Following an invitation by PJC to attend the 11th College Day, I thus made my way to PJC with my dad and brother at about 2.30pm today. It was just a coincidence that my brother was to be attending the event as well. I had finally decided on wearing a long sleeved black shirt with green stripes which accompanied the black school tie very well. For shoes, I just wore my pair of bright blue and orange shoes which kind of stood out against the formal attire I was wearing but I was rushed for time so I just went with it.
Upon reaching the school, I felt really at home. The sense of familiarity of PJC is still there whenever I come back to visit. Somehow, it just feels really good to be back in PJC.
I proceeded to the hall immdiately after arriving and made for the registration table as instructed. I did as I had been told to do and reported my name. However, that did not seem to ring any bells and I was made to be directed to seats for the alumni although I had specifically informed them that I had special arrangements. Thankfully, with the help of some teachers there, I managed to locate the seats with my name on them and we sat down and awaited the start of the event.
Of course, we got seats in the front few rows just in front of the stage. Apparently, there were two teachers assigned to guide us around and "entertain" us as they put it. Hahas... VIP treatment much! So we chatted while waiting for the arrival of the GOH. Having not seen that teacher around before, I guessed that she was a new teacher in the school. Indeed, I was not wrong. I also noticed that we were seated just in front of the seats labelled 'Media'. Lols, this left me wondering if I had to handle the media again after the programme. Thankfully, I didn't!
Having not been selected to attend any of the previous College Day events during my time in school, I had really been hoping to at least get an award this time round so that I may be able to attend. To my dismay, this did not happen. Hahas, I am thus really glad to be invited to attend this year's 11th College Day.
After the unveiling of the new MLEP classroom and the arrival of the GOH, it was time for the principal's address. After some time into her speech, I suddenly remembered that I would be mentioned in the principal's address. Which is noww!! I started getting a little nervous and excited at the same time. My name came up somewhere in the middle of the speech and the principal commended me on my efforts in getting through with the A levels. There was also quite a lenghty bit about some of the stuff I did during my time in school and about how I overcame A levels. A bit too exaggerated so I thought. A different perspective I guess. Well, at least I didn't find it that much of a chore and struggle as was said. Hahas, that was how the teachers saw it I guess. Still, I find it too much of a credit anyways.
Then the principal started looking for me in the crowd. Although I tried to delay the idea of having to stand up and just waved to try to get the principal's attention, I still failed to get her attention. So it was with reluctance that I finally stood and she saw me then of course. Having already stood, it would only be right for me to turn around to face the audience. So I did, with great reluctance! Part of me still felt quite undeserving of all that the principal had described about me and I felt it kind of weird to be receiving so much attetion lols. Admist all the nervousness, I tried to wear a smile anyways.
The principal's address ended soon after and programmes for the day continued. A long period of prize presentation followed after and I was really glad to see that most of my friends and some juniors had gotten awards. Hahas, this also meant that most of them were around in school today and I am certainly going to catch up with them after the programme was over. Seeing many familiar faces also made the prize presentation much less boring.
Throughout the never ending prize presentation, I could not help feeling really nervous about the reception that was to come after. I was filled with anticipation and much uncertainty as the prize presentation drew to a close after some time. I took a quick glance at the clock and was shocked to realise that three hours had passed since we had taken our seats in the hall. Wow, time sure flies when you are having fun.
We then rose with the other VIPs and exited the hall first. We were to have the reception now. All the way down to the concourse, I felt like someone really important as the student helpers, my juniors, led us out and guided us to our seats. Of course, that was because I was with the other VIPs and this treatment made me feel really awkward. I would very much be treated like just another student of PJC lols.
We took our seats at the VIP tables of course and almost immediately got into conversation with the teachers and some guests around. We were then offered to get our food from the VIP area. However, I was still hesitant as most of the other guests had not even finished filing out of the hall much less taken their seats. It thus felt inappropriate for me, a mere student of the school, to be one of the first few getting food from the table. Thus, I just stood around but after more teachers repeatedly urged me to get some food, I relented and helped myself to the food. I wasn't planning to eat much though. The butterflies in my stomach were killing me and food was the last thing on my mind!
After clearing off the little bit of food on my plate and hanging around the table long enough not to appear rude, I excused myself and joined some of my friends I saw walking around. I met up with some guys, Alan and Jeremy. However, this still didn't really ease the weirdness I felt. We were all dressed so formally in long sleeved shirts and even with ties for some of us. And our greetings were also so formal and brief. Handshakes, congrats... all too formal lols! Haiz... we're adults noww! Miss the times back when we were studying.
Therefore, it was definitely a huge breather when I finally arranged and met up with Kee Wei. This was finally a break from all that formality. I had been cracking my brains on what to chat about when we met but none of that was needed and conversation flowed smoothly between us just like JC times. Soon we had even met up with some other ex- Alchem Club seniors and we continued chatting happily. Haha, I even met my good friend JY and I certainly noticed that he had changed quite alot while chatting with him though I could not figure out what had changed. Hahas, it was only after a while that I figured. He had matured! Hahas...
I went off after a while and had a talk with the principal. I took the opportunity to thank her for her help in the referral letter once again and informed her that I hadn't received any reply from any of the two universities that I had applied to. I was then introduced to some of the guests which included some staff members from SUTD and we chatted about my plans after NS and a little about my interests as well. They then invited me to visit SUTD. Hahas, that reminded me to go take a look at the courses in SUTD. I am certainly going to visit the SUTD website over the next few days. Hopefully, there are some courses relevant to environmental studies.
After the chat with the guests, with many of them congratulating me once again on having made it through the A levels, the guests left and I went off. I met Jeremy once again and had a walk with him around the school, partly to take a look at the newly unveiled MLEP room. It had been a long time since I last spoke to Jeremy but there was no awkwardness between us as we chatted while taking our time to wander around the school as night fell swiftly. We soon returned to the cafe and we parted, with me going back to look for Kee Wei.
Having not met up for such a long time. we both started catching up on each other's lives thus far after the A levels. Hahas, it was good to note that both of us are doing pretty well with really eventful lives even after JC life. I wanted to be the last to leave so that we would be chased out by the staff so we stayed and chatted until almost 8.30pm. It was then that I realised that we were almost certainly the only ones left in school other than the cleaners. Of course there will be no one to chase us out of school lols! Lolz! I had never stayed in school until so late. Hahas! We left school after that and headed to BPP. We walked around a little, talked some more, and finally parted at 9.30pm. I am definitely going to get in touch with these guys again soon. Hahahhas! Today certainly went much better than I could have expected. It still seemed as though we were in our JC days!
So I had an awkward, fun, memorable, nostalgic, honoured and overwhelming day at PJC today! I certainly am grateful for this opportunity.
It is really a moment to remember as I don't know when such an opportunity will surface again, if it even does!
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