#59 Stay Unproductively Productive This Summer!

What’s a girl to do when she does not have an internship (oh, blame the economy!), nor a summer program to attend? Especially after a semester abroad filled with adventures, parties and fun/strange encounters, nothing is ever going to top that, unless I can win the lottery and go backpack around Europe.

Not that I’m NOT fretting. But nothing to do might just be the very thing I need, to wind down from the excitement, to reflect on what I’ve done (and not done) and to rethink about my future (a nicer way of saying ‘mope about my impending doom’).

If I could, I would book the first flight out and laze in the sun on a sunny beach in Thailand…but no, I’m just stuck at home and I’m not about to spend this summer working a 9-to-5 minimum-wage job.

While the economy is in the dumps, and while I spend my days dreaming about a Roman Holiday, what can I do, besides sleeping 18 hours a day and waiting for my Kenting tan to fade away?

Pick up a new language!
I mean, my dream of backpacking in Europe is going to come true! By hook, or by crook. So why not prepare for it by learning a European language or two? Or fulfil your spy fantasy by picking up something exotic!  Konichiwa!

Read a book!
Okay, I practically didn’t read anything except my notes right before the finals (very reluctantly, in fact). So this is a good time to put some brain cells back into my head and curl up with a nice book.

Work out!
I bet I’m not the only one who has neglected to exercise, whether you are too busy studying or partying over the last semester. And you’re regretting it now because you NEED that bikini bod to soak up the summer sunshine! Better late than never, there’s always next summer…or if you are fit enough, the last rays of this summer are for you to catch!

Meet up with an old friend.
What are friends for? More importantly, what are old friends for? Besides reminiscing about old times and harping over old crushes, you can reconnect and make plans to go shopping, ogle at cute boys at the coffee joint or a short holiday!

Go on a holiday!
Well, I’ve been dreaming about this one. And hopefully, before summer winds down to an end, I can make it happen. Six more weeks to go!

Well, if I can achieve at least 3 out of 5, I’d at least be a advanced beginner in a new spiffy language, have a bodalicious physique to fit into all the back-to-school outfits, AND a funny vacation story to tell!

#58 It’s the End of the Semester!

Studying abroad is undoubtedly one of, if not the most, memorable experiences a college student is going to get, besides the one time when you get super drunk and fall headfirst, naked, into someone’s pool with a bucket over your head. My semester in HKU, truth be told, was a spiritual and emotional rollercoaster, full of ups and downs, Kodak moments, cringe-worthy awkward moments…you name it I’ve probably gone through it.

I still remembered the excitement and trepidation I felt the moment I landed after my very short 4-hour flight from home, stepping through the sliding doors of the airport into the wintry cold air in HK. Everything looked so familiar yet foreign at the same time. There was a whiff of uncertainty and adventure in the air, and I knew this is it, this is my moment, and I’m here to find myself…be it the good, the bad, the weird or the ugly, I will treasure this journey.

Till this moment, I still scoffed inwardly at my friends who had intense pangs where they missed home so much they wanted to book the first flight back. Coming from a predominantly Asian society, where MOST kids live with their parents till they are married (oh, God forbid, but what choice do we have), I thoroughly relish this little piece of haven, this refreshing taste of freedom that comes with studying abroad. My own space, my own responsibility, my own life, in my own hands. Our parents will always think of us as their babies, whether we are 5, 15 or 35. But something inside us tells us, they can’t hold onto us forever, and one day they will have to let us find ourselves…and the journey began.

I started the semester, hopeful to learn something new, not so fresh-faced as an exchange student that merged seamlessly into a sea of Asian faces, excited to be in a new place all by myself, psyched to have a whole new territory to explore. Eventually, as the semester went on, the novelty quickly wore off, as of most things, and everything began to become repetitive cycles of normalcy — grocery-shopping, check; laundry, check; cooking for one, check; waking up by myself in the morning (though not quite successfully), check; going to the doctor, check; partying till 5am, check. There wasn’t anything I couldn’t really deal with at all, and I finally felt like I was growing up.

