Jeremy Teo | Just Simply Me

To Put It Simply

Been a while since I last updated, and somehow the countless thoughts always fizz away right at the moment I sit afront the laptop. Hence, I shall attempt to do a fast one by keeping things simple.

To put it simply, 2010 has been in military terms, a Charlie Mike (continuous mission). Went into my final semester preparing for interviews and assessments, all amidst a hectic rush to complete my thesis. When that was done, I dived straight into a major publications assignment which saw me clock like 3 hours of sleep within 4 whole days, with a major exam slotted right in between. Then said my final farewells to NUS, before embarking on my 2-month ‘over-seas’ trip. When that was done, work ensued, with my only ‘recess’ being commencement. No break, but I’m not complaining. In fact, I’m lovin’ it. Probably the most efficient use of my time, ever.

To put it simply, graduation has given me a taste of what’s always been regurgitated about pointless grade-chasing. Whatever paper you get in the end, it may mean something, but definitely not everything.  Too many permutations in life for one to think that his/her life is set-in-stone upon good or bad grades.

To put it simply, World Cup was about an England team lacking variations and creativity, a Maradonna who got what he deserved for his arrogance, a disiciplined and organized German team epitomising world champion credentials, and a Spanish team who probably just deserved the World title.

To put it simply, new EPL season will be about a Manchester duel at the top, and a Wolves, West Brom and Blackpool trio at the bottom. Blackburn’s been quiet, and my realistic sense points to a 12-14th finish. Rovers needs funds, and whatever takeover talks can only be positive news. Still have my reservations over Big Sam, although the Diouf loan and impending Roberts sale points to the up-side of things. Now to just show Grella out the door.

To put it simply, some Singaporeans complain and expect too much. Same people fussing about the country’s way of life are the same people reaping the benefits of uni education, proper housing and stability. Same people who question the influx of foreign workers are the same people picky about jobs. Same people who bemoan foreign sportspersons are the same people who voice dis-support for the YOG. Same people who … you get my point. All cynical-ism but no appreciation, all complaints but no solutions.

To put it simply, the Singaporean in me will always enjoy NDP. The element of patriotism is in itself inexplicably dear, and while it’s a bonus for me to embrace it, it’s simply a loss for those who choose to forsake it. Your take. I take mine with love and pride. Happy Birthday Singapore!

2009 Year in Review

The end of 2009 also marked the end of a decade. No doubt it was a digital decade of advancements, with wireless technologies, mobile devices and social media taking over our lives today. However, it was more prominently a decade of crisis. Events stretch back as early as the dot com bust, 9/11 and subsequent terrorism acts, to SARS, H1N1 and the countless natural disasters. With human relations around the world becoming more complex, and our negligence towards global warming, it is said that things will become worse in the next decade, and I would actually concur with such bleak forecasts.

The year 2009 was one filled with more downs than ups. Started the year re-adjusting back to Singapore after almost half a year in Hong Kong, then embarked on what was a remarkable 6-month internship stint. In between, I had my first encounter with hospitalization, before Dad’s health condition starkly reminded me of the unpredictabilities of life. I’m thankful that all turned out well, but I’ve since learned to better cherish my loved ones, be grateful for what I still have.

The second half of the year saw my return to school after more than a year’s absence, and it was a torrid return. Took me a while to adjust back to the books and readings, and it didn’t help that the workload of some modules were taxing. This penultimate semester was one which took up more brain-power than time, as assignments were so brain-wrecking that it literally gave me headaches. I was also bogged down by career considerations, a slow-progress thesis, and the constant paper-chase mentality to maintain my CAP. Results eventually proved that despite my year long absence from school, some things still never change. The module I worked hardest for gave me the worst results, and reminded me again of the non-existent relationship between effort and grades. Despite all these, this semester was one which I had learnt the most. Overall, I’m never one who aims too high, and am overall satisfied with what I have.

The year 2010 will be an exciting one. In Singapore, we have the YOG, 3rd edition of F1 Singapore, and the completion of Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay IR. There will also be the World Cup 2010 in South Africa. Most important of all, the year will see the end of another major phase in my life, as I graduate and eargerly step out into the working world.

May 2010 be good for all of you. Happy New Year!

Reunion with the System

Now that exchange’s over, it’s back to the all familiar NUS system for me. Well as I am doing my internship next semester, I didn’t really have to get down to worrying so much about CAP and modules, till an e-mail came today.

Apparently, there is a major change to the modular credits system for the faculty. All level 4000 mods will now hold a weightage of 5 modular credits, instead of 4. And guess what, these changes will be implemented when I hit my honors year. Great timing! Not sure why these changes came about, but I’m guessing that there has been feedback about the workload, and the school is doing something.

After doing my calculations, I realised that these changes would mean that I can take one module lesser come honors year. Those who have taken 6 modules a semester would know how much 1 module could affect a semester, so lucky old me gets to benefit from this reduced workload.

