Recap Of High School / Saturday, September 29, 2007
Year 6 (Graduation Party)...David Tran, Jaffe Chiu, Frank Jin, Thomas Mak, Nick Levanic, Ahsas Rhanjan and myself. The people from my OC class who had continued their education at Sydney Boys High School. The only thing I remember was coming 2nd last in OC every time we did a test and feeling extremely stupid. That, and how I had introduced the entire 'DragonBall Clap your hands to charge' game which I still hold in remembrance.
The Letter..."Congratulations. You have been offered a place...
...at Fort Street High School."
Dot Dot Dot. I remember the initial excitement at knowing that I had actually
made a selective school, but only to show up at school to find that everybody had made Sydney High. Then the disappointment set in. Why? It was one of the first few times I felt I had been treated differently, and to this day, the trend continues...
I remember going home and moping about it, the words, "Sydney Boys High School: Reserve A" staring at me endlessly. So I called the BOS, or more accurately, my mum did, just to check where I stood on that reserve list.
30th.
I was 30th on the reserve list, dead last of the Reserve list. Just one place above the guy in Reserve B. I didn't want to go to Fort Street. The open day for Fort Street was scary. In that one open day, I saw prefects handing money and cigarettes, rowdy boys bully each other, and one Yr 9 guy (who seemed massive at the time), who told me he'd "bash me if you got into this school". Naturally, it wasn't the most appealing of places to me.
5 days before high school, I got another letter, telling me I was offered a place to Sydney High because a 30th guy had declined a spot. I was over the moon. But there were so much to do in 5 days before school started. Buying the uniform, filling in application forms. It was all very strange.
And then...it began. Orientation Day. I remember it as being a very weird time. Being a reserve, there were alot of things that were done for others that weren't done for me. To begin with, I wasn't given a timetable, so I had no idea where to go. Everybody was chattering away and I was the only one who seemed completely lost. One teacher came to me and led me away, (I think it must've been one of the deputies, but contextually, I had no idea who) to one class filled with 'Eedy's'. I did not know what 'Eedy's' were, but it was really quite embarrassing to knock and enter some classroom filled with 30 other boys who just stared back at you in your new uniform and the school bag that was different from other people's. What was even more embarrassing was that I replaced another student from that class; that I kicked a person into another house; that that person was one of the friends I knew from primary, Mr Jamie Tao. Things weren't right...
Fitting in...Within that first week, I adapted slowly. I stuck with people I knew, meaning Leslie Wong from North Shore and David Tran from OC were my instant friends. As it were, things seemed quite jolly, with the entire class moving together as a pack to whatever class we were in. At the end of that week, my little group included one Raymond Tran (who seemed quite small back then...) since the middle tables in each room were arranged in 4's. Other people fitted in too, with Stanley Jia and Alfred Sin often joining in our group activities.
But, there was still the labels...
I was still the 'reserve', and even though nobody knew that, I always felt different. Getting my train pass and bus pass; I was always the last one to get it. Weeks after everybody else because the school still hadn't registered my name in all its records. Little things here and there just like that always reminded me that I was lucky to be in this school; that I was less intelligent then the rest and I had to somehow make up for it.
That feeling continued in the recurring years at High, when I'd still be the last one to get my train pass and bus pass...all the way until Year 10.
Friends and Enemies through the years...Its silly really, when I look back, at all the people I had marked as 'potential enemies' and people I would avoid contact with if possible. Its funny too, how the same people tried to befriend me and how I eventually, while not entirely liking them, did not give them the same shit other people did. However, people like Alim pissed me off constantly and incessantly; always sucking up to people he wanted to 'protect' him while teasing other people at the same time. I hated how he had bullied my friend Ahsas out of the school; and prevented 5 years of contact with him.
Those were the negatives. The positives would be the friends I'd eventually make.
In Year 8, I met Matthew Sin for the first time. Boy, things seemed different. Maybe it was because everybody else seemed so small and pudgy compared to me back then... But he's still the same way today and I hold him in high esteem when it comes to talking about my best mates. If he were to ever ask me about something, I would not hesitate in telling him the truth (one of the only people I'd ever tell the truth to). Near the end of Year 8, I met Geoffrey Zhang. And it wasn't the best of meetings either. Haha... I first heard of Geoffrey when I saw Leslie, David and Raymond all getting invitations to a bowling party for Geoff; and when I saw the multitude of brethren who had received an invite, I was slightly pissed that I didn't.
