The dark lecture theatre

Every week, most of my lectures begin at 12 noon or later - except for Wednesdays. Today my first lecture is at 10 am [which is too early for me!]. Having stayed up till 6 am doing various homework assignments and what not, I decided that I had to stay up for my lecture since there was no way I could wake up after sleeping for a couple of hours. And how does trying to be a devoted student repay me?

An empty lecture theatre!

I looked through the window and it was completely dark, so I assumed it must be the transition between showing students a video and reverting to the slides. After standing there for a minute or two I realised there was no lecture. Nothing!

Was the professor trying to play a ridiculous joke on us? I quickly took a seat at the closest bench near LT14 to check if the venue had been changed for today's class. I found the following announcement on IVLE:

Dear Students,
A friendly reminder for those amongst us who skipped lecture last week that we will have no lecture Wednesday, Feb 14.
This is to allow students and your mentors to participate in the CNM Industry Advisory Council.
Besides, being thorough PR professionals, we wouldn't dream of ruining your Valentine's Day romance!

Sincerely,
Gene Van Heerden, Ganga Sasidharan & Raaj Chandran

[Yes, I did skip last week's lecture. *chuckle*]

Gmail fear...

I just happened to get concerned about the size of my Gmail account and here's a cause for concern:

"You are currently using 1278 MB (45%) of your 2816 MB."

What happens once I go beyond 100%?

Will they force me to BUY extra storage?

Is this their plan?

How will I live without Gmail then?

Valentine's coming up...

My feelings exactly!

Assortment

Life is moving at the speed of light. It is so fast that it feels like only yesterday I was finding it hard to spend minute after minute with nothing to do in the second half of the month of December '06. In my current position however, I know for sure I need to make every minute count - at least for the next six months.

So what is it I am busy with, you may ask? First of all it's the course-load - I'm taking more than what most people can handle. Add to that the fact that I am studying social sciences, which means tons of reading. Readings, prensentations, group presentations, projects, group projects, research papers, research studies' participation and loads and loads of group meetings. Of course, I still have lectures and tutorials to attend as well - which is only nineteen hours a week.

I want to use my upcoming three-month summer break productively, so I am also looking for internships [rather desperately, I must say!]. Such a search entails loads of searching and applications to fill out [they always have a bunch of essay questions]. Of course then, I could get through this first stage of application, that usually follows an aptitude test of sorts. All the math and verbal questions I practiced for ABN Amro's aptitude test proved to be in vain, as the test required me to calculate investment, pay-back ratios and what not. After getting through this stage, one usually has to appear for an interview. This one stage is usually the most challenging. At my interview for the AIESEC Overseas Internship, the interviewer looked at my resume and said, "So you have been making 10 sales a day at your previous job, huh? Sell me a trip to the moon. Now. Go!" I wish I could've seen my expression at the time.

Then I'm taking Salsa classes through NUS Salsa, which is a sub-club of the NUS SnB sub-club. [So it's a sub-sub-club? The answer is yes. And SnB is Social and Ballroom.] I am also supposed to be the publicity head for NUS Mensa - a commitment I've conveniently avoided all the time. I also want to participate in the upcoming Snooker tournament that I've been promoting, but I don't think I will have the time to play even - let alone practice. Thankfully NUS Cue Sports will still give me some CCA points for my participation in the first semester. And then, yes, I am playing Squash for my faculty in the ongoing Inter-Faculty Games [IFG] so I've been visiting the Squash courts at KE VII Hall at least thrice a week.

I am a cluster leader in my residence, which basically means I have to attend a two-hour fortnightly meeting every Monday [yes today is one of those days]; I have to assume the function of a postman for the fifteen people that live on my floor; I have to collect and hold on to the contact details of my cluster-mates so that I can promote the events being held in my residence [like the Friendship Week that just ended - thankfully]; I have to take roll call in the case of a fire [never] or a fire-drill [once a semester]; and lastly I have to put up various notices around the cluster and ensure everything is in working order or report any faulty kitchen equipment etc. I do all this in my capacity as a cluster leader to get a 10% rebate on my accomodation. What a cheapskate I am!

