January: Holy shit mitosis meiosis kill me kill me this is the worst topic ever. Oh wow O levels in 9 months we have no time no time no time. Three more months until basketball and volleyball are over! As well as the classic, "I can't wait until O Levels are over. We will do X, Y and Z, and we will do.... and we will do....."
This was the month where our teachers began blathering about how the exams are so near and how they mean so much. "It's do or die. One chance, that's all you have, and it determines your future; your life. 9 months is so little time for revision, you have to start now."
February: Well, we didn't. The teachers said the exam was a marathon, not a sprint, and we had better started warming up and running in January. I don't know about you, but I was still at home getting changed to leave for the marathon. I haven't even packed my towels and water bottle!
"I can't wait until O Levels are over. We will do X, Y and Z, and we will do.... and we will do....."
"Two more months until basketball and volleyball are over!"
Thank you for the birthday party, no one has ever done that for me, ever. I've never celebrated my birthday in school with a CAKE. I can't believe you did that for me, and I still can't believe it. That's how great a friend you are. Not just because you buy me nice things or food (which is always, ALWAYS, the key to my heart!), but because you're so thoughtful and caring and REAL. It's rare to find that in someone.
March: Wow, things are starting to pile up now! Oh my god common test in a week? Fuck this I have no time to study I'm fucking training. Fuck my coach (you), fuck Mr Wong (me), fuck him, fuck that, fuck everything. When will this shit end? I can't wait for the competition to end so I can study (both of us). ONE MORE MONTH, JUST ONE MORE MONTH!
We were both starting to lose it at this point, haha. The East Zone finals were coming up, we were training a lot. I thought it was pretty screwed up how I had to train during the common test week, which left me so little time to study. But I guess it didn't really matter, it was just a test and it wasn't the real thing after all. I remember the Friday before our common test week-- I had training (no surprise there!) and Mr Wong was in a really, really bad mood, shouting at us even before we started our drills. I was so scared that I felt my stomach tying itself into a knot and my throat closing in on itself. My body was failing me, but I snapped out of it when he blew the whistle. I was scared out of my mind and I didn't want to get scolded again so I ran as fast as I could, and we did that non stop. Lay up after lay up after lay up. Both my coaches were not satisfied and called us all in, then he scolded us for not trying our best, and it really pissed me off how everyone else had such an attitude problem. He was so angry that he told us to pack our bags and leave, so we did. I was overjoyed at first because that would mean I had more time to study, but when I sat down and looked at my chemistry notes and homework which I had no idea how to even begin completing, a whole load of stress fell upon my shoulders. I went to the canteen alone and I broke down. Seriously, I'm over here doing my fucking best on and outside the court, as well as trying to squeeze time in to study whenever possible, and it's all going to fucking waste if no one else is on the same page. What is the fucking point in putting my studies on hold while I focus on basketball if no one else is going to at least TRY during the training sessions?
Amanda came over and comforted me, which was very nice of her, but I just couldn't be bothered with anyone anymore. I went home and tried to finish my chemistry shit and a bunch of other things (chemistry has always been a trigger for me, I don't know why, haha), and then I ended up crying again. The same thing. Basketball and O Levels?? No one else on my team is taking the O levels except me!
"I can't wait until O Levels are over. We will do X, Y and Z, and we will do.... and we will do....."
April: WOW CONGRATULATIONS STEPH, YOU GUYS ARE THE CHAMPIONS! All of the hard work had paid off! Time to study your ass off! (How sad is it that our lives revolved around studying?) Also, can't believe my team didn't get the championship as well. Meh, whatever. Life goes on.
Finally, it's over. And then we study for mid years. I was just so...... free. I ate chendol with Nabilah, twice, and I threw my clean eating basketball diet out the window. That was it. I was done. (BRING ON THE MASSIVE WEIGHT GAIN AS WELL HAHAHA) Oh Steph, why didn't we study with each other earlier? I missed going to your class during recess because we would study in our own classrooms, except on special occasions when we brought good food to school for our picnics.
"I can't wait until O Levels are over. We will do X, Y and Z, and we will do.... and we will do....."
May: Mid year exam, so much stress. To be honest I can't remember a lot of things that happened after our competitions ended because we did nothing but study and eat. And of course:
"I can't wait until O Levels are over. We will do X, Y and Z, and we will do.... and we will do....."
Planning and planning and planning.
June: YOUR BIRTHDAY AT CHANGI VILLAAAAAAAGE! One of my favourite memories of the year. All that gossiping about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named-Or-Else-God-Will-Smite-You-From-Above. I really miss the gang--you, George, Jia Yi, Sharizman. I really, really, really, really miss having all of us in the same room. Changi Village is a magical place, I tell you. So is Pulau Ubin and we will need to go there soon (you see, the planning continues!).
