Friday, June 28, 2013

Kaftan x Hoodie x Pimple Gel

I posted a prom photo on Instagram and someone had commented

"How do you always look so damn good like this?" 

and although so flattered, I wanted to send her a photo of what I looked like everyday since before trials!

This is me at prom (after 2 hours of make up and hair); 




and this is me everyday before that;




in my batik kaftan with hoodie and bed slippers and pimple cream and messy bun and my retainers. It's quite a sight lah. I stopped wearing make up for sometime before this because i) I wasn't going out so much ii) Even if I was, I became too lazy iii) My skin had to breathe. 

So I gave my skin a break and it's all for the better because my skin now is alhamdulillah, more clear! Pimple scars are a given and my complexion is by no means even and flawless but hey, at least no pimples!!! 

But yeah. Prom required me to go do my hair and make-up so that's why.

On normal days in college before and during exams, I was pretty much looking like a sloth. Only brought hoodies and sweat pants to college because the only time I was out of the chalet, was to go for meals and to the exam hall. Swear, if I could do my papers in my kaftan and a hoodie, I REALLY would have. 

Life.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The Friends

I'll reiterate my previous statement; I really have no idea how KC can be so composed in delivering his speech during graduation. Ok, so maybe he did choke a little but I'd cry full fledged.

2 years in college seems like an eternity for some and then for some people (like me), 2 years is too short.
I owe it all to my friends in KY. For making everything that much bearable and that much fun. Whenever we had to go back to college, there's that bittersweet feeling of leaving home and I'd outwardly complain "Don't wanna go back to collegeeeeeeee" to my mum when really, I do. I do want to go back to KY where my friends are all of walking distance within one another. It's the best. Having Amal as a neighbour, Marissa a kampung away and Diy and Puchee coming over to my room and sembang til late. Miss everyone so much already. I was uploading photos yesterday on my Facebook and I legit cried til my eyes got swollen the next day. My mum "Ha ni sebab cried over your KY lah ni?"

Duh, Ma.

When I first came to KY, I really did not know I would meet the best kind of people.
I didn't know I would leave KY with the friends I'll love for life.
I didn't know I would cry hugging them before properly leaving college.
I didn't know I would meet the nicest, smartest, most caring and most humble kind of people ever.

I'm glad I did.

KYUEM was my thing. I've wanted to be in this college since I was 15. My mum made me call this college on my own to enquire about everything. I had to do it myself because my mum told me if I really wanted to be in this (expensive) college, I had to do it on my own. And I did. I called them up, told them about myself. I asked about my chances of being in KYUEM. I had my mum drive me up to KY because I had to be interviewed by the headmaster. I had to "argue my case" as he had requested me to. I told him everything and how much I wanted this college. That was on a Monday.

I got the letter on that Sunday.

I don't recall being so happy for a mail than when I got the letter from KY. (This is why you have to do well in SPM, guys!!!!)

Kaveetha, Diyana and I managed to get the same chalet. I remember vividly Kaveetha telling me,

"2 years, man! 2 years of living with you!"

and on Thursday (the 20th of June), she said

"2 more nights, man. That went damn fast"

I don't know what I'd do if I had any other chaletmates. For all the times Kaveetha has barged in my room and the times she's called out for me while I was praying, I miss them all. Kaveetha and I only got close in KY because we had different group of friends in high school. So it has been the best surprise that she has been the best kind of roommate to be with. And despite all the 'EW, YOU SUCK!' and name calling (all out of love, of course) (I think), Kaveetha really has put the highest benchmark for my future roommates. She's the best. She has made coming back to KY every weekend so much easier. I hugged her during graduation and all hell broke loose for me. For every problem and dilemma I've faced, I have her to thank for pulling me out of it. For helping me in every way from math problems to boy problems, thanks Kaveetha. Thank you for the newspaper I've had to borrow (for you know what) and for the times I slept in your room because my chalet was too damn hot, and for the time when I had to cry in front of you because of some things and for all the advise you gave and for the Kit Kat bites we've shared and for liaising with my mum for my surprise 19th birthday in the cafe and for taking your study breaks with me in my 'pink vagina bed' (she calls this because my bedsheets, pillows, duvet were all pink). It's been nothing but a pleasure and I really cannot recall a single time when I've not loved living with you. And yes, you can be my bridesmaid.