What’s more, the honors thesis will also be readjusted to 15 modular credits, and considering how it held only 8 modular credits prior to the new changes, it’s going to change alot of things. In essence, taking honors thesis as 1 module, I’m now left with only 5 modules for the entire 2 semesters of my honors year! This would mean I would have a reduced workload to perhaps better my individual modules, or also mean I could have the freedom to take more modules in case I wanna pull my CAP up.

I used to complain how the juniors were lucky to have the new S/U option thingy, till NUSSU came in to save the day. That new policy itself saved me from S/U-ing a perfectly decent grade, and it also got me listed again. Then, I felt that having 8 credits for an honors thesis was unfair, as the batch after me could get it at 12 credits. Now, Dean’s Office not only saved the day, they up-ed it one level better by lightening my honors workload. Now, the greedy side of me wants A pluses to weigh more than just a 5.0, as they should in fact be distinct from As. Anyone to save the day again?

Exam Period Randomness

Things never change. Have a deadline tomorrow, and exams in the following two days, and yet I’m doing all the random stuff, and thinking about random thoughts …

Weather is really cold now, and I dislike it simply because … I tend to eat alot. Canteen was closed this morning, so I took it upon myself to go to Shatin to grab a bite. In the end ‘grab a bite’ was an understatement, as egg tarts, pastry, one whole Triple O’s meal, ‘Kwai Ling Gou’ and Starbucks was definitely more than ‘a bite’. On my way back I was telling myself maybe I should skip dinner as the day was sinful enough. But I just got back from dinner at the canteen :p

Was YouTubing just now and watched a few videos of my secondary school choir while they were on tour last year. Don’t really know which country it was, but I think it’s some European country. I had my fair share when I went to London and Paris with the choir in my secondary school days, and thinking back I was really fortunate to have such an opportunity. Quoting from someone, “Young people these days are so lucky. They get to travel, go on exchange … … “. It’s so true, and although I may not be considered ‘young’ anymore, I’m glad to be a part of this privileged group.

Was reading the NUS President’s letter, and realised that many things in school have changed, or will be changing. There will be a new mini-forum, the health and wellness centre moved out, the vacant space will now provide more study areas, the alumni house is ready and more. Now I’m starting to wonder what else (outside school) has changed back in Singapore, after just 3 months plus.

Reality Check

It was a free day for me yesterday, and for the whole of the 15 non-sleeping hours of the day, all I did was to borrow some books from the library for my essay, meet the group for discussions about our film, and squeeze in a short workout. Thinking back, I really don’t know how the rest of the hours faded away just like that. Bottom line is, I’m getting really lazy and lethargic.

The free hours yesterday also got me thinking again, and in some way brought me back to reality. I embarked on my SEP journey for a few reasons; to get a great experience, to escape from one semester of NUS hectic-ness, and also to provide myself with some time to think about what’s ahead for the next few semesters. And now that November looms, I realised that I don’t really have much time left to simply just ponder about what’s ahead, but I would instead have to make a decision quick.

I’m going into honors year next semester already, but with the pre-requisite for honors thesis 4101 only available two semesters from now, I would practically have to void the semester ahead, and think of what I want to do with it. I have considered a few options really; serving back my dues in the army, just going ahead with the semester to maybe improve my CAP (or danger of deproving it), to do an internship, or to just simply find a part time job and wither my life away.

Internship’s my choice, but being in Hong Kong adds a barrier to this as I am unavailable for interviews. Now I’m just crossing my fingers and hoping that the companies get back to me, and that something can be worked out. I saw the job scopes, and its really interesting and I’m really keen on it. A learning experience I wouldn’t want to miss, so I’m just being really hopeful now.

The tentative exam timetable was released yesterday, and we all realised how early our papers would end. So in other words, I just realised that my last paper and my original return ticket date is actually 3 weeks apart! I guess I will either go traveling, or maybe shift my return date to a much earlier one. Then again, traveling plans would really have to depend on the internship arrangements, and I wouldn’t mind giving up the traveling if I could rush back to squeeze in an interview.

So the issue about internship lingers, the exam timetable is still tentative, and what really is ahead is just a couple of months time, I really don’t know. Everything suddenly just seems all so blurry and uncertain.

I Miss …

Three’s a Breeze

Today marks the end of the third week of school, and with mid-autumn taking away at least 3 lectures and 2 tutorials, the week was pretty much like the previous two, relaxed. I must admit though that this leaves me a little worried as since the start of school, I have only read 2 pages of my international communication book, and the next most number of pages I’ve read is from the book called ‘Essential Cantonese Phrase Book’.

