So here I am, sitting in front of my laptop stressing out over my Media Law Term Paper… how different life was just a few months back! Then, I was carefree and happily exploring Germany during my student exchange programme at Stuttgart Media University…
I can remember everything vividly.
The smell of the woods near the student residences, the constant chattering in German, insane house parties, hearty cooking sessions…
(Cooking, by the way, was something I’d failed at for the better part of my life until I went to Germany and actually learnt a few things. I always tell my friends I’m so bad at cooking I can burn water!)
Something I cooked in Germany. Luckily, I followed the recipe and it turned out pretty good.
Lessons on Saturday were held together with a picnic of freshly baked bretzels on an open field in front of the school. The weather would be warm, but not searing hot. Was really nice.
There was even time for me to take short vacations to countries like Italy, Hungary, England and France during the school term!
Enjoying bretzels with a lesson on trends in book and magazine design at Stuttgart Media University.
Now that I’m back in Singapore, I sometimes can’t help but feel a bit disoriented – like my heart is still in Germany. On some days, I would forget that I’m not overseas (where the trains aren’t so congested) and would be mildly surprised when I’m stuck in a crowded train at the MRT station.
Still, plenty of reasons to be back in sunny Singapore. Food, for one. Oh, my bak chor mee, KOI bubble tea, oily pratas… I’ve missed you.
Most importantly, I’ve missed the company of my amazing family, friends and schoolmates from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information (WKWSCI).
I guess that’s one of the benefits of being in a small school such as WKWSCI. During homecoming, one can feel the camaraderie across students from different years and witness the tight friendships that were forged from the fires of going through tough modules together (WKWSCI folks, you’ll know which ones I’m talking about!).
My friends in NTU are my hearthstones that keep me grounded and help me acclimatise myself to the “Singapore reality”.
So even though my friends and I sometimes talk about wanting to live someplace else with better weather and traffic, we still feel blessed to be in Singapore and NTU, which we feel is giving us a wonderful university experience so far.
Speaking of uni, it’s time to hit alt-tab and return to my nightmare that is this new assignment…
Wish me luck!
Comments? Email us at hey@ntu.edu.sg