Change is Good...

Today is not a good day.

I am a final year English & Philosophy student studying at the University of York in England. I graduate in 2 months time. Yesterday I submitted 3 essays that are altogether worth a quarter of my degree. It was an unnerving experience. When I walked out of the office, all I remember doing was breaking out in giggles and laughter. They were not of relief, they were of pure unadulterated terror. Oh, and did I mention that I have another essay due in 3 weeks’ time? There.

I am a final year university student. And that is the reason why today is not a good day because it is one day nearer to a huge change – graduation.

Upon graduation I have to find a real job and make my mark in the real world. That thought sends shivers down my spine, you know that feeling when you saw Sadako’s eyes when you were watching The Ring about ten years ago? Yes, exactly that feeling. When the hairs on the nape of your neck stand erect, and you think to yourself, ‘This has got to be fiction!’ Yes, exactly that. The difference being, The Ring was fiction, and graduation isn’t. Yikes!

Approximately three years ago, I decided that I wanted study abroad. I was mesmerized by stories of friends who had siblings who studied abroad, I was smitten by the romantic thoughts of walking through snow to class, raking the falling autumn leaves and the lovely fragrance of Spring when the flowers bloom. With that, I applied for university in England, packed my two suitcases and managed to fit my life in 40kg worth of baggage allowance.

Three years later I find myself in a huge empty room with random chairs and tables lying about – the perfect epitome of a room in ruins after playing host to studying-students. The time is 1:57am and I am stuck on campus because it is pouring outside. With an essay on Existentialism looming above my head, I wonder if I have made the right choice.

Every step of my life I second-guess myself, perhaps it is just myself; but for comforts, I’d like to think that everyone does that too. Is this the right dress to wear for the event? Did I say the wrong thing? Should I have taken the train instead of the bus? Should I go to Polytechnic or JC? Should I be practical and study business or should I follow my passion and pursue an education in the liberal arts? It is so easy to be caught up in decisions like these and get blinded by them that we lose track of the essence. Indeed, it is more than difficult to make life-altering choices at a tender age of 16, 18 or 21. We are still trying to find ourselves, figure out who we are, how can we decide what is best for us? And who can blame us if we make the wrong decision?

French writer Charles Du Bos wrote: “The most important thing is this: to be able at any moment sacrifice what you are for what you can become.” What beautiful words. He got that one right, we need not sacrifice who we are, just what we are. In becoming adults, we stop being kids, but deep within, the child in us never dies. Upon graduation, we stop being students, but we never cease to learn.

Perhaps this is the time of the year for many of us to be making life-changing decisions. Change is good, as they say, but they (whoever ‘they’ are), also forgot to say that change is unnerving and petrifying. But such terror and uncertainties give rise to greater adventures ahead, bigger goals to accomplish. Times of change always give the impression that everything is falling apart. Fret not, for I say things fall into place as quickly as they fall apart. There is an amazing cosmic balance to this world of change.

There is bliss in finding stability after change, and magnificent thrills in changes amidst stability. Don’t lose your way, they say, I choose to differ (no offense to ‘them’). Losing one way means finding another.

‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by.
And that has made all the difference.’
- The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost, American poet

Good luck to all you who are trying to make decisions at this point in your life, but really, you don’t need luck. All you need is faith, and that faith is the single entity that will take you through the road not taken and emerge a same old brand new you.

Posted on behalf of Lin

These boys are my champions!

Team 6 from Montfort CWC (7 April 2008)

This group of boys won the Community Waypoint Challenge (CWC) on 7 April... in my heart!

It is not simply because they were my group from the Montfort Secondary School CWC, but of what they did for a cat they met during the game.

After lunch, just as the group was set to run off towards their last two checkpoints (and they did have a fairly good time to complete the race before it ended), a few of them caught sight of a poor cat stuck in the drain just beside the coffee shop.

The group just could not bear to leave the cat alone, so they picked it up from the drain, and to our shock, it laid on the floor motionless with only its stomach breathing in and out, and its eyes staring straight ahead.

The next few moments were filled with pitiful exclamations from the boys and quick murmurings of how they could help the cat. Being the facilitator, I played the 'bad guy' and addressed the team,"Hey boys, before that, answer my question as a team. Do you want to move on with the race and leave the cat here, because you only have 45 minutes left for two stations now, and if not, what do you want to do here?"

The pictures below would explain their choice.


















These boys:
1. Called SPCA and waited for the cat to be picked up by them
2. Used their own money to buy a can of cat food (which it immediately slurped up) and a face towel to keep the cat warm
3. Used a plastic bag to try to keep it warmer when it appeared still cold



Results of the race: Team 6 did not complete their last two stations.

But well, we are extremely proud of them for their act of kindness! Well done, boys! =)

Mirabel
Team 6's facilitator

Fun Project Management at North View Secondary

The Montfort Run (CWC Race)

To commence, I would like to thank TRYBE for giving me such an opportunity to experience the gusto in the Montfort boys.

Initially, I find it a hard time to give them instructions as well as bring the group together. I was rather disheartened and was afraid that I would encounter more problems during the later part of the day. However, they proved me wrong.

Despite the HUGE distance between the ‘front’ and the ‘back’ group, I actually heard the boys in front encouraging those at the back continuously. They caught up and even initiated to take the lead. This allows them to raise their self-confidence and believe that everyone instills leadership in them. Hence, their ‘chemistry’ sparkled.

They might not be good at words but I was truly amazed about how they care for one another. Example, during the RUNAWAY RUNWAY, instead of mocking, those who were not involved were seeking ways to let me be less harsh, in order to let their fellow buddies free from “humility”. (They suddenly turned so angelic *gasps*) Heart-warming?

Even though there were many obstacles along the journey, I realized that they were actually willing to build a foundation of TRUST with me. Being a friend, they would divert their attention to me when needed, which really aids me a lot during debriefing and giving instructions. Thus, I learned that interaction is very important and it is something I really have to work on.

In a nutshell, everyone is a leader. I learned that I should give each of them a significant role in the team to ensure that they feel involved and are willing to commit as a group. TRYBE, cheers !! =DD !!

Posted on behalf of Gabrielle

Send in your blog to Yesterday.Sg

Inviting all participants and facilitators of the National Heritage Board Whodunnit Heritage Race 2008! The contest to blog on yesterday.sg is still open till 14 April 2008! This is a great chance to win yourself a new gadget!!! Find out what it is!!

More information can be found on http://www.yesterday.sg/heritageracer

Fairfield turns 120 years old!!

We are honoured to be invited by our partners from FPMS to celebrate with the entire Fairfield family to grace their special occasion. Jasmine and I was excited to see how the whole school came together, students and parents join in celebration to form a human school badge and have fun playing FAIRFIELD UNO!



We, at Trybe, wishes all the staff and students of Fairfield many more good years!!!