Clovers & Roses

Finally I'm halfway into this whole orientation week. Initially I thought that orientation was just a one or at most two days thing. Turns out that it was for a whole week so the fact that I am halfway through with it is good news :)

For today, it is without a doubt the longest day and the day which most students are dying to skip. Why? Because we have TuPSS ice breaking and that means games. I'll get deeper into it later. Anyway, today we also had laboratory briefing schedule first thing in the morning. Thank goodness it was scheduled only to begin at 10. I could sleep in and relax as I got ready to had to campus. I arrived with an hour to spare and I sat in the same lecture theater which was Lecture Theater 12. I was listening to music on my iPod and stoning there for a good 30 minutes before realizing that I am still the only one in the lecture theater. A lady in pink appeared and asked me who am I and where am I from. I told her about the orientation and she said that the orientation was not there because there is another event going on. I was shocked and quickly checked my itinerary. I nearly wanted to kick myself when I read that today's orientation was moved to Lecture Theater 6. Scrambling, I apologized to the lady and immediately left for the right lecture theater. 

Reaching there I waited outside and I heard someone call my name. Turning I saw an ex-classmate from high school and we exchanged hellos and catch up a little. Then the topic of where are we both staying at the moment came up. I explained that I was staying in SS15 and I take the bus to uni everyday. I found out that she stays there as well and after more conversing on this topic, I found out even more surprising news. She took over my super close friend's room. Coincidence or what? :D 

Attended the lab briefing which was rather extensive seeing as there were 25 labs in the uni and we will be dealing with lots of practical work. After the long briefing, we had to take a LABORATORY SKILLS TEST. Yes I kid you not. There was a test on lab skills. What's more, there is a PASSING MARK. We have to get at least 80% in order to pass. Fail and you will have to resit this test. Fail continuously and you have to undergo the lab briefing once more. They really do take lab skills to a whole new level of seriousness.

After an hour of lunch, we had to convene at Lecture Theater 2 for the TuPSS briefing as well as MyPSA briefing. We had no clue what is what but we went anyway. First up was MyPSA (Malaysian Pharmacy Student Association). This is basically a student oriented society which aims to represent all the pharmacy students be it from public or private universities at an international level. I have to admit it is pretty cool to be in an internationally recognized student body specifically for pharmacy students. And the fact that there are many interesting events that are held overseas which we as members have the chance of going. I was especially interested in the SEP (Student Exchange Program) and APPS (Asia Pacific Pharmacy Symposium). The only issue is we need to pay for the cost of going to whichever country the event is held. I'm dying to go to USA for a SEP but money wise I can't go :( Oh and one more uber cool thing with being a member of MyPSA is we get to be a member of IPSF (International Pharmaceutical Student Federation) which is where the SEP is under. So I'm definitely going to join this MyPSA.

Next was TuPSS (Taylor's University Pharmacy Student Society). This was a society we are members by default obviously. What this society is all about is just a society to represent us pharmacy students in Taylor's. Previous intakes were pretty small with only 4 from the first batch remaining here in Taylor's. Since we are the biggest intake by far, we are needed in order to have this society. In fact, our president said that TuPSS was only officially a society 4 MONTHS ago. Probably it was because they couldn't fulfill the required number of members in a society. Oh and we aim to show the Taylor's student community that there's a Pharmacy faculty here as well as we pharmacy students are not just nerdy students. 

When the briefing ended, we were all directed to the somewhat nearby basketball court/footsal court. We had to go for the games and have ice breaking sessions. The typical thing societies organize when they recruit new members. Introductions made in games, testing our teamwork skills and basically have fun. I wasn't really into this whole thing but at the end of the day, I actually had a really good time with the games. Although the bizarre drink game was the worse of all. We had to randomly pick a small piece of paper which has an alphabet written on it. That alphabet represents which bottle our team gets. I was the first person so I drew a C. As our group facilitator was walking back with the respective bottle, I saw a dark brown liquid in it. Immediately I guessed it is soy sauce diluted in water. It was bizarre drinks after all. 

Without giving away any hint, the facilitator just said we will find out when we drink it. Poured my first cup full and I was spot on with my guess. It was indeed soy sauce water. The first cup was salty and difficult to swallow but I managed it. Oh I forgot to mention that the bottle is 1.5 LITERS. All of us had to drink it up. Every single drop. And we cannot spill any or we'll be penalized. In the end everyone in my group took a cup each and there was still quarter left in the bottle. I asked of anyone else wanted a second cup (obviously no one did) and looked over at the two guys in our team. They didn't even make a move to take the bottle so I did the only thing left to do, I poured myself a second cup and downed it. I had to take one for the team as they say. I nearly puked my guts out with that last swallow. If the first cup was already salty, the second cup was 10 times saltier. 

Although it was pretty embarrassing with some games and super fun with the others, we actually made more friends and got to know the seniors who were really funny and outgoing. They all have the outgoing spirit and I have to say that it is definitely infectious :D Overall my group a.k.a Group 2, GOT THIRD PLACE!! How awesome was that? I wasn't expecting to win anything but hey whadaya know :) My pressies like all school related events are well school related: 

Throughout this three days I've been together with the same two girls and I consider them to be my girlies in uni. These two are funny and super fun to be with and the three of us just click. Who knows, our friendship may last for a lifetime. At least I hope it does but like always, only time can tell :) 

Oh and I got my Student ID today. It is completely fugly. I look super weird with my too wide smile and the lighting was so off. And I do look like a freak with bangs :( OMG I WANNA SLAP THE PEOPLE WHO DID THE LIGHTING THERE. You can't see how horrible it actually is through this photo but trust me, the real thing is horrid. 

Orientation days are growing lesser

Classes are around the corner

I am a little afraid of the degree of difficulty of the course

What if I can't cope?

SHIT.FUCK.SHIT

Love love love always

 ♥

-xxlynnalurve