Backlog: The Mini Graduation Day + Frolicking Around Campus!

Prologue: *brush off dust* My blog has been silent for a week now. So many things happened from the last time we left off with some events worth celebrating while a couple more that were totally unforeseeable that it throw all of us off balanced. Time to clear up some backlogged event to usher it the new month of April!

-19 March 2011 Saturday USM Engineering Campus-

The last two SISTAHs, SzeSze and XinMi from the beloved SISTAHood after all the tribulation of their extended studies due to student exchange, has finally graduated! Unfortunately for both of them, their mini-convo (remember, there are two convocation for each academic year, the major one around August/September and the mini one around March/April. Theirs is the mini one day and less glamourous convo.) was held at USM Engineering Campus again because DTSP is having another round of renovation. Nevertheless, there is a good thing for them though: all of our SISTAHood pledged to come for their convo and those two will be in the centre of attention! *makes me kinda wish that I will have the same attention for my Master's convo in a few years time*. Without further delay, let the pic spam commence! *some photos courtesy of YenPheng's and SzeSze's. Where's ChanPao's one anyway?*

Onward to the mainland we go!

Travelling along North South Highway heading towards Nibong Tebal...

Almost there...

And here we are, USM Kampus Kejuruteraan Nibong Tebal.

They have this really nice looking Dataran Kampus right behind the Dewan Besar and Bangunan Pentadbiran with fountain adorning the centre of the square.

Their Kompleks Dewan Kuliah has a grand staircase! Usually they will have live streaming of the convocation ceremony in one of their lecture hall for the comfort of the visitors so we went to find the DK for it...

...and their DK A has to be one of the largest lecture hall that I had ever seen in my life. It's almost like 3 times the largest lecture hall here in USM main campus, DK SK I and II! The other DKs in this complex are just slightly smaller than DK A. It makes me wonder: do engineering campus student has common courses that require such humongous hall?

Opps the shows starting soon! Our status as USM alumni stick out from all the other visitors when we remain standing up to sang USM's official anthem, Menara Ilmu. Ahh it has been a while since we sung it! It's a nostalgia of sort too when we sat on the lecture chair. Feels like we are back to lecture again haha!

I tried to capture the four BATIan in full regalia using my video recording but then my camera refused to cooperate because it's low on juice. FFFFFFFFUUUUUUU- In the end, had to settle for this super blurry picture instead. Grr.

As the Pro-Chancellor (Tan Sri Razali Ismail, Diplomats. Looks like his health is fine enough again for the convocation ceremony. During my convocation, Tan Sri were unwell and were represented by Vice Chancellor, Prof Dzulkifli in the ceremony. Tak syok la macam ni!) made his speech, we head out from the DK towards the main hall but little did we know...it started raining like cats and dogs...

Plushies and Prezzies for the two SISTAHs~

Ladies turn to posing with the prezzies~

We went around the hall trying to find sheltered walkway which can lead us to the main hall. The thing that the Engineering Campus has done right in their design is their extensive system of sheltered walkway connecting all main buildings as well as the Desasiswas and I think main campus could use some sheltered walkway too. Anyway, all of us reached the main hall safely while wondering where would those two SISTAHs come out from?

And the ceremony's over with the departure of the dignitaries to the VIP room. Nice timing there Ah Pheng capturing Pak Guard's part time job~

Look who we bump into while hanging around the front: Vincent! Abang 1Malaysia has finally graduated!

People started to enter the hall as it was raining outside so we followed.

Ah Pheng asked all of us to hide her from SzeSze's and XinMi's sight first as we enter because she wanted to make it a surprise for both of them. I am pretty impressed at how much groundwork that she laid before pulling off such surprise (which almost blown because of me the night before lol!) such as sending both of them congratulatory cards while trying to sound apologetic for not being able to come as well as convo SMSes the day before to make it more convincing. Suffice to say, Ah Pheng pulled it off marvelously.

And then Ah Pheng appeared! I thought SzeSze might just cry when YenPheng appear from behind but in the end she didn't. lol Crying is a good photo ops you see!

Group photo first sans XinMi because she's still busying taking family photo over the other side. She got a huge entourage there!

And then it's XinMi's turn to be surprise! Managed to capture her OMG moment! As we are chatting and such though, we were ushered by the Sergeant at Arms to leave the hall. Boo. It's raining outside ya know!

So in the end, we had to make due with being stucked at the sheltered walkway right beside the hall. Nevermind about that as photo-ops still moves on! That's yours truly and ChanPao.

The guys and SzeSze.

The ladies and ChanPao.

