The Bus Is My Other Car.

Hungry for Pearls
Wonders of S'pore

If you think I am talking about bubble tea here, you are wrong. 'Pearls' is, ironically, a sadistic CCA grading system for jc students. And like the mad rush for bubble tea, students are making a mad rush for Pearls.

Council election is round the corner and it makes me wonder about sincerity versus greed. The red herring some student councillors use -- being a student councillor fetches tasty Pearls points. But I humbly refused the offer -- I was afraid I'd choke on the sudden influx of Pearls. My slack lifestyle isn't built to swallow the hard work that comes along with the pearl-delight. And one will probably need a good digestive system too - one that can digest huge chunks of academic input as well as stomach heavy CCA commitments at the same time.

And just like how free pearls for bubble tea can send pearl-lovers thronging and pushing, you'd have to be engulfed in a power struggle for pearls as well. Have you heard abouth the recent health reports? Excess consumption of pearls causes bad health. In JC, the health implications are even more serious -- one sacrifices sleep and health, or even conscience, just for pearls.

Finally, I'll be contented with a simple meal, of pearls.

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 7:38 PM 0 Comments

School until 12pm today. Was a break from the long schedule

67A chauffered me to HCJC today in 26 minutes due to a broken-down van along Bt Timah Rd. Had 4 seats to myself =)

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 3:21 PM 0 Comments

Novelty vanishes, and reality sinks in -- the hard-hit reality of catching up with school work. I joined VenturesNRovers and Photography.

It seems like some friends are having some sorta regrets in their lives. Maybe God has a purpose for us to be where we are? I simply miss the good old days...

Attended the first and last Chinese Culture lecture in HCJC. Felt strange in a lesson conducted in Chinese, but quite interesting though.

67A chauffered me to HCJC today in 18 minutes

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 10:28 PM 0 Comments

Woke up at 540am sharp today, at the beep of my Nokia alarm clock. Couldn't be late for the first day of school. I was early and could even afford a few minutes on skin care.

Took 170 on my first trip to HCJC as a student, not a crasher. The bus stopped at NJC and many alighted. Many unfamiliar faces crowded at the bus-stop. Then, the bus crawled behind the long line of cars turning into/out from Hellcrest (whoops, I mean Hillcrest) road. I looked at the familiar fortress-like structure on the hill and I shook my head at Hades.

We were persuaded in HCJC to continue our Chinese studies, but I guess we weren't very keen. After a few hours of such boring talks, orientation started with the college tour. Then, there were icebreakers (makes no point when Singapore is already so hot). I was the only ACS boy out of the 127 2nd-intakers. Made new friends. As usual, played orientation games -- the usual 'game of entanglement' and eating Pokey?

I'm very happy in HCJC, just tired today because I couldn't sleep last night. At the end of the day though, I still couldn't get used to the fact that I'm in HCJC. Guess I have to adapt, but it'll be easier this time.

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 10:05 PM 0 Comments

I tossed and turned in my bed. Since I slumbered at 1am, I woke up at 3am to close the windows, got jolted from a nightmare that I'd be staying in NJ at 4am to stare at the watch realising it was only 4, 5am to count there was 4 more hours to go, 7am to hope time passed faster, and finally 8.15am to check my posting result. Hopefully it would be out, I thought.

I slumped against my chair in front of the computer as I gave the 'on' button a hard push. As usual, Windows took its time to load, inherent to the suspense that hung over it. The cursor trembled across the screen as I rolled my mouse across the mousepad to double-click Internet Explorer. I typed in the URL, only to find it was wrong. I tried again - this time I got it correct. I hurriedly scrolled to the end of the page and clicked 'go' to retrieve my posting results. A screen popped up in less than a second asking for my IC number. In 2 seconds, I was brought to that fateful screen. I swept my eyes past my name and IC number to the information which most mattered to me. As soon as I held my breath, I heaved a sigh of relief. The wait was over - I am posted to Hwa Chong Junior College.

Thank God.

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 11:37 PM 0 Comments

Straight Talk
Give me a Break

The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defines a 'holiday' as a 'time of rest from work, school etc;.

The definition of holidays simply cannot stand in Singapore. We have been issued colourful brochures on how to spend our holidays fruitfully, for exmaple by pursuing our interests or signing up for courses. The fact is that, do we have the luxury of time in the first place? I suggest that the writers of such brochures to be a Singaporean student for the duration of holiday.

