If 2006 was the year which fitted the line “This is where I came in”, 2007 became the year in which I took “some time to do the things [I’ve] never had [done]”, to alter a line from the song Africa, by my now favourite band, Toto.
The New Year was rather quiet for me, with only Phil and me back in our flat during the winter holiday. I was sort of half lazing about, half trying to prepare for Spring Term while Phil was working late nights at some bar downtown. It was after a dinner or so together that I asked him whether I could borrow his Beatles “Revolver” Album. It wasn’t really that urgent a matter as to hear songs like “Here, there and everywhere”, or “I’m only sleeping”, but since Youtube was slow, especially because my hall Internet connection, I really just wanted to hear a full version of those songs and more. What then transpired was me checking out some other Beatles Albums of Phil’s, while him trying to recommend other Beatles-like music. That’s number one. Subsequently of curse, I found myself pulling music off iTunes like crazy.
The second thing that was new was of course the topics of the term. On the Economics front, save the mathematics and Excel stuff, we finally moved to Marco-economics, my favourite part. It turned out to be much different from JC macro-economics of course, but then the challenge came to answer Vimal (my tutor) queries which extended everywhere. On the Politics side, it was the attempt to write essay topics which I never dreamt of writing. On top of that, the amount of research I attempted to gather actually amazed me. Especially since I even gained an injury while doing that. The results (of the essays) possibly showed that I may have been pushing too many boundaries, but despite all the energy exerted, it was definitely a new and wonderful experience.
The third and possibly the greatest eye-opener was that of the UNSoc/UNA Millennium Development Goals campaign. For one, I never envisioned myself joining the UN society, having zero knowledge about it. Two, I was more inclined towards Model UN rather than campaigns. However, my timetable shifted me towards campaigns and somehow I found myself so engaged in creating the posters for Goal One, the reduction of poverty worldwide, that I really started to believe that it could be a possibility. Then, against all odds, we managed to showcase all eight goals and gather a sizeable crowd, so much that I believe at least a handful came to understand understood what we were campaigning for. It was an experience that I very much treasured and made me strongly believe that the goals could be met by 2015.
While the work took on the different level, the playing did too. Thanks to my flatmates, we had an Xbox and a Nintendo station to accompany Rhys’ little television set. So I was introduced to games like Star Wars: Battlefront, Goldeneye (which I played the most) and the all so lovely Mariokarts. That last game was the most played by Phil, Me, Rhys and Paul, with me usually on the losing end (well not always). Those were the times when we turned back to being kids, when we laughed, cried, scolded each other, and basically wished the moments stayed longer.
So that’s number four. In came Easter Break, the study period for the examinations.
Ok side track. As you would recall earlier, I was amazed as to how my British and international friends could really engage in so many other activities and still not fret over their revision or examinations. For myself, I was amazed at how I managed then, especially since I still was busying with sourcing for UNA stuff. Well, that didn’t take up much time, still, I was amazed as to how I managed.
The sixth new thing I was engaged with was as much an eye-opener as the third. This was Vale Festival 2007
. It was post-examination, and during the early summer, where of course everyone wanted to catch the golden rays of the sun. At the same time, we (as in the booth people and others) had to convince others that the tide of Climate Change had to be stopped. Now, I’ve learnt much about Climate Change since young, but this was the first time that I actually felt much about the subject. It was also the first time I had to do crazy things like get my face painted. Many thanks to my UNA team for helping out, especially with the convincing part. Then of course, to the warm friendship of Paul, Rhys, Tom, Rob, Laura G., Nichola and Janet after the event.
Seven (well this actually should have been sixth in chronological order) was having a whale of a time at Summer Ball 2007. Actually there were several things that I did for the first time in my life. One, was to finish one whole pint of beer without feeling a huge wave or nausea. Second, the consuming of one, well maybe one and one thirds of white wine (and red wine, that was the third of a glass). Third, well, was to dance, not exactly properly, in the company of so many happening individuals, boys and girls alike. This mind you, was definitely not the case back in NJC Prom 2003. Thirdly, well, I was well amazed that these fellow hall mates recognised, enjoyed and could sing along to tunes as far back as the 1950s. So I’m not alone.
