Family, is all I can say about this group of people.
People who I have considered one of the biggest parts of my life.
(From left) Hui Teng, Cham, Justin, Myself, Mike
There will always be that unexpected moment where unexpected things happen, unexpected friendship bonds made, unexpected family love given and received. Well lucky me, I guess I've been blessed with all of this, all at once.
I actually never imagined us having an unbreakable family bond, a bond so strong that we have stuck with each other even after our final presentation. Usually, after the project ends, even if the friendship between yourself and your group members might maintain, the group most likely separates and parts way. Even if they stay, it would always end up as a temporarily because everyone would be busy with their personal life, other projects and new friends or new project members.
Individually, I am totally fine with a project ending, a group separating. But deep down, somewhere at the bottom of my heart, I have always wished to have a continuous strong bond, a bond thicker than blood as a whole entire group. People who always stick together with each other no matter how far the distance or the different schedules and timetables.
Every time I thought "Hey, maybe this group would last", fate would have its way through and jumble up my life, causing everything that I have imagined to be go down the drain.
So I have been thinking that maybe things and friendship like this would only happen in the long run. Maybe in a few more months, or a few year. But clearly not right now, after knowing each other for only about 3 months? Because other than knowing what we are like on the outside, we barely know each other inside out.
You know when life tell you that things happen when you least expect it?
Believe in it,
Because I can guarantee you that it's 100% true.
As if my thoughts and fate were opposites, once I had my thoughts straighten out, life decided to have me through another roller coaster ride. A roller coaster which I was not mentally and emotionally prepared for when it all happened. It was then I had myself intertwined in a very, very, very extraordinary friendship// familyship which I believe would be long lasting.
Then, I came to meet this group of people,
This group of people who I would define as my type of #friendshipgoals.
Because it was then,
That I met J.MEC.
Somehow, in between struggling to get a new project group because the group which I initially was supposed to be part of was full, and randomly asking Hui Teng if we could be in the same group, the 5 of us ended up together as a group.
So there we were, the 5 of us, managing to make not-really-small but not-exactly-big talk together. Actually, we were mainly talking about the project and the person who should become our leader. It was the usual talk and we had an unexpected small celebration when we managed to choose the object which we were praying for. But things were a little strange for me, even with the comfortable talk closeness, there was a chill of awkwardness but with a hint of familiarity.
It was confusing,
Yet different.
Confusing because there was mixed emotions and irony at how I was feeling with this group,
Different because there was a tingling feeling when we were together,
A feeling which I still do not know how to put into words.
Or maybe because I am out of word to describe because my vocabulary is limited,
But you get what I mean.
The reason to why I never imagined us to be close to one another, was because of the awkward whatsapp discussions where no one replied other than the few of us who were part of a different group. So basically the discussions we had was between us (who were from a different group) in this group if you get what I mean.
And there came the time where our friendship, as an entire group, started to blossom, bitchy-ly.
You know, there's the work kind of bitchy and the natural bitchy kind of bitchy,
Trust me, these people are definitely the natural bitchy kind of bitchy,
Regardless of the time, place, event and situation.
I keep getting surrounded by bitches,
I don't know why.
It was funny because from my memory, at that point of time in our blue shirt day photo session, we were not actually that close. We were friends, not even close as a group. It was kind of funny of us to have instagram updates on how we were family when in reality, we were not particularly that familiar with each other or have been a family yet. But yeah we were trying hard to act be like a family
We had a really, really, really, slow start, and it took us a longer time to get closer to each other as a group because we were usually hung up with different projects and more stuff to deal with. But then came the discussions, hang out sessions, and not to mention face-to-face meals which we love.
Then came our first sleepover for our project because we had a silent rule where I cannot sleepover at campus because of personal reasons so they had to stay overnight at my house.
I was pretty glad that we managed to have this overnight at my house instead of at campus because this was where we started to have heart-to-heart talks for hours on ends and actually sincerely opening our hearts to each other. Even though it sounds like we were gossiping, but we were actually talking about stuff that was in our hearts for a pretty long time.
Or at least I was talking about stuff like that,
Because I have always had a pretty hard time back in high school and that week was like a very difficult week for myself and everything was bottled inside and hidden properly, well until people like them actually gave me the confidence in letting everything out.
For me, the number one reason of being able to tell them dark secrets, locked up pasts was because of two very simple traits that each of them has.
They aren't judgemental,
And I trust them.
So that night became our 讲心事 keng sam xi night.
And from that day forth, things changed a lot between us and we started to hang out with each other most of the time when we were in campus, not to mention the less awkward and more bitchy whatsapp messages.
Spontaneous black outfit day
J.MEC felt like a family I could depend on at all times, a family who was there no matter the situation, the problem nor the issue. It was a group where everyone could express themselves as they are without being afraid of judgemental stares from each other. We practically could be who we are, act how we want and say what we need.
J.MEC fansigning event.
The thing I loved most about J.MEC is how serious we can be during discussions yet enjoy ourselves at the same time. I know all this sound like a cliche project story or how a project group should be, but to me, being able to be serious by giving critics and disagree yet not place any arguments during discussions into personal feelings is amazing. Because we could be having childish fights for a moment then get down to serious business leaving out any lingering madness, anger or playfulness behind us. After getting back to work we would continue with our chit chats, stories or thoughts.
J.MEC Formal Attire
We might have both similar and different strength, experiences, pasts, personalities, mindset, thoughts, etc. But what's most important to me is that all these traits made us the group we are, the people that managed to click well with each other. We might not have clicked like a snap of a finger, but we eventually did, and I feel so blessed to be a part of this family. Words can't express how glad, how happy meet people like them because they are part of the people I treasure and in my life.
J.MEC's natural habitat
Maybe our friendship would last until all our hair has turned grey or our teeth have fallen off, maybe we'd even end up in the same hospital ward when we get older. Or even if we end up drifting apart some time later, may it be a few months or a few years, I have to say that the memories we have made will forever be engraved into my mind, heart and blogpost.
So here came our final presentation in which we have worked extremely hard for and had the best time of our lives not to mention the friendship bond which then came along with everything. The subject was already an interesting, exciting and fun subject, but J.MEC managed to spike excitement up to another level and fun can't explain the joy each and every one of you had contributed to the laughter we had.
You can check out our project outcome in my online project compilation link below
Typing all of this actually made me miss all of you so much even if around 4 months have passed since we have became J.MEC and it has been a month after our final presentation. But the end of our final presentation was like the actual start of J.MEC.
Cheers to our long lasting friendship, although you're all bitches who are awake at 2AM during semester break and can still bitch about everything at that hour.
Love you all
And you know what?
Honestly,
Meeting you all when I was in my deepest pain and agony,
Felt like a nightmare in which I have plunged into the depths of despair.
Somehow while drowning,
Somehow when I was on the verge of giving up,
Through some blurry vision,
There was a moment where rays of sunlight shone through the darkness.
Where there was a dash of light to guide myself through my lost thoughts.
There was a familiar warmth,
And that warmth I felt,
Was from all of you,
From J.MEC
Life was good to me, because I managed to meet people like you.
