Alumni - what does it really mean?
Just heard rather bad news from my present alumni bandmates when I went back for the main band sectionals just now.
I'm sorry if some of you don't like me bitching about things like this here, however I'm still gonna do it. It's my diary. Just that I made things open enough and don't mind sharing with you people. But then again, this is my diary. So I wanna note things down. You can not read. Or if you are going to read, you can also pretend that nothing happened. Or if you gonna be real and focus on this post, so be it. As if anything can be done.
Need to clarify that I really do understand the other side's point of view. Since it's MY diary, I'm gonna type about my point of view.
I was actually quite looking forward to the Band Camp. Don't mind not staying over because I hate to prepare all those stuff...but well, seems like I won't be able to attend the camp at all.
If it's for security reasons, fine. On the surface this reason is acceptable. But by analysing the whole situation, security = I do not trust you. OK then, you can go against us and don't even think about opening the band room for us on Saturdays. Easy. Since you don't trust us. Having your own people there got no use what. They're outnumbered. I can just take an instrument home. I don't mind sponsoring my own transport. Like an opinion that I heard: If I want to steal your things, I would have done it long ago. Two whole years in the school. Or in another case, I don't think there's something in the school which I extremely desire that I'll take two years to plan how to get my hands on it. The more valuable things (computers, equipment etc) in the school are mainly locked or you need a pass to get through. For what? I have everything I need at home! What can I get? The metal rubbish bins around the school? Goodness!
I was glad when I got to know that the principal was hyper enthusiastic about having an alumni band. She do not know a lot of us personally, yet the trust is there. And we have someone else who knows a lot of us personally, yet the trust is not there. How come I feel support from a person more distant away from the alumni band when those who are supposed to understand us better do not even have that bit of trust?
We're not welcomed la, that's the message I get. Isn't it obvious? 'Oh, you all can come, but don't talk to anyone of them, just do whatever you want. Don't want you all to interrupt in the bonding between the year 1s and 2s.' Then what is the point in coming? Like can't she think further and focus on future events as well? Think that the alumni will still come for practices ah? It is already a mutual contract that we are going to play for Joie De Vivre II. After that, well. Ha. Dunno. I have second thoughts la. Since I'm not needed. Bleh. 'Oh ya, and the food hor, blah blah blah.' Please lo! Even though I know I am a stingy person, I know when I need to fork out the money! If you're not going to provide us with our meals, then don't. We can always settle outside. If you are, we definitely gonna pay. You think what? We're some parasites? We survive on our juniors' parents' money? Come on!
You think got a lot of CCAs in the school can set up alumni easily meh? Band alumni not easy to set up, alright?
Now things look as if we're just a commercial item needed by the school (note that I understand that the principal is sincerely enthusiastic about our presence), because we are called up when we're needed. So there's a concert coming up, better have alumni! So since our dear alumni president took the initiative to set one up, show that you treasure it can? So narrow-minded!
Oh and there's the 1st National Band Competition coming up also! The lovely conductor wants the year 1s and alumni to participate together. Year 2s gotta study. Oh. I don't even know my year 1 juniors well can? So the whole purpose of this camp is only for Joie De Vivre II. Please do put that down in the band camp programme under objectives. State specifically. E.g. 'The band camp was organised to build strong ties between every individual in the band to form one professional group, for the upcoming performance will do, by the way.' *Sarcastic* So if the NBC still needs alumni, then maybe you all go organise another camp for the year ones and alumni (if any are still available and obliged to join) and please make sure that the year 2s don't come and interrupt OK? If not they'll interrupt bonding between the alumni and year 1s then it's like the NBC got no chance for us to get top medals already leh! So please har, make sure no year 2s come OK? No year 2s at all! NO! I said NO!!! Better even bar them from entering the school during the camp for alumni and year 1s! Later the year 1s say hi to the year 2s how? Then the seconds that was used to say hi how? Then alumni got lesser time with the year 1s liao! *still sarcastic*
Please please realise that the camp this weekend can actually bond more than two batches of people. Full participation from alumni is not needed, it's like we can join in the fun whenever we can. So for things like this, waste resources and we have like, two camps? Oh anything lo, if you all want to even bother about doing some bonding between the alumni and the year 1s, ha! Wait till the alumni are fully enthusiastic for the band again.
