Reminiscing my past in Singapore...

Can't believe I have lived in Singapore for close to 12 years now...
I have to say it's been filled with adventure, fun, learning...and everything!!! Even though there are ups and downs along the way...I dun think I would change anything at all!!

HOW IT ALL STARTED...

On 7 Jan 1998...the long-awaited letter of acceptance for the ASEAN pre-university scholarship finally arrived at my house in Penang...
Two days later...I arrived in Singapore for wat's gg to be the beginning of my 12-year Singapore tax-payer funded education journey...yes officially I'm still a part-time graduate student at NUS...although since Aug 2009, I'm no longer funded by tax payers :P
Just for the fun of it...I do hope I can graduate by 9 Jan 2010 to mark the 12th year anniversary :D

PRE-UNIVERSITY @ NJC

My first "home-away-from-home" (as our most "affectionate" SML put it) was CJC hostel...
Since I had been actively participating in out-of-town or overseas competition since a tender age of 11 years (I think)...living away from my parents was nothing new...but 1998 was still the first time I'll be away for more than weeks!
Fortunately, there's nothing to fear here...from the very first day we reach S'pore, we were very well taken care of by our seniors...even though just a year older...and the hostel managements...no wonder so many parents like to send their children to study in S'pore!! From school stuff to shopping, entertainment etc...our seniors were always there for us :) In fact, we were always there for each other too...til now...

I had always lead a life full of activities...so JC life was perfect for me...
There was classes and compulsory extra-curricular activities in school...where I took triple science in A levels which gives me the most hours in my time table as all 3 science subject has additional lab sessions...and on top of that...I was in multiple ECAs such as the more exciting sport teams such as tennis, swimming, track and x-country...and the more brainy societies such as a biology society and malay society (haha..that was compulsory for all of us taking malay as second language)...

Meanwhile, in the hostel we also frequently had our own social activities (with the MnB United gang...hehe), besides activities among all the ASEAN scholars which includes a mixture of crazy orientation-like activities and the more serious merdeka day activities involving principals of our JCs...

It was just filled with activities!!

AFTER JC @ PENANG

So the 2 years past rather quickly and soon I found myself back in Penang...while waiting for entrance to a university...

Fortunately, at that point it was time to train for the 2000 Malaysian Games which was held in Penang...but b4 I went full swing into that...our family traveled to US for dad's biz trip in California...and at the same time attend my bro's graduation in Chicago...and further holiday towards the North Eastern part of US...

After we the trip...for 6 months while I was back in Penang...I was spending all my time at the tennis courts...haha...sounds like some professional tennis player hor...but trust me...I'm NOT!
In fact, I managed to do the stupidest thing of running into the drain and giving myself a nice hairline crack near my knee during the first few days of the Games itself...haha...

UNVERSITY @ NUS

Timing had been so perfect hor? After the Games which was held in June, it was time for me to head back to Singapore...attended some orientation activities...b4 university classes starts mid July...

University life had been just as colorful...with 3 main groups...(1) my pharmacy classmates, seniors and juniors, (2) all my fellow Kent Ridgean, and (3) the NUS tennis team...
At some point...u can say I majored in hall activities and minored in pharmacy...wahaha...but life has been wonderful and exciting with all 3 groups...

....to be continued....

Out-of-control work magnet

Haha...the title says it all...I must have recently entered a really strong magnetic field...when I came out started attracting all forms of work...

B4 I started attracting any work...I already had plenty to juggle with...let's just look at those related to my PhD...since I'm trying to get that out of the way ASAP!!
Firstly, I have a biology paper which I have just submitted to one of my bosses...then I was starting to write my medicinal chemistry paper...and then I shld prepare for my presentation for lab meeting on 18 Mar...and of course the most important thesis which I plan to submit b4 I head off for my conference in US on 17 Apr!

Arghhh....so much writing...and I just hate writing...it's just eating up my mental energy...I need more physically demanding work!!

Anyway, apparently that's not enough! Haha...I had to attract more work...yippee!!
Firstly, I started attracting a lot of customers at the various pharmacies I'm working part-time at...that was great for the resident pharmacists there since I've "unconsciously" boost their sales...haha...but I'm supposed to be writing my thesis there!! Not so good for me huh? oh well...

Meanwhile, while I'm busy with all this writing and working, my bosses (the research ones) had a meeting on technology disclosure aka patent application we submitted many moons ago...and guess wat the outcome of the meeting??!! Yes...I have more work to do!! Darn...why do u guys need so much information...
So I had more paper work...and thankfully some lab work...
Hmm...but now I realize the lab work is more tedious than I projected...
So many cell lines...growing at different rates...of different sizes...thankfully in the same medium...and so many drugs to test...
Actually it would have been fun to do all this if I din have so much work already...

Then...next I had a meeting with my boss on the biology paper...haha...wat's new...more work!! So now I have to edit my biology paper, continue to write my med chem paper, prepare for my presentation and finally my thesis...exciting hor...

That all happened in the past 5 days...I'm totally overwhelm now...wahahaha...help me!! or just kill me!!