Last Day At School

What started out as a day I never anticipated on the 19th of November 2009 was at last coming to an end. The countdown ran from 3 digits to 2 and at last 1 digit. Hey wait don’t get scared because its not the countdown to SPM but instead the countdown to the last day of SPM!!Take a moment and read this experience of the last day of SPM from the perspective of a Penang Free Student.
It started out as another day at school with an early morning breakfast, prayer and not forgetting my SUCCESS chemistry book The road was clear as we headed to school in Mom’s Kancil.It seemed ideal that blessed morn as though it was just another day at school. However this was not, it was the last time I was officially wearing this white and green uniform of mine. I felt so proud wearing it as though it was the Scarlet robe of a great nobleman.
Thoughts ran through my mind as I walked through the silent corridors of school that morning, glancing at my Chemistry book from moment to moment. At one end of my head were atoms and Sodium Chloride. At the other end it was memories in school. Oh that moment!!Felt so disoriented!!
Soon I was greeted by Lim Peng Chew’s ‘golden’ students ,Dev, Ooi and Vincent all having Lim Peng Chew’s secret ‘tips’.I knew it was off limits to outsiders like me who did not go for his tuition. However, I also did not come unarmed for battle. My arsenal was Mr Baskaran’s Seminar Spot Questions.100% accurate and deemed reliable-according to him. However the moments before the exam were so hectic that none of the input from the books entered my brains.
Soon we were called in to the hall and exams began. Paper 1, Paper 2 and soon it was Paper 3.Paper 3 was the surprise. It was as though it came out of a dream. Alas none of the spot came out!!The exam hall seemed to be very tensed and everyone around me were like in a state of awe not believing the contents of the paper in front of them. Even I myself pondered whether I was in a dream!!Soon it was 3.30PM.
All around everyone seemed like a erupting volcano of excitement waiting to erupt at the final whistle. The examination invigilator, a funny Indian chap tried his best to keep everyone at bay. Soon he had to say the final words…..”Pelajar boleh meninggalkan dewan…”.At this the euphoria erupted and the hall was filled with the sound of joy. Even I myself could not believe it!!!End of school? No more studies? No more skema peperiksaan?This is overwhelming!!

The joy knew no bounds. Armed with my Nikon Coolpix we took endless photos not wanting to forget that most pivotal moment. Then 4 of us Jagath,Ooi,Saathish and me proceeded to walk the whole length and breadth of school. We looked at almost everything both great and small that defined our lives for the past five years. Even the insignificant stone suddenly had an underlying meaning to it. Though it was sad my heart reassured me that this is part of life’s journey.”Stay strong, don’t look back and move forward”. But Penang Free School and all the friends I met there, you will always have a place in my heart!!