29th October

A Very Full October

October has been stressful, eventful, and a month I am quite glad to see coming to an end. When I last wrote about Term 7, I was still adjusting to how much it was asking of me. A month later, Advanced Optimization and Kinetic 104 have continued to take up most of my attention, leaving considerably less room for the things I usually do to unwind.

There have been some good moments in between, though. A result I was happy with, a day across the causeway, and time with friends have given me things to remember beyond the workload.

Two Exams in Two Days

I sat for my Urban Transport midterm on 22nd October and got 44 out of 60. I was really happy with that, especially considering how little time I had put into preparing for it. Advanced Opti and capstone work had taken priority, so it was a relief to come away with a result I felt good about.

The next day, on 23rd October, was my Advanced Optimization final. I think it went okay. The results are not out yet, so there is not much more I can say with certainty, but I tried my best. For now, I am glad to have it behind me.

A Day in JB

On 26th October, Hadi, Geof, Daryl, Vicky, Reina, Lulu and I went to JB for a day trip. We managed to fit quite a bit into it: doing our hair, singing KTV, having lok lok for dinner, and finishing with an escape room before heading back to Singapore.

It was a packed day, but I was glad to spend it with them. Having something to do together outside the usual school routine was a welcome break in a month that had been so occupied by work.

Keeping Sane Together

Earlier in the month, Fion, Magenta and Hugo also came over for dinner. Spending that time together helped us destress and get closer. These dinners and outings have always been an essential part of keeping me sane, and that has felt especially true lately.

There has barely been time for games recently, and my reading has suffered too, sadly. The books I had already been neglecting in September are still waiting. I do miss having time for those things, but I am glad I have still had moments with friends throughout the month.

Looking Towards November

There has not been much progress on Kinetic 104 lately. I am looking forward to visiting the St Luke’s centre on 2nd, 6th and 11th November, though. I will be helping out, and I hope spending time there will give me more insight into the people and setting we are trying to understand through the project.

I also want to contribute while I am there. Beyond what we might learn for capstone, I am looking forward to being useful and doing something for the community.

For now, I am tired and ready for October to end. I am happy with my Urban Transport result, hopeful about Advanced Opti, and grateful for the people I got to spend time with along the way. It has been a lot, but there are good parts of this month I want to keep.