I know, I know. Beh, Chia Wei, Junyi, KC and Mun Hon are not present but at least, there is enough of the old guards to conjure the feelings of the past, the memories buried beneath the piles of university courseworks and co-curricular activities, the togetherness that is forged by the virtue that we used to be under one roof: McNair Lodge.
The thought of it almost makes me laugh. Now that we are all languishing in far more spacious rooms that what were offered in McNair Lodge, it is almost incredulous to the foreign ear to actually grasp at how five people managed to squeeze in a tiny windowless cell with bunker beds for two years only to come out alive and kicking.
Remember those times when the caterer thought dried chillies were on the vogue and started blending them in every dish we had? Remember the times when the boys enjoyed 24 hour air-conditioning so much that some of the girls actually got jealous? Remember how every birthday celebration was an opportunity to be creative and spoon out weird (and at times, not so tasty) recipes, and then to sing our hearts out to the birthday person? And remember...
Now that I am already in NUS burning the midnight oil for the upcoming test, I find it amusing to actually recount the nolstalgic moments in the past, especially those in McNair Lodge. Back then, the stress of A-Level preparation was gnawing away our brains but there were always people to look forward to for badminton games in the evening. The night was always bustling with activities as friends chatted, gossiped and pulled each other's tail (well-mannered way, of course) till the guards came to chase us away. Although we knew that post A-Level also meant the time for parting, we decided to pull together for one last activity, as a group, and used the pool to our benefit as a station to recharge our water guns and pails.
Those were the merry days. We are all growing up, aren't we. We have come to understand the world is not as simple and innocent as we once thought. Friends are almost impossible to make, what more genuine friends. Beneath the smiling facades of people with whom you mingle, some harbour the intention to exploit your goodwill to their benefits. In university, you are basically on your own, having to watch out for yourself despite having people to say "hello" to. It can't be helped. With each person taking different courses and having incompatible schedule, it is difficult to find common time to share and develop friendship further.
University opens a door to the adult world, although the scheming, conniving, and plastic expressions are toned down a little. Everyday, we are faced with moral decisions so complex that what were black and white now diffuse into one another to form a gray area. We only convince ourselves that our course of action is the most acceptable one especially in terms of self-preservation. It is difficult to trust another person and even more difficult to differentiate friends from adversaries.
My uncle used to tell me that of all the friends one make in his or her lifetime, childhood and school friends are the most genuine. At such age, we were still young, simple-minded and were capable to put all our faith in one another just like loyal comrades in battle. As we grow older, the we are "hardened" by so many ordeals to the extent that we become insecure about the world we live in and the people we mingle with. Perhaps, that is the nature of man.
Yup, McNair is a memorable experience. Pui Kheun-Samantha joint birthday celebration came close to reliving the atmosphere I once felt back in JC. Honestly, it felt so good that I am at a loss of words to describe the totality and intensity of it. You guys present at the birthday, do you feel it too?
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