So far, the exams have been alright. However, tomorrow is really scaring me. History HL in the morning and bio main papers in the afternoon. I'm pretty much starting my history revision right now..

Bio needs to be revised very badly.

This isn't good...

On a side-note, I don't think anybody really knows why I don't like studying China in the death stages of the Qing Dynasty. Well.. Personally.. I just don't like it. China then was extremely messy. I think of Qing Dynasty China and I think of all the opulence and corruption of the court, the overcrowdedness of the cities, the lack of proper law and order going around, and it just messes with my head..

Qing Dynasty China repulses me for some reason. It's a sad place and time and I'd rather not have anything to do with it. Post-Qing things become relatively less messy, but China's still a horrible place. This is why I like Japan, because everything's so orderly and nice and, really, who doesn't find the rise of an Asian power during the high times of Imperialism fascinating?

Yeah.. China depresses me... Then again, I know a lot about Mao, maybe because he himself is a fascinating study. The way he controlled minds so easily, the impunity with which he killed millions, the iron grip he had over China.. It angers me sometimes to read about Mao. That's probably why I like studying about him. I know so much about him...

Okay, back to work.

You know how they say the tiniest snowdrop can start the largest avalanche?

Today's metaphorical snowdrop was the maths paper 1. Except that it wasn't a snowdrop at all. More like a mini-avalanche.

But that ain't all folks. Oh no... The avalanche is coming, my timetable proves it so.

Friday: Maths paper 2, Econs papers 1 and 2.
Monday: Econs paper 3, history papers 1 and 2.
Tuesday: History paper 3, bio papers 1 and 2.
Wednesday: Bio paper 3, English paper 1
Thursday: English paper 2

Yeah, as you can see, the avalanche just pours down and down, except that Monday's predicted to be the most destructive day. Oh wait.. After that, the new snow will settle. But there's still a bit more unstable snow at the summit, and it'll finally crash all the way down the next friday.

Friday: French ab initio papers 1 and 2.

That's my schedule. Well.. At least I have a whole week to study for French. God knows I've been slacking.

I'd better go put on my survival gear now..

(MACROECONOMICS)

An "acceptable" level of unemployment means that the economist to whom it is acceptable still has a job.
_______________________________

(MACROECONOMICS)

A student was taking a class taught by Milton Friedman at the University of Chicago. After a late night studying, she fell asleep in class.

This sent Friedman into a little tizzy, and he came over and pounded on the table, demanding an answer to a question he had just posed to the class. The student, now awake, said, "I'm sorry, Professor. I missed the question, but the answer is increase the money supply."
_______________________________

(INTERNATIONAL TRADE)

Achieving free trade is like getting to heaven. Everyone wants to get there, but not too soon.
_______________________________

(ALL EVALUATION FROM HERE)

Economics is the only field in which two people can receive a Nobel Prize for saying exactly the opposite thing.
_______________________________

The First Law of Economics: For every economist, there exists an equal and opposite economist.

The Second Law of Economics: They're both wrong.
_______________________________

"If you put two economists in a room, you get two opinions, unless one of them is Lord Keynes, in which case you get three opinions." (Winston Churchill)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In some strange way, I'm actually gonna miss the opportunities and environment in which I can get these jokes...

THE EXAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to school and I cleaned out my locker. Two year's worth of impedimenta all taken away, leaving behind an empty space. This was the place where I had left my junk for those days in school where we'd chat during recess and laugh during lunch. And as I took away my lock, I shut the door, ready for the next student who would be using my space.

We always view the past through rose-tinted glasses.

I feel my memories turning pink.

