SMU’s pre-uni activities kicked off with the sports & faculty camps and they previewed the fun and laughter that can be expected at this premier university. However after all the dust had settled and the last drop of alcohol consumed, came the more serious stuff, the part where we attended the pre uni briefings and got ourselves introduced to what uni life’s going to be like.

Some say uni is where you have to make a choice, either to strive for the maximum, or to enjoy. However SMU, being different, wants and challenges us to choose both. To achieve summa cum laude*, to do an exchange at an ivy league, to be the president of a CCA, to be active in sports, to be…to do… to obtain… to achieve.

How exciting and yet how psychotic.

I especially love it when those 4.0 GPA seniors who are also involved in all sorts of sh*t come up and give their advice. “Don’t worry la, actually GPA not that important la, must enjoy life k, GPA is only 1 line in your portfolio” Yeap…

But the fact does remain, such psychos do exist, and I want to join that club. As they say, not just a student, but an SMU citizen. Cool.

However another facet arises for me. In the race for the cum laudes, a thin balance between the building of the Portfolio and the building of the Temple of God exists. Excellence is a common material needed in both buildings, but at what cost. As a Christian, people matter above all cum laudes, therefore a greater challenge to live unconsumed by the wave of competition beckons. This really does get interesting.

Another part of the uni briefings which I particularly enjoyed was the part when we took the SMU pledge and the SMU 6 Core Values (Commitment. Integrity. Responsibility. Collegiality. Leadership. Excellence) …Platoon 3 drink up!

Yea, those “tough” days seem so long ago. 27 days of leave would mean I haven’t seen camp in over a month, but what the heck, why am I gloating, I am like the only idiot left in my batch without a pink IC. The 2 most wonderful years of holiday are finally coming to an end, but somehow I can just feel it, even better years are just around the corner.

*summa cum laude means highest distinction