Monday, December 15, 2014

A Busy December

Time flies. It's now almost the end of 2014. On the whole, I think the year went well with much personal development.

Why do I say it has been a busy December? I wish that I have one free day this December to simply rest the whole day without being busy with the Field Study Project, interviews, family, or friends. I am glad I am done with the interviews. The FSP is more or less all right (but it will last till next April). Spending time with family and friends is enjoyable. Nevertheless, I do hope for some personal time where I can pick up a book to read or just head to the gym for a workout.

Since this is a reflection, I hope to sum up my key takeaways for this year.

AY 2013/2014 Semester 2
The semester was busy just like any other semester. As usual, I got to learn and apply new subject matter, trained my critical thinking skills, and worked in different project groups. I learned the importance of being proactive/taking initiative, seeking clarification when in doubt, avoiding jumping into conclusion, and choosing between options.

Internship with CPFB
I learned more about TM and how to conduct a study. More importantly, I learned that there are committed individuals who are passionate about the public service. I also learned more about office politics and how to better manage it (thankful to be an observer).

Orlando Vacation
Outlet shopping, Disney World, and the Harry Potter theme park (inside Universal Orlando). It was like a dream come true. I really, really enjoyed myself during this time. The Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride was the best ride in my entire life. Spiderman ride was not too bad either. I learned that vacations can be expensive and the need to manage finances well.

UT GBLI
I learned that it is possible for people of different cultures/countries to collaborate and deliver high standards of performance. It was a great learning experience for me as I get to learn different from different cultures and also immerse myself in the American culture/way of life.

AY 2014/2015 Semester 1
I learned that group work sometimes can be frustrating if we have group members who do not contribute or those who have poor time management. I learned the importance of choosing a suitable module based on your strengths (yes, I learned this the hard way). Finally, I learned that it is nice to learn in a dynamic class where my peers and I contribute to class discussion and learning.

Process of Internship Applications
I learned that applying for internships is a very tedious process (structured motivational and scenario questions; numerical and logical reasoning tests). One can simply apply to the top few organisations or cast a wider net and apply to all organisations. For me, I applied to quite a number of firms which sparked my interest. Nevertheless, I do not think that there is one best internship out there. All internships have their pros and cons in terms of what you will be doing, how it is structured and conducted, your supervisor, and the allowance. Personally, having done two internships, I think that an important aspect would be the willingness of the supervisor