Life at Brown

I promised I'd post something after finals, so here I am. Life has been pretty good so far. Even though I've been studying here at Brown for 2 years already, it sometimes feels surreal, and I've got to keep reminding myself that this is true, yes, I am here, etc.

Academics are pretty tough. I thought I'd be in good shape having survived the Singaporean system pretty well, but people here are intense on a whole new level. It's hard to really get above average in anything, because there are so many brilliant people around. And sometimes it feels that any opportunity will have hundreds of applicants vying for just a couple of spots. I realized that Americans have perfected the art of appearing to lie on the grass everyday but they are actually workaholics who would stop at nothing for that 4.0GPA and cushy first job.

Social life is great too - I'm having tons of fun and all, and I love it here. Of course I do miss home too. First year here I tried not to think about home as much as possible because I wanted to avoid becoming homesick, but as I complete my second year, I've come to terms with it - I do still really miss home.

I'm becoming used to the food here. We have a great sandwich store about 10 minutes away from my dorm, and it does the best sandwiches I've ever had. And there's a burger joint about the same distance away too, with unbelievable burgers and fries. There's also lots of other "American" food - Chinese takeaway places, Indian curry restaurants, sushi bars, tapas bars, pizza places, cafes, diners, burrito places and more. Hard to believe though is that there are no chain fast-food restaurants you'd associate with this country around our campus - McDonalds, KFC, burger king etc are all missing. The closest thing we have to fast food is Subway and Chipotle, and the latter's not even real fast food - its a place with burritos and tacos priding itself on its locally-sourced and organically-grown ingredients. I must admit to having an insatiable craving for fried chicken sometimes, and that's one thing I always look for in airports, just because I can't get it at Brown.

Some pics of school:

Spring is stunning here

That's my dorm now - its a really crappy building

My favorite spot on campus

This is what they put on postcards

That's it for now! I'm coming back home in a couple of days, and I hope to see as many of you as possible over the summer!

-KH

Random Update Post - US Trip!

Hi 7D!! <3

Been some time since I wrote =D

So, in December, I went to New York and California! ^_^ Just thought I'd share some photos, though there's not much of a story. Will let the picture speak for themselves.. with the aid of captions, perhaps.

This was taken at the 911 memorial. Mood was sombre. No kids playing and running around. Everybody looked solemn and not so much of a hint of smile anywhere. Maybe it was also because of the rain. We unwittingly took a picture of ourselves saying 'cheese' to the camera. Gosh.

Central Park =) It was so lovely just strolling through the park and taking in nature. Love the place.

Another very scenic place at Fisherman's Wharf!

Okay I seem to be just focusing on nature. Here's a bunch of flowers growing on Alcatraz Island. We hypothesised that it was where JK Rowling got her inspiration for Azkaban from =O 

A shot from the top of some hill in California, during the drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles. There were no railings in many of these places and so there's not much of a barrier between the good life and a spectacular death.

 
I am freezing less than 5 metres from Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) <3! GOT HIS SIGNATURE!!

And there was the magical Disneyland. Hahaha. Sadly, I felt a little old for the place and the queues for the rides were draining. So while waiting, I either got a tan (in the day) or froze over (at night). Love the weather at the west coast. But anyway, the thriller rides were FUN! Genting weekend trip, anyone?

That's all from me ;) Won't pass the baton. Whoever's interested, do post! Would love to hear from everyone and anyone.

Obligatory post

So here's what I have to do this week, and what I'm procrastinating with not doing right now - 1x research paper, 1x presentation, and read this stuff:

my attempt to revive the blog

hello guys :) I had once thought of sending out a default list of questions for pple to answer in the form of a blogpost on the class blog just so that everyone can kind of update each other on what's going on in their lives... but it didn't happen. haha. anw, I decided to just finally post something, hopefully this triggers something more =)


So it's my last semester here at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In the blink of an eye I'm already at the midpoint. once in a while I look ahead and I feel prepared to come back and make the transition into work, and once in a while I wish I can continue to remain a kid and just have fun here without the added responsibility of being financially independent. 


So many things have happened in the short span of a few months, and even more things have happened in the past four years of university life. It has been such a great time of learning for me. I haven't exactly been the most garang in terms of travelling the world, but I can say that I have done almost everything that I've wanted to do here, and I am satisfied with all the experiences I have had, and all the wonderful people I have gotten to know. I wouldn't add or take anything away from it all, both good and bad times, because I feel that they have shaped me so much. Some of the fond memories I'll leave with include my involvement with the Singapore Students Association here, my involvement with a Christian Fellowship and in leading a bible study among the Singaporeans, volunteering with the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, meeting pple in alcohol rehab and working with them to build houses, singing a solo on stage for the first time in my life in my first semester, spending 3 years with my best friend from Nanyang, going to 6 Flags theme park twice, epic road trips to South Dakota and trips to New Orleans etc. This semester is my last and free-est, but it seems like the fun hasn't ended. I'm still having a ball of a time, spending so much more time with friends than I have ever done in the past few years here. 

a picture of the bunch of friends I got to be a part of this semester. A random monday night in my apartment with homemade sushi/sashimi. super epic.

It will be interesting to see how much we have all changed after all this while, and as we all transition into work. I, for one, hope I don't die too badly >< Other than that, I hope that I won't lose myself in that new phase of life, and that I'll remember to chill and take time to find myself when work gets a bit too much =)

Revive the Blog!

Yeah, the blog was hacked a while back it seems, the template got replaced by "This is anonymous" x infinity. Lucky I had a saved copy of the template, so now the whole blog is back and running!

In order to keep the blog alive, I shall offer a photo of Chia Ming + BF visiting Shirli and I in London. They were touring the UK after their overseas attachment.



Followed by the tried-and-tested filler photo of a cute animal, preferably a kitten.



Hope to hear from you guys what you are doing!

MAF 2011

Mrs Foo! And not forgetting, the all so elusive... Mr Lee!

Choo Choo Choo Part 1

In order to celebrate the graduation of Shirli and Wai Lumn and before the railway track closes (more of the latter :P), 7D goes on a trek from Rail Mall to Bukit Timah Railway Station.

The railway bridge that 67 always goes under.

Aaron poses

Jin Rong poses

Shirli hogs the camera, abetted by Jane