Giving an 'introduction'

How would you like to be introduced? Funny, witty, smart, composed, reserved?

Or do you like to introduce yourself because no one else could do you the justice? 

Since university started, I have been meeting new people almost every day. Ok, maybe not that many, but at least 1 per week except during exam term when everyone disappears in this city of nerds intense people. The most common form of introduction in this university is, "Hi, my name is _____. I am a (your year) from (college), doing (course)." 

So, having done this no less than 45678745 times, I am obviously very sick and bored with this kind of introduction, whether when I am being introduced to another person by a mutual friend, or when I had to introduce myself. I mean, ok, it makes sense, it packs the most vital information people need to know about you in 2 sentence, but it's sooooooo common and similar, at the end of a series of introductions (especially when in a group) I can't even remember anything anymore. Not that I am not paying attention or I am not interested in you, I really am interested! But human memory isn't like a computer, dude! Memory works best by association of a new piece of information with our experience or  something outstanding/witty/funny. With that dead boring, fill-in-the-form-style introduction, there's simply nothing unique that I could associate it. (unless you have something physically or behaviourly distinct that I could observe in a few seconds) 

I decided to try something new in the art of creating first impression. 

During the latest CUMaS freshers squash, I decided to go:
"Hi, I'm Christine. I'm a first year, Biological natural scientist, from Caius." Then tried to look a bit nervous (which I thought should portray first-year's awkwardness quite well.) 

"But why haven't I seen you at the freshers camp?"
"Oh I got the offer very late so I missed the camp."

Of course the freshers believed me, no doubt, with the help of by my fellow third year wingmen. :P They don't have a reason to not believe me. 

So after we finished out 10 minutes chit-chat and the awkward silence starts to sink in before people start moving away to another group of people to talk to, 

"Actually...I'm a third year."

"WHAT?! THEN WHICH PART OF WHAT YOU JUST TOLD ME IS TRUE?"
"All were true but I am not exactly a bio natsci, I'm a medic, who's on her third year, but is doing a bionatsci course. All else are true."

Not a very good first impression when trying to instill sense of trust and reliability a senior should have, but heck, when they know me they will know how am I really like, so that shouldn't be a big deal. :P (and now they will remember me forever for being 'the senior who cheated me during the freshers squash')

But my point is - the freshers' response when I told them the fake introduction and the true introduction were so different. When I told them immediately I am a third year, they were much more reserved in their answers.  They were more passive and I had to ask formal/boring questions like 'so how are you finding the first few lectures?' and they gave me a omg-so-generic answers. Then the awkwardness sinks in, then we move away and never talk to each other again. 

Ok probably not that bad. 

BUT the response was immensely different when I told them I am their fellow first year. Yes, the personality of the freshers I decided to prank on may be different but the responses I got when I told them I am a first year are generally much more...genuine. They would give some generic answers, but they also complained, they teased for a bit. And it's just generally warmer, and we instantly connect. There is an expected sense of empathy. How nice would it be if we could all just put down our guards for a bit when meeting people? 

(and my dear freshers, please forgive this dino for pulling this social experiment/prank on you poor innocent souls on the first moments we meet. Don't worry, I won't do it again. Do ask for help whenever you need anything... :) ) 

Then there's another instance I introduced this junior to another friend from third year. 

"Hey, meet  XXX. She is XXX2's sister." I said.

"HEY don't introduce me like that! I am me...."
You won't believe how scared and shocked I was. Oh dear she's gonna hate me forever now, this stupid senior. She was so quiet, so gentle before and I really didn't expect that to come after that introduction which I thought was perfectly fine. I thought it was the easiest way to relate and link 2 people. The sisters shared the same background, so telling my friend about this mutual point should be a good launching pad to help them strike up a conversation. Turns out, it's not always the case. 

Perhaps I should put in more thoughts when introducing someone. I get annoyed and obviously not very impressed too when people introduced me wrongly. ('Hey, meet Christin----a.' -_-"" )

Your introduction is your first impression, the first moment with this new person, who could possible unveil a completely different phase of your life. One wrong step and that's probably the end of the story. (Unless you are obliged to meet each other every day.)

How would you like to be introduced? How do you usually introduce a person to another friend?

First ever CUMaS Freshers' Camp & Freshers' Banquet

Le Posh Saujana Hotel
Pic from 7ojozat.com

Last weekend, I was at The Saujana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur for the first ever CUMaS freshers' camp! :D It was an extremely enjoyable weekend meeting all the new friends, freshers and seniors alike, (who have to will be each others' BFF for the next few years of uni life). The hotel is near the old Subang airport...Plus, we only have to pay a minimal amount for the stay. Heehee.

Gabriel fetched Livia and I from Publika. After being lost for a few times on the way, we finally arrived. (It's opposite a Japanese School.) Greeted by the seniors, we were brought to the field to introduce ourselves and played several games. The games were torturous really nice as we were made to remember each other's name, course and college so we spent no time knowing roughly each's background. The funny thing is, I always got forced into "chubby bunny" type of game which you have to stuff as many marshmallows into your mouth and enunciate the words CHUBBY BUNNY clearly. Did this a few times before (Oh, the nightmare at TAYMUN Seniors Appreciation Night!). In fact, this is my usual habit of eating that I'm trying hard to not show it out in public, so unless you have an eating habit similar to that of a hamster, please, you have no chance at all against me. Muahahaha... Ok fine, this is nothing to be proud of, but I did a new personal best: 10 marshmallows. :p

We played a few more team-building games then proceeded to play University Challenge! :) Ok..the game was fun, but making us recall the Pendidikan Moral definisi (Moral Education in Malaysia, which we have to memorise around 40 definitions of different good values) was just...made me feel like punching people in the face. Just kidding. :p It was funny how everyone can't remember stuffs that, we spent 5 whole years during our secondary school memorising all the definitions until the extend that we can memorise them backwards! It's just 3 years after secondary school and very few of us could remember it. Talk about failed Moral Education. :S We did answered a few more questions on Medicine, Economics, Cambridge, Engineering, MML etc... Had a great time brainstorming with the group mates of POOL. :D  Don't ask why we made the name Pool, it was a completely random choice after we talked about winter pool right before the game. The game ended in an utter irony, Oxford group won. :p

We washed up and went for dinner after that. While in the room, the 2 lawyer room mates and I spent sooo much time talking, laughing and all that. Guess what, none of us understand how we got here, how we got the offer when we are just plain "silly" girls and there are others who are obviously smarter than we are. But somehow, we got here. Silence dominated the whole atmosphere for a few seconds while we pondered. God's amazing.

Then, we spent the night after dinner talking more, played Truth&Lie and the blanket game. Sorry, no idea of the proper name of those games. Heehee..we finished quite late and slept right away when we reached our room. (I heard some others were playing cards at the lobby. Where did they get the energy to do so?!)

Next morning, we had a sumptuous buffet breakfast, followed by MORE games under the sun (Strategy games and chill-version of Ultimate Frisbee). Lunch at a restaurant nearby and MORE talking before we went back to prepare for the night Banquet.

The Banquet is at Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The whole dinner was rather luxurious, I must say. We had so much dessert that I'd puke if you stuff more cheese/chocolate in my mouth. The President and Vice President of Malaysian Oxbridge Society and George Lee (should have talked to him!) were there too. MORE talking to all the new people! Had a really great time knowing about the seniors and their life there...Medics can be really cool and chill people, after all. :)

As if the amount of talking we had for the past 2 days are not enough, few of us still went for a mamak session in Bangsar after the Banquet. It's just magical how we could all mingle so well in such short time.

Oh, life's wonderful. And I bet it'll be even more amazing over there...