28th JJC Students' Council Investiture

for the first time in nearly 3 years, i went back to JJC today for the 28th Students' Council Investiture.

so much has changed since my JC days. the college looks so commercialise now. everything is elaborate and extensive. there's a fountain, synthetic grass, entrepreneur-like stalls selling ice-cream and stuff, a seeming travel-agency tt plans overseas trips, a lounge of sorts, etc etc. and i didnt even have time to explore the 3rd and 4th level at the new building-extension.

apparently i'm the only one from my batch. i went back with a group of juniors one year younger, and they came out in full force: i think there were 7 of them. and then there were some of the younger ones as well.

not being in the council for a few years made me realise how, for lack of a better word, silly things were those days.till today, these remain: the cheesy walk-in music tt till now revolves around Bond and some grand music from movie soundtracks. the walk-in from the sides, slower the better. the unconscious desire to play soppy music. the serious looks of everyone on stage. the abrupt cut in music. the poor PA technical assistance.



yes, i was skeptical and mocking the procedings. i joked about the P's entrance, and how everyone needs to "rise for the arrival", only to see alot of very random ppl walk in before him, and i casually joked tt he's got a big entourage nowadays(yes, everyone likes to make fun of the principal). but i was thoroughly respectful of the ceremony (not that there's any kind of formal respect needed). i recognised how the outgoing batch must have felt on that stage, feeling a sense of relief, yet unwilling to let go of the most familiar thing they've had since J1. i was respectful of the college song and sang loud and proud.

there's something very social about goin back to college. goin back with long hair felt like i'm attracting more unfounded attraction. like, duh, get over it, just cos i have long hair doesnt mean
a) i look worse
b) i'm tryin to be a lame F4 wannabe/poser
c) i'm an ah-beng
d) i have bad sense of style.

yea i feel insecure about my hair la but screw all who thinks this way. ha. "why ya hair so long!"
i wanted to say "oh cos i'm out of sch and i'm cool"

hahahahahaahahah

but anyways, what i really wanted to say is that i'm glad the bee hoon auntie is stilla round after all these years!!!!!!!!!! yeahh!!!!!!! those who've seen my "mee-fen poster boy" pic from friendster sld know that mee-fen was my MUST HAVE STAPLE FOOD durin college days. i religiously eat it almost every single day. it's like a pilgrimage, chilli strictly not included. and i'm glad the over-priced veg rice and the chicken rice family are still there.

and i am very glad to see my juniors. the welfare committee is goin very strong and we came out with a bang today: a record breaking 6 batch of welfare heads, including me, were back to witness the investiture. from the 22nd batch to the latest 28th batch ( see pic 3). i am proud to be a Welfarian. jess was telling me, when the incoming head asked jess what is the secret of being a welfare head, jess immpediately recounted the incidences we had buffet and how the welface comm will be so considerate and eco-friendly (ha!) to keep all the remainin forks, spoons, plates, and napkins after a refreshment. yea. tt's what jess said. i am not embarrassed at all tt my kiasu legacy has been passed down. in fact it touches me to see tt the welfare committee is doin so well. i even met a few Commonwealthians at JJC and am glad Shiva and celisse is in council. i dun actually know celisse but she recognised me fr prom, so yea. =)




and i finally spoke to Ms Lai. she was my civic tutor then. before goin i contemplated bringing our class photo along, just in case she forgot who i am or if she cant recognise me with the hair. surprisingly, she still does =) we had a longer-than -expected chat, from teaching to how everyone else is doin. Ms Lai has been teaching for many years and i've always respected her for her dedication and her understanding of us as students. she accepted us for being art students, and thou my class didnt do well for A lvl, she was cool with it. there wasnt any "i told u so" or disappointment, just very cool acceptance of who we are. every year since i graduated i've been wanting to go abck on teachers' day to visit her. but sadly i was either boged down by work or stuff. this year, i'm making it a point to go back. with a present.



oh, and Mr Mathai is no longer HOD maths. i asked Ms Lai if it's considered a demotion, she said, very politically, that he's "giving up his place for the younger ones". yea. she said the teaching world is cruel.

so that's the highlights from my trip.
i miss my college days. after today's trip, i feel tt me and Mr Ng cant be more different. in a way, i am more unorthodox and he goes for the elaborate. workin for jj prom sld be interestin.
i told Ms Lai that i wish i had done better, but i have no regrets with the way things turned out. "we shall not stay nor linger", tt's one line fr the college song. i wished tt back then i had the foresight to see beyond my years and beyond my peers. even now, that's what i'm tryin to achieve. i wished that i'd done more for the college and for myself. that period of self-discovery was wasted on uneventful matters that were done in a teenager's fit of the moment. but regret's regret. we can onli look past them. so at 23, if u ask me what i have done with my life, i cant really say. i've done good and i've done bad. i haven live enogh tt's for sure. i believe the day i answer tt qns might be the day i stop living. but i'm at peace with myself. totally.