Recollections: Part 1

There’s a silver lining behing every black cloud

“My uncles, former SP students, used to say that the SB hill is like Beverly 90210 (pardon the generation gap). Slowly I understood why. The skimpy clothes, the girls, the hunks, the lifestyle.”

The dreaded last week of school is finally here. It’s funny how I’m looking at school now. Back in my secondary school days, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to finishing school but I guess the prospect of going into either a JC or Poly somehow became the main push factor. But now there don’t seem to be any! In fact there lots of pulling ones that makes me feel sad on leaving SP and DMC, as I recall them one by one.

So as a parting note, I shall be writing this special 5-part series, starting from today, as I recall from the days I was so blur during the post O-levels till the day I unofficially leave DMC this coming Friday. After all, my blog has seen me through my years. It would be unfair if I omit such a crucial part of my life from it.

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The Big O was a huge relief (it’d be a nice pun if I used in the indecent manner eh?) and the question on everyone’s mind at that time was: JC or Poly? Never mind the courses or subject combinations. Weighing the pros and cons of those two institutions is enough to make Panadol the best invention of all time. Flyers stated to flood my mailbox and the naive Fitri then flooded the open houses of the different polytechnics in return.

My mind was all set on Poly as I knew I would struggle in JC. I just don’t wanna lie to myself a second time. The first time I made such a mistake, it nearly backfired on me. I was initially posted to EM2 back in Primary 5 but I opted for EM1 instead, and I couldn’t adapt to the fast paced learning. Everyone around me seemed to get a grasp of what is thought so quickly. Everyone except me. Thankfully I managed to get past that stage of my life with decent results.

Knowing myself too well, I will only study when exams are around the corner. In fact only when they are 1 week away. And in JC, you really can’t afford to slack. Taking another major exam - The Big A - in just 2 years time scared the shit out of me. Plus I had to learn A Maths? Or was it F Maths… whatever it is, I’m bad at numbers. Period. Taking a leaf from my seniors also made me choose the Poly route.

So Poly it was and *WHAM!* I was thrown to 4758692 different courses from the 5 polytechnics. Somehow, I don’t know why, I had an inkling for media studies. Perhaps I was influenced by the perception that media (aka mass comm) students are hip and cool. Plus the fact that I was impressed by TP’s media studio when I first went for their open house! I seriously had set my mind on being a radio DJ after seeing their radio facilities over there.

Being a media student, I also can get to play with cameras and use the uber-cool editing software called Photoshop. I was so shocked to see my pimple-free face on the computer screen!

Editor was a shy and reserved boy at that time. He was attracted to media studies purely based on a new-found interest and was attracted to the tangible benefits only. He was pretty immature and I would second that.

Thanks to that trip to TP, I began to focus my course search to media and researched on courses that each Poly offered. Let’s be truthful here: everyone thinks being in NP’s Mass Comm would be so cool and it is touted the best amongst all. But the truth hurts me too - I didn’t meet the necessary requirements to get into Mass Comm.

I swear I die die also wanna go into Mass Comm that I was even prepared to go for the interview, do the written test and the 500-word essay on why I wanna join Mass Comm. See, I remembered it so vividly.

NYP was out of the question because I didn’t wanna spend another 3 years of my life in Ang Mo Kio area and I don’t quite fancy RP’s style of learning. I was considering TP but then decided to give SP a chance.

SP’s main pulling factor was Dover MRT station and its Media and Comm had business modules integrated, something which other media courses in the other polytechnics didn’t offer. But frankly speaking, it didn’t even ruffle my leg hair. I was looking more towards securing a place in a Poly, in a media course and thus SP became my choice as I can safely say I met all their academic requirements.

I guess TP was out because of convenience sake. I had no straight bus and a train ride would still have to be followed by a bus ride before finally reaching the campus. I didn’t strike lottery at that time lah. No money for so much of transportation.

Weeks later a letter from SP came by, informing me that I have been accepted into the school’s Media and Comm course. I was happy to secure a place in SP - it’s prestigious no doubt - and will be doing media for the next three years. But kinda disappointed that I didn’t study hard enough to get into NP’s Mass Comm. But no use crying over spilt milk right?

Sooner rather than later, I was that little butterfly that just came out from its cocoon, awaiting to see what lies for him in the future…

Okay, fine! I was a freshie!!!