Indescribable Feelings

Years after years I have been waiting for this precious moment, which is to reunite  with my long-lost friend, Syafiq, but, today I ponder again whether it is really worthy for me to meet him or not.

When I was 11, my mum sent me to a religious class at a mosque. That was the place where I first met Syafiq. Amazingly, within a week of knowing each other, we became best friends. In the class, he was never reluctant to help me and, he was kind and affable. But, I never understood why our classmates always discriminated against him. However, I wasn’t bothered about my classmates’ attitude towards him as long as I was happy to have such a great friend.

Jubilant moments are never incessant. It was my brother who caused us to be separated. Since my brother’s examination results dropped badly, my mum stopped us from studying there (or she actually might have other reasons, which she hid them from us but that I didn’t know).

Since then, I never met my best friend again but a few times I heard about him from other friends. I did my best to search for him but I failed miserably.

Every day I prayed to meet him. Everyday I imagined meeting him. Everyday I imagined I can experience our precious moments being together again and again. Everyday I missed him.

Nearly 8 years I have been looking for him and at first I felt ineffably euphoric. But, now, he is not as the one who I met in the past 8 years – 8 years ago, and to be more precise, actually, I didn’t really knew who he is. I was too blind to see him as a person. Yeah, he was always great in my eyes as our short meeting never revealed his true colours, which was the reason of the discrimination.

This Syafiq is not the one I have been waiting for. But, who was  the one that I prayed to meet? Does my Syafiq exist?

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Chapter 2 - The Men

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

De Saint-Exupery's professional sense of honour becomes even more apparent in this chapter, where he eulogises about two 'comrades': Mermoz and Guillaumet. The descriptions of the two men and their experiences are full of fitting hyperboles. This convinces the reader that the flying profession is one riddled with deadly moments, and that 'comradeship' is the only way for the pilots to trust and relate to one another.

Mermoz, a pilot killed in service, is portrayed in the best possible light. De Saint-Exupery says, in relation to Mermoz, that in the mould of the flying profession a new breed of men has been cast. These words are important in that they tell us De Saint-Exupery sees himself and his colleagues as an exclusive club of men who would lay down their lives for the service of the common people.

The episode about Mermoz's last moments is told with suspense and longing. It tells the reader that when pilots lose one of their 'comrades' it is the worst thing imaginable. But the hurt that comes from loss also binds the pilots together: "Life may scatter us and keep us apart; it may prevent us from thinking very often of one another, but we know that our comrades are somewhere "out there". The romanticising of Mermoz stresses this point. He goes on to say that there is a moral message in Mermoz's sacrifice: "We understand better, because of him [Mermoz], that what constitutes the dignity of a craft is that it creates a fellowship, that it binds men together and fashions for them a common language. For there is but one veritable problem - the problem of human relations." Evidently, De Saint-Exupery is of opinion that there is "no hope of joy except in human relations."

De Saint-Exupery then relates a desert experience that involved him and his comrades spending the night together in possible danger. This is where the title of the book appears: WInd, sand and stars. But what does it mean? While spending the night with his 'comrades' under the stars, he realised that they were "infinitely poor", and all they had were "wind, sand, and stars", and yet "their memories were sharing invisible riches." Is De Saint-Exupery saying that one may be poor (materialistically) but if one can share oneself with one's comrades, one is infinitely rich? I will let you draw your own conclusions.

Before Part I ends, an important point is made: "Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something moulded." This is to say that life can only have meaning once you have made the effort to learn about life. It is a tough journey, not a chance discovery.

Part II is entirely about Guillaumet, whom De Saint-Exupery describes in lofty terms. Guillaumet has had a near-death experience, and this experience is retold by De Saint-Exupery to the reader. Authorial perspective is of importance here. Note that the author keeps using the more personal "You" when speaking about Guillaumet, instead of the less personal "He". The scene is created in such a way that it is as if the author were having an intimate conversation with his friend.

