Five Years of Fun

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Hi people!

Among your friends, there must be at least one person who loves taking pictures of everyone and of course, one person who refuses to have his or her picture taken. I was and still am, the latter. But my friend, Nadhirah, looooooooooves to take pictures. She has loads of pictures from our secondary school years. By loads, I mean LOADS. Like if you print it out, you will be needing at least ten albums to put the pictures in. So few days back, she suddenly sent few pictures from her hard disk in the Whatsapp group. Oh. My. God. Out of several pictures, there's one with me. Please, see below.

See the tudung I made? So pretty hahahah. From left, Nadhirah, Melah (I call her Mel, easier that way) and me with Mirah the Tok Guru at the back. Other people might look at this picture and wonder why the hell we were so happy seeing a standing fan? HAHAHAHA. I also could not recall the occasion but I could confidently say that it must be during Ramadhan or bulan pose where we have longer praying session.

Back then, I think we did have the air-conditioner in surau. But it would be turned on only during special occasion. So, it is crucial to secure a kipas before you pray, especially masa bulan pose. Or else, by the time you habih semayang Tarawikh, you would be drenched in sweat. Pahtu nok gi prep some more. No, cannot do. So, we fought for kipas. That explains why three of us had such a big grin on our face. I bet Tok Guru at the back smiled just as wide too hahahah. It is not easy to fight for kipas. You need to be subtle or other people would judge you HAHAHAHAHA. But I think we were all Fivers, the senior at maktab masa tu so pffft being judged for berebut kipas was not a problem.

Five years in boarding school taught me a lot. Now, when I look back at those five amazing years, I would be grateful for everything. I remember a lot of stuff from my secondary school years. When I saw school kids, I would be reminded of all the memories I have - of ponteng prep, of walking to Kem Casuarina saja saja walaupun you have no business there, of eating at the cafe instead of DS, of attending addmaths extra class etc etc.

I would be reminded of the days where we had consecutive hysteria session for several weeks. All started with pokok pelam area dorm belakang. The story is too long to be told in one entry but I swear to God, the story is very exciting. I was among those who ate that buoh pelam and I remember Noyu asked the warden if we (the one who eat buoh pelam) would 'kena hysteria' as well. HAHAHAHA wow I sure can laugh now but back then, no one was laughing. Everyone was scared. I remember Kak Diana Lim, a Chinese senior, asked us to read Al Mulk and Yaasin so that our dorm won't kena kacau and one of her friends quietly said "Manalah ada setan kaca kawan sendiri. Dia tu dok patut takut." LOLOL

Pelam feat pinggan DS kot idk.

Maggi, biskut, air teh and buoh pelam again.

I would be reminded of the Friday evenings, where we were left to do our own activities and some of us would go record music video and all. The head of this kind of activities would be Nadhirah. She was and still is, crazy with camera. No, forget it. She is crazy even without camera. She is just crazy. Periodt. Anyway, my room neighbours - Dayah, Piqah Ibrahim, Mirah Piqah usually enjoyed drinking teh with biskut and maggi, usually mi sedap or if you are feeling fancy, you buy Ruski TomYam Kaw. I remember this one time, should be light off already but we kept chatting and I think Allah must love us so much because out of all the days we talk about stupid and nonsense stuff, it was on the night we talk about tanda-tanda kiamat that Teacher Nana stopped outside my room's window and asked us to stop the usrah and go to sleep. HAHAHAHA. If only she stopped by on other usual day where we talked rubbish, we might be asked to run on the field.

I would be reminded of the restriction to not bring phones and when I was in Form 3, Cikgu Rahimah, the warden forbade us from eating instant noodles because it's not good. I was caught using my phone about three times. One, my phone got taken away and two times, Cikgu Rahimah just reminded me to be careful hahaha. Piqah Ibrahim my roommate on the other hand, was draining the water from her mee sedap when Cikgu Rahimah walked into Wing A (our room was in Wing A). She panicked and instead of draining just the water, Piqah tuang the whole content of the Tupperware into longkang HAHAHAHAH. Cikgu Rahimah didn't even come close to our room and poor maggi, terbazir ke longkang hahahah.

I would be reminded of this one day, I think got some perlawanan bola and after the prep malam someone said if Terengganu menang, tomorrow would be a public holiday. And I don't know why we, the girls went to sleep that night, thinking oh tomorrow is a public holiday. The next morning, I remember waking up because Teacher Nana was screaming HAHAHAHAHA. It's 6.30 am and only a few of us woke up. Padahal, the dorm needed to be cleared by 6 am. So confident public holiday. Know know Teacher Nana tepik suruh bangun hahahah.

