MPMK - 3H, PI/G 1981 - 83

1H. That was the name of my class when I first registered. There were 26 of us.Let me see if I could recall their names - well, it was in 1981, ok? Let us start with the young men first. There was Fairuz, Khair, Zamhuri, Kasmani, Tarmizi, Moawiyah, Lee Tiang Aik, Jegathesan, Lim Sang Khim, Sivakumar and the late Zaman. The young ladies were - me, Zaleha, Mariam, Christine, Rosie Ling, Hasnah, Salmiah, Latifah, Norizan, Hashiyah, Laziah, Shamsizar, Noriza, Khairunnisa and Eda. The late Zaman passed away during the first year holidays due to drowning at sea where he went for a picnic. Thus, the second and third year saw only the remaining 25 of us. We were all under the care of our personal tutors - Puan Yap and Encik Jalil. Our English and Geography lecturers respectively.

We got to know each other very well and bonded. Actually, I personally think we accepted each other. Well, I did anyway and treated all of them like my brothers and sisters. Coming from a large family, they were my family. Besides, it was the first time away from home for almost everybody. Hence, the bonding was there. We enjoyed each others' company. We loved this crazy and weird class. We embraced each other and respected each others' differences and privacy. Some of us formed their own cliques and in a world of their own but basically, we went through the adage where we took care and looked after each other. Having both Puan Yap and Encik Jalil were heaven sent. Where Puan Yap was practical and nonsensical, Encik Jalil was a live wire and unpredictable. :-D

The trips that we went together further bonded our relationship. The trips to Cameron Highlands, Melaka - where they came to my little house in Pantai Peringgit and Mak cooked lunch for them! Free food especially home-cooked was always welcomed!!! The numerous trips to Woodlands, Singapore where most of the time we walked across the causeway. Who would forget the trip to Kelantan and Terengganu? The camping aka Seni trip to Pulau Tinggi, off Mersing? The Pentarama trip to Penang and USM? The camping with MPTI at Desaru, Johor Bahru. In fact, most trips organised by any one of the societies or Uniform Bodies, we always managed to get invited. Like the camping trip to Melaka by the scouts where I was invited as a PBSM representative. Or enjoying a night together with the St. John Ambulance at the college.

When I came back to class after Bapak's funeral, the class was solemn and did not actually know how to react to death. I kept to myself a lot then. Khair was always around to sit and talk to me. It was not easy to go back to be the happy, carefree Siti everybody knew. Two weeks later it was the first year exams. I was called up by Encik Jalil, who was my personal tutor. We had a talk on how to handle grief and to face the exams. It was important to me that they were there. Most of the time, just being with them and being busy with everything helped ease the pain. After the exams, was the first year practical. I was attached to SIGS with Zaleha and Salmiah. It was a premier school in JB and so, I was totally taken up with the preparation and doing my practical as best as I could. Slowly, with their quiet support and encouragement, I managed to keep my grief under control and joined the life at the college again.

I am sure we all remembered the sports event where most of us were the officials who volunteered. Usually we got free food. :-D  We saw and was captivated by how fast Rabuan Pit could run the 100m. The time when MPMK young ladies were requested to line up along the road leading to the Istana Johor to welcome the new bride of the then Putera Mahkota Johor who is now the Sultan of Johor. That young bride was Tunku Zarith Sofia. Well, we all dreamed of being a princess!!! She was beautiful. The cheering and shouting we did to support our college team in anything, the many stage shows where Zamhuri and company were the band performing, the many shows and night events that we went, took part in and enjoyed ourselves, the Hari Raya functions where we cooked and performed, the voluntary work at the Spastic Centre and the mental hospital in Tampoi.... I could say we had done it all. It was all in good spirit, non-rascist, fun and enjoyable that it was meaningful now.

The most enjoyable class we all agreed to was Music class with Puan Kwok. She was so much fun! I think personally, we had a good combination of lecturers who shaped us into the teachers that we are now. Puan Yap with her firm, disciplined, nonsensical but compassionate approach. Encik Jalil with his idiosyncrasies and unpredictable methods and moods and Puan Kwok's gentleness, openness and embracing life with her music and songs. I think we were the better because of them.

Who could forget Okwonkwo, the protagonist in "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe, our literature text in 2nd year or was it 3rd year? I could still recall the opening of the story -
                               "Things fall apart, 
                                 the centre cannot hold,
                                 mere anarchy is merely unfold."

3 years in H class made us grow up. Be a more responsible person that we could be proud of. Be a teacher that MPMK could boast about. Be a friend. Be a sister / brother. Bonded for life as the 3 years together are etched deeply in the recesses of our minds. We might not like each other but we accepted. The happiness, sadness, laughter, grief, sorrow, blood, sweat and tears - 3H in nostalgic memory. Why now? My youngest son is also leaving for college very soon. The last of the three boys. The two elder brothers are in universities. I talked to him about my years in college. Have fun but never neglect your studies. The college years will never come back but it is the first place that will make you grow up and be a young man. Although, personally, I think 5 years of boarding school had done just that. Enjoy yourself, make friends, fall in love or out of love  :-D,   be adventurous...but never, ever forget your grades!!!!  I think that is a wise advice right?