2013 in hindsight.

Here we are again, at the end of another year that left as quickly as it came. 2013 was definitely one of those fast-slow years for me, quick in its passing but with bundles of memories that will be slow to fade. 

As part of reviewing what 2013 meant for me, we'll start off with the list I made earlier this year.

1. Enjoy Life in Melbourne

I think when you stop consciously counting down the days to when you get home every day, it's a sign that something has changed. On the one hand, my second semester this year was very packed, but on the other hand, time only flies when you're having fun. And I have my friends and MUOSS family to thank for that. I've also realized that liking Melbourne has nothing to do with not loving your home as much. (Yes, I've been naive and childish in thinking that it was one or the other.) Granted, I'd still always want to be home above anywhere else, but that doesn't mean Melbourne isn't growing on me. Wherever I go from here, there'll always be a piece of home and Melbourne with me now. (partially thanks to the wonders of technology and internet heh.)

Also, no more 5km radius from my unit! (check point 3.)

2. Maintain first class honours in my course and not go green with jealousy at people with day-offs.

Okay. I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote this point. How can I not go green with jealousy especially when my semester's timetable looks like a rainbow checkers board while some people up to two days off. HMPH. =I

But save for that tiny hitch in Sem 1, all's well that ends well.

Like OMG I cannot believe I lived through OB. 

3. Try something new

i. Highlighted my hair. :D

ii.Tried footie through MUOSS Buddy Program. Keyword being 'tried', I don't think I'll be playing it anytime soon given how consistently I missed (as in not making contact with) the ball.

iii. Japanese Speech Contest. :) A wonderful experience that came with a lovely surprise of placing second :3

iv. Overloading with OB as one of the five subjects is a stupid idea. 

v. Sydney.

v. Guitar (the one on the right is mine). Day 17.

Hmm could have sworn I had more, but oh well.

4. Read a bit more

Yeah, well. I had OB this sem, check for peer-reviewed journals. >< 

And those SAO novels and Mortal Instruments series were really interesting. And I did read a few random articles every now and then when they popped up on my Facebook feed. That's a start, right? :D

5. Exercise

Buddy program, Laser Tag, one basketball game and just about all the staircases in Sydney. Oh and I still walk to uni and back?

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Fine, I'll try harder next year.

6. Write again

Will have to work on this one. :( Aside from the fortnightly Accent and a few blog posts; barely had much time to write anything else. :/

7. Learn at least three more songs on the piano this year.

Two on the piano (Butterfly by Wada Kouji and Let It Go from Frozen), two on the guitar (Kaze Ni Naru from Cat Returns and Fall For You by Secondhand Serenade). At least I'll be able to bring the guitar back to Melb with me :)

8. Kanji

If OB was the worst subject to overload with, Japanese 2 was probably the best subject I ever took. Stress-free, fun and something I truly loved. Japanese 3, here I come! :)

9. Be myself.

Always.

In addition to that, I turned 21 this year. :) Although we seemingly didn't do anything special, I had a simple 21st spent with the people who are most precious to me; my family. Dinner, birthday cake from Baskin Robbins, my travel guitar and a whole lot of love. All of which makes me a very lucky, very happy 21 year-old.

All in all, 2013 was a wonderful, wholesome year. There were ups and downs and falls and frowns throughout the way, but all the knots came loose in the most beautiful way. Looking back, uni didn't come easy; having to juggle between work and play, but it was definitely worth it. 

So thank you, 2013. Thank you.

And Happy New Year, everyone. :)

.:: So here I am ::.

Get into uni, check.

Survive apocalypse, check.

Have a great year, check.

The trouble with writing a blog post while having anime mp3s playing in the background is the constant urge to name the post after one of the songs.

Just like that, 2o12 is over. Time to pay extra attention while writing down that last digit of the date on those papers because you know you're still bound to slip and write '12' instead of '13' one out of ten times. At least for the first month of the year.

This year--- my bad, last year, the water dragon somehow decided that I should tag along on its flight. Up and down, up and down, its curved body moves in the skies like a sine curve. Up and down, up and down, the patterns of my year was dictated, but not without exposure to new experiences, new insights, new places, new things. 

Fireworks, red lanterns, food, pictures, laughter, accompanied by butterflies-- giant moths nesting in my stomach as the New Year was ushered in. While everyone else was wishing each other a Happy Chinese New Year, my mind was busy refreshing a single page for A-Levels results. The relief seeing the 4A*s that were like a dream. Up.

Friends start parting to go their separate ways. Slightly down. Slightly because I'll see them again soon enough.

Choral speaking. Public speaking. Story-telling. Training children to do the things I used to do in school. The feeling of achievement when they win. The feeling of happiness when you receive a present on Teacher's Day. 

KWN Panasonic training. A shift in responsibilities, from participant to facilitator. It gave me insight on how much work really went on behind the scenes of the awesome workshops we have each year. Teamwork and coordination. Hard work and determination to put out the best. Being part of Malaysia's first video meet with Japan as a translator was an honor. Not to mention the launch of the Panasonic 3D video cameras. 

Filming our first documentary on turtles was difficult, but not without its rewards. Following turtle tracks, witnessing a turtle lay its eggs, counting the hundreds of ping-pong shaped eggs and burying them in a protected hatchery, witnessing the hatch-lings climb out of the deep hole their shells were buried in, was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Learning to not fear interviewers. Seeing eye-to-eye with them as people who are looking for something in you. Learning a little more about hypocrisy, politics, scams and lies. Standing up for what's right and criticizing what's ridiculous, even if the planes are tilted and you're on the lower one. 

Melbourne. Accelerated Maths 2. MUOSS. Uni.

Decisions.

Uncertainty.

Fear.

Lack of confidence.

Results.

Sticking by choices.

Hanging on.

Believing.

Calmness.

Relief and joy.

Home, sweet home.

I admit, when I first reached Melbourne, part of me was rejecting it. Part of me wanted to bolt and go home. 

How high does the sycamore grow?

If you cut it down, you will never know.

And I wanted to know. And now I do. I'm glad that I did what I did. I like who I've become.