I am not desperate to join in the fun, really. It was just an activity that I've been looking orward to since the plannings started and was still sad that I may not be able to drop by due to work. Now that I'm jobless, I have all the time I want and need to go back. Now is there a need? No. Not at all.
And then? Spend like $1000 on posters that are nicely printed give two each to fifty schools and then what do they do? How you know whether they will even post it up? Please la, just one is more than enough can? When I was in secondary school I passed my life reading handwritten concert notices on the whiteboard! Just spread the concert through links and emails la! What is technology for? What the hell. That money can be used to buy a lot more things! Like better reeds! Mouthpieces! Percussion instruments! Whatever you wanna spend on! Crazy! Can at least have some brainy Econs teacher to do this advertising thing? I believe they have more business brains can.
What are a school's alumni for? For show? To show that there are still people around who are like, loyal to the school? I think alumni are people who voluntarily are able to commit into the school and should not be considered too much an outsider. Like they'll interrupt in the CCA's activities and all...unless the situation really proves that la, if not, I don't think they'll. In secondary I was like overjoyed to see the alumni return to teach us during band practices. People that I treated with respect. However, people older than us should learn how to respect us too. Treat us with more respect!
I just hope everything is just a misunderstanding and even hope that blabbering here is a waste of my time because, I am actually hoping for a miracle that won't happen: Everyone, including the alumni, can enjoy and take full participation in the events that come along. Not just when we are needed. We're no tools nor a commercialised group of people. Not for show. For music and friends and people who touched our lives in one way or the other during our time together. If the band has got teachers-in-charge that have all sort of excuses, never mind. Thank the guy up there that the bands I've been in have lovely and great conductors that I do not have too much of hard feelings for this problem.
Don't think I'm not watching.
I'm sorry if some of you don't like me bitching about things like this here, however I'm still gonna do it. It's my diary. Just that I made things open enough and don't mind sharing with you people. But then again, this is my diary. So I wanna note things down. You can not read. Or if you are going to read, you can also pretend that nothing happened. Or if you gonna be real and focus on this post, so be it. As if anything can be done.
Need to clarify that I really do understand the other side's point of view. Since it's MY diary, I'm gonna type about my point of view.
I was actually quite looking forward to the Band Camp. Don't mind not staying over because I hate to prepare all those stuff...but well, seems like I won't be able to attend the camp at all.
If it's for security reasons, fine. On the surface this reason is acceptable. But by analysing the whole situation, security = I do not trust you. OK then, you can go against us and don't even think about opening the band room for us on Saturdays. Easy. Since you don't trust us. Having your own people there got no use what. They're outnumbered. I can just take an instrument home. I don't mind sponsoring my own transport. Like an opinion that I heard: If I want to steal your things, I would have done it long ago. Two whole years in the school. Or in another case, I don't think there's something in the school which I extremely desire that I'll take two years to plan how to get my hands on it. The more valuable things (computers, equipment etc) in the school are mainly locked or you need a pass to get through. For what? I have everything I need at home! What can I get? The metal rubbish bins around the school? Goodness!
I was glad when I got to know that the principal was hyper enthusiastic about having an alumni band. She do not know a lot of us personally, yet the trust is there. And we have someone else who knows a lot of us personally, yet the trust is not there. How come I feel support from a person more distant away from the alumni band when those who are supposed to understand us better do not even have that bit of trust?
