let's start with what happen when it striked midnight. it was 0040 and i was still actively chatting with some of my YM friends. i realized it was going to be a big day tomorrow; so, i decided to stop to chat and get my desired sleep. syaz had already slept long before i wrapped myself in comforter. we were so tired because we had played squash as hard as cow.(i don't know whether this expression can be accepted or not.lol)
precisely at 2.18am i woke up. i tried as hard as i could to lean myself back in slumberland; i had tried my best, still, it did not work. i was rolling over my bed like bored-two-years-old child in the darkness. nothing much happen except i constantly looked at my phone screen to know what time it was. 3.41am; i grabbed my toiletries and went to bathroom to have my earliest shower in USA. while i was brushing my teeth, i whispered to myself "Summer is hot".
solat is better than sleep
"it's Subuh already!" i said just as i stepped in my room. i finished my qabliyah first while waiting for syaz. we prayed together then. nothing much we do after that since our eyes could not be close as easily as before. i wrote two posts and published it. basically, while waiting until 10, i spent most of my time on internet; chatting with friends, webcaming with my beloved family, facebooking, reading, and stalking...?
it was 9.30am after i took a 20 minutes nap.it took me 10 minutes to prepare and we went to Debaun Athletic Field straight away after that. it was already crowded; though, in commencement, this situation is expected. various kind of people were there. black, white, hispanic, malays, indian, chinese, korean, african, mediterranean and the likes. not to forget, there was a guy who look like Predator in Predator series. i was assigned to take pictures (of seniors to be precise) on this historical day. before the event formally started, i was struggling to have a best spot for best photographic sight. needless to mention how i get the camera from the owner, Khairun Nisa a.k.a Kak Nisa when nervousness and anxiety filled the atmosphere.
there was the beginning of my responsibilty of the day: taking pictures! it was a great honor to capture one of the most significant event of seniors' life. nevertheless, i have to take some time to get used with that kind of camera. i admit that i have to do some experiment by taking some pictures and adjusting lense; though, it was a Canon EOS something-i-don't-remember. still, i managed to capture millions of emotions in hundreds of pictures. congratulation Redzuan!
audience were asked to sit after a few formalities took place. unfortunately, i could not get any seat because it had already been taken by one fat indian guy. i just smiled because i know everything happens around us is what best for everyone. i was right! even though i have to stand all the way from the start of the commemoration to the end, The Great Force Above put me on the best spot to get nice and precious shot. i knew it! all things happen for reasons.
the highest honorary -doctorate in engineering- award receiver, Dr. David J. Ladd, was on the stage giving his "short" speech while i was sweating under unusually hot sun. his speech was great. he even quoted from Dr. Seuss. his speech was about three important things to be successful engineer - in his point of view. thing 1: never stop learning and problem solving, thing 2: create an addictive painkiller instead of vitamin, thing 3: ask customers' problem but not the requirements of your product. and there was Michael Bertucci, the 2009 Valedictorian, delivered his speech. i know him. he was good and cool. in his simple yet compact speech, he said about opening our eyes to achieve our goal. the next great big round of applause was solely belong to him as he finished his speech.
there were a lot of cool guys, other than the super amazing Malaysians, had graduated like Wilter, Trevor, and many more. you guys always be remembered for your good deeds. not to forget the twenty awesome FRIENDS of mine: Afham, Ammar, Abom, Faizi, Ihsan, Jebon, Latifah, Nisa, Nadia, Tim, Sue, Yaya, Irwan, Aizat, Apis, Sureen, Qayyum, Joe, Syafiq and Pojey. i could not imagine how my life in States would be if you guys were not there. i don't expect you guys would be this super nice. incident like "swallowing glasses" really opened my mind about who you guys really are. so much to say here; going to NYC for the first time, Ski Trip, Malaysian Night, Design Class were the examples to name a few. the best seniors i have ever had.i know it sounds girlish; thank you and love you guys always.
the first row had already made their move to the stage to receive their glorious product of four years of struggle. Miem and Munyee poked me from back. a few minutes later Syaz came and said he wanted to record from the other side. OK. let's work. under the hot baking sun, i collaborated with Miem to get the best shot for each Malaysian while Munyee alerted us to the next and coming Malaysians to be on stage. we understand, it was a very important event of their life even though they were only a few seconds walking fourteen feet on the stage.
thanks God. i managed to get some nice shots. compliments? naah, all praises go to God. credits go to Nisa's camera. after singing Stevens Alma Mater which was led by the gorgeous Victoria, we went to grassy area of Schaefer Lawn. trust me, she (Victoria) will have a very bright future in music world with that beautiful voice she has. i know i don't have any special credibility to say anything about her voice; but i can assume by singing along national anthem. i really sound like a duck quacking under the hot burning sun.
