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Monday, September 15
people-watching 1:34 AMDate: 11 September 2008
Time: Lunch hour - 12 noon
Venue: Tim Horton's, L1 University Centre
Status: Sipping on a hot chocolate and nibbling a banana-nut muffin from Tim Horton's - did I mention that the locals really love its donuts and pastries? Maybe it's really cheap that's why - I only paid CAD 2.72 for these! (But J.Co is still better, haha.)
So there I was, sitting in the middle of nowhere at the central area of Level 1 UC, people-watching. I'm supposed to be spending the afternoon in the library doing film research (and prolly sipping on Starbucks coffee), but was unable to gain access to the course reserve as of yet. So instead of cooping myself back in residence and despite the cold, I decided to take the afternoon to sit around and observe how people behave at the crowded and rather-happening UC during its busiest hour of the day.
While I was still trembling inside from walking in the cold just 5 min ago, random thoughts scrambled in my head - How can so many people be drinking cold frappes in such chilly weather? How different is this school from back home? Do people have, have I ever, or correction; will I ever take time to watch SMU students shuttling across the concourse? Perhaps even people-watching is a reflective experience in itself, in a strange new environment which I have to get used to and call home over the next 4 months.
There is a really diverse group of students in U of M; I'm not even talking about nationalities (although I see a group of Chinese-looking students quietly huddling in a corner speaking in the familiarity of their native language) - I'm referring to how people dress, talk and behave. Vulgarities and crude words a common spiel among the locals. People don all kinds of hairstyles and accessories - blings, body piercings (they are all over by the way), hats, iPods, what-nots.
The overcrowded GPA Convenience Store. Students sit and chill all around, on the stairs, chairs, and walls. They gossip about anything from boyfriends to hating school to crazy professors (the art of head TA-ing has taught me how to eavesdrop effectively, haha). Then there is also the flea market of sorts set up by students, which sell handmade jewellery and bags, akin to those in SMU but of a smaller scale. UMSU people donned in uniform Superman tees trudge through and holler all around. The U of M Bookstore (which is now one of my favourite hangouts) blasts pop music and sells everything from books to electronic accessories to cool stationery. My eyes blurred while absorbing the sights and sounds around me.
xx
Okay, I just realized this post seems very random and doesn't seem to go where I intended it to go. Roar.
Yet it's probably not easy narrating just how much this afternoon could mean to me (well, at least it's not possible without a super long entry to bore you to tears). But perhaps just like the Chinese students in the corner of their comfort zone where they can be themselves, one thing I've learnt is that I too can be comfortable being in the middle of nowhere amidst the student population, integrating myself into its hustle-bustle. After all, everyone needs a moment at times; his moment, to be at ease and peace with himself. And idling here, absorbing it all and jotting down my observations, is definitely worth my time.
Epilogue: I'm just kinda disappointed that I've been trying to restrain myself on a budget and not indulge in Starbucks (instead of Tim Horton's all the time, which is 4 times cheaper), when I almost always do cafes in Singapore. Haha. I am such a rational spender now compared to Work and Travel, but I guess I'll need to break out of the cycle really soon, and just be myself too.
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Winifred Lim
Arthur V Mauro Residence, Box 436B
120 Dafoe Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 6B3
Canada
About me
You are an enthusiastic innovator, always seeing new possibilities and new ways of doing things. You have a lot of imagination and initiative for starting projects, and a lot of impulsive energy for carrying them out. You are stimulated by difficulties and are most ingenious in solving them. You can get so interested in your newest project that you have time for little else. Your energy comes from a succession of new enthusiasms and your world is full of possible projects. Your enthusiasm gets other people interested too.
Your feeling preference shows in a concern for people. You are skillful in handling people and often have remarkable insight into the possibilities and development of others. You are extremely perceptive about the attitudes of others, aiming to understand rather than judge people. You are much drawn to counseling and can be inspired and inspiring teacher, particularly where you have freedom to innovate. With talent, you can succeed in almost any field that captures your interest.
A difficulty for you is that you hate uninspired routine and find it remarkably hard to apply yourself to sometimes necessary detail unconnected with any major interest. Worse yet, you may get bored with your own projects as soon as the major problems have been solved or the initial challenge has been met. You may need to learn to follow through and finish what you have begun, but are happiest and most effective in jobs that permit one project after another, with somebody else taking over as soon as the situation is well in hand.
Hearsay? Say here.