Some assignments and mid terms will start springing up, but well, I’ll live the days as they come by. Really grateful for what I’m having here, as chats with Chen Guo and Sancia yesterday, together with all the blog posts, msn nicks and facebook statuses, gives me a good gauge about the current stress level at workload back in Singapore.

Just saw some facebook pictures from AGM which happened last night, and it all seems so fast. Kudos to the 28th for a good term, and finally being able to step down. On a personal note, the odds were always stacked against them, and their greatest enemy were always ‘critical views’ from the outside (from the 27th and myself included). But they themselves will soon understand this aspect of ‘can’t help but be critical’ when the 29th’s term kicks in. Some things cannot be undone, and some impressions cannot be changed, but they came a long way, and have in my opinion as a whole MC achieved much more than was expected of them.

On a global level, there seems to huge turmoil around the world. Banks are failing, and babies are ailing. The banking and financial situation looks really bad, and although I have no knowledge about banks and the financial markets, I have read enough to know that it will take at least another 2-3 years for the situation to stabalise. All the news have been surrounding the concerns from traders and world banks, but if we scope it down a little, another main worry lies within the universities. My friends from finance and econs are starting to get a little worried, as most of them are looking to the banking and financial industry upon graduation in about a year’s time. Then again, I’m sure the effects will also be echoed to the other industries.

Nice

This was digged out from my archives, something I wrote last year.

” eventhough we kept joking that we wanted to see each other again there next year, either to take more photographs or to get another chance at the good food, deep within we all know that we really wanna do well again so that we can get another taste of the ceremony next year “

I never once doubted them. The only doubt I had was perhaps on myself. Thankfully I was wrong. Looks like we kept to our word. Nice. What’s nicer, is that more have joined us.

To be honest, it may just be a piece of paper in a couple of years time, but for now, I’ll take whatever pride and pleasure it gives.

School All Over Again

Initially typed an entry yesterday, but not knowing that my Internet connection was lost, I pressed ‘publish post’, and then it went to the ‘page cannot be found’ page. Poof! My 20 minutes of typing gone.

So now, a very summarised version of that post. Work has been something like school all over again. The pace is picking up real fast, and deadlines coming in. Probably resulted in my absence from blogosphere, and also absence from almost the entire of Arts Camp. Overall, the going has been good so far for work, so I’m not complaining. As for Arts Camp, well done hg and team. My apologies for my absence.

Had a visit to the Tuas Incineration Plant today, and as strange as it may sound, it kinda made me realise that there are definitely still placess in Singapore I still haven’t explored, and things in Singapore which I still didn’t know of.

Oranje Squash-ed

I came into Euro 08 feeling all neutral about it, as England didn’t qualify. Not that I was a big fan of the three lions, but its just that I am a big fan of the English Premier League. But of course, I so had to select a favourites among the rest of the teams, and it was Netherlands I chose.

So first game, 3-0 against world champs Italy, then 4-1 against former double winners France, and 2-0 against highly rated underdogs Romania. But who would think that they would actually fall to Russia. Watched the game last night, and they were totally dispirited and self destructive. Before the tournament, I was skeptical about the likes of Bhoularouz and Ooijer in defence, as neither are consistent players. But they proved to be rock walls against the French. But for last night, the rocks eroded to sand.

Somehow or rather, I felt that the Dutch were just too used to always taking the lead, and being in comfortable positions. So when they went behind last night, no one was perking the team up, no one showed extra courage and spirit, not even coach Van Basten. He for one looked the most down and out. And even when they got their equaliser, you could sense the relief in their faces, but you somehow knew that was the last goal they were ever gonna get in Euro. And so, I was proven right. The Russians outclassed them, made direct non-fancy dashes into the box, and got their two deserved winning goals.

Me being me, I shall again apply this lesson in soccer to life. I know of people who have done execeptionally well in their life, only to fall into a bottomless pit as soon as a setback hits them. All of a sudden, from the strongest to the weakest. Thats why I always believe that the strongest are never those who are always doing well, but those who have done well after setbacks. Case in point? Turkey’s route to the semis. No one can discredit them. And if you ask me, based on courage, character and determination, the Euro title should go to them already.

Getting used to work, and really enjoying the great company at work. Arts Camp is tomorrow, and its just amazing how a year has gone by just like that. Things have been looking good, and I sincerely hope it stays that way. The o-comm has done so much already, but I’m sure they would understand that as much as how much work has been put into the last 5 months of preparation, it all boils down to the next 5 days. I’ve taken a more back seat role this time, with the advices and website. Nothing much, but perhaps the least I could do for a project which meant so much to me. A year back, I cried rather uncontrollably on the last day. Something I would never imagine myself doing ever again in front of so many people. But to be honest, I myself didn’t really know if it was tears of joy, or relief, or simply juz because my dearest committee members were crying. I guess it was everything mixed into the cauldron of emotions of mine.

All the best Arts Camp 08 committee. Be proud of yourselves!