I'm sure that most of you have heard the phrase "Its such a small world". It is especially used when you meet someone you haven't seen in years and both of you are genuinely surprised, or at least pretend to be, at seeing each other.
Actually, I tell you that phrase mainly applies to Singapore. Because Singapore to most of us, is the world. And it is really darn small, and since the friends you meet along they way are usually of a similar level to you, eventually you're bound to meet them again in university, because Singapore only has a grand total of like... 3 established universities. So you shouldn't really be surprised to see that person you last saw like 10 years ago.
But of course there are obstacles that make it difficult for us not to be surprised. A few months back I had a primary school gathering. I recognised most of the pple there because I had seen them one way or another in the past few years. However, it was the ones that I hadn't seen since primary school that were the most difficult to recall.
Especially those who had changed so drastically (aka become so fat) that if the person told me I once knew him/her, I'd laugh it off until the person got really offended. Its even more embarassing when the person claims he/she knows you so well and you're like "like who the ... is this? how come I totally don't remember you? oh no better not say anything, later damn paiseh one." Then I wait for the person to say something, and I'm like "Oh yah, I remember that, yes!" But I really don't. I'm sorry.
Or worse, you call the person by his/her "name" and the person goes "I'm not (name)". Have fun wriggling out of that one.
In NTU though, I've been waving to pple whose names I don't know and smiling and saying "Hi!", knowing full well that we're both just thinking like "Where the hell have I seen this person before? What's his name? Never mind just say hi and walk away as fast as possible"
It happens so much it makes me wonder if I should just be honest and say 'I really don't remember you. So what is your name and where have I met you?"
But I won't. You know why? Because every time I meet this kind of people, I'll suddenly be "in the process of rushing for tutorial". Even if I'm walking towards canteen A.