Remarkably, things eventually turned around when I found out that he was a fellow anime watcher (OTAKU!!!! HELL YEA!) like me, and there was an instant connection, albeit a slightly weird one. During Year 9, I would read his Love Hina Manga during recess and lunch while everybody else had to pay him for that same honour. Quite exciting, lol, borrowing cartoon books with almost nude chicks from a fat and wide guy who had bowl cut hair. Hahaha...Oh how the times have changed. But I would say we really connected in Year 10 in Ms Ward's maths class, during our many 'make her laugh classes', in between me teaching Gman maths and him teaching me the wonders of the PSP. (I can still remember the square game that I had triumphed over him by). To this very day, he's one of my best friends I'd hate to lose. You know what? I'd always remember him as being that 'taiwanese singer-guy who pimps alot of chicks even though he'd never tell you about'. Did you know he's had like....4,5 relationships!? zOMGskies!!!
And then there was Richard Yang. It was quite wonderful. Brewer's class for Geo, and Ockert's class for commerce. I don't remember how exactly it was that I met Richard. But it'd probably be accounted for in the train rides we took together every single morning. The group of about 8 guys who took the train together, the times we decided for 'our train' had changed as we progressed through the years. 'Take the 7:41 express!' in Year 7. 'Take the 7:46 limited stops' in Year 8 before 'Take the 7:58 express!' in Year 9's and 10. Those times were fun. Back from the sidetrack, Yang has really contributed to my school life. I'd say he was the only guy who I talked about our careers with (in year 8 LOL), and whatever programs we were involved in, we'd tell each other. (YAA for eg...) I owe him a lot.
There are still countless other people I've met throughout my years at high, and I wouldn't be able to talk about every single one of them. But I can still proudly say that I feel special bonds with all those in my Basketball team; that it was my honour in captaining you men. Richard Miao, Albert Wang, David Hu, Wei Zhuang etc.... And to the other people that have made my life at High enjoyable, so kudos to Ian Tran, Milton Wong and Terry Ly. Each and everyone of you I feel a special attachment to; and I just want to let you guys know that I appreciate it all. Thankyou.
The Subjects...Year 7
Maths, Science, English, Latin,French,Greek,German,VA,DT,Music
Year 8
Picked Chinese, dropped German and Latin and Greek.
Year 9
Picked Commerce, dropped French, VA, DT, Music
Year 10
Picked Drama
Year 11
Picked Economics, Physics, Chemistry. Dropped Drama.
Year 12
Dropped Economics.
Result? Predicted UAI: 98. I felt I've given my education my best shot; a significant improvement to what I had entered the school with.
Graduation...I'd like to talk about Graduation. But I just can't. It still hasn't sunk in yet, but then again, I've never felt any attachment to the school. Like I've said to all my friends, none to the school, all to my friends.
Here, I'll tell you a story about my last day at High School.
It was end of 5th period, and I had no 6th. So I wanted to go home. I saw Raymond Tran on my way down to the High Store towards Cleveland; took a photo of him before waving him goodbye. I then decided to go to the basketball courts, where moments later Leslie Wong appeared and we had our little chat. For some reason, he was leaving as well, so we decided to leave together. We both looked up at the great hall from where we stood, and lo and behold, we saw David Tran with his signature folder looking at us and asked, "ARE YOU GUYS LEAVING?!"
We laughed at all this, and we were at the Carpark when Raymond caught up with us and said, "Hey, I'm leaving too!" What struck me was that it was like fate had strung us 4 together, the "Original 4" and that we had arrived together at this school, and now we were leaving school together. It was just a joyful moment that can't possibly be described in words; an epic totalness which somehow epitomised our achievements together in High School; how we have grown and the things we have endured and experienced in our years at High. We were all very different to the 'us' who had arrived together in Year 7, but somehow, there was still a bit of that same 'us' I can still see when I look at us 4.
(Thanks to Jaffe who took this photo for me when he walked past. In order from left to right: David TRAN. Raymond TRAN. Cambridge WONG. Leslie WONG.)I want to also thank you to all you blog readers of mine. You all mean something great to me; and this is directed to those of you who tag; and to those of you who I know do not. =P I won't mention your names, you know who you are. ;)
I'm going to be on hiatus now until the HSC is over. I know I can do it. I'll be checking my email twice a week and that will be it since I'm planning on shutting down my computer until HSC is over. I know I can do this.
So good luck to everyone! Minna san, Gambatte!
I'll catch up with you guys once its all over.
And one last thing, if you people want those pictures we took together at the lowers, they're all in my photobucket. Just click September and scroll. I havn't uploaded everything yet, but it should be up for your scabbing.
It makes me really sad, because now that year 12 is over, so is Project 07. The original project I adopted off Jess whose aim was to 'take a photo everyday for each day of Year 12'. Its been really great. Let's all have a blast!
Thnx fr the mmrs...
Labels: bitching, blog, celebrations, Friends, memories, rant, school, stories, Travel
/because of my high tolerance.
6:01:00 PM
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