Stranger Friend!!

Have you ever had a 'stranger friend'? May be someone who travels in the same bus with you or eats at the same place as you do.. Someone who you have never talked to, don't even know name, might have smiled once in a while? Its strange how such a 'stranger friend' gives a sense of assurance to our minds..

Recently, while studying for my exams in the library for the past 2-3 days, I have made such a 'stranger friend' too.. She sits next to me everyday - we both sit at the the exact same place each day, smiles at me every morning at 9 am when I reach the library, and smiles again when I leave the library around 8:30 pm.. Thats all the regular interaction we have had, aside from the occasional whining about the noisy Exchange Students.. We also have some unspoken agreements - we look over each other's laptops and other belongings when one has to leave the room; if one of ours place has been taken by someone else we make room for the other one and general respect for each other..

Actually, I didn't realize her importance until she left the room this afternoon taking away all her belongings.. This was the first time she did that!! It was a moment of inexplicable relief when she came back.. And I did something which I had never done before - I talked to her, asked her how her exam was, which faculty, which department.. Its kind of interesting that sometimes we get so engrossed in our own worries, work and "issues" that we make them bigger than the people around us.. I usually avoid doing that with people I know, but today I pushed the limit to people I don't know as well.. In the world where virtual communication is taking over face-to-face communication so fast, smiles are just not good enough.. We need to create more "Human Moments" for keeping the sanity of our kinds intact..

Leia Mais…

Some Lasts!!

Oh, the feeling when you are walking out after giving the Final Year Project (FYP) presentation! If for nothing else, all the year-long stress for FYP is totally worth when you have that feeling.. With that, the academic projects, presentations, reports, thesis also came to an end - atleast for next 3-4 years.. The projects had been a major part of the semester for all the students in NUS for the past 4 years.. While some were interesting, some were night-mares.. I did well in some, not so much in some and hardly bothered about some others.. Hopefully, this will also be an end to all the technical projects of my life.. Even in university, I enjoyed only the non-technical projects - the technical ones were usually a big pain and to be honest, I hardly learnt anything from most of them..

Another aspect of my university life came to end yesterday - Working in Development Office as a Student Ambassador for the Annual Giving Team. I have been a part of the AG team since December 2007. Wow, that has been really long. I did take a break every now and then but I used to go back.. I loved working there most of the times - opportunity to talk to alumni, building bonds with other students, supervisors. I was introduced to Mr. Harlan McMurray through the AG team only, and he has been a constant support in my university life.

I believe the feeling of this being the last time for a number of things has still not sunk in and I don't know if it ever will. There is also an excitement about what next, what does life hold for me, will I be able to live life like I have always dreamt or will I be under constant trial.. Still very unsure about the future but I guess I should stand by the belief - "If you get what you want, it is God's blessing! If you don't, then it is God's will and God's will is always better than our own want."

Leia Mais…

The Stranger who cares!!

Each small act of kindness reverberates across great distances and spans of time, affecting lives unknown to the one whose generous spirit was the source of the good echo, because kindness is passed on and grows each time it is passed, until simple courtesy becomes an act of selfless courage years later and far away.

~ Unknown Author (Copied from Rachit's email sign off)

There are so many people who we don't know, have never met and may not even be aware of their existence who make a difference in our lives - sometimes big, sometimes small. One such person who every graduating student from Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department would know of is Ms. Susan A. Silva - Undergraduate Final year and project matters responsible in the ECE department.

Susan has been taking care of our final year project (FYP) details, making sure that we all file for graduation, everyone is able to graduate and millions of other graduating matters. Even though that might be her job description, she has a special touch of care in all the matters. Where a lot of times we face bureaucracy issues, Susan makes sure that the final year students are free from handling all these issues. From sending emails to make sure that we go collect keys before our FYP presentation, that we submit the FYP thesis on time to making sure that we don't fail the degree requirements and fail to graduate, Susan handles it all.

I actually have to thank her personally. The online degree requirement check was showing some problems with my iLEAD modules, thus failing me to graduate on time and that too without the minor. However, with Susan's help that problem is now solved. Unlike most other people, Susan didn't ask me even once to come down to the office. Her email conversations were clear, facilitating easy communication because of which the problem was solved easily and in a very short time.

