During Stage 4 of my MBBS course at NUMed, I was placed in Group 4. Every week in the 1st semester of Stage 4, there were several seminar sessions, and I always had the sessions with my friends in Group 4. I loved Group 4 very much.
On 31 October 2017, there was a seminar session about health systems. Unlike the other seminar sessions, NUMed reallocated all students to different groups for this session, and I was placed in Group 11. We had to create a public health plan and then present it a few days later.
Initially, I was fine with Group 11, since I had a few friends in this group as well. Then out of sudden, a distressing thought came to my mind: Was NUMed planning to make Group 11 my permanent group for the remainder of this semester?
The fact was that Group 4 had always been my group for this semester. I definitely wouldn't condone any attempt by NUMed to separate me and my friends in Group 4. As a result, I refused to recognise Group 11 as my group and I remained completely silent throughout the seminar session.
On 3 November 2017, it was the presentation session. My refusal to contribute any ideas during the health systems seminar session had caused resentment among the other students in Group 11, so they proceeded with the presentation without me. I too had no plans to participate in this presentation.
Although my attitude towards Group 11 wasn't right, it was my natural response because I really didn't want to separate with my friends in Group 4. Thankfully, Group 11 was just a one-off group allocation and I would continue to be in Group 4 after that, which made me feel very relieved.
Several months later on 9 August 2018, I was writing on this blog about everything that happened in Stage 4 of MBBS, and I recalled the whole incident. I started thinking: What was the true reason I was so afraid of getting separated with Group 4? Why did I love Group 4 so much?
Then suddenly, I realised the actual reason for the first time. I was in love with a girl in Group 4! I didn't realise it back then because of some particular circumstances that were quite different until just recently.
On 23 August 2018, the grouping for Stage 5 of MBBS was released. Much to my delight, I and my friends in Group 4 of Stage 4 would be placed together in Group 2 for Stage 5. I was really grateful that God gave me the opportunity to once again be in the same group with the girl I loved.
Read the sequel of this story here:
https://daniellimjj.blogspot.com/2019/02/26-february-2019-story.html
