MCKK Class of 2008: You reap what you sow

I still remember the registration day in koleq in 2006. We were in F3 that year and it's very well understood that we were placed at the Pavilion. Dorms were divided according to houses and being budak Idris, I would either be in dorm 2 or dorm 3B.

But I was also aware that I was appointed prefect that year, and Hairy was also a prefect from Idris too. So definitely we couldn't be placed at the same dorm. On the list, Hairy got the clean and best dorm (almost every year) 3B so I thought automatically I will be at dorm 2. Unfortunately not.

I was quite upset at first not being placed with friends I've lived together in the same dorm (you tend to accept their hygiene and tolerate their craziness) for the last 2 years till later I turned to be devastated that I was told that Zul along with myself will be placed at Prep School - which was worse, not being with the entire batchmates!

Prep School was dead that time. No one was around. The form 1 would register rather late than usual that year because of Raya Haji which from that first day for of re-registration, it would be take another 2-3 weeks.

I was alone at the deserted Prep School that day with my father, feeling miserable in a year that which was supposed to mean a lot to me - PMR and wanting so much to be in debating team and enjoy life with batchmates since you are not really a junior nor a senior.

My father and I wandered around the corridors (well Prep School wasn't that scary during the day haha) wondering what would happen next and quietly in my head, planning how am I going to get myself out of this - talking to Spark (prefect master) that I want a transfer.

There was no sign of Zul then only until a few hours later, Ayie (Class of 2007) who would end up being my colleague at Prep School showed up. We chatted a bit and then he disappeared.

I decided to put my bags at Dorm F. That's the best place to settle down I guess since that 'castle' will be under occupied till a few weeks later and Dorm F is the smallest dorm, so probably less beds and smaller area to be afraid of at night (haha if you know what I mean).

My father dismissed my idea of wanting a transfer to Pavilion when I mentioned to him earlier. He said that this was test and I should live up to it. It might be a difficult year but that would be a challenge for me to manage it and insya Allah something great will come out from it. It was quite shocking coming from my father. He is always known for being someone who fights for what's best for his kids and since he did not give in to my idea for a transfer, clearly (wasn't clear to me back then haha) that was what he thought best for me.

I slowly started to accept, at some part forcing myself to but slowly as the entire custodian team gathered, it slowly sink into your head of the thought that you are given a different sort of challenge that you never anticipated and hopefully you'll learn something from it.

Just now at Friday prayers, I bumped into one of the kids I looked after at Prep School - haha I still refer to them as kids. Though I was the youngest amongst the prefects but perhaps I was the most dominant given that the Form 5 prefects were form 4 baru and given the type of person I am, I just take charge, hence being a bit more attached to the juniors.

It's nice that even after all those years there's still some kind of attachment that binds the once form 1 and myself (now prefect pencen).

I recalled that for most of the time, whenever my prefects from the earlier generation bumped into us, they'll do so much to avoid meeting us face to face and run away from us. Towards a certain extent, many of us would want to avoid meeting them too. But being a prefect at Prep School at my time, being happy to meet the juniors I once looked after and they come smiling on their faces to give a hand shake, speaks volume of my stay back then, wishfully thinking.

That batch also, 0610 turns out to be the few groups of budak koleq that I kind of relentless count on if I need help in things I'm involved in nowadays. I see them as second to my batchmates and I would love to think that they feel the same of me.

My father was right, something great will come out from the challenge you willingly embrace with your heart. It wasn't an easy year back in 2006, a lot of great stories you may not be part of with your batchmates, but at least something to always be reminded of the special friendship you made with an extra 120 bunch of budak koleq.