Story of my life

Change

People change. It's a fact. Change is often followed by a sense of unfamiliarity, the very reason why some people hate it. There's nothing comforting in unfamiliarity, unless you find comfort in the unknown...or in discomfort. But what if people are just discovering themselves each time?

I used to be a people pleaser (typical tween years) then I changed because it doesn't work for me. It was tiring and it costed me too much. To some people, this could have been a bad change, because now my 'services' are no longer available. To me? One of the best darn things I've ever done for myself.

I think change is scary, but it can be good. We change to cope, to grow and to find, all with the goal to just be happy. With that said, I guess I understand. I can't say I accept or support all changes, because some are too hard or goes against my principles. Whatever the case, at least I understand.

(Of course there are downright bad bad bad changes, like getting addicted to alcohol or drugs and being totally irresponsible etc then it'd be a different story, obviously. Donchu try to be smart with me!)

Automatic Crap

Automated things hate me. They hardly ever see me coming. It's as if I'm invisible. I can walk right up to automated doors and they just stay freaking closed! Someone else would have to approach the door for it to open. Like what??!?!? It's not just doors. The taps too. I have to do all kinds of stupid (possibly offensive) hand gestures before ever washing my hands.

The one automatic crap I wish would ignore me sometimes and leave me alone though is the darn toilet flush. Halfway peeing and the flush decides it's its time to shine. 

Growing Up

Whenever I think about turning 21 this year, I'm like, heck, I don't even remember having 20 birthdays! Da crap? I can't be that old. 

Birthdays I remember: the time I had a big kiddie birthday party, the time I was such a hormonal depressive teenager my friends should have beaten me up instead of getting me cake, the time my friends surprised me in my sleep (to which I could only begin to react after they had all gone home because I WAS thaaaat slow), the one where I freaked out about singing in front of a crowd, the time my boyfriend went for a stupid marathon without training then fell sick and the time my boyfriend decided it'd be fun to be in Canada away from me for 4 freaking months.

So if I do the math, I should be...6 and turning 7. Now that just makes more sense. Okay so the truth is I clearly don't want to grow up. I'm dreading adulthood and I'm pretty sure adults understand that. They pay bills, run errands and be all adult-y and stuff.

When you're young, you think freedom comes with independence. The fact is you only gain freedom from your parents (that doesn't mean they're completely out of your life, I just mean you call the shots now) but you become a slave to the world. Independence is not another word for freedom for sure.

The world be like, WERK. Give us all your moneh! Pop babies! Wake early or no breakfast! Make decisions! Think! Don't drink and drive! Slave to the world right there. (Seriously though, don't drink and drive.)

It's just so hard being an adult.  What if I screw up?

Food Glorious Food

I am so blessed to be able to stuff myself with so much good food. The problem is that the better food you eat, the higher your standards. Suddenly all the crap you used to love taste like real crap. Being brought up in a food haven like Ipoh certainly didn't help. Having a talented cook like my late grandma didn't help either. (I swear by her taste buds!) 

Now that I'm studying in Singapore, it's so hard to get value for money when it comes to food. It's as if I have to fork out 5 to 20 times the price (compared to Malaysia) for a good meal. Fortunately, I live with my uncle's family and my uncle is such a good cook! (His awesome food blog, a tribute to my grandmother: www.foodcanon.com) 

Honestly, the reason I look forward to each new day is simply because my tummy is empty and ready for the coming 5 meals! Yes 5 (or more), because I eat for fun so much I end up having frequent small meals rather than 2 to 3 big ones. Apparently, it helps keep your metabolism going. What a happy coincidence! Hah. 

I get so upset after an unpleasant meal because I feel so dissatisfied. All that wasted stomach space! Guess it's time to tap into my (hopefully existent) raw cooking skills and churn out some good food for myself. Soon. Or later. Maybe when I'm older. And living alone. And have no choice but to cook for myself. :/ I don't even know why I blog about these things.

Living Responsibility

I think we owe it to ourselves and the people around us to be responsible for our own lives. Enough with the overdoses and suicides and accidents due to irresponsibility. Value yourselves, for heaven's sake. 

The pain you put people through by leaving prematurely is unthinkable. It's a torture to feel so torn in such an event. I would mourn for you but at the same time I'd be so mad that you were so irresponsible. Is that really the last feeling you ever want to put people through? Being torn that way is such a horrible feeling so stop being selfish and cruel and think about the people who actually care for you.

