Claud

An avid collector of your hopes and worries, a romantic at heart.

She thanks her fairies, for blessing her with people who know compassion down to an art.

For accepting her for who she is, who never fails to turn up,

in times of need as well as happiness, or just there for a loving hug.

Friday I went to the NUS graduate matriculation fair. It wasn't so big a deal, after all we're there to carry out a very necessary bureaucratic administrative process. Yet, it felt like I had a second chance at university life, the life I missed when I was 19.

I didn't even bring my offer letter, since the sense of leaving NUS hasn't quite settled in, after all, I joined the programme before my graduation and got acceptance before I did. Being the efficient lot they were, I matriculated all the same with little hiccups. The humdrum…the humdrum.

However my friend persuaded me to go to the matriculation fair upstairs, where all the clubs and societies had booths to attract new members. I gave a puzzled look, since these fairs are for undergraduates and us old birds have no business there anyway right?

In any case, he wanted to find some friends (some being an understatement since we were stopped every 3-5 steps along the way) and it struck me that I always wanted to join theatre. After all, my undergraduate life was filled with work and everything-else that I kind of didn't have time to put myself first. On a whim, I decided to sign up for NUS theatre - to work backstage production, be a producer etc. It's always been a dream for me to be part of a production, and I can't think of a better time to do it since my masters is quite slack.

I'm glad I did, perhaps it presents itself as a new lease of life for me - to recoup the youth that I've missed and to some how put my interest back on track. I do feel guilty, but I suppose happiness does come first and right now, my life is stable enough that I feel finally, matriculated not into a university, but at least being just young and carefree.

Baking is all about chemistry. It really starts from finding the perfect hard preferably one that doesn’t break the bank. Then it leads up to unpacking it, seasoning the oven’s heating elements, giving the mixer a test spin.

What excites me most, is the browsing of books for ideas. I am enchanted by the various basic creaming methods, the science of balance between the 3 basic ingredients: eggs, flour, sugar. Various ratios, various temperatures, so many permutations.

Baking is a performance. The construction, the mixing and assembling of ingredients is deceptively and commonly assumed to be the “rehearsals” before the main show where the confectionery hits the shelves. Oh, what does one know about the years of trail and error, the wisdom of knowing the caramel’s temperature just by it’s colour, the play and combination of taste and colour. The actual show is really the execution of such knowledge during the baking session, the ground work of techniques and practice, like a concert, showcases when the baking process starts.

It’s all about chemical reactions. Baking, like music, is when strict method and scientific understanding meets artistic freedoms.

Commencement is really when your life really commences, it's graduating from 15 years of education (as the Commencement Speaker said) and for many of us, it is both an exciting and daunting time. At the ceremony, I feel that this is really graduation - Singaporean style efficiency.

The ushers brought us to back stage, we had to bring our invitation cards, and they scanned the barcode while we wait in line with a few "aunties" along mirrors to check our attire before going on stage (I was touched every single time because my academic dress keeps sliding behind). After I collected my fake scroll on stage from the Dean of FASS (Brenda Yeoh from Geography, I said, "Finally get to meet you!"), we walked out and immediately, a company was there to snap our pictures to order (please stand in the black box and smile), and then after that deposited the fake scroll in a black bin and then signed for our cert and transcript and back into the hall in less than 30 seconds.

It's amazing.

Okay, maybe I'm just easily impressed by efficiency. In any case, this marks the end of a life-long journey. I am indeed proud and privileged to have taken this road well travelled, as well as having mind open and for giving me peace during a time of turbulence.

If I really want to start a thank you list, it'll be endless. However, some people still need to be thanked:

1) My parents: As much as the initial road was rocky, I am glad for their support and guidance along the way.

2) My BFF: Chris, because there are some things only he can say and mean it - we fight and argue, ultimately, we understand that we're all very different people and love each other all the same.

3) The geography department: For allowing me to pursue my intellectual pursuits and still provide the necessary support. A special thanks to the super efficient admin staff because without them, nothing else really matters. It's the only department that still knows how to have fun! The seriously paiseh moment of where we had a billboard that said "Number 6th in the World!" and when the cameras caught that moment, I really don't know where to hide my face. But despite that, I am proud to be a geographer!


4) The sociology professors who have touched me: I think Sociology really helped shaped my mind in ways that people out there cannot even begin to understand, and for that I am forever grateful.

5) My supervisor: Professor Skelton, for her patience and trust in me while doing my honours thesis.

6) Dr Karen Lai and Dr Woon: For having the "personal" touch in the department for us students to be able to easily approach them for advice on all matters.

7) My university friends who have been there for me - geog honours class, people I've met during modules etc: I am really grateful for all of you for not making my days in NUS a lonely one, and for reminding me to be sane amidst the paper crunch.

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Graduation is really just the beginning, and I look forward to masters and developing further in research and being a better learner and a more humble intellectual.

The road is long and outside the protective cocoon of school, it's really a jungle. However I will forever remember the wise words of my professors and friends' belief in me to use my drive and passion to bring me places! =)