Registration Day

I went on half day today, coz today is my registration day at NTU. First and foremost, it was a rather queer sensation, to leave office at half day. It's been such a long time since I went on leave, especially a half day leave. My last leave was in...April? When I went on cruise with my parents. Actually not that long ago, but it certainly felt like ages ago. Heh. Yeah, I'm lazzzy...

Anyways, I had lunch first with the office girls before I went on my way, embarking on the long and arduous journey all the way to the lonesome hill top, which is to become so agonisingly familiar in time to come. Registration was slated to end at 4pm, and I reached NTU grounds approx 315pm. Ok, not terribly early, but should still have ample time right? WRONG lor...

Ok, I was supposed to drop by the Students Services Centre (SSC) to make payment for some administrative fees before proceeding to another building for registration. Armed with a blurry map, I made my way towards what seemed the correct direction, and all was well initially. And then I lost track of the SSC. It was like, so near yet so far. I knew it was in the vicinity of where I was standing, and I would have continued to trudge ahead to what I thought was the SSC. Until this other girl who was supposed to do registration too (she had the same blur pink map) told me that she came from the other direction and the building wasn't where she came from. Pengz.

I walked left, right; tried to look for signs to point me in the right direction at least, to no avail. And it didn't help that this god-forsaken place was a mass of buildings with no labels. I mean, in the map, they labelled this and that building as this and that, but when I saw the physical place, they either don't label the building (no big signs on top), or the signs were hidden at some obscure side panel, blocked by luscious trees! *roll eyes* Of course, I asked some kind souls, and they pointed me in the direction. Guess what? The SSC building sits atop one of the hill top. Literally, I tell u; no kidding. *faint*

That long flight of steps that stretched forever. I tell you, if not for the fact that I run, I think I may just have panted and paused half way up. Anyways, by the time I reached the finance office, it was 350. And I was positively drenched in perspiration. Yuck. And not the prettiest sight, I know. I was stricken with panic to my bones, coz I seriously didn't know what would happen if registration was over and I didn't do mine. 27 was the one and only day allocated to do it. And best of all, I just had to be queuing behind this typical complainy Singaporean.

It was obvious he was in a foul mood, perspiring and in a huff. He began ranting and raving at the person-in-charge, who was preparing for his payment and stuff. He raised a ruckus, complaining that NTU was inflexible, that he had Q-ed for an hour over at the registration place, only to "find out" that he had to make payment first before going to register, peppering his whiny complaints with the occasional foul word like "...you guys are sibeh inflexible...why can't we just do registration then I come and do payment lah...what's wrong with it...etc etc" (excuse my language; I was just repeating what he said).

Hello, "what's wrong"? Yeah, what's right is that you, Mr Whiny, are wrong. What's wrong is that you failed to read instructions. It was written clearly in the letter that you have to make payment FIRST before proceeding for registration. It's not that fault that you didn't read instructions and made such a big boo-boo and caused such inconvenience to yourself. NTU's fault was accepting a graduate student like you into their programme, one who doesn't read instructions, and probably didn't deserve a spot in their programmes. What's more, after I had made my payment and went to the registration place, they had in fact, put up a notice outside, reminding students to make payment FIRST.

What's obvious is that dear Mr Whiny is either blind (didn't see the multiple reminders), poor comprehension (didn't understand what he was reading) or pompous (thinks he is exclusive and can get away without making payment first and hoping to do registeration). Mind you, Mr Whiny is a well-dressed Shenton-way executive ok, with shirt-pants-tie and the works. Probably in his mid-thirties. Can you blame Singapore girls for being demanding about the quality of Singapore men? Anyways, I told Jac I hope he isn't our classmate. Haha.

But well, through his ranting, I knew that there was a long Q ahead, so it wouldn't be possible that the registration will end at 4pm. Heh...that kinda made me feel a little better, a little mroe assured that I still can make it. Hee. I made payment and proceeded to the registration place, and I still managed to make it before 4. Not bad. =) Everything happens for a reason. I guess I ought to learn not to jump into a frenzy so soon, since everything is in his control. =) I mean, if I had reached earlier, I would have to wait anyway. Oh well...I guess it all ended well.

By the time I made my way home, it was nearing 6pm...not much of a half-day off right. Initially I thought I would have some time leftover to perhaps do some shopping or whatever, so as to make my half-day leave more worthwhile. But sigh. I was bushed when I got home; I went to nap for awhile, and woke up like 7+ then went for a short run.

Pauline actually asked me if I wanted to join her at Dbl O with her frens. She's on "vacation"...having just left her teaching job. Though I'm not sure if I'm envious of her or not. Heh. Oh well.

P/S - Countdown: Another 3 more days and my Mr J will be back *grin*