2013 > 2012

Been putting off writing this post cus I don't feel like recalling 2012 events. The events that happened before I went to Korea felt like a distant memory. And did I mention that while I was in Korea for the last few weeks, I felt like my days in Singapore were a long time ago? I can't really remember how I led my life in Singapore. Ohwell, now I'm back and I'm updating this post right before school starts.

2012 started off with me pretty committed to NUSCO. I was the Social Secretary and the Assistant Marketing Director (co person-in-charge) for NUSCO's concert comm. Being in the concert comm was a pain in the ass cus I really had to do something, unlike being a SS, which all I need to do is to buy snacks for members to eat during the weekends. I was in charge of sponsorships and how I dread drafting letters to companies who would really love to slam the door in my face. I really really hate sending letters to persuade them cus it's like a lost cause. I sent like 30+ letters and followed up with calls but only very little companies got back to us. I tried my  best but in the end we only managed to raise $1,500 in sponsorships, which was quite little compared to previous years. I was just so glad it's overrr! Danhong really helped me sooo much! She's like the main person in charge and I'm the one helping her. The poster was a disaster as well. Paid $80 to a supposed professional designer and she came up with crap. So glad SF helped us! :D I really really liked the poster he did! I think it pwned all the other NUSCO concert posters. Magnifying Minorities came and went. It was good, except we performed in SOTA. Then I passed on my position to Ziyi. I guess I didn't really do a good job as a SS. Sad to say, I think I did average cus at the end I was just very sian and I wanted to quickly finish my responsibilities.

Subsequently, the holidays came and I did an internship stint at MINDEF. It was pretty okay and I learnt more excel skills. Also, I was offered a job by MINDEF :D My phone got confiscated once cus I kept sneaking my iPhone in. I wanted to use my phone so badly but I only had a camera phone. The internship was meh.

I also obtained the best results since I came into NUS. I was really shocked but I'm super grateful!!! I still can't believe how I did for the modules I took. I hope to maintain my current CAP and breeze through honours year (hopefully)

Then I went to Korea! I love Korea!!! It was so fun and all the food is so damn delish! Singapore Korean food can't compare at all. I can say that Korean food has the same place in my heart as Singaporean food. SEP in Korea has really taught me to be independent. I cooked and washed for myself. Settled stuff and made decisions on my own. I was pretty homesick at first but I got used to the new independent me at the end! I didn't want come back. I only wanted to come back to escape the cold, so that I won't need to wear 5 layers of clothes, 2 layers of socks everyday and still freeze my feet off. L came to find me for the last 9 days of me being in Korea and it was sooo fun with him being around!

So, I'm back. I miss Korea, the independent me, the frosty cold weather and finally the food!!! I think I've really grown a lot over the year.

For 2013, I hope to become a better person and to have more faith in myself in whatever I do. And finally, I wish to be less competitive and to not think so much!

Hello

Strikes a chord in my heart

I saw this on Facebook and I could really identify with what was written, so here's to sharing it with you!

We still hadn't learned, though, that growing up is all about getting hurt. And then getting over it. You hurt. You recover. You move on. Odds are pretty good you're just going to get hurt again. But each time, you learn something.

Each time, you come out of it a little stronger, and at some point you realize that there are more flavours of pain than coffee. There's the little empty pain of leaving something behind - graduating, taking the next step forward, walking out of something familiar and safe into the unknown. There's the big, whirling pain of life upending all of your plans and expectations. There's the sharp little pains of failure, and the more obscure aches of successes that didn't give you what you thought they would. There are the vicious, stabbing pains of hopes being torn up. The sweet little pains of finding others, giving them your love, and taking joy in their life they grow and learn. There's the steady pain of empathy that you shrug off so you can stand beside a wounded friend and help them bear their burdens.

And if you're very, very lucky, there are a very few blazing hot little pains you feel when you realized that you are standing in a moment of utter perfection, an instant of triumph, or happiness, or mirth which at the same time cannot possibly last - and yet will remain with you for life.

Everyone is down on pain, because they forget something important about it: Pain is for the living. Only the dead don't feel it.

Pain is a part of life. Sometimes it's a big part, and sometimes it isn't, but either way, it's a part of the big puzzle, the deep music, the great game. Pain does two things: It teaches you, tells you that you're alive. Then it passes away and leaves you changed. It leaves you wiser, sometimes. Sometimes it leaves you stronger. Either way, pain leaves its mark, and everything important that will ever happen to you in life is going to involve it in one degree or another.

~Jim Butcher, White Night

Snow in Seoul

It's snowing in Seoul, and the weather is damn freaking cold! As I'm typing this entry, it's currently -14deg outside. Despite me wearing dr martens with ankle socks, my feet feels cold within 10 minutes of walking outside. And within like 30 minutes, I can't feel my toes :( I'm either buying fake uggs or buying a thicker pair of socks! Or else my toes will drop off one day I swear!

It's my first time seeing snow and I must say, the moment is magical. White specks floating down slowly, covering every surface white. However, the aftermath is not pretty! People will try to melt the snow using salt. After melting, the water freezes back to ice due to the cold weather cus the highest temp here in a week haven't crossed zero, it's all minus something. The thin sheet of ice that forms on the pavement makes the streets really slippery. I've slipped and fell twice, even with my dr martens (which I think the sole is quite good). That's the thing I hate about snow :( I walk really slowly and deliberately now, like I'll plan the steps I take to make sure I won't slip. Anyway Korea University is really pretty with all the snow :)

Me in front of the main building in KU. Beautiful campus, isn't it?

Another spot in KU, with the bare wintry trees!

Depressing Thought

I was doing work when a depressing thought hit me.

岁月不留人

How I'm growing up/old too fast. Time is passing too damn fast! Now I'm in my 20s already and I feel like people's expectations of me changed. I am supposed to be more mature and serious. Soon, all of us will take on new responsibilities, like getting married and building a new family, getting a car, paying off that housing mortgage, making decisions on my own. All these... Sounds so depressing. I like where I am now and I don't want anything to change. I guess what I do during school holidays also changed a lot. From playing, to studying and doing internships. I really want to go back to those days where I can while all my time away. There's no need to worry about heavy responsibilities or whether I will be successful in my future career. Sounds really carefree isn't it?