I would be reminded of lot of fun stuff, but fingers too tired to type. So here, pictures.

I can never understand what was I thinking, taking picture with the tudung covering half of my face. In picture - Fi, Pateng, Mokte, Eja and Jong. 

From left: Dirah, Me, Sarah and Jiera. I dont know why people hate baju beige. It is literally the better option than the blue uniform. BOOOOOO.

This one in Dewan Ibnu Sina. I think we had camp subject or something but judging from my table where I only have my bag on and not a paper, wow no wonder I didnt score straight As HAHAHAHA.

This was during mock interview. Sepu was the only male student for this group, I think. You see the girl in far left? That's Izzyana and she's definitely God's favourite because if you see her today, you'd be like "how could one just get prettier?". Anyway, I remember goreng my cita-cita konon nok jadi lawyer (pffft I would never) and the interviewer, who is a surgeon and an xKT, asked me what if the criminals threatened me by kidnapping my parents. Would I drop the case? I was like, "My parents are honest and supportive. They will understand my choice." HAHAHAHAHAHA and after the session I was like, what the hell why so dramatic the question??!!

Me, trying to run away from the crazy Nadhirah.

The crazy Nadhirah managed to chase me. Oh no. 

The bicycle was the guard's and I don't know why we took and ride it. I would like to fitnah that Nadhirah forced me to ride the bicycle and gendong her with me. That sounds like her. 

Me and Jiera. Going back to dorm after afternoon prep. Jiera always read surat khabar and she made it her routine to fight with Baby Norsha for surat khabar. Hahaha. Jiera is a mother now. And Baby Norsha is completing her medical study. And here I am, not that different from the picture. I wear a backpack, with baju kurung and a pair of Converse, walking. Except now, I walk to work hahahah. 

Writing what I remember from school in one entry would not do it justice. I had too much fun in school. I hope the people I spent time with back in school also had fun with me. Hahaha. Most importantly, I am forever grateful and thankful for the warm and steady friendship my friends offered me. I am amazed at how patient my friends are, putting up with me. We took different paths since 2012 and I can't believe that I still see them once every few months and for some, once every few weeks. Each of us have changed so much and we carry on with our own life but when we meet each other, it's like the old days all over again. Seeing this photo makes me realise that time has really flown by. I am no longer the same 17 year old me but these people of MRSMKT Class of 2012 would always hold a special place in my heart.

Thank you FB Ladies, for making my school life wayyyyyy more fun that it should have been. May you all be blessed and protected, wherever you are.

Thanks for reading.

p/s: To Nadhirah, puas hati mung? HAHAHAHAH

Same Old Issue

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Hi people,

I like spending my time on Twitter. I feel like it's the second best application on my phone. First is of course Muslim Pro. Hewhew. Anyway, last night, I stumbled upon this one tweet. Same old classic issue where a woman is comparing another woman's choice from her own perspective.

It was a response to a tweet regarding how a kid was pushed and bullied at a daycare by another kids. I still have a long way to go to become a mother. I need to find a husband first. So, I often refrain myself from speaking about things I am not experienced in. But, I strongly believe that a working mother, not working mother, a mother who adopted another child, ibu susuan are all mothers, in one way or another.

And for me, it is really not fair to label the mother as a 'perempuan yang keluar bekerja mengejar kemewahan dunia melepaskan tanggungjawab membesarkan anak-anak kepada entah sesiapa' just from a single video and a very short one at that. I respect people's opinion of how a mother should be staying home, looking after her children because it's the best for the family. Yes, it is. But from another perspective, if all women are to practise this, will we have any female representative in professional field?

Will we have female specialists in the hospital? What about teachers? The kids will be taught by all male teachers? What about women in politics? We will not have Jacinda Ardern, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Yeo Bee Yin (I like her hahaha). And to imagine I won't have my favourite teachers - Teacher Omai, Teacher Juriffah, Cikgu Suhana, Teacher Sharifah, Cikgu Zaitun... the list goes on. That's horrible. I can't even imagine...

