A hectic week, a hectic month. Marking Mid Years, applications, rehearsals, Vesak Day show management.

I realise giving students my email address so that they can email me their serious enquiries which we then can reply promptly is an excellent idea. For the students, certainly so; but after the experience of Labour Day, I realise it can be quite draining.

After all, I found myself operating an online Helpdesk from the moment I woke up till I slept at 11 pm. And I wondered, in the world of globalisation, if this could be outsourced too. Then students will realise that though in name they are talking to me, but actually they are wired up to some ulu town in India, where teenagers of their age would work in this call centre and answer the routine enquiries.

Don't be mistaken. It's those Ally McBeal moments in teaching. It was an innovative way to help the students, though the prerequisite is you must sacrifice the time to operate the Helpdesk. Ah, I really do hope the students do well because at least, that would have proven I helped add value to their learning. I hope.

On a separate note, I have received a bundle of application forms for Chinese universities. ARGH! OH NO! GOODNESS! Before I knew it, the application's here, and the best piece of news is I have to settle it within this week. Of course, the most daunting is the 400 word personal statement I have to write in Chinese. It's like asking me to write about Hume for varsity admission. I cannot believe what I do this week is going to determine my life for the next 4 years. Gasp.

I am trying to plough through my sister's JC Chinese History notes. So yes, I'm thankful for her choice of taking LEP; otherwise, I would have lacked the resources. Hopefully, I can come up with something good and scholarly enough to impress the powers-to-be in Beijing.

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But I need something good from Singapore too. As a result, I dragged Kai and Tok back to Hwa Chong today. Before that, I called Perry up and well, let's just say I always have this urge to cringe and grimace after talking to the tutors, even if it's over the phone.

When we reached there, we realised we have forgotten the tribute - the holy Tiger juice, so we got a 6 pack only to realise (much to our relief) that the door has been locked. Hence, heartened that juniors know the motto of "decadence lifestyle", we left it with them. Let's hope the tutors won't just find empty cans tomorrow.

Then again, that means I have to go back to get the form from there. Kai asked a good question - what if Burge wrote in debilitating Mandarin? Like "他很好"。Then I can't fault him for putting effort in writing it. So in my note, I said, "You can write in English of course".

Ah well, let's hope May will be over soon, and that whatever I do will be successful. I can't wait for June - the Trip awaits!