A picture is worth thousand words....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yza7BwErgAI

I wont say more!

The Sunscreen Song for NUS MBA

The original lyrics -http://www.lyricsdownload.com/baz-luhrman-sunscreen-speech-lyrics.html

The song - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI

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Ladies and Gentlemen of the class 2009 (or 2010)… Use “depends”

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, “depends” would be it. The repeated benefits of using the word “depends” have been proved by MBAs across the world, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your student life at NUS; oh nevermind;
You will not understand the power and beauty of your student life until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at randomly tagged photos of yourself on Facebook
and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked...
You’re not as unlucky as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry,
but know that worrying is as effective as trying to crack Prof. Nitin’s case by eating Calbee or Rice Crackers in MBA Lounge.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind;
the kind that blindside you at 2 AM on your walk back to Heng Mui Keng terrace after worthless project meeting.

Ask one question in every lecture that scares prof

Drink

Don’t be reckless with other peoples hearts don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Eat at Edwards

Don’t waste your time on jealousy on jobs, CAP or awards; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind...the race is long, and in the end it’s only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive on your creative projects, forget the insults from individual tests; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old Gtalk chat transcripts, throw away your projects and case studies.

STRETCH

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know if you want to be in Marketing, Strategy or Finance...
the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 26 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year old alums I know still don’t

Get plenty of caffeine from Toscana

Be kind to your own MBA Lounge, you’ll miss it when you’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry someone you met NUS, maybe you wont, maybe you’ll have multiple promotions, maybe you wont, maybe you’ll turn entrepreneur at 40, maybe you’ll address the parliament on your 75th birthday...
what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either - your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your brain, use it every way you can...don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, its the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance...even if you have nowhere to do it but in Student Activities event after half a bottle of wine.

Read the mails from Arthur Wong, even if you don’t have a clue where NUS Museum is.

Do NOT read placement statistics (outside NUS), they will only make you feel ugly.

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Get to know your project group mates, you’ll never know when they’ll be gone for exchange.
Be nice to your roomies; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you when you are frustrated with internship scene.

Understand that exchange students come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in Boon Lay once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Pasir Panjang once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, fees will rise, students will cheat, you too will graduate, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young fees were reasonable, students were honest and juniors respected seniors.

Respect your seniors.

Don’t expect anyone else to give you a job. Maybe you have a CAP of 5.0, maybe you have a connection with a partner; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your laptop, or by the time semester ends, you will be running to Sim Lim.

Be careful which alum or seniors’ advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the best parts from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling the “gyaan” for more than its worth.

But trust me on the “depends”...

Cerebration 2010

And there goes the launch of the most awaited event of the year at NUS MBA.... Cerebration...

With backing of strong brands like BP, Lenovo and Vestas, Cerebration 2010 will prove to be bigger, better and grandeur!

My moral support by publicizing as much as possible.... May you beat the record we created last year....

Go Team Cerebration!

Good luck Abhishek and Srini! All the best to entire team!

More details at http://www.nus.edu.sg/cerebration/

P.S. One important reason to be on the team is free flow of wine at post Cerebration party :-)

HIMYM Season 5

So I have almost caught up with the newest season of How I Met Your Mother and I hardly enjoyed it...

suddenly its suffering from the same issues as most corporations... from this awesome small company it goes on to become a legendary giant... over a period of time, it loses its critical identity... its just for sake of continuity that it goes one....... and then giant has a fall... a big fall..

dont we see a parallel here? why is it easy to achieve success but very difficult to maintain it?

November Dance

In NUS, we call it November Dance!

All Profs love to see students dance... and dance at their own tunes...

To add to this, the biggest internal event takes place... the council elections (well, everyone knows what is democracy)

To top it up, Cerebration Co-Leads will get in action for all the teams to be as active as they can during the November.... (Hunting'em down)

Get ready to Burn the Dance Floor!

p.s. - a sample post from last year - http://patiencepays.blogspot.com/2008/11/blog-update.html

WDI Database

today at internship

Head of Intern (yes, this is his position): NUS has WDI subscription right?

Me: Whats that?? (I am proud of my knowledge about databases NUS Library has and was quite shocked that I dint know about it)

HoI: Its World Development Indicators.

Me: Oh Ok. I dint know.

HoI: No worries. You would not know anyways. Its about poverty alleviation. Your job as an MBA is to widen the gap!

How I wish it was true at this stage!

