So, now what?

I've only been back in college for about a week now, and already I'm feeling the stress that is to come in the following months.

I'm all wtf in Physics because they covered a chapter in the first week, and we've got a test next Wednesday aiyoyo.

I was all wtf in my Chem A2 test on Monday (barely a DAY after I settled down in college - thus I couldn't study everything and as a result left out 2 or 3 pages with a pitiful note to my chemistry teacher at the very end)

I was all wtf with all the overdue Biology homework but I couldn't really care anymore because at this point I was like - "HAH, they can't say anything to hurt our uni applications anymore!" until someone came along and said something like, "Yeah, but then you'd miss out on the practice," so then I wallowed in guilt.

I was all wtf in Maths cos I'm atrocious in exponential and trigonometry differentiation and integration - it's so bad it even takes me a minute to even do linear integration now. I kid you not.

So maybe missing out on the first week of college, and totally disregarding a six week holiday in academic terms wasn't the wisest choice - but there's a silver lining to every grey cloud, right? Or something like that?

And the silver lining comes in the form of my dream university offer. I'm incredibly lucky in the sense that I've been whining and pining about it being out of reach and I am glad I took the leap. I'm so thankful for many things it seems as if words alone are not enough.

I'm thankful that UCL gave me an offer, something I found out the night I touched down in KL - IMO, the best homecoming present!

Yes, that goofy Asian kid is me. But if you squint carefully, you can see "UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL" carved on the arch of the door.

I'm thankful that my parents thought it was worth spending money on a trip to London for an interview that may or may not have ensured me a place - and that it did not go to waste in the end!

I'm thankful that my kakak (Fawa) let me share her single bed with her and cooked for me (and no, I did not "hate" your pepper pasta, I just couldn't FINISH it) and paid for my meals during our gastronomical adventures (see: Persian food, fresh oysters, mussels at Belgo's, duck rice, Japanese fusion cuisine) - because she wanted me to keep my money for shopping & transportation - and let me follow her to work because that 1 week experience definitely helped me in my interview.

Oh and she pointedly reminded me, "You do know that you cannot afford to eat like this as a student when you come in September, right?"

My head hung. "Yes, Fara."

I'm thankful that Elena accompanied me to London a week earlier because I was a little scared of flying to London alone and hanging around by myself.

I'm thankful that Elena's friends, Shereen and Nash, let us crash their apartment for a couple of nights we were in London!

I'm thankful that I got to meet up with the Malaysians I had intended on seeing in London - Aimi, the boyfriend, Najwa, Berlin!

I'm thankful that Primark shopping is retail heaven because each individual item I got there was below 10 pounds - totally irrelevant, but something I'm thankful for nevertheless!

I'm thankful for wonderful friends who flooded my inbox with congratulatory texts and surprised me with a CAKE for simply getting an offer. I clearly do not deserve it, but I love you guys, nevertheless, each and every one of you who showed up or at least had the intention of. :)

So, now what? I will have to work my ass off for A-Levels and get those triple As, because it's going to be a lot of hard work. The Mom has already been laying on the pressure and I really don't blame her, considering what's at stake, but in the mean time I'm going to try and secure an AAB offer just in case I mess it up (oh God forbid!) so I'm counting on Bristol, since Nottingham has rejected me - I received that email from them about 2 days after my UCL interview and it kinda made my night, bleak. Haha. But that's life!

I'll be uploading all the London photos tonight me thinks, so there will be more visual delights there. I wish everyone all the best in university offers, exams, medical interviews, and life! It's slowly dawning upon me that this is the last semester. And that Oct/Nov 2009 exam results will be out on Monday morning.

OH CIBAI.