And then there is AIESEC. I don't even want to get started on that. I feel there's so much I'm involved with, yet at every meeting or gathering I just need to turn my head a little to the right or left to find someone who is doing ten times more work than me. No, I'm not going to get started on my AIESEC activities. Just that this weekend has passed away in the blink of an eye thanks to AIESEC.

Amidst all this activity this realisation hits me two days ago that I "may" have mid-term exams! See, last semester I had none, and I got used to the idea. It was actually a tutor who referred to the Chinese New Year break as the "Reading Week" that gave me a shock which shook my very soul. This was my train of thought at that point in time: "I might have a mid-term next week! I might have a mid-term this week! Oh shit, I might have a mid-term tomorrow! Oh bloody hell, it might be my next lecture today! I missed my lecture yesterday - have I missed a mid-term already? Fuck."

So I took a few deap breaths and opened IVLE to check my syllabus outlines. Indeed, I do have a mid-term this week. Indeed, I have yet to do my very first reading. Indeed, I better quit the ignominy of being completely aloof about my studies.

NLDS/Heroes Conferences' Experiences

I've mentioned the two conferences at various times and I just got done after doing a detailed slideshow on them both. Of course it won't make much sense without me talking.

But I uploaded it on yousendit.com anyway since it's a 40 MB file and I thought I should share it with others since it's only available for downloading for the next 14 days.

Click here for an external link

Loser

Imagine having to do a home assignment on advertising journals and research methods and not having the textbook. Apparently the NUS Coop has run out of that particular prescribed book and would need 4-6 weeks to get a fresh stock. So till then, I'm stuck with the 2-hour RBR book loan from the library [which I'm too lazy for] or Wikipedia.

Right now I am trying to understand several over-used terms such as Control Variables [wiki]. The problem with Wikipedia is that the information is created by people ourselves...

"In a scientific experiment, the controlled variable never changes; it is the same for every setup. Then sometimes it does change, what do you do then? Loser"

Rejection rejected!

One of my friends got rejected for the AIESEC Overseas Internship Program, and since he knew I drafted the rejection letter, he replied back [only to me]. *The name appearing below is not, of course, the name of that person, and the email has been edited to make more (non)sense. Also, it's not a Pakistani friend.

----

Subject: Re: Result - AIESEC Overseas Internship Program

AIESEC NUS
Kent Ridge, P.O.Box 1077,
Singapore 911103.

Dear AIESEC,

Thank you for your letter of February 5. After careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me a chance to go for an AIESEC Overseas Internship.

This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually large number of rejection letters from various local and foreign companies. With such a varied and promising field of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals.

Despite AIESEC's outstanding qualifications and previous experience in rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at this time. Therefore, I will assume my acceptance in the internship program. I look forward to seeing you then.

Best of luck in rejecting future applicants.

Sincerely,
Ng Sum Won*

----

Please note, this email is not officially addressed to AIESEC in NUS or AIESEC Singapore.

AIESEC Explanada

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Even as a 'newie', I can explain what kind of values are to be incorporated into AIESECers' personalities. I don't feel I need to have read loads of AIESEC literature to explain what some of these core values... Continue Reading...

10 things to do when you see a Milo truck on campus

1. SMS all the people in your phone book - even those back in Pakistan - or where-ever you are from, telling them they can get free Milo at the Central Library forum.

2. Try Milo from each container - it might taste different.

3. If there are two trucks, try both.

4. Each time you refill, tell the person next to you it's your first drink and you hope it's good.

5. Get a booth from the NUS students' union, and make people sign up for a Milo SMS community.

6. Ask people how many drinks they have had. Accuse them of having had more if they say one.

7. Fill your thermos with Milo. If someone questions you, tell them you need to heat it in the microwave because you prefer to have hot Milo.

8. When all the containers are "Closed", ask the Milo truck-driver if he has more.

9. If he says he doesn't, accuse him of stealing precious free Milo for his kids.

10. Wear a green shirt and green pants, stand by the Milo truck and ask people to pay you 20 cents for every cup of Milo because you're the Milo-man.