Guillaumet's experience itself is fascinating, but it, like Mermoz's account, contains a moral message as well. Guillaumet said that the only way for him to resist the temptation of sleep (which would have killed him in the extreme cold) was to think about his family and how they would hope for his survival. De Saint-Exupery praises his courage, but says "his moral greatness consists in his sense of responsibility." Guillaumet had kept himself alive for his service and his comrades, and that, thinks De Saint-Exupery is why he was such a great man. He goes on to say that to be a man is to be responsible. This underlines the author's idea of comradeship: no-one exists by himself. What he does should benefit others. A generous man is a nobleman, concludes he before the chapter draws to a close.

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Wind, Sand and Stars - The Craft

The opinions expressed here are mine and are not the be-all and end-all. If you have other opinions or questions, leave them at the bottom of this entry so that all of us can read them. These opinions are not meant to substitute your lessons or contradict what your teacher may have to say in class. Their intention is to jump-start an interesting discussion. The quotes used have been taken from the Harbrace edition published in 1967, translated by Lewis Galantiere,

 

An aviator who loved his occupation, his 'comrades' and life on Earth - this was the man of passion that was Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Wind, Sand and Stars (Terre des Hommes), a picturesque memoir, is De Saint-Exupery's tribute to the flying profession and the mysteries of life. Abstract, at times deeply philosophical, this is a book that requires the reader to think along with its author.

The opening chapter, 'The Craft', immediately sets the prideful tone that will echo throughout the rest of the memoir. De Saint-Exupery was clearly a man who took pride in his profession, one which was beset by mortal dangers. He writes that some of the pilots would sometimes "fail to come back" and they would then be eternally revered. This is because up in the air nature is unpredictable. What may seem peaceful to someone on the ground may turn out to be a pitfall for a pilot. This is further proved by the author's summary of Mermoz's experience and mention of Lecrivain, who "had not landed at Casablanca [and] would never again land anywhere."

The perilous nature of the profession meant one thing for De Saint-Exupery: that what he was doing was of a noble nature: "If, some day, the crew are hooked by a cliff it will not have been in the interest of tradespeople that they will have died, but in obedience to orders which ennoble the sacks of mail..." The author also writes these critical words about the "tradespeople" or bureaucrats: "You, like a termite, built your peace by blocking up with cement every chink and cranny through which the light might pierce ... You have chosen not to be perturbed by great problems." He is scornful of bureaucrats because he thinks they are "hardened clay", incapable of realising their potential. De Saint-Exupery was a man appreciative of nature's mysteries. This is expressed in a cryptic paragraph about coffee-drinking: "Amidst all these stars there was but one that could make itself significant for us by composing this aromatic bowl that was its daily gift at dawn. And from that earth of men ... our ship was separated by astronomical distances. All the treasures of the world were summed up in a grain of dust now blown far out of our path..." He mourns the fact that humans are no longer capable of understanding their significance in the universe. The joy of living, he says, lies in "the remembered sensation of that first burning and aromatic swallow." He is speaking of the beauty of simple things. Even a simple act like drinking coffee with one's friends at dawn should inspire one to "hold communion with the earth."

De Saint-Exupery stresses how important it is for a pilot to stay connected with the elements of nature, as he "looks to them to tell him the direction of the wind or the progress of the storm, and the quality of the night to come." He is far from romanticisng nature. In fact, he says the pilot's problems are "set him by the mountain, the sea, the wind." In order for the pilot to survive, he must learn to read nature's signs.
 

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Now We May Begin (Again)!

The time has come for independence.

I have learnt recently that the mother magazine of our blog, 'Opinionated Monthly', has been claimed and formalised by Sri KDU. This is to be expected, of course, given that the contributors of the magazine are all KDU students. This means that from now on this blog will not be publishing the magazine, and will serve as a forum for (ex-)students, IB or otherwise, to make their voices heard. If you have anything to share with us (even if your piece has been published in the magazine), mail it to me or my two trusted assistants: Fendi and Fatin.

I will still remain the manager of this blog, and will, from time to time, post entries here which are related to education, the IB, and English A1/B. Some of you may have to face internal and external assessments soon, so I will also use this digital space to discuss examination techniques and regulations. Should you have any questions about a specific assessment, please mail them to me. Discussions of literary works are very much welcomed.