One year changes all...

So its been exactly one year since I posted this

http://patiencepays.blogspot.com/2008/09/pichle-saat-dino-mein.html

That was then... and what is now? Such a stark difference that I have changed!

They say, time changes everyone and everything. So this mid term break was nothing that I can really brag about. Since the time I have started working and managing studies simultaneously, I have to really get my pending things done over the weekend. And a public holiday is a big big boon! So the start of the week was actually holiday for me - where I dont remember what exactly I did!

Then three days went in trying to impress a set of people who could be my future bosses! That was an experience in itself - more about it later if I get energy to write about it sometime!

And then again comes back to working day after three days of exhaustion - so much for a few pieces of plastic notes and a probable stable job in future!

Saturdays, since start of 2009, are about lectures - and when I dont have one I feel glad! This was one such Saturday but I nothing really worth mentioning about!

And Now I sit today - with such a sad state of affairs. Sing Govt is extremely smart. Last year we pulled down tarp (not funds, you geek!) to see cars vrooming at a distance of less than 15 feet and this time all we got a balcony (Mumbai ishtyle) view from about a distance of couple of hundred feet. True it was a good view - but nothing comes close to hear those deafening noises! Thats like a trance in itself - like I mentioned last year - that numbness in ears has its own ecstasy! I left the race mid way - dint bother to see who won nor who lost. The only highlight of the race was Force India accident!

Would I spend money next year to avoid such disappointment? Heck, NO!

And was the location only factor? No my friend, I remembered that I had to complete a few pending applications coz weekends are the only time - for I cannot be student for ever! Need a job to survive! Need a job to pay for my loans! Need a job to for those material things I have fancied since child! Need a job to make sure I don't remain a face in the crowd after 20 years!

How I wish I had another mid term break! How I wish I could extend some more time in MBA! I really love to be student! I dont want to go in that dirty world of corporate rat race! I dont wann work! If only someone somewhere paid me to be student, I would be a student all my life!

Happy Jaimin

Happy Jaimin [haaapppeee jaimin]

- noun

1. a state of mind after having five - six drinks or shots

2. high and cheerful, with mysterious smile

3. Drunk enough but not fall down in gutter

Usage:

1. That night at Rupee Room, I became Happy Jaimin after having few tequilla shots

2. Look at Happy Jaimin in Villa Bali snaps!

3. After the session at West Bay, it was difficult to make Happy Jaimin walk on footpath

And the old friends leave.....

Its 17 months course (at least officially) and then you have people leaving right in the middle of the course...

Thats one thing I am not quite happy about joining NUS... The course is so flexible that it affects the belongingness of the batch... You check in together... but you can check out anytime you want... Whining apart, I miss my friends.. friends who made last year the best in quarter century of my existence!

To start with, people who completed the course...

Roli - The kid of the batch - The "Mata" - one with most "age jokes" - to be on the wrong side of 1985! And according to unofficial records, she is the youngest alumnus of NUS MBA! My best memory of her would be the "Do-it-yourself" dialogue! You shall be missed - especially for your roaring laughter!

Anuj - The Real Estate dude - the quiet guy with deep work experience - the guy who gauged that Moctiar Riady building would be finished soon in first month of the course!

Tulika - The most silent one I know - Could be only found in three locations - Home, Class or Carrels!

Now, the people who went exploring the world... (in no particular order)

Suvira - The "Partner" - for all those rejects we received from applications, it almost looked we would open the chaat stall at NUS soon! Alas, we got employed and Singaporeans were devoid of lip smacking delights we could have offered! The super-active, super-smart, always cheerful friend shall be best remembered for the fight against suar!

Yudi - The cool Ad guy with max number of kurtas - If I were to pick up my alter ego in marketing, Yudi would be it! Be it mutual love for Scotch and Whiskey or the cool attitude towards everything! Never seen him tensed in one year! Sporting a french beard, he shall be missed for creative ideas!

Debashish - As they would have told you, Bengalis are eccentric and Deba is no exception! Hilarious guy to be around with... and once drunk, the most daring one as well!

Ankita - The most learned person about Fin in our batch she knew her fundas inside out - one of the very good friends I made initially in the program, she shall be missed for the Sem 1 days and impressive grasp on markets!

Nikhil - People thought he had delhi attitude - to me, he was a street smart - a smooth talker, he could convince anyone! A guy with very good brains, just that I am not sure how many people would take him seriously! Our interests again were mutual - Fin and Whiskey!

