Happy 2014~*

One day more. 

What can I say about year 2013?

For year 2012, the word I used to sum it up was 'Simplicity'. 

For this year, I would use 'Surreal'.

In fact, even now, I still cannot connect the first half of the year with the latter half - they seem so far apart. 

While the first half was spent studying, waking up late, dragging my feet to utown for classes (twice a week), going berserk over my thesis (say hello to the psycho-jas), uncountable ranting sessions with the psych girls, 

the latter half consisted of early mornings & late nights, work (!!!), meeting new (& some lovely) people, and trying to adjust to working life. 

And what's in between? Short, relaxing trips, during which I tried to shove all my worries aside - though being a worrywart, I sometimes worried about not being able find a job.

But still, there's just a disconnection somewhere. 

Anyway, here are some random photos taken during the year (too lazy to arrange them in chronological order)

Sorry to start off with such a crazy photo.
Some cool shots we had at Chupitos, with sis & YL.

The Phantom of the Opera is here, inside my mind...

Lovely latte at Commune Cafe and canele from Patisserie G :)

Impressive coffee machine (time machine) at D' Good Cafe

Hi, Mr Bear!

Stuffed mushrooms at Seven Sensations (Vegetarian)

The Cat.

Amazing view from MBS Skypark

Adorable Xmas tree! :)

Belated birthday celebration with 383.8!
At our most frequently visited restaurant.

Birthday celebration with the lovelies! :) At Keisuke Toyko!

With my dearest, dearest childhood buddy *hugs*

RAWR! Grad photo-shoot at MacRitchie.

Yummy sushi before my date with Phantom

THE PIANO GUYS WOOTS! (What's up with that look, Z?)

Miss Jie Si Min

MBS skypark at night! 

A failed attempt to take an artistic shot of jz's beer glass. 

Don't estimate this small cup of Vietnamese drip coffee.
A lethal dose of caffeine.

Aww... such an adorable cup of piccolo latte. At Robert Timms.

Happy graduation, BINS! :)

Monstrosity!

MARUTAMA (basketball ramen, as the colleagues call it haha)

Pretty, small flowers at the Hort Park :)

Salmon roll woots! At Standing Sushi Bar!

HUGEEE PIZZAS from Peperoni Pizzeria for our Section Lunch

What's this?
Funny looking latte art (??) at Mac cafe. 

The famous caged up tofu cheesecake at Sun with Moon!

Sense of deja vu. I think I've posted a similar photo last year haha.
My favourite salad at Saladstop.

Lovely lattes.
To make iced latte, you just pour the cold milk over the expresso cubes. Cool, isn't it?

Fierce looking fish :( at Hamanoya

Ah, Prof Sim & Dr Stephen Lim were looking at me...

T, why are you so freaking tall?!?! 

Again, you're towering over me, girl.

Beautiful JL (bro-in-law's sis) :)

Cheers! At sQue with Z.

Gardens by the bay! :)

Brunch at D' Good Cafe!

WHOA. This was taken in early Jan hahah. Happy 2013! XD

Earthquake with the bins! :D Belated birthday celeb for dear jx!

Prof Sim with his good supervisees (HAHAHA).

PSYCHOLOGY HONOURS COHORT 2013! :D

Our Xmas Eve dinner at En Japanese Dining :)

The Jas.

Beautiful scenery at Bali

Frozen Magarita at Bali

Happy Miss Bear at D' Good Cafe!

My favourite salad at the Soup Spoon 

Sea of pink at Jay Chou's concert 2013. And check out his super OTT piano.

Us in blue, for our presentation on Sex Offenders (can't remember why we settled on blue haha)

BINS!

CNY Lou Hei at Arts Canteen hahaha

Ate cup noodles at U-town with T hahaha! Last week of school, I think!

A major milestone in my life... Completion and submission of my baby.

Ahh.... I want to go and borrow this from NUS Lib to read hahah =X

My very rushed acknowledgement for my thesis revealed! (so awfully written...)
(my friends have been bugging me for it for ages)

 

Last day of school with the psych girls! :) At U-town.

