hikari*: WenJi's Graduation

It has been a graduation marathon here lately. There is this nostalgic feeling whenever you attend a graduation, even if it is just for the photo-session. No matter how familiar the face is or how familiar the black robe she was wearing looked, everything just seems different.

And this is the point when you start reminiscing about your first encounters, lessons learnt along the stupid mistakes you made during uni and anticipating for these graduates a future they dream for.

Shirley graduated on the 23rd Oct while WenJi on the 30th Oct. Too bad I did not take much pictures at Shirley, will have to wait to get it from her :-)

Like usual, the 'pond' before Matheson Library was the hotspot. You can see long lines of people all around the small pond. Not to mention the BRIDGE (I wonder if it even qualifies to be called a bridge *sweat*). While Shirley did queue up for a picture on the bridge last week, WenJi did not cause the line was impossibly LONG! Seeing the first hotspot being gone, naturally kiasu-ness searched for an alternative landmark . . . .

. . . A tree and an Amy (?) by the pond? Well, after all, wherever your camera lens goes, Amy will be there. Kiasu-ness.

I love this picture of WenJi. It looks really natural and her smile was full, unlike the half-face-hidden kinda poses she opts for all the time. And she looks like a really free spirit :-)

The other hotspot was the circular-thing near Robert Blackwood. I can so totally see myself throwing my graduation hat (is it called a hat?) around this spot while fighting the intrusion of my Sis on the 18th of December *pray hard*. Everyone was smiling so fully in this picture, it really sends out the aura of 'happiness'. Well, everyone except me - why does my face look so stiff or botox-ed?!

Looking at this picture gives me a funny feeling. What started out as mere greetings or coincidental get-together back in year 2006 where WenJi was Monash College student without fringes, Shirley was Andy's lab partner in Food Chemistry, Oli was a Business Systems student who loved milk tea, LiLet was a first year in Biotechnology, Amy was a first year in Business with the funny accent and Serene has long straight hair as a second year student, has went on to become the over-rated (just joking ) thing called friendship.

Surely this is an achievement :-)

After every graduation I have this thought:- "Everyone is embarking on a new journey."

The first time I saw Shirley I thought she was a Hongkie who's attached to a Hongkie who was very 'si men' and soft spoken. Two years on, I see her as a kiasu, moderately lazy and kepoh all-Malaysian girl with a passion for remembering your past stupid mistakes and reminding you of it. Having graduated from her science degree, she will be returning to Malaysia next month *boohoo*. I can totally see her rocking a business suit with a pair of 6-inches heel *wink*

Seeing Olivia around uni is no longer the sweat-pants+scarf+sunglasses+lecture notes Student Oli, but the smart blouse+corporate skirt+short bob Career Oli. But she still has the fullest, brightest and happiest smile which is famously dubbed by SiewChin as the 'Amazing Thailand'. One of the most determined person I have ever met indeed :-)

Amy, Lilet and I are the soon-to-be-graduates this coming December although I will be the only one attending the ceremony :-( Those two will be carrying on with their post-grad studies. I feel old saying this *puke*. While still as blur as always and as panicky as Amy can be, Amy must be the sincerest person and joker in the world. 'Joker' cos you can't help but symphatize and laugh a bit despite how hard to believe/understand her jokes are *snicker*

This is the 'album cover' of the year for 2008's Most Romantic Ballads :-) The two graduate engineers in Clayton. While people say that working life changes you, these must be the most unchanged workers in the world. Daniel still easily stimulated *Ahem* by food or just the smell of food. Ray still. . . . Ray (very hard to describe seriously).

I LOVE TAKING CANDID SHOTS :-)

WenJi among the hustle and bustle surrounding the limelight which is HER.

Mr Tan and him conquering the Menzies.

Emergency hair situation - The Graduate still hasn't mastered her fringes *ooops*

The Graduate busy with all the congratulatory calls *I wanna be this busy on my day!!*

The third Monash Bear of the year :-) Fourth one coming very soon *wink*

The graduation outfit can be quite messy as seen here but I like messy *see how desperate I am?*

Pure wholesome happiness in the air.

A funny picture :-0

Can you see how much I long for graduation flowers? I could gobble them up.

Small Eyes vs. Big Eyes *evil laugh*

The Graduate with her mountains of presents in the kitchen standing on a stool.

After the graduation, with nothing else to do, I proceeded to arrange the flowers! This is the bunch given by Me and Ray :-) I adore lilies.