Please remember that for this blog to stay alive, we will need your valuable contributions.

You can reach me at ecw_ong@hotmail.com

As long as we are still breathing, we will keep pushing that big ol' rock up that hill!

Edward Ong

Amsterdam,
September 2010

www.thesciolistspupil.blogspot.com

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FROM THE DESK OF THE OMNISCIENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

There is a goodbye in every hello, a lyricist whose name I can't recall philosophically said. How true that is, I now think.

When I arrived in Kuala Lumpur in July 2008 with a suitcase full of swirling expectations and wild plans, I knew somewhere in the dark corners of my mind that the adventure would have an end to it. Two years is a long time out of anybody's life (the IB-ers can swear to this); the initial months after my arrival, when I hardly knew a soul and found KL to be indifferently chaotic, the end of the two years had seemed to me then impossibly far away. I even started questioning my ability to last.

That all changed sometime in the beginning of 2009. The shift was a gradual and barely detectable one. When I woke up in the morning and the sky was still a uniform ocean-blue, there was a hitherto unfamiliar feeling of calm, a new sense of belonging. It took me a little while to realise that I had finally come home. What had brought about this shift was the host of incredible, warm-hearted people who had suddenly, almost unexpectedly, been ushered into my life. These ranged from selfless, side-splittingly funny colleagues/friends to amenable, affectionate students who never ceased to amaze me with their warmth of character. There was a great deal of uncontrollable laughter, of confiding, of relishing what is truly good about this life. De Saint-Exupery would have been proud of the whole bunch of us.

Then Time did that funny little trick it tends to do when you're having fun: it sped up, and for the rest of 2009 and the beginning of 2010, I lost sight of the weeks and months. Everything rolled up into one fast-spinning ball of excitement. Then IB5 sat for their exams and left behind empty, echoey classrooms. The reluctant juniors turned into seniors. Soon there will be new faces roaming the hallway... The circle of life and all that jazz.

This is my last entry as the editor-in-chief of Opinionated Monthly. The torch will be passed on to Ms Catalina Rembuyan for the August issue, and I am sure she will have a blast, just as I have, working with the seniors. I will remain the editor-in-chief of the blog (www.the-opinionated-ones.blogspot.com) so my ties with the school will not be completely severed. But to keep both the magazine and the blog alive, I do need your undying support and, most of all, contributions!

There are so many people to thank and I don't really know where to begin. So I won't. I'll wait until the seniors' graduation to bid you a proper farewell, but until that inevitable day in mid-July, please keep in mind that without your good will, humour and creativity, the magazine would not have seen its first anniversary back in April. You have made it all possible.

I have not begun to miss you yet, but I am sure I will when I find myself gazing out of the window of my tiny Amsterdam apartment, and realise how ludicrously fortunate I have been these past two years.

Edward Ong

Editor-in-Chief

A Few Words
from the Deputy Editor

I guess I have to count myself lucky for being able to be the first to see the magazine in its entirety and the last to have a say about it, because of our peculiar standard operating procedure that makes me both deputy editor and unofficial layout editor.

As such, I am the first to see our beloved Editor-in-Chief’s last contribution to Opinionated Monthly. I can empathise with the feeling of letting go a project you started but never got to see it through as it continue to grow over the years. I can safely say, on behalf of the editorial staff past and present, that we will miss you, Mr Ong, and your steadfast leadership for more than a year. We thank you for choosing us to be on your team, and it was an honour and our own good fortunes to have you, for more than a year, guide us and nurture our ability to write professionally.

Personally, I thank you for giving me so much room for my own column this month! I also want to express my sincere gratitude to you for accommodating my vision to rejuvenate and transform Opinionated Monthly into a top-notch publication worthy of a bookshop’s magazine rack.

But fear not, IB and Upper Sec readers alike, for Edward Ong will never truly leave us. As he had kindly emphasized, we will continue to see him online, both at the Opinionated Ones blog and at his own blog. Rest assured that I will continue to keep an eye on his articles and print whatever material he writes that will capture our attention and stimulate our thinking.

