enjoy the breeze

Friday, February 13, 2009

i wrote NYSL Investiture 2009: Kaleidosc09e at 3:16 AM for you.

Let me be frank. I don't really like investitures. They make me nervous. I don't like it when I'm up on stage and I have to sit there for donkey's years. I don't like it when I have to wait anxiously backstage to do a dance I'm not even confident of. I don't like it when I think of all the teachers and seniors out there, with their expectations.

But on Thursday, I changed my mind.

On a very personal note, I enjoyed myself. Alright, sitting up really, really straight on a chair without moving at all for about an hour or so is back-breaking work, and immensely boring at times, but then again, it was all worth it. We looked GREAT and sitting there listening to speeches specially crafted for us made us feel proud to be up on stage, recognized for the fact that we deserve the responsibilities now officially entrusted to us. I have to say that the NYSL item at the end of the investiture was the most memorable part. Up there on stage, in front of the entire school, we danced all-out, vibrant and energetic, and very sporting. (: The mass dance--when everyone involved came onstage and danced together--gave me a sense of overwhelming pride and happiness. There we were, dancing to a happy song, totally enjoying ourselves. And the most important thing was that we were doing it together: one NYSL board, ready to take on the challenges of 2009. Compared to last year's investiture, which was a overly formal process that I didn't feel too much for, this year's investiture was a blast. Don't give me that look--you know we totally OWNED. (:

In retrospect, our investiture this year has marked a change in the course of Nanyang's student leadership history. Instead of a Council Investiture, which is exclusively for Councillors, the EXCO from the other Boards, like BOM, BEL and PSL are also formally invested, and are included in the planning process. The NYSL Investiture is a significant symbol of the direction we're heading for this year as student leaders. Just like how we work hard together for the investiture we now share, and just like how we are invested as one NYSL board, we will work together, not as Councillors, PSLs and so on, but as NYSLs. It's brilliant. What PSLs don't have, Council may have; what Council doesn't have, BEL may have, and so on and so forth. I think this year's investiture, as an NYSL investiture and not a Council one, held much more significance than its debut last year. This time, the fact that other leaders from non-Council leadership boards were officially invited to help out in the planning process, demonstrated a sincere, genuine want to put our differences aside and work together as NYSLs.

This investiture, to me, is also a symbol of change. I am proud of Batch '09 because we dare to break the mould, to step out of the boundaries of tradition. I am even prouder because we honestly, sincerely believe that what we are doing will be better for both us and the student body. We are not blindly following what was previously done; we are thinking, reflecting, doing things our way. For us, what we truly want this year is change, and the investiture reflects that. Kaleidosc09e: a different array of colors that forms beautiful patterns, none of which are ever quite the same. The investiture was different this year in that we melded formality and informality together. We were dignified and serious; but there was also some fun at the end, and some genuine attempt at enjoyment by both the performers and the audience. In fact, I think everyone will agree that the investiture was enjoyable. Previous investitures, in my opinion, were such strict, formal processes that it seemed almost mindless, more of a must-have traditional practice than an event to celebrate the pride we have in being Nanyang leaders. The fact that this year's investiture was a mix of dignity and elegance, and fun and enjoyment, and therefore a contrast to previous investitures, is a starting point for the entire NYSL board to bring about change for the better in the school.

Finally, the investiture has made me reflect on how Council in particular has changed. It reminded me of something: everything we did last year in Council was what Council had been doing year after year. The same things, all over again. Was there a rationale behind the repetition? Batch '09 spent a good deal of time thinking about each activity and each event that Council is supposed to have every year, and whether it was worth it to spend time and effort on such events. We brought about a huge change to the schedules for Council as a result of constant reflecting and sifting through post-mortems. We believe in what we do; we don't do things mindlessly, blindly, and just because we're supposed to. As leaders--as leaders who BELIEVE they deserve the role--the efforts we put into our work are genuine. What we will do in 2009, we will not do simply because we did it in 2008. We will do it because we believe it is for the collective good of the school, because we believe it is right.

Even as a senior, I think my term in office has only just begun. This is the year when my ability to think rationally and yet selflessly will be put to the test, when my reasoning skills and my ability to see and understand the problems in my school are stretched to the limits. Now, we can't hide behind tradition and culture anymore. We have pledged to make a difference, and to change things, we must be ready to step out and BE different from those before us.

Three cheers to NYSL'2009--the leaders who have pledged to, and will, make a change. We will leave our mark.