at Schaefer Lawn, hundreds pictures of others were taken in my way to look for Kak Nisa. i was super sensitive in locating for Malaysians. if there were Malaysians make a group, forsure, i would be there to get a snap or two. in the out of sudden, i was recognized as professional photographer by me as myself. honestly, for some reasons i don't know, i mastered handful of techniques and skills in taking pictures. perhaps i had invented my own method in taking picture after hundreds of pictures taken in our way to Castle Point of Manhattan View. Skyline of New York was waiting for us to take advantage on its picturesque features. right time right place right people! pictures of seniors were taken with the skyline as background. can you imagine how beautiful it was? i felt like crying.so sweet.aww~
and for some reasons i don't know, i came rushingly from back towards the group of Malaysian "cameramen" and ask them in English " Are they Malaysians?". one middle aged woman, perhaps mother of one of Malaysian senior, answered confidently "yes!" without knowing that i am Malay like her too...and then i was like five years old kids jumping around and giggling while i was running to join the group picture. cameraman no more.
maybe that was the nineteenth time Aunty Fadhi told me to be hurry to go to her car along with Nisa, Abom, Ammar, Latifah and Syaz. i realized that it was hard to gather us, the excited young chap, to go to some other place. i noticed Aunty was a bit stressed in her smile. perhaps, in her mind, to get us in a group was as tough as to collect a group of hungry anak ayam. aunty had already reserved a table in Amin, a halal chinese restaurant in Journal Square.....with two ice-cream cakes in the car. at last, aunty managed to control us to get the way out of crowd. needless to say, Uncle Faisal was about to be one of the anak ayam too. aunty, you deserved salutes from us. master in engineering management should be granted to her.
after 30 minutes journey from Stevens to Amin, i was cramped on the back seat with Abom and Ammar sat together with me. they are small. maybe i am too big or the luxury SUV was too small. i don't know; you tell me. thanks God for creating a very big and wide world for His slave. only those who were tested will appreciate His favor. back then, aunty constantly complaining about my constant effort maintaining my hair. she asked me to cut my hair because it has already been too long. when there was car aunty will turn my body facing the car because she noticed that i would check my hair. i agree action speaks louder than words. your sword was sharp enough to go through my heart~
at Amin, we were super hungry because we had not eaten since morning..do we?we had seven meal course. i could not recall which one was appetizer, which one was entree, which one was dessert. in a split moment; all of them had already been in our plate, ready to be eaten. Uncle Faisal, revert white American, also ate with the same fashion. hunger can control mind, body and soul - who can deny this? however, it was not as bad as what you think; manners and etiquettes still had their space.
i was extremely happy with the first lunch after a long time of our (Syaz and I) shared hunger. aunty and uncle told us jokes. pictures were taken. i did not really care about what went around me because i was hundred percent concentrate on my meal. sorry everyone. after a while, i was not a stranger anymore because i involved in their conversation. just nice! aunty and uncle took the cakes from their car as "supprise" for everyone. though, i was excited too - i could not figure out why.there were two cakes. one cake was for graduating senior. one cake was specially dedicated to newly-engaged couple - Nisa and Abom. congratulation!they were engaged on the night before gradutaion day. i am happy for you guys. you guys are not only my great seniors, but also amazing brother and sister. can Abom be regarded as brother? yes, he can! i still remember the day we played Russian roulette. even though he is a bit retarded compared to Nisa, he is rational and supporting. i respcect him. no wonder Nisa loves that alien-like yet cool guy very much.
we had the SWEET cake. i had one piece for myself. yes it was so sweet. i had to put some pepper to lower the level of sweetness.seriously i can't stand with sweet foods and drinks. in the mean time, aunty revealed uncle's secret. on that moment, uncle had intuitively learned what word "kantoi" really means. we were laughing out loud when aunty showed the evidence of uncle's lonely activity - taking picture of himself. the pictures were extremely funny. i did not expect an economist and once-fit long distance runner have a strange habit like that. Nisa and I alternatingly captured the sweet moments we had together. ok, i love this kind of "sweet" but not the one that dealing with tastebud.
and it was time to go back to Stevens. because i am the smallest among everyone, i was fairly chosen to sit at back -with Latifah and Nisa. no much different. i mean the way i sit. i don't have any other intention making statement like that.seriously.after that, we stop somewhere at Newport to send Uncle back to his workplace. "good bye uncle!" yelled us like elementary school students.uncle congratulated the graduates and made his move to his building.
it was a very long and tiring day but i was sheer happy! i did almost everything i like. taking pictures, eating, talking, making jokes and laughing to name a few. it was a great memory to be remembered. that is one of the main reason why i made this post! i don't think i have to say everything happen after i went back to my room because i saw nothing but darkness. don't worry, i did not miss the five prayers. thanks God for the hot day. thanks God for making everything went smoothly. thanks God there was nothing wrong happened. thanks God for every single unseen favor You have bestowed. Alhamdulillah..
Muhammad Redzuan Khairun, 07030, NJ
2.52am 05.22.2009
Davis 428.
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waah!! hari yG sgt bahagia~~ bgs2~~ ^_^
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