Tribute to Melbourne High

Mark Ngan played the Hercules theme song "Go The Distance" by Michael Bolton as the staff and principle walked down the herald isles of the prestigious Memorial Hall of Melbourne High School. Each note sent shockwaves of emotions through my feeble heart. I felt terribly susceptible and weak as the most touching and sentimental memories flashed through my mind and crippled my heart. It took a lot on my part to hold back the tears that converged around the corners of my eyes. I stood in awe, speechless, as i watched the staff take their seats. Then all of us, the Class of 2007 sang the school song "Honour The Work" with such GUSTO and PRIDE that split my heart in two. Every mate of mine in that homely hall shared my sentiments, we knew; i knew that this school wasn't just a place that i've been going to for the past four years, but it held a special place in my heart; it was a place i belonged to.

The final day of Year 12, the 25 of October 2007, is a day that i'll never forget. I never expected to be filled with such inexpressible emotions! I haven't seen my friends for a few days, but i'm already beginning to miss them dearly. I miss those close friends of mine although i know i'm going to see them again pretty soon, and many times after. And i miss those friends who aren't so close even more dearly because i know that i might not be seeing them for a wretchedly long time. It's sentimental.

I just visited Andrew's blog and i really liked the way he constructed his post (I've got 10 bucks saying that he'll get 50 for English! He's terrific at structuring essays and the like), so i've decided to summarise my entire time at Melbourne High School in the same way. It's a pity that i've got a poor memory, so please pardon my absent mindedness! x.x"

Year 9

I was the BIGGEST F.O.B back then. But i didn't feel too outta place because most of the people in MHS are Asian. But i can still remember orientation day when i sat next to Ken Ong (one of the nicest and most pleasantest guys you'll ever meet) and Nhat Tran (there's always an awkward moment whenever i'm with him) just by the heater. haha! Those were my very first friends in Melbourne, and in Melbourne High. It's a pity that we're not so close anymore.

The fantastic 6:

• Jack - my closest buddy back in Year 9, probably because we were probably the two most fobbish. I remember speaking to him in Mando in school and at camp, and no one else could understand us save for Tom Wang. haha! He used to tell me a lot about his gangster cousin and everything. haha! I remember playing GB a whole lot with him, and i even bought him a "golden hammer" just so that he'd watch Passion of the Christ with me!
  
  
• Tat - A friend i'll always remember. He was one of the tallest 14 year olds i'd ever met! He was about 178cm? haha! He's an abnormal lad! He's the wiz kid when it comes to all areas of technology. He's been a such a dependable friend; always looking out for me and all Thanks mate! I'll never forget ya! :)
  
  
• Philip Marquez - He was always talking about his gf Jiani and how some other friends such as Jonno La were trying to steal her from him. haha! It all seems kindda immature now.
  
  
• Paul Nyugen - One of the quietest guys you'll ever meet, yet he's got a whole lot going on in his mind. He was always encouraging me, and his rare smile is something that i'll never forget.
  
  
• Matt Ng - People were always making fun of his last name cuz you can't really pronounce it. And if you do, "Uhhing", it sounds as though you're having a hard time taking a dump. haha! I enjoyed talking to Matt about the Aboriginals back in his native Perth, about life and studies and all. He told me how they used to steal everything, including his water bottle. haha! He used to help me with maths and history, a really smart bloke

The six of us were really exclusive then, hanging out together before school, during lunch, sitting together in ALL our classes. The other friends i remember:

• Victor Yu - I always thought he was a bit of a fag, but he's got a good heart.
  
  
• Michael Tran - the RICH kid who lives on Toorak road. haha! He's infatuation with Hilary Duff all these years will be forever sealed into my memory. I remember his fancy jeans with "Hilary Duff" painted in white all over! haha! Also a bit of an effeminate person, it was good to finally find out in year 12 that he's not gay.
  
  
• Henry - Part of my welcoming crew, awesome artist, and a fellow CAD buddy! haha! I remember him telling me how Ms. Polletti smelt like an agitated skunk.
  
  
• Ken Ong - mentioned his niceness before
  
  
• Carl, Carlo, Carrie - The trouble-makers of the class
  
  
• Kev Fernandez - The hot shot of the school, SRC Vice-president, a mate whom i've been with from Year 9 to 11.
  