On that note, I guess I will be the unofficial censor for Mr Ong’s entries! In retrospect, I think us editors do have the final say on what gets printed and what gets chucked into the bin. In a way, we are censoring the material that will be read by the general public! Now, wouldn’t that contradict our stand against censorship?

John Stuart Mill, in On Liberty (1859), had this to say: “We can never be sure that the opinion we are endeavouring to stifle is a false opinion; and if we were sure, stifling it would be an evil still.” This is a man who seems to be completely for freedom of speech. However, if for example parents are not allowed to censor the material their children are exposed to, what will happen to society in the future? Similarly, if we as editors do not censor the material for our readers, wouldn’t we be responsible for anything damaging? Certainly it could not be considered evil if we choose to omit anything overly political, or relating too strongly to religion, or even expressively explicit, could it?

Moving on, I wish to officially give a warm welcome to the new batch of IB students the IB July 2010! We will be earnestly anticipating any fresh ideas they may choose to contribute to Opinionated Monthly. For now, please entertain yourself with our views on football, music, IB, a continuation of the series “Chronicles of the Soulless”, and of course, censorship.

FIAT JUSTITIA ET PEREAT MUNDUS

Chin Keat Meng
Deputy Editor

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Reflections

IB5 ponder on the IB experience…

Azam Ismail

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

~ The Ride of your Life ~

Caution: may cause damage to social life, unexpected paradigm shifts and permanent eye bags.

First of all, congratulations on making the best decision of your life! (No, seriously) It takes a lot of courage and determination for one to choose the IBDP over other pre-university courses. To say that the IB is like a roller coaster ride full of ups and down would be an understatement! The drops, spirals and loop-de-loops you often see on such thrill rides are nothing compared to the emotional (and sometimes physical) turmoil you’ll face in the IB. Being prepared is essential and by personally choosing the IB, you have already taken the first step towards successfully surviving the biggest change in your life. There will be, of course, a few of you who have been chosen to undertake the IB program by your sponsoring bodies. Look at this as a great honour. Not everyone is capable of handling the IB. Obviously your scholarship providers foresaw greatness in you.

If you do a quick Google search on the IB, you will probably find a lot of sites highlighting many horror stories from IB students across the world (MyLifeIsIB is a personal favourite). A word of advice: Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. Sure, the IB can be relentless in killing your social life and sleep, but it is possible to come out of the programme perfectly sane (maybe even with 40+ points if you work hard enough). My IB experience was, without a doubt, an interesting one. The first thing I realized while going through the IB was how quickly my mindset changed. Reading literature became more like a treasure hunt to uncover the author’s purpose than just a way to pass time. Conducting experiments in the laboratory became more of a practice to uncover the secret workings of nature as opposed to just another requirement to pass an exam (SPM students, remember PEKA?). This change in perception is inevitable. It is only a matter of how quickly you are able to embrace the IB way of thinking. The quicker the better, I say. It is imperative to adopt critical and analytical skills, especially when it comes to Internal Assessments (Ms Harjit’s ominous “more depth in your analysis” comments still haunt me in my sleep). Soon enough you will be faced with a mountain of assignments and you will need to be smart in managing your time and completing each of them to the best of your ability so that you rake up as much as possible for your IA’s (They count for at least 20% of your final grade. Don’t mess them up!).

Do not fret, however. The IA’s don’t usually get assigned until your second semester. The first semester, as I recall, was very laid back. If ever there is free time in IB, this would be it, so enjoy it as much as you can. Freedom dies slowly and agonizingly, and before you know it you will be at home, awake at 3.30am on a Saturday finishing up the footnote references for the World Literature Essay while your non-IB friends are out partying their virginities away. At least you’ll have the comfort of knowing your IB comrades are suffering the same fate you are. Seriously though, the friends I’ve made in the IB are really amazing people and I feel so blessed to know them. Your friends while in the IB will be your life. When your best friends from high school get upset with you for staying home completing your Extended Essay instead of hanging out with them, your IB friends will always be there for you, cheering you on as you get that annotated bibliography done and the final word deleted to fulfill the maximum 4000 word count (Yes, you will go over the word count). I still remember the night (or rather, very early morning) I finished my EE and had it printed. I took pictures of the final product and called my good friend Addy, screaming in intense euphoria. J

