My orientation went on for 3 days only - barely enough time to create emotional impact haha. And I understand it is superbly boring reading about other people's orientation day, mine was unexpected. Even I couldn't believe it. It feels like a story. :)
Good student enough?
Let me rewind my time to 3 days ago, on Wednesday, when I had my first day orientation. I didn't know what to expect; sis said her orientation was fun (she was in June intake), but since October intake is a minor intake, I don't know if it was gonna be just as fun or not. Apparently it wasn't as fun, though it was still somewhat fun.
Mom went with me (thanks Mommy for taking the day off ^.^) and she settle the insurance for me while I went to the toilet. There were quite a number of Chinese people (why am I surprised?) and there wasn't a lot of people so it looked kinda empty. A lot of parents also came with their kids. I saw this one guy who looks like Augustus Waters.
Albeit an Asian version
Not too long after, we were allowed into the multipurpose hall (MPH), kids only, and so I was left alone to pretend like I'm not nervous and yeah, it's cool but inside I'm like what if I don't hear what they are saying, what if I got too confused. OTZ I have an issue with being around a lot of kids my age, its the primary problem of my social awkwardness but I told myself that uni is my last chance to be in a school and mingle and I absolutely cannot throw this chance away by being anti-social.
And so I walked around trying to look like I know what I'm doing lol... I was finished and sat at the chairs with other people who has also finished. Everybody was sitting a few chairs from each other and on the row in front of me, there was a girl at the other end. A girl came and sat 2 seats from her and on my row there were only me and another guy 2 seats away. Then another girl went and sat between the 2 girls and I was still alone and I started to get a little anxious omg.
Luckily a girl sat beside me and I greeted her with a weak hi. Cheerfully, she greeted me back and I was revived. We got to know each other, she's also gonna be in the Faculty of Creative Multimedia (FCM), same as me, although she is taking Degree and me Foundation. I was a little disappointed, but nevermind. She asked me to call her Ying and it took my brain back to Ah Ying that I met during PLKN. :)
Ying reminded me of Kelly (that I also met during PLKN) so I felt comfortable with her. And it was a relief she spoke English too. *phew*
~~~
Later on, we were allowed to go eat lunch with our family for about 4 hours or so and mom and I went to get our hostel room key and unfortunately discovered it was on the topmost floor. ;_; Not that I have a problem with it - OK maybe a little. I'm pretty sure I'll get slimmer and stronger, though its a hassle going up so any floor especially since my brain got weird and always thought that I reached my floor when instead my room is another floor up omg. Ahhh!!!
Table, cupboard and bed.
Although one of my roommate share the table shelf with me.
So coordinated, I love it.
I unpacked with mom's help and after a while my roommates came in together and we greeted each other. Well, they seem nice. :) I discovered they are my seniors (age 20 and 21) and both are going to take Degree. According to sis, normally they would put you with someone your age and then a senior, but guess not for me.
We still have time so mom and I went to buy stuff for my room after picking sis up from the studio. I noticed that after the one of the orientation committee (OC) asked if I'm vegetarian or not she stuck a sticker on my temporary ID card and sis immediately told me it was actually my group number. Group 6 it is.
~~~
It was time for me to go back. ;_; Went into MPH once more and sat with random people. The OCs introduced themselves and played some games to entertain us but I can see a lot of us are still unmotivated lol. I saw some of the seniors sis mentioned so I felt better thinking that at least there are people I've heard about. I don't know if they recognized me though.
Punishment for students.
See the girl in blue - the tiny one?
Later on we're gonna be friends and she said that she purposely wore specs on the 2nd day onwards so that nobody can recognize that she had been pulled on stage. XD
Also, do notice the guy in orange shirt (Nik) - when OC Praveen (guy in red tie) asked him to say something interesting about him, he said he loves attention and people cheered in disbelief. "Well, looks like you got the attention you wanted," OC Praveen replied lol. And in my heart I was silently hoping for him not to be in my group.
After some time, we were told to refer to the sticker on our ID card and get into our groups. They were 7 groups in all and maybe about 40 people in each group. For Oct intake, there were only about 300 people so its quite few. For sis's June intake, there were 18 groups, wow.
I searched for the big A4 paper with a big 6 written on it and lined myself up. Our OC was OC Angie - she's an awesome OC! I'm glad I had her. While I was lining up and waiting for more girls to get there, there were 2 guys that looked like they stepped out of a Taiwan/Korean drama, those scions of a big financial group's boss. ~.~ I actually didn't like them so much. I know it was judgmental of me, I admit. And then surprise, Nik was in the group as well.
We followed our 2 OCs (Angie and Abrar) to somewhere, I have no idea, and we sat on the floor and have an introduction session. I thought I saw someone Japanese-looking but I dismissed it because no way right? I always hated ice-breaking and introduction sessions because it is awkward for me but I assured myself that it was OK and everyone is in the same situation and it calmed me down a little.
"Hi my name is Yuto. My English is not good."
I heard someone stuttered and looked up. Damn? What. I felt a little awed and stared at him unbelievably as I have never heard sis mentioning that Japanese people actually studies in MMU. And after a while it was my turn to introduce myself - I said my name and heard some guys saying something to each other and I instinctively went "What?" at them. OTZ So I said my faculty and my status (everybody have to say it lol). Single.
