Day 80: Festival Frenzy

Today was the campus festival, an event everyone seemed ridiculously excited about—except me. I had originally planned to use the day to catch up on assignments, but Amanda insisted I join the group. “You can’t study all the time, Eddie,” she said. “Besides, festivals are where memories are made.”

I should’ve known “memories” meant chaos.

The festival grounds were packed, with colorful booths lining every corner of the campus. The air smelled like a mix of cotton candy, satay, and grilled corn. Faisal, who thrives in any situation involving food and loud music, was already strategizing which stalls to hit first. Yusof, ever the practical one, had made a schedule to ensure we didn’t miss the performances Amanda wanted to see. Daniel? Well, he was just there to “vibe,” which is Daniel-speak for freeloading snacks.

Our first stop was a game booth where you had to pop balloons with darts. Faisal, full of overconfidence, declared, “I’ll win you a prize, Amanda.” He then proceeded to miss every single shot, much to the booth owner’s amusement. Yusof stepped in and managed to pop three balloons, earning Amanda a tiny stuffed bear. Faisal, of course, claimed moral credit.

Things took a turn at the haunted house. Amanda loves horror, so naturally, she insisted we all go in. I hate haunted houses. Something about the combination of darkness, jump scares, and creepy music makes me feel like I’m paying to be traumatized. But Amanda’s enthusiasm was infectious, so I reluctantly followed the group inside.

Big mistake.

Barely two minutes in, a masked figure jumped out of the shadows, and I screamed. Not a manly yell or a startled grunt—a full-on, high-pitched scream. To make matters worse, I instinctively grabbed the person closest to me for protection, which happened to be Amanda.

She laughed so hard she had to sit down. “Eddie,” she said between giggles, “you’re supposed to protect me, not the other way around.”

“Next time, I’ll send Faisal,” I muttered, trying to salvage my dignity.

After escaping the haunted house, we found ourselves at a karaoke booth. Faisal, naturally, jumped at the chance to perform and dragged Daniel along for a duet. Their rendition of “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys was… memorable, if only for how completely off-key they were. Amanda recorded the whole thing, promising to upload it to the group chat later.

The highlight of the day, though, was the cultural performance. Amanda had been raving about it all week, and it didn’t disappoint. Students from various clubs performed traditional dances, showcasing the rich diversity of Malaysia. Watching Amanda’s face light up as she clapped along with the music made the whole chaotic day worth it.

By the time the festival ended, we were all exhausted but happy. Faisal carried an absurd number of snacks in a plastic bag, claiming he’d “stocked up for the apocalypse.” Amanda had her stuffed bear tucked under her arm, while Yusof complained about how much we’d strayed from his schedule.

As we walked back to the dorms, Amanda turned to me and said, “See? Aren’t you glad you came?”

I nodded, smiling. “Yeah, I guess festivals aren’t so bad.”

Lesson of the day: Sometimes, the best memories come from stepping out of your comfort zone. Also, never enter a haunted house with Amanda unless you’re prepared to become the punchline of the day.