Life Goes On

The last day of school

• Life Goes On

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

Today is the last day of my high school times, also the last day of secondary education.

Early in the morning, I woke up around 5.50 am, because my alarm haven’t rung yet, I went back to sleep. 6.09 am, my alarm rang. After I did the usual things, I went to school just bringing books of National Examination questions, and class-shirt and jackets.

I arrived early, just after 7.00 that I already occupied my seat in the class. Being lazy, I played MouseHunt for a while before opening books.

Physics was the first lesson. Mr. Manaek, our Physics teacher, also our form teacher, told us that we should hang our dreams just a span above the head so we could reach it easily, not like other people sayings that told us to hand our dreams as high as the stars. He said that stars are very very far and hence unreachable. Then he distributed our National Exam ID cards before we took photos ourselves and with him.

Time for the first break. Our class attempt to do parade around the school were condemned by Ms Bertha who was at that time passed by our class.

Physics was followed by Civics that day. Things was just normal: we studied by ourselves (although most of the time was just playing and taking photos) Haha

In the second break, there were some who do parade around the school. I, Leonard, Lenny, Edward, Jessica L., and Vicky took photos in the small garden.

Next lesson was History, the teacher didn’t come. Instead, a replacement teacher was in for him. We continue our activities. Some people start a little discussion at the back. Maybe sharing experience in the class. I saw some of them drop a tear.

Chemistry was a little bit different. Mr. Andy, the chemistry teacher, discussed some questions before taking photos with us, which was a rare event, he usually refuses our requests but this time he accepts ours.

Math teacher, Mr. HL, was sick. He is said that he got a liver cancer which was incurable and was currently hospitalized in Singapore. Hope he can get well soon. In this lesson, some people gathered together to have a big discussion at the back. There is just a little who didn’t want to join them, including me.

Lunchtime! I ate my lunch, which was vegetarian because it is vegetarian day, quickly. After that, I, Leonard, Lenny, Edward, Jessica L., and Vicky take photos around the school.

Biology lesson, the last lesson in schooltime. Dr. Sunario was late, as usual. He started the lesson by a praying. Then, we requested to do a big sharing session. In the process of arranging the chairs, many of us took photos with him. He shared his experience as a doctor: a doctor must be ready everyday, and will not be rich; study is very important; and praying is important too. After that, Claudia shared her complaints about someone, she just wanted that people respect everyone’s opinion. Last, Jennifer shared her thoughts about Mr. HL. She used to hate him very much as she disliked his methods of “leaking” the exam questions before the exam. It is a common secret that Mr. HL is leaking the exam questions to ones who have a private tuition with him. She said that after Mr. HL was this sick, she felt very sorry about her doings. She said that we should forgive people before it is too late. Yeah, peace is very beautiful and war was nice just in films and games. After that, she said that we should only remember each person’s kindness so we could be happy when we met him/her  in the future. After that, she sang a song and shaking hands with others; and the lesson was closed by a praying by Dr. Sunario. We didn’t forget to take photos with him before we went home.

Before I went home, I said goodbye to some people, I also hugged some people. Many people hugged me at a time that it’s hard for me to breathe. I also participated in the yell-yell for the last time.

In the way to the exit, Lenny accompanied me and before leaving, I said good bye to her.

This is the end of the story of school. May we become what we want in the future.

My posts may be very erroneous in grammar and/or structure and I apologize for that.

Leaving for Jakarta

• Life Goes On

31 March 2013

Today, I’m going to leave Medan for Jakarta. I’ll attend NTU Scholarship Interview on 2 April 2013, 4.45 pm at Hotel Mulia, Jakarta. I’ll be accommodating in my cousin’s home at Kelapa Gading. I’ll come back to Medan at 3 April.

Wish me luck~

 

CS188.1x

• Life Goes On

28 March 2013

Actually I’ve been enrolling in CS188.1x, a online course offered by University of California, Berkeley (known as “UC Berkeley” or simply “Berkeley”). The course is about Artificial Intelligence. The course itself is accessible to anyone at http://www.edx.org. edx also offered some other top-university courses. edx will send us a certificate (through email) if our progress of the course is above some criteria, for this course, it was 60%.

This course consists of 12 week, there will be 3 projects, and 6 lecture and homework, plus one final exam.

This week is Week 6 (of 12) of the course. We were given a project about “Games”. No, it’s not playing games, it is making pacman smart in playing games. We were to implement Minimax Function to simulate the all best and worst case of moves.

The course will end some time after April, which was prefect, because I’ve finished my study in high school. I just need to struggle to keep my progress good on weeks where the national exam was held.

UAS and Aftermath

• Life Goes On

23 March 2013

The last exam of my school was held from last week’s Wednesday until this week’s Thursday. I’m not feeling that this exam is very important any more. Whatever the result is, I do not care any more.