Diyana or Diyans as I like to call her, is the most generous girl. The amount of things she has brought and bought to KY, were basically ours too. She, to me, has been the motivation of the chalet to study just as hard and to be just as hardworking. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have known about spoken poetry in which I have grown to love. I've cried in front of her and have gotten advise from her and she has just been so great to both Kaveetha and I. I remember when I was down with the fever, she went out to the cafe to get me dinner because I was too weak to even get out of bed. Diyans became the great balance in the chalet because Kaveetha and I can be pretty crazy and she's all calm and composed and if it weren't for her, the chalet can get a bit chaotic. Thanks Diyans for being so lovely and for being my motivation to do well and to be better. You're an inspiration to me and to everyone around and I hope you know that, babe.




To Sheema and Lisha, thanks for being the loveliest girls!!!!!!! We've been so lucky to have 2 girls be apart of L30 and both so cool and chilled and so ngam with us. Seriously, L30 has been so blessed!!!! I miss it the second I left the room for good. The best memories were spent with you girls. Love you 4 immensely and always.

___


My dad asked me during lunch

"Siapa best friend you kat KY?"
and I replied

"Banyak. All of them."

But Marissa and Zati are top of the list.

Marissa, if you're reading, I hope you know just how much you mean to me. You mean the world to me. I've never met someone I can be entirely myself and share SO MUCH in common. You're the goofiest girl I know and I appreciate all your weird and odd traits. I was very surprised at how much I am myself with you, I've never had to hid anything from you because you never hid anything from me. I've told you things I've never told anyone else before because you're like a sister to me. You've been basically an inspiration to me, you're so hardworking and you work really hard for everything and every step towards your dream to become a doctor, know that no matter where we are, I'm 110% supportive of you. I'm constantly wishing and praying for your successes because you mean that much to me. Thank you for all the times you've walked to my chalet to bersembang sembang and for the dinners you've bought for me and for the times we've shared secrets (wink) that only we know of and for the times you've confided in me and for the times you just sat and listen to my problems and being so patient with me and being so supportive of me. I've grown to be more myself these past 2 years and it's all largely thanks to you. For making funny faces with me to accompanying me to dinner at the Dining Hall every night, thanks Marissa. Love you more than I and you love Cara Delevingne combined.

I've never really known an all-rounder. Til I met Zati. I'm still very surprised with her abilities and her talents. She can sing, she can dance, she can act, she can play sports, she can play the piano, she can play the drums, she can do this she can do that, I almost think there is nothing in the world she can't do. I appreciate her craziness because again, it makes me feel normal. Always coming by my chalet to visit me, I love this girl because she's honestly one of the most caring girl I've met. I remember during results day for AS, Zati and I were basically one of the last ones to check our results. She came that night with Marissa and she gave me a hug immediately upon entering my room without even asking anything. I was okay up til that point when I cried and broke down. She's my Gossip Girl partner and I can always always talk to her whenever I'm down because she always knows what to say. She's always very humble in her hardwork and it's just her nature to lighten up the mood. Zati, I hope you know you're all kinds of wonderful and I'm so glad and proud to be your friend. You're loved by everyone everywhere. Love you, girl. Love you all the time all the way.



To Pana; girl, my love for you really knows no limit. You're just about the funniest, fun-est, bestest, most lepak girl to be around with. Also, most brutal and most honest. Pana is like one of the very few people who can make me laugh over the phone via Whatsapp. She always has the funniest comebacks and is so witty, she can make me laugh out loud and rolling on the floor laughing and laugh my ass off. I'm going to misssssssssss her coming to my chalet late at night to study and accompanying me when I was alone in my chalet and then going to my room and karaoke to Disney and N*Sync songs and battling on The Voice (and me winning) and playing Speed sampai luka tangan you (sorry) and for the times we've opened up to each other and finding ourselves to be utterly and completely honest with each other. I'm going to miss your presence everywhere and your laziness and your "Baaaaaaaabe" although it can get annoying. But I'm annoying too, I'm aware. So that's why I love you girl; we're annoying to each other and to everyone else. My days are always more fun with you around, honestly. For comforting me after my History paper and for being my best bud to laugh around with, I hope you know I appreciate you and that you're one of my absolute favourite people to be around with. As much as we kid and jest with each other, I support you and I'm always behind you in everything you do. For being the MOST patient with everyone, I think you're heck of a girl and I'm so glad we're close friends cause you mean a lot a lot a lot to me. Thanks for being my friend. You're kind of amazing.



