Tips on how NOT to get homesick
1. Keep yourself busy and connected with the world around you. DO NOT mope in your single dorm no matter how tempting it is. DO NOT attempt to work on stressful work.
2. DO NOT fall sick. this is a hard one. but even if you do, PRETEND that you're not sick. you will soon overcome it.
3. Say Hi to people on the streets and around college instead of getting into the i-shall-pretend-i-haven't-seen-you mode. preferably a loud chirpy HELLOOOOO.
4. when faced with the option of Supper at Sam Adams and sleeping early and work, make your decisions in that order of priority.
Human interaction and lame jokes and laughter create a sense of (sometimes false) solidarity and it gives you a feeling that everything is alright and we're still in lovely Singapore (not that hard since there're a bunch of us).
[i did my laundry today! and i finally mustered enough courage to walk up to a security guard, Pullen, at Sterling Memorial to ask him if i could interview him for my Investigative Journalism assignment. People here in United States are generally more friendly me thinks. i think it's because Asians are kinda exotic here (lol what a weird commentary but i think it's true) so people on the streets take a second look and they generally smile and say hi. i've learnt to cultivate the good habit of not averting my eyes, hold the gaze for an extra split second and say "How're u doin'" the problem is that it's quite a mouthful so "Hello" will suffice and "hi" will have to do when i'm losing my voice. thinking how i can bring this friendliness back to Sg. they always say that "change has to start from yourself". ramble ramble. ]