So random. But this is so cool! At the Esplanade 

 

Late night HTHT

Birthday celeb for T at Timbre 

 Toilet at Venetian, Macau!

Hard Rock Hotel Macau :)

Was this taken at MGM Macau? haha anyhow, it's a really pretty place :)

At our hotel lobby!

Stupid things we do in Macau heh

Pretty good matcha! :)

Vegetarian on Vesak haha

Coffee at TCC at Keppel! 

What's up with your face again, Z?

Ex-NH Girls :)

Back at NUS Green (with an intruder!!) hahah

hahah my personal favourite! 

:)

A black & white Xmas!

Staycation at MBS! :)

Cheers!

Most recent photo. At YX's wedding with cousins & Z!

Looking at all these photos made me realise something....

my hairstyle hardly changed over the course of the year!!! (The "Catholic Schoolgirl" look, as someone remarked...). How boring can I get... Maybe it's time for a change! (hmm. sounds familiar)  

Anyway, that aside, I also realised how I blessed I am.
True, there are definitely many times when I'd wanted to curse the world, pull out my hair, curl up and die;
times when I thought I would lose my sanity anytime soon.
Even so, somehow, I managed to stay alive for another year.

And I don't think I could have survived without all these amazing people in my life...
I'm not going to list all of them down here, but I'm sure they know who they are.

Life is not going to be easier in Y2014. In fact, I can foresee many challenges ahead of me.
Therefore, unlike the previous years, I'm not going to wish for a smooth year ahead (if it happens, it would be great! But it's unlikely to happen.).

Instead, I'm going to wish for the strength to overcome these impending obstacles.

In Y2013, I've made mistakes, hurt people (myself included), learnt things the hard way, cried quite a number of times, walked too far out into the sea, lost my bearings, fought with my inner demons..

But, I have also had many amazing experiences, laughed heartily, enjoyed the simple pleasures of life (e.g., reading, playing the piano etc), discovered many things about myself, and others around me, and most importantly, I might have been lost, but I've also managed to come back to myself....

That's not to say that I've finally found my answers to the questions I have.
But at least, I know I'm slowly figuring things out, and piecing things together.

In addition, unlike previous years, I'm not going to wish for happiness, because it doesn't just come to you if you only pray and wish for it.
Rather, I'm going to hope that I can become someone who can feel satisfied, grateful and contented about the things I'm blessed with... and also, to become someone strong enough to fight for her own happiness.

Alright, enough said.

Time to revisit my new year resolutions for Y2013.

(from here)

"So, for year 2013,

I only have 6 resolutions:

1. THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS (Not all the time, but definitely more than last year!)

2. Be more confident (Not really, but I'm trying!)

3. Save more money (Yes, because I have income now heh)

4. Don't live for others (Yes, I think I've improved from last year)

5. Be less afraid of failures (Not really...)

6. Work HARDER (First half of the year, yes. Second half, I think I'm slacking off!)

Not too bad, I suppose, as compared to the previous years! But I realised they are generally un-measurable goals.

So for year 2014, a mix of measurable goals and aspirational goals (heh)

1. Read at least 3 non-fiction books (inspired by X)
2. Tidy my room at least once every 3 months (the current state is.......)
3. Exercise at least once a week! (Yes, I feel so unhealthy)
4. Save $X amount of money by end 2014
5. BE MORE CONFIDENT
6. NOT BE AFRAID TO MAKE MISTAKES
7. COUNT MY BLESSINGS (is that measurable? haha)

Such is life.
And some things just happen - experiences that you've never imagined would happen to you, people you would never imagine meeting, feelings you've never imagined you would feel...

Surreal, indeed.

Life will continue to be strange in some ways, tough in some ways, but rewarding in other ways...

People will still come and go, and change.
And so will we.

Alright, to end off,
Cheers to 2014!
Another year of unknowns and surprises...
They may be pleasant or unpleasant... who knows?

And
that's what makes life interesting.