UNDERSTAND

A new school term just started this tuesday.
Just discovered that one of my subject is 100% PBL-based. It stands for Problem Based Learning, for your info.
PBL... I hate PBL subjects. 100% somemore (-_-")

Translation: It means no lectures and tutorials. Only laboratory work.

No lectures + no tuts = GO DO YOUR RESEARCH YOURSELF!!!

Research = library mugging + group meetings + group discussions + interviews with the lecturer + presentations + loads & loads of confusion & time wasted to understand the hard core stuff of infos you've garnered + lugging loads of library books home (that is, if you managed to get your hands on any before they're snatched away by coursemates) + reports to write up + yahoo + goggles + askjeeves + "dunno wad else" search engines.

ArrrrAAaghHHHh!!!
Aaarrrrgghh!!!
AaahhhHhh!!!!
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It is still the first week of school, and already, i feel so old.
While walking towards Cyber Center, I noticed a group of first-years (obviously) was gawping around a notice board, deep in discussions,

"I'm interested in Psychology. Woowow... hope I'm able to get in..."
"I prefer Sociology leh..."
"Eehh... I want one with a 4 credit units de leh..."
"When can we apple for these CDS subjects ah???..."
Blah blah blah... ... ...

Was in the library earlier (thanks to what else but PBL?), and a couple of (what else but) first-years walked past. They disappeared among the shelves behind me, and a second later, their voice came drifting over,

"Wow!!! Look at these books!!! Wah... DNA, Immunology, Histology, Haematology, wah!!!"
"Kao... I'm feeling stressed already. Wah lau..."
"Die la... So chim"
Blah blah blah... ... ...

Walked past the bookstore on Wednesday, & a guy asked for directions to Cyber Center.
Old... Old.. Old... ... ...

Just suddenly felt a deep sense of deja vu.
It seems like only yesterday when I took my very first step into the institution where I would be spending my next three years.
Could still recall that day in the school hall, anxiously awaiting my Os results.
Still remember the painful preparations for the then-upcoming Os.

Currently in first semester of my third year in school. This is the year that i have been pining for for the past two years.
Had been imagining the exhilaration & anticipitation of this final year. Now that it's here, well, the feeling's different.

I guess there'll always be a difference between imagining & being there in the actual situation.

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That's why I feel so strongly, never to use the word "understand".
So strongly, that it has more or less become part of my principle of life.

Be it consoling, comforting, whatever.
Don't say "I understand".

Imagine these senerios:
Someone who has lost his/her loved ones tragically overnight.
Someone who had been through the tsunami, the earthquakes, or famines & droughts.
Someone who has been abused, be it sexually, verbally, or physically.
Someone who has been afflicted with a terminal disease or mental illness.
Etc etc etc...

Don't say, "I understand".

Tell me, what do we, as onlookers, ever understand?
Even if you've been through it, dun say "understand".

Everyone is different.
Everyone is unique in their own rights.
Everyone has different priorities, expectations & perceptives.
& most importantly, their own thinking.

What is it exactly that we understand?
Their pains? Their feelings? Their thinking?

None of it actually.

That's the truth.

People just utilize the so often misused U-word merely as a means to offer comforts, when they don't know what else to say.

A source of comfort, coupled with eyes filled with sympathy & "understanding", with occassional nods of encouragement & gentle smiles.

Ponder over it and think just for a mere moment.

Meaningless, really.


Progress is never brought about by contented people