The lectures were at best intriguing, because everything I hear about HK I hear it for the first time, and everything sounded interesting and new to me, but not the local students — from their deadpanned expressions I could tell they have heard it at least a thousand times. There weren’t any tutorials, something I could really really get used to. The readings were minimal; but the papers were hellish to write. Moreover, having the pass-fail option at the back of my mind didn’t help to alleviate my affliction of chronic procrastination. It was easy to skip classes and justify it by saying ‘Oh hell, I could still pass without going to one lecture”, and one lecture became two, and then three and there was the fourth…and was it the fifth time? And before you know it, exams are round the corner, and you thought HOLY CRAP, I only went for two lectures for that class for the entire semester, the first one to “make a good first impression” and the random one because you had to submit your paper in class.

And there was all the explorations around HK over the weekends, and getaway trips in China. There were easily the best part of studying abroad here, the hiking in the countryside, enjoying the non-urban scenery and for once getting away from all the air and noise pollution in the city. The natural landscape in HK was surprisingly beautiful. I am baffled how HK was never portrayed as a place boasting spectacular sightseeing sites and hiking trails. The shopping was only okay, it wasn’t as though there weren’t H&M and Sephora in other cities, and the local brands weren’t must-buy fantastic either. On the other hand, the food was amazing, especially if you’re willing to part with a little more money, you can find gastronomical deals at yummy rates in an equally sweet ambience. The dimsum was obviously THE thing to try, but the Japanese and Western cuisines aren’t too shabby either.

I would proudly say that HK wasn’t a bad choice at all, and now looking back, the places I’ve explored, the food I’ve tasted and the friends I’ve met…I *could* probably ask for more, but right now, it couldn’t be more perfect as it is.

It’s the end of the semester…I’m not ashamed to say that I didn’t quite miss home much. Not because I don’t love the feeling of being home and being around people I’m familiar with, but I was so utterly sick of being stuck in the same place for all twenty years of my life and I just can’t wait to break out of my shell and see the world. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing but this experience tells me that I needed this. I am more certain than ever about what I want in life, and I want to be out there to overcome any fear of being alone in a new place, to immerse myself in a new culture, to learn a new language and to begin living through all my five senses.

But before I dream about all of that, I just want to finish the finals so I can lounge on the beach in the likes of Stanley and Repulse Bay and enjoy the summer sun before heading home to the disgustingly artificial sands in Sentosa.

Five Reasons Why You Should See Slumdog Millionaire

 

Slumdog Millionaire is easily one of the best movies of this decade. It’s everything a modern-day movie ought to be: Poignant, dramatic, and romantic.

It inspires, educates and entertains, plus it opens your eyes to one of the most shocking human rights issues in recent times.

1. It won Best Picture in the Oscars! What can I say, it has the Oscar stamp of approval.

2. It keeps your heart racing from start to end.

3. There are no Hollywood movie stars distracting you from appreciating the drama and cinematography.

4. It brings you through all kinds of emotion: joy, sadness, fear, disgust, horrow, surprise, panic, excitement… a good emotional rollercoaster.

5. The ending will keep you smiling for hours on end after you leave the theater.

#57 Yay for Starbucks on Campus

As I sat comfortably in the brown pinewood chair in the Starbucks on campus, quietly enjoying the solitude of savouring a quiche and my favourite drink, a refreshingly delightful iced caramel macchiato with additional whipped cream on top, I mused about the sense of comfort and familiarity Starbucks has begun to bestow upon me every time I walk through the glass doors with its characteristically deep green shuttered roof above my head. The staff always have a mega-watt smile on their faces, ready to take your orders and make your day a better one by serving up your favourite pick-me-up, although some outlets do make better macchiatos than others.

