Tradeoffs

So all this while we have been taught that tradeoffs are necessary evil which you cannot escape....

so what would you chose?

Money over aspirations? Would you get paid to do something you dont like? Or work for free to enjoy work? Or just take everything in your stride and decide as and when it comes?

Would you work with someone who gives you business cards or with someone who probably has more business possibilities?

Would you work in a plush office in CBD? Or at home?

Somethings are just meant to go in opposite directions.... the good part is that I realised my belonging...

And as my good friend pointed after the courageous decision few days back - I have evolved as a person!

The soft learnings from NUS MBA, i guess!

There is a thin line between courage and stupidity....

and we have inherent bias to believe that choices we make are right... atleast they looked right at that point of time....

or how we hope that we should not have made such choices in first place...

and then we are again faced with dilemma... courage or stupidity?

Courage showed me way today.

A day in life of NUS MBA Sem 2 student

the day starts snoozing the alarm atleast twice... to wake up for the class... and always late.. with exception of not-wanting-to-sing-in-due-to-late class...

and the first call of the day to find someone to get hot cuppa of caffeine from Toscana or the double shot of tea from Edward..

and to the mail first thing as you enter... the chatting between classes... snoozing behind lappies... waiting for the breaks... the quickie breaks... sometimes too long...

the lunches wid pals and the more important decision of where to have lunch... will it be chappatti at PGP or curd rice at Engineering or the same old feta cheese sandwich at the Terrace... or do we have the courage to patiently wait for Aunty at the Deck?

the discussions on random topics... planning the schedule for the day... involuntarily heading towards the lounge..

picking up the free FT copy... browsing through pages... not before you think submissions are more important than news... FT goes in bag... and, two days later on the dining table you again read same paper when its being used as table mat...

finding the right place to study... and ultimately there is no right place... dont blame me... the facebook and gtalk are the culprits...

and random sessions with random set of people everyday... pretending to study / work on project.. or most times applying for internship.... ultimately ending up laughing... arbit BC sessions... and a few times on silliest of PJs... Hey, I am still the King? Where art thou, Catalyst?

a quick nap in the lounge... finding people sleepin next to you when you wake up... the most uncomfortable positions but to find yourself fresh like never before... and then again a customary visit for stimulant and a bite... and then vowing never to eat Fries and Butter croissants...

Preparing for evening class and rushing to get free food... complaining about same old ugly food and black tea... meeting new interesting set of people (PT guys)... and wonder how they manage MBA, work and family?

then more importantly deciding for dinner after the class... Night Canteen? Noooooooooo... I hate the food... Subway? Can Can... But, Dadi's is shut my friend and Rangoli is quite expensive... Ok, no one will eat Maggi... I will cook for all...

And then the cooking marathons.... 3 people 3 recipes 1 dish! Kuch bhi daalo.. edible hota hai... But I dont put onions... HOW can you cook without onions?? And the flaring up of temper (and the invention of bullish levels... and VIX and Emerging Markets)... The daal and 'mummy ka masala'... relishing every bite (or sip in case of daal)... Of Khanne's delicious food... sometimes the same old khichdi or dalma... And then The Great Emperor claiming "daag jaata hi nahi".. like just out of Vim ad...

A small walk may be... Or hooking on to lappies to check the missed activity of last 4 hours on facebook and gtalk... trying to read for next day's class... group activity for pre reads as well.... getting surprised at "me off" ping at 1 AM! Hey, badhu normal che ne?

Crashing off at 2:30 and to realise that it was another day gone! I again did nothing! I better get started now! But wait, the terms dont start before 2 weeks! Got some time... will start after the presentation next Wednesday... sure thing!

And then came an end to the period which I would describe one of the best ever quarter in my life! Cheers to the Sem 2 of NUS MBA!