You see. It's not fair for you to label a woman with kids who has a capable husband but still earning her own money as someone who lusts after the worldly wealth. The girl who tweeted the tweet did mention that she understands if a woman needs to work if the husband could not provide enough. However, not everyone are after money. But many are after their dreams. If you dream of being a housewife, that's amazing. If you dream of being a working mother, that's great. But ladies, you are shit if you shit on people's dreams okay? No one's dream is greater than another. It's not fair to simply call working mothers who have capable husband as kejar kemewahan dunia when you don't even know them or their situation.

And honestly, I think we women have enough issues and provocations from the society itself. Why would we trash on one another? Can't we, a woman, a human being who is often associated with kind-hearted nature, be less judgmental on people around us? Why do we women have to keep comparing? I have two older sisters. They are all degree holders, the first one was married when she was 23, the second one 25, they have three kids each and they are housewives. But, not once, they or my mother questioned my choice of being single at the age of 25 when they all married by 25 (kalau I have to keep the standard of getting married by 25, mampos. I only have two months left to find a victim hahah). And I on the other hand, not even once, have I felt like their degrees are wasted. We don't compare our dreams. I see my older sisters are all happy and they see me happy and that's enough for us. 

I once wrote about dreams in this blog. You can read it here. It's really frustrating when you see your own kind, in this case, female, trashed on your dreams, making you feel less of what you supposed to be, in this case, a mother. But you know what, judgment from people who doesn't matter to you, doesn't matter. I just hope that one day, we can stop comparing (it's impossible but whatever just need something to end my post hahaha). I used to judge people's choices too, but now I am older, I try to refrain myself from doing it. Can't be bitter and salty for all my life. :')

Thanks for reading.

Bye.

p/s: Stay safe.

Because I Feel Like Rambling

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Hi people,

So I have always thought that I am a person who likes to stay at home. But, recently, the number of COVID-19 cases spiked again and I was asked by my very caring HOD to work from home as I am commuting using public transport. The first day was okay, bearable. The days after that, not so much. I like to stick to my routine of going to work in the morning. Now that I don't have to go to work at 7.30 am, my routine is messed up. I even become more lazy and kind of sluggish which I really hate. So now I guess I enjoy not being home as well.

I like my train ride to and from work. I like the fact that I can stop by NU Sentral, spend time in MPH, browsing through the books and maybe grab some food before I go home. Now that I'm working from home, if I were to visit the mall, it will defeat the purpose of staying home to keep myself safe, right? I am trying to steer my head and heart to view this working from home as something positive and I should be grateful that my boss is so nice that she thinks of my safety (and my other colleagues too). And maybe I should start doing some workouts early in the morning so that I won't feel as sluggish. See, actually the lazy issue is because of myself, not because of working from home. Wow sendiri merungut, sendiri muhasabah. Wow.

Anyway, because working from home allows me to be in my bed longer than usual, I started to spend more time on YouTube. I am not that big of a user of YouTube but somehow, I stumbled upon this one channel called, Good Mythical Morning and boyyyyy, the current level of my GMM (the acronym for that channel) is not healthy in anyway. But, the show is so fun and I love the duo, Rhett and Link!

They did all sort of challenges and I think my favourite is "Where in The World .... Come From?" where they eat food from all over the world and then they guess the country origin of that food by throwing a dart onto the map. It's hilarious, it's silly, it's entertaining! Also, their episodes where they taste all Cheesecake Factory's cakes and Ben & Jerry's ice creams somehow made me craving for cakes and ice creams.

I am currently browsing through Season 17 and I have watched most of the episodes where they eat something. I watch them while cooking, I watch them while eating, I even watching them while flossing my teeth and oil cleansing my face. I hope this is just a phase because my jaw is about to fall off anytime now because I laugh too much. I honestly like their jokes (for their videos I have watched). They don't do offensive jokes, you know unlike some comedians who need to use sex or race or religion to make jokes. Like I always say, if you need to use sex, race or religion in a negative way to make jokes, you are not funny. Periodddddttttt

But these two guys are funny. I love their remarks, I love how creative and original the show is and although some of the contents are too weird (for me), I could still accept the jokes. Stumbling upon this show could be the best thing that happens during my working from home period (which is like 7 days now hahaha). 

Anyway, I know I should be grateful to be able to have the chance of working from home while some people need to take risk and still go to work. So, I won't complain anymore. Instead, I will take this working from home as a blessing where I can spend my time watching this show and read my books! Yes let's do that instead of whining like an ungrateful brat.

Okay, I rambled long enough. Thanks for reading and till next time.Stay safe, everyone!