First Steps @ Duke
is so unlike and yet very much like my entering a brand new school--new people, new environment etc.
Briefly, my classes are all fun, profs are great, though the work is heavy but do-able. The people are friendly and moderately easy to talk to, though being me the introvert it still takes some effort, especially since social siuations here are so fluid (that's the only word I can find to describe it).
It’s also a strain co-ordinating and juggling the myriad of social circles—dorm-mates, classmates, fellow AB scholars, Singaporeans all around the US…etc. I’m not exactly the most sociable of people so it takes an effort.
Within these few weeks, I've already committed a good chunk of my time to various things--as house Treasurer for my dorm, as a writer for a myraid of Duke's gamut of publications, including the newspaper, humour magazine, and literary mag. Oh and as one of the newest members of Something Borrowed, Something Blue (SBSB)--Duke's only mixed Christian a cappella group. Hurrah! They are good people, and I'm having to learn fast to catch up with the old members, song-wise. They do seem sufficiently impressed by the speed with which I learn the songs though--so many kudos to Nelson and all the old choirs I've been in for the grueling training! Heh.
Will be church-hopping these next few weeks if not months, looking for the right church. Sadly am too busy and have only attended like 1.5 Christian fellowship meetings so far, so I'm not even close to chosing the right small group. SBSB does however have Bible study and such after practices--it IS a Christian a cappella group after all--so SBSB may turn out to be the small group for me.
(A brief aside: the biggest reward I got from the AB Duke scholarship, of even more worth than just the money, is the community, the friends, the talk-to-abilty of the people you meet. They are inspirational, talented, and a motley crew. Just amazing!)
Back to the general population: Not everyone I've met is brilliant, but there are so many interesting and inspirational people, both Singaporean seniors and classmates and fellow scholars. i wish all of us here and everywhere else a good academic year ahead! Wohoo!
Briefly, my classes are all fun, profs are great, though the work is heavy but do-able. The people are friendly and moderately easy to talk to, though being me the introvert it still takes some effort, especially since social siuations here are so fluid (that's the only word I can find to describe it).
It’s also a strain co-ordinating and juggling the myriad of social circles—dorm-mates, classmates, fellow AB scholars, Singaporeans all around the US…etc. I’m not exactly the most sociable of people so it takes an effort.
Within these few weeks, I've already committed a good chunk of my time to various things--as house Treasurer for my dorm, as a writer for a myraid of Duke's gamut of publications, including the newspaper, humour magazine, and literary mag. Oh and as one of the newest members of Something Borrowed, Something Blue (SBSB)--Duke's only mixed Christian a cappella group. Hurrah! They are good people, and I'm having to learn fast to catch up with the old members, song-wise. They do seem sufficiently impressed by the speed with which I learn the songs though--so many kudos to Nelson and all the old choirs I've been in for the grueling training! Heh.
Will be church-hopping these next few weeks if not months, looking for the right church. Sadly am too busy and have only attended like 1.5 Christian fellowship meetings so far, so I'm not even close to chosing the right small group. SBSB does however have Bible study and such after practices--it IS a Christian a cappella group after all--so SBSB may turn out to be the small group for me.
(A brief aside: the biggest reward I got from the AB Duke scholarship, of even more worth than just the money, is the community, the friends, the talk-to-abilty of the people you meet. They are inspirational, talented, and a motley crew. Just amazing!)
Back to the general population: Not everyone I've met is brilliant, but there are so many interesting and inspirational people, both Singaporean seniors and classmates and fellow scholars. i wish all of us here and everywhere else a good academic year ahead! Wohoo!
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