"It Pays to Study"

And a large pay it is!

This morning, we, the "Pelajar Cemerlang PMR" SMK Cochrane, went to Stadium Titiwangsa for the Yayasan Titiwangsa Excellence Award Ceremony. My parents also went, but I didn't see them at the "stadium". Too many people. The school band also came. *bangga...* We got to skip one day of lessons today, a small perk for the day. Going there, we had to help transport some SMK St. Gabriel students, don't know why they didn't have their own transport. Wai Nam asked why do we have to, and Pn. Kassnina answered "We have to help them, so that in the future, they will help us." None of us realized how it was going to bite us in the back later that day...

Had some heavy traffic on the way to Titiwangsa. I spent the time doodling, while Brian played his h/p out loud right next to me. Thankfully, I know of an ability of mine, to go "in the zone", in which I seemingly lose interest of the surrounding world, while concentrating to the max on what I was doing. (Only applies to drawing, LEGO, PC games, and strangely, homework) I still maintain a certain degree of alertness, though.

We arrived at 8.30, and went to register our numbers, then we went in to the hall. Quite big. The band got a platform section, while we had to sit in the middle according to our numbers. Then we had to wait 1 hour+ for the YB. I doodled, again, and I discovered then that I could draw manga-style humans, after Atikah asked me whether I could draw people. She liked my draft so much, that she asked me to give it to her. Since I have no use for a picture of a random manga girl, I complied. There goes my first manga draft. Anyway, moving on. YB arrived at 9.30 -10.00, and there were performances, a LOT of performances. I even saw a mock sword fight (with REAL parangs!), and I think I was the only one in my row who could, thanks to my height. =) Then the national anthem, Wilayah song, prayer, speeches, yada, yada, yada, and more performances. Ken Yung next to me seemingly went insane during the speeches. He's always this way. On the bus, in the hall, if it's a formal event and he's not on duty, he'll just act weird. I don't mind, as it helps liven up the day.

We flipped through the program book, and saw around 300 UPSR recipients, 300 PMR recipients, and around a 100 SPM/STPM recipients. Makes you wonder where they got the RM150 000 needed to fund the prizes (UPSR = RM50, PMR = RM100, SPM/STPM = RM500). Sekolah Aminuddin Baki had names filled like, 2/3 of the entire book! After we got our certs and kaching, we went and sat down a while more (and demonstrated the "Cochranean clap", courtesy of the band), and went to lunch. Food's okay, though I wish there were more forks. I ate with only a spoon.

And while we were going back, we noticed that only 1 bus was waiting for us, instead of 2. Then I heard someone say that St. Gab. hijacked our other bus! Imagine that! And if I'm not mistaken, they even left some of their own behind, as I saw 2-3 St. Gab. students where we were waiting! Anyway, so we all boarded the bus, which was already filled with the band members and their shiny instruments. Most of us were standing the whole way back. Imagine the inertia if the bus suddenly braked! Thankfully, that didn't happen, and we arrived back in school, without ever knowing what really happened to our other bus. Probably because we were too happy to notice. Later, when I got home, my parents told me they were there, but I didn't see them, even after scanning most of the stadium. Oh well...

Well, that's all for now. Gotta go, tuition's starting soon!