Saturday, March 26, 2005

Reaching the beginning of the end...Part II

I hate these emotional roller-coaster rides.

I’ve been busy making preparations these last few days regarding the Biotech Picnic in Pantai Dalit. Thankfully God graciously had given me the very best team – Peja, P’Din, Azfar, Melissa, Mama As, Balkis, Zura, Fifah, Erni, Feeza and not forgetting Shah. This group of people will forever be known as the Party Liasons in my life, cause only God knows how I’d survive this week without them.

Guys, we threw one hell of a picnic today. I’m proud of each and every one of you. I thank you for all your efforts from the bottom of my heart. Mama As, you make the best roast chicken recipe, and without your hands Balkis it wouldn’t have tasted as good. Zura, Erni and Feeza, your tireless support for me throughout the course of our plans provided the strength in me to go on. Without your help we’d probably be in a mess I can’t afford to get out of alive. Melissa, you’re one of the leaders I look up to in my life, and to have your support throughout this project is definitely a blessing. Azfar, Peja and P’Din, you guys ROCK man!! I can’t think anyone better to carry out plans this big than you guys. Azfar, thanks for handling the money well and for the generous feed from Kafe B. Peja, your calmness and cool ideas really made up for a lot of my unfinished work. P’Din, your undying support and hard work even though people kept on bullying you around really amazes me. Shah, you can be a pain in the butt sometimes but your rebuttals always prepared us better and above all you still stayed a good friend to us, thanks. And to my sweetheart Fifah, thanks for being truly understanding as well as supportive of my efforts these few days. Thanks again, my friends, my family.

As you can see, the first few paragraphs would conclude a full page of acknowledgements regarding today’s Biotech picnic, for it took tremendous plan and effort for it to turn out the way it did today. Well, not bad considering we only had planned it a day earlier…..J

Today is one day that’ll remain in my heart for a LONG LONG time. This day was our Farewell Picnic Day for us 3rd Biotech students. It was a bit hectic and awry starting off in the morning; well with all the transport confusions and stuff, but I guess it brightened up onwards through the day. It was nice – the weather was fortunately forgiving, there were ample cool breezes on the beach, the crowd was happy and sporting, and basically everything was turning out into the better. The food was really mouth-watering, I guess all those hard work marinating for 5 hours straight in As’s house the night before was worth the effort after all! And not to mention the surprise of the day – Prof. Ho’s visit in the afternoon. Prof. Ho has always been dear to our hearts and to think that he would turn up (although Chris fetched him at UMS) was kinda sweet; we don’t get that treatment often here in UMS. He’s retiring, so I guess we’ll be the last batch he’ll ever teach. It’s kinda sad in a way that we’ll no longer have lectures with him after all this. Alas, the picnic ended well; everyone had a splashing fun time in the sea as well as on the beach. I’ll post pictures soon.

What really inspired me was the whole process of making it happen. It’s that unspeakable bond that you build unconsciously with each other – it’s so surreal and its as if you’ve known these people for years, instead of mere weeks. I’ve been so blessed to have these kinda people around me for three years; my only regret is not knowing them much earlier. I regard each of my Liasion team more than friends; they’re much rather like my second family. Not its gonna be much harder for me to let go of them because of the unconditional bond we’ve built between us over the last few months. This picnic has further strengthen this bond, and now I can’t bear the feeling that all of us are leaving each other very soon. Most of us are leaving in a few days, what’s worse I’ll be the last leaving – Korea industrial trainees are due to leave on 7th of April, almost a week after local LI commences.

I’m feeling kinda sad nowadays.

There’s much going on in my head at this moment. As my fingers lament cluelessly on each key of the computer I lament on all the things I’ve gone through the last few years in UMS. Of course, the uni sucks a bit but it has taught me so much. Varsity life has thought me to be more mature, more wise in my thoughts and considerations. It has taught me to open myself to other people, those entirely indifferently unique and most of the time doesn’t have to match my personality. Varsity has taught me to be independent, to be free of my ideas and express them diplomatically. It has granted me the social skills to fit into any group of people, but most importantly it has granted me a wish I’ve long learned to forget – the gift of relationships. To me I regard relationships as the most powerful things you can have in life. It’s as easy to get, and as easy to take for granted, but as easier to lose of. It feeds on constant give-and-take, and you have to work at it to make it worthwhile. It can provide you the upmost security you’ll ever need in your life – it’ll make you happier, stronger, more confident, and even make you a better man, but do it wrong and it can turn your life topsy-turvy. This is the best gift I’ve received in my life, and I’ve always been granted this gift in every phase I go through growing up. I’m gonna miss my friends in UMS, but as they always say – think of it not as the end but a beginning to a longer friendship. I love all you guys and hopefully we’ll keep in touch.

Worse comes to worse – I’ll just see you guys in 5 months for graduation day!

I wish I could talk more, but I guess I can always talk about life later. Fifah always told me to take life one day at a time, one thing at one go. I guess I told her this numerous times before her, but she reminds me of this more often than I do to her. Whatever will I do without her.

The best friend you can be to someone is yourself.
-JeP

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