Finally the moment we're waiting for: one big group photo of the SISTAHood! (If you notice someone's missing, there's a reason for it which I will elaborate in future posts if I am in mood. A very unforeseeable circumstances for ChiaMin.)

It's almost time for us to bid farewell so one last photo before we left home. ChanPao left earlier because she had an entourage waiting for her.

We went to GimHin aka Little Wooden House for our dinner. It has been a very long time since we came back here for dinner. I missed the good old days in which all of us will visit GimHin faithfully for their affordable dinner.

-20 March 2011 Sunday USM Main Campus-

More photo-ops with ChanPao, SzeSze and YenPheng before AhPheng heads back to KL as well returning the graduation robe. Shenanigans around campus!

ChanPao's posing in front of the new library that they didn't manage to use.

Waiting for bus (NOT) in front of PPIK.

Our school for the past three years in university. Go PPIK/Humanities! Go BATI!

Dewan Tuanku Syed Putra, the main hall that they didn't manage to graduate from because of ongoing interior renovation. Have to make due with the commemorative plaque instead.

Hat throwing customary for any graduates!

Jumping and throwing fail.

Bump into another fellow batchmates of ours, Yaya! The fellow graduates posing in front of DTSP.

Batchmates 2007-2010/11. I am starting to miss all BATIans already.

Ah Pheng needs to catch her bus at Sungai Nibong at 9:30am so she had to made her leave earlier. (AWW!) All of us sent her to Sungai Nibong bus terminal and the radio as if it's on cue, played 一路顺风! (forgot who's the singer.) We will miss you Ah Pheng! After we bid her farewell, back to campus again for more photo-ops before calling it a day...

The highest point in USM over HEPP. Though I have a feeling that this might not be VC Rock after looking through Yaya's own convo photo. Hmm...nevermind then as this is a good view too. The ladies posing, prim and proper...

...before shenanigan begins!

Those two SISTAHs fooling around like nobody's business. Who cares because it's SUNDAY! 踢你下山!

The two vampires preying on poor me!

*kick* *punch* *ouch*

Off you go rolling down the hill! So long and good bye~~~ Dua pompuan ni memang bagaikan kacang lupakan kulit! Habis saya diperkenakan! LOL.

Flying without wing.

站在高岗上, 遥望着遥远的未来.

More photo-ops at Batu Uban Gate, the supposibly main gate of USM even though all threes gates looks equally small without an gateway arch anyway.

Flap flap flap and fly~~

Perasan cool posing.

More mortar board throwing!

Jumping with glee. The two mortar boards together looks kinda like UFO/FSM.

Wrapping up our day with breakfast. The two SISTAHs...

...with cameo from Jacinta! Thanks for taking photos of all of us~~

Wantan mee at Plus 2. It's has been so long!

I accompanied XinMi to return her robes (in which she hit stumbling block while trying to retrieve her scroll because of standing debt which I have no idea how did I come to. But at least the robe has been returned safely so no penalty there. The scroll can be taken any other time anyway.) while SzeSze heads back to Taiping first before heading back to KL for work later at night.

The rare clear blue sky that I adore so much usually come after shower cleaning up the particles in the air. Guess the rain yesterday wasn't so bad after all.

Last but not least, the two bouquet of plushies: the frog is for SzeSze's and XinMi's teddy bear.

CONGRATULATION TO SZE SZE & XIN MI on THEIR GRADUATION!

On one hand, I am ecstatic that both of them after much tribulation handling their courses and all had finally graduated without much problem but on the other hand, I will be missing their company. Those two SISTAHs has been great company in my first semester back in MA with dinner trip and such and with the last two of the SISTAHs graduated, I am the last one in campus while the rest of the SISTAHs are pursuing their own career in the working world. I miss all of them already *sniffle*.

Epilogue: Expect more backlog post after this. Meanwhile more Sarawak election update courtesy of Sarawakupdate. PKR and DAP reached consensus in seat allocation with key compromise in Kuching: Padungan back to DAP, swapped Batu Lintang to PKR. Both incumbents who were dropped for the compromise, Voon Lee Shan (DAP/Batu Lintang) and Dominique Ng (PKR/Padungan) surprised. Dominique Ng as being the usual annoying little turd self were bitter (serve him right for being too much of a saboteur and twat) while Voon remain composed by attending the DAP's press conference announcing their Kuching's candidate. Meanwhile more posturing and parading and spicy rumours. Will there be more theatricals? More candidate to be announced soon so watch out for the nomination day on 6 April (Wednesday). For those who are eligible to vote in this election: jot down 16 April (Saturday) because it's polling day!