Chapter 54-- And then its the end(Time to say goodbye)

And then it the end...

"Graduation (Friends Forever)"

And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we're gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
But when we leave this year we won't be coming back
No more hanging out cause we're on a different track
And if you got something that you need to say
You better say it right now cause you don't have another day
Cause we're moving on and we can't slow down
These memories are playing like a film without sound
And I keep thinking of that night in June
I didn't know much of love
But it came too soon
And there was me and you
And then we got real blue
Stay at home talking on the telephone
And we would get so excitedand we'd get so scared
Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair
And this is how it feels

[1]
As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
From whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever

So if we get the big jobs
And we make the big money
When we look back now
Will our jokes still be funny?
Will we still remember everything we learned in school?
Still be trying to break every single rule
Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?
Can Heather find a job that won't interfere with her tan?
I keep, keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly
And this is how it feels

[Repeat 1]

La, la, la, la:
Yeah, yeah, yeah
La, la, la, la:
We will still be friends forever

Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?
Can we survive it out there?
Can we make it somehow?
I guess I thought that this would never end
And suddenly it's like we're women and men
Will the past be a shadow that will follow us 'round?
Will these memories fade when I leave this town
I keep, keep thinking that it's not goodbye
Keep on thinking it's a time to fly

Adapted from Vitamin C "Graduation(Friends Forever)" lyrics

Yesterday mark the official final day of my tertiary life as I finally graduated from NUS armed with a humble degree ready(or not quite ready?) to face the working world and enter the university of society. Looking back, I cannot help but wonder how 4 years can possibly passed by just like that when the memory of matriculation still seems so fresh in my mind. Wow…4 years…that's twice the amount of time I spent in NS yet the feeling of time passing by is so so so different. Talk about the concept of time and different experiences at different stage of our lives.

Arrived at university cultural center(UCC) at around 7pm and was in quite a rush to change into my gown..Really have to thank Nick for once again being my rescue hero when I desperately needed help especially since I still do not know how to put on the hood till yesterday at the roding room at about 45 minutes just before the ceremony lol. My parents arrived shortly after I had put on my gown but because Jiayi was late(I still wonder who was the one who told me that her work ended at 6pm), I had to braved through the numerous ushers that kept coming up to me and "reminding" me to go into the auditorium for the ceremony which is about to start VERY SOON. Fortunately, she finally arrived at the last minute for me to shove the invitation card into her hand before rushing in to the auditorium whereby half the video content of the faculty of science was already shown.. The ceremony was officially declared open by the presiding officer LG(NS) Ng Yat Chung after the national anthem was "sang" and this was followed by a boring speech(no offence) by Dr Steve Lai from PSB Academy, really, my mind literally go into dreaming mode the moment he opened his mouth.. I guess the content of his speech just did not resonate and register into my little brain.

The presentation of graduands was next! I was intially a little apprehensive about going onto stage to receive my degree "scroll" as I kept having the probia that I will trip and malu myself on stage lol. Luckily, my probia never came true and I was actually quite pleased with myself for the way I carried myself on stage lol. However, the loudest appause for the night undoubtedly went to whom else but Bernard when he went on stage to receive his degree, what a pity I was in backstage during that time getting prepared for myself to go up the stage. I could still remember the uproar that can even be heard clearly from backstage and the rest of us in backstage was wondering who was causing it before we viewed the CCTV and realized who it was. Didn't know also that there were going to be so much activities going on back stage with the helpers helping us to adjust our gowns and hoods for us to present ourselves at our very best. Really appreciate the help that these helpers has provided us.

I was also very fortunate to have 2 outstanding valedictory speech by Dr Lena Lui who received her PhD in physics and my fellow course mate Cedric Tan who received a first class hons in Biology and winners of multiple awards respectively. Having spent 11 years in NUS, Dr Lena was able to provide us with nuggets of information about science faculty that we fresh graduates never knew existed until yesterday. For instance, who would have ever thought that the predecessor of Dily's healthy eating was actually the fattening KFC? I have always lamented about the absence of finger licking chicken during my years in NUS and to know now that there was actually KFC right here in NUS and even at Science faculty itself really make me go...argh! Really hope that the managements could bring it back in future for the benefits of my juniors who crave for crispy fried chicken especially when one have to stay back in school till late to rush for their project(s) or lab assignment(s). Trust me, eating fatty and sinful food can really help elevate one's mood and relieve stress. In addition, Dr Lena also mentioned about another particularly puzzling question about science faculty which up till this day, I still could not fathom either, why are the toilets for the opposite sex located at different floors of most buildings for science faculty? I mean, one can really curse and swear when one is in a urgent rush to the loo only to realize that the cleaning aunties are always washing the toilet at that precise moment(which reminded me why are the aunties always washing toilets just when I needed them.) and when such unfortunate incidents occurred, it can be a REAL bug to think that the next nearest toilet are one that is 2 stories above of you not to mention that by the time you reach the nearest toilet, the shit are probably already on your pants.

Cedric on the other hand surprised the audience by showing us a photo of him when he was still a toddler shaking the hand of the former late president Wee Kim Wee during his father's master degree commencement ceremony which must have took place like more than 20 years ago. What made the photo so special is the headline which read "When will this small boy graduate"? Now, fast track back to yesterday and I am sure that both him and his parents must be so damn proud that the "small" boy have finally graduated no less armed with a first class hons degree.

After the ceremony, it is time to finally take some photos with the pals that have been helping me in one way or the other contributing to the memorable experiences I had in NUS. It is a pity though that I cannot find some of my peers for this purpose. Anyway, if you guys and gals have been reading this, I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for my life in NUS would certainly be so different without you people. I would like to say a really big thank you to all of you! However, I would like to also especially mention some buddies who have really been there supporting me. Thank you Nick for been with me though the ups and downs during the years in NUS and for been able to tolerate and accommodate my sarcasm most of the times. You have helped me so so much especially in the final year that I really couldn't imagine my undergraduate life without you. You are certainly one great friend that I really must thank god for letting me know you. I would also like to thank Zhong Hui and Zhi cheng for helping me with academic queries. It has also been an enjoyable time working with both of you for the Bioinformatics and Ecological system project work. I wish both of you the very best in getting your PhD soon! I would also like to thank Zhilian(GEK1541), William(Lab and LSM4221, 4232), Jiewen(GE3221), Shaokai(Lab), Alvin(LSM 4211), Lu Xi(LSM 4232), Benjamin(LSM 4211, 4221), Siling(LSM 3212), Sheilyn(LSM 4232), Song kun(ES2007S), Vanessa(ES2007S) and Zhi Hui(ES2007S) for working with me either in project works or laboratories sessions. Believe me, it really was an honour working with you people because I have so much fun and I learned so much from you people. Even though I am unlikely to meet or contact some of you again, I would still remember the good times that we have together.

Yes, my years in university have been overall a pleasant experience and I highly treasure the times. Some of the small regrets lies in the fact that I am unable to take some modules which although I am interested in, could not find myself committed to it either due to timetable or exam clash. I would have love to take Intro to Psychology(to find out how the human mind works and thinks emotionally and behaviorally), human anatomy, molecular and cellular neurobiology(this time to find out how the human minds function biologically), molecular basis of human disease(aka pathology) and last but not least pharmacogenetics and drug response.

But then again, life is always filled with some small regrets.

Your Sincerely,
Yongster

Live the life you want. More good years ahead.