flashback

2012 - what a year! possibly the most important year in my life yet. hit a couple of milestones, experienced life-changing events, started a brand new life, said some goodbyes... definitely a year to remember until the day i die (if i don't develop dementia).

the year started off with high levels of stress as i sat for my medical school finals, which i had subsequently passed as i'd "satisfied the Examiners"! 

and then it was byebye medical school, hello Malaysia for 3 amazing months! did my elective at my local hospital, went to the beach, crossed the south china sea and saw mount kinabalu for the very first time, met up with my favourite people, and discovered the awesomeness of gong cha. home is where the heart is and always will be.

hit the quarter-of-the-century mark. uh-oh.

back in the UK, pre-graduation. care-free, fun-filled period of my life. roadtrip with friends to the southern tip of england!

graduated! now a doctor. double uh-oh. 

did the whole scotland roadtrip thing with my parents who were in the UK for my graduation.

my best UK buddies moved up to glasgow. extremely sad but glasgow is now my second home in the UK thanks to them. just to clear up any confusion, they are not (and never will be) together. 

started the ever daunting job as a doctor at north manchester general hospital (shit place, don't go there). thank goodness for amazing colleagues - work would be extra shitty without them. 

received news from home that our dog Kiki had passed on. we got her as a puppy 13 and a half years ago. she had lived a comfortable life, had hardly any health problems, was showered with lots of love, constantly amused all of us with her weird behaviour, and was a good pet overall. i miss her loads and i still find it hard to accept the fact that she will never be there to greet me anymore when i arrive home from the airport. rest in peace, my baby.

and then, whaddaya know... it's christmas time again!

2012 - i'd re-live it all over again if i could. i wonder what 2013 has in store for me, but so far, so good! 

twenty twelve

2011 was a relatively mundane year for me. it went by smoothly with nothing too exciting (ie no major milestones) and hardly any bumps along the way (thank goodness). that said, it was probably one of the better years of my life. i'd discovered a renewed passion for medicine, learned to appreciate the people around me more, found out that i have a job waiting for me, enjoyed life to the maximum while working hard in medical school, and had an awesome summer break back home.

this year, many, MANY things will change. i don't know if i'm ready to face those changes but i know i'm going to have to take it a step at a time.

for now, i must get through these exams.

do. or die.

happy 2012 everybody.

my 2011 summed up :)


(and yes, that giant platter of sushi made it on the list of significant events)

End of a Chapter

i have officially moved out of Vista. left my empty room slightly teary-eyed and with a heavy heart. i can't believe it has been 2.5 years since i moved into that place. can't believe it has been 2.5 years since i started this course and met all these wonderful people who had made it possibly the best 2.5 years of my whole and entire life. can't believe i am a half-doctor now! :) (well technically i am 1/3rd a doctor thanks to all the waiting i have to do before i move on to clinicals. but i'm not complaining.)

i loved my life in IMU. sure, there were some piles of shit that i stepped on, but the friends i have made just compensated for all the unfortunate events that had taken place throughout my time there. it was also when i actually realised how much i love medicine (exams aside) and how i wouldn't give this up for anything else. i just can't see myself doing anything else.

i'm just SO... SO happy; and most importantly, i have no regrets.

:)

because i'm feeling rather nostalgic, here are pictures of some of my favourite moments of 2008 with my IMU friends:

1) CNY "reunion" dinner! we didn't go back for CNY because it was 4 days before our EoS 3! terrible, right? nonetheless we had each other so it wasn't that depressing.

2) post-EoS 3! we passed! our short trip to Penang. this is at david brown's strawberry hill which is simply gorgeous.

3) the IMU Ball!

4) BIRTHDAYS!!!!!!!

my fabulous 21st. haha.

Teong Rhen's "surprise"

Adrian & Yilin's! this is Merv not Adrian. Adrian doesn't like to take pictures. =/

Priya & Divya's surprise party at their home

Ho Wai's green party

Pei Shern's 21st @ The Attic

Red & Tracy's @ The Maple

Ben's. ok Ben i'm sorry i had to superimpose your face on Kwan's but i really don't have a picture of us together at your party =P

Michelle's krayzeh birthday at Putrajaya

Kwan's halal cheena birthday celebration

5) The Lord of the Rings Symphony by the MPO. good stuff.

6) winning IMU Cup! :)

7) Christmas Eve! 1 week before EoS 5.

will blog more tomorrow! singapore trip and the start of farewells.