New Year's Resolution

After much deliberation over whether I should come up with a New Year's Resolution since I always can't seem to keep to it, I decided to give it one more chance. But this time, I shall only keep to ONE resolution. The lesser, the easier, is my theory. Anyway, my New Year's Resolution is to NOT PROCRASTINATE. Yep. Easily said, but let's see whether I can keep to it.

Procrastination is seductive.

On another note, there's something wrong with my spelling of "year" today. I keep missing out the A. Is that a sign of something?

Psych Students

I wonder if people wonder what Psych students actually do in class. Well, today, let me give you a glimpse into a Psych student's life in class!

In classes like Clinical Psych, where we have 3-hour lessons, we definitely need glucose to keep our spirits and eyelids up. But what happens to the the many sweet wrappers that will inevitably accumulate by the end of the lesson? Well, we make rubbish into beautiful things, of course!

This was the first time we folded them with the wrappers from the Halls sweets. Well, not we, but Ling Hoong, specifically. As you all know very well, Halls sweet wrappers are rectangular in shape, so Ling Hoong had to tear away part of the wrapper to make it into a square, and in the end, she had only a very small area to work with. Look how 精致 the cranes are?

Of course, folding with Halls wrappers can get pretty boring, coz it's all only blue and white. So the next time, Fred bought strawberry that had, guess what, PINK wrappers! Haha... so the new cranes looked like this:

Don't the red cranes look Japanese? I think they look very nice! I'm proud to say that I folded some of these cranes, and Fred also! I think it was the first time Fred learnt how to fold cranes, and they turned fine, don't you think?

I'm sure you all know that there is a negative correlation between number of projects and amount of sleep a student can get. Well, that's true in our context too! So whenever we get a chance, we try to snatch our precious 40 winks:

Yes, a totally unglam photo of me sleeping in class before class started or during a break in lecture. Aiyoh, sleepy lar!! And HAH! If you're thinking of blackmailing me with this photo, remember it has been posted on a PUBLIC blog! =p

Hmm... apart from doing all these, we also take photos in class and after class!

Ok, I couldn't find pictures of us taking them in class. But still, you know what I mean. Haha... =)

Looking back at these photos, I realise that Uni life really wasn't all about studying. We did find time to do silly things like these! BUT: they were fun!! =) Haha, recounting them and choosing the pictures to put on my blog made me smile and recall many things that have happened in the last 3 years, and I think it's quite sweet. Haha, you know what, maybe we should take more photos in class! =p

Misconceptions

It's a known fact that I am aspiring to be a clinical psychologist in the future, but like I mentioned before, psychologists are humans too. They are not saints.

I am not as open-minded, open-hearted, patient, understanding and whatever's good and opposite of bad as you think I am. I'm sorry to say this, and I'm even embarrassed to admit it, but, I'm not an angel. I'm not super-ultra-understanding. I wish I was, but I'm not idealistic enough, nor do I think that highly of myself to claim that. I can only say I try to be, but I'm not a saint.

I could understand things from others' points of view. I could accept their points of views. I could do so many things, but I'm sorry to say, I don't think I'm up to your expectation of who you think I am.

I can make people feel comfortable, because I can accept their points of views. But like sports shoes, I can't contain everyone. I'm not perfect. I cannot be perfect. If I was, I wouldn't be alive. I wouldn't be allowed to live as long as I'm going to live. I hope you understand.

I wish I knew what to do for every situation, but I don't. I wish I had the answers to everything, but I don't. I wish I knew what you are thinking, but I don't. And I don't know what to do.

If I were a Shoe...

Remember I asked all of you to tell me what kind of shoe I would be if I were one? Well, here are the answers you all gave me...

Merrilyn:
CLOGS- People choose me as a friend cos they like the sound the clogs make when they move around in it... likewise, people like me for the company and fun I bring. Clogs are durable too, and those around me constantly feel (hear) I am there, like a nice traditional old supportive friend.

Cotton:
SLIPPERS- To sum up Cotton's answer, I represent a safe haven for her to turn to when she's weary. Slippers, to her, are comfortable, and no pretense is required when she's wearing them. Similarly, she doesn't feel a need to pretend to be someone she isn't when she's around me. Slippers may be a category of footwear that is often taken for granted because of its inconspicuity (is there such a word?), but it's a necessary kind of footwear. To quote Cotton, I'm like her "心灵靠岸港，无须绚丽的包装，也即可能是冰山一角那不起眼的"拖鞋"，但却是扮演着非常重要的角色。最终要的是...能令我感到很舒服又没负担的"

Yi Lun:
PINK FLUFFY SLIPPERS- "coz u are nice and comfortable and homey to be with. not much of an outdoor shoe, u prefer the comfort of home and the homey people around you. tend to be sweet and sensitive but can be very fuzzy coz u get too comfortable with your surroundings. well looked after. still can take hardships of being walked on around the house but perhaps not as tough as army boots. pink perhaps coz u are sweet and girly. comfortable being a nice, sweet girl-next-door."

SOCKS- "u are hidden by pretty sneakers and sports shoes and do not get to flaunt much. yet, the shoes cannot do without the socks otherwise feet get smelly or blistery and uncomfortable. u have core/primary/inner beauty which is overshadowed by superficially nice shoes covering you. people have to get to know you better before they realise the indespensibility of socks. socks can be pretty too and come in all shapes, sizes and degrees of fluffiness. u may be shielded by big, hardy and resistant shoes and do not get to feel the mud and rain much."

Bird:
SANDALS- "comfortable mah,and easy to wear easy to take off. like being with you is comfortable, and you keep a nice distance, not too close not too far. like when i wanna wear i will wear when i wanna take it off, its easy to take off too."

Wen Keat:
SLIPPERS- Same explanation as Bird

Wendy:
MARY JANES- Sweet but sturdy and reliable

Pony:
SOMETHING COMFORTABLE like SANDALS: I make people around me feel comfortable.

Kok Yong:
CANVAS SHOES- Haha, the reason's for me to know and for you all to guess. =p

And what shoe do I think I would be if I were one? Well, I think I'd be a pair of sports shoes. Why?

Based on the above answers that I received, I gather I make people around me feel comfortable around me, that they do not have to put up much pretense when they are around me. So imagine slipping your feet into your favourite pair of sports shoes; how would you feel? That you're right at home and feel comfortable enough to do what you want? And you feel there's not much effort needed to lift your feet to do what you need to do. Similarly, I gather I'm make those around me comfortable with who they are around me- there's no need to put in effort to impress me with the things that you do or say, once I get to know who you are.

Secondly, sports shoes are known to provide good support for the feet, and that's what I try to do for those around me. Like sports shoes, I can't promise a totally blister-fre walking experience when my friends are walking on difficult journeys, but I can try my best to support them, and try to reduce the number of blisters they will get.

Of course, everything is bound to have its drawbacks, sports shoes included.

Sports shoes may sound lile every foot can fit inside, but the truth is, not everyone's suited to every sports shoe. When the sports shoe doesn't fit, the wearer won't have an easy time wearing it cos the comfot and support's not there. What I'm saying is, if I don't feel positive feelings towards a person, it would be hard for me to give the support and comfort that person needs. Sure, the basic comfort of the sports shoe is there, but how comfortable can it be when it's not at its optimum?

Also, ever noticed how some people with smelly feet will make the shoe smell, especially sports shoes? Well, I'm sorry to say that's my weakness- I'm too easily influenced by the views of people around me, and I believe people easily.

Thank you all of you for taking the time to reply to my question, I really appreciate it!!!

If I were a Cockroach...

Haha I had a sudden inspiration sometime before exams about what I would want to do with my life if I were a cockroach. What would my aim in life be? Hypothetically, of course. And what better way than to speak from the perspective of a cockroach? Let me tell you what I would want to do k?

If I were a cockroach, my aim in life would be to make humans change their opinions of us. No, changing opinions is too weak a word. Let's make it "respect" us. Humans, and that is referring to you all, have detested us cockroaches for the longest time. Yet, did you stop to realise that we have been aroud long before you appeared? We're generations ahead of you if you speak about life experiences. We've been around since the dinosaurs, and we stayed around even after they got themselves extinct coz they were too big and clumsy to adjust to climactic changes. We lived through the freezing Ice Age- man, that was horrid, I tell you- and we lived through SARS, when most humans were dropping like flies (pun not intended). Why are we looked upon as scums of the earth then? Our resilience to adversity should be something you all should learn from, isn't it? And speaking of resilience, we cockroaches are stronger than Superman. If you think Superman's too super to be afraid of anything, think again. IS he really that invincible? What happens when you give him kryptonite? It's "bye bye Superman, see you if we see you!" How about us cockroaches? You may think we are afraid of Shieldtox and Baygone, but did you notice? We get stronger each time a new product comes on the shelves. Hmm, makes you wonder about the term "money well-spent" on insecticides, doesn't it? ;)

I know some of you have a bad sense of direction. Maybe you all should learn from us. We have a great sense of direction and spatial perception? I can sense when and where I'm going to get whacked by you, and get away faster than you can call my name. If it happened to you, can you do it? And here's a bonus point: my sense of direction helps me get entertainment from you. When I'm bored, all I have to do is find those who are scared of me, and... just appear! The effect is hilarious- you see grown men and women jumping on tables, beds and anything elevated, just because of little black me. Puh-leaze! What can I do to you? Nonetheless, the entertainment is priceless.

And before you think we are unfriendly, let me remind you that though we are solitary creatures, we care and share territories, that's why in places where food is abundant, you often find us there. How many humans would be willing to share their abundant source of food? For free? And with people they do not have relations with?

So why do you hate us? Just coz we are small and black and hard, doesn't mean we have no heart (see, we are poetic too!) We care and share, like I said just now, and plus, have you ever seen or heard cockroaches fighting or killing each other? You see ants killing each other, killing their queen and then usurping her position- do you hear and see us doing that? Humans do it all the time too, but are they hated?

Well, I've said all I want to say about my fellow cockroaches and me. I still think we should be given respect for our resilience, our adaptability, and our generosity, don't you? See you at the next millennium- if you're still around! ;)