end of winter, start of spring

. it's official: winter semester has ended for me. finished my last exam today: a few more days for me to recuperate from the exertions of this semester, before i dive headfirst into the new spring semester.

i think this past semester has been one of my most fruitful periods of academic endeavors. setting myself with the goal of achieving 4 As in my pretty heavy clutch of 400 level courses, i think i was so much more conscientious and consistent with my studying than almost any other period of my life. you can almost say that i found joy in becoming a "nerd". owell, funny thing is, i didn't think that i missed out that much on other things because of this. i still played a lot of soccer, still hung out alot with my friends, and generally still did alot of random and miscellaneous stuff. wow, the benefits of better time-management. reaping them at a ripe old age of 23 is rather incredulous.

i think this last exam symbolized closure on a lot of levels. academically and emotionally. time to pack up feelings and move on. may the dawn of spring portend better things to come.

another batch of friends will be graduating at the end of this week. some will still be here during spring, but for most, this week will probably be the last time i'll see them in a long, long while. it seems such a pity that i've gotta a lot closer with some of them only this semester; however, i really hope that our friendships extend beyond Ann Arbor, and i shall write here things that i never had the courage/opportunity to say to you in person.

Eunice and Jiaying (with Kenneth holding the extra key): My fellow darkroom bandits!! That name stuck, even though we really only hung out in the darkroom ONCE. you've been two strong pillars of emotional support to me in my times of need and confusion, and for that i'm grateful. i will always miss bubble island sessions; Eunice, you're right when you wrote in your blog that good conversations are hard to find. fortunately, i've found plenty with you and Jiaying. remember, you're always my joint Number 1s!

Joanne: there are many, many more things that need to be said than the words that can fit on this page. however, do know that in you i've found a friend whom i can share my thoughts, dreams, and deficiencies. to a person who is almost never really open about his inner thoughts, this may be the highest compliment yet.

Chuntat: i really, really enjoyed the time in Singapore while we were working on Orientation/Supper Hunt. being colleagues on the SSA committee really gave me insight into a person whom i've never had the opportunity of knowing before. i've learnt so much from you, and it will always be my regret that our friendship did not develop further in the months after last summer. despite all that teasing recently, you should know that i've very high regard for you as an individual, and hopefully our paths will cross again sometime in the future.

Kenneth: my primary 6 Mavis tuition center buddy! even though we've known each other for so long, i think i really discovered the depths of you this year: through foosball sessions at your place, or conversations at other opportunities. you've helped me discover a lot about myself (given that you think we're pretty similar in some ways), and for this i'm grateful.

Charles, Lianmeng: my housemates next year. at certain points in this past year i've had moments of extreme clarity when conversing with you guys about any random topic on offer. let's hope that the additional year together will strengthen these bonds.

There are many more people in this graduating batch who deserve mention here; people who have in one way or another touched my life, and my ann arbor experience. it is, however, 2:40am, and my eyes are failing me, hence my humble apologies to those who weren't mentioned. good night all.