So it makes no difference whether holiday is knocking at our doors, or whether we have ushered it in.

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 6:38 PM 0 Comments

Collin Goh summed up ACS in a column on Sunday Times (14March2004,PageL22) in the most light-hearted manner. Firstly, the two-hundred-dollar black forest cake, and how ACS warped his humour. The same goes for me -- my humour was warped and the hole in my wallet just got bigger.

There was no propa... i mean programmes to force-make bonds during my stay in ACS. Naturally, ACS has a rich culture and tradition to be proud of, moreover, the school spirit is very contagious. "Everyone comes out thinking they have this big thing in common" -- that's unity. Perhaps you may call it the 'ACS mould'. Indeed, everyone comes out more or less, the same.

Ha, I enjoyed reading the last sentence of Collin Goh's article, most.

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 4:11 PM 0 Comments

It was 1pm when Virginia announced over the PA that there would be 'half' a day holiday for the school as we have done er... well? The announcement was immediately followed by loud roars and cheers... when dismissal was actually just 2 hours away for most students. Made not much difference, but much to the delight of worn-out souls. Half a day? It goes to show either poor maths calculation, or the long daze (i mean days) of JC, ie CCAs after school. Think the latter would be more true. How can we develop ruggedness, when exhaust inevitably develops first? How ironic. A machine needs rest also.

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 10:43 AM 0 Comments

Rained the whole day on Monday (8/3). As usual, NJ was flooded the next day... heh Atlantis. Earthworms, not a few but A LOT, were washed 'ashore' onto the pavement, left to CURL UP AND DIE, and then be decomposed by the endless trail of ants. Luckily my lunch was digested, or else, the ants would have something else to feed on.

I ate my lunch together with rainwater that splashed in. Water leaked from the ceiling pass the electrical wiring of a fan in the canteen (What if there's a short circuit?). The water also provided the much needed water and nutrients to the algae along the wall. When I returned my plate, a drop of water landed on my head -- leaky roofs. The glass roof is practically full of leakages. Sigh, if you can't maintain it, why build it in the first place?

Neither do I fancy 'open-concept' staircases (in a not-so-nice term, exposed staircases) -- climbing staircases while braving the rain/wind and making sure you don't slip. There were puddles of water everywhere because the concrete floor wasn't even paved properly. Firstly it wasn't even, but luckily it was a lousy job well done -- the floor was so rough that it gave me a better grip on the inundated floor! The linkway was flooded (what's the use of sheltering when your legs get wet?!). I wish I could cut across the field under the rain, but people will think I'm 'gila'.

Even walking in the main school building on a rainy day will get me wet -- the roof protrudes over the ledge. Eventually, rain runs off from the roof, splashes onto the ledge (and onto anyone who walks passs the corridor), and then floods the floor. Water seems to have even found its way into the classroom walls -- there were watermarks everywhere. Or is it just cheapo paint?

SIGH!!!!!! But at least the lecture theatres don't leak :)

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 3:28 PM 0 Comments

Time flies -- One week ago I was still living in suspense. It was more of slacking last week than suspense, for me. GP and Physics were slack, and those slacking 'lessons' chalked up to about 5 hrs? JC and results talk during these lessons only served to heighten tension, not so much of 'planning for the future'. Girls seemed to freak out more at the talk about results. I got cold and sweaty palms, but that's bad enough to distract me from paying attention. Guess teachers were understanding enough not to teach. (If only things were like this all the time?).

Atmosphere in acsi wasn't tense at all! I ate lunch and slacked at my former classroom, which was HEAVEN. Even drong had the mood to joke (and ask for donations). It was very entertaining. Even after results were released, I didn't see anyone cry. No hugging etc.

This week was quite happening -- crashing JCs! Crashed HC, RJ and AC on Tuesday. Sooo fun. And NJ had its 1st "Open" dialogue session with P and VP (note the inverted commas) on Wednesday. Heh, can't run for elections because VP said that students who vandalise will be sacked... whoops! Anyway, vandalism can be quite telling of the school life (or whether there is life in the first place?!). NJ tables are cluttered with negative comments. Not surprising... But I think better opportunity should be given to those who can draw well and write well.

posted by 23degreecelsius @ 12:24 AM 0 Comments