Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Autograph books = Nostalgia

I was just flipping through my autograph book the other day and feeling this huge mix of feelings. Smiling at certain entries, laughing outright at others, and tearing at the others.

So many memories were brought back, and I was struck with this (irrational?) fear that I'd lose the memories of the times I've spent with all these people because I've forgotten so many of them already.

Its not the big, lets-go-out-and-have-fun times that I actually want to hold on to, but rather the tiny everyday events that just hold a special meaning. And reading through my book, I'm reminded of how we first met, the times we spent together and the character of the person who left me that note.

Remember in primary school, autograph books were all giving the other person YOUR personal details. name, address, favourites blah. Looking back, how childish and immature that is. Maybe because most of us were incapable of writing something more mature then. And now, you link autograph books with writing personalised notes for the person whom the book belongs to.

And despite the mix of emotions that you actually feel, reading autograph books kind of cheers me up. Because you think back of all the silly things that you've done. And laugh about them.

The longer you've known someone, the more you have to say to them. And the less crap there'd be in the entry. Therefore I believe if I were to go back and write the autographs for my close friends (or if they were to write mine for me) now, I'd have so much more to say to them.

I'm still going to upkeep this "tradition" next year, when we leave JC. Only it'd be weird, since I wonder what guys would have to say in autograph books, since I don't believe they even write notes to each other. But it'd be interesting to find out, don't you think? I'm also looking forward to getting all my good friends from secondary school to re-write it for me.

Like yiiwen, I don't believe in saying goodbye in autograph books. The note I'd leave behind would more of be a "thank you for being my friend" rather than a "goodbye".

I don't think it'd be too long before we start running around, frantically trying to get everyone we know to leave us a little something in our autograph books (those who would bother),

But till then,
may