I went for the National Day Parade at the floating platform.

Yes, on Aug. 9. Yes, the public holiday. Yes, the freaking actual day.

I write like it was a big deal because it was to me.

Because I'm an introvert.

An introvert goes to NDP

It was my first time going for NDP in 13 years.

The last time I went was during the mandatory N.E. show that every Primary 5 kid goes for, but my goldfish memory recalls pretty much nothing from that day, so you could say this was the first time in my life that I was going, really.

So when the opportunity presented itself for me to go this year, I thought it would be nice to experience the parade with my boyfriend since

1. I had tickets, and

2. It's free anyway.

But there was one tiny problem: Being an introvert who typically stays away from crowded places, thinking about squeezing with hordes of people gave me the jitters.

In fact, make it two tiny problems: My boyfriend, being an introvert himself, was slightly worried as well.

[related_story]

Super crowded

We arrived at the floating platform at around 4.50 pm and it was really crowded. Tens of thousands of people were packed into the venue, and more were still streaming in.

I present to you a visual representation of my mood then.

That's me right there: 53rd person from the bottom right. (jk, please don't go squinting your eyes).

Plonking myself down on the seat, my boyfriend asked: "Do you regret coming here now?"

My doubts crept in at this point, but I decided against making any premature judgments.

Outwardly, I tried to look like (visual representation 2):

https://giphy.com/gifs/were-the-millers-IQh6f7CurN1zq

But inside, I was like (visual representation 3):

https://giphy.com/gifs/originals-retro-l46Cbqvg6gxGvh2PS

I have to give the show a chance, I thought to myself. Maybe it will get better, who knows?

Easing into the programme

And true enough, I started feeling better once the programme commenced.

The crowd motivators helped to set the mood with their energy, and of course, we made some noise.

Because Gurmit Singh.

Speaking of whom, he was involved in a super creative video opening, showing him being 'lost' all over Singapore and trying to find his way to the parade in time for the show.

The true surprise, though, was when he arrived at the floating platform by boat.

In a lifejacket.

Not at all cliched, and pretty cool too, I might add.

As time passed, I gradually stopped feeling bothered by the crowd. It's like all the initial anxieties had magically slinked away.

In fact, I found myself actually enjoying the parade.

By the time we watched the fireworks burst into the night sky, there were already so many other things that made the evening totally worth it.

#1: Me saying "Wow, they're so cool!" publicly

Arguably, one of the perennial highlights of NDP is watching the Red Lions descend from the skies above.

This time was no exception. The crowd cheered as they swooped down and landed on the strip of road right in front of the stage.

It is one thing to watch it on TV, but to have them land right before your very eyes is a whole new experience altogether.

I remember turning to my boyfriend, saying: "Wow, they're so cool! I also wanna be able to do that." (Yes, I did say that. No, I have no ragrets. See visual representation 2).

[video width="464" height="848" mp4="https://static.mothership.sg/1/2018/08/video.mp4"][/video]

But other than the Red Lions, we were also treated to stunning overhead aerial displays, standing testament to how far our military has come.

Sweet. #RSAF50

#2: Inspiring stories of S'poreans that nearly exploded my introverted heart

Apart from the military showcase, I really appreciated the segment telling the inspiring stories of five extraordinary Singaporeans who overcame adversities in their own way.

The short film re-enacted the tales of a former samsui woman Woo Yun Sum, sprint queen Mary Klass, social entrepreneur Cai Yinzhou, botanist Veera Sekaran and Mashruddin, the busker.

Hearing about their stories, my heart was about to explode.

These were ordinary, everyday people, just like us.

Yet, they serve as a reminder of the achievements Singaporeans are capable of, given the right attitude and most importantly, support from one another.

And sometimes, us whining Singaporeans should really just take a moment to be grateful for what we have.

As former samsui woman Woo tells us,

"If you have rice, eat rice. if you have porridge, eat porridge."

#3: Me actually jiving to some awesome local music

To me, the best part of this year's parade was the music.

Off the top of my head, I recall the ambient voice of Joanna Dong crooning to "My Island Home", a rap by THELIONCITYBOY, and of course, a stunning rendition of "We Are Singapore" by local singer-songwriter Charlie Lim.

There was a cover of Coldplay's "Fix You" and a "We Are Singapore" remix by FallenSuperheroSG (the dude who behind the "One Dollar Tissue Aunty Remix" and "Singapore GE2015 Remix").

And maybe it's a millennial thing, but I enjoyed every bit of the edgy vibe. Somehow, it sounded more like an indie-pop concert rather than a cheesy showcase of National Day songs.

Not at all orbit.

You can listen to the remix here, by the way:

#4: Waving the light-sticks like there's no tomorrow

Remember how I said I was initially bothered by the crowd?

Halfway through, I had long forgotten about my discomforts and was pretty much soaking up the lively atmosphere.

Everyone who knew the lyrics sang along at the top of their lungs.  The shy ones (like myself) waved their shaker light-sticks to the rhythm of the music.

The entire spectator stands were dotted with lights of different colours:

If you think these pictures are amazing, imagine being right smack in the middle of it.

[video width="464" height="848" mp4="https://static.mothership.sg/1/2018/08/video-2.mp4"][/video]

Toward the end, the audience was also roped in for the 'placard challenge,' where every spectator was made to hold up either a white or red placard during the song "We are Singapore."

The end result? "We <3 SG," spelled out by some 25,000 spectators.

Check it out here:

I am not the most patriotic of citizens, and yet, my heart swelled with pride every time the "We <3 SG" appeared.

Being part of the huge crowd of people moving in unison, singing the same tunes and reciting the pledge as one, I felt a profound sense of belonging.

I'm pretty sure I even got goosebumps at some point.

But more importantly, the entire experience served as a timely reminder that we are all part of something much larger than ourselves.

Cannot be described in words

At the end of it, I had to squeeze with plenty of others during my commute home on the MRT. And yet, I have no regrets.

I asked my boyfriend: "Did you enjoy the parade?"

"Yeah kind of," He said. "It was a good performance to watch."

And there you have it.

Two introverts went for NDP and not only survived, but also had a good time.

Sure, it might have been more comfortable to watch the parade at home instead of rushing and squeezing with the crowd.

However, being there on the ground is truly an experience that cannot be captured with words alone (but I just did, with some visual representations, of course. huehuehue).

TLDR: 10/10 will recommend.

Top photo collage adapted from Toggle.