"Guys, remember, she's single," OC Angie said. ... "Tell him!" someone said and pointed to his friend - it was the 2 guys that looked like rich kids. The taller one was pointing to the shorter one (although both of them was tall). The taller one looked like the typical rich main character and the tinier one looked like the sidekick/best friend. It was so ironic. They are Zuk (taller) and Jeffrey (tinier, although he asked people to call him Jeff).
When it was time, the Muslims have to go and have their prayer and only non-Muslims were left. OC Angie wanted a male and female leaders of different gender and she scouted talkative people. Zuk was elected as the male leader (Kirba is the female's), which in my experience, is the correct choice. (I actually marvel at his leadership ability omg.) He has good looks, is tall, has good command of languages, is sociable and has charisma. How can someone have it all? No, it's actually my first time seeing someone having it all. Btw he's single so if you happen to read this blog and want to find out more about him to you know, you can find him in Management under the Finance department lol.
We played games and I noticed Yuto looking lost and confused. I didn't want to say anything because I never did and why now. And then I thought if not now then when? Mustering my courage (it was very hard), I told OC Angie that he seemed to be having some difficulties and I said that I can speak a little Japanese so is it OK if I explain to him.
"Oh, you can speak Japanese!" she exclaimed and the whole group looked at me while I went over and stood beside him. I told him I can only speak a little though. So that's basically how I became his 'facilitator'/translator/friend for the next 2 days. We then played a game called Evolution where there are basically 4 stages - fish, chicken, gorilla and tree. We have to play rock-scissors-paper with 'fishes' and if you win, you become a 'chicken' and you'll have to find a 'chicken' to play with. When you reach 'tree' status, you stand to the side as winners. I was the second one~
On the way to dinner, I chatted with Yuto a bit, get to know him and stuff. I thought about what if it was me instead and I would appreciate someone being my friend. It must be so tough on him since his English is not so up to par. I think over everybody in school, I know about the most lol. OC Angie walked with us at the end of the line as well and struck up subtle conversations.
After talking and talking, I found out he came with 5 other students (3 of each gender) and they were here on a student exchange program from their university in Saitama (I forgot his uni's name but it has 4 syllables). He's going to be in Faculty of Management (FOM) and later on I found out all of them is also gonna be in FOM. When we had to separate for dinner, I told him if anything is too difficult for him, he can ask me for help.
I was nervous throughout the day and kept playing with my fingers that I didn't even notice it was sightly bleeding until I lined up for dinner.
Our dinner
This is the only food picture I took.
All the food was quite yummy.
While walking from the canteen after dinner, I met a Malay girl and struck up a conversation with her. Her name's Mai and she coincidentally turned out to be the sister of sis's senior and I have heard about her before I came in. This world is too small and coincidences too much. But some people may saw nothing is a coincidence. Who knows?
Sis did mention that orientation is a little like PLKN but I think it is far more relaxing than PLKN. At least we have time to unpack and walk leisurely lol. Or maybe it's because I got used to PLKN that I think this is relaxing.
So we had roll call again and the 2 DMs once again scale the lines of students. (DMs are students that take care of the discipline of other students.) Group by group, we made our way up the stairs and into a room (each room per group).
We have to put the tables and chairs aside so that we could form a circle and sit on the ground. Once again, we introduced ourselves and I sat beside Yuto because he needed a translator. I couldn't even remember most of their names and after that we have to play a game where you must call out someone else's name. I was spacing out during the game and when someone calls the name of the girl beside me (the 2 person beside the person whose name is called have to 'charge' him/her by saying his/her name) and I had to go to the inside of the circle along with a few other people for punishment.
It was a little shocking as I seldom lose at games, but oh well... OTZ The punishment game; we have to bend our legs, put our hands on our thighs, and when we whip our head to the left, we have to say 'snail'. So its like "1 snail, snail. 2 snail, snail snail. 3 snail, snail snail snail." and it continues until 7 and you have to swing your head with every 'snail'. *sigh*
It was about 11pm when we were finished and I was one of the last once because I stayed back and explained stuff to Yuto. I walked him back halfway to the international student hostel and told him the time and place for the next day's roll call. We bid our goodbyes and I left running to my hostel because its so dark and quiet and I couldn't see my leader. When I say 'leader', I generally mean Zuk, not Kirba. I saw him with a few guys just now so I was thinking at least I won't be alone but they were nowhere to be seen.
But obviously you can't see much. That night I got to sleep at about 3am because it was hot and there were mosquitoes. I got up and closed the windows - the school looks so serene, I could just keep staring.
Funny how things happen don't they? I still remember the conversation I had with Yuto. Never in my dreams would I imagine being in this situation so I'm grateful. He said that Malaysian are kind and I said Japanese are too and he seemed surprised lol. Japanese boys fight, he told me and I replied well, Malaysian do too, it's just you never sees it and once again he was surprised. We actually had legit conversations. It felt really nice to be able to talk to someone with a different point of view and culture, it makes me see what I couldn't see. Like a breath of fresh air.
