That’s the title for my presentation which is due this Saturday!!! I’m determined to do the best that I am and give a good presentation, not necessarily impressionable…well, it’ll only be presented to other sisters but still it’s going to be 20% for my exams!! There’s so many articles on the net and it’s going to take up much time than expected to actually read them, understand and highlight the important points. It’s going to be fun, I guess!!! 🙂

For the record: Euro 2004 champion is….GREECE!!! Totally unexpected and too bad for Portugal but heck…what do I care??

And yeah..I checked out friendster.com and guess who I found??? It’s the Friend!! I don’t know what to say only that most of his friends are like girls..though some of them are attached…I guess I see some unknown part of him…he’s still the same..maybe.

And I don’t have any reason to feel or think anything at all about it…right??

*sigh* gee I don’t know what the friend wants from me

I don’t know if I can trust him, and I may never know the answer to this mystery…

I can’t believe I’m actually staying up to watch Euro 2004. Well, it’s actually the final match…Portugal vs Greece. I don’t know a single player in any of the teams. I had never even cared before….but influences…it’s all about influences from my three closest friends…Mint, Qzai and Qadar. They love soccer and they really know the game..Me? I only know that the ball has to go into the goal…but really …soccer is a fun game to watch.. 🙂

I did a banner painting today!! And it was fun really though I had a headache later due to having to look at so many different colours and my back is aching!! But it really was fun. It’s a banner for the Ummatic week due this end of the month which is going to be one of the anticipated programmes in this Uni. Even I myself are the some kind of a producer for a performance by Singaporean students, don’t know why I took up this job…but I’ll try my best~

And looking at my timetable, I find myself involved in a few activities…which I thought I told myself not to get involve in any this semester….what am I gonna do…but I don’t choose to, they put my name in the committees…how am I gonna face my friend?? How am I gonna concentrate??? But I know…this business will make me more aware of my short time..I REALLY HAVE TO STUDY!!!!

Help me God.

It’s a Saturday morning and I can’t believe I’m actually up and sitting here in the ITD, playing the net!! It’s a rare chance!!

I had a Halaqah class just now. The first class and my leader or naqibah as we call it, is one of the seniors that went together to the Down To Earth programme in Johor. Although I was not that close to her because we had different foster family and under different sub-programmes but at least she’s someone I’m familiar and able to joke around with. The other members were quiet and I tried to make some conversations but hey…I’m a natural quiet person, I need some back-up or response!!!

As this was the first class, there’s nothing much, only a brief ta’aruf (orientation)…I guess,the naqibah and the assistant naqibah should start the session more lively…I mean it’s early in the morning!! Can’t expect us to do the talking….well it’s a first time and I hope the coming sessions will be a bit more fun. Even though I’m a quiet person, I do enjoy noise and moreover when we are in a group, it’s terribly weird to be in silence.

And I have to be the first to do a presentation. That’ll be 20% for the record, another 20% for memorising some surahs, only 20%for final examinations and 40%(!!!!!) for attendance!! That’s a lot! And it’s on Saturday…how am I going to go home for some of the weekend?? And someone had been asking…twice..when I’ll be back…aaarrrrgggghhhhhh 😦 But I did ask the naqibah if we can change the day. She said we are not supposed to but she’ll try and I hope we get to change!!! I don’t care which day as long as it’s not on weekends!!! So let’s pray for it….

Yes I am damn excited about this!!!! For almost six months…no…9 months missing my beloved CHARMED, I got to watch it, right here in IIUM!!! I can’t believe it. I was reading the newspaper today….and flipping the entertainment pages…I glanced upon a picture of Paige on the tv programmes channels page. And found out there’s CHARMED on tv tonight!!!

I had been contemplating whether to go down to the tv room to watch this most wanted programme in my life…because I was sure the locals would have control on the tv and maybe they would prefer to watch some local programmes….but I braved myself and went to the tv room, sure of myself that I will stand up and tell the ‘audience’ I’m going to watch CHARMED. But thank GOD, I was not to have to say a word at all.

These people do watch CHARMED after all!!! I was so damn happy!!!!