To Amal; I still can't accept that you're younger than all of us. You've been wonderful, all sorts of wonderful and all sorts of crazy awesome. You're so talented, you don't even know just how much. I'm still in awe of your talent and of you in general. All my life I've never worked with anyone as understanding as you and who gets me and what I want. You've changed it all. You're so hardworking and so driven and so sporting and so damn cool. You've more maturity and more social skills than most of the people your age. I will never ever ever doubt your talent and please know that if the world around you seems to go against you, I'm behind you all the way and I will always support you, my friend. Thank you so much for opening up to me about everything as I have with you. Failure and successes come hand in hand and it's been a blessing that I've known you because you've been there all the way. My conversations with you are my favourites because we share this kind of bond that only you and I understand. We share the same problems and there have been way too many times where I've said "OMG YES!!!!" and "HA AH!!!!!!". So much in common, you and I. And of course, I've had the best time of my life making videos with you. That MCB video basically changed KY (let me be proud of it, people!) and I'm so glad that we were responsible for it. So proud of it and will forever be. So proud of you and will forever be. You're all sorts of things, Amal, but to me, you were and you are and you will always be a wonderful friend and a brilliant partner. Here's 3 cheers to you, kid! You deserve all good things come your way and when they do, you can pretty much see me somewhere in the world rooting and cheering for you. Thanks for being you and thanks for being great.




My second home; L54. It's damn sad knowing that there will be no more lepak lepak and makan makan at 54 because honestly, there hasn't been one time where I haven't had so much fun there. Surrounded with the most funny girls each dengan dilemma sendiri. Thanks for the endless times I've crashed and makan sandwich and minum juice and sembang sampai pukul 6 pagi. Ntah banyak kali jalan pergi 54 with Puch to get our 54 on hahaha. Man, I'm going to miss everyone; Diy, Puch, Fain, Anis, Aqie, Marissa :( All the times kita cakap pasal benda paling bodoh and benda paling serious and stalk orang kat Instagram and Keek and laughing our heads off for the weirdest things and contemplating nak pergi class ke tak and the "But baaaaaaaaabe" and just everything lah.



My third and fourth semester really wouldn't have been so much fun and so much drama without the girls in 54. I have to thank my 2 favourite juniors for that. Diy and Puch for being like my sisters, you girls mean the world to me. Everything you've done and for all the times datang my chalet to tell me what's going on with everyone and for the times "Nadia, nak pinjam microwave" and "Nadia come over we're cooking" and just making KY that much better. For all the times we've confided in each other, I just find you two to be my comfort. I sayang you girls so much you don't even know half of it. I appreciate and love everytime either of you come to my room and tell me things and what's been bothering you and I just feel so appreciated when you two do that. I will always defend the two of you and I will always look out for you like how I look out for my two sisters. There is never a dull moment and there won't be, insyaAllah. It's been a blessing knowing you girls because I'd never thought I'd be as close to the juniors as much as I am with you two. Going to miss the random visits and just, everything. You're both like my sisters and I'm really really really going to miss you both. No other junior can ever top you girls. Swear.



To Mun for the times we've switched to Diva mode and sung and danced to Beyoncé and for always being so joyful and for making me laugh so hard when you go all ghetto and fab. You really are fab.

To Q for always willing to teach and for always being so put together and I just want to tell you that you're really the person I look up to because you're so dedicated to what you do and I just love that you always stand for what you believe in. It's awe inspiring. I TOLD you you'd get your Oxford offer and I really am just so damn proud of you. You deserve it, you deserve it all.

To Sher for being super nice and super patient with everyone and for being just about the sweetest girl ever. When House Cup results were announced, she told me "Sorry sangat sangat, I really did everything I could have done" and I just shh-d her because she needn't apologize, she did MORE than just 'everything'. She's such a trooper and Garnet is damn lucky to have had a leader like her. Sayang you, Sher!

To Sarah and Fatin and Anusha for ALWAYS being so cheerful and for ALWAYS making me feel so welcomed. I owe you girls so much for the times you've advised me and helped me and everything lah. Sarah, you're everyone's favourite person, you're so effortlessly funny and effortlessly lovely. 'THANKS' for scaring me on my birthday and for all the times you've made me laugh. You're the sweetest and I cannot imagine not knowing you. You're the image of strength and for all that you've gone through and with how you're coping, I look up to you and am incredibly proud. You deserve the world, sweetheart. Fatin and Anusha, for being simply the sweetest and for being so nice. I hate using the word 'nice' because it's so general but there really isn't any other way to describe the two of you. You have such charisma and such beauty radiating from within, other girls (like me, for example) can only be envious of. For being the most humble, may everything go well for you all because masyaAllah, you deserve everything good. You girls are so smart and so lovely and so funny and so much more. My love and my gratitude goes boundless.




