“I know this much: that there is objective time, but also subjective time, the kind you wear on the inside of your wrist, next to where the pulse lies. And this personal time, which is the true time, is measured in your relationship to memory.”
― Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending

With the outset of the new year 2015, I think it would be wise to do a little bit of glance or even mini-analysis of some of the things that I had been through all the way in 2014. So here they are! Arranged in a month-to-month basis with selected highlight(s) or extras for each month. Enjoy!

January

   The start of the year - a month with a pretty cool blend of sweet excitement, thrilling nervousness, as well as a little bit of those small cuts of bitter gourds intertwined with a portion of the heart that houses emotions. Somehow it feels really good to come back to school - seeing the familiar faces, and getting things done together. But there is also something different about it - knowing that this would be the last year, I realize that I just have to live my life to the fullest and make the best out of everything.

   Some time around the middle of month, I receive an admission letter and email from Rutgers University. Alhamdulillah, all praises to God for His blessings. Who wouldn't be contented for such a thing? As happy as I am, I know from that very moment that I was wrong. I do not have a year to be spent here with these people. I only have several months left. From that on, I allocate more of my time for finding scholarship, settling up other applications, spending time with the people around, and getting ready to welcome the new students, or should I say, new members to our family at PERMATApintar College.

    As more days have been crossed of the monthly calendar, more things have been done. I happen to be among the several students who are selected to showcase a mini-exhibition or presentation in front of the First Lady of the Republic of Turkey, Madame Emine Erdogan who is also accompanied by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the First Lady of Malaysia, Prof Dato Dr Noriah Ishak, Director of PERMATApintar College and some other distinguished guests. It is an honor to be a small part of the whole process of expanding our network with the gifted centers of the other countries.

   It is a Monday, on January 20th. The day that the new students come. My friends and I are ready to welcome them at several spots on the campus : from the entrance gate until the hostels' compounds. I still remember walking around with a walkie-talkie and a sling bag all around the campus while ensuring that things go well at every check point. Then comes the orientation week. I take part in handling the aerobic sessions, early morning sessions as well as observing their activities from time to time. There are 2 batches of them: The Level 1, consisted of 14-16 years old, and the Foundation 1, comprised of 12-13 years old. It is a unique blend of people, and it is good to see that they are able to get well with one another. Seeing them experiencing and learning all sort of new things from now would be an enlightening sight for the eyes. Let time unfolds what would follow us then.

Highlights:

(i)  Exhibition for the First Lady of the Republic of Turkey

   January 10th is the day of the visit. I am in charge of the Physics demonstration along with my partner, Inderjit Kaur. What we do is actually demonstrating a simple concept of total internal reflection using a water bottle, water and a laser. With a minimum amount of practice, try out and preparation, I am glad because everything goes smoothly during the exhibition.

   Here are some details on the demonstration that I did:

Concept: Total internal reflection (TIR) is the phenomenon that involves the reflection of all the incident light off the boundary. TIR only takes place when both of the following two conditions are met:

• the light is in the more dense medium and approaching the less dense medium. 
• the angle of incidence is greater than the so-called critical angle.

The whole team From the right: Amir Fikri, Aiman Syakirin, Me, Inderjit Kaur, Sharafii Faidzal, Chew Jie Heng, Galvin Steven, Izzat Zuhailee

(ii) 17th Birthday on January 27th 2014

   Monday, the same day as the one that I was born in 1997. I am personally asked by my friends, Syahir and Adam to give a speech summarizing the orientation week of the new students, so I did. The assembly goes quite long, as it is the first official assembly of the year with the college getting merrier with the presence of the new students.

   Right after the end of the assembly, all students in the hall are clapping their hands out of sudden. The rows of instructors on stage also join it. I am sitting at the back of the stage, wondering what is it actually for. The moment that I take a peak to the audience, they are all singing the Happy Birthday song and my friends pushed me forward from the back of the stage. Everyone's eyes are set on me. Their hands clapping. Their mouths singing. There is nothing much that I can do at that very spur of the moment except putting on my biggest smile while rubbing the back of my head which does not even itch. Out of the blue, Firdaus or Pidot emerged from the back of the stage and start blowing into his flute, playing the last part of the Happy Birthday song. My eyes get watery as my body smacks him with a big hug out of utmost happiness. Then, here comes the best part. Our college director, Prof Dr Noriah approaches me and tell me this:

"Hey Bakhtiar, so today is your birthday it seems. Happy birthday! Oh, actually I want to give you a special present for your birthday. I want to send you to London for a special program. Come see me at my office when you have the time so that we can discuss the details. Have a nice birthday!" 

  Alhamdulillah that day is simply amazing. I also receive a blue Superman t-shirt, a dazzling golden tie, several cards, tons of birthday wishes, birthday treats as well as pranks from my beloved classmates. If any of you are reading this, even though it has been a year (or more), thank you so much for everything. That day was one of the best days of my life.

Photos of the month: 

Rutgers University Admission Letter

Trip to Malacca with fellow clasmates

Birthday treats from my fellow classmates of K3. Oh, we also have an exchange student from Austria at that time. Her name is Marie Theres Feitchner. She is a student from Sir Karl Popper Schule, Vienna.

Words of the month:

February

   A month of progress and pace increment. This is the time when time management becomes extraordinarily vital. Especially when one has to handle not only the daily school stuffs, but also a research, events management, university applications, as well as looking and applying for scholarships. Fortunately, there are people like family, instructors, teammates and friends who are ready to lend a hand. It makes everything much smoother and simply better.