I remember thinking so often whether all the work and sacrifice I made for the IB was worth it. I don’t think that feeling ever went away until the final semester came. It’s like the home stretch of IB. You are so close to the end and all your hard work finally gets put into perspective. The final semester will probably be the most stressful part of IB (This was when I finally had my IB breakdown – EE-related. It felt good though. I didn’t feel so left out anymore since all of my classmates already had theirs). All your IAs will finally be sent for submission and revision for the final exam begins. You will have folders and folders (or just sprawled across the study desk in my case) of IB exam past papers for practice. This is important because you will have very little time to write your exams (Imagine writing 10 pages for Economics in 2 hours. My right index finger bent out of shape after this paper). Once again, your analytical and critical thinking skills come into play, but with the added pressure of time. You really need to think on your feet for this one.

Right now, you’re probably really nervous and contemplating leaving the IB (Just like how four of IB 5’s students decided to leave after the first semester). All I can say is, it is ultimately your choice. It is perfectly possible to maintain a balance between studies, friends and family. Of course you will have to make difficult sacrifices sometimes to accommodate your busy schedule, but it depends on how effectively you manage your time and where your priorities lie. If you cherish your social life, try not to procrastinate on work and you’ll find a lot of free time to still go out with your friends. If you’re the studious type, don’t forget to take frequent breaks and go out with your friends too. The IB, after all, aims to provide a holistic environment for education and personal growth, and I’m happy to say that I’ve learned so much not only from my amazing teachers but also from my friends in the past two years. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything else. 

Hakim bin Azman

Hye peeps!! Hmm, talking about IB final exams, I feel relieved because it’s over!! I have my life back!! But surely I miss all my friends there (friends = IB five, teachers and juniors as stated in my FB status before) and every single moment with you guys!!

The first paper was English A1 Paper 1. I think I did my best!! Because usually I can just write about 3-4 pages but this time, I used 5 pages for my prose commentary. It was a good start for me! Next, Business and Management papers. It was pretty tough. All of the business students knew that business exam papers are all about writing and the only time your hand can slow down and take a rest when there is a drawing question like “decision tree” question, but this time, there was no drawing question, so, we needed to write non-stop till the invigilator said “The examination has ended. Finish your last sentences and stop writing... bla..bla.. bla..” Luckily my hands did not get muscle cramps as I felt they were so tired. Anyway, I hope my result will not be that bad.

Next was Mathematics. I was kind of stressed when I sat for these subject papers because I wanted to score for it. So, there was extra pressure there. I have no comment on this subject because it was not that bad and was not that good because I think I could have done better. So, hopefully my result for this subject will be pretty good. The first week of examinations had ended!!!

In the 2^nd week, again, I think I did my best for my English Paper 2. And again, I used more papers to write for my Paper 2 compared to any other tests before this. Hopefully, the marks are going to be “more” too!! =D The next paper was Chemistry! Chemistry was also one of my “need-to-score” subjects. Paper 1 was pretty easy. But, sadly, Paper 2 was tougher than any other Chemistry Paper 2 that I had ever done before. =( For paper 3, I stayed up the whole night, burnt the midnight oil because I needed to score for Paper 3 to cover back my Paper 2. So, when the time came, I did my best. For me, Paper 3 was just OK. After the paper, I straight away went back to D’shire and slept as I had just slept for 1 hour the night before. Week 2 finished and two more subjects to go!!

In the 3^rd and final week, there were Econs and Spanish. There was a hectic day for me as I needed to sit for 4 papers in one day! Plus, it was all about writing. Write, write and write... huhuh...  My Spanish papers were OK as I could answer all the questions, although some of the questions were really confusing. Some creativity was needed to answer these types of questions so that you wouldn’t look like you didn’t know anything. LOL. (Spanish students should know what am I talking about.) And for my Econs paper, I think I’d tried my best!! Econs was about understanding and “DEPTH” was always in my mind as Ms. Harjit was very significant about this word. =) Hopefully, I can get a good mark for Econs. As my Econs paper 3 was my last and only paper on 20^th May 2010. The night before that I couldn’t focus on studying. The time “10.30am” was everywhere. Sorry, Ms. Harjit. Luckily, I could answer all the questions and I think I did pretty well for my Econs paper 3.