To soooooooo many other people, I really can't list them all. Everyone has done so much for me and with me and really, I thank my lucky stars and I am so bersyukur to Allah for meeting the whole lot of you. It's been a lovely lovely surprise to have met you all along the way, cannot be any more glad to be in this college with you lot.

And last but not least, to the boys. To Kanda, Olan, Tariq, Zak, Azam, Bob, Julian, Syazwan, Iman, Chong, Aidil, Izmal, Ariff, Paan, Zuheir, it has been so much fun to be with you guys. Selalu lunch and dinner sama and buat lawak bodoh sampai I can't even understand tapi gelak je because it's already funny on its own. I always look forward to dinner because Kanda, Olan, Tariq will always be there with us eventhough kemain datang lambat gila. And I'm going to miss our cafe times masa 10:10 break and after dinner time like hell because it's always a whole lot of fun and a whole lot of laughs. Thanks for making me feel like I'm one of you boys but still always treating me like a girl (they offer their seats and open the door for me). I've never met such courteous boys even though they have been times when they can be damn annoying. It's all out of love, boys! Damn sayang gila you lot and for everything you've achieved, I'm so proud! And for your future endeavors, I wish all of you all the best because I've not known a group of boys to be so intelligent and yet so downright lepak. Korang semua serious will always be my favourite gang to lepak with. 5eva.



GROUP PHOTOS! Because what is a KY event without a group photo ?


This was our first photo in the new cafe...


... and this was our last.























I'm going to miss waking up early for classes (really). Because that just means I get to meet Mun, Ha and Bob in History. And Amal, Nicholas, Anis and Anusha in Econs. And Pana in Lit.

I'm going to miss going to lunch in the dining hall and lining up in the damn long queue.

I'm going to miss Keli Monday. Because damn it, keli was damn sedap.

I'm going to miss my free blocks where I'll either spend it sleeping in the chalet or in the RC where I usually am catching up with my friends.

I'm going to miss IELTS class with Ms Selvi because she was seriously so cool and I really still love her lah.

I'm going to miss going to the cafe at 10:10 for our 20 minute break and meeting up with Kanda, Olan, Tariq, Mars, Zati, Anis, Fain and eating the nasi lemak walaupun tak seberapa sedap. And then cepat cepat pergi class by 10:30.

I'm going to miss movies in History and talking about the random-est topic in Econs and laughing in Eng Lit because Ms Sabiha swore and her "OH MY DAYS".

I'm going to miss video making with Amal during competitions and planning in my room and coming up with nothing. But we always pull through.

I'm going to miss the girls coming to my room and lepak. Especially Kaveetha who always comes in at the wrong time.

I'm going to miss Marissa's late night sembang sessions in my room. I'm going to miss Marissa's room and her rock hard pillow.

I'm going to miss going to 54 and laugh with Fain and Diy in Fain's room.

I'm going to miss last minute Whatsapping Ha "Dah siap tak essay Conquest/Daleen????? I tak start lagiiiiiii"

I'm going to miss ALL the events. Dressing up (or at least attempting to) for that one night.

I'm going to miss dance practice for Diwali night. I still have that Sheila Ki Jiwani song in my iTunes.

I'm going to miss going to the DH for dinner with Marissa and meeting up with the boys.

I'm going to miss going to the cafe after dinner, like Amir Zain has said, "Lepas ni cafe kan? Kita selalu pergi dari tempat makan ke tempat makan lain"

I'm going to miss waving Puchee from the window and later, WA-ing her "Jom pergi 54?".

I'm going to miss Pana coming over to my chalet and arguing siapa lagi terer in The Voice.

I'm going to miss talking about every damn thing under the sun with Kaveetha and Diyana in the common room.

I'm going to miss Tariq pinjam duit.

I'm going to miss fussing about the boys boria. And while I fail at sewing, I'm going to miss atleast trying my hand at it.

I'm going to miss going for Bangsawan practice although I had only 2 lines with the other girls. It was a brilliant experience.

I'm going to miss Anusha's laugh and Akmal's "Hi darling!".

