Friday, May 30, 2008
I was on the tram today and it was relatively crowded. Well, it was actually reasonably crowded, but this inconsiderate guy just stood in the middle, and he refused to move. So people who came on, like me, had to squeeze with everyone else who came on near the door. Reminded me of the situation in the Singapore, peak hour in the MRT and bus. There will always be someone who cannot seem to think about anybody else but themselves and block the passage way, like a clot. You know what people do with clots? They surgically remove them! They should put signs like that in trams, trains and buses. Next to the signs with give way to pregnant women, give up this seat to the elderly, no smoking, no eating, anybody who blocks the flow of human traffic within the carriage will be surgically removed. Somehow the word surgically has a scary tone to it, especially when backed by the government.
But I wasn't all annoyed on the tram. I also saw this woman knitting opposite me. It was so cool. Her fingers weaved in and out, back and forth, twirling strings, turning sticks. I mean, if I saw two sticks, and a ball of yarn, I would think, how hard can this possibly get? That is really some skill...worth putting on the resume perhaps.
Dan
4:11 pm
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Couple more weeks and it'll be exams once again!! It seemed just yesterday that I was preparing myself for my first semester exams, and now it's already my third semester. Time flies by so fast.
I learnt an interesting fact in econs tutorial today. I know we all know that when teachers mark papers, they try to give grades that would have the shape of a bell curve. And we're always unhappy when they moderate the grades downward, cause then you would do worse than what you actually did. And you would especially unhappy if you were a borderline pass, that became a fail. Well, I found out that last semester, they had to moderate the micro econs grades downward because too many people were getting H1's. So, if after moderation, you still got a H1, can you imagine what your real grade must have been?? I wonder...
Also, resumes and cover letters are super irritating to write. What to include, what not to include, what format to write it in, it's like an exam all over.
Dan
9:17 pm
Saturday, May 24, 2008
You know how those annoying people call you on the phone to conduct some phone surveys? Well I got one the other day, in chinese!!! I thought it was something short, and couldn't be that bad, since I managed to understand her first sentence without any problem, but everything there after just went down hill. I could barely keep up with her in the conversation, that whenever she asked me a question, and read out the options to choose from, I'd just repeat the last one she said because I could not remember the rest. When it came to open ended questions I just said I don't know in chinese. But I wasn't totally hopeless. I gathered enough to figure out that it had something to do with mobile phones and service providers. At the end she asked me for my name. I thought I heard her ask me for my family name so I said loon. But I have no idea what she heard, so I thought I misunderstood her question and she wasn't asking me for my name. After awhile I realised she was indeed asking me for my name. But by then the conversation had become so confusing for me, I just said yes to everything so that I could hang up. Eventually my name because wang liang something.
Dan
10:57 pm
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
It's the season to be looking for jobs!!! Yes. Time to start planning for the future. But what on earth can I do with an economic degree??!! I don't want to do banking, not after that finances evening. I want to do pure economic related jobs. Central banking is the straightforward answer, but thats like highly highly qualified people, and I don't think I'm there yet.
I was in tutorial today, and I felt like I was surrounded by people who have never done economics before!! I hate that. Trying to lull me into a false sense of security. I've not yet met anyone in economics who has had to explain a theory to me, to make me feel like there is some competition. Yet I know that when the exams come, I won't be on top because some freak will be hiding in the corner and come bursting forth in H1 glory ahead of me.
I've not been to the library much this semester. Been studying at home. Not as unproductive as before I must say. And definitely more comfortable, not having to be annoyed at people who have no idea what "Quiet Study" means.
I completed my final assignment for the semester today!! Felt so liberating, knowing that it is all over and I can finally get down to preparing for the exams.
I need an internship! But where can I find economic internships?!?! It's like they do not exist.
I know. It's a very random post, but that's what exam prep does to you I think. Makes your mind jump all over connecting dots all over the place.
Dan
8:58 pm
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Exams are coming soon!! In about a months time, so everyone is starting their revision. I guess that's the stressful part about uni, everybody really studies, so when it comes to the important season, everyone is studying together. In secondary school, there were those who just couldn't care less influencing the rest.
Anyhow, I welcome the jam pack schedule, as crazy as that sounds. But thats because I know that once its all over, and the winter break comes, it'll be dead boring. I might actually try some crazy stuff, like lie in bed and not come out for more than 24hours, or sleep past two meals and only have dinner. OK, so its more like lazy stuff, but still fun to try.