We didn’t have a Starbucks on campus back home, so imagine my delight when I stepped on campus here in HKU a few weeks ago to see the round, green and white sign that is easily the most recognizable worldwide (with the exception of the Golden Arches of course). And imagine the added euphoria and pleasant surprise to know that students get a discount off the menu in the campus branch. Oh, needless to say, I’ll be living off this place quite a bit, when I crave that much needed break from all the MSG-laden Chinese food here.

I begin to wonder, what is the allure of this place, and why does it seem to have such a powerful hold over us, us meaning people who couldn’t help but gravitate towards Starbucks, happily surrendering 6 dollars for a cup of exorbitantly-priced coffee, and instantly let the effect sink in…all the serotonin beginning to flood our bloodstream. Is it a placebo effect or has Starbucks become a true sanctuary for the busy cityslicker who just needs a respite from all the hustle and bustle?

Sipping on my iced coffee in 15°C weather here on campus, I sat and my inner eavesdropper began picking up the ongoing conversations around me. Even though this is campus, it is clearly evident that not everyone sitting in there is a college student, as I witnessed a Polish lady in her mid 30s sitting by herself in one corner, approached by a Finnish lady of around her age who seemed equally lonely in the busy coffee joint, and began striking up a lively conversation about their new life in Hong Kong. A young couple cosied up to one another at the side, staring intently at their Toshiba laptop before them, occasionally letting a knowing hearty laugh escape their lips before resuming their task. A bohemian-chic girl lounged in a chair opposite me, fingering her cup of coffee on the table, listening to her iPod, looking like she desperately needed a cigarette (but of course she can’t ‘cos you can’t smoke inside the joint – no pun intended).

A clink of the glass and spoon, a chug of the coffee maker, a holler from the barista, a tinkle of the bell as the door swings open — a cacophony of your usual Starbucks sounds, a little noisy yes, but nonetheless sedative, calming and therapeutic on the soul. Chai, caramel macchiato or chocolate, pick your poison and feel the happy effects settling in. You know you’d love it.

#56 Freedom In The Classroom: Learning To Speak Your Mind

Anyone who has studied abroad can tell you that there are countless perks of studying abroad, like not having to bust your ass to score because grades are non-transferable, easier courses (depending on whether you traded up/down in your choice of host university), freedom to date exotic, foreign students, being able to explore other sides of your persona on campus and not having to worry about consequences (i.e what people think about you since most of them don’t know you anyway)… Indeed, studying abroad is a fun and rewarding experience, be it physically, spiritually or intellectually.

I know many people don’t really see studying abroad as an opportunity to explore academic pursuits and stretch their intellectual potential. I also know not all students enjoy the benefits of just having to pass the courses taken overseas to earn the credits that count towards graduation. But I know for sure that the desire to travel around a foreign place and party with new-found friends is irresistible, and even the most inspired and diligent student lets loose and goes a little wilder than usual.

Despite so, I try to keep myself grounded and remind myself constantly of my purpose, and vow not to end up like many a drunken exchange student whose unbecoming photos end up on Facebook. (Remember, even though people overseas may not know you or remember what you did, the photos may circulate and end up on FB where people who actually know you WILL see them!) Exploring the host university’s campus and what it has to offer for its own students and visiting ones alike, is one thing that’s very much neglected, especially in the face of all the great fun and adventures that await you.

Many exchange students take advantage of the fact that since they are overseas, nobody knows them, and they can do anything they want…in the negative sense of course, like skipping out on one too many classes, propping legs up over chairs in lectures, pigging out and talking on the cellphone in class…things they usually wouldn’t do back home because they wouldn’t want to piss a professor they are going to face for the next couple of semesters off. But since they are only going to be overseas for one semester, it doesn’t matter if the prof is mad…as long as they pass the course.

Why not exercise your privilege of being the ‘foreign student’, but reverse your mindset? Take advantage of your anonymity and say what you want! I am beginning to relish the fact that most people in class don’t know me and I probably won’t see my fellow lecture mates ever again, to do something that I would cringe to do back home — Ask questions and contribute in lecture.