If you don't think anyone cares for you at all, then you at least owe it to yourself to care for yourself. Don't expect the world to cradle you and sing you lullabies. If you think that's too hard, well it's time to think again. Stop wallowing in your little puddle of mud and get out. Stop trying to run away. Stop putting your worth in things that will depreciate.

If you don't want your life, give it to something worth it like improving the lives of other people. If you don't want to live for yourself, live for someone else. At least it's put to better use. Find value in yourself. A lot of people wish they could live longer so don't you dare treat yours casually or throw it away.

Don't any of you people I know dare leave this world irresponsibly. I'd be really mad. Sad but definitely mad! 

Minion

Hi this is Stuart the minion. Finally, someone to do my bidding.

Now I have this little guy to applaud my every move. Sho adawabuwl! Totally making him clap for me ALL THE TIME! HAHAHA.

Aren't I quite the genius? *clap clap clap*
Confidence level over 1000! Okay, totally cheap thrill but I like!

Yay for the boy who queued and got it for me! Stuart the minion claps for you. (Oh and you're my minion too.)

I don't think I'll ever get bored of that gif. Haha.

The Truth Is This

Sometimes you make me so angry. After awhile I feel so drained because to be upset is tiring, especially being upset with you. I get so tired I just want to stop. Sometimes when things like that happen, we worry either one of us would just give up and let go.

The truth is I want to argue with you, because you're worth arguing with. Rather than just trying to make everything okay, I want to be able to get so mad at you and give you my very honest two cents, knowing that neither of us are going anywhere, knowing that you want to argue with me too because you care. 

Because after feeling so tired, I'm secretly excited that we've reached this stage where I can just be honest with you and not worry about losing you; because I know full well that you are mine and I am yours and that it'll take more than just thunder and lightning to change that.

The truth is I want to argue with you, as much as I want to laugh with you and mourn with you and be bored with you and be excited and crazy and silly and stupid and annoying with you. All because you're worth it.

Stairs

There's this unspoken escalator rule in Singapore where you stand on the left side if you're...well, just standing OR walk up/down the escalator on the right as if you're very busy and time is so very precious that even the moving escalator is not fast enough for you. Basically, it's stand left, walk right.

Most of the time I keep right and walk because I'm the sort of person who can't keep still.....unless it's a long long way up. Also because during peak hour, you try to be faster than everyone else to get to your destination as soon as you can so you don't have to wait with a whole bunch of other people. Also because I'm very busy and time is so very precious that even the moving escalator is not fast enough for me. Ha ha ha. No. Anyway.

Today on my way back from work, I took the stairs down and thought to myself, "Better keep right and take a speedy walk down."

Seconds later I realise I'm actually taking the stairs. THE. STAIRS. Then I was like, "What, people walk down the stairs on the right and stand still on the left?"

I actually had to take a couple more seconds to process that thought.

Sentiment Marks the Pants

Early today I was thinking, "I'm quite a sentimental person." I always find some sort of value in most things. I looked at the green pants I was wearing that I love so much and thought to myself, "If I was offered to trade this pair for a new one, would I do it?" Immediately I answered, "No. This particular one has been with me since I bought it. This pair has taken the shape of my butt and legs. We've become intimate. We've become one. I wouldn't replace it."

Sentimental or what?

Later today, I noticed marks on my pants. Sad I am. Then the same question came to mind. 

"...yes, a new pair would be nice."

Not sure if the point of the story is how sentiment is conditional or to not be emotionally attached to pants OR I'm just weird and crazy and think of stupid things.

I need to rethink my life.

Sweet Adventure

I need an adventure. I hunger for one. So I went on one: I.....bought jellybeans! Now THAT is a boxful of adventure. You have yummy ones like piña colada and fruit punch all the way to crappy ones like cinnamon and liquorice. You just never know what you're going to get. That's what makes it such an adventure.

Jellybeans are exciting. On that note, I really hate liquorice. It's the black one and it sucks! Disgusting piece of yuck. Those black yuckers make all the others taste a zillion times better. But I suppose that's what adventures are like. 

