4th January 2001

07Jan11

10 years ago today, we were just a bunch of awkward pre-teens entering a new and foreign chapter in our lives. Whatever our emotions were that day, crazy excited, extremely reluctant, loathing, tentative, curious, what have you, one thing all of us had in common, we would soon find out that the next 5 years would be a crazy roller-coaster ride of adventures, emotions, memories and a shared bond that other people would just scoff at, cause they’d never understand.

If you ask me, and I’ve asked myself this very question countless times since we’ve left school, what my favourite memory or most memorable moment was, the answer would change every time. How could I choose? Every passing year had its fair share of incredible stories. One day, it would be about the big things, like the EDs and the BMDs and the big exams and the trips we had – Colmar/Genting French trip in F2 (i just found pictures!), KOMSAS camp, who could forget BTN!!!!! Ask me another time, I’d probably say something mundane like walking back to the dorms after prep, sleeping the afternoon away on a Saturdays, band practice, skipping Jemaah prayers, ONE TREE HILL nights!

High school can be rough for most people. Those were the years when you’re struggling with bad skin, growing up/out, raging hormones (LOL) and just general self-discovery and fitting in isn’t the easiest to do at that age. I wasn’t the prettiest, friendliest, or the loudest (in this batch of crazy ladies, some are just hard to top), or the most clever, or the naughtiest. I didn’t think I was anything special. But that’s why I feel extremely blessed to have been given the opportunity to a part of you, this batch, this group of friends. It didn’t really matter. Sure, we all had our differences, our fair share of fights, the normal tales of jealousy, rivalry and misunderstandings. But it didn’t really matter when we more than just friends, we were sisters. Some days, I look back and think how weird some things were. Like why were we so scared of our seniors when the worst that they could do is scream at us and ‘not like’ us (seems a pretty small deal, if you ask me today). Why did the wardens make such a big deal of EVERYTHING when we were angels compared to the things that people do at that age. Why were we so tired all the time, all those times we would doze off during prep. Why was batch spirit such a huge deal?Why was it considered so wild to climb up the rooftop? But all these weird things, in hindsight, make for some pretty funny memories I suppose. Of seniors going crazy, wardens going crazy, Fansu’ going crazy

I’m not going to kid myself by saying that we’re all still friends exactly like we used to be. Cause the truth is, we’re just not. Time and distance changes things. We eventually lose touch, see each other less, spend less time with each other. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that our friendships mean anything less if we’re not friends exactly like we used to be or that I don’t want it to be. It’s just part of growing up. But to me, no matter how old or busy I get, no matter how many gatherings I miss, it doesn’t change that part of me that used to be, that part of us that used to be.

So on days like today, we celebrate the milestones of our friendship and we think back of those days we used to spend together, day in day out (minus school holidays and outing weekends ) and go back to that place in our hearts that holds all these memories, be they locked up tight or worn on our sleeves. We may be different people now, but once upon a time, we were a bunch of awkward teenagers going through life together, day in day out, and nothing, not time, not distance, not new boyfriends, new husbands, new jobs or new lives can really change that.

Yes, this post is sappy. Yes, it’s very unlike me. But what the heck? 10 years of friendship is worth some emotion. Here’s to 10 more!

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