farewelled 2006 with a bang? But no. There was no need for me to mark the end of the year with anything extraordinary. The year has, after all, etched an unforgettable mark, a place, in my 18 years of history.

I am sure there's no need to go into the details of things. My blog was designed to put my memories of my life onto paper, figuratively, you know what I mean, and record it in the unstoppable fact of life we call time. And for my loyal readers/family/friends, I thank you for following me this far, through out this (actually last) year of ups and downs, competition, dreams, crushed hopes, joy, anticipation, newly formed friendships, strengthen bonds, and what I like to put it as: deep soul analysis.

2006 marked the year I turned 18, the year my peers turned 18. The legal age of alcohol consumption for some, the legal age to purchase lottery. It is such a nice and round number don't you think? The age one associates with maturity, adulthood, late teenagehood. For me, it was a time for decisions, risks, new bonds to be made, broadening of the mind, and more of life's tough lessons. It was the year I entered varsity.

For some, I'm sure it's not such a big deal. After all, that's the path to take for majority of the school leavers. But for me, it was a major accomplishment. For my proud father, entrance to my first year served as his pride. I vaguely remember when I was 12, still not yet a teen, in the humid classroom of 6H. Cikgu Zaki was drawing a time line on the green board and marking intervals with our academic achievements. No, actually I think I was 9, I really can't remember. But what I remember clearly was that he plotted PTS, then UPSR, then PMR, then SPM, then STPM, then 'UNIVERSITI'. Just then, I had only just started at the beginning of the time line and I remember thinking, 'Oh my, I've still got so long to go.' So much studying to do in order to realy acheive something in life. But now, just look at me now? It's been six years, maybe more, but yet I feel like it's only been a few weeks ago.

And yes, we were all excited and thrilled to our toes. University meant freedom, choices, and risks. For some, it meant leaving their security blanket behind and stepping into the world. It was a great leap from high school. Nothing could've prepared us for the whirlwind Chemistry lecture where Judy Brittain went like a bullet train, or how we couldn't shoot out a question during class anymore. But no one complained about how much freedom we had in our hands. The liberty we had to plan our own schedules was welcomed by most people. And not being confined in one darn room for all the different papers meant we didn't get bored too easily.

The teaching staff were amazing too. In particularly the team of medsci 142. We had passionate lecturers, amongst them Colin Quilter, Richard Faull, Denise Louiselle, Roger Booth and so on.

And as I still endure the long wait for med school, I take a look at my year behind: it was a great year, of course every year is good. But this year alone, as I keep on saying it, I've learnt a lot. Not only from an academic point of view, where I've learnt about the events which occur when a heart beats or the chemical reactions when a chemical compound reacts and where I've memorised the structure for tyrosine or melanin, but also from a social point of view. I found out that I'm not alone in my quest and that others also join me in my race or desire for certain aspirations. I learnt that everyone of us have our different problems and stresses. And of course we have our own ways of dealing with it. I learnt to laugh again, something that was no doubt lacking since I left SA. I found people who rode the same wavelength as I and together we made last year bearable, memorable and made 2006 ours.

To my new friends of the year who left their mark in me, Yosi and Danielle, you guys, as I keep on saying, mean a lot to me! Let's keep the ball rolling! To my fellow EGGS mates, Aajuli, Gunjan, Mary, Joanna and Evon, thanks for keeping me gounded and standing by me when I needed the support. To my wonderful and fantastic work mates, Bjarne (I won't be a stranger trust me), Fei (my long lost twin sis!), Rory (should be Dr. Bennett now eh?), Brett (what would I do without you?), and most recently, Jay (you so remind me of Thanu! You adorable/annoying thing!), thanks for keeping me entertained during work and making our job easier! To my buddies in back home and across the Tasman, Yana, Elaine and Saf, what can I say? So many years.. and still going. Love ya all loads! To Ann Li who manages to keep me constantly the same.. I really appreciate our friendship. Can't wait to see you!! And to Thanu who out of the blue contacted me! Man, miss you loads!! Wanna see you too!!

And so I prepare to go home!! Yes!! Can't wait to meet up with every single one of you babes out there!!