I am feeling happy still and of course it’s going to be on my list of tv times. I will go watch CHARMED every Friday night at 10!! I will!!! After months…I get to watch them again….a REUNION…BLESSED BE… I terribly miss them!!! And Baby Wyatt Matthew Halliwell is so cute!!!! The apple of my eye…and Piper..and Phoebe….and Paige….and Leo…and the new cool Chris. I’m looking forward to next week!!!

CHARMED every Friday night at 10 Malaysian time on NTV7. Not to be missed!! Should have known earlier!!

ASSIIUM held a Ta’aruf session last Wednesday and in my opinion quite a grand one. What made it grand was actually the 95% attendace of the Singaporeans students studying here in IIUM. I was actually surprised and do felt happy at being able to be part of a large group of people. It felt close. I wish we are all closer to one another. A tight knit of friendship that won’t be forgotten forever. I guess I will have to remember them after all. Even though I don’t consider them as truly my family yet, but they are the ones who may stay by my side in times of need and happiness. Of course we can’t be the best of friends to all of them. But they are here…with me.

Well anyway, the Ta’aruf is for the new students who entered IIUM this semester and the introducing of the new exco members of ASSIIUM. There are about 15 new students. Most of them brothers from Aljunied and sisters from various madrasahs. A ‘brother’ of mine is one of them and I’m happy for him. I know IIUM had been of his first choices and he makes it here. At least I have one more friend I can actually communicate with. A brother….and maybe in a few months’ time, my cousin will be joining me!!!! Yeah!! I hope she’ll make it!!!

The new exco members…well. we found out who’s the new ‘president’ of ASSIIUM. I won’t comment on him, I just hope he and all of them will do their best and not made the same mistakes and wrongs they did to me and my friends!!! DON’T JUST PREACH GUYS, ACT IT!!! Because, I’m too observant sometimes and one wrong move, that’s it, no more trust on you guys!!

The problem with the Singaporeans here, I don’t know, maybe some of them think they are better than others or that they know much than others that they forget who they really are. And just because they have all the time to sit at HS almost the whole day makes them the ‘popular’ bunch, the ones people know….what f**k. And talking about mahabbah with sisters indeed…. look who’s closer to the brothers now?? It’s like the bad things they said about us, are slapped right to their face….and I wonder if they ever realised it. We kept it all inside because we don’t want to make things worse but sometimes their very face makes me want to puke……and trying to take in some of the good things in them….it’s a chore….does that make me a hypocrite??? I wish I can just sit in one corner and read a book peacefully and listen to my Reason 24/7. I wish I could…but I can’t….because I’m only human. Maybe I can forget those hypocrite faces, maybe I can forgive them for the things they said behind us….even if people said they don’t talk about me….well they talk about my friends who have been there for me all along….maybe I can just act as if nothing had ever happened….but I can’t, because they are real and right in front of my face. Help me God.

Well this is supposed to be a happy entry. I had fun during the taa’ruf. For a brief moment, I was able to ignore any bad aura and concentrate on the new students. We did have fun and I’m glad almost all of us came down. Almost like a reunion of some kind. Bless them all……

The title says Reading Competition but it might as well be the Funniest night of my life!!! Here the story goes.

I was asked by the President of IRK Students’ Society to join an International Reading Competition. Without really knowing what it was I agreed with the information that it’s going to be on this Monday night. So Sunday evening, as I blogged before, I had so much free time. We went to a bazaar later that evening by the Riverside, noticing a mini stage for some programmes. So just when I reached my room 8.20 pm, I received a call from the SRC informing to come down at that very Riverside for they are going to have the competition at 8.45 pm!!! I was shocked at that but thankful to the girl for calling me!! I rushed out wearing only shirt and jeans, not knowing how the competition is with no thought at all that I ever had to be on stage!!! I was nervous and worried as I had never participated in any competition and did not prepared well…..but it’s not going to be the worst…..

