What to bring the first time u're going to Manipal? 

A question every first year student MUST ask. and an answer everyone hopes to find. Ringing seniors every opportunity they have. Searching for answers high and low. Trying to think how to fit everything into a 30kg luggage. Been through that half a year ago. =) 

1. Tissue and toilet paper. They're light. So chunk some in. It's expensive there =) 

2. Plastic bags. Manipal is a plastic free zone. Sometimes you can't even get them even if you're willing to pay. =) 

3. Dehumidifier - Thirsty hippo like. Fungus grow practically everywhere. 

4. You may want to bring pens if you're fussy with good quality pens. 

5. There's no 3-in-1 drinks, but you can find Horlicks (assorted) and Quaker oats here. Kellog's food products too.

6. Herbs and teas.

7. Airtight containers to store your herbs because the humidity level here is so high, insects grow.

8. Instant noodles if you must.

9. Plenty of passport sized photographs. It's possible to take it here. but just to avoid the hassle.

10. Important documents and plenty of passport and visa copies.

11. Insect repellents.

12. Towels and blankets. - you would want those from home =) 

13. Jackets or sweaters. it CAN get as cold as 20 degrees. and its also convenient if u're travelling.  

14. You may want to bring a light electrical kettle of about 2 litres. You can buy it there but it may not be as big a capacity and those that does may be either expensive or it has a short lifespan.

15. Medications - when you're away from home. Have medications at hand. You would most probably end up feeling worse after a trip to the hospital when you're already sick. Panadol, pills for flu, diarrhoea, gastric, carsickness etc. 

what NOT to bring.

1. Toiletries - Unless u're really particular about your hair shampoo and facial washes they're plenty of choices and you don't have to waste kilograms for these. You have to admit these are the heaviest items. Pantene, Dove, Revlon, Loreal shampoos and conditioners are available. Vaseline, Nivea, Himalaya are available. Colgate Oral B toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes. ALL available.

2. Contact lens - Acuvue lens. COMPLETE and Renu contacts solutions are accessible.

3. Umbrellas. It's ESSENTIAL there. But also vastly available. =) 

4. Girls: Sanitary pads are available. Don't worry =) You cant possibly import months of supply anyway. so don't bother.

5. Biscuits. Unless you're EXTREMELY particular about them. 

6. International electric adapter. You can purchase an Indian adapter here only at RM2 and u need to buy a stabiliser here. So, save the trouble of bringing one.

7. Papers. I would prefer Malaysia papers. But you need MUCH more than you can carry. So might as well stick with Indian quality? 

I should write one on things to bring after your first semester break after I have completed my own list of things to bring =) 

What has been the most memorable event that occurred throughout this two years?

I instantly thought of the time when we moved all our belongings from unit 1/407 to unit 7/115.

Nope. It ain’t the hard toil to carry everything from the fourth floor down and then put them on a trolley. Neither is it how we pushed the trolley on the rough tar road breaking the silence of the night. Yup. It was 2am. It was also not how silly we were trying to carry the trolley across small drains that were in the way or how the security guard looked at us – so puzzled that he did not bother to help these ‘innocent’ girls. Did I forget to mention the flooding of the whole house as it is filled with ant nest under the mat where we disposed of, the cockroaches and the some odd stains of different colours on the floor.

It was how regardless all the complaining, we still managed to laugh our heads off. Trying to move the lockers around which was unexpectedly heavy. How Kit Yeng screamed and jumped on the sofa with an aerosol can in her hands when she saw a cockroach. I can remember how Rachel laughed at a mirror in the bathroom which was placed at a height parallel to someone’s breast. It was placed right opposite the faucet at such height which really made us ponder what was it for. Breast cancer precaution. =D And Yan Xin being Yan Xin sang all the way making the cleaning process felt, fun? Haha. It was. It was how we all bonded.

Though Chin was not there that night, her presence everyday in our unit, fill it with her signature laughter. She talks and make some remarks that remains embedded in our heads. =D The most significant would be how everyone of us remember you can “Watch till you drop” ahem.  Your laughter is ringing in my head now!!! I think I would like to record it and make it my ringtone. =D

This was what came into my mind. But then as I ponder, as I flash back memories we had together, there were more. =D

Simply naming:

1. All 5 of us chatting in the room as the living room was stuffy after fogging.
2. Sandwich maker which made the whole unit blacked out.
3. Sitting and sweating when the electric supply was cut off during study leave.
4. Secret Recipe and McDonald moments. Not forgetting Pak Li. =D
5. Talking about food. I missed the “Chin and her Kueyteow Pattaya” era where we would all have dinner together.
6. Steamboat! It was the first and the only time where all 5 of us sat on the living room floor. The second time was one of the last days where 4 of us sat on the living room talking about our Ipoh trip. Still looking forward to that.

