AU REVOIR TO MATH, AT LONG LAST!!! !!! !!! (THE WORLD SUDDENLY LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL, AIR SO FRESH, WATER SO SWEET, LIZARDS SO CUTE AND CUDDLY)


Memorized Xu Bin's and Poh Lin's mobile number today. Hohoho!

Met up with Ting Rui on Wednesday to shop for Li Ting's gift together. We were supposed to go gift-hunt at Far East - a paradise for women - but ended up at Kovan instead. We managed to get the gift that she wanted, and I hope she'll like it. *crosses my fingers*

Kovan - the place where I spend the first 16 years of my life growing up in. Being back there again, shopping around the mall; brought back a plethora of memories and stirred up loads of feelings.
I remember going to MacDonald's almost every Saturday after our NPCC parade during Secondary school, and heading down to the nearby arcade or Superbowl after our lunch.
I remember the camps we've organized, and the sabotages we schemed.
I remember going through the dreaded Secondary 3 Adventure-Training Camp (ATC) in Pulau Ubin where everyone gets tortured mercilessly.
I remember the cute songs and tap dance that we learned throughout the 4 years.
I remember our first Marksmanship test. A .38 revolver. And I recall how badly my fingers trembled and shook when I reloaded my revolver for the second round of shooting.
I remember the competitions and inter-school telematches we had participated in.
I remember the fun times we had goofing around in the arcade and Superbowl.
I remember the intensive training we, the Campcraft team, had to undergo for the annual Campcraft competition held by NPCC HQ. I doubt I'll ever forget the rusty iron pegs, heavy wooden poles, green ponchos, and white twine.
And I remember our Passing Out Parade (POP).
I remember how Xiao Hui and I would walk home from Kovan, which is just a mere stone's throw away - and how we would chat and bond. Sometimes, I would go the extra mile and walk her to her block, before detouring back to mine.
And I remember the enjoyable times we had devouring our favourite Ban Mian at the S11 near our house.


Sometimes, I think nothing is better than to look back on the past - the humble beginnings and where you have started - and discover how much you've grown and how far you've come with the passage of time. Not to relish on just merely the good and happy times, but also the tough patches you've hurdled through - and the experiences garnered. And personally, I think nothing is a worse tragedy than losing the inner person who has once been a part of you.


Treated Jun Ming to dinner on Thursday at Raman Ten in Orchard. I really owe him loads. Way beyond loads. Had it not been for his coaching, I doubt I would have even managed to scrape through my Math module. And I can still remember the exasperation and dejection I felt when I was hopelessly lost during the very 1st Math lecture. It honestly felt like listening Greek. I was about to tear my hair out in frustration.

Of course, apart from roping in Jun Ming's help, I had consultations with my Math lecturer too. But, more often than not, lecturers are exceedingly busy and can only afford 2 hours of consultation at best. 2 hours only? Math leh!!! Where got enough??!! *looks scandalized* And again, more often than not, he would rattle on and on at top speed, and does not touch on the basics. It apparently always seem to slip his mind that I don't have much foundation in A Math, and I had to pretend to nod in understanding - when my brain was still in the midst of processing and trying to figure out what he had said 10 minutes earlier. And so - after each consultation with my lecturer - apart from being totally mentally drained and brain juice exhausted-until-dry-dry, I ended up more confused than before.

Jun Ming is the one who cleared most of my doubts, and he's the one who shaped the foundation that's barely there. In response to each question of mine, he starts from the basic, and goes on to further explain in more elaborated and chim details. Unlike with my lecturer, I don't need to pretend in front of Jun Ming. I can ask questions that a greenhorn Secondary 3 A-Math student asks, and he'll not laugh or tsktsk at me.

And I know that he's busy with his own stuff too. Apart from teaching in school, he has loads of tuition to juggle. But yet, he has never rejected whenever I asked him for help. Not even once has he declined. And our Math sessions can go up to more than 3 hours at times. Sometimes, he even has to forgo fellowshipping with his Cell Group members after service - just to coach me Math. Honestly, I doubt I can pass this module without him.


Admittedly, the grade I obtained for Math is not fantastic. But at least I passed with a C+. In fact, if you ask me, I think C+ is only a mediocre grade. But things can so easily be worse, you know. I can get C, D, D+, or even F.
Am I pleased or satisfied with a C+? Honestly, no.
But am I thankful for it? Definitely yes.

I hate A-Math (I think the word "hate" is an understatement here). In my opinion, I think Math should be kept limited to 1, 2, 3, 4... ... ..., plus (+), minus (-), times (x), and divide(/). Math should not be tainted with weird-looking symbols or English alphabets. Alpha, Beta, Sigma, Pie, Infinity and etc - all of them rightfully belongs to ENGLISH, and NOT Math. And who are the idiot sickos who started Integral, Polar Coordinates, Derivatives, Fourier Series, Maclaurin Series, ODEs etc? I'd love to poke them to death with a toothpick.


Giving it a second thought, I think I should be as pleased as punch to get a C+. I don't even have O levels A-Math foundation, let alone A Levels A-Math, okie? I didn't take A-Math in secondary school, hor! And from a nil, a zero, a ko-song, a total greenhorn in A-Math; to getting a C+ in university A-Math, I should be proud as a peacock.

Fine. I admit. I'm trying to redeem myself. Fine? Hohoho! *geez*


Wednesday went out with Ting Rui.
Thursday - Jun Ming.
Friday - Thanksgiving Cell Group meeting-cum-BBQ.
Saturday - ministry visitation and service.
Sunday - ??? ??? ???

Semester 2 will commence on the 8th of Jan. 1 more week and a half to go before heading back to school. Gosh, where else can I go and what else can I do for the remaining 1 week and a half? I want to be out.
Out, out, and out.