Dr. Roland Su

Dr Roland Su is a senior physics lecturer - and hence is someone I have never been taught by this 3 semesters in NUS. Not a person who would frequently knock at the doors of professors, I am not particularly close to any teaching staff in school. But still, I came across a small handful of really student-centred professors in the Faculty of Science. Compared to a big pool of those who are not, these profs really do stand out, and one of them is none other than Dr Roland Su.

My only contact with him was at my student exchange interview. It was a competitive interview with 12 interviewees and 5 interviewers including himself. Dr Su is himself the associate dean for International Student Exchange, the advisor for a residence in NUS, one of the founders of NUS High School...and with all these highest accolades he had never pitted himself at a higher level than his students. Sometimes I'll see him around S16 building at Science, with his wife and his young kids only around 5-year-old. He knows how to enjoy life's simplest pleasures and the last thing I heard from him was at the interview when he mentioned about some vietnamese food he's particularly in love with and would want to go there soon to try it again.

All of a sudden 2 days ago, Dr Roland Su died in the gym in NUS. I couldn't believe it when I saw the email from the science dean's office.

Memories and Condolences

Straits Times

After knowing of my successful interview results there were many occasions where I wanted to just go and thank him personally. Many times I see him walk past s16 or the canteen but I just decided to approach him next time - I thought I would definitely meet him again for many more times with issues regarding the exchange procedures. In the end, my word of thanks is still kept here, with me.

Dr Roland Su lived benefiting the lives of many - giving opportunities to whoever's ready to embrace them, and that included me. He died teaching me a lesson - don't ever keep your word of thanks to yourself for too long. In fact, don't ever try to keep it - or you may have to just keep it with you forever... and live to regret.

i miss octave

taken at Peiyi Exc 2007. my favourite octave photo does not have peiwen inside =( as well as pj, se, jane, th, hh...

I am missing days in NJ...ALOT...

I also miss the Golden Rooster eating place in Coronation plaza - no -- i forgot, according to Guohui and I, should be "Laughing Rooster" instead. Haha forgot why we came up with that... people do alot of funny things during those school-uniform days XD Sometimes when I pass by coro on 151 I really felt like getting down for lunch at "Laughing Rooster" but then I have never done it cos I know it'll feel so different having a meal there without the same group of people around but alone.

I miss Octave. :\

4th in level!

I am finally done with my Cell Biology test and back here at my blog to pen down something that happened a few days back.

I must say I am feeling really happy, and I've been feeling like that since 3 days back. And I just can't miss this chance to pen it down in this online diary. I once mentioned about this girl I taught when I did my stint at the Jurong East tuition centre early this year - that was under the archived post 'A wait worthwhile" on 2nd August 2009.

Three days ago, that girl sent me an sms while I was mugging for my test. This was what she wrote:

"Hey.i got back my report card yesterday..well.I did fine..got de 4th in whole level..but still did not manage 2 go express..70% den can go 2 express..but onli got 68.7%..sigh..can't say i did my best cuz i noe i can do better but jux feel disappointed cuz i felt dat i let u down..reli sori bout dat.."

MAN. I was so overjoyed after reading that sms, how could I feel any tinge of disappointment? It really isn't easy to attain 4th in the level and actually I never expected her to crossover to the express stream. I just believed that she would achieve as much as others one day in the future no matter how long it's going to take her. And yet she tells me she's disappointed with her results. That made me even happier cos I could feel that she isn't satisfied with just 68.7% and she actually expects more from herself. I recalled the period of time where I just met her, where I just started teaching them, she doesn't seem to even care about anything that goes on in class/school. Her achievement today is really a milestone. =)

The best thing you can do for the whole world, is actually to make the most of yourself.

I am really happy, AHH... and I am convinced that I have found the feeling I have long been searching for. The feeling of seeing others grow, and nurture - is a feeling beyond what fanciful literature can express.