 I don’t think I would have found better housemates. I don’t think life in college would be less difficult without you people! Thanks for the times we had, thanks as we weeped and laughed together! HAHA. May sound dramatic but I truly mean it, guys. =) 

 I regret not browsing photos in my phone before doing this. Left out loads of nice photos. Did not transfer them to the pc.

There's a fuss about the public toilets. I think public phones should be worth checking too.

Went to XX shopping mall yesterday to find they have very limited working public phones.

Didn't want to disturb other shoppers as some woman is extra cautious and think you want to take their phone away for good and and I'm extra careful to make sure I don't end up telling some bad people I'm alone without a phone.

I went to every hallway where there's a public phone in the fourth, third and down to the second floor and finally to the first floor. I think I checked about 3 X 6= 18 phones. NONE of them works. While some are out of order some just won't let you dial. Then there's a message. I think it's something like "Please note that we may not be able to connect you  because of insufficient credit or........" something.

Frustrated. I went to the concierge. "Where can I find a public phone?" I managed to ask calmly. I was ready to tell him none of their phones work if he directs me to somewhere I've been to. But he quickly directed me to one located next to a toilet INSIDE a hypermarket of the shopping mall. I thanked him and went there to find a phone. Only ONE phone in that hall but it worked. It was the old Telekom phone but with a Helo company logo sticker on it. I couldn't help but smirk at that sticker. Managed to reach my dad's mobile and it even returned a change.

I have to say the man at the information counter knows about the condition, they still manage to provide a working public phone somewhere in the mall.

Oh, I also found out that at each hallway with the public phones they have one which is installed pretty low. I guess it's for the handicapped or the kids.

But despite the fact that is my fault to not have my phone charged before I go out, my carelessness of not discussing the time and place to meet before, my idiocy of not heading straight to the concierge first, they should have put up a notice or something at those phones directing people to one which actually works.

I did not get to find out why all 18 phones can't make a call.

We're all babies who have lots to learn, lots to see. There's too much on this world for us to get to know about.

The art of observing and learning.

It's never ending.

You can opt to have a life where you're secluded, isolated and live in your own wonderland.

Or, you can observe all the details in life and learn from every element that walk pass you. (or its you walking pass them)

1. Stand still and observe. You can definitely see something which you did not notice some other day.

It may not have to be unusual. It may be such a usual phenomenon that you don't take notice of it.

Some people always have extraordinary stories, captivating stories. That does not mean that everyday in their life is so unusual and eventful that it is something that should be envied. It is just that these people can actually retell interesting details, the least obvious details, thus making those stories remarkably different. Or, these ingenious personalities are able to retell the event from a different point of view, trying to put himself into another person's shoe and then blending every piece of detail into bits. In the end you'll have that thick, robust and aromatic brew.

2. Watch and learn.

 "....Everyone has different personalities. ya-da ya-da ya -da... You shouldn't be bothered with bad personalities because people are borned bla bla bla bla...Just ignore their attitude otherwise you'll be the one suffering nanananananananan...." familiar speech? Yeah. Quoted from : " The Human Must-Speak 101"

From how I see it, I think people should actually take note of people's different attitude even if some may be the most irritating attitude you've ever encountered. Even if you're so agitated that you feel like walking to that person and shout right at his/her face "Shut up."

Things that you can learn from those with so called attitude problem:

1. Being two faced! (Yeah, this is the easiest to get) We always find people being pretentious, two-faced. It's sometimes as if they have split personalities. They're very capable of acting to do-re-mi and then to la-ti-do under different circumstances in the slightest interphase period. Learn to be two-faced at times.  I would have to agree it takes some practice to be able to do this flawlessly. I get really disturbed with this personality but one day, when I stepped back and review the whole thing again, it occured to me that indeed that attitude of theirs put them into rather good positions in life. Be it regarding work or social.

2. Melodramatic. I recall my guy friends claiming that most girls love to exaggerate. It can be rather aggravating. You don't feel like listening to all those at all. Yet, it is essential to be slightly melodramatic at times. This is when you need to be heard. You know when you get unfair treatments at a restaurant? Like the table next to you who has just arrived served in just ten minutes while you waited for half and hour and it happens repeatedly? Want to be heard? Exaggerate.
"UNCLE! SUDAH DUA JAM LEBIH TUNGGU. ROTI CANAI BELUM SAMPAI!!" ( okay, maybe that's over exaggerated)

 Otherwise, don't visit that place again.