And right after the examination had ended, there you go, I screamed out loud!! Yeahhhhhhhh!!!! Woooohooo!! It’s over!!!!! I’m so relieved!! I’m free!! I know I had disturbed the juniors and the teachers who still had their classes, so, I want to take this opportunity to apologize for my action. Huhuh.. The feeling was superb!! Only the person who had gone through it knew how it was!! I know you can imagine how I feel but seriously, when you feel it on your own, it is indescribable!!

After that, party non-stop!! Hehe =D But somehow, you will also start to miss all those moments in the IB. I also feel lost because I’m too free and don’t know what to do. But that doesn’t matter because now I’m free from the IB!! It’s over!! Hehe =D

p/s: To my June 09 juniors, next is your turn!

Khairil bin Abdul Ghani

The clock is ticking. Every minute, every second. I don’t have time, and yet my eyes dart back to that clock on the wall, indifferent in its measurements. Focus. Focus! Quickly, I return to the task at hand. The paper. Reread the question, and write. All around me, there is writing. The scribble of pens onto paper, the jotting down of notes, and steps. The writing never ceases. This silent symphony is occasionally punctuated by a cough, or the screech of a table being adjusted. Ticks, tocks, scribbles, screeches, all to the tempo of the steps of the silent sentry, standing watch as a symbol of scrutiny.

Sound familiar?

Whether it is UPSR, PMR, SPM, class tests, mocks, or the actual IB examinations, the environment stays the same. The stress, anxiety, and tension are identical, even if they take place in different classrooms or with different invigilators. As is, of course, the post-paper jubilation and/or commiseration.

It’s over! It’s over! How did I do? Hard to say. There were some tricky questions. Oh no! Think I messed up that one! Shit! NO! No… Urgh. Screw it. Onto the next paper, got to study…

Lewis Jackson

My time in IB

Unlike most of my classmates (I presume) I knew I wanted to do IB since I was about 13 or 14. I used to go to Mont Kiara International School and as such have known about IB for a while. Thus when the time came for me to start IB, I felt like I was making the right decision.

I remember the first day I stepped out of the elevator carrying my overly heavy backpack (filled with books I wouldn’t use for months ;). My first reaction was one of fear, as I stepped out into a swarm of miniscule Form 2’s. Attempting to look cool, as all IB kids do, I blundered around looking for my classroom before I was whisked away by Ms. Harjit who found me and led me to the safety of class. Once in class my heart fell, everyone seemed to know each other! I felt terribly alone, so I went and stood with someone who I would soon come to know as Khairil, and we stood alone as one. We then had some sort of orientation type thing, and the most significant thing I can remember is telling a joke, and none of the seniors (at the time) got it, for about a second I was the only one laughing, 

before I quickly stopped and sat back down.

My parents helped leave an impression on two classmates, the first, Aimran and the second, Adlina. During the orientation day, I happened to sit next to Adlina and her family. For the rest of the orientation, my mom kept nudging me and whispering: “She’s a good sort Lewis, try and get to know her.” As we were leaving the orientation and walking back, we saw this rather short guy come up the stairs with a massive grin on his face. This was of course Aimran. From there on out, my mom referred to him as: “The boy with a nice smile.”

My time in IB was punctuated with a wide variety of events, ranging from the INTENSELY INSANE, to the mild (still awesome) ones. Several of the highlights would of course have to be DRESSING UP AS KISS!  To this day, I am still reeling from the pure “awesome” and “win” associated with doing that. Another was the awesome birthday party everyone threw for me at Penang during our first Penang trip, and how I at first thought there was a satanic ritual going on in the apartment (due to the candlelight and muffled whispers). OH I JUST REMEMBERED! THE QUIZ I MADE! That was pretty epic as well, will need to do another soon.

IB would of course be nothing without our awesome teachers, who have put up with my shit everyday of the week for two years, an unenviable task. I cannot thank you enough for the education you gave me, along with the friendship. I’ll never forget hugging Mr. Ong and trying to get a piggyback ride from him after I drank that whole bottle of Vodka.