It is definitely daunting and takes a lot of guts for one to shoot your hand up when the professor asks “Are there any questions?” because everyone is listening (or so you’d like to think) and you’d need to speak up and be succinct and articulate. You’re afraid that they would think that your question is silly, and that the professor would furrow his brow at you with the whole how-dare-you-ask-me-that expression. And as much as many websites and books giving advice to college kids encourage us to “ask questions! contribute in class! gain your participation points!”, you find yourself clamming up, your heart beating fast as you try to string the sentence up in your head…but you chicken out and before you know it, the moment has passed.

Since no-one knows me here, I’ve been using that to my advantage, and tried contributing in class. At first, it feels really odd to be yelling out answers to the professor — you can tell they love it, if not the class is just dead — but after a while, I realise it’s not as odd as I thought. In fact, once you start, other students began picking up the pace and started to contribute too, creating a lively discussion in the midst of a lecture that would otherwise be just a monologue. It is a refreshing experience, and yes it may be kind of annoying — thus the existence of the whole ”Keep Your Fucking Hand Down in Lecture and Shut Up. No One Cares” Facebook group.

Why must we be afraid of contributing in class? We are all in college to learn, and there is no better way than making your voice heard and clarifying your doubts on the spot. Sure, I’m being a hypocrite by being a member of that Facebook group (which seemed pretty offensive to me now as I look at it), but I know better now. It is okay to raise your hand, to raise your point. You should care (what do you mean ‘no one cares’), and your professor definitely appreciates the fact that you are thinking about what he/she is saying and that you are critically analysing the issues at hand. Besides, you have some participation points to earn anyway. And it’s not high school anymore, you don’t have to worry about what others think, or the labels they tag on you, as long as you’re confident of what you say in class (and not make snide, sarcastic remarks, of course). At the end of the day, you’re responsible for your own education. Be brave and speak your mind.

#55 Save $$$ While Studying Abroad

Studying abroad, as I’m currently going through right now, is easily the most wonderful experience a college student can ever have. It feels like a dream, you’re technically on an overseas study program, but since grades are not transferable, you can choose to do a minimal amount of work and still (hope to) pass, and with the remaining time you have, you can go travelling, shopping, eating, chilling and basically do everything one would do while on vacation. Sounds fabulous, isn’t it? Until you realise that fun comes with a price tag, and it’s no joke if your home currency is weak against that of the country you’re visiting. Even if your currency is strong, you may run into the trap of thinking that everything is “OMG so cheap so cheap!” and start to clean out the stores one by one. That could easily be the biggest mistake, because not only will you be overspending without knowing it — it’s hard to keep track of how much you spend when the absolute numerical value of the prices are completely different from what you are used to back home — you won’t be able to fit all that stuff into your luggage when it’s time to say ’sayonara’ and head home.

Realistically speaking, it is impossible to bring wads of cash on exchange and use them slowly as time goes by. Not only would you NOT feel safe with all that cold hard cash lying around in your dorm room while you sleep at night in a foreign place with a roommate you barely know, you also run the risk of your luggage getting lost, being robbed on the streets before you can keep them in a safe place, and of course most commonly, spending it all before you can sit down and draw up a budget on how to use your moolah.

The ATM is a lifesaver when it comes to this situation. Setting up a bank account can be a pretty hassle-free process, except that some banks need you to ensure that a minimum amount of deposit is in the account at the end of every month, and you need to remember to close it before leaving the country. You can choose not to, but if you need to exchange some money, they will charge you bank fees (bummer). You can’t live without money on you, so once in a while you hit up the ATM, some will charge a small fee for every withdrawal you make from your own bank account back home and some won’t, depending which one go to. For example, if your ATM card has the Cirrus logo, you can make cash withdrawals at JETCO machines with the Cirrus logo on them in Hong Kong and Macau. (You gotta figure it out, or ask a local student.)