3. Egocentric. These are those who are entirely self centered. Never bothered about other people's emotions. All he/she think about is the consequences of the actions on him/herself. Not bothered to take a key when he/she goes out yet coming back way past midnight and slams the door to wake his/her housemates. That's not enough for them. That person have to yell at them asking what took them so long to open the door. But people without a room for him/herself, without leaving space for themselves to care less about others may find life torchering.

I think there's no need for an example. Everyone understands we need to be a little selfish at times. The problem is sometimes we could not do it without our conscience pricked now and then.

I have more to list. But I stopped typing this for so long  I forgot how to continue. oops.  

Oh. and i realised that sometimes while your intention is to observe, people tend to find you gawking or basically staring rudely. Hmm. Definitely noteworthy.

=) dead blog it is. =D

The paper chase.

"What are you doing, jie jie?" a 3 year old asked.

"I'm studying"

"Shhh. Don't make noise. Jie jie studying"

a while later

"Jie jie, why are you studying?"

...

I laughed.

Why am i studying?

Most students may answer. For the sake of examination. ( let's not talk about study=knowledge for now)

Will we study without it?

Yup. We'll soon find the answer to this with the abolishment of the major public exam.

Meanwhile, will we be digging our heads in those biology text books? Will we be hunting for notes and exercises? Will we be planning what to study tonight? IF there is no examination.

Then there's the question, without examination, how are we judged? How are we segregated? How do the universities know who to accept and how do we know if we are fit?

Here pops yet another question, so we study because there's examination and its for university entrance? Why university?

The ultimate answer leads back to people. Ourselves. Its how the society wants people to be.

To chase that sheet of paper.

So, I answered, "Because I need a paper."

She walked away and I thought it ended.

She came back with a piece of A4 white paper AND a pen.

***

In the end, do we have the right to rant? Can we choose not to complete the race?

A better solution would be to finish it. There's no need to be first because in this chase, there's no winner. Everyone who finishes abiding to rules and regulations, will be given that rectangular 0.2mm thick sheet with your name proudly imprinted on it.

That paper is one of the most important asset. It sets us on track in our career and its prospects. Says who? Everyone who's trying to reason why you should be studying.

Tonnes of successful and famous personalities did not have that paper we are all chasing for.Some argue.

Oh did you not notice? It's DID not. and they're the exception. How sure are you that you would not be the rule?

How sure... that says it all. That paper is also known as an insurance policy.

We are striving to live under an umbrella - safe and insured.

It started with me feeling unwell on one of those rare days our class would have .. a class dinner.

20th April 2010.

Unlike any other class, we rarely have a proper class dinner and never had one with full attendance.

So.. despite being unhealthy. at 6.30pm, which is the time that we shall meet, i msged Aneeta and told her I would be coming dressed up and rushed to the bus stop.Last minute decision and ... did not regret because indeed everyone was there. =)

So there we were.

Haha. I start this like I'm gonna elaborate every detail but nope. =)

As usual, the pictures do the talking.

 The people I'm spending two years in Shah Alam with and most probably will still be seeing each other for another 5 years before we're physically separated. =) Cheers!

A piece of broken Chinese work in reply to you.

感受敏捷，失去了一切希望，那时这个谜就会涌现。
到底人生的意义是什么？

过的好不好，快乐不快乐，就是自己定的。人生要怎样过，我们的选择就是我们人生的意义。
你说的吃喝玩乐的一切都是当一个人迷路而失去方向做的。

还是当他们都想休斯时所做的啦。

ignore the language. I give up  choosing which is the right words... haha. But I guess you should get what I mean. =)

Try scrolling down your contact list.

Especially with some emo songs playing.

You'll begin to see names.

Then you can see faces.

Then images running like in some film strip.

Then you begin to hear voices.

Memories flow in.

The people you used to have fun with. and now they went out of your life leaving nothing but a name in your contact list.

When you're done reminiscing,

it's time to select "Send a message"

begin typing " Hi, it's been long........................."

Sometimes, the news you get in return can brighten up your day.

Sometimes, there is no reply and you begin to wonder, has he/she deleted your number?

Sometimes, there is no delivery report and you think, gosh, it has been that long? he/she changed their number?

Yeah... again. the wonders that our phone do.

(Took this at Sunway Pyramid)