Aisle and Window

I'm on an aisle seat of a bus at 5.28pm and we all know it's blazing hot. The bus is equipped with air-con so it shouldn't be so bad but oh, it is so hot! There are two air-con vents (thank you Jon!) for every two seats right? But Ms. Window Seater has kindly adjusted both directly at her face and rest of body. Good thinking! I'm thinking, 'That's cool...' *laughs at my own joke*

I look around me and all window seaters are hogging both. I see their hairs dancing to the rhythm of the cool air that caresses them while mine sits in the humid still air. I'm hoping some cool air would bounce off her to me but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. 

I sit up for as little contact with my seat as possible, so less heat is generated, and skew slightly towards her in the most non-awkward way possible. I'm thinking, 'Cool air, caress me! Take my body!' but nothing. I now accept my fate and bask in the glorious heat as it squeezes every drop of water it can from my already dehydrated body. Lovely.

Here's a self-reminder to consider poor aisler whenever I'm the windower.

Nosy and Noses

I really like staring at people. I like observing people. I should really rethink that because I once had the privilege of catching two people dig their noses on the train, one after the other in one ride. Their fingers were deep into their nostrils, twirling vigorously like a drill as if to expand their holes. One even rolled her booger between her fingers after that. What is wrong with people, seriously?

I also like eavesdropping. It's just so interesting to hear the things people talk about. Once I heard two guys talk about how this rich princess of a girl expects the guy to pay for everything when on a date and that he doesn't have that kind of money. I also heard a man tell a child that the rafflesia is a creature. How interesting.

I especially like looking at couples though, mainly because they always look the happiest. Their faces look so smitten, staring into each other's soft gaze, smiling and laughing and whispering. I used to find it really disgusting but I guess when you're in a relationship, you begin to understand it and become more accepting of such things.

Just to clarify, I'm not the nosy-squeeze-gossip-from-everyone kind of person. I just enjoy analysing behaviour. Now that I've scared everyone, well good, it's going to be interesting to see how you behave around me. Haha I'm such a freak. I'm kidding okay. Don't freak out...much. Just stop digging your noses in front of me. (Or at least use a tissue) That's so disgusting I can't even unsee it. :/

Only Human

Most people yearn for significance. We push ourselves at everything in hope of achieving something. We hope to be worth something and to have something to hold on to, something we can call ours. For some people, they discover their fortes early in life so growing up is just achievement after achievement. Of course they have their own issues too, but I'm not talking about those right now.

For awhile I thought doing well academically could be my forte. Sure, I'm good at a few other things, but I don't excel in them. I clung on to this belief that academics could be my thing because I saw potential in myself. Mostly, I felt it had more to do with hard work than smarts. Perhaps it isn't so hard right?

So every time I get even a B+, I'd flip. In my most recent set of results, I got more B+s than what I'd consider acceptable according to my standards and my 'standard' states that I cannot have more than one B+. This really broke me because it hit me that I'm really just average...again. This realisation is in real conflict with my perfectionist syndrome.

After such horrifying results, I decided I had to let go. I had to stop letting it define my worth and make it my thing, because it's not. I had to stop treating every B+ like a dagger through my stomach or I'd be dead before I graduate with a degree. Few weeks after receiving those results, I pushed myself into writing again, just hoping to bury myself in my world of words and find my worth.

I know I've been putting my worth in all the wrong places. I've allowed unstable frivolity to define me, pressuring myself unnecessarily. Knowing is one thing, changing is another. It is difficult to recalibrate such thoughts. It is as if I just found out that I'm only human. Now I have to learn to accept myself for who I am.

PS: I'm not giving up my spirit of excellence. I'm just cutting myself some slack and learning to be more realistic.

PPS: I thought long and hard about whether to post this on the www because being this honest makes me feel vulnerable and I'd hate that. But when I struggled with this, I felt better knowing I wasn't alone. Maybe someone going through the same thing would read this and find comfort knowing he/she is not alone too.

Idiot

My internship has begun and it has been absolutely fun. For now. Maybe except for the countless scientific journals I have to read. Just an update for those who don't know, I'm doing research work for National Neuroscience Institute.

Yesterday we had a meeting and I met my big boss for the first time. He was talking to us (probably about something important) and the whole time I was so distracted, unable to concentrate on what he was saying because I kept thinking, "Concentrate on what he says, concentrate on what he says." Then he asked a question.

*looks to fellow intern*

I really am an idiot.