  
• Luke Gieseman - HUGE; both width and length. I think he was about 185cm in year 9! haha! He's a bit of a weirdo, quite slow in both his movement and in his speech. Ahh.. i don't wanna be critical! x.x"
  
  
• Sid - 99.95 candidate. First person to tell me that Uni Maths is a "piece of cake". We got into a heated stint during a ultimate frisbee game. Used to think he was a fag, but we're good now :) Those BM classes really patched it up!
  

Delicate Memories:

• Form room in P2; Form Teacher: Ms. Petrie. She made a joke that i'll never forget. We had to introduce ourselves (eg. what school was came from, our age, etc) I told the class that i had come from Singapore just the week before, and Ms. Petrie went: "Oh! Another one off the boat!" loL! The class cracked up, but i didn't have a clue what she was on about! -.-""""""""""
  
• Constantly speaking to Jack in Mando
• Playing Table-tennis 24/7 at camp! lol! What a FOB!
• Going into those claustrophobic caves which were DARK AS and FULL of mud. I have to throw my favourite pair of jeans away after that! Foolishly FOBBISH! haha!
• The toilets which had no doors, very little lighting and very cold water.
• Mr. Rush and his unique humour, and how he used to stroke his delicate bald head just a hard boiled egg.
• Doing that history assignment where we had to write letters adopting a specific persona of a family member in the 2nd world war. haha! Mr. Rush could recognise the buildings and people in the photos we used!
• Going to Tat's house in Wheelers Hill to work on a group project and eating his father's delicious fried noodles!
  
• Tagging Jack at House Aths!! Booyah! He made me regret it by filling my bag with salt. lol!

Year 10

I stuck to the Fantastic 6 rather exclusively back in Year 9, but I was forced to open up a little more when i was separated from all my close friends. This was the year when i started to make many more friends. I moved from Box Hill to Glen Waverley, and i started to make new friends on the train. Form teacher was Ms. Pilkington, and i was closest to Jase, Banh and Turk then. I also started to play soccer during lunch, that's where i met a WHOLE lot of other friends that shared my unrelentless passion for soccer.

Friends I remember:

• Jase - One of the best friends i'll ever have. We shared a lot of good times together, sharing our thoughts and secret encounters and everything. I reckon we know each other best. Although our morals and values are rather different, we're able to respect each our and co-exist pretty well. haha! He's been such a great and dependable friend to me. He's disliked by a lot of pple, but wth, i can't care less!
  
  
• Anthony - Another one of my best friends that i'll NEVER forget. This guy's a real super hero, constantly saving lives, helping the poor, initiating all the school events and all. He's always been there for me, always looking out for much, very much like what Tat used to do.
  
  
• Josh - A pretty effeminate buddy. I think the reason why i got to know him so much more was the fact that he was Christian, and that's a rather rare trait in our school. Obsessed with his cool hair, and he loves his pale white skin.
  
  
• Banhy - Another one of my friends that i'll NEVER forget.. the big friendly purple dinosaur! Unique sense of humour, strong principles and views. I remember him making a very nice card for me on my 16th birthday and getting half the year level to sign it. I still have it hung up in my room!
  
  
• Turk - One of the best soccer players i've ever and will ever meet! It's a privilege to know such a talented person who's just as committed to the denaturing of enzymes as to the tactical aspects of the beautiful game. We shared some close tales. He'll always be my Captain of Soccer.
  
  
• Tommy Wu - Captain of Cock (cockiness) and Tennis (lost in states this year!), yet he's been such a great friend to me, and i'll NEVER forget him. haha! He's got such a heated animosity towards Jase, and i acted like their mediator for most of the year.
  
  
• Trent Baker - We were really close back then, really really close... but we drifted apart after Micah came to the school.
  
  
• Marcus Wong - My fellow Singaporean, part of the Singapore trio. Silky soccer skills won my fancy at the first glance. He's been a really close mate on the soccer pitch, in school, and on the train home. A fervent Christian who i can relate to with a cool sense of humour!
  
  
• Harish - The other missing piece of the Singapore trio puzzle. He's one of my best friends, and i'll never forget his double-sided personality. The studious nerd in school and the hardest partier/clubber/pimp in Singapore. LOL!
  
  
• Duc - Avid porn magazine reader. Always poking fun at me.. always surprising me with his delicate tricks and close control. I remember the goal he pulled outta no where against Melbourne Grammar. haha!
  
  
• William Kong - My big friendly panda, always ticking me and touching me in inappropriate areas. A close buddy that i'll never forget.
  
  
• James Cheng - My Chinese school buddy, and a dear friend. Gym buddies forever!
  
