Enlightenment

This is to reply Francis's comment on my previous post. I cannot promise to be able to be of any help to enlighten you about the "cultural shock" that you are experiencing but I do hope my experience will help you to cope with it.

Well, first of all, we both have similar backgrounds, growing up in the same small town - although none of us think that it is small 'cause it's always so busy and in filled with so many fun things to do. We went to the same schools(yes, from kindy to high school). It was dandy fine with me through the years. I loved cycling around and get pirated VCDs from local illegal stores. They're cheap and good. My only worries seemed to be my daily argument with my siblings, extra allowance for my VCDs, and if I have missed my favourite TV show.

I knew I am gonna move probably during the end of my high school years or maybe after I graduate. I was verbally prepared and the family was happy to say buh-bye to the huge yucky drain right beside our house. I guess my change was worse than Francis's. At least he didn't move or anything. So, I went from super-innocent-nerd-co-ed to highly-complicated-sophisticated-and-filled-with-politics-girls'-school. Mind you, both are the best schools around and thanks to my 138 IQ, I got in.

Except, I have to wake up at 5 in the morning then, so that I can make it in time for my 6 a.m. school bus, and sleep in the bus while the school bus struggle through the early morning minor congestion to school, it usually takes about an hour just to get to school. Back then I only wake up at 6 a.m. to take the 7 a.m. bus, with no air-con, and the windows wide open, I can suck in all the fresh air while taking a cat nap during the ride. And since my temporary house was an apartment, the bus no longer deliver me back to my door steps, I have to walk at least 300m to get to the place where the bus usually stops, in the dark, 'cause the sun is still having its beauty sleep at 5.

And that wasn't the worst part yet, I walk into my new class just to discover that S4F(my class code) is the LAST pure science class. In sarcastic Cantonese, we call these 箩底橙。But, the good point is, they helped my forget about the stress of study as I had more than enough in my plate already. The no-good part was that girls hang out in cliques, and they had already have a steady clique (or a few cliques) through the four years in the school. Me? er...I don't even know the rules, man. I can still remember the girls thought I was a show-off and all that. They only came to know that I am no goody two shoes when I start eating in class, and my seat was just behind the head prefect. She was way to tall and her height is no doubt the greatest cover up anyone can ever ask for.

My form four year actually turned out to be bearable 'cause I hang out with happy happy friends who could make study a funny jolly thing. And it was half a year, no biggie to me. But Eva had to say buh bye to my fun friends to move up to the third class 'cause I 'proved my capability'...=="
The third class was no fun, I tell you. No fun. Fun sucks for them. They would buy a vacuum just to suck all the F, U and N outta you. Well, maybe not all that bad. But one thing I can be sure, their idea of fun is certainly and never will be parallel with my idea of fun.

So I'm gonna start my naming and shaming, I think I still have a few grudges that needs getting over with.

1. The nerds.
Those are the best, and safest people to hang out with. I love them, they are great help and are actually sincerely kind to you. They are those who puts studies in front of everything else, mostly because a number of them need to get some good scholarship to help them in the future. No hard feelings, but for such hardworking people to end up in the third class, they are not as intelligent, 'cause smart people with that kinda commitment, we have another term for them, we call them genius. Nerds are great people, but the English word make them sound less than who they are. Chinese call them scholars, 文人。They rate about 2 in the fun-o-meter, which means, most of them find no joy in everything, except their homework and text books. 0 risk takers, they don't try, think or even have illusion of breaking, bending or avoiding the law, so they can help you with academic stuffs only. These people practically faints in social crisis.

2. The promiscuous girls.
Oh yea, they are great fun and huge risk takers. Most of them don't appear in the 3rd class though, but we know them. You know, girls, rumours, I can tell you something, where girls are involved, news can spread like wild fire. Tonnes of hormon raging girls trapped in a place with no beings of opposite gender of same species is dangerous. They know all the boy's name and most of the time are taken. Their relationship status changes as frequently as the positions of stars in the night sky - if you can see them despite the pollution. One more thing though, the looks...don't really matter. Most of them look normal, but with the make-ups and minus the uniform..hmm. But some dinosaurs join the game too. They are great help in academy too, really, they know all the shortcuts. And socially, they are rather dangerous. Their network is highly broad, you just have to know that you need tobe careful with their friends who gives you funny looks.

3. The lesbians.
In other words, the mentally impaired and socially confused. Some lesbos are very much obvious. They looks like baddies in girl's school uniforms. Extremely short spikey boyish hair, no breasts and walk with their leg wide open to display their masculine...er...poise. Those are the safe lesbians, you just have to make it clear that you are not interested in dating people unsure of their gender and they'd treat you like a sister, except, they want to be your brother. The other type of lesbo are those who are highly disturbed. 'Highly' because they must have been through a lot to have such perverted views in these young ages. They might still have boy friends out there somewhere while dating girls in the school. They would cry and overwork their brain with extreme emotions. Their sexuality doesn't directly influence their social behaviour as they can fall into two or more catogeries. But please be very careful not to be pulled into the vortex by sharing their feelings.

4. The happy people.
These are the semi-s too. Most of them are semi-happy people, as most happy ones are a mix of two categories, e.g. Promiscuous + Happy. The happy ones is no help at all when bad things happen. They are 100% carefree and do not give a darn on anything that might ruin their mood. Everything is a no big deal. They are fun to be with when you're in a cheerful mood. Their intelligence may rank from 0-10. Risk-o-meter is a definite 10. They would burn the school if that makes them happy. WOHOO~

5. The shh....
The mystery people.Hmm. Surprisingly, a lot of them are not loners. They come with the clique too, they are the quiet ones. No much to reveal in their backgrounds, no emotional break down, no extreme change in academic, no problems in school so no shortcuts or any help in academic side. But most of them are quite widely known. They keep a high-low-profile, they are those who keep low profiles but are highly tracked down.

6. The Haiyak!
The manly ones. They might be crossovers of lesbos but some are just manly and not lesbos. Good in sports and hold high positions. Stern in their own fields. They know how their thing goes and are great help when you need some tips on the fields that they are familiar with. If you wanna be friends with them, you have to blend in real well with their wide social circle. Meaning, you have to be a social all-rounder, if not, you are just one of their acquaintance.

7. The scary people
These can be put into two clear divisions. The academic bullies and the social bullies. The social bullies are those who you should stay away from. They can really bring you down. Pretty girls with wonderful skin and figure. They would treat you like a sister during probation. If one fails to gain acknowledgement from them, she will be socially stripped of her privilege - at least until she recovers. Or if she is desparate to maintain her rank, she would have to be the slave of the Queenbee. To ride on the reputation of the Queenbee but under the strict social control. The academic bullies are those who excels very much in their studies. Refuse to share their source of intelligence and often laying pressures on things like greds and future plannings. They can simply narrate the contents of the text books with no difficulties. Most of them question the existence of God.

8. The socially versatiles
There are very few of these although many claims to be one. She would be the one who knows all the cliques an keeps her cool. The most neutral character, the one who know where to get help but most of the time doesn't need it. Clear and confident of her identity, not overwhelm by any cliques. Can't be of much help 'cause her priority is to maintain social security, but she would know all the other people who can help.

Of course this is a very long list that I can't finish in just an hour or so. So, well, you just need to know where're your heading and what you want outta the situation you are in right now. Innocence is not an excuse for one to stay static in his socially growth. It is up to one's perrception and intellect to determine his roles and play it well.



-va-