Saturday, January 20, 2007
another beginning.
I just realised; I haven't posted in nearly two months xD
But it's been a busy few weeks for me. For those who don't know, I'm now in ACJC, and it's a real blast, from orientation, to campfire, and even lectures. Especially my orientation group (or OG, for short) who've been great pals for the past couple of weeks! And of course the OG Leaders, our fun mentors :)
College life is really different from secondary school life, I've realised. For one, you get more breaks in between lessons (but trust me, it ain't fun when the breaks drag for two hours or so o.0) and instead of sitting in class all day you get to go to lectures and tutorials. Which I think I prefer, since it's always nice to take a walk after lessons- sort of wakes you up if you were falling asleep xD
And for the first time, I get a subject combination I actually like- save for Chinese and Maths, which are necessary evils- but everything else is better already. College education really puts a whole new spin on History, Literature, and Economics ;) And for those who don't know, I'm also back into debating- and like everything else I've described, it's a great experience too.
The culture in AC is new, but I like it already. We have chapel every Monday, devotions on the other days, and mercifully- almost everyone seems to speak English. Which is probably the only language I can actually speak properly xD
It's a new life now, but I'm enjoying almost every minute of it.
Nick spoke his mind at ; 12:08 AM
Thursday, November 30, 2006
week.
It's been quite a week to start off the holiday, I admit :)
First there was Grad night, and thanks to the planning committee; everyone had a ball of a time. Nothing better to round up 4 years than a night of partying and just hanging out with your friends. Sigh. The hardest part, of course, is saying goodbye. But as we move along, let's not forget, shall we? The minutes fade, but memories never.
Then we had class chalet! ^^ Hours of barbequeing, playing video games, and yes, card games ;) Nothing like a get-together to enjoy everyone's company for the last time. And Mrs Song dropped by with Megan, (who is really adorable. Period.) who charmed everyone in the room. Well, everyone except us guys- we were too busy playing Winning Eleven and rooting for our favourite teams xD And it's a riot, at the end. Good times for all.
405 forever, people :)
And we have one month to go now! Christmas, choir party, and endless movie-watching with friends. It's going to be quite the holiday...
P.S Oh yes, to my classmates, sorry I couldn't make it for the second day- I fell sick :(
Nick spoke his mind at ; 10:37 PM
Thursday, November 16, 2006
answers.
Straight to the point today.
First, GCE O Levels are ending; finally, the light at the end of the tunnel! It's been a long haul, but the end is in sight. Let's hope four years of hard work has paid off, since we've all invested so much time and effort into this final gauntlet.
And now,
To my critics. I don't need to defend myself against your onslaught of accusations. If this is who you want to make me out to be, then so be it. The truth will come to light eventually. It just goes to show what sort of person you are. I won't stoop to your level, so go ahead, and rant all you want.
Finally,
To you. I don't bear a grudge. I'm not even sure how all this started. Perhaps we could talk?
And lastly!
To all my friends in 405, all the best for the last papers. We'll get through :) Thanks to all for the support, and a special thanks to Chin Yan, and Nelson Yeo, for their respective help.
Nick spoke his mind at ; 11:39 PM
Saturday, September 30, 2006
yawn.
I'm not sure why, but after every major exam, I feel like I deserve a much-earned break. That usually means endless hours in front of the computer or a book, or hanging out with my friends, but this time, I get the nagging feeling that it isn't quite over yet.
Wait. It really isn't over yet. >.<
Personally, I think it's rather depressing to blog about exams, particularly since they seem like a malevolent spectre whirling around everyone. But to be realistic, they're only 7 weeks away, and unfortunate as it is, they're determining our life. Sometimes I think it's quite ridiculous, how your life can depend on the events of a mere 7 weeks.
Which means, of course, that I can't blog for much longer if I want to focus on my studies. Just 7 weeks, and then I'll be free once again. So till then, I think my blog shall be in hiatus. To all my friends taking the 'O's, all the best to each of you; I'll see you all soon.
Nick spoke his mind at ; 7:31 PM
Thursday, September 14, 2006
pretend.
Who are you?
No, really. Who are you truly?
You don't know? You're not alone; this is a world shaped by pretences and masks. Day by day we live increasingly for others, becoming different people to different acquaintances. Mask after mask, we develop new personalities to assimilate into different societies. How many of us can claim to be completely true to yourself? How far would you go to deny your entire being for the sake of acceptance? Is this hypocrisy? Obviously so.