  
• Andrew Chen - My Table-tennis Captain forever. This dude is the epitome of COMPLETENESS. He's good-looking, excellent at his studies, unparalleled in table-tennis. haha! It's a pleasure to know him.
  
  
• Michael Phan - The biggest drug dealer of ALL-TIME. Nortorious for selling overdue chocolates, mee-goreng and cocaine both to students and to teachers.
  

Delicate Memories:

• Playing guitar at camp while singing this song that i composed to almost everyone in my dorm. haha! It was SOOO embarrassing when i couldn't reach some of the notes. Kev still gives me crap because of that!
  
  
• Cramping up minutes before the final destination while riding up that last hill on the bike ride at Milgrove! haha! Anthony rolled my bike back for me while i frog-leaped all the way up the hill and back to camp. loL! That was hilarious!
  
  
• Winning the inter-form soccer tournament cuz our team was just too good: Turk, Jase, Zannon, Johnny, myself, can't remember the rest, sorry! lol! But i remember booting Tommy in the face before he chased Jason outta the gym in a fit of fury! LOL! Funniest thing ever!
  
  
• Inviting Blee and Meng to Clayton without a destination x.x"
  
  
• Sucking up to McComb sooo much, and getting busted for chewing gum in class. He said: "Isaac! All the respect i had for you has been washed down the drain because of that one stupid action!" LOL! tough luck! x.x"

Year 11

This was the year when all the soccer legends of the school were in the same classroom, but we never had a inter-form soccer comp -.-""" Turk, Laios, Kev, Lobo, Jase, Tommy, myself. lol! We would have won the comp hands down. I can't remember too much from this year except that i slogged my guts out in Business Management and got a 50 for it.

Friends i remember:

• Keegan - My BM buddy who's always smiling and twirling his curly hair.
  
  
• Sid - Another BM buddy who's always talking about doing Uni Maths and Uni Physics. Potential Dux of MHS. I wonder why he's doing ESL even when he speaks perfect English!
  
  
• Stevie Tran - We've got a lot in common despite the fact that he's a whole head taller than i am. Athletics, Yarra, Soccer, Futsal, North Sydney. haha! He's rich and obsessed over fashion, hated by Bisetto, but loved because of his unceasing PASSION for Yarra! I'll never forget you buddy!
  
  
• Ahh! i can't remember anything from Year 11!! x.X"

Delicate Memories:

• Taking Stevie T out for lunch for his birthday and making him pay for the meal! x.x""
• Making it THIRD in the state for Futsal
• Watching Melbourne Victory thrash Sydney FC 3-0 at the Telstra Dome with all the soccer dudes.
• The ENDLESS times of Futsal and soccer on our beloved hockey pitch
• Coming 77th in the X-Country and getting massively BAGGED.
• The time when Shef told me that God spoke to him in the vision concerning me.
• WINNING THE STATE FINALS with Matt, Tim and Chamith!!!! BOOYAH!
• The 2006 World Cup; the WORST World Cup outta the two that i've seen -.-"" BOOORRING!!
• Going to SYG with Jin, Phan, Anthony and Macca. We were the Futsal champs!! booyah! I'll never forget how cold it was up in Warrigal and how Jin and I scored the winners in the semi-finals and finals respectively :)

Year 12

This is meant to be the BIGGEST year outta all my time there, but i was rather weighed down with all the studying and all. I made quite a couple of new friends, went to the gym a whole lot, played soccer a little less. I was really sad this year because of the new soccer coach, Drossos. He put all the Year 11's in the senior team and kicked most of the year 12's out. Worst of all, he left me on the bench until the last game -.-"" Oh well.. i'm over it. Still, i'll always remember this year as the year that the all-time underdogs, GLEN WAVERLEY, won the Inter-trainline soccer comp with only one goal scored in REAL TIME. lol! We won three of our 4 games on penalties! haha! =X I can still picture the look on Tommy's face when we beat them in the finals!

Friends i remember:

• Andrew Chew - Going to NEAP Chemistry with him for the first semester. He's outgoing, "cool", sensitive, patient and easy to talk to.. one of the better friends i've got in school. We've got pretty similar perspectives on life, sports, relationships.. so i guess we clicked off from the moment we met.
  
