Life is Like a Box of Chocolates
My previous three entries have been about soccer, so I thought it was high time I deviated from the talk about my favourite sport, to a pressing issue which I’ve deliberated about for a couple of years, but will actually only face in a couple of months. Graduation.
The lack of blog entries (complaining) about school for this final semester is not so much because school work has been a breeze – in fact the pressure’s much greater, but simply because I’ve chosen to view the matter of grades and CAP in a different light. It is after all my final semester, and I believe that seven whole semesters of constant grade striving and worrying is more than enough for anyone to take.
Those who know me well enough would know about my strong desire to graduate and step into the working world. You see, it has reached a point where I feel I’ve been studying for too long. Apart from a 2 year NS stint in between, it has been almost 14 semesters of assignments, deadlines and examinations – and not to mention nerve-wrecking wait for results. School had been fun, enjoyable and memorable in more ways than I could have imagined, and I’m certain I will one day look back to miss it dearly. But for now, there is a stronger urge to work; to earn my own living, to provide for my parents and to lessen their burdens, and to pave a career path for which I hope will be an exciting one.
I’ve spent quite a bit of my time and energy this semester planning for employment after graduation. I’ve already gone through a number of assessments and interviews in the past month, and as much as how I’ve held the ‘keep all options open’ mentality, I’ve narrowed my choices down to a few selected ones. Some are ranked higher than others in terms of preference, but ultimately each has its own merits, and much of it will still depend on whether the opportunity presents. I’ve gone for each interview with huge anticipation and exictement, and each time I have these mental images of what my future would hold if I were successful in my interviews. Yet after such thoughts, I will still be apprehensive about whether the jobs are really suited for me, and if they are really something I would want or prefer.
There’s also a common dilema of interest vs. renumeration vs. future progression. The usual advice is that interest is critical, but ask anyone out there in today’s pragmatic society, and its hard to touch your heart and say money does not matter. If you ask me, money is not the most important, but is still essential and definitely a big consideration. As for future opportunities and progression, I think it is definitely something to think about, but yet again one starts to wonder if it’s really necessary to think so far into the future. After all, there’s only so much one can plan for. I’ve never planned for entry into NUS, morever CNM, and it was only under fortunate circumstances and luck (and a momeny of folly turned blessing in disguise) which tided me to where I am today.
So to think of it, should I really plan so far ahead, or just head down the normal ‘just do what I have to do now, and let nature take its course’ road. As Forrest Gump says, ” Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get”.
