November 7, 2009
November Rush
In case you get the wrong idea, I’m not talking about the November rush to the shopping malls during US Thanksgiving. This semester has been quite hectic to say the least. With the amount of course load and accompanying homework, group projects, presentations and exams, and tack on all the extracurricular activities, it’s been a handful to manage. However, November just kicked it up another notch: 6 final exams, 4 case reports, 3 presentations, all within the next 2.5 weeks.
However, it seems the busier things get, the more I strive to take time out to do my own things. I’ve started regularly going to the gym (I need to get my cardio back up otherwise I’ll never make it up that 6000m mountain) and try my hardest to play badminton on a regular basis. The timing is good as I just finished my last volunteering sessions with Junior Achievement, so I should have a bit more time on my hands.
Here’s to surviving the November rush so I can tackle higher mountains (pun intended) in December! :)
August 18, 2009
Dude, Where’s My Car?
One of the things about living in an Asian city is that you have to be prepared to take public transit as your main mode of transportation. I grew up as a young kid in HK, worked there briefly and regularly go back every couple of years. So it’s not like I don’t know what an Asian city is like. But living here in S’pore, and living a student life, makes me really miss my car!
On a regular day I have to carry at the very least:
- laptop and adaptor
- books
- notepad and pen
- folders for class notes
- water bottle and an umbrella
Now I’m playing badminton on campus a lot, add:
- shoes
- t-shirt and shorts
- towel
- racquet
My morning routine almost always include the highly skilled game of ‘How to carry everything on my back and take the bus to school‘. Today I resorted to taking my 36L trekking backpack (the one I used on the West Coast Trail) just so I can shove everything into one bag. I looked like a real dork around campus (no one carries a backpack that big here), but oh well.
I miss having a car, I just want to throw everything in the trunk and take off. Here in S’pore it’s damn costly to get a car. I won’t even explain all the cost that goes into owning a car, but there are things like Certificate of Entitlement (COE), import duty, registration fee, an additional registration fee, road tax. Then not to mention insurance, gas, tolls on highway/CBD area.
I think I’ll stick to my 36L backpack for now.
August 10, 2009
Hello World! Hello Singapore!
Today marks a full week that I have been in Singapore. The past 7 days feels like a mad rush to establish the basics of a (modern) life: bank account, mobile plan, immigrations paper, furniture shopping. I feel like I’ve dropped a few rungs in Maslow’s hierarchy and am desperately climbing back to a familiar level.
Today was also the first day of class at NUS, marking the beginning of a 1.5 year MBA program that should bring plenty of adventures and excitement. Coming in without a large set of expectations and keeping an open mind, hopefully possibilities will open up that I never knew existed before!
Interestingly, today also marks exactly a month since I left my last job in Vancouver. Looking back on my last 3 weeks in Vancouver, it was a whirlwind, make that a cyclone, of activities. When you have a limited amount of time left, you naturally spend it with the people, and do the activities (i.e. food, sports, places) that are most important in your life.
Constraint is a necessary and positive thing in life. Abundance breeds complacency, and this is no time to be complacent.
~Art