  
• Andrew Huang!!! - The emo with the FULLY-SICK moehawk! lol! He thought i was a rowdy piece of FOB when i first met him, but we learnt to accept each other's differences, and now we're the best of friends! :D lol! Man, i'll always remember you for your pale skin, you're passion towards soccer and Matthew LeTissier, for your love towards THE WORLD GAME, and your stark resemblance to the author of "A Man For All Seasons" XD
  
  
• Nigel Lim - My fellow Singaporean. I lost contact with him after year 9, but we got thrust into the same English class this year, and what'd you know.. we're good friends again. We look out for each other when we've got "up-dogs" on your shirts, and we alert each other when Bono waves "Hello! Hello!"
  
  
• Michael Tran - Hilary Duff Lover... nuff said.
  
  
• Dazza Lobo - Got to know Daz sooo much more in Methods, we talked and mucked around half the time. I'll always remember his disgusting pineapple/strawberry bars that tasted like mauch. Spent a long time persuading him out of committing suicide because of low self-esteem *coughs* or lack thereof!
  
  
• Andrew Guasdimnos (aka. Gerrard/ Poland) - My favourite Liverpool supporter!!! lol! I don't even remember how we started talking, but we soon became bros. He's Gerrard and i'm Alonso :) I still remember the time when we were heading a soccer ball in T19 when Sarbs walked in x.x""" LOL! And when he almost dumped him in the bin before Ireson came to his rescue.
  
  
• Tom Xu - Lover of a Singaporean chick. Azn homie.
  
  
• Michael Duong - Crazy dude who won't hesitate chopping your legs off just to get to the ball.
  
  
• Jimmy Lu - This guy's a legend. He's got the best-looking pair of glasses ever! haha! Thanks for being such a great buddy, always helping me to resist decking Jason. A constant encouragement, a friend who's always there. :)
  
  
• Shervin (Cyclops!!) - lol! The kid with one eye. Buys damaged mobile phones and other accessories off ebay, fixing them and selling them back as "brand new". He's one of the funniest guys you'll ever meet.
  
  
• Jin Kann - The BIGGEST "UNFOB" alive in MHS! haha! I'll always remember his funny comments during chem tution. He's always so lost. I cracked up when he told me that he was doing Spesh.
  
  
• Jonno Yap - Smallest hands i've ever seen. His CONSTANT laughter never fails to bring a cheer to my day.
  
  
• Alexei!! - My Russian gangsta and accounting buddy. We started off the year determined to get a 50 for Accounting. Sadly, he succumbed to "groveling sensualities" and decided to give up quarter-way through the year. Will always remember the time when he got Macca hard by emptying a whole bottle of water down his pants! haha!
  
  
• Macca - Another one my Accounting buddies. Enjoyed every moment in class with you man, the high jump with pens, the pokemon on your mobile and all the chatter about Debbie. Cheers!

Delicate Memories:

• Running my final race for Melbourne High in the VSSSA State Finals and coming 3rd disappointingly.
• Coming around 70th again for X-Country
• Missing House Chorals and being EXTREMELY disappointed because he had the BEST song ever! VINCERO!!!
• Winning the inter-train line soccer comp!
• Hosting North Sydney and beating them in Futsal 3-2. It was tight until we destroyed them in the final game.
• Playing for NQA and scoring a goal on my debut!
• Beating Matthias in the 100m heats with a time of 11.37 seconds (my pb) =)
• The library jumpings: Bible-bashing Rudra, wrapping James to a chair, decking Chenna and creaming Shane.
• The time Antho, Jimmy and i drank tea at Bob's Kitchen for two hours! LOL!
• The inter-racial soccer comp that we had to promote international diversity week! haha! That was the most racist event ever!
• Getting kneed by Aaron Green in my ribs, gasping desperately for air and thinking that i was going to DIE.

Well, that's 4 years of my life that i'll always remember and cherish. Melbourne High has no doubt shaped me into the person that i am today; be it good or bad experience, i'm grateful and i'm eternally thankful for all my friends and teachers who made even the slightest contribution to my personal development. =)

The exams are nearing an end. At this stage, i'm performed rather terrible for most of my subjects and i'm sitting on the verge of complete chaos. VCE actually is harder than what everyone describes it to be. Chinese next Thursday will be my final exam, and i'm really looking forward it getting it over and done with. The last 3 weeks has been complete hell for me.. and i DEFINITELY will NOT miss it.

Well, here's to the times ahead! :) For those who've already finished, or are going to finish after the much dreaded Spesh paper tmr, I wish you the utmost enjoyment that you can experience, but don't forget the school and the friends that have been a vital part of your life for the last four years! :)