Today was the last day of my school life at SJII. Today was the last time we had lessons in a normal class setting. And since it was the last day, we had to play pranks all round the school. Here's a list of the pranks off the top of my head:

1. Somebody replaced the national anthem CD with "Everybody Dance Now". Picture a bunch of students seriously expecting to sing the national anthem, only to hear a falsetto voice singing, "Everybody dance now!" followed by a catchy hook. Sigh... If only our anthem were that fun..
2. Sam was a retard. He took vaseline and placed it all round: doorhandles, railings, whatever. Everyone was complaining.
3. The guys also used the PA system to thank the teachers and try to play pranks. Among other things, they said, "Would Mrs Underwood please come to the library? Somebody is bending books! And they're bringing books out without a ziploc bag!" and "Would Mr Thorpe please take off his tie? It's too bright."
Pity there wasn't enough emotion. Never mind, come after the IB, you guys do it again, this time I'll come along and give you that extra oomph. =P
4. In econs class we Conga-ed round the school, going into classrooms and disrupting the otherwise quiet atmosphere of the afternoon. Dum-dum-dum-dum-duh HEY! The video's on Facebook (I'm in the process of uploading them). You can go to view it if you want.
What a pity Thiru, Menon and Juns weren't there. And that idiot Roth was injured and in the hospital. It would've been so fun!
5. Mr Wong's car and Mr Scheelbeek's motorbike were given a makeover. A la toilet paper. I hear that there're photos of that too. Can't wait to see them!

If there were any other pranks, just tell me guys. I'll add them to this list.

And now we have two weeks of hardcore mugging. But tomorrow, I have to go back to school. Forgot to clear out my stupid locker. And forgot to write down my name in the list of people who've borrowed Bio exam practice papers.

And now.. Now that it's sunken in that today was the last day of school, I'm actually feeling.. Sad.. Those two years were so quick... And I'm gonna miss all my friends.

That's it. I'm gonna cry at prom. I just know it.

Last night I went out to the SJII Art Exhibition. I met up with Jessica, Rachel, Chris Tee, Ian, Wei Jie and Yinto and we all ate at Thai Express (tom yum, beef pad thai and avocado milkshake FTW [and FTCalories]). After that we went to the art exhibition where I met up with other guys: Nat, Lex, Sid, Matthew, Wei Jin, Zhen He, Ernest, Marc and many others, even a friend from a long time ago who shot up to 183 cm DURING JC (I feel so short). The group then split and joined with a few others and this time we proceeded on to Billie Bombers for some supper drinks. Laughs were had (I hate innuendos) and the conversation flowed. Finally at 10:45 we started to make our own ways home. I accompanied Jessica part of the way back as she painfully hobbled along on her high heels (sorry I laughed so much at you Jessica. One day when you look back you’ll see the humour in the situation too =P).

And finally, after two years in SJII, I think I’m beginning to understand how friendships truly work. Firstly, you don’t choose your friends. So what if some of them have flaws? You have your own flaws too. If there’s something about them you don’t particularly like, they probably feel that same way about you too, but they’re still your friends.

Secondly, you can’t try to be everyone’s friend. You can’t try to make yourself the friend of all. Sure, you may end up doing that, but guess what? When you’re feeling down and blue, you’ll find out that though you have people to joke around with, you have nobody to give you support. And the jokes add on another burden as you struggle to maintain your cheerful and jolly facade. It’s inevitable that you become closer to a small group of people. It’s inevitable that you’ll end up spending less time with other groups of people. But we only have 24 hours in one day, only one life to lead. You can’t develop great friendships with everyone, that ain’t something you can do.

Of course, there’re many other smaller rules, but these two are the main ones which my time here has taught me. And after two years in SJII, I think that I’m finally starting to grasp the concepts behind creating great friendships (although I foresee that there’re still many more lessons I have yet to encounter).

Isn’t it ironic how I have to learn this when there’s only a week left of SJII as I know it left? But I guess there’s a reason for this. It’s a pity that it took so long, but at least I’m learning this lesson now. As they say, better late than never.

Yesterday I spent $34.30. If you know me, I’m a miser when it comes to money. I look for free stuff and always hate to spend. Therefore you might be surprised that I, the person who finds $34.30 in a day an exorbitant sum, am willing to part with it. But here’s the flip side of my personality: I save up my money for special events. Going out with friends is a special event and any physical money I have to say adieu to is worth nothing when it comes to the friendships I’ve managed to strengthen.

There’s one week of school left. Then two weeks of mad studying. Then two weeks of exams. Then freedom till NS. In this limited time I have left, I’d better do what I can. I’d better be saved by all my friends.