I'm going to miss being a faci during induction week with all of my close friends. That was the best fun we've had in ages. Also, pretending to be a celebrity was damn fun.

I'm going to miss Beyoncé night with the girls in semester 1.

I'm going to miss ordering sirap limau in the cafe because I ALWAYS order sirap limau.

I'm going to miss that very last week of college where I just had fun with my best mates. From having our last Western breakfast to playing Taboo in the evenings and going for a walk in a huge group around KY at night.

I'm going to miss everything.

But of course, out of all, I'm going to miss my friends the most. Thanks guys, you've put the benchmark on how friends should be. I love each and everyone of you from the bottom pits of my heart and please call the Hallmark company because this is about to be real cheesy, but you lot are irreplaceable.

Love you, class of 2013. More than the stars we see in KY, more than the hard work you've all put in for exams, more than the times we've been to the cafe, more than the rugby boys can afford to play in the evenings and more than the times we've laughed at and with each other.

More than both you and I will ever know.

It's been the best 2 years of my life and I owe it all to you.

Monday, June 24, 2013

The Teachers

I really cannot imagine how KC managed to stay calm during his speech during graduation just now. If I were the one giving the speech, I think I would have cried really embarrassingly 2 lines in.

I'm incredibly and horribly sad that my stay in KYUEM has ended. This place has been my home for the past 24 months. I've said this before and I'll say it again; if I had the power to relive the 2 years in KYUEM again, I would do it in a heartbeat. No questions asked, just bring me back to the day I entered college.

This is because it was this college that I made the best of friends.
It was this college that I was taught by the best teachers.
It was this college that I learned to be independent.
It was this college that introduced me to some of the most intelligent and inspiring people I've ever met.

I am lucky enough to be taught by possibly, the best teachers around. Mr Conquest for my Economics, Ms Dalene for History and Ms Sabiha for literature. There is no saying how much I appreciate and how grateful I am for the opportunity to be taught by these people. They have single-handedly showed me that classes aren't all that dull and mundane. I looked forward to classes as much I looked forward for my free blocks. I find Mr Conquest to be possibly the best candidate to rule the college (and maybe the world) because his take on the economy and the modern society are both hilarious and true. I remember on our first day of Econs class, he straight up told us "There is no such thing as a stupid question". This is a trait of a wonderful teacher.

"Mr Conquest, I know this is a stupid question but..."
"Let me just stop you there. There is no such thing as a stupid question. If you don't understand something, that does not mean you're stupid. Questioning things can never be stupid. Go ahead."

And that might be trivial but I absolutely love it when a teacher does not look down on you for asking things. He has never failed to teach someone something again and again if he/she does not understand. Believe me so, I was that someone. And I owe him a lot for that. The best. Mr Conquest is the best.

Ms Dalene is just downright freaking amazing. She is so bad ass, it is inspiring. I had a little bit of a downer in the morning prior to graduation because I was told off for wearing 'inappropriately' and that my baju was 'transparent'. (I kinda almost wanted to tell the teacher off saying 'Firstly, it's not transparent. Transparent is like glass. I'm not wearing glass. This is sheer. If you can't differentiate the two, I suggest you learn the terms correctly before scolding off someone) And she saw me and told me

"Hi Nadia, you look wonderful!" upon seeing my outfit and I told her about what had happened and she said to me 

"Just tell them 'whatever'. It's your day, not theirs. Don't let them ruin it for you."

She's perhaps the coolest teacher I've known and she will always always always be.

Ms Sabiha is kick-ass. She's freaking kick-ass. She tells it as it is, is unafraid of anything and treats us like adults. Literature classes has always been fun but after Ms Swift left, we were all kinda doubtful if the next teacher could be as fun as Ms Swift.

Ms Sabiha is 10x fun. She has introduced me to a kind of teaching where class participation is key. I've always been quite shy in Ms Swift's class but Ms Sabiha welcomes all thoughts and all ideas from anybody. She is a women of strength and courage and she is most inspiring. This sounds hella cheesy but she's the kind of person I wanna aspire to be. And insyaAllah, I will.

My gratitude and respect for these 3 people are boundless. College would have been entirely different if I hadn't been under their wings. I feel so blessed to have learned from the best, masyaAllah. So much respect and so much admiration. Will miss them immensely.

And to Bonda, of course for being our parent in college. She has been so accommodating and understanding albeit the strict exterior and always willing to indulge in a little gossip. Going to miss her!!!!!