After UAS, on 22nd, I and my friends went out to Nelayan Shanghai Kitchen at Sun Plaza to celebrate Leonard’s 18th birthday which falls on 20 March. The food overall was good with a reasonable price.

Today, I held a mini-programming contest for those who are or used to be a member of Sutomo 1 Programming Club. It was exciting! The purpose is just one: to introduce the programming contest environment to the juniors, which I observe that they didn’t know any contest at all. On the other hand, the seniors, who usually play games in the club, now serious on solving these problems and helping the juniors. Well, Teddy, my senior who now studied in Binus University, suggested that the contest is held every week so there were things to do.

Next week, I plan to give the selected ones a simulation test of OSK 2013. I hope it will go well. Also, for the long-term hope, I hope that Programming Club will be better than ever. :)

NTU

• Life Goes On

16 March 2013

Last week, at 6 March, I got an email from NTU stating that I’ve been offered a place at NTU on Computer Science course. And guess what, this week at 13 March, I got an email from NTU again stating that I’ve been selected to the scholarship interview that will be held on 2 April at Jakarta. I’m hyped! Well, I hope things go well.

2nd week of Chinese New Year

• Life Goes On

The second week of Chinese New Year was quite usual.

Nothing special in Monday.

On Tuesday, our group’s singing performance was stopped by the teacher and were asked to re-perform next week with better performance. :(

Also nothing in particular on Wednesday.

Thursday, I quickly did my computer project. It was done! Yay! See it here (Mediafire).

Friday, I, Leonard, Edward, and Lenny went out to have lunch at Sakae Sushi at Hermes Place Polonia. Like before, the food was just usual. At the evening, I helped Alwyn doing his project.

Saturday, we rehearsed our group’s singing. Back in programming club, it was quite nice.

 

Chinese New Year and TWoS

• Life Goes On

Is it a coincidence? Last year’s TWoS was around Chinese New Year too. Haha

Okay, this week I had a special Chinese New Year. On the first week, which was this week, almost every day I and my family went out to have lunch or dinner.

9 February:

The big family gathering in Medan to have a big lunch, not dinner. This year, we celebrate the family dinner in just 5: I, my brother, my sister, my father, and my mother. The dinner is at Restaurant Garuda, which was unusual because it is Minang food, not Chinese, like the previous years. I continued playing Roller-Coaster Tycoon.

10 February

We went out like the year before to “hunt” for red pockets. I’m not in a very good health this day, but my body’s temperature was a bit higher than normal. And after I search the Internet, it wasn’t necessary to take medicine that lower body’s temperature if it is not very severe (above 39 degree Celcius). When we went back to Malibu’s home, we opened a grape juice and drank it all. I continued reading “The Hound of Baskervilles”.

11 February

On this day, we ate our lunch at Sakae Sushi, a Japanese restaurant at Hermes Place. Just a usual place, like other Japanese restaurant.

12 February

This day we went out to have a big lunch at Duck King at Cambridge City Square, after that we went up to the apartment to visit our cousin; and then visit the swimming pool. I’ve been working all day on TWoS preparation.

13 February

We went to Brastagi on the morning and went back to Medan at the evening. There, I read some magazines, took a nap, and continued reading “The Hound of Baskervilles”. Back in Medan, I continued my effort on perfecting TWoS preparation.

14 February

First day of school. It’s a tiring day at school. At the evening, the other family came to Medan and invited us to attend their dinner at Taipan Restaurant at the Capital Building. We managed to take photo with the Valentine’s Day event held there. :P

15 February

Just usual day at school except I, Edward, and Sylvia having a follow-up test on Mandarin at the Teacher’s Room. At home, I accidentally fall asleep and when I woke up, I felt having slept for long hours. I was just feeling nothing to do. And then I browse Wikipedia to find out that I have been an administrator of Indonesian Wikipedia. As promised, my first move is to start translating Twinkle, an administration-related tool for admins and non-admins.

16 February

We have TWoS on this day! Also, my group (for music class) got rehearsal in minutes before TWoS started. The event went well, especially for my part: there was almost no complain on the performance of the game, except on Steven’s laptop where I think the Firefox version is outdated. Also on this TWoS, I got a souvenir from Geoscience stall. It was my first souvenir after following many TWoS.

At the evening, my family went out to have dinner at Waringin Seafood. It was the dinner before my brother departed for Singapore the next day in the morning.

17 February

Today was tiring. Although I woke up around 6, I got out of bed around 7 to use the toilet and then went back to sleep. That moment, I saw my brother in his SNU jacket preparing to go to the airport. Around 10, we got news that he arrived there.

Around 12, we went out to YSPP to attend Chinese New Year celebration event. The event food was prepared by Maxim Restaurant. It was quite unique. The event overall was crowded as there were four additional tables which were placed outside the room where the event was held. But like previous years’ lunch, this year’s was quite nice.