Benefit of a Doubt

A common thing we often do is apply our own beliefs and ideas to others. We judge according to what we know and how we perceive things, overseeing the possibility of external circumstances. This brings to mind a story told over the pulpit of a company boss who had an employee who wasn't meeting expectations.

His work often came in late. He was disorganized. The word lazy stood out. By right the boss was to fire him but he decided to look into the matter first. Turns out the man was struggling with terrible family and financial issues. Before, he had always been a hard worker. In such a situation, it is easy to think that he was just lazy. We hardly consider other possible reasons.

Do work, you're hardworking. Don't, lazy. Talk to someone, friendly. Don't talk, unfriendly. Early, responsible. Late, irresponsible. Good results, smart. Bad, stupid. Do we ever pause to consider other reasons? Is everything according to what we know alone?

I should clarify that I am absolutely not condemning such behavior. I am in no position to say that it is wrong. It is normal, but it doesn't make it right either. I record this down only as a reminder to myself to try to be more understanding.

The worst thing about being understanding though, is that sometimes it makes everything harder. I think it's worth it to offer people a little fairness before settling on a conclusion that could lead to unintentional harm.

Jerks

Wish upon a lantern.

I hate it when people are unfair, then they tell you to deal with it because "life's unfair".

You already know that life is naturally unfair, why do you have to make life even more unfair than it already is? Jerks.

That's like saying "People are going to screw you up, I might as well screw you up too." What kind of philosophy is that?

Humankind are becoming more detestable. Sometimes I wish I weren't human.

Black Hole

There is this phenomena where everything that goes missing in the house suddenly turns up days/months/years later when a certain someone decides to clean her desk (and that is only if you're lucky). I call it the black hole.

Everything just gets sucked into nothingness. Once you lose something and there it goes, no matter how hard you search, you will never find it. Not unless the creator of the black hole pulls it out herself.

My follow-up theory is that if I am ever in danger, the black hole would make an excellent place to hide. I should try hiding there one day. It could make an interesting experiment.

Midnight Snacking

Risotto nero, one of my favourites!
(though not an accessible midnight snack...sadly)

There's this little competition every night between your stomach and the rest of your body; between falling asleep and getting hungry. You have to sleep before you're hungry or you're going to have a bad time. Sometimes I pass the mark and I'm sleepy and hungry at the same time.

At moments like that, sleep wins because I'm too lazy to get out of bed, I've already brushed my teeth and I just want tomorrow to come quickly so I can eat for the day. But oh, the horror of having to sleep hungry. It is torture.

You know what that means? Extend food intake period! Midnight snacks for the win! Case closed. (As if I need another excuse to eat. Ha ha ha.)

An Enemy Too Close

It always begins with a thought. It could be small, ridiculous and irrational so I brush it away. But it's still there. Then everything that follows begins to deceitfully justify that thought. Before you know it, you believe it. That little thought that wasn't properly discarded lingered and grew.

At DG today, we read that distorted images empower ideas. I can relate to that. If you let a potentially harmful idea remain in your head, it's going to behave like a lens that distorts every image, falsely proving your silly thought. It becomes a filter that hides the truth.

The more these thoughts are fed, the more self-destructive you become. You sabotage your relationships, your happiness, yourself. You become your worst enemy, an enemy you trust the most and could never suspect.

Some go on to play the game of blame. Some, I hope, recognize it before it's too late. Me? I'm just constantly trying to save myself from myself.

Freak Show

Exactly what my Biostatistics test today felt like.

I'm a freak show every exam period. Feel like dying before a paper. Stressed. Feel completely relaxed. Paranoid. Difficult paper. Stressed. Easy paper. Paranoid. I just can't be normal.

Then there's that thing where I study and study and my head hurts. It's as if my brain was meant for stupider things and I was pushing its (very low) limit. The key is to de-stress as much as you stress so you can take on more stress.

Problem is that it's a time consuming process so you have to start stressing early. Problem is that it's hard to feel the pressure when your test isn't tomorrow. Problem is that by then it'd be too late and will screw up. Problem is that I don't want to screw up.

Story of a lousy student.

Pathetic

I am always the awkward penguin at every social event. I never know what to say and tend to experience moments of stillness. It makes me look stupid so I sip from my cup, fiddle with my phone and sip some more. That's my usual drill. (That's probably every awkward person's usual drill.) Or blog. Like I am doing now. Yeah. Hi.