"I can't wait until O Levels are over. We will do X, Y and Z, and we will do.... and we will do....."
I remember we walked in the rain because I said that umbrellas are for weaklings, then I proceeded to take out my umbrella ten minutes later. We were shameless; walking to the bike rental shop and leaving as fast as we could when we found out how expensive it was. I love that day so much.
When we were on the bus you had the realisation that the exams were in.. four months? How sad was it that even on days when we attempted to run away from our problems and have a breather, we found ourselves haunted by them, breathing down our necks?
July: This was when things started picking up a notch or two--or a million notches.
This was the time in the middle of the marathon when you would increase your stride. This was the time when you had to be in the 'zone'. You had to, else your lack of focus would only make that bridge between yourself and your goals much more shaky. Remedial sessions until 6pm. Everyday. Self study sessions on weekends. No fooling around.
Thank god we were not doing it alone. We had each other. I had my greatest reservoir of support, laughs and care, which was you and my P6 Gangsterz. I would not have survived without you (and them)! You have always been there for me and going through this hell was much easier knowing that someone had my back.
"I can't wait until O Levels are over. We will do X, Y and Z, and we will do.... and we will do....."
August: It was a blur, but National Day was a highlight! I also remember the days when we would have picnics and eat in the classrooms covertly. All I know was that we had remedial after remedial and that there was a lot of stress and fatigue. And....
"I can't wait until O Levels are over. We will do X, Y and Z, and we will do.... and we will do....."
We barely saw each other. But that was fine, as expected anyway. WE COMMUNICATED USING TELEPATHIC CONNECTIONS BETWEEN US.
Haha I remember hoping that history remedial would not be cancelled so I could see that fine ass of TT.
October: STUDY SESSIONS WITH MISS PEH! WHY DIDN'T WE DO THIS EARLIER? Gosh. And the crash course study sessions before our Biology, Physics and Chemistry exams when we desperately spewed out information on the subjects, testing each other with restless anxiety against the ticking of the clock. "OH MY GOD WE HAVE TO ASSEMBLE IN AN HOUR OH MY GOD WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS AND THIS AND THIS AND THIS!!!!!"
Revision in the toilet as well. We were all a mess. Revision as we walk to the AVT. Revision in the canteen.
"Hey, look! I spent about five years typing out Bio questions on the computer! I find it really useful!"
"Oh fuck me this took forever!"
"I should seriously sell these notes next time. I will make a lot of money!"
Yes, you should. They are extremely informative.
"I can't wait until O Levels are over. We will do X, Y and Z, and we will do.... and we will do....."
AND THEY WERE ALMOST OVER!
I will forever remember the day when we walked out of the hall after our Biology exam and declared that day to be the unofficial end of the O Levels. (Hey remember how I dropped my Social Studies (or was it History?) exam paper on the ground and Mr Tay and I bent down to get it HAHAHAHA and you said how it's like a scene from a romantic movie? Yeah........ good times... OH WAIT SORRY I MEAN YES YOU ARE A GOOD FRIEND YES YOU ARE).
I love everything about that day. Going to the gym to gossip with Nabilah, walking to the Esso bus stop with my junior Beatrice and gossiping about everything, thinking of the endless possibilities that await us since we had broken free from the shackles of O Levels (unofficially), the spontaneous plan of going to your house, having your mother give me all the clothes that were too big for you, and then going off to White Sands to meet my dad for dinner at The Soup Spoon which was your virgin experience (and we need to go back!). I love it so much. More days like that please! Which would mean that we need more examinations so NEVER MIND!
WOAH so you know what happened? As I was typing "never mind" I accidentally switched off the computer and I was so scared that everything I typed was GONE FOREVER but luckily it's still here. If not you wouldn't have your new year message.
November December: Blah blah blah blah never completed any of the plans because of work and laziness and periods and just plain old bad timing but to many many many many more years of our friendship! Bye bye!
Happy New Year, Steph.
WOAH so you know what happened? As I was typing "never mind" I accidentally switched off the computer and I was so scared that everything I typed was GONE FOREVER but luckily it's still here. If not you wouldn't have your new year message.
"I can't wait until O Levels are ov-- OH MY GOD THEY ARE OVER! (Unofficially)
November December: Blah blah blah blah never completed any of the plans because of work and laziness and periods and just plain old bad timing but to many many many many more years of our friendship! Bye bye!
Happy New Year, Steph.
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