As seen, my plan to blog everyday on the last week of school failed miserably, mostly because of all the Chinese revision going on –BUT Idid make a mental note to remember the significant events of each day, of course most importantly 4 Nov!!
Wednesday (2 Nov)
Had Grad ceremony briefing after probably 4 hours of Chinese. Ms. Chia returned our edited class speeches so Xiang Xuan and I decided to stay back and edit it there and then. It was waaaaaaaaaay too long so most of the time was spent cutting it.
We had so much difficulty writing the thank you parts to the teacher, especially for Mr. Tan Liang Hooi. Most of the time we thought of stupid stuff and laughed like mad, like thanks for the pigeon shit story you told us and turned all of that in jokes. But I did realize how important Mr.Tan was to our class, perhaps due to the significant impact he had on defining 302. How many memories he had left us with. Finally came up with something short, sweet and precise as well. It was a good thing we didn’t laugh during the class speech because of all the inside jokes. That would have been bad.
Thursday (3 Nov)
Class outing to ECP!! Hmm... Though it rained quite heavily, but we still made the most of the trip? Memorable moments included when we took turns to drive the “pink thing” Beverlyn and Xiang Xuan rented. If I had enough money, I would rent that the next time…
Let the pictures do the talking…
I know probably no one from 402 reads this blog so I can write this here. Well, I used to complain a lot about 402, saying that I really never fit it anywhere and I didn’t like the feeling of the whole class? But Thursday made me realize that I did find some really great friends in that class and maybe I couldn’t see that before. But just to sum everything up, I’m really happy that I was a part of 402, for 2 wonderful years. Besides the teachers we had, I think it really hard to find a class where there are no major (or perhaps none at all) conflicts, bitching and so on…
Rushed back to school after the outing to 10 minutes of CCA-watching and a quick dinner, gift-getting session for Rachel gan, at coro with Chermaine. Man, when was the last time we had a batch dinner together after cca at coronation…
Watched dramafest later on. Though it was a commendable effort, dramafest definitely needs a break through. Not everything emo is worthy of portrayal on stage, as meaningful as the themes may be, especially not when like 75% of classes chose depressing themes. 202’s Nodalbrink was good just simply for the fact it was a comedy and 206’s Alice was something different and very well-rehearsed as well. GOOD JOB SEC 2s!!!
Stayed up till 12+ that day to rush out most of my notes..
Friday (4 Nov)
Part 1: Morning Events
Last day of school started with incomplete opomou thanks to one moumou… Went to the studio at 7.10 and got a super sweet and meaningful gift from our little NYMD family. Apparently, Weifen and Lihoung went geylang to get it hahahahaha.
Another reminder of why I’d miss Nanyang so much. Thank you juniors for making that day right from the beginning!
Morning assembly in the hall with a closing done by Mdm. Heng that was fine, just didn’t like the fact that she loaded us with stuff about J1 academic stuff. Level closure was by Mrs. Phua and felt a little sorry for her because many people were talking away. Then gave out model student awards and finally the most iconic part of every level closure we’ve been through for 4 years- - the montage!!! All the better, 3 of the songs were NYMD songs and they were the more symbolic ones as well. Halo and Firework, all batch 11 dances, one being the first and the other being the last :’) whoever chose the songs is awesome!!!! Just wished some batchmates were seated around
me so I could have sung them with them.
Next was farewell ceremony. Started with the screening of the new corporate video which was a little… I don’t know, but NYMD part was super cool and I am so glad that we’ve finally got a footage that truly represents our style.
Followed by the bye-bye pal thing, which was also when I tear up for the first time that day. Thanks Chen Li Houng, though I know you won’t read this, for really a super meaningful good-bye gift which now sits on top of my cupboard amidst all the NYMD things and bits of pretty gifts. Nanyang bear is really cute and lovable, besides the fact it sheds a lot of fur…
Part 2: Last Recess in Nanyang
Last recess in Nanyang, also our last batch lunch in Nanyang, outside our second favourite place in Nanyang (quote gan), outside the dance studio. Later on, 4 of us went into the studio and just sat there, feeling the homely feeling of the studio, how beautiful it was although it had no fanciful lighting or perfect floor, just one spot of orangey light in the middle. It was probably the last time we could ever enter the studio anytime we wanted to.