The best thing to do to avoid all the trips to the ATM is to work out your budget and withdraw a set amount, say USD200, at regular intervals (bi-monthly or weekly) to cut down on the bank fees you incur for moments when you need “emergency cash” because you were too busy to realise you only have $20 in your wallet and it’s too late to be searching for an ATM that doesn’t charge you the extra few dollars.

Being frugal isn’t easy especially when you’re in a holiday mood (which may last up to 7-12 weeks, but then you might very well be bankrupt and ridden with debts). Here are some tips that may help tide you along, while you shake off the ‘Paris Hilton on a shopping spree’ vibe.

1. Learn how to cook, or if you can’t, learn to love the crap you cook.
Most dorms provide a kitchenette/pantry, may it be well-equipped or stripped to the bare minimum utensils (by kleptomanical residents). You can grab an inexpensive saucepan, a bowl, spoon and fork, chopsticks and a cup, and you’re good to go. If your roommate has all these and doesn’t mind letting you borrow them, go ahead and do it. Buy some food from the local supermarket and get your Rachael Ray on! Cooking can be fun, since you definitely have the luxury of time to do so, and it might be easier than walking out to the nearest restaurant to grab some takeaway.

2. Resist the urge to buy clothes!
How many pieces of clothing can you buy?! I know this contradicts the universal girl mantra of “You can NEVER have enough clothes” but seriously, your closet is teeny and you already brought some clothes from home. If you harness your creative energy by mixing it up, or if you have mastered the godly art of the “capsule wardrobe“, you just need a few essential, classic pieces, and you can look like a million dollars without a closet-full of tees, hoodies, jeans and cute dresses. But if you absolutely need new socks and a jacket so you don’t freeze in cold weather, or a bikini to hit the beaches (because like me, you stupidly forgot to bring it along), then by all means, go hit up the stores.

3. Call home using Skype, and avoid those long distance telephone calls (especially on your cellie!)
Skype is free if you just use their video call services. Just grab an inexpensive headset and a webcam (most laptops come with webcams nowadays anyway) and you’re ready to go. No more expensive long distance phone calls and having to rush through a conversation of “I’mgood, thepastweekhasbeenamazing, yeahI’meatingwell, youtakecare too,bye” while holding on to a stopwatch.

4. Take public transport, and find out the cheapest routes to go to places you frequent.
Hong Kong is a funny place when it comes to transport, sometimes taking a cab with 5 people (yay to HK taxis) in it cost even cheaper than taking a public bus, but I doubt it’s the same in most cities all over the world. Taking public transport will definitely save you more money. Resist, resist, resist putting out your arm to flag down the taxi. You know your money can be better spent.

5. Plan your day to save on transport.
Sometimes if you have a few errands to run, you can pack them all into one day and do them all at once in a smooth circuit, instead of making multiple trips out and spending extra money on transport. Sounds idiot-proof, but if you fail to think through what you want to do, it’s easy to make repeated trips to the same area.

6. Don’t buy textbooks, stationery, DVDs and electronic goods unless absolutely necessary.
You can photocopy the chapters you need from textbooks (come on, don’t pretend to be a saint now), after all it’s for “private study” or it’s not as though you’re going to sell the copied versions. Shipping textbooks home will COST A BOMB, and since you spend $ buying them you’re likely to not want to sell them back to the bookstore or worse, have to think about throwing them away. Stationery-wise, you only need pens, pencils, one or two files…just the bare minimum. Avoid buying colored pens, fancy folders and all sorts of cutesy stuff you’d have trouble throwing out later. DVDs again, take up lots of space and you can always watch movies in your school library, the local theater or online! Electronic goods usually cost more overseas, especially if they are imported, and since you’re not familiar with the new place, chances are your foreign accent and “lost foreigner look” make you a prime target to be ripped off by the shrewd sellers.

Now that you’ve saved plenty of moolah, you can consider planning a trip to a nearby city…’cause you deserve it!