Finally IB would literally not exist without my awesome classmates. Together we survived two years of intenseness the likes of which mere A-levels students would quail in fear over; together we did all this and still managed to have a rocking awesome time. I thank all of you for putting up with me and being there for me and I hope, nay, I know that we will continue what we started here long into our adult lives.

As a closing “statement” to our juniors, I would just like to ask that they keep the spirit we have made IB embody alive, a spirit of fun, adventure, recklessness tempered with intelligence, and of course a bit of studying thrown in there.

 Aimran Alif

To be quite honest, I never really worried about exams. I always did get anxious, but never worried. I think what gets people worried is the thought that everything you’ve worked for over the last 2 years will boil down to one defining moment. The exams for me varied in difficulty according to subject.

Take English for example. As far as Paper 1 (for you secondary school kids, Paper 1 is where you meet a poem and prose that you have NEVER SEEN BEFORE, and you write a commentary about one of them) is concerned, there is almost nothing you can do to study for it. Know your literary terms. I think the trick to analyzing a text is to read it a few times and let it float in your subconscious before asking yourself “So what does it mean?”

Physics. The love-hate relationship I’ve had with this subject has been an ongoing matter for the longest time. It’s as if we broke up and got back together over and over again. Just when I think I’m about to understand her, she changes. Unlike typical SPM questions (insert the values into the formula and find your answer), they tamper with the concepts behind the formula. λ= ax/d, but what happens if I change the phase of one of the slits? I partially blame the way SPM brought us up as learners. Take my word for it when I say it is absolutely futile to memorize your way through a great deal of this. That being said, I was rather discontented when I found IB decided to ask very fact-based questions for the exam this year. It seems the trend of asking concept-based Physics questions is now at a turning point. We’ll have to wait for feedback from the next batch to find out how the trend shall proceed.

I could go on about how exams work, but I believe that the experience is specific to the individual. Look around you the next time you’ve having exams. You find ‘groups’ of people. Some lazing about, some doing last minute reading, and our ever favorite “Ohhh, I didn’t study!” *Gets an A+ later*.

So boys and girls, I wish you all the best with your upcoming exams. You’ll know you’re there when you say “I don’t know what to study” without ‘spotting’ questions.

 Adlina Edlin

Being in the IB was an immeasurably valuable experience. I felt like I was learning something new every waking minute I was at school, and those ‘lightbulb’ moments certainly extended beyond the classroom. If I had to describe being in the IB in one word, it would be: enriching. The IB has added value to my life in more ways than one. Being taught by the most amazing teachers and being surrounded by great friends with outstanding personalities every day was an experience of a lifetime. I will forever remember the tense and strained atmosphere that was present on days an IA or EE draft was due, the suppressed joy I felt whenever I found out someone else hasn’t done their work either (whoops) and definitely the days that led up to the exams because I remember feeling almost weightless as there were no longer multiple (abbreviated) things to worry about, and the only thing left to do was make the 2 years count. I would like to thank all my friends and teachers for teaching me valuable life-lessons. To the seniors, all the best for your final year and to the juniors, welcome to the family :-)

Dear readers: You may have come across a number of swear words in the texts above. They have been left untouched simply to show our disapproval of censorship (this month’s topic).

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DOWN COME THE PEACOCKS

On the 11^th of June, the air was veritably buzzing with quantitative questions: exactly how many rings would Franck Ribery run around right backs? How long would it take for Wayne Rooney to slip on his shooting boots and unleash the lethality within? When would the “red hot” Antonio Di Natale rip the back of a net with a Jabulani ball? Come match day nine, a wholly unforeseen inquiry is looming large over the Rainbow Nation: will another one bite the dust? The good citizens of England, France and Italy must surely be cursing national bookmakers for their naivety. Why has their billing as favorites become little more than a bad joke?

