Mid sem!

6 weeks (?) in (IB) and I have so much to share but no words and no starting point.

I have been told twice in the past week that listing is a great tool, so I’ll try that.

1. Blessed. I feel so, so blessed to have made this choice. The people I am surrounded with almost 24/7 ,they are out of this world. They are the weirdest,nicest,smartest, loudest,funniest,most genuine,talented,supportive,caring and understanding mix of people I have ever had the privilege of calling friends. They make me want to be better.  
2. Delighted. The amount of learning I do (academics,yoga,people,cooking) ,it’s behind my contentment when I go back to my condo unit everyday.
3. Overwhelmed.  IAs, EEs,TOKs and every other relevant acronym you can come up with are only due in Sem 3 but all I hear now is “START EARLY” How am I to start when I don’t know where or what to start.
4. Psyched. Two years seem so much, yet it feels like time’s slipping past my fingers. I dread the end of the next two years (life has been nothing short of amazing), although I don’t know how I am going to cope before I can think about graduating.
5. Motivated. Literally no one said that it was/is going to be easy, but I chose this anyway. And now, balance is all I need to remain intact.

My heart is so full and alive.

Life is amazing.

And I hope that 2 years from now, whenever someone asks me “How was IB? Was it hard?”, I’d look them straight in the eye and say “Hard is an understatement. But man, it was the fucking best two years of my life”

Singapore

Being back for the first time since that school trip in Form 3, every aspect of this trip was tinged with excitement. Little everyday things like scrutinizing the MRT maps to find our way from Changi Airport back to our hostel (5 Foot Way Inn!) and having simple breakfasts at the quaint balcony of our hostel overlooking the Singapore River, they all became part and parcel of this short and eye-opening getaway.

Perhaps it was the thrill of being on our own, with no reins to hold us back. Perhaps it was the allure of a foreign city laid out before us. Perhaps it was both and everything all at once.

So close yet so far.

Werk

Cotton On was my first working experience. And what an eye-opening, exhausting and satisfying job it was. It was everything (almost) that I wanted my job to encompass. It wasn’t a 9 to 5, it kept me on my feet (which, ironically, was also the reason for my departure), it fed my fashion cravings with a generous staff discount, it exposed me to the inner workings of an international retail franchise (albeit what I know was surely only the tip of the iceberg) , it introduced me to friends I never would’ve made had I not taken the job and most importantly, it made me realise how much more the world has to offer, that what my high school teachers said were true.

High school is just a pond and if you think it’s hard, wait till you’re in the ocean

Work at Cotton On was tiring but I wouldn’t say it was hard. Although If it weren’t for the salary, I’d go back to school in a heartbeat. Actually, on second thought, if education was free, I’d spend my life studying. Or maybe not.

My point is, I am extremely grateful to have had those two weeks at Cotton On and shoutout to everyone who welcomed me with open arms.

becoming legal

So far, being 18 hasn’t been what I thought it’d be like. Actually, I don’t know what I thought it’d be like. I know that I didn’t give much thought to it but I also didn’t think that I’d still feel so stuck. 

Although the days after weren’t half as fun as the day I turned 18, I know there’re a lot of things that I should be grateful for. Hence, this blog post. It’s list of random stuff, but you gotta count your blessings, right?

 

Dinner spread

Thanks for the presents!!

Morning surprise!

Kayveena’s work of art

#2chinz

18 Things That I’m Thankful for as I Turned 18 

1. Friends (you know who you are) who care enough to attempt to throw me the surprise birthday party that I never had,decorated my rooms with balloons and actually put so much thought into their gifts to me.
2. Everyone who showed up at the dinner regardless of their time of arrival.
3. My mum, who paid for almost everything
4. The amazing presents I received! (how did y’all know what I wanted?)
5. Being able to still fit into my favourite dress
6. Being so fortunate as to have so many smartphones on hand to capture the moments in photos.
7. My family, who at least tried,but failed miserably to keep the secret from me
8. The abundance of food on the table that night
9. Waking up more than once in the morning, knowing that there were people in my room (I was in my parents’ room)
10. Dan Kanter (Justin’s guitarist) who liked my tweet and followed me when I least expected it.
11. Cotton On who called to call me in for the job interview (update: I got it!)
12. The sister who tried to hide the secret but failed as well and for being our unwilling photographer 
13. My phone being fully charged.
14. Me having a phone at all.
15. My hair cooperating.
16. My disease choosing not to flare up.
17. My dad who waited patiently in the car while we collected our stuff to leave
18. Everyone who spared the time of their day to wish me Happy Birthday either in real life or on social media

I’m sure there are infinitely more things that I should be thankful for but I made it a list for a reason let’s not go overboard. 

I am beyond blessed to have people in my life who would go through the trouble to put this whole thing together and I am so grateful. The party was only that short because of the cost of renting the venue, but we still had fun 🙂 And 3 years from now, God willing, I’d have all of you at my 21st birthday and we’d look back at these memories like those people at high school reunions.