being busy is the last thing that ever happened to me ever since secondary school.

like bring really busy, everyday it is about sch, activities and more activities.

somehow i always feel for the void that existed in jc and coming to uni, i tried to correct it.

yeh i did, with pretty much of hall stuff in year 1 like d&d, lovebites, camp, interhall games etc.

that uni experience was much elevated from the JC experience.

but i still knew that something was lacking and it wasnt in dynamism and quality.

slowly, as the year passed, familiarity set in and the 2nd year got abit more tasteless.

what else could i do except school and then returning to hall.

i mean yes i am involved in activities but there is just that busy-ness that is lacking

that the activities actually don't take much of my time and they really dont linger on in my memory for good

slowly, the self-perpetuating problem surfaces and eats into my time and youth.

this void is really hard to fill and i am constantly in search of that dynamism to fill my life.

but slowly i am refinding this taste of life in life at uni of michigan.

but the interesting thing is not that im involved in much activities here

since most activities require commitment and bearing in mind that i am only here for 1 semester, most of the stuff are not within my reach

but somehow many other daily things became a huge part of my life

• cooking, preparing food
• going to the bank and managing finances (finally with freedom)
• shopping for groceries
• paying school fees (no giro :( )

and many other stuff and still having to take time out to

• do hw - 5 tutorials due each week and are graded. highest weightage for one of my mods for hw component is 40%. and hw ranges from matlab simulation, graphing, 3D modelling, CAD software, InDesign architecture work, Computational Fluid Dynamics (this is a real lot of maths), machining and manufacturing project (making this vehicle prototype that can climb the steepest slope - a module-wide competition), jet engine modelling project that uses CFD.
• not forgetting that i am not attuned with the US syllabus so there are really alot of readings that i need to do to catch up, esp on partial differential equations and tensor calculus (headache).
• doing house chores of 4hrs/week as part of the house agreement that everyone living in the beautiful house must participate in helping to keep it managed.
• meeting different people and meeting up with them for lunch/dinner and other activities such as CNY dinner and the recent paintball event that i attended with the Singapore society here.
• travelling. most people don't know how much time and effort needs to be put into just planning a simple travel itinerary for just 1 week. i took like 3 full days of fretting and computer clicking to plan and finally purchase my trip to Niagara Falls > Buffalo > Boston (see MIT and Harvard!) > New York Centre (wow, finally) > Washington DC (white house!). and i am also planning a weekend getaway to chicago (shopping haven) and another up north to Birch Run for shopping at the factory outlet. not forgetting that i have to visit Detroit (it is just 1hr from here but there's like no bus to there, so it is a real headache). then after school ends, i need to relive Ann Arbor, this wonderfully beautiful place with such interesting architecture and sights, food and people that i will miss much when i return home. and after that, i need to pack up and head over to Los Angeles (summer beaches!) and tour there together with Las Vegas and hence the grand canyon, before heading back to chicago again for a final showdown shopping. then i will return to Ann Arbor and fly out from here to beautiful London where yet another journey begins. HOW TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO PLAN FOR ALL ?!

i am tied up maximumly and i dont get much sleep everyday seriously. somehow the handphone alarm clock is getting less effective and im afraid. BUT somehow this brings me back to the life that i enjoyed back in secondary school. yes time flies when ur occupied but these are the times that form the biggest memory to take home. even more so that this is an overseas experience of unprecedented scale. i am in awe. and i am thankful.

i will improve when i get home.

promise.