Another page is turned
The average Singaporean student, at the end of a four-year university course, would have gone through 16 years of examinations, twice per year, not counting the preliminary exams that make it three in the 'O' and 'A' level years. You would think that given our vast experience with tackling exam papers, that we'd get quite used to it, but it's never ceased to be a huge pain in the ass for me. Occasionally, during the exam period, I get these nightmares: of waking up late and missing a paper, of misreading my calendar and missing a paper -- you get the idea. I am glad to report that they never did realise.
Now that my very last paper has come and gone, though, and the relief and euphoria has somewhat faded away, I feel a dull sense of loss. I don't know what it means to be anything other than a student, and in some stupid, inexplainable way, I wish the exams would come around again for me in November.
***
I mentioned before that, this being our final year, we've been having vastly different schedules, so even as I sit here, with a huge burden lifted off my back, half of my classmates are still ploughing away at their lecture notes. We had a huge, extended lunch last Thursday, after my last paper, which was nice. But the truth is that it had hit us a couple of weeks before -- after our last lesson of the sem -- what this all meant, that after four years, it was time. And just as we began on that very first day -- with the four of us inexplicably gravitating towards each other for friendship in the midst of a huge pool of strangers (and strangeness) -- we spent that rainy afternoon reminiscing over baked rice and pasta. (It was lunch and dinner -- after our lesson that morning, we'd rushed to meet the 5 PM deadline for our final project; we handed it in around 4 PM.)
There are no words with which I can thank them for their friendship and support, for their intimacy and openness. For four girls who have their roots in girls' schools (albeit all in different ones), I think we found in one another a piece of familiarity and understanding, something to call home.
***
So it begins, the job-hunt.
Now that my very last paper has come and gone, though, and the relief and euphoria has somewhat faded away, I feel a dull sense of loss. I don't know what it means to be anything other than a student, and in some stupid, inexplainable way, I wish the exams would come around again for me in November.
***
I mentioned before that, this being our final year, we've been having vastly different schedules, so even as I sit here, with a huge burden lifted off my back, half of my classmates are still ploughing away at their lecture notes. We had a huge, extended lunch last Thursday, after my last paper, which was nice. But the truth is that it had hit us a couple of weeks before -- after our last lesson of the sem -- what this all meant, that after four years, it was time. And just as we began on that very first day -- with the four of us inexplicably gravitating towards each other for friendship in the midst of a huge pool of strangers (and strangeness) -- we spent that rainy afternoon reminiscing over baked rice and pasta. (It was lunch and dinner -- after our lesson that morning, we'd rushed to meet the 5 PM deadline for our final project; we handed it in around 4 PM.)
There are no words with which I can thank them for their friendship and support, for their intimacy and openness. For four girls who have their roots in girls' schools (albeit all in different ones), I think we found in one another a piece of familiarity and understanding, something to call home.
***
So it begins, the job-hunt.
posted by Laughingcow at 4:04 am
3 Comments:
*hug*
I think I know what you mean... I think back sometimes and I'm very pleasantly surprised to (apart from my HJ bunch of friends, with whom I've continuously been good friends for 17 years) realise that mine's the only bunch of law school orientation group members to have a faction of 7 or so stay good friends throughout law school..
I really wonder whether it was pure luck, or what made them choose me as their friends...
Congratulations LC!! :)
Woof!: Yeah, I can't find any reason for them, so I can only be grateful. :)
janna: Thanks! :D
Post a Comment
<< Home