Atarashii

Now that my negative vibes have lessened (for more information, kindly refer to the previous post below), it's now that I can carefully relate my new state of living here.

This place is basically...basic. Sure, the room is rather comfortable once you're used to it (imagine the trouble we had to go through to clean the place up. My condolences to those who were stuck with formerly boys' rooms), allowing us some privacy and - in a way- the compartment system is kinda nice. The fact that my lamp is non-functional and the fan is so, so slow (let it be said here that I have, in fact, filed a report to ask for the first to be repaired) is rather sad, but hey, better than nothing.
But we need something else too, Like an ATM!

It's very impractical to go out every week just to withdraw money. Transport is rather difficult - since we're isolated from town. Taking a bus everyday? Troublesome as well. There has got to be a better way than to shove ourselves into that bus like a can of sardines. If they could provide us with the money that we need, we'll be very happy campers.

The number of cafes here can be counted with only one hand - all you have to do is raise two fingers. And for the one nearest to our hostel - the food is unpalatable. The service was rather lousy - ordered my food at eight and only managed to get it at eight forty (and the fact that they got my order wrong the first time was...rather vexing. My handwriting is readable!) shows how much "dedication" some people have in doing what they're supposed to do.

Planning to start tennis here, although that would mean I'd have to use more money to get me the equipment I need. It really helps to know some seniors are helpful and sporting. One thing that I value here (i.e. different in a positive way from the atmosphere in matric) is that the seniors are rather nice. Smiling is very common, such that one would feel guilty if one were to go against the flow. In a way it resembles life.

The lecturers here, from my first impression (dude, they're all about first impressions here. More on that later) are scary. But I suppose they do know a lot. This we can only find out later - perhaps tomorrow, when my first class would begin. No messing around with them, that's for sure.

This place is all about attitude and first impressions. Firstly, for attitude, it's like it's the only thing that can save someone from failing (should he/she came dangerously close to failing...). The problem with that is attitude itself is very relative (yes, ladies and gentlemen, I now talk about my theory of relativity), and what is black to me may be white to you (or vice versa). Secondly, as for first impressions. I have to say here that I do not believe in it. So you might say that it's happening, so whether I like it or not, I'll have to go with the flow. Guess what, I don't want to. While it's true that I myself may have done so inadvertently, at least I try not to say bad things about it. For the love of all that is holy, I don't appreciate being scolded if I don't have anything to do with the error. It's just too unfair, and not everyone can take it.

As for my own state of health, I am, as I predicted, ailing. My throat is so sore, and really, I have to thank God that I didn't croak when I was reading in front of the ustaz (but let's not talk about that for now, lest my negative vibes return). I'll have to wait until noon to go to the clinic since it only opens for one freaking hour, from twelve to one). It's unthinkable, since we're supposed to be overflowing with medical people! And I refuse to talk too much about the ridiculously far distant between the hostel and said clinic!

My senior-cum-roommate (whose posting is psychiatry) clerked me a couple of nights ago. Verdict: On and off depression, but with good and normal reasons.
Orientation week was hell. It was like we got labelled as the troublesome batch from the very beginning, and it's all because of the "selected" group of people. Then again, maybe it's not entirely their fault - the schedule itself was very absurd. It's like they expect us to do everything in record time. Like, hello? We have something called "lack of energy"! We can't afford to run around at their beck and call. Utterly unreasonable.

I got my text books yesterday (four of them, thick like mad). The one on physiology was so thick (hard cover!) that my arm hurts (another attack of cramps! The first one was last week, where both my legs suffered...). Also, maybe my cramped arm has something to do with the fact that I played badminton yesterday - without warming up. The mystery here is that why was it that I didn't get cramps when I tried my hand at badminton the day earlier?

On the side note, I'm typing this in an eMac in campus. It's a relief to know that dearest Avicenna is not alone in this part of the world!