It’s been a while since I last made an entry. It’s more because I don’t have time to even record the goings-on of the past months that have been eventful and too numerous to actually type out.
That I am on a 2 day MC should be testimony as to how exhausting the past few weeks have been. I hope to be able to fill up the empty space, which was left behind in the month of September and October, with some entries in November! November if I’m lucky actually haha
3rd week of school and it’s going good. In a way. Well I’m quite happy with how the day ended and that’s great enough.
I only had to deal with AB 214, a Communications class, and talks with Business Solutions (Biz So) and Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). It’s about 9.36 pm and I’m only at Yew Tee station whilst riding the NS Line home. But hey, these went off well for me.
We had an assignment that was announced since last week and we were required to do a 3 minute long presentation about ourselves. I only just finished off the slides in the morning and was still pondering how I should present. I had a bad experience in the fundamental elective, AB114, for Communications. I actually stuttered and mumbled my way through with my lack of confidence. Whilst I was still nonchalant about the presentation, there was growing unease even till I stepped into class.
Cailin was the first speaker and really good too. Apparently grown up like any other local but raised in America, she was confident and interesting to listen to. And the rest were just as good. It didn’t help when I noticed that they were not using powerpoint slides as visuals. It was only when I confirmed with Erik, the guy from Stockholm on exchange who I met last week on Thursday’s class, that he saw an instruction NOT to use ppt slides did I feel…. “OH.. SHIT…” And guess what, I learnt with even more anxiety collecting at my guy that I was the last guy. I usually yawn and shiver when I get nervours. And heck, I thought I was having fits.
When I got up to face the class, I was nervous. Heck, my first liner came out in stutters. But somehow, it turned out well. My first liner was to tell them about my origins. I was saved by the part when I asked the class what race they thought I was. From that moment on, it went well. From telling them my Chinese name, to the journey of my change of course, my interests and my goals and directions… It was a smooth as butter.
And the audience was engaged. I could see it for myself. Cailin was a little weird. She actually had her head to her table, her head at an angle and her eyes attentive on me. Michele and Qing Wei, whoo, the effective and confident speaker that she was in the earlier AB114 class, actually smiled as I presented. And when the course coordinator Mr Yew gave me a review, it was a glowing one. Only sore point that he mentioned was that I spoke the longest at 6 minutes.
It feels good to have my ego boosted. And it feels good to have a feel of Cailin from her speech because I’ll approach her to get to know her better, the latest being at the end of the semester.
When I went to see SIFE, I liked the atmosphere and crowd – friendly, warm and easygoing. And I’m going for their orientation this weekend. Helps a lot more when I saw eye candy. Decent eye candy, even better than my class mates in my tutorials and seminars. I expect to learn more about establishing enterprises, especially since I got off on a good start with Stanley and his plan to start a social enterprise.
But I also expect to learn more about Biz So. When they had a session they call a “Case study Observation Session“, I thought I was just going to absorb the experience. Instead, the audience was given the case studies they uploaded for our reference. And we were then asked to critique in the best way possible. Very interesting ideas indeed. I managed to talk to the coordinator at the end of the session, a 3rd Year by the name of Xu Wei. I suggested the strategy to improve cash collections for Phoenix as the front line and short term strategy focus, whilst further suggesting a revamp of the Hierarchical HR Structure into more functional roles so as to deal with the issue of team divisiveness and to leverage on the issue of Political Infighting. And we had a nice discussion of this before I left. I think that on the whole, I had a generally good strategy, that was affirmed by general sentiment in the room that night and by Xu Wei himself.
Unfortunately, my discussion with Xu Wei did not help me get noticed as he was not that interested in my discussion with him. Also, he stressed in the selection process of recruiting students in. After all, it is Biz So. Biz So is the only society in NTU that is selective in who they bring in. As evident from their name, they train members to be familiar with real world Business Consultancy solutions. I guess I’ll just have to wait till my turn is called to be selected within their 2 rounds of interviews.
I’m not bothered by my analytical skills and mindframe. I think I’ve it covered. The only thing that works against me is my position in GSTS, a society which also intends to provide actual Consultancy solutions and a curricula of Business Case study reviews to the same audience. Even more so with my passion to absorb all that I can find Biz So for my personal agendas and my high profile role in GSTS, I’m quite likely to be looked at differently with all the potential for misunderstandings brewing. Nonetheless, I believe that I can impress them with my abilities and my honesty. Personally, I have no intention of acting as a spy or double agent and shit like that. Learning experiences and friendships made are most important to me. I’ll not loosen my grip on both.
Just looking forward to the orientation camp this weekend! haha
