Sunday, February 15, 2009

As you all know I am currently studying in Hwa Chong High School, a good and fantastic school. I am a Secondary 1 student, or in other words, a new comer to HCI. Since I am a foreign scholar I have the privilege to stay in Hwa Chong boarding school –a five star school hostel. It is situated at the highest point of the school compound.

Life in the boarding school is way different from the life in Malaysia because I have to be very independent in order to survive in a new living environment. Back home in Malaysia, I have my parents to guide, assist and advise me whenever I face any problem. I have been pampered all the while since my elder sister studying in Singapore 3 years ago.

There are also quite a lot of homework, projects and assignments to be completed in Hwa Chong High school. I do not really have a lot of time to slack during weekdays. We have no choice but have to adapt to it as soon as possible. This type of hectic student life is very normal. I am sure a lot of my peers and seniors will agree with me.

I will have to try my best to adapt to the new environment. This requires a lot of determination and hard work. My parents and friends give me a lot of encouragement during these hard times of getting use to this new environment. But I am sure I will and definitely will get use to everything here soon. Ooops, almost forget to thank my sister too, the person whom I turn to when I need help in boarding school.

For my friends in Malaysia, just let me tell you a bit on my life in Hwa Chong Boarding School. In the boarding school, we have somebody to do the laundry for us. We are allowed to send 22 pieces of our clothing for free laundry every week with condition no small garment such as underwear, handkerchiefs or socks. Our cloths must reach the laundry collection centre before 10.30 pm during Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. However, if we have more than 22 pieces, then we are allowed to use coin laundry machine provided. It is 50 cent per load. After washing, we have to use the dryer provided to dry up our clothing. It is 50 cent per load too. But normally we have to use 1 dollar to make sure our clothing are really dry. There was once, I just put in 50 cents to dry my bed sheet, but it came out still wet.

You all must be wondering how about our meal, right?!! Meals are provided in Boarding School. They cater breakfast and dinner for weekdays and three meals for weekends and holidays. Lunch is not provided during school days because our class will end at different time. Normally all the boarders will take lunch in school. There is a convenient store called “Blue – Tea” where we can buy basic necessity and of course tidbits and instant noodles too, haha !!!

We have to attend compulsory study time from 8 to 9.30 every Sunday night to Thursday night unless the next day is a public holiday or school term holiday. It means all the secondary one to secondary three boarders have to go down to dining hall the group study. We can do our revision, homework or reading during this one and half hour. We can also use our laptop for research purpose and nothing else. We have to keep silent at all times. I feel that this is a very good atmosphere for doing revision.

I like to stay here. It is a number one boarding school I have ever seen. I think I am lucky to be able to get in here.

So far so good I am able to manage the tests and homework even though sometimes I think it is stressful to adapt to new environment and be independent at the same time. But I will work harder as my aim for this year is to achieve good results and excel in both academic and sports.