matrix? matric?

One of our 'party of five' member invited us for a birthday lunch next Monday. It is a place where students would get discount.

So in the invitation e-mail he wrote "don't forget to bring your matrix card."

Matrix? Hahaha you've work too much, JC! Too many matrices to work on and to type for reports? (It should be 'matric')

It reminds me of the days of my FYP. My project was in Robotics Research Center, NTU and one of my close friend also did her project there. We were under the same supervisor. Along the way, we built up friendship (a very good one) with other students who worked in the same clusters. All were under the supervisory of Francis.

He is known as the most demanding supervisor in NTU-MPE (now MAE). He could flip my heart upside down with his big cheery British grin and acclaim "hey, finish this by next Tuesday! I want you to join the exhibition". Gubrak!!!! It was only few days away for my goodness sake, and inspiration had not struck me by then. And FEW codes were still untouched.

So, as the victims of the same predators, often we had to stay in RRC until late night to finish whatever he asked for (bargain was not in his dictionary). Even on 24 Dec and the day just before Chinese New Year. We started creating our own language. One that I remember was we swap "iterating" and "irritating". Don't ask me why. I guess it's just because we used them so often.

So when we conversed (inside or outside lab) using our own invented languages, usually people stared at us "are they mad? or simply english illiterate?"

It actually amused us even more...

I miss those days...