It works because you keep drinking and filling your glass and peeing so it gets you moving about (or it could look like you have bad bladder control but lets be optimistic). Then the phone thing makes you look somewhat sociable (media-wise) even if you're not. Clearly, social events are quite a chore for me.

Even so, I still like social events...occasionally. It's the only time I ever try to come out of my own little world and mingle. Of course it is also a facade so people think I have a life outside books HAHA. I don't know why I always have to make myself sound so pathetic. I'm not. Not always. Sometimes. No. Not pathetic. Bye.

The Cheese Platter

Valentine's day turned out lovely, even though I've got plenty to do and I'm really stressed and the chocolate truffles I tried to make for the boy turned out disastrous. Oh disaster indeed! Dumped the butter in too early and spilled cream all over the floor too. That aside, time spent with that precious soul was delightful.

I used to find Valentine's day too cheesy and insignificant but love always makes everything feel like a million splendid stars. Suddenly everything pales in comparison. Right when you think you're the happiest you've ever been, love just comes around and turns your heart into fireworks and your head, a blob of butter gone bonkers.

Wow that was cheesy. I should call this post 'The Cheese Platter'.

Dressing Up

There are 2 reasons to dress up:
1. You're about to be among people who will be dressed up. That includes celebrations, occasions, events and Ren shopping.
2. You're feeling down.

Right now I'm in a semi-casual black dress on my way to school. You actually get a lot of people dressier than that but I consider this a dress up compared to my usual top and shorts or denim skirt.

I doubt there is any legit reason for dressing up when you're down. Dress better, feel better right? Perhaps it's a psychological effect. If you feel like crap, why look like crap though? At least look good while you're at it and hope it balances the glum.

Even if it doesn't work, I'll pretend it does; because if you pretend long enough, you just might believe it.

I am a Jedi

My dreams are always packed with adventure. Last night, I was a young padawan (apprentice training to be a Jedi). Star Wars stuff. I really can't remember the colour of my light saber. Anyway, the Siths and stormtroopers had killed our Jedi masters and we the young padawans (about 12 of us) fought for our lives before going into hiding.

All the fighting made us hungry and this girl downed bowl after bowl of something only to die poisoned. By then we knew we weren't safe and quickly left but a Sith and an army of stormtroopers were waiting for us just outside and so we were caught. They brought us to the Sith Lord and he proceeded to explain his true reason for killing the Jedis.

Yoda! (Simply because he's my favourite character in Star Wars)

For power, yes! You see the Jedis owned Oreo and everyone eats Oreos and that is power! The Siths only had cream crackers which were meh. Oreo in ice-cream, cakes, yoghurt, EVERYTHING. The Oreo owners, the Jedis were powerful! That's why the Siths wanted us dead, so they could rule the world with their horrible cream crackers.

Only 2 of us padawans managed to escape. The rest were killed. We then received a message to go to a secret Jedi headquarters. It could have been a trap but it was our only hope so we had to be careful. Once we got there, we found familiar faces who were family members and we were safe. It didn't take long for the Siths to discover us.

They invaded our headquarters and my friend and I were worried because we were the only 2 with Jedi training and light sabers to protect the lot. Surprise surprise, another 2 of the lot were secretly Jedis, unsheathing their light sabers and fighting alongside us. We slashed and we killed but the Sith Lord was strong. It took 3 of us to fully engage him in combat before one of them sliced him in half, head to...you-know-where.

Finally we won. We counted the few of us who survived and noticed a stranger among us. It was a woman with funny hair. Suddenly a bunch of weird looking people and creatures appeared from behind our walls. Everyone pointed weapons at everyone while a creature pierced the lady's head with a knife. Then the weird people swore their allegiance to us and the lady that was stabbed in the head wasn't even dead and was actually good. Apparently they were forced to work for the Siths and were finally freed. Hah hah hah. The end.

A Potato Just Died

I haven't had potato chips in awhile, which is totally unusual. Alright I had quite a bit at Grandma Margaret's 70th birthday party last week but it doesn't count because I didn't have a whole packet to myself. It's hard to enjoy potato chips without a whole packet for complete satisfaction.

Each day you don't eat potato chips, a potato dies for no reason. So I ask myself, am I really willing to be responsible for the unreasonable death of potatoes? I'm not a monster. I can't. It's not right. Back in the years during wars and what not, potatoes kept our ancestors alive. They deserve more love than that.

