College Day 06

This is a much delayed entry about College Day. Sorry, but there were more pressing things. At least now I can get on with this and hopefully divert my attention away from other things that I'd rather not think about just about now.

The school really changed a LOT during this half year that I've been away. Notable ones include the SnT centre! This state of the rat (lol, ok lah, just being lame..it's state of the art) Science and Technology centre is the EastZone designated research hub, which is located within VJC! Many interesting projects have come out of here courtesy of the teachers, students, staff and affliated associations of the Science Research Society (SRS). Some even made their way to prestigious international competitions like the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)! So, here's an all new look to the SnT centre to accompany the all new batch of budding researchers=)

As you go into the college there will be a BIG logo right outside the SnT centre, showing the familiar blue microscope. If you would care to detour to take a look at the centre, there's a LARGE diamond structure awaiting you. It is hanging right above the garden of time, which is a project funded of MOE. The idea is to shine specific wavelengths of light on the flowers, which will be induced to bloom in sections, thus becoming a sort of biological clock that will tell you the time of the day exact to within an hour. Haha, you didn't expect it to bloom so accurately so as to tell you the correct time of the day right down to the very second, did you?



Garden of Time.








Diamond! Behold, Chemistry students. Oh, ye who have anguished, woe to ye no more! Where in times past there was gnashing of teeth and much sorrow, I say to you: Rejoice! The days of being unable to picture a diamond structure is gone, never again to return! Therefore, I bestow unto ye, the DIAMOND!







And here's a lively outer shell for the SnT! Heh..
The Bio lab is now called Synapse (mayhap after synapses within the nervous system of nervous people..lol) and the Chem lab is now labelled Synthese (definitely the place for people to synthesise pretty much whatever they can)


I heard that there was more within, but since it was Saturday, the lab was closed. Oh well, maybe next time!

Since I arrived quite near 1.45pm, I thought I had better hurry to the briefing or risk losing the chance to go onstage to receive my award-_-" After much delay, finally most of the prize recipients arrived. It was so good to finally be able to meet up with friends after so long! Haha, it was actually like a SDD..a quick photo-taking session. Haha..

Not long after the briefing teacher in charge came in. Haha, should have guessed. It was Larry Choy, again! Haha..real funny fella, always ready with responses that'll stop you in your track. Like when somebody asked him for permission to leave early just in case she felt sick, he was like "I need an answer now. Either you go and take your award, or you don't." The usual choice selection that doesn't really leave you with a choice at all. Forgot what it's called..there's a particular name for such a thing, which incidently was taught by Larry Choy, but I forget, and I digress.

Met Mrs Choo in the Performance Theater after that. The PT is this concert hall in VJ that costed a bomb to build but is worth every single 5 cents (Hey, there isn't any coin for 1 cent in Singapore ok?). The accoustics were superb, which was affirmed during the performances by the VJC choir, CO, Malay and Indian Cultural Soc, and the Symphonic Band. Anyway, Mrs Choo was good as ever, no sign of the toil that infant-rearing usually leaves on parents. She says it's cause of strong family support, especially from Dr. Choo and her mother. I guess that's really an integral part of a family..the whole support system thing. Hard to find families with such good backing these days. Oh, the ignorance during my younger days, when I thought everybody's family was as good as mine. I am blessed, thank God!



Here's Mrs Choo. Wonderful teacher, supporting mentor, overall in-charge of SRS. Wins awards every year for the wonderful work she does in school! Excellent friend. What more can I say?
Yes, that's another bar of choc in her hand. She's right, seems like I keep giving teachers chocs, not to mention taking loads of pics everytime I come visiting=)
Might have even outdone myself this time. Most of the pics were actually taken with a video cam instead of the usual still cam!

Settled in after that to listen to some speeches. Mrs Chan as usual gave a stunning presentation, with the help of iComp. Kudos! The Minister of State on the other hand, was quite ok. At least there were attempts at jokes, including blogs and how people are connected.

Waited for a real long time to get the award. There were nearly 100 people getting awards I believe, maybe more? Haha..this girl beside me, Sheryl, won the award for best French student. Félicitations! Heh..and poor thing was not feeling really well..not to mention blur me told her we should be the first few to receive awards..haha..turns out we were the last and she had to endure for so long..lol
Btw, it was a nice bowl-ish award! Haha..no matter it's not as gold-y as it was when it debuted, such a big award is still an award! Haha, especially when your name is engraved on it for later generations to see! All the best in your course! Double major isn't really easy man..

The performances were certainly the BEST part of college day=) Always was, hopefully always will be! VJC choir performed 2 pieces. Simply astounding! Not just singing, but complete with actions! Haha, this is the best! DON'T ROCK THE BOAT! SIT DOWN! Haha..
Good thing my dad caught it all on tape. Nevertheless, here's something I'd like to ask.
Is there anybody who has the CD of the choir's performance? Maybe not from college day, but from the Hawaii competition? Really want to listen to those songs!
Btw, VJC choir is this outfit of around 100 people. They have been winning awards as long as I knew about them. First was the Choir Olympics in Bremen, Gemany. Gold medalists! Then this time it's winner of the Hawaiian choir competition. Superb! I tell you, they're really something! Ranking by Musica Mundi, the comittee of Choir Olympics, puts VJC Choir at an impressive 8th place! Have a look:

For the full list of top 500 choirs around the world, click me! Interestingly, even Ethiopia and African nations are in the list. Obviously, Malaysian choirs are nowhere to be found. No offense to my friends who are involved Malaysian choirs, since it's not your fault. The rest of your choir members sometimes really cannot make it all the way there.
PS. Thanks kokosing for the links!

Next up was a collaboration of Chinese Orchestra, Malay Cultural Soc and Indian Cultural Soc. A very ingenius pairing, but perhaps one of the few choices available. It was a drum orchestra, with the xylophone-like instrument. Not sure what each instrument is called (yea, I'm a noob), so please forgive my course descriptions. =P Nevertheless, the piece called "Lion" was very lively. The Chinese drums unsurprisingly had the biggest slice of the audio pie, while the poor Indian fellow's drums could only be heard once during the whole thing. It was just too soft ;( Was wondering why they didn't increase the number of ICS members playing, until my friend U. De told me that it followed the racial composition of Singapore's 3 largest races. Well! Haha..6:4:1. More or less the same ratio over here too..except that for us it's the other way round. Haha, talk about inversion=) Interesting concept though!

The band was next. Very nice playing of the Circus Suite. Indeed, very familiar piece, just that I cannot pinpouint where I've heard that before. Our Symphonic Band is a real gem, winning awards in various competitions around Singapore! Ended the whole college day with their rendition of the VJC school anthem=) (Btw, they DO play every Fri at the assembly, though with a more march-y feel to it) Choir members lined themselves steathily around the PT during the band's performance just prior to the anthem and gave us a good performance of the anthem! Real sneaky, didn't realise they were all lined up till they were all lined up. Haha..not making much sense..heh heh

After that was the tea reception for guests. Haha, finally got to partake of those nice foodies after 2 years of being barred=) Lots of photo taking and catching up during that time. And yes, concourse has a new look, again! =)

Well, not much after this. Being back in VJ brings back memories, long hidden, stored away in cold storage. Ah..those were the days..

On another note, all the best to vege too! Hope your Big Move was ok! Keep in touch, hopefully you brought a pc..haha..chatting is way better than international sms..not as laggy=)

To all my friends: Stay your course if you feel it is the right one. All the best in your endeavours, I shall sorely miss you all.