I would like to thank her on behalf of all graduating ECE students for taking so much pain for us and solving our matters and to let her know that her help is highly appreciated. 

Leia Mais…

Phew!!

Finally done with my Final Year Project (FYP) thesis and technical paper.. Still a long way to go (precisely 5 weeks) before I get done with university but a big stress is off my head.. A grilling experience it was in the past week - the whole FYP work.

5 weeks of Uni and 7 weeks of Kenya, I have no idea where life will take me after that.. I hate this period of uncertainty, though I know that a couple of months down the road, I will laugh at how foolish I was to be so stressed up.. Fortunately, I have the trip to Kenya to look forward to.

This whole experience of uncertainty has made me get to know myself slightly better. I hate uncertainties like most people but these uncertainties give me the push to think out of the box or out of place as I would like to call it. I am still very selective about the kind of job I want to start my career with and I am not sure when that will break - when I will join the crowd and accept high-paying jobs with minimal job satisfaction and no learning.

Two important things which I look for in a job are how much will I be allowed to contribute and what are the opportunities of interacting with people from all over the world. Will my opinion be considered or will I just be a highly paid clerk who is delegated work everyday? Will I get to make a difference to the company and to the world in general? Will I be proud to tell what I do in my job or just be satisfied that I am earning? Will I travel around meeting people or just face my computer every single day? Will I be working in an enjoyable and healthy work environment or just become numb to all emotions when it comes to work?

I don't know what life holds for me! I can just take action and wait..

Leia Mais…

Need Motivation!!

"Sure I am that this day we are masters of our fate, that the task which has been set before us is not above our strength; that its pangs and toils are not beyond my endurance. As long as we have faith in our own cause and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be denied us."

-Winston Churchill

With a week left for the submission of FYP thesis and slow progress, I really need some strong motivation to do the task. I hope victory will not be denied us. Work work work!!

Leia Mais…

A Tribute!!

A human being is a part of the whole, called by us, “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.

-Albert Einstein

If I can think of a group of people who have achieved this liberation, it will be the Annual Giving Campaign donors. Annual Giving Campaign is an annual appeal by NUS to its alumni to help support the students who are facing financial difficulties. The donors are the people who have made a contribution to the campaign and helped in providing education to the people who are deserving.

I had the privilege of meeting some of the donors today at the AG Donor appreciation tea and I think that words will not be able to do justice to the impact which they are creating in the society. It is not only about the direct monetary help which the students get, it is also about the spirit of giving which they instill in the youth through their example and about keeping our faith in the inherent goodness of human beings.

Though I wasn't able to meet all the donors, I say a BIG THANK YOU to all of them. I am about to graduate from the university soon, and their example makes me want to contribute to the cause as well. It is something which I will definitely do, in my own capacity and make sure that feeling of paying it forward which has been instilled in us, doesn't go off. 

Leia Mais…

Work VS Study!!!

I completed 2 months of my internship today! :D And man, I have survived those 2 months fairly alright.. But I really miss University.. So, I just thought I should write how work sucks compared to studying and vice Versa:

Studying is better :

1. You get to wake up at whatever time you want to.
2. You can have cheap lunches at places you want to.
3. You can slack unless a deadline is approaching or have a mid term soon
4. You get to have a recess week 6 weeks into the sem and then long 3 months break 13 weeks into the sem.
5. No matter you are interning, you still have 2 heavy modules to handle. And if you are an iLEADer, you have a whole lot of other work.
6. You get to be close to your friends.
7. You are in the safe uni environment.
8. You are never free :P
9. You can still be actively involved in AIESEC
10. You can attend your brother's wedding :(
    

Work is better:

1. You get to practically see all that you have been learning.
2. You start hanging out with mature people and learn a lot from them.
3. You gym everyday of the week :)
4. You can spend a lot without caring much :P
5. You can watch all movies you want.
6. You don't feel guilty when lazing on weekends
7. If you are working in my company, you have hell lot of fun with all the learning and get to work with some of the most amazing people.
8. If you are part of iLEAD, you are excited about the Silicon Valley Business trip and the extended trip which your batch is planning.
9. You become more calm and mature.
10. You realize that being a student and studying is so much more fun and can't wait to be a nerd next sem onwards ;)

Leia Mais…