Side note, attending some lecture thing for finance internships tomorrow night. Not sure what to expect. Suddenly the thought of having to get a job, saving up for marriage, buying a house, a car, a family is all so fast. I just turned 21!!!
Dan
8:46 pm
Saturday, May 10, 2008
It's interesting how friends come and go. I guess I should have learnt that coming to Melbourne. But I think it is also interesting how some friendships strengthen when u lose others. Does that make sense? It makes you wonder which will be the ones who will last till the end. And for the ones that do not. Ever looked back on the time that was spent with them, and if you did all you wanted to do as friends? I guess thats the kind of life I lead right? I meet friends, I move on with my life, but I leave my friends behind, because I comfort myself, that I can make new ones in the future. But friends cannot be replaced can they? How can you lose one and say that I'll find someone like them in the future, when no two people are exactly the same? I just feel like talking about friends, maybe because I watch too much friends. Maybe because I know that after I graduate I'm going to have to ditch a majority of this set of friends for a new set.
But I guess what I noticed that is quite interesting is that when we feel that we don't belong, we won't do much to keep our friends, and they become friends we lose along the way. And the more attached we are to a certain part of our life, the more friends we will have there. Common sense? I don't think so.
Dan
8:00 pm
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
There was a blackout in carlton today!! It was so cool. Not that mass blackouts are good, but it was walking about not knowing what was going on, hearing the sirens go, and lecture was cancelled!!
Assignments have been piling in, but I've been able to cope pretty well so I guess that's good. But somehow I don't feel as satisfied as I am with myself this sem as I was the same period last year. I think its because a lot more is expected this year, so the grades haven't been as great, but still satisfactory I suppose. Honours just seem to get harder each year, at least it only takes into consideration final year grades.
Exams is coming soon!!!
Dan
8:17 pm
Monday, May 05, 2008
The birthday weekend has past, and I'm officially 21. I feel so old, despite what everyone thinks. I had a friend tell me that after 21, it all seems to fly by faster. That's not good. 21st wasn't without a celebration, and the OCF pple made sure of that. Pictures would of course be better, but somehow loading them in college square takes forever, maybe I'll load them in school if I have the time, or can try facebooking it. But lets just say that cake, flour, cordial, and I don't know what else, is not easy to wash off clothes.
Dan
12:01 pm
Friday, May 02, 2008
I hate the rain in Singapore, I hate the rain in Melbourne more. At home, at least if it rained you could tell if it would last long or just a passing shower. You could prepare to leave the house with an umbrella knowing that it won't get destroyed by wind while you're out. And if you didn't have an umbrella, you could run from mall to mall, from underpass to bridges to get from one point to the other without getting too wet.
It rained today, and we were stuck under a small shelter jutting out from a shop, that wasn't even enough to keep us dry. Running from one shelter to the next meant getting wet. But all that was OK. Then, we wanted to cross the road, and when it turned green we dashed across only to be stopped half way why?? Because there was a HUGE puddle of water there, and the cars were waiting, the tram was waiting, what were the options? Turn and run back to the small shelter, or through the puddle to the other side. So we ran through the puddle getting our feet, shoes, socks and jeans all wet. Lunch was terrible, eating in cold clothes. And the wet socks in shoes feeling just reminded me of army. And I thought I'd never have to experience those terrible things again.
21st Birthday Lesson? Dry socks, dry shoes and dry feet are important.
Dan
4:19 pm
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Haven't blogged in awhile. Not quite sure what to blog about. Second year hasn't been what I imagined it to be. First year was such a disillusionment. It was so easy in first year. Just cram everything in, I decided that I wanted to take it one step further and to understand what I was actually studying. I read news papers, kept up with current affairs, found it fascinating that what I was learning was actually happening in the world. Then when the assignments came it was such a joy to write them. To expound on the current affairs in our world. Now the assignments keep coming. It's a total of 10 assignments, but somehow, the uni has found some secret way of making them last so long.
It began with econometrics, then personal finance, then micro, then econometrics again, then econs of the environment, then micro again, econometrics, then personal finance, then econs of the environment, and then econometrics. And between each assignment is like a week? I spend so much time reading for it, planning for it, I sat back today, and realised that the semester is coming to an end!!! TOO FAST!!!
On the bright side, they've all been group assignments, though I chose to do some myself, so I guess it's not so stressful on that point. They haven't really been very research based either. More application so thats good too. And because so much reading is required for it, I think I'm more on track on my readings than I've been in my past two sems, but still behind. Hmmm, come to think of it, the uni is a genius for arranging the assignments such.
Dan
7:55 pm