More than a year ago, I was jumping with excitement and relief to have found out that I have been selected as a Petronas sponsored student. I was actually digging my mom’s wardrobe for baju kurung a few hours before because I was supposed to leave for Johor Matriculation the following week. I dreaded the idea of being a matriculation student so I was ecstatic beyond belief that I got chosen.
The registration day was full of excitement. From finding out that there are actually only 5 girls among the scholars to checking out the house that I am currently living in, there was always something that would trigger the adrenaline.
And then there was the first week of college. I can just about choke with laughter when I remember the horror on our faces when we were told on our first day that we would all be organizing the Malam Kebudayaan Melayu. And that we had to find the money, which was in the 5 digit range, to pull the event off with success. We had the outline of the event ready within 3 days of college. Like, whaaaat?
Organizing that particular event definitely took much of hard work and patience. But in some ways, I’m glad that we had to do it because we wouldn’t be as close as we are right now if it wasn’t for MKM. Countless nights were spent with discussions on the event and scratching our heads while trying to figure out how to get the ka-ching rolling in. There were times when we wanted to give up, but I am proud to say now that we made it through anyway, despite all the hardships that we had to face.
Living with them college mates has been a whole bunch of fun; from cooking together to having game nights and gossiping sessions, all have been anything but dull. It is like trying to hail a cab; we never know what to expect. How far do we have to walk before we can find a cab? Will the driver send us to our destination? What will the driver be like? Is he going to listen to Tamil songs? Will his car smell like ammonia? And how much will he charge today?
Our destination remains the same, but the charges are often different without doubt. It is much the same with how our surroundings change everyday too. It might have been clear traffic yesterday; hence the low cab charge, but today could be a totally different story. Weird analogy? You wouldn’t think so if you were me haha. Alright maybe it is a wee bit weird heheh.
I have learned quite a number of lessons after a year and a bit more of being a college student. Writing them down would result in a very, very long list, but one of the most important lessons that I have learned is tolerance. Living with people coming from different backgrounds, I’d be lying if I say that they have never done anything that contradicted with what I believe in or how I live my life. However, I am glad that instead of arguing our asses off, we try to compromise with each other. It takes a lot to compromise, really, having used to living our lives the way our upbringing told us to, so I think we deserve as much of a round of applause, don’t you think? Hehe.
14th June 2008. First anniversary; with Tasya & Hakim at Titiwangsa.
I really, really hope that this year, all the bad things that have occurred will be amended, and that the good things will remain in good condition.
I definitely am going to miss this period of my life.
So, is there a particular way to hail a cab? Well, I have no idea myself :)
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