I reached the Riverside with Mint and Qzai accompanying me (God bless them) and we were actually early and right on time. There’s only the organizing committee around so we waited for almost to 30 minutes. Then there’s the briefing of the game and I was really surprised by it. It’s a reading competition whereby we are given an article to read on stage (I was thinking ok that’s quite easy but what if I can’t pronounce some of those long hard English words???) The surprise is yet to come…..after some more briefings I found that the reading competition will be in……..BAHASA MELAYU!!!! What??!!! In Malay?? I am terribly surprised. I mean I speak Malay!! And am competing with foreigners who have just 3-4 years learnt Malay….I was quite embarrassed..as these people had to study…while I’m born to speak Malay…still my Malay is quite bad 😦

Anyway, I was the first participant to get on stage. What’s more, I’m representing Islamic Revealed Knowlegde Kulliyah (faculty) but I’m wearing casual… and I read the very short ridiculous article trying my best to look important. Like this is some serious game….and I managed!! It’s still a funny thing

And guess what….I got the first place which is might as well, it’d be a shame, a Malay speaking person lost to a foreigner, but I’m thinking it’s an easy win but Thank God I won. A boost to start the semester!!!

Yeah it’s a fine sunday afternoon and I find myself having so much free time that I actually could spent half of the day watching tv and here I am now, at the internet room. Actually they call this place the cybercafe, but other than the computers, there’s nothing like a cafe here so I prefer calling it the internet room.

Euro2004 is on and I actually did watch a few matches together with my friends. Waking up at 2 in the morning just to watch some match between teams I have never known or even cared before. I have never been interested in soccer, all I know the ball has to go into the goal, I know there’s strikers and midfielders and defenders, everyone trying to be hero of the game….soccer is better left for the boys. Not that I don’t enjoy watching it, I do enjoy it very much, but which team wins mean nothing to me therefore I was intrigued by the way my friends reacted when their fave team win or lose. For example, when England lost to Portugal with from penalties, Mint and Qzai supported Portugal just because they dislike the England team while Qad is a die hard fan of England. I supported neither but thought that Portugal deserved to win the game…so Mint and Qzai was screaming happily and unintentionally sneered Qad, a bit too much I guess that Qad shouted in retaliation.

I was like, “wow, cool it guys, it’s just a game.” There, I could not understand their feelings when it comes to soccer. 🙂

The first week had gone pretty well. I realized I do have many friends that whatever bad happened last semester with some of the Singaporeans meant nothing to me now. I’m trying to forgive and forget. Let’s just take in the good things. The bad ones….it’s between them and the Lord…who am I to judge. I prefer to be on good terms with all of them. And I find out the Malaysians are cool too, despite some things people have said. I’m in their country anyway, I just need to be careful that’s all. They are good people and I’m learning from them.

I’m going to love this place, after all.

Yes, the first semester for 04/05 session have just started. I actually missed this place, two weeks break, at home, with nothing much to do made me eager to start doing something!! Classes have started, which most of them are ok. Though I had a problem with one of my classes.

Well, I went to the Islamic Ethics first class, and the lecturer ‘adviced’ the first year students to drop the subject, as from her experience, most first years don’t make it in this class. I met her after class and said I would like to stay in this class, and after much negotiation, she replied in the most sarcastic tone I ever heard “Don’t come see me if you fail the class”. I was thinking, “What??!!! You don’t have to talk in that tone!” Here I am, eager to learn new things and I got the most discouraging lecturer ever!!! I thought I was going to be stubborn and stay in that class not matter what but then my mind started thinking…What if she’s going to deliberately fail me just out of spite?? Out of “See I told you so” pseudo-authority?? What if she’s going to ignore me when I attempt to answer her questions in class??? What if she won’t even look at me?? So many what ifs and getting negative answers…I cannot risk it!! I cannot stay in that class!!

So I left, and went to change section, got a different lecturer, which unfortunately told me the same thing, unsuitable for first years. Only, she said it in a much BETTER and encouraging manner that I forgot to get angry over it! I cooled down and come to think of it, maybe it is a bit too hard for 1st years. In the end, I took up a different subject altogether, a subject somewhat familiar to what I had learnt in school, Intro to Fiqh. I hope I will do well!!!

To be continued…..

Yes! Alhamdulillah!! I passed my exams!! A- for my Intro to Mass Comm and C+ for my Sciences of Qur’an! Well not bad considering I did not prepare well for those. I deserved the C but still it’s a pass!! Truly happy and relief!!!