And this picture I took last year still never fails to make me feel nostalgic.
From Chermaine’s blog:
I couldn’t help but tear up when I recollected the times that we danced on that floor with nymd, the times that we slept on that floor during camps or before performances, the times that we were noob dancers dancing raj's feedback in the worst ways imaginable, the times that we dropped hair all over and the times that we did our makeup together in that hexagon, the times that we would dim the lights to collect our emotions…. So many precious memories were created on that floor and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. I just wish we had more time.
I wouldn’t trade these memories for anything in the world.
Part 3: Class Closure
Basically report books and graduation certificates were issued. And according to my height and weight measurements, I gained 6kg this year hahahahahahaha, probably due to all the conditioning… Spring cleaning was as heart-warming just like every year. I don’t know, there’s just something about everyone working together to leave a clean classroom for the next batch, taking off all the notice board papers and staple bullets together that gives a really nice feeling. Still remember so clearly spring cleaning back in 2009 with 202, looking forward yet fearing another 2 tough years in Nanyang…
Part 4: Gan’s Birthday Celebration
One of the highlights of the day! And it was more like a pre-celebration hahahahaha. Rach kept whining about wanting to go home or something, so we had to change plans and decided to surprise her when she got back to school in her hongzi. Met at 1pm at 402 classroom to finish off the cards, photo album and finalise the plan. Thankful to the Chinese Dance juniors who allowed us to use the studio for a while to surprise gan.
And so when she finally appeared in the studio under the impression that we were prac-ing steps there, we tried to dance around the studio to create a “magical feeling” without stepping on the cake in the middle of the dance floor, but obviously failed. Gan in her hongzi was… FUNNY.
Hmm, so we cut and ate the cake outside the studio and gave her the seriously last minute photo album (which we’ve yet to settle the $$$ for ahem). Pre-mini-surprise was a success and I bet she was convinced that that was all muahahahahaha.
With nothing left to do for about 2 hours, we played hide-and-seek. Sought (?) which Xinyi for two rounds and we both agreed that seeking was quite fun, just for the fact that we didn’t have to hide in stuffy, weird corners and garner confused stares. For one round, we hid in the staircase area leading to the car park. Ms. Tan and Mr. Koh and some other LA teacher walked past and were like what the crap are you guys doing. And they couldn’t believe us when we said that we were in fact playing hide-and-seek, funny.
Camped in the library red spot room (which was also the first time I entered the room! :0) for a while because we were all sweaty from playing. Finished off my cards and folded roses while they played poker cards.
Part 5: Graduation
From LT1 to the hall… Many things happened. Some memorable things included Mrs. Wong’s touching speech that made me tear up a little… Singing the school song for the last time…The star wars music when the graduands entered the hall which was filled with cameras flashing away in the parents’ hands, will never forget Cassmain saying, “I feel like I’m in Hogwarts” LOL.
Class speech went fairly well I guess, though it exceeded the time limit a little. Xiang Xuan and I were both experiencing upset stomachs and sweaty palms before that, perhaps we both knew that this speech was pretty important, although the audience may not have listened. Oh, I’m also really pleased that I received my “graduation scroll” from the hands of Zhang Laoshi!
Was really touched that some of juniors were helping out with the ceremony and saw us graduate from NY :’)
The formal ceremony ended with a touching and somewhat personal speech by Zhiping and Ang Jie, the singing of the graduation song and an NDP song “Home”. Everything that happened after passed really quick (just like how my whole life in NY did): Looking for teachers to take photos, eating my dinner in the 402 classroom for the first and last time, meeting Haoqing’s and many other parents, and finally helping some of the teachers to rearrange back the canteen tables and benches. It was a really great way to end the Nanyang journey, moving all those benches and sweating it out, night-time work out! Cher and I clung onto opomou table for a while. Sigh, old place…
A beautiful school compound, the place of many unforgettable memories that need no elaboration. The place where I met so many friends I’ll never want to lose for life and teachers I’ll always be grateful for. I loved Nanyang even before I became a part of it. I was desperate to get in when I came for the Open House, and even when I failed the DSA entry.
And now, we’ve all become alumnus of Nanyang and I guess the perfect sentence to express how I feel (and how we all feel) about NY is:
I’m proud to be a Nanyang girl.
