Retirement: Leader's Invest 2012

My term ended with the Investiture held on Wednesday, 1 August. After gruelling tasks like Fiesta, Open House, Showcases, the leaders finally stepped down with the official ceremony. 

Abi and Darshini showed us the planning they did for Farewell, after the event that day, and I must say I was impressed by their organisation. They were the organisers of the ASEAN Youth Convention earlier this year, and when I saw the serious work they put into the planning of farewell, I was comforted that we had made the right decision... for now? We'll see. 

I can't say that I'm particularly happy about stepping down as President, but there is a deep sense of relief and pride in being able to pass the baton on. I have faith in the CCA and the new exco. After watching Emerge, where juniors rightfully swept Best Actresses across the levels, and having winning plays directed by El juniors, I sincerely hope that the future leaders can maintain, if not push standards even higher. I'm particularly proud of Rebecca, who directed 3N's play, Raindrops, and dealt with lighting superbly. I'm so very glad we chose her to be in charge of the SYF lighting and that she'd honed her skills over the years. Good things, good things.

Another great thing I'd experienced in my presidency was working with the other leaders. My job has led to an added layer to the friendship of my fellow leaders  such as KT, Val, Andrea, Yufeng, Nicolette and more. I have shared tales of weal and woe in being heads with them :') I find it so amazing to have common attitudes and mindsets set in stone once you've stepped up to be a leader, where each of us can bear a no nonsense attitude to correctly deal with everyday situations when you just need somebody to step up.  It was a rocky journey for all of us, and I know that the leading route really shook some of us up and ripped us apart. It was a tiring, sometimes excruciating journey, but I don't regret a single moment of it. I think I miss it. 

I don't think I've changed much from Primary School. Still the same old bossy, grumpy self except in a different environment now, a more mature one too. Being a leader used to be every reason to be an outcast, the goody-two shoes just because you have a good idea of what you want and you know how to go about doing it. Now that I've had years in Cedar to experience leadership, I can say that I'm very glad that I did not supress my natural control freak self. 

Photographs of my beloved leaders under the cut:

Guys we belong to this ship.