England: Same old tosh, different tourney

Rather than being an eternal spring of motivation, England’s 1966 triumph has made countless generations of pudgy pub – goers delude themselves into believing the Three Lions are infinitely capable of repeating the feat. One cannot help but admire their unshakable dedication to the Union Jack, even after decades of taking dejected flights home. It is then tragic that, once again, they have to bear with utterly half hearted floundering, courtesy of the “heroes” they refuse to remove from pedestals. Neither the absence of Rio Ferdinand nor Robert Green’s hideous error should be associated with the two measly points England are clinging to. For, you see, to do so would be to turn a blind eye to the embarrassing fact that the current crop of English poster – boys simply cannot make the grade. Why appoint one of the world’s most successful managers if none of his coaching staff acknowledge that Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard cannot be lumped together in midfield? What is the point of winning all your qualification matches if you cannot muster one miserable goal against ‘mighty’ Algeria? If these statements were leaked to the hoards decked out in white and red, I’d probably have to go underground, hire personal bodyguards and change my name. However, before fleeing to some nondescript South American hideout, I’d ask the jersey – toting lot thirsting for my blood to ponder the following: when was the last time an English player was awarded the Ballon D’or? How many of the English Premier League’s stars – past and present – hailed from foreign lands? And how many times have England reached the World Cup semi – finals in the last 44 years? Reality bites, doesn’t it, old boys?

France: Les Bleus ont les bleus

This article was not written in a single sitting. In the duration between the scripting of the paragraph above and the typing of these words, the eggs that had been cooking on English faces were somewhat scraped off by a meager win over Slovenia that secured passage into the Round of 16. I may consider retracting some of my anti – Anglo admonitions, but by no means can I avoid lynching 2006’s losing finalists (yes, really). This decade has been a patchy one to say the least for French football – glory at Euro 2000 and Zidane’s German swansong were punctuated by humiliation in Portugal and then Austria. However, the French’s almost ludicrous failure in South Africa is best likened to their farcical 2002 World Cup campaign: they may have managed to get on the score sheet, but that actually only emphasizes the pathetic standards upheld by Raymond Domenech’s schoolboys. To say that they had a certain “je ne sais quoi” about them is to highlight their startling lack of quality in the cruelest possible way. Would the inclusion of Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri have injected some much needed freshness into a weathered squad way past its prime? Should Nicolas Anelka and his posse have disputed less and trained more? Will Nicolas Sarkozy declare Monsieur Domenech an enemy of the state? Perhaps we should look to karma for answers: maybe France was doomed the minute Thierry Henry gave the Irish a hand (pardon the pun). 

Qui connait? Quelquefois, les choses juste vont mal.

Italy: Can’t – enaccio

Let me be clear: I was not even passively impressed when Fabio Cannavaro lifted football’s most coveted prize four years ago, simply as his men had not stayed true to the spirit of the beautiful game. Say what you want about the effectiveness of astute tactics, but I refuse to accept that cynical, calculative defending should be the cornerstone of any aspiring team in the international arena. Football is Diego Maradona’s unforgettable dart past hapless Englishmen in 1986; it is not pointless plodding around the center circle in order to wind down the clock. The Italians may yet emerge triumphant from tonight’s clash with Slovakia, but their feeble frontline and unimaginative midfield have hardly gone unnoticed; with usually fanatical fans now snorting at the Azzuri’s lack of a spark, the likelihood of hollow success cannot be ignored. The time has come for the trophy of trophies to be pried from overly cautious, Milanese glove – covered fingers. Euro 2008 left spectators with fond memories because of – and not despite – Italy’s premature exit in the first round. Let us hope then that Robert Vittek comes to Ellis Park to strut his stuff: for Italy’s loss will certainly prove football’s gain.

Let me just say that the criticisms above are not reflective of overall disappointment with the World Cup; the competition is starting to come to the boil, and the goal – scarcity that dogged its early stages has all but dissipated. I am not opposed to any football nation, and falls from grace do not fill me with glee. In recent years, the sport I and so many others love has been mired in scandal and monetary transactions. What I want, what I feel all fans deserve, is a tribute to football game itself, matches played with joie de vivre and without fear.  If established reputations have to be sacrificed and egos deflated to achieve this end, then I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that the altars have been readied and the needles sharpened.

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