#54 Absolut College Girl Hits Hong Kong

Hello all, visit my new blog, created solely for recording my observations on exchange in HK, at Absolut College Girl Hits Hong Kong. I will also continue to update Absolut College Girl! Stay tuned, and thanks for reading (if there IS anyone, that is).

#53 A Brand New Year Begins…and Here We Go Again!

2008 has been a wonderful year for me, having survived through half of my sophomore year in university, meeting my college sweetheart, maintaining old friendships and taking the initiative to embark on challenging experiences. I did not fulfil any of my new year resolutions, and frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn…because I have realised that you can’t force yourself to alter your lifestyle overnight or over a few weeks, and being a college student just makes sleeping before midnight, eating healthily, and exercising often and regularly really hard (near to the point of impossibility), especially when greater temptations in the form of late night outings, junk food and opportunities to laze and not budge are aplenty and abound. (Yeah, excuses, I know. But I’m sure you can relate as well.)

The past year has its good, bad and ugly. The good: Obama being elected as the first black/coloured/African American (I don’t know which adjective to use to sound un-racist) president of America and Britney Spears’ comeback. The bad: The prevailing economic crisis which is only going to hang around for a couple more months ahead of us and Heath Ledger’s passing. The ugly: The terrorist attacks in Mumbai and Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip and attacks by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden (off the coast of Somalia, south of Yemen). In any case, life is generally going to be the same-old-same-old for the good ol’ college student, so let’s just hang in there for another semester of never-ending piles of readings, incoherent professors and annoying project groupmates.

Having spent a meaningful New Year’s Day morning watching the sunrise with my manfriend, I’m more than ready to embrace the new year with an optimistic outlook and my undying spirit for adventure and fun. I am determined to be more open when it comes to meeting new people, more diligent when it comes to learning new things and more appreciative to my loved ones.

I believe this year is going to be a whole new experience for me, since I’ll be embarking on student exchange in less than a week, and I’ll be spending nearly half a year in Hong Kong. I hope to spend the summer either travelling in China/Southeast Asia/Europe (I haven’t decided) or completing a summer internship. Following which, I will begin my junior year/year three in university, where I will finally meet up with some of my guy friends who will only just be entering college (boohoo) in September.

For those of you who are still hellbent on creating new year resolutions, go read my article on Your Guide To Writing The Perfect Set of New Year Resolutions. If not, I will really encourage to go along with what your heart wants to do, stop being such a workaholic/conservative/uptight anal-retentive person and live it up, because there’s no time like now to start pursuing your desires and dreams! Happy New Year 2009!

#52 Things To Do Before 2008 Is Up

  

With only 8 days left before we shout “HAPPY NEW YEAR!” and frantically look around for somebody desirable to kiss when the fireworks light up the night sky, I can’t help but think about all the things I’ve done (and not done) in the past 357 days. Once again, I start to panic when I realise how little I’ve accomplished in the past year, and am more than determined to make the best out of what’s left of it.

1. Read a classic or two. No matter how unpalatable it may seem.
My BF is definitely not a fan of classics. He’d say, classics are books that people always want to read, but never got around to actually doing it. Simply because classics are usually not written like easily digestible contemporary fiction, and revolve around somewhat abstract and obscure themes. The storylines are always weird and not relatable, and it is always so much easier to read a Stephen King or Fern Michaels novel. Still, read one or two, just so that when it comes up during intellectual conversations, which will come up more and more as one ages, you’d have something to say.

2. Go outdoors.
Chances are, you haven’t been very active since school’s out for the holidays, because why move when I can laze around and watch back-to-back episodes of Ugly Betty? If you’ve been partying, the alcohol you’ve been guzzling down your throat is bound to add on to the staggeringly huge amount of calories your holiday diet chalked up. It’d be a great opportunity to hang out with your friends, take in the great outdoors and do something fun and healthy. I’m hoping it’d cancel out the evil effects of partying.