We're not welcomed la, that's the message I get. Isn't it obvious? 'Oh, you all can come, but don't talk to anyone of them, just do whatever you want. Don't want you all to interrupt in the bonding between the year 1s and 2s.' Then what is the point in coming? Like can't she think further and focus on future events as well? Think that the alumni will still come for practices ah? It is already a mutual contract that we are going to play for Joie De Vivre II. After that, well. Ha. Dunno. I have second thoughts la. Since I'm not needed. Bleh. 'Oh ya, and the food hor, blah blah blah.' Please lo! Even though I know I am a stingy person, I know when I need to fork out the money! If you're not going to provide us with our meals, then don't. We can always settle outside. If you are, we definitely gonna pay. You think what? We're some parasites? We survive on our juniors' parents' money? Come on!
You think got a lot of CCAs in the school can set up alumni easily meh? Band alumni not easy to set up, alright?
Now things look as if we're just a commercial item needed by the school (note that I understand that the principal is sincerely enthusiastic about our presence), because we are called up when we're needed. So there's a concert coming up, better have alumni! So since our dear alumni president took the initiative to set one up, show that you treasure it can? So narrow-minded!
Oh and there's the 1st National Band Competition coming up also! The lovely conductor wants the year 1s and alumni to participate together. Year 2s gotta study. Oh. I don't even know my year 1 juniors well can? So the whole purpose of this camp is only for Joie De Vivre II. Please do put that down in the band camp programme under objectives. State specifically. E.g. 'The band camp was organised to build strong ties between every individual in the band to form one professional group, for the upcoming performance will do, by the way.' *Sarcastic* So if the NBC still needs alumni, then maybe you all go organise another camp for the year ones and alumni (if any are still available and obliged to join) and please make sure that the year 2s don't come and interrupt OK? If not they'll interrupt bonding between the alumni and year 1s then it's like the NBC got no chance for us to get top medals already leh! So please har, make sure no year 2s come OK? No year 2s at all! NO! I said NO!!! Better even bar them from entering the school during the camp for alumni and year 1s! Later the year 1s say hi to the year 2s how? Then the seconds that was used to say hi how? Then alumni got lesser time with the year 1s liao! *still sarcastic*
Please please realise that the camp this weekend can actually bond more than two batches of people. Full participation from alumni is not needed, it's like we can join in the fun whenever we can. So for things like this, waste resources and we have like, two camps? Oh anything lo, if you all want to even bother about doing some bonding between the alumni and the year 1s, ha! Wait till the alumni are fully enthusiastic for the band again.
I am not desperate to join in the fun, really. It was just an activity that I've been looking orward to since the plannings started and was still sad that I may not be able to drop by due to work. Now that I'm jobless, I have all the time I want and need to go back. Now is there a need? No. Not at all.
And then? Spend like $1000 on posters that are nicely printed give two each to fifty schools and then what do they do? How you know whether they will even post it up? Please la, just one is more than enough can? When I was in secondary school I passed my life reading handwritten concert notices on the whiteboard! Just spread the concert through links and emails la! What is technology for? What the hell. That money can be used to buy a lot more things! Like better reeds! Mouthpieces! Percussion instruments! Whatever you wanna spend on! Crazy! Can at least have some brainy Econs teacher to do this advertising thing? I believe they have more business brains can.
What are a school's alumni for? For show? To show that there are still people around who are like, loyal to the school? I think alumni are people who voluntarily are able to commit into the school and should not be considered too much an outsider. Like they'll interrupt in the CCA's activities and all...unless the situation really proves that la, if not, I don't think they'll. In secondary I was like overjoyed to see the alumni return to teach us during band practices. People that I treated with respect. However, people older than us should learn how to respect us too. Treat us with more respect!
I just hope everything is just a misunderstanding and even hope that blabbering here is a waste of my time because, I am actually hoping for a miracle that won't happen: Everyone, including the alumni, can enjoy and take full participation in the events that come along. Not just when we are needed. We're no tools nor a commercialised group of people. Not for show. For music and friends and people who touched our lives in one way or the other during our time together. If the band has got teachers-in-charge that have all sort of excuses, never mind. Thank the guy up there that the bands I've been in have lovely and great conductors that I do not have too much of hard feelings for this problem.
Don't think I'm not watching.
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