I made a new friend last night. Her name is Aishah.
So last Friday I made my way to masjid Ghufran, to attend the Nur Ikhwan Committee Handover ceremony. At 1pm, still at work, I was already itching for the day to end. In the train, I had a wishful thinking that it can travel faster. For I could not wait to meet people whom I've not seen for ages!! Gosh, it is a rare feeling these days - me getting excited about something. It feels... nice. Reminds me that there is life out there, y'know?
Reached the ladies prayer hall and I looked around, hoping to see anyone familiar and thinking, "ooohh, maybe this girl is attending the event.. maybe that girl is a rep from another MS!" Saw two girls wearing black jubah, one of them I know as we are in the Syamail class together, and decided to sit beside them. Introductions were exhanged - the girl is Atiqah and her friend is Khairunnisa'.
Saw Fatimah after Maghrib prayer. While walking together to the al-Khawarizmi room, she asked me how I was doing. I shared that 1) I am ok, 2) I think many people du'a for me and my family that's why I don't feel down at all and 3) something about when a person dies, it is The End. So our job
now is to help our family members and ourselves to do as much good as possible before the time is up. Somehow, I felt a lump in my throat when I said that 3rd thing. But it disappeared quickly when I saw Aisha Nenawi by the door. Ahh... have not seen both of them since Riang Ria Ramadhan 2011!
And more familiar faces.. Marliyana, Shaikha, 'Afifah, Diyana, Faatimah.. Liyana, a junior from NYPMS, was also there with 2 of her NYPMS comrades. Then Farzana Khamis came. Terubat rasa rindu~~ Sori lah, I was melancholic that time given the long hours of work I put up in the past few weeks and the fact that I have lost touch with many people for quite some time.
The ladies of the 9th NI Committee
Insyirah, Amalina, Iffah, Atiqah, Khairunnisa' and.. ohh.. I did not ask for her name ('Afwan!)
"Ayam masak ape?", eh, Zuib? Tak habis2 adik nih!
(and, I forgot he graduated last year. Not this year. huhu.. paiseh kejap~)
Alhamdulillah.. He has slimmed down. Musaddiq too. Keep yourselves healthy, ok, brothers!
'Afifah, 2011/2012 Secretary/Treasurer
I hope to get to know her better =)
Shaikha, Hafiza (adik kak Haslinda, who is one of the AlumNI), 'Afifah and Diyana
Fatimah, Farzana and Nilam (nice to meet you, sis!)
Diyana, Marliyana and Aisha
The ceremony itself was very simple. Too simple maybe. But don't mind me, I was just glad to be sitting at the back observing my juniors.. having small chats with Aisha, Faatimah then Marliyana.. My thoughts were here and there.. reminiscing, hopeful, doubtful at the same time. But you know what? I like to think the new 9th committee will do better. That they will fulfill the 3 NI missions. That they will try their best to actually, really, serve the Muslim students community in TP. That they will not just do 'bonding stuff' but also 'outreach stuff', 'enriching stuff', 'impactful stuff'. That they will not lose spirit midway. I will hold on to what the new Chairperson said, "if Apex can spread in 4 years, I don't see why NI can't"
(please correct me if I got this inaccurate. I don't want to quote a person wrongly!) and about him going to make use of his learning experience from SPIB and Apex to steer his committee forward. Khair, inshaAllah~ =)
The outgoing Committee
The incoming Committee
Unfortunately, I could not hold one personal matter, The Silence. I thought I was doing great. Until the time to leave - it was broken. And I left with a mixed feeling. I should not say "Qoddarallahu wa ma shaa'a fa`ala", right? Coz it was not actually a bad thing. Just that if the silence was still maintained, I would've been fine. Now it will take a few days to recover. Rabbishfinii.. Zakki qolbii..
I must say, a simple thing like waiting for 969 bus at the front sideline was such a nostalgic moment! Haha.. c'mon, when was the last time I was in Tampines on a weekday evening and started to leave the place past 10pm? And the queue was super long that I just didn't care I had to stand all the way as long as I got into the bus? Felt like poly time, after TKD trainings! And, I noticed teenagers wearing TP shirts. I boarded behind a tudung-clad Malay girl wearing a green shirt - Applied Science! - and I saw that the back of her pants had that brownish dirt. Hah!, I thought, must be Orientation Week!
A few people alighted at Khatib and alhamdulillah.. I got a seat. The girl too, beside mine. And guess what I did? Dengan selambanya, I struck up a conversation ^__^ I asked her about orientation (How was it?... Is there the overnight thing?... What was the theme/storyline of AS orientation this year?... How was the Temasek Regatta?...), which secondary school she was from, what course she is in (Veterinary Technology), was it her first choice (2nd.. her first was Veterinary Bioscience in NP), what sparked her interest to pursue this field of knowledge, has she thought of a CCA to join (the Community Service Club).. And she asked me/shared with me about what course I took in TP (she was really surprised I am a graduate, not a current student. hehh), what I am doing now, assignments (is it difficult?... what about team members that do not contribute, do we strike off their names?), how to get good grades, her wanting to get excellent grades, what CCA I joined last time (I told her, ELF), where to solat and when to solat coz she worries if clash with lessons..
The best thing of it all was, for me lah, that I got to mention NI to her. Yeay! Now one freshie has heard of NI. I do not expect her to remember in the few weeks, many months, to come. Nonetheless, I am hopeful.
InshaAllah, we will meet again, I said to her as she was getting ready to alight at the bustop before mine.
And so, I made a new friend last night. Her name is Aishah. =)
** pictures are from NI's FB page
