22 Things i learnt having my BFF as roommate

For some, you know i have a childhood friend. We both have 3 older brothers, our mom are colleagues. We used to be neighbors, we attended the same preschool and primary school. We were best friends and best playmates. We separated for a while during secondary school, but we still attend tuition together. And now we're pursuing tertiary education together at UTAR, and living together. She is Yin May.

1. Things are cheaper

When we decided to share things, it's half the price of the original amount. But of course you get half the goodness too.

2. There's always someone to cook dabao for you

January 2014, we came to Kampar, and we are the ones cooking for one another. Don't get me wrong. We used to cook a lot, some days i do the cooking, some days May does the cooking. But gradually uni life got hectic, and we just kinda ditched the whole idea of cooking and switched to dapao-ing. I mean, we used to be so into cooking that we woke up 6.50am sharp to wash up and cycle all the way to old town fish market (sometimes i just go without brushing my teeth), we still cook for each other, just not as much, once in a bluemoon.

3. I learnt skills that i didn't know when i live alone. 

I didn't know about stir-fried egg and tomato, until i stayed with May. I didn't know how to cook spaghetti until i met May. She didn't know how to be awesome, until she met me. *Smirk*
I learnt how to be a ninja, as quiet as ish when May's sleeping.
Opening the drawer, the cupboard, closing the bathroom door, .. all done with "silent mode" skills. Because a little noise will set her rolling in bed.

4. We had talks at night reminiscing old memories

Some nights when we start a conversation, we can't stop. Then it progressed from Arctic to Antarctica. From stories to life experiences. Because we knew each other since birth, we had lots of childhood memories that we can pour out to and share with each other.

"Ning, do you remember that..*proceed to saying lots of stories when we were young*..?"
"I kinda forgot about it..."

5. She always has the spare key/access card to the room when you forgot yours. 

"May, are you in school right now? I left my access card in the room. Can i have yours?"
"How about no?"
She turned up grasping the access card in her hands.

6. I learnt how to take care of other people's feelings

You can't be buying food for yourself when another person is waiting famished back home.
You can't be leaving the house at your own will, you have to notify where you're going before leaving the house.
When the other is having a bad day or encountered problems, you have to play your role to make the other feel comfortable and appreciated.

7. You can get instant answers.

I used to use wechat a lot to contact May for academic enquiries, all i need to do now is to turn my head, ask my questions, and BAM, i have the answers. May always says to me "Ning, You're my google."

8. We needn't have to fight for bathrooms. 

I'm a lucky girl, May always let me use the bathroom first. I really love this girl.

9. Fight? 

I don't address them as "fights", more like emotional and dramatic moments. It was tensed one second and we're all good the next. When you're living with someone, especially someone who is special to you and someone whom you know for a period of time, conflicts tend to arise. And it's important to fix it, not break it.

10. You never fail to find someone to participate in your events.

She participated in my Catholic Students Society events, i participated in her vocal and singing concerts and competition. We were there for each other.

11. You have a partner to dine and jog with.

Afraid not that you'll be alone when you need a partner for dinner, because your roommate will be the best candidate.
Afraid not that you'll look awkward when you jog alone, because your roommate will be jogging with you side by side. Together.

12. You started taking weird photos of each other's sleeping poses. 

It's hilarious. And delightful at the same time. I can't calculate how many photos we both took of each other's sleeping poses and ugly faces.

13. Farting seemed like nothing as the time passed.

At first, farting was awkward. It still is, just not as bad. It got cuter as time passes. Sometimes i pretended like i did not hear her fart (cause i was on my earphones, but there were no songs, so she thought she got away with it) but actually i do. HAHA

14. You can wear her dress, or her shoes. 

She has many dresses that she wouldn't mind lending it to me.
She has beautiful and luxurious necklace she wouldn't mind wearing it on my neck for me.
I have shoes i wouldn't mind lending it to her for her presentations.

15. There's always someone calling you to ask "When are you coming home?" "What are you doing today?" "What time does class ends today?" "What are you eating for dinner?" "Are you home yet?"

