但愿纯真的友谊 永远埋藏心底
So ends another MAF. PvsP was in the morning, and it was really fun, as expected. Really, the feeling of our batch playing together as a team again... well, it was great to be able to relive those awesome memories. And our understanding/chemistry of each other is really quite up there, even after so much time has passed. We really know what each other is capable of, and what each of us is most likely to do next. It was really very fun and the teamwork that we showed was really very impressive considering we haven't played with each other for very long.
Sadly, we couldn't hold onto our crown and lost to the J5s 3-4 in the finals. (Pulling a Scythe.SG by actually beating the J5s in a previous round, but losing to them eventually, when it mattered more) (Apparently I had another awesome sprint but didn't catch the disc, dammit!) There was a lesson about controlling emotions, losing gracefully and congratulating your opponents to be learnt there, and I'm glad for it. Moments after the last point, I was really sad, angry, disappointed, but to be honest, I really do not begrudge them their win, and they really fought very hard for it. While our team may arguably be better, I guess we didn't capitalise on some of the advantages that we had over them. It might also be Jiawei and Daryl's last time playing at PvsP for some time, and it was really awesome to see their batch celebrating together, the founders of HCult . :D
502nd Leap Year! :D (minus Yu Zheng and Yang Xuan D: )
1st and 2nd HCult! :D
Various batches of HCult, all gathered together for PvsP! :D
MAF itself was great and awesome, as usual. The milling around Central Plaza, enjoying being back in school, spotting various people and just chatting with them. It may seem like a hi-bye kind of thing, and while continued interaction may not happen after MAF, I think it's still important to remind each other that we once played an important role in each other's lives, and that we are here today thanks partly to the other party too.
When I chatted with jonathan_lee online, it felt slightly awkward, but when I chatted with him in school, it was all cool and kinda fun to catch up too! This might pave the way for more online talks/chats after he moves to London. Same thing with Jeremy (Ang), like I might have felt awkward if I suddenly talked to him on msn/fb, but in school it was totally normal/natural and I gained some insights about the UK vs US education system. (Yes I might have gleaned it from online research, but it's still cool to get a first hand account)
The rest were all staples of MAF. The fireball light-up, the insane crowds in the central plaza and wings, the songs, dances and cheers. Singing the songs really brought back memories, and I reflected once again on how different the songs mean/feel when one is a student and when one is an alumnus. This year I sang the songs with a bunch I believe I have never sang with before: the HCult peeps! (: And despite being stood up by someone (again! D:) for the dance, I finally danced the mass dance for the first time since Orientation (I think). Didn't participate in the cheers since it seems kinda lame when you're so old already, plus my voice/throat was halfway to the grave by that point.
Oh, the OAC balloons were somewhat disappointing though, with the cool and unique balloons of yesteryears replaced by vanilla balloons with blinking lights. Still, I did buy a balloon which was at least decently nice, and I hope she likes it. :D 武林大会 was prematurely cut-short by overenthusaistic school-ground managers/security guards. So it kinda sucked, like everything was rushed and we had to rush through the pictures too.
I do understand that they want to close the premises or something, but MAF is MAF! It's a once-a-year thing, couldn't the school management be more understanding in that respect? It wouldn't be exaggerating to say that many alumni only go back to the school once a year, and that's during MAF, so why should they begrudge them of what little time we have in the school and chase all of us out? (with devices that made super loud siren-like noises, no less, as if we were rioters out to destroy the school) Oh and the "no slippers, no entry" thing was ridiculous too. I hope the school management/administration receive enough feedback from the alumni to make them seriously rethink the way they are treating us, and I hope we feel more welcomed next year.
Oh wells. In any case, MAF was still MAF, and I shall end off with the exact same cliche line that I ended last year's MAF post with (I suspect this may develop into a personal tradition).
08S6N. HCGC. Whoa! <34. HCult. OG43. Hwa Chong! :D
Sadly, we couldn't hold onto our crown and lost to the J5s 3-4 in the finals. (Pulling a Scythe.SG by actually beating the J5s in a previous round, but losing to them eventually, when it mattered more) (Apparently I had another awesome sprint but didn't catch the disc, dammit!) There was a lesson about controlling emotions, losing gracefully and congratulating your opponents to be learnt there, and I'm glad for it. Moments after the last point, I was really sad, angry, disappointed, but to be honest, I really do not begrudge them their win, and they really fought very hard for it. While our team may arguably be better, I guess we didn't capitalise on some of the advantages that we had over them. It might also be Jiawei and Daryl's last time playing at PvsP for some time, and it was really awesome to see their batch celebrating together, the founders of HCult . :D
502nd Leap Year! :D (minus Yu Zheng and Yang Xuan D: )
1st and 2nd HCult! :D
Various batches of HCult, all gathered together for PvsP! :D
MAF itself was great and awesome, as usual. The milling around Central Plaza, enjoying being back in school, spotting various people and just chatting with them. It may seem like a hi-bye kind of thing, and while continued interaction may not happen after MAF, I think it's still important to remind each other that we once played an important role in each other's lives, and that we are here today thanks partly to the other party too.
When I chatted with jonathan_lee online, it felt slightly awkward, but when I chatted with him in school, it was all cool and kinda fun to catch up too! This might pave the way for more online talks/chats after he moves to London. Same thing with Jeremy (Ang), like I might have felt awkward if I suddenly talked to him on msn/fb, but in school it was totally normal/natural and I gained some insights about the UK vs US education system. (Yes I might have gleaned it from online research, but it's still cool to get a first hand account)
The rest were all staples of MAF. The fireball light-up, the insane crowds in the central plaza and wings, the songs, dances and cheers. Singing the songs really brought back memories, and I reflected once again on how different the songs mean/feel when one is a student and when one is an alumnus. This year I sang the songs with a bunch I believe I have never sang with before: the HCult peeps! (: And despite being stood up by someone (again! D:) for the dance, I finally danced the mass dance for the first time since Orientation (I think). Didn't participate in the cheers since it seems kinda lame when you're so old already, plus my voice/throat was halfway to the grave by that point.
Oh, the OAC balloons were somewhat disappointing though, with the cool and unique balloons of yesteryears replaced by vanilla balloons with blinking lights. Still, I did buy a balloon which was at least decently nice, and I hope she likes it. :D 武林大会 was prematurely cut-short by overenthusaistic school-ground managers/security guards. So it kinda sucked, like everything was rushed and we had to rush through the pictures too.
I do understand that they want to close the premises or something, but MAF is MAF! It's a once-a-year thing, couldn't the school management be more understanding in that respect? It wouldn't be exaggerating to say that many alumni only go back to the school once a year, and that's during MAF, so why should they begrudge them of what little time we have in the school and chase all of us out? (with devices that made super loud siren-like noises, no less, as if we were rioters out to destroy the school) Oh and the "no slippers, no entry" thing was ridiculous too. I hope the school management/administration receive enough feedback from the alumni to make them seriously rethink the way they are treating us, and I hope we feel more welcomed next year.
Oh wells. In any case, MAF was still MAF, and I shall end off with the exact same cliche line that I ended last year's MAF post with (I suspect this may develop into a personal tradition).
08S6N. HCGC. Whoa! <34. HCult. OG43. Hwa Chong! :D