Graduation

(HCL O levels are finally over, I am finally, finally really free)

Two days before graduation on Monday - the last day of Options - I carried out my normal school routine. Working out with the Boings in the morning, core lessons (well, it was PE that day), Options classes followed by Pilates to end off the school day. By then, I was really tired and as usual, I took bus 132 home. Somehow, I dozed off and by the time I woke up, I realized, to my horror that I had missed my stop and was already at Hougang. I wasn't worried though, as I was familiar with the place - my primary school was located there and I used to take 132 home as well, except going in the other direction. 

Instead of alighting immediately and crossing the road to take the bus home, I chose to commute all the way till Hougang bus interchange, a place I used to frequent with my primary school friends. As I did, I passed by my primary school and inevitably, memories of my time there came flowing back especially the last goodbyes I said there. Then, it hit me.

Just four years ago, I was crying so hard, unable to accept the fact that I had to move on from that cozy and safe haven to an unknown place alone (I was the only one from my school who headed to RGS) and now, four years later, I'm moving on again, this time from another safe haven I used to deem scary, vast and insecure. 

#badassliyin

As graduation came two days later (on Wednesday), I learnt that it was part and parcel of things and people to come and go, to simply attempt to make a small imprint, a small impact on a life longer and more fulfilling than we might imagine it to be. For RGS - this place where I received four years of my education, more specifically my secondary education - it has impacted me in ways I never expected it would and I'm so grateful for the opportunities I have been given here. 

Our farewell gift to our form teacher Mr Faizal! :-) 

Gathering in the hall earlier to get ribbons in our hair and prepare for our only walk of fame (heh heh) 

After years of watching the graduating batch of Year Fours walk into the cheering amphitheatre with green ribbons in their hair, it was finally our turn. 

I suppose there's something about the amphitheatre (that is unable to fit the whole school) that makes it so special. Aside from the fact that your standing/sitting position goes by a distinct hierarchy - the older you are, the more superior you become. The amphitheatre is where you first get introduced to the school when you are in Year One and get startled by the "Unite" school cheer and when you're in Year Four, it's where the school bids goodbye to you and like how we started, we'd end with the "Unite" school cheer.

And that's what we did - my last time leading the school as SIMU/ a PB member. 

Of course, as all graduation ceremonies go, there were speeches by the important people of our school and they were all extremely inspiring, I'm sure. However, I'd just like to focus your attention on 13atch just this once :-) This 13atch that I'm so proud to be in. 

Just look at us. 

Just look :') 

(credits to Alex for the photo btw)

After the symbolic tie throwing, we all went wild and basically went around trying to grab a photo with everyone who has somehow impacted our RGS life in one way or another. I'm saving my dedications for another day, so for now, just admire the photos yes :-)

Christina! :-) 

L3NY -Angelia, Hui Min, Gillian & Jie Lin : the people I spent my first two years in RG with the most :') 

note: L3NY means Lee Lau Lim Nai Yap (which are our surnames) 

Class chairs of 204'11 :-) Angelia, Dawn & myself!

Honestly I think we were one of the best class chairs ever hur hur (sorry not sorry) 

406'13 with our deputy principal Mrs Shirley Tan :-)

406'13 with our principal, Mrs Poh :-) To be honest, I think she did a fabulous job with the school in her first year, plus she's a Waddlian so that's an added bonus. 

Following all that photo taking, we headed to our classrooms to have a little party which of course included more photo-taking, knowing how girls are like. Also, I love how my class has so many talented bakers who bake and share them with everyone. Their baked goods put mine to shame but it's okay because I get to eat them anyway :-)

Look at Azaleah's lovely chocolate cupcakes! She piped every single one of our names + class + index number on each cupcake. So much effort and so delicious :') 

Joey's very very delightful chocolate cookies! :-) 

I think I'm extremely blessed to be a part of 406 even though we are known to be rather notorious. When I first received my class allocations at the end of 2011, I was quite afraid at how I was going to mix with the people in my class because a lot of them were the people that we somehow knew along the corridors but wouldn't dare to touch - yes they all looked rather scary. I remember how we had a class Facebook page even before we knew each other and someone asked if the class had any prefects and my heart just sank "uh-oh, this spells trouble". Trouble indeed, but if you overlook all the misbehaviour, we are still quite a sweet lovely bunch and I'm glad and proud to call them my classmates. 

Afterall, I'm now friends with the scary people!!! How cool is that ;-) 

Wang, Bab, Yanling featuring my bandaged finger :-) 

Michelle BLOBBY BLOBBY BLOB :-) Here is a hug with me immortalized! Thank you for making me feel so loved all the time with the liyin cheer that only you do. In case I want to look back and remember the cheer, I shall unbashfully type it out here, thank you so much for that: 

L I Y-I-N

Can she do it? 

Yap she can! :-) 

Shoutout to our lovely class chair - Joey! :-)

Thank you so much for sacrificing so much for our class and trying to get the class together even though it's quite difficult sometimes. We're sorry how we never ever pay attention when you have to get us to do crazy surveys! But we appreciate you all the same, and I think you're a master at balancing your whole life heh. You're so talented in bowling, so smart and you are able to organize a class so well too. Above all, thanks for being a loudspeaker. 

Beatrice! :-)

Honestly, I don't think I would have survived these two years without you, being the only other prefect with me in this class but we have survived it together and despite being caught in difficult situations, we somehow managed. PB connections aside, thank you for being such a lovely friend, always looking so cuddly and you're super cute :') 

This is only a portion of my class, I didn't get to take photos with everyone but moving on, to teachers whom I managed to catch on graduation day! I feel like I'm truly blessed to have had an amazing bunch of teachers who have guided me along throughout the course of this year. Not only have they educated me (as all teachers should), they have entertained me through their engaging lessons and made school a bit more enjoyable. And I think it's funny how the I managed to take a photo with the two most entertaining teachers I had this year (in my opinion). 

Mr Toh! :-)

And just because Mr Toh is so flamboyant, I had to be a bit cooler (than I already am) when I'm beside him. 

Hands down, the best English teacher I've ever had so far in my whole life of learning the English language. I feel like there are few teachers who can actually teach language well and well, Mr Toh can! I always though English was a subject I didn't have to study for. Not because I was good at it but because studying won't work anyway. I always thought my proficiency in English was rather stagnant but he proved me wrong. So wrong. And I love his confidence. Thank you Mr Toh!

Last but definitely not least, Mr Faizal! :-)

Thank you so much Mr Faizal for being such an incredible form and History teacher! I admit, we were all a little sceptical when we saw our timetables at the end of last year and saw that CLE lessons were to be conducted by someone named "Faizal". We knew that no teacher in our school was called that and deduced that you were new around here, which honestly scared us a bit because it was our last year - were they going to give us someone who had completely no experience dealing with RG girls, especially since we are quite a problematic class with our issues with our previous form teacher. Then, this bearded man walked into our classroom on the first day of school and if I may say this, changed a lot of our viewpoints on teachers. You have been one of the most caring teachers ever and yet you are able to balance everything with serious straight faced humour. Thank you so much for getting to know me better and advising me on my future, thank you for actually writing my testimonial and making it sound like it's truly describing me, thank you for everything! :-)

And posting this because I think it's hilarious. 

Thank you RGS :-)