We both changed our mobile service to RedONE, calls are free. Go figure.

16. When we travel back to Selangor, we travel together.

We usually take the same train to and fro together. We travel home together, and come back Kampar together.

17. Our parents feel safe knowing we're together.

We used to be neighbors, therefore our parents knew each other (moms' colleagues), they knew everything about us well. My daughter's with your daughter? Yeah, that's fine.

18. People always ask about the missing one.

"Where's May? She didn't come with you?"
"Uh. Nope..?"

19. The dilemma of introducing her to new friends. Long enough.

"Yeah, this is my best friend/roommate/childhood friend/ex-neighbor/primary school friend..."
"This is May, she is my roommate... we grew up together... our moms knew each other... we used to be neighbors..."

20. You have double the friends.

May knows most of my friends from CSS, as well as my degree friends. But, I barely know hers. *guilty laughs*

21. You feel empty inside when no one is lying beside you.

May always felt empty when she lay down beside the empty spot whenever i'm back to Klang.
But when she return to Klang, I get huge spaces, and i can have all the spaces all i want and she wouldn't know that i secretly lay on her bed and peed on it. HAHAHAHA. Just kidding May. I didn't pee on your bed, i swear.

22. There's someone to take care of you when you're sick.
I was really sick this one time, at the start of 2015, sneezed and had fever and the flu was getting all of me. When May woke up for class, she boiled me a cup of honey water, and it felt like heaven that instant.

kthxbai.

I have a thing for marathons.

This was last week's.

Shoutout to my girls at the run.
From left: Marion, me, May and Chris.

Since last year's UTAR annual run 2014, i've been looking forward to my next run. And i finally registered myself in UTAR en-tree run 2014. It's a run organized by the PR students who are doing on environment subject. The day before the event, me and my girls went for a pre-run around UTAR. We ran a lap and then we figured, yeah, good enough. Marion's really worried about her stamina deteriorating.

That morning, i woke up with May to have our outstanding breakfast, loading up on protein, carbs and sugar. We needed the strength to keep on going for 10KM without stopping. The eating part was comforting. The running part ain't.

Running knowing your friends are there with you. Thank you Marion, May and Chris for the same passion and enthusiast. Friends push you forward, or pull you down. Mine? They raised me up.

As i ran, there was this girl running ahead of me. I admit i breathe heavily when i run, but i couldn't hear my own breathing as I tuned up the beat as it hummed in my ears (Of rock and high-spirited songs, i mean you can't be playing slow rhythmic songs right?!). When i unplugged the earphones from my ears, i was alarmed by my own breath. It was like i had asthma attack, very unappealing either (it explains why so many people turn to look at me when i approached them).

I was saying about this girl ahead of me. Guess she knew about my "melodious" breathing, whenever i tried cutting her off or when i ran close at a distance, she would sprint forward briskly. It was like i have transmittable disease. Okay lady, let's play this game.

So i decided to stay close to her, she just made it to my rivalry list on the spot! Bring it on! I ran with her all the way, out of uni, westlake, harvard housing area, and back to uni. The process just kept on repeating (with me cutting her and her sprinting forward at the sight of me). Little did i know, she became my motivation to keep going, she was my inspiration! So i truly am gratified that she is running in front of me. Fueling my passion and anger (at the same time) along the way to complete this race.

Meanwhile, little Marion sprinted forward and created a distance between us, which truly amazed the nerves out of my tiny weak heart. I was running and deciphering about how'd her stamina increased so drastically? Her tiny figure slowly faded along the straight pathway, but reappeared again on the opposite side of the track.

I was very near breathless as i entered UTAR, but there were continual of ups and downs, turns and whatnots. I can't help but relate it to my life.

My life's a marathon.

Many things were running in my mind, the satan demanding me to stop, my mind releasing hormones (of names i would not know) eager to make me give up. I kept telling myself, "Stop and walk for a moment, it's okay!" But it's DEFINITELY NOT OKAY. So i kept running, with the tempo of the beats constantly running in my ears. Glad i did my "running playlist" the night before.

