Until the 8th of November, I was totally indifferent about leaving my primary school. I had finished my Primary School Leaving Examinations a month ago, and would be going to a new school next year. I was troubled, in a way, but I was barely aware of it before. It was like a nagging problem which I didn't know how to handle, and had pushed to the back of my head where it would stay until I remembered it.
A P6 Graduation Camp was held on the 8th of November. My class had to be split up, something wihch I was extremely sore about.
Well, I joined the second group and went to Kallang, where we went Dragon Boating. It was fun, especially when members of a different boat splashed water at us whenever our two boats came close together. Of course, we retaliated by splashing water back at them. Then we went to Punggol Park, where we had some boring Team Building Activities. Then, for the grand "finale", we returned to school for dinner and the campfire. There, my class, 6A, was finally reunited.
We were given Nasi Lemak -with vegetables, much to my disgust- for dinner. It was a below average dinner...Scarcely palatable. Before that we had to change into our Camp T-Shirts.
Then came the campfire. I loved every moment of it, except the part when the ground was damp. Well, I escaped to the damp area to sit bcoz of some secret fear. Not of fire, of course. Then I returned to the dry area to sit after a while.
During the campfire, I took a good look at the faces of my classmates. Lee Peck Khee, Goh Pei Ying, Janice Tan, Tan Qian Ni, Jacqueline Choo, Adeline Chia, Samantha Tay, Tan Wei Gin, Stephanie Loh, Elaine Chen, Lena Goh, Amos Tay, Ian Goh, Travis Chia, Tay Yu Liang, Joshua Chia, Gary Chew, Woon Zong Han, Eugene Chua, Clarence Ong, Steven Yuwono, Stanley Yuwono, Ferris Utama Falisman, Sarah Tan, Delphine Toh, Look Xinqi, Valerie Sum, Jasmine Wong, Liow Xingzi, Pook Wen Kai, Kester Tan, Loi Ee Vian, Blossom Chan, Chew Zhi Xuan, Ng Sian Ching, Eng Chu Heng, Huo Dong Hui...And Lew Gui Qi, Yusaku Fukushima, Eugene Yip, and Teddy Handra Hon who were all absent at the camp. I'm noting down their names so as to increase the chances of remembering my classmates.
Then the realization hit me. I was leaving Zhonghua Primary School, leaving the classmates whom I had grown to regard as good friends. There was only a slight chance that I would ever see them again. I was leaving Zhonghua. Zhonghua had nurtured me for six years. I had seen it grow and glow, fail and succeed. It had provided me with so much warmth and care a normal family could never have given. It had instilled knowledge and values in me. And to think that in a few weeks, I would be leaving it.
Then I thought about what life would be like in my new secondary school.
-Staying back for classes almost everyday.
-Studying for so many subjects.
-Missing all the friends I made at Zhonghua.
-Missing the relaxed life in Zhonghua.
-Enduring heaps of homework.
-Perhaps even missing all the teachers who had been so homourous, so supportive...
Secondary school would certainly be a living hell. I really felt like crying once I thought of leaving Zhonghua and entering Secondary School. I'm not kidding.
I'm leaving Zhonghua. I'm leaving Zhonghua. I'm leaving Zhonghua.
