Polaroids

Of dreams about the future

written on January 21, 2010· (11) Comments · posted in Industrial Attachment

Today I didn’t exactly accomplish much in my attachment. I spend some time talking with my other intern and finding out that he is interested in applying for the DSTA scholarship, but there is only 1 year left to his studies and he was wondering how the bond would be like. There is this minimum cap of 4.2 for people to apply the exchange scholarship allowing you to study overseas for a year, and he didn’t meet it.

So he was asking me about it and he found out that I had more than 4.2. Cause he asked. Then he asked if I’m in first class. And I said yes. Then he asked for my cap. I said 4.6. He said “NUS got so easy to score meh”. Haha. It’s a little funny, slightly insulting cause what is easy to score. Like I’m not really that clever and I cannot be a first class student. Haha. But I didn’t take it to heart.

But the thing is, he triggered my feelings once again. What should I do? The dreams of the future, are they the path I want to take? Am I really sure? I wouldn’t know would I? I’m still learning more about myself every single day. Whether I should be bonded. Whether I should leave myself a free path.

Should I be bonded. Will the utility I get from having a scholarship in my last year of study exceed the cost I have to pay for being bonded? If it exceeds, by all means I should attempt. What if it doesn’t? Where is the balance of all these?

Having a scholarship does expose you lots of opportunities when you start work. More than the non-scholars. And it is probably good for building your character isn’t it? At this moment in time, it is not about the money anymore, but the experience. The intangible things you get. Is it worth it? Or is it more worth to be a free man and live my life? Shape it the way I want? Am I responsible enough to shape it? Determined enough? Hungry for success?

Am I? Or what should I do? Sooner or later I will have to make my decision, for I am the CEO of my own life.

11 replies to this conversation

Hey…can I have your e-mail ID?

said Sana on January 23rd, 2010 at 4:30 pm. Permalink
ignorantsoup talks

Hi, is there any reason you want to contact me for?

said Ignorantsoup on January 23rd, 2010 at 9:55 pm. Permalink

yes:$

said Sana on January 24th, 2010 at 2:18 am. Permalink
ignorantsoup talks

What is the reason?

said Ignorantsoup on January 24th, 2010 at 11:43 am. Permalink

Hey, read your blog for a while and finally figured how to leave a comment..

My opnion is that since your results are good, you might as well go for a scholarship, and I think your attitude will be well sought after by many organizatations. There’re quite a number of scholarships around offered to upper year undergrads and the bond is quite short, like 1 year or so. So the cost associated is also lower. Anyway sometimes look for job without scholarship also need to sign contracts, that’s like as good as bonds right?

said fellow ECE coursemate on January 24th, 2010 at 12:21 pm. Permalink
ignorantsoup talks

Hi fellow ECE coursemate,

Do I know you by any chance? Haha. Or maybe we are in the same tutorial class once?

Hmm I wouldn’t think my results are that great. After all there are plenty others with better results, but I guess I won’t lose out too much.

I was considering the other possibilities. Especially since quite some engineers end up in the banking industry. Or there’s this Toshiba scheme that brings the graduate to Japan to stay and work there. It is quite interesting.

I guess there are some contract jobs, but hopefully I won’t have to end up at there. It’s quite a pain to have to sign contracts over employment. Haha.

said Ignorantsoup on January 24th, 2010 at 12:50 pm. Permalink

Hi,

I don’t think we were in the same tutorial class before, same lecture maybe.

Yes I think with your results you will be able to get a scholarship if you want to. There aren’t that many first class people around right..

I feel that working in a banking industry is quite a waste of the knowledge we learn in engineering, since I don’t think you need to deal with a lot of engineering work in banks? Not sure about that. And I also think that working overseas for a long time do has it’s price to pay too..

Just giving my opinions :P but you’re stil the CEO of your own life.

said fellow ECE coursemate on January 24th, 2010 at 5:58 pm. Permalink
ignorantsoup talks

Hi!

Hmm there are quite a few people I noticed that has been consistently on Dean’s list. They are much better than I am. So first class maybe is not such a big deal after all. Haha.

I agree that it is a waste of knowledge, at the moment just a little confused because even if we work in an engineering firm, it may not be building on the knowledge we gained. It seemed that way in attachment. We may end up in areas like project management too. And plenty of technology can’t be covered in school.

Yes working overseas has a price to pay. Can’t date Singaporean girls. Unless I end up finding someone there, else I’ll come back and be a lonely old man. Haha. But it’s a good experience nonetheless. Regret not going for SEP or NOC too.

We’re all CEOs of our own life, but like all CEOs we have to listen to advice from the rest of the board. :)

Just curious, do you know who I am in real life? As in you can recognize me or you know my name.

said Ignorantsoup on January 24th, 2010 at 7:34 pm. Permalink

I think that is ???? ????? At least better than people like me who is not even in first class. haha..

I guess it would also depend on your position in the engineering firm. If you hold managerial positions then it’s really project management. Actually I think research is quite a good area to venture into, for people who have keen interest in engineering (scholarships will give you this opportunity :P )

Actually you know there’re those 3 months overseas intern too! If you’re interested you can go check it out.

Sometimes, I figured that other people’s advices on your own life may not be that useful afterall. Because everyone view things with different priorities, just like how some people dislike people who works too hard.

Yes I can recognize you & know your name, because we have some common friends.

said fellow ECE coursemate on January 24th, 2010 at 8:26 pm. Permalink
ignorantsoup talks

Haha. I believe that honours classification only matters in getting the first job. After that, anyone can catch up, so it’s about constantly improving.

Actually what I’m doing in DSTA now isn’t exactly very engineering. More of project management even for the new full time people. I’m not sure if I’ll be passionate about research though. Kind of trapped between engineering and finance and business. Haha.

3 months intern, I’ve heard of it. But the next time I have so much time, it’s after graduation already.

I agree. Advice may not be useful, so I like to listen and form my own opinions. Normally I won’t tell the person if I’m going to follow his/her opinion. Haha.

So mind telling me who you are since you know me? haha

said Ignorantsoup on January 24th, 2010 at 8:32 pm. Permalink

[...] few days ago, I wrote about “dreams for the future“. Today, my friend and I talked about this Japanese actress which we both thought was pretty. [...]

said The Ignorantsoup - Stuggling with the inner hollow on January 31st, 2010 at 10:00 pm. Permalink

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