With all the fanfare of University life ending, I said goodbye to everyone, and with most memories etched to my head, I left Brum for Singapore. Back home, as I’ve mentioned earlier, I was still working with British Summer Time. Number eight, as most of you would know, was my internship. Never would I imagine being able to monitor tons of real-time economic indicators and perform all those tasks. At first, it was a pain having wake up early and I soon started singing Dolly Parton’s song. Later, I would discover that not how the working world over there was really. Also, it was wonderful meeting up with new individuals like Melody, Gabriel Seet and others, who had ventured more than I have into various worlds. All in all, it was an experience to remember.
Oops, still not following chronological experience. Number nine would be sort of something that I was dragged into (ok, maybe half dragged into). Still, I even bothered to dress formally, long sleeved shirt and tie, for something which I thought would echo Temasek Seminar 2002. It didn’t, for one, there was a huge absence of social bonding (which was suppose to be one of the objectives) but nonetheless, it was a great opportunity to find potential employers (and even get an offer personally by one), listen to a very political speech, shake hands and talk to a Minister and get you pictures in the papers. (Hush Chih Hung, you got your fame too, albeit much later). So that was how a Saturday was spent.
Autumn Term 2007: A fresh start for the second year. Fresh, well yeah. Maybe things were sort of brand new. I was thrown into and even more bustling first week than last year, partly due to UNA recruitment. Then the bustle of that week ended with Anna’s fantastic birthday party, where flat mates (just me, Rhys and Paul) reunited and we relived the crazy moments. Thirteen and well, fourteen down.
Then it was back into the groove of library raiding and much more intensive academia. That’s the world of a second year student in the bustle of a esteem Redbrick University. Oh, a little pride in my institution can’t hurt. Anyway, though the grounding was set in year one, practically everything was changed in terms of teaching style, schools of thought and expectations. From the classical Keynesian-Monetarist debate we had to accustom ourselves with the world of Keynes and the Classicals, which I think many econs students found peculiar and us politics students, there were some urm facts to be contested. For IPE , it was moving to adjust to a new school of thought (one that I haven’t discovered) by Dr. Andre Broome. For Microeconomics, well, it was to polish one’s Mathematic skills. Yeah. Besides this hubbub, was the droning of weekly UNA campaigns meetings with some sort of plan draft out—I really hope it works. Fifteen and Sixteen.
Other that that, social life has decreased dramatically. The major event was that of the Vale Fireworks around Guy Fawkes Night, which was spectacular but a little disappointing as Stacey and the girls couldn’t make it to my flat. Then there was the STAR (refugee) conference down in London (number seventeen) and the Warwick International Development Summit (number eighteen), and the hubbub of completing the last bits before term ended.
And of course as the holidays kicked in, it was gloomy reminder (for me personally), that mega work loomed ahead in the second term. Still, I managed to squeeze off time to head for the annual and fabulous German Market at Victoria Square and the Carols in the city, and cook up some interesting recipes by myself. Nineteen. Boredom was killed with well work and the hordes of new books that surrounded me. There was an attempt to play a DVD on my labtop but either DVD or labtop wasn’t compatible with the other. Twenty.
And thus are the new things that I’ve really never tried before in my life until this year. It was been an exhilarating experience indeed, and God hand is most definitely working here. At one stage, though, I felt that I was not at my fullest potential, that I should have this rather that other person and such. That I should be here and not just left outside. Yet, I must remind myself that God provides and than in all circumstances, I should give thanks. For as the Lord said, “…I know the plans I have for you,” declares the lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” [1] Yet, I must not ignore the next few verses, “Then you will call upon call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” [2] Yes, constant devotion to Lord.
I’ll just end with the doxology:
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye Heavenly Host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
[1] Jeremiah 29:11
[2] Jeremiah 29:12-13
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