Life Is One Pretty Awesome Bumpy RideeeaaAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH: Petronas Youngstars Day 2014 (Part 2)

After those tests, we had lunch. Eunice and I started talking to two girls who were from Sarikei. One was called Annie and one was Winnie. Girls from the same school. Pretty cool. After lunch, it was the verbal test, the one I feared the most. Group B was brought into a room with 4 tables. There were 16 of us, and we were divided into small groups with 4 each. In my small group, there's Jazlan (Malay-Chinese Boy), Najah (Malay girl) and Eva (Iban girl). We got to know each other. They were really friendly and I remembered that Najah kept smiling at me whenever I looked at her :)

Each group was given 4 papers on the same topic which was Education Policy but each member has a different education policy. We were then given 30 minutes to think of points and suggestions and stuff I didn't really get according to the requirements on our own paper without discussing with anyone except our own minds. So after I read my paper I was like "Okay. I understand everything that's written here but I DON'T FREAKING UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS WHOLE THING WANTS DANG IT I'M DEAD MEAT." But still I brainstormed points for my paper even though I think they're already out of the topic.

The interview was divided into two parts, INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW and GROUP INTERVIEW. We waited outside the interview room, clutching our papers and waiting for our turns. Eva was the first to go in, then Jazlan, then me, then Najah. When I went in, I was greeted by two interviewers. Both were Malays. They asked if I'm Christal, and asked me where I'm from. Then they invited me to sit on a chair. Then the request which made my heart skipped a beat, which I hoped they wouldn't make, which I had no idea how to answer, popped out from them, "Introduce yourself." Usually when people ask me to introduce myself, I'd start with my name. But since they knew my name already, my mind went blank. Then suddenly out of nowhere I blurted out, "I'm Chinese." THAT WAS A STUPID THING TO SAY. Both of them nod their heads but I could sense that in their minds they were like "Duh...OBVIOUSLY." I sounded so racist which I had no intention to do so.

I continued by talking about my hobbies and my family. Then after I was done introducing myself, the interviewers asked me to discuss about my points for my given paper. Dang it. I did pretty bad at it, talking non-stop on unrelated things and going out of topic. But people told me that for this, it doesn't matter if your answers are right or wrong. It's your response and actions towards the issues given to you that really count.

After the individual assessment, it was time for the group interview. The four of us walked in and greeted the two same interviewers. We were then seated according to our sequences. When we were all ready, Eva started the group discussion. BAM. I COULD SEE LEADERSHIP EXPLODING FROM HER. Each of us talked about our policy and I realised that I was really out of the topic so I simply said things and was like Yeah that's all I've got. Najah, Eva and Jazlan on the other hand spoke very confidently on their points. Man, they are really outstanding people. All I really did on the interview was support their points. I nodded my head at what they said and kept saying "Yes you're right", "Yes that's good" and something like that. At least I'm playing my part as a supportive team member I guess. While we discussed, the judges watched and observed. I felt so uncomfortable knowing that there were two pair of eyes watching our every step. We discussed until we chose the suitable policy as our conclusion and presented it to the interviewers. AND FINALLY THE INTERVIEW HAS ENDED!!!

We walked out of the room feeling free and unleashed. We took our tea break food, sat down and ate together. Najah and Jazlan used their phones to take selfies of all of us together. I told them that they were amazing. They really did well. Then I caught up with Eunice on her interview with her group and she told me that she felt like she talked out of topic too. My mum and aunt came early to pick me up so I said goodbye to everyone. Eva and Najah hugged me which was a very heartwarming way of parting. It was kind of weird you know, because at the beginning of the interview no one talked to each other except for his or her own friends and in the end we got to know new people but we had to part real fast and it was kind of saddening and happy at the same time. Mixed feelings. And it was really sad too having to say goodbye to Eunice. Life is truly a bowl of salad.