3. Catch up with old friends.
During term time, we usually don’t even have time to see our regular group of college friends, let alone old friends from pre-college days. Even if we have a bit of free time, we’d rather spend it chilling out with the usual gang or the main squeeze, because it’s more convenient to organize and we just want to rant and roll around without the added pressure of having to socialize and spend time warming up to an old friend we haven’t seen in months or even years. Since everyone’s in the spirit of celebration, why not take advantage of the holiday spirit and meet up with some old friends?

4. Keep moving!
Read a book about a subject that interests you. Try out a new recipe in Mom’s cookbook. Paint. Colorcode your closet or sort your books on the shelves alphabetically. Start running, even if it’s for 15 minutes. Call a friend and just have coffee together. There is no time like now to live it up, so stop sitting on your ass and get movin’. Well, except when you’re blogging or writing of course.

#51 Before I’m Leaving On A Jet Plane: 20 More Days!

(Part 2 of my thoughts before I embark on exchange;
Read Part 1: #48 Neither Here Nor There: A 30-Day Countdown To Studying Abroad)

With 20 days left before I leave this city I grew up in for five months in Hong Kong, and 9 days before we ring in a brand new recession-plagued year, I’m beginning to look at everything in a different light. Everywhere I go, everytime I look at something, I wonder when would be the next time I will see it… but somehow, I doubt I will miss it. A part of me says ‘I can’t wait to get out of here already’, but another part of me tells me that I will miss my friends, and the comforts of knowing where everything I need is, even with my eyes closed. Whatever it is, I can’t help but feel like life begins when you leave home and start living and experiencing things alone.

Many have commented on my courage to embark on student exchange alone, without anyone I know going with me, unless I befriend some locals quickly during the pre-departure briefing the school’s organizing for exactly this purpose. I am truly excited, because I can’t wait to explore myself and get some thinking done while I’m away from home.

A friend who has experienced what I’m going through now once said that the anticipation is the best part of it all. I want to agree with it, but I would really rather feel as psyched throughout the whole journey.

Indeed, despite not having to travel to another continent, I will experience many firsts and I can’t wait to see how life is going to unfold for me in that direction.

1. Living with a stranger. Well my roommate will technically be a stranger for a few seconds before we introduce ourselves and hopefully become good friends. I’m okay with sharing but with someone I barely know, my personal space and limits will be challenged.

2. Experiencing a long-distance relationship (LDR). With increased mobility and incidence of having to travel outside one’s city, LDRs have become a norm, especially for cosmopolitan young people afflicted with wanderlust. This will be definitely be something new for me. But with new friends to make, a new life to get accustomed to, and Skype, I guess I won’t spend too much time moping about the extra distance away from my manfriend. In fact, I’m hoping with new stories to tell and being apart from one another will make us appreciate each other even more.

3. Traveling solo. I’m excited about this one! I’m thinking of hitting Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei, and of course when I find true geography buffs like me, I would love to explore the karst landscapes of Guilin and the beautiful nature reserve in Jiuzaigou.

4. Getting to wear winter clothing is something I’m looking forward to, because I always thought coats, boots and scarves buff up my size-zero frame and make me look more sophisticated. Tropical fashion (aka flip flops and tanks) are somehow sloppier and less fashionable. I can enjoy cool weather without having to endure the prolonged dreariness of Chicago’s gloom or London’s rain.

5. Gaining weight from pigging out because the food’s truly fantastic. I’ve always been a fussy eater, and honestly food in Singapore is too greasy, salty and expensive. Not to mention, you can’t eat chili crab, fried noodles (tossed around in too much lard & soy sauce) and satay everyday. Which is why, I’m going to eat so much dim sum that I’ll be up 4 sizes when I’m back.

I guess, there is not much point in brooding over what I will miss or spend excessive amount of time dreaming about the vast possibilities of outcomes when I’m on exchange. Since it’s the holiday season, I’m going to make full use of this time to catch up with old friends, eat lots of chocolate, party hard and enjoy some quality time with the man…the best part is, I won’t be needing that mistletoe anytime soon.