I FINALLY CUT THE GIRL OFF!

It was near engineering block in UTAR. I really couldn't take it anymore. For 1 hour she had been in front of me, ALL THE TIME. Teasing me everytime she sprinted forward as she heard my steps behind hers. I sprint with what's left of me, and continued running for another 5-8 minutes (which felt like forever). Every moment felt like eternity. I could've just collapse there and continue no more, or i can choose to keep going, NOT STOPPING regardless of what, and get my medal.

The fear of the girl chasing me behind fueled me even more.

I continued.

I ran and i ran and i ran.

Soon, i was at the entrance of the sports complex, every committee and helper's expression promising enough. They shouted for us to keep going, there's still chance. There's this thing about people, when they acknowledge that there's still places left for them, regardless of how tired they are, how much they felt like dying, they kept going.

So i did.

And i finished 6th.

To say i'm able to finish first would be like a dream.

But instead of winning first place, or 2nd or 3rd in that matter, i won the ability to control myself, instead of letting my head take over me. I won me.

Deep enough? 

I won me. 

Even i'm impressed with this statement. *self comforting*

kthxbai.

Barbeque Party with CSS family.

Barbecue party is something very common when you are studying in Kampar. Students always gather around and have a barbecue session together where they burn whatever they can find. Hahaha, just kidding. Chicken mostly.

The CSS mandarin group organized a barbecue party cum CNY celebration. Needless to say, i had a great time preparing the ingredients with sister Theresa, i learnt many things too.

When we arrived, sister enthusiastically greeted and welcomed us with her apron on. She was preparing us some homemade cincau water! She boiled Pandan leaves in a pot of hot water and let it sit, before pouring it all into a big container where all the grinded cincau lies. The natural sweetness of the drink is purely from the pandan without much added sugar, i can't transcript into words how fragrant is the kitchen with the aroma of pandan circulating the air.

While i assist sister Theresa in washing the fishballs, tofu, fish cakes, squid and so on, we had some conversations together as she used to service back at a church in Johor where most of my relatives are staying. She shared some interesting stories and insights about the church and my family which i did not know, before i splurt some squid ink on sister's clothes! *Slams forehead* I quickly submerge the squid into the basin of water and stared guiltily at her inked clothes. She taught me how to clean up squids, remove their skins which she claim to be bitter, dig out their intestines and splurt out the inks which otherwise will end up in everybody's mouth that night.

Here's the committee working together to set up sister Theresa's beautiful lamp all the way from The States! It lit up stunningly at night as the light directly shot up towards the ceiling which illuminated the surrounding in less than seconds! Talking about speed of light. 

The barbecue place was originally set up beside the house, a spacious area, but it started drizzling on and off, we didn't know what the sky wanted, so we had to move indoors instead. 

Irene. I just got to know that she's a cousin to my sunday school ex-classmate! And her aunt used to be my school teacher. What a small world. 

I asked sister Theresa "Don't you think that it seems like we're going to have a steamboat instead of a barbecue party?" She agreed with me, most of the ingredients are steamboat friendly. HAHA. 

As a few guys successfully set up the fire, and trying their best to keep the fire going, we went on with our orthodox rituals - singing and praying before meals. We sang to the Chinese New Year songs (Not those "fa da cai" "hong bao na lai" "zao cai jin bao" lyrics), but more melodious and harmonious type.

We also had a surprise birthday celebration for Imelda! Who rushed back from her sports competition that day. With a hint darker on her already tanned complexion.

Some chickens we barbecued that night. Along with grilled corns and fishballs. 

All in all, i had a wondrous meal that night, learned some living skills, including setting up fire, though i did not truly laid a finger on the bricks or the fire per se. But the thought of gathering under God's name truly calmed my heart, (seeing i have 3 midterm 2 assignments to hand in the following week thereafter), especially in the presence of 2 beautiful sisters. :)

kthxbai