9 Years Ago

This is an outdated post, intended to be posted on 12/01/11, to remark the date 12/01/02.

The first time I went through this gate, it was still dark and the street lamps lit.

It was 12th January 2002 and I was 12, or 13, armed with a big plastic bin (for water storage in case there would be shortage in the future) and a bag packed with all the things listed in the offer letter, ready to embark on a whole different journey.

It was my first day wearing turquoise sarong and I was so happy to start high school, and whats more, in a fully residential school.

The idea was cool, the reality, as I found out later during the school year, is not really cool.

Anyway, I was given a pet sis that's supposed to help me through out my first year.

I handed in all the forms, was not really listening to the talks and bought the supplies at the coop.

I have always love the feeling of the start of school year where you would buy stationeries and exercise books and then write your name and class on them. ah, those great yesteryears.

I was the first to get into the dorm so i got my pick for the bed and locker.

Looking back, I was so proud that I was able to live with such a small locker.

It's 1/3 of the locker that we got when in Form 2.

My pet sis taught me how to make the bed and brought me into her dorm.

It was squeaky clean and man, the beds all were done marvelously.

Marvelously = when u drop a pin, it will bounce back. The sheet should be very, very taut.

A batchmate actually didn't sleep on her bed the first few months!

And my pet sis taught me how to fold my clothes. We have a standard of folding cloth. When piled up, the stack should have a sharp linear sides.

Anyway, I don't really remember since when I ditch the standard of folding the cloth.

When I realized it, I was a pet sis myself, showing the girl assigned to me how to make the bed and whats not.

The dormmates for first 2 years. ahh so looking like a nerd that amoi wearring scarf.

My parents left early and I was busy making new friends.

Syikin, my only friend from elementary was in the dorm next to mine.

That very noon, we decided to visit the canteen.

Little did we know we are going to wreck havoc and never reach the canteen that day.

I have always been a free hair outside school, so I guess living in hostel is just like home after school.

I put on the brand new green Hello Kitty shirt and track suit and along with Syikin, we went out of the girls' dormitory past those 2 vending machines and straight into boys' dormitory.

Only thing is we had no idea we were going straight into boys' dormitory. No wonder there's dead end and no canteen is there.

But it does sound like a zoo, the boys' dormitory ya know. =p

We casually asked a nearby aunty of what kind is that place we were in and she said it's boys' dormitory and we went oh, ok and made our way up back into the girls' dormitory.

We even stopped by the vending machine and got Coke.

Seriously, we didn't really think what we have just been through is such a matter to dwell on.

So we don't find the canteen, it's ok, we'll try again tomorrow.

We had no idea that up there in the area of telephone booth, were agitated girls ready to attack us with questions.

"Are you a non muslim?"

"I look like a Chinese, isn't it?" ~ soalan dari dalam hati

"no, i'm a Muslim", my answer was replied by girls with gaping mouths.

but why don't you have you scarf on? did you get into the boys dormitory?*bam**bam**bam*

And it was not long after that the news spread around, that 2 girls went into boys dormitory and one even went out free hair.

Let me give you a piece of my mind.

Seriously I thought that I dress just accordingly compared to the gaping girls at telephone booth, they had those ridiculous combination of towel on the hair, short sleeve and sarong from baju kurung set.

God, I was popular above any other people the first day I enter high school.

The 2 girls grew up didn't they?In Form 5, we don't look like we had once barged into the boys' dormitory.

But well, I was so innocent and harmless to take note of my popular status at that time.

I and Syikin went around like other freshies, never alone and always, sporting a necklace with biskut segi empat cap ping pong with our name and class written on it around our neck the whole induction week.

p/s : I hope those seniors got their retribution for that.pftt!

And we were careful to follow every instruction (once again, we were freshies, and what freshies do?they act like cow)

One of them is to greet every senior that we pass by.

And greet them we did.

We= me and Syikin

Girls and boys.

And we were made popular once again.

"Nobody greet boys!" came the mandatory instruction.

"We got news that some girls went around and greet boys from upper year"

Uh-uh, in case they forget, they only say we have to greet senior. No more, no less.

Induction week was epic.

I annoyed the hell out of every F1 girl by calling their name with suffix kak.

When inquired, I said "oh, I was born in December, so I'll call you kak"

The truth is I was so scared of that Julie, it didn't help that she is a close friend of my pet sis, and so scared that I miss any senior as my batchmate.

U never know what else would they do to you if any mistake is to be done.

We already had a rectangular biscuit with our names to take care of, early mornings tip toeing to the bathroom without slippers on (no flapping of slipper in front of seniors dorm), some already kissed the coconut trunk, and God know what else they are capable of making us do.

We already harbor enemies due to the fact we have quite a handful of cuties and beauties in our batch.

I capped off the induction week impressively.

I was playing Hasnah in a medley performance.

"Hasnah anak tok penghulu,

muka dia menggerutu,

rambut panjang macam hantu,

tentu banyak simpan kutu"

"Hasan budak jaga lembu,

hari-hari curi jambu,

kalau nampak tok penghulu,

tentu engkau kena palu"

Obviously I acted very well.

With covered hair of course!

The popularity soared only that I lost my name to Hasnah.

With signatures and birthdates assigment done and my rectangular biscuit safe and sound from demons' hands, my spirit for school flamed even more at the prospect of learning French.

Form one is a tough year but this first month is just the beginning to the exciting, crazy 5 years.

Spot the difference. Top pic was taken in early days. Bottom pic was taken few months into graduation.

Credits : all photos are taken from high school friends collection i.e. Assila, Hanie and few others.