Sometimes there is no choice, even if we want to be sincere. Sometimes we are forced by circumstance to become something we're not, to present a different self to others. The sad thing is that our society doesn't take kindly to people who are different in anyway. You don't blame the chameleon for changing its colours, because it has to protect itself from agressors. The same lies true here. The tragedy? Not everyone will understand this need.
There is a place in your mind where all your selfs congregate. And there the monumental conflict begins: which of them is you?
Eventually you will understand: You can fool the world, but you cannot fool yourself, or your heart. Because in there lies the one true answer. And that, is truly you.
Nick spoke his mind at ; 11:15 PM
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
a day.
6.00 Wake up. Wash, rinse, repeat.
7.00 Arrive at school. Chat with the guys till....
7.25 Assembly. By the way, congrats to you, Sam :)
7.45 Additional Maths. Did a test, felt good about it till the last question. Then I panicked -.-
8.45 Chemistry. Keep eyes open.... eyes close.... eyes open.... eyes close...
9.45 Chinese. Do absolutely nothing productive, meaningful, useful, or effective. Just sit around, loaf around, and study random subjects.
10.50 Recess. Salvation! Played cards with the guys and gals, won a couple of rounds too :) Then recess ends. Oh well.
11.25 English. In 406. Sigh.
12.30 Chemistry supplementary. Eyes open.... eyes close.... eyes open... eyes close...
1.30 End of school. Cards for a while, then lunch with Honghui.
And they say school is supposed to be our second home ;) Well, alright. Almost.
Nick spoke his mind at ; 9:58 PM
Thursday, September 07, 2006
heart and mind.
What determines our actions? More so than anything else, this decision lies in two very different spectrums. The heart, and the mind. These two entities are halves of the human psyche, each an opposing influence that determines our moves, our every step. Too often, we must make a difficult choice to choose between either.
Think of the heart as red. It is an epitome of feeling, emotion, passion, and even destruction. The heart does not think. It feels. It is the soul of a human, the conscience, the call to act rather than wait. There is no decision to be deliberated- only immediate risk and action to be taken. The heart is impulsive by nature, but it is far from simple as many like to think. The heart encourages one to follow emotion, to do what you feel. To the heart, its greatest goal is to see yourself live with no regrets, because to the heart, as long as you always act in the interest of your feelings, you will never be sorry for yourself.
There is a great tendency to picture the heart as selfish. In fact, the heart is anything but selfish. The heart cares about others, about the social circle. It is sensitive because it cares about emotion. It feels, both for itself and for others. This works both ways for the heart: it will care for its friends and social circle, but it will destroy its foes with its terrible rage. The heart's feelings can go to extremes- love to the point of obsession, hatred to the point of destruction. This is because the heart has litle or no control over the very forces it is defined by. But this doesn't mean the heart is wrong- the heart also represents all your ideals, your dreams, your true feelings and goals. And these are fine things to follow and chase. To sacrifice your heart would be equivalant to sacrificing all these. To sacrifice the heart is to sacrifice joy, love, and hope.
Think of the mind as blue. Blue stands for everything that red is not, just as the mind is the ultimate opposite to the heart. To the mind, there is no room for emotion, feeling, or sensitivity. These are foolish ideals for the weak-minded, because they cannot see the bigger picture. That is what the mind is constantly after: the greater good, the bigger picture. The mind preaches thought over action, which is what the heart opposes. Why? The mind is all about thought and decisions simply because by thinking, you weigh the pros and cons of all your actions. To the mind, by thinking, you have ensured your total security and have fullproofed your plans and actions. You cannot fail if everything has been thought out carefully. Practicality is the mind's game.
The common misconception of the mind is that it is cold, unfeeling, even evil and self-centred. Sometimes this may be true, depending on the person in question, but oftentimes the mind is just looking out for a nobler cause, the greater good. A proper mind seeks out the best for everyone by sacrificing the short-term gain. What may be a cold visage is actually a well-thought out plan that is focused on helping all. But of course, the mind is cunning by nature, and sometimes its potential is used instead for individualism and its own ends. Like the heart, the mind can also reach extremes- it can become cold to the point of isolation, and cunning to the point of evil. This doesn't mean, however, that the mind is wrong- the mind represents everything about knowledge, opportunity, about making the best choice possible with all the available information. To sacrifice it would be to lose your options, to lose your sanity, even.
At this time, think and see: which have you based your decisions around? Sometimes, there may not even be a choice to make- but a compromise. Feeling defined by thought. Thought defined by feeling. It is old advice, but have we really taken it to our heart and mind?
Nick spoke his mind at ; 10:01 PM