My potato chips craving is well justified and so it is only right that it be well satisfied. I shall head to the shops now.

Shoes, They Backstab

All my shoes hate me. How very two-faced! They look all pretty and lovable then they just stab me in the back (of my feet, which totally counts). Shoes are like (some) girls: vicious, manipulative and high-maintenance. They even felt comfy when I first tried them on, you know, as if they loved me back, as if the feeling was mutual. Deceitful creatures. I'm not even talking about heels. Even flats!

I spend all that money on them and treat them with love only to be betrayed. Oh and what are shoes for again? Right, protecting my feet. "You were the chosen one!" Sometimes when I just can't take it anymore, I take them off, walk barefooted and suddenly I see trees of green, clouds of white, bright blessed days, dark sacred nights, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world!

I guess it's the flip flops that are always faithful. They don't bite, they're cheap and they aren't high maintenance at all. Actually...no. Once I was in Cambodia wearing flip flops and it broke when we had to walk through a certain village filled with mud and animal faeces and mother of rubbish. I ended up with stuff in my hair and my face and my clothes. I was quite a sight. Great. Then it's official. ALL my shoes hate me.

PS: In case you think I'm a total idiot, I'm not. (Just partially.) I do wear the right size and I do have a small percentage of faithful shoes.

Hello Hopeless

So. I went to the gym yesterday. I was an utter embarrassment. There are only 2 treadmills in the gym and a middle aged lady was using one of them. She was short, a little plump and was going at a steady speed.

I turned on the unoccupied one, got on it and decided to set it for half an hour of cardio and weight loss. Each button you press goes 'teeeet' (I decided against spelling it 'tit' because you know, I'll be all tit tit tit and it just doesn't seem appropriate).

Reason why the boyf calls me pizzaface.
(at least I don't look that round anymore :/ )

After keying in my weight and height and so on, I was ready to go but I just couldn't get it to start. Teet teet teet teet teet, still no movement. Finally realized I didn't increase the speed. Clearly an idiot.

My goal was half an hour. I started with a jog. Three minutes in and I began panting, the aunty beside me steady as ever. I pushed myself for a bit more until I felt like I couldn't take it anymore. Teet teet teet teet teet teet teet teet *lowering the speed for a brisk walk*...okayfineitwasn'tbrisk.

'Must *breathe in breathe out breathe in breathe out* start *breathe in breathe out breathe in breathe out* jogging *breathe in breathe out breathe in breathe out* again!' So I start jogging again. Another few minutes and I felt like dying. Why the heck do people want to torture themselves like that? I just don't get it.

While the aunty beside me jogged steadily THE WHOLE TIME with increasing speed, I was doing the waaaaalllkkkk jog waaaalllkkkk jog waaaaalllkkk jog STOP sequence. Thought to myself, 'Alright nobody spends that little time on the treadmill, what more the gym. Maybe I'll lift weights.'

I picked up the lightest 2 and followed instructions on some poster. Two minutes later, I was out the door. The aunty? Still on the treadmill. After that I tell the boyfriend, "I went to the gym today." He smiles bright like the sun and says, "Oh yay, good for you!" *smug face*

The Sardine Phenomenon

Crowded buses. I hate them with a burning passion. I hate feeling like a pack of sardines. The smell of sardines cloud my nostrils each time. The inability for much movement - I cannot stay still - I wasn't born for that (partly why I have such a short attention span). Awkward positions of ass to ass, ass to front, front to front, front to side, ass to side all only an inch away - heck they all sound wrong. At each bus stop, it's as if the buses are competing to see how many people they can fit in them.

Each jerk of the bus makes my heart jerk and my arms flailing to find something to grab on to, hopefully not someone's hair...anywhere at all. I know, I'll just stretch my arm way out to grab that pole and let some people within the vicinity have the luxury of whiffing my underarms. At least I don't sweat fish decay. I wish I could say the same for everyone else.

The greatest relief is that moment you step out of that sardine machine and catch a breath of fresh air. At least this doesn't happen all the time. Yet how wonderful to have classes that begin during the morning peak period and end during the evening peak period. Absolutely brilliant. And sometimes it's so packed that the buses don't even stop for you and just whizz by. Thanks, now I'll be late for class, like I am right now. Might as well have slept for a precious extra 10 minutes.

That aside, I am grateful for the rather efficient public transport system. I just hate crowds.