Last weekend was the TNB Scholarship Educamp. Last weekend was also the Topaz Housetrip 2011. I chose Housetrip. But hear me out before you stab me in the guts- they weren't accepting my course, they wanted me to do Accounts, and they wanted me to start again in July. Now, I don't know if you've been reading, but I'm an avid fan of Economics, NOT Accounts. Don't tell me it's "almost the same thing" because it's not.
And... scholarship or no scholarship, I'm not willing to compromise what I love for the sake of getting the title of a 'scholar'. Don't make me feel bad if I continue to be a private student; at least I know the scholarship spot will be going to someone who really needs it. The reason why I applied for six different corporate scholarships is because I want the reassurance of graduating with a prospective job waiting for me at home. I don't want to be one of those floating unemployed people with a degree and not much else. It's not because I can't afford to pay for my education, or anything like that.
So if I don't receive a scholarship, I don't become a scholar, don't feel bad for me. :) It just means I'll have to work that extra hard to get a job when I come home, or maybe I'll apply once again after I receive my predicted grades for A Levels.
Right now, all I want to focus on is getting my two A*s (Economics & English Literature), and at least an A for Mathematics & Further Mathematics. Also, since last month we've been having these sessions with Puan Kasturi in which she guides us on how to write our personal statement. The process has begun for real now, I guess, and it's exciting but at the same time so scary.
This Saturday, two big things are happening!
- UEM, the group that owns KY, is hosting some earth-saving tree-planting event. Lots of VIP coming, we have to dress up, look smart, say intelligent things to the big-shots and convince them that we're worth investing money in.
- My gang may be coming to visit me! Can't wait to show them around KY if they come. :)
In other news, house-trip was a blast!
Friday
2.30 p.m.
We got off to a rocky start seeing as one of the buses broke down on the way to our college, so we had to substitute it with vans. And I know what you're thinking, "Wth? Vans?" but they turned out to be like these super cool executive cabs, five people to a vehicle. I got a van with all my room-mates plus Lilo, so it was all good. We watched 30 Rock on the van's tv and ate chips and stuff.
9.30 p.m.
Arrived at Swiss Garden Resort & Spa. OH MY GOD. The place was GORGEOUS. Four-star hotel, baby! ♥ While the seniors settled checking in and getting all our room keys, the 13.5s basically ran to the beach, which was so beautiful in the moonlight. Can you imagine? The softest sand, the calming sounds of the ocean, the almost-full moon, and there's nobody else on the beach except you and your friends. Ugh, MAGIC. I miss it so much.
10.00 p.m.
We remembered that we hadn't had dinner yet. House-trip is basically like a holiday so it's not like there was any set agenda we had to follow. In fact, the seniors shooed us away to go explore the place. So explore we did! On foot! xD Found a neat restaurant with really good food a couple hundred meters away. Everyone ate half their weight in kuay teow, nasi goreng pattaya, and ZOMG the tom yam was yummy!
11.00 p.m.
We went back. Got our room-keys. Dumped our stuff in our SUPER COOL rooms. And went back out to the beach. Played around in the sand, dipped our feet in the water, sang cheesy Beatles songs together, etc. At some point Melor and I wanted to go back to get some sleep, but in the end we got distracted by a playground and went crazy on the swings with Naim (who is strangely jovial after 11.30 and two cans of Pepsi).
12.30 a.m.
Fell asleep like a LOG.
Saturday
8.00 a.m.
Breakfast time! The breakfast buffet was so amazing! Except Melor and I had a kind-of mishap with the pancakes... Aiyo.
9.00 a.m.
Ala Ewah League starts! Last year they called it Topaz Olympics or something. Basically we just played a few different fun games on the beach. I couldn't play because I sort of got a scratch on my toe (that's what happens when you're swinging really fast, your slipper falls off and your leg scrapes against the ground at a high velocity) and then I got sand in the wound, and it hurt like a BAMF so yeah. I was assigned the role of photographer! ♥
11.30 a.m.
Yasmin: Uh... That's it I guess. Free time starts now!
Everyone else: *RUNS INTO OCEAN* YAYYYYYYYYYYY
Yeah. Basically mandi laut lah. xD Best gila!
12.00 p.m.
Got out of the water. Went back to the room, and basically everyone had siesta time. :p Melor and I both fell asleep in our towels, HAHAHA. The bed was just that comfy okay? At some point the other girls came over, and they went to the spa, but I can't really tell you what happened since I was asleep. :p
3.00 p.m.
Reluctantly got out of bed, only to order room service (something that excited Melor and myself to no end, haha) and watch crappy local TV for a bit.
4.00 p.m.
Back to the beach! We explored the entire stretch of beautiful sand, and mostly played around at this beautiful spot where there was a cold fresh-water river flowing into the warm ocean. We saw a dead fish on the beach at some point... Fascinating, LOL. Melor collected seashells while I ran around in circles (no, like, seriously, HAHA, there was nobody else on the beach!). After it got cooler, we ventured into the sea where Melor helped me get over my fear of big waves! Woohoo!
6.45 p.m.
Got out of the sea, FINALLY, and went back to the room to get ready for our barbecue!
7.30 p.m.
... and then it rained. And everyone was like, "NOOOOOOOOOOO" because we were even supposed to have our solat jemaah by the beach and everything, but, yeah, we had to have that indoors.
8.00 p.m.
Luckily, the rain stopped soon and we could still have the barbecue and bonfire by the beach! ♥ It was awesome. We just sat together with the seniors and bonded, and Suria performed, and everyone sang more cheesy friendship-and-love songs, and there was a gorgeous abundance of marshmallows and bubbles.
12.00 a.m.
Started packing up the stuff, and most people retired to their rooms or to the lobby to watch football together. Haha. Melor, Suria and myself watched 50 First Dates by the pool, but the mosquitoes were too annoying and we went back to our respective rooms at about 1.00 a.m.
p/s The day of Melor and I ended here, but the other 13.5s played Truth or Dare until 5 a.m. The logic behind this is they were afraid they wouldn't be able to wake up to watch the sun rise if they fell asleep, so they didn't sleep the whole night.
p/p/s The morning was cloudy so they couldn't see the sunrise anyway. Life's a bitch like that ey.
Sunday
8.00 a.m.
Breakfast spread! More free time! Packing! Siestas!
11.30 a.m.
Photoshoooooooooooooooooooot
12.30 p.m.
We left Cherating. :'(
1.30 p.m.
Stopped at Teluk Cempedak, which is like this seaside tourist trap, with exquisite scenery. Had to leave half an hour later, SO SAD.
8.00 p.m.
Arrived in college. Everyone basically GROOOANNNEEED when the campus came into view. Back to real life, guys. Vacation over.
All in all, it was one of the most rejuvenating experiences of my LIFE. Thank you so much to the seniors who planned this thing meticulously and efficiently! You guys rock!
T-O-P-A-Z
GOOOOOOOOO TOPAZ!
#proudtopazianforlife
