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Chronicles of Campus Life in the Swinging 60s#UniLife
By Mihar Dias
(C) Copyright January 2024
In the vibrant tapestry of my university days at the University of Malaya, Second College became a brief but unforgettable chapter.
The campus, still in its infancy, echoed with the creation of traditions, swiftly evolving, with one peculiar rite being the jovial yet questionable ragging of freshies.
Amidst this dynamic atmosphere, an unexpected passion seized me – boating on the tranquil campus lake. A modest rowboat, tethered at the shore near Second College's driveway, became my sanctuary. Hours melted away as I rowed the placid waters, a ritual that persisted until the term's end, my attendance at lectures dwindling once I glimpsed my imminent departure for New York in September 1968.
A towering figure in my collegiate sphere was the late Ranlee, a genuine sportsman and my athletic idol. Post-dinner, our culinary adventures led us beyond the lacklustre dining hall offerings.
Satay at Amjal or delectable kuew teow at Pines in Brickfields became our haunts, often reached via the Sri Jaya bus from Jalan Pantai – a nostalgic fare of either 10 or 15 sen. These buses, gleaming and novel, marked a stark departure from the transportation I remembered in my hometown of Alor Setar.
Yet, it was the Students Union across the lake where Ranlee found solace, savouring his nightcap – a Tiger beer. Amidst the ambient hum, our voices harmonized, belting out tunes like Delilah, serenaded by the crooning of Tom Jones on the jukebox. Swiftly, 20 sen coins would dance into the machine, ready to resuscitate the music as Ranlee savoured his Tiger.
Oh, the camaraderie of those evenings, fueled by the love for Tom Jones and the exquisite local brew – Tiger beer, a golden elixir etched in the annals of our campus nostalgia.
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