Tony - Another Bong Babu Moshai with eccentricity! Most carefree guy with either alcohol or a firangi by his side... with almost different city everytime he uploads new album on Facebook - but, his earliest memory is still the funniest one - "Call me Tony" ;-)

Ram - *Bow* - One of the guys, I truly respect! A hardworking fellow with exceptionally good brain! Not even an inch of him is nerdy but at the same time, has best CAP of all! But, if you had to take one quality which makes him stand apart in crowd is his humility! Salute him for one of the best persons I have ever known!

Pavithra - Another kid from the block to be on the wrong side of 1985 - Like Roli, butt of all "age" jokes - Energetic and chirpy with awesome culinary skills! One of the desis who actually learnt a new language by coming to Singapore - Hindi! I am not sure but she supposedly made fool of all desis in Sem 1 by pretending not to understand Hindi!

Taniya - With energy, equivalent of almost three guys put together, she is most outspoken of all people in the batch! Talkative and chirpy, she was always ready to help!

Now, for two people, whom I will miss lots...

Alex a.k.a Alexadrous the Greatest - My flattie who would always address me with "J-Bhaaai" ! The totally secretive guy with a confused look 80% of time! The guy who really experienced the "diversity at NUS"! The guy who knew the essence of "Networking"! The guy whom everyone should learn time management! One of the closest friends at NUS, he shall be just missed... for nothing in particular... except his presence around!

Rohini a.k.a Bhushan Ben - My partner-in-crime for almost everything! She could discuss almost everything under the sun (may be above as well)! Had strong opinions as well as strong expressions! Added life to everywhere she went! Most carefree to the world, but with deep running thoughts inside her mind! Our interest never matched - but I guess, a classic case of opposites attract! Gave me the nickname, I love the most - shall be missed for everything!

For the sole one, whom I miss most...

Shreya - fondly call her "Taai" - elder sis in marathi - the closest and bestest friend at NUS who also was a psuedo-flattie! Although not technically from the batch, she became a psuedo batchmate when she exercised the flexi-option at NUS! Discovered common interests pretty late... but the only one whom I could share anything I felt... A level headed person who had her priorities in life so clearly laid out... Happy that she has gone back to aamchi mumbai.. From lectures to lounge and from cooking to walks and from PJs to life... I miss her almost everyday!

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Now, I just wish that our paths cross atleast once in lifetime... it would be sooo good to have a super reunion at the commencement!

Season 1 Begins!

"How I Met Your Mother" - Season 1 Begins....

MBA, Movies and Seasons!

Off late, I have been on movie mani - watching so many good movies which I had missed during last 4-5 years (may be more)...

Of course, working from home has its own advantages (like working at 1 AM when MBA's concentration is at peak and waking up at 11 AM)

One of the advantages I discovered was that I could manage my time more efficiently to watch a few good movies... so I have abused torrent and my flatties are perennially complaining of slow internet...

A few were suggested by friends... a few from IMDB.. a few just random...

A lot of movies reside on my comp but sometimes I am just too lazy to start it...

A few discoveries...

1) Chittrangada Singh is HOT! Watch Sorry Bhai - a movie ahead of its times! If not for movie, for the actress!

2) There is no dearth of unrated movies which Bollywood should be proud of! Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and Manorama Six Feet Under were brilliant discoveries!

3) For no reason, hollywood movies are labelled as classics - The Shawshank Redemption, The Last King of Scotland and Goodfellas were brilliant!

4) Bigflix is boon! But how does it intend to make money - most movies are free and I have no clue if it has any sales!

5) Borat is such an overrated piece... I hardly enjoyed it... Never mind the gross things...

Now - to the part which is uncharted for me.... My friends prefer to watch seasons of TV shows altogether... and I get lost of their every mentions... apparently, FRIENDS is too old.. the current favourite is HIMYM (How I met your mother)... The next mention of sitcom is Coupling - all these names I have just heard of - I havent watched any though I intend to watch atleast one season of each soon... For thrillers, its Prison Break, Heroes and The Lost...

So as soon as I finish the stockloads of movie, the seasons shall start....

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!

The Internship!

This was the oft asked topic by prospective students... How is the internship scenario? Heck, the financial crisis has affected everyone and Singapore being open economy relying on trade and financial services is even more linked to health of global economy... So do you think we are different?

Any case, the post is about my internship hunt and how I managed one! Well, on the outset let me tell you this is my own personal story and it has differed for each person here.

To start with, I started applying for summers through structured programs way back in September. Some responses were quick and rejected me in psychometric tests whereas some took about 60-90 days to send either of mails...

"We are happy to have your application. We are really impressed by your past credentials Unfortunately, the competition was really high this time and we are sorry to take further your application this time. All the best for future"

Meaning: Dude, we have better CVs lying around!

"We are happy to receive your application. We are really impressed by your accomplishments. However, at this stage, your background does not seem to fit our requirements. Its best not take things further. We shall keep your CV in our database and let you know if we have an opportunity in future"

Meaning: Get lost, you good for nothing!

So these are your so called recruitment-freezed-investment-banks and consulting companies! However, I managed to get calls for interview from two top notch i-banks for their i-banking division which atleast gave me some hope about my resume! Unfortunately, I could not convert either.

Then in between, my desperation grew and I started applying left right and center! Just go to any of the PE/I-bank website and apply through e-mail address listed on "Careers" section. However, I figured out that this was not effective at all since I never heard from them. So an alternative was to call up the number listed on website and get contact details of HR from their. This worked. Atleast I got "sorry mails" soon!

People downplay "networking" but once in Singapore, you soon realise that networks are best ways to get jobs. So I suddenly find my old friends, acquaintances, relatives, relatives of friends, friends of friends etc etc everywhere on LinkedIn and Facebook and just say casual "Hi"! Sometimes it works! But they cant help if there is a recruiting freeze in their company and sometimes their own job at peril! But a few of my batchmates could get thru their way atleast for interview and then sometimes internship as well!

Oh, I forgot Career Services Office. Well, the job postings on CSO are the most probable ones to get converted to final internship! And for that matter, some people in CSO are really proactive to help students who have not internship. I really would like to name Wei Ling here. She has really worked hard to get the internships for the batch! Atleast 50% of desi junta have got their internship thanks to CSO posting!

So I had used all these and managed to get call from some but no really convert any :-( Something to think about my interview skills or resume? May be, yes!

Having applied to more than 100 places (I ain't joking), I had almost lost hope! But somewhere, KC propounded grain-chaff theory! He said the chaff has been removed and now what left were solid grains! That kept both of us going!

The story - well, fact is stranger than fiction - and it seems like I managed to get an internship in most unlikely way! So, I apply to this posting for a permanent position in Mumbai through LinkedIn for a corporate finance role! And I get a call from partner of Mumbai office. I explain my position. I am looking for summers but I can join in Dec. I can work from Singapore office as well. He says Singapore office would contact me.

Singapore office calls me for interview. They explain me their philosophy - boutique cross border M&A advisory! I get really interested. He says, Mumbai office does not need anyone for 2 months. There goes down all my hopes. We could send you to Mumbai but after 2 months. But I have to complete my MBA. Again a negative :-( However, we could offer you Singapore internship.

So I leave there without much hope. Next day again an interview at different place. So again the most disliked chore of the day - ironing :(

In between waiting for 2nd round of interview (at a different place, but same building!) the next day, I get call from them! They would like me to work on a project for 1 week of probation. They would like to see the project and accordingly offer me internship!

Things work out well and I get offer 2 days earlier on Thursday! What a sigh of relief!

Well, the coincidence has its heights! The man behind grain-chaff theory, KC, also gets offer for one of the best profiles posted on CSO Job Board on the same day!

To think of it, sometimes just give time some time and everything falls in place!

Learnings from the industry....

A few sessions with people from industry and I have realised.....

2 hour session > 2 credit module

More about this later.... including a session with Rashesh Shah, Founder and Chairman of Edelweiss Capital

That time of the semester....

Its again 4 weeks to go for finals.... and the professors hav started the compeitition yet again... who will keep the students'most busy.... projects... presentations... games (oh yes, we have simulation games - I suck at these)... assignments... homework.. readings... and of course, the finals...

The major factor though this semester has focussed on grading through out (with exception of Macro Econ) and has the finals would not play a major role in deciding your final grade... that said, this semester the learning also has been better terms of presentations and other non theoretical activities like case studies... And also, with higher emphasis on these, you tend to take it lil more seriously than before... and in subjects you really love, you would not mind going an extra mile...

Was just wondering why should Sem 1 be different?

Cooking

Somehow, I have got this sudden motivation to cook more this semester. I dunno what it is but I have been experimenting too much since two months now.

Is it passion? Is it plain love for cooking? Or am I missing home and mom?

Sem 2 - Acads, extra currics and school

Too lazy to actively continue writing the blog regularly! Just trying to summarise the first half of the 2nd sem.



Well first things first - you have lot of flexibility to choose the subjects and the timings and the days! As a result, someone like me who cannot rise in morning without a reason takes up all morning classes to ensure that I don't waste my day! However, my friend, Shekhar has taken almost the same subjects and has avoided almost all morning classes! This is what I mean by flexibility!



Coming to subjects - even with finance background and CFA - I have taken mostly all finance courses. Reason - my fundas aint that clear except in corp fin. So some subjects are repetitive but some subjects are eye opener. In some subjects like Macro Econ, its more like a discussion about U.S. printing money and effect of lower consumption on Singapore's economy and hence more practical view. Some subjects like Private Equity are must for me if I have to show an interest in the career. However, my friend, Ankita who is from finance background believes she has to learn more in entrepreneurship courses than in finance!



With flexibility, most of us don't have any reason to complain about any subject! We were given couple of classes before we could add or drop modules! That was good time to decide and hence the batch is now more content about selection of subjects! Finance frogs dont have to think about 4Ps while marketing monkeys are spared with discussion on equity and debt!



The number is also flexible but majority of people whom I know have taken 6 MCs to ensure that next semester can be little lighter for the job hunt process!



So next thing you would guess is about internships - which I shall not talk about in this crisis after receiving more rejects in my inbox that I can count on my fingers! Btw, the number of applications would have crossed half century easily!



The extra currics has picked up this semester - or this is it what I feel? The clubs are trying to do what they can! Its now upon our team to shape what we want to see! All clubs and activities are now active - the marketing guys have come up with this innovative idea of this colorful bulletin board and its wonderful! We, at Fin Club, could only make our board half as attractive! However, I believe trying to get hold of Bloomberg training is one accomplishment I am proud of as a President of Finance Club. Consulting club is all gung ho about cases and guiding wannabe consultants on how to crack case interviews! The social impact club with sports club organised a Futsal tournament (with involvement of Alumni and corporates) to donate the proceeds to patient care centre local hospital! Mentorship process was kicked off with help of Alumni Relationship Team and I found a mentor who works at P.E. firm. And ya, forgot to the most important team - the one which takes care of all fun and happening events at NUS MBA - the student activities team! We have had celebrations for Chinese New Year and Exchange Students Ice Breaking Session over barbeque party!


Guess, I am just trying to show off how cool our MBA Student Council ;-) Check the updated website - http://www.mba.nus.edu.sg/mbaclub/index.htm

How can I forget case compeitions and business plan challenges! I am yet to crack any of them. But one of the teams, including my roomie KC, represented NUS at Microsoft FirenzeChina at Beijing and got covered by Business Times Singapore. Check more out here - http://nusmbabuzz.blogspot.com/2009/01/brief-stunt-with-microsoft.html

I know its a loooong loong post! But just wanted write all that I missed in last two months!

The best part about the ongoing pressure at same levels is that it makes you immune to it...

2nd Semester.... A New Beginning!

Wishing all my blog readers a very happy new year! And "Gong Xi Fa Cai" - a greeting used to address wealth and prosperity!

With the start of 2nd sem, a lot of things have changed! Its so different that its a new beginning itslef altogether!

First of all, I have shifted to new home. Nearer, bigger, better, comfortable, brighter and all the good adjectives that comes to your mind. Located at 10 mins walking distance away from the school, this new rented apartment at 334 Westvale, Pasir Panjang Road is sprawling 2000 sq feet with 3 bedrooms and the master bedroom which can be converted to a dormitory which can house 4 ppl itself! The condo houses a swimmming pool and non-existant tennis court which we plan to use as box cricket pitch (not that we cant make our hall one ;) )

New home means a new lifestyle! I dont have to take shuttle at 8:30 AM sharp to reach the school! I have the liberty of staying home on weekends. I have the option of coming to home between the lectures and taking a nap! I have an option of not eating at campus! And the best of all, we have started cooking all over again!

More changes include new activities! Have already done Kayaking and Cycling! And I must admit its more fun than Clubbing! The fun does not necessarily mean drinks and dance anymore! Taboo is the game of the moment! Walks are not meant for exercise - they are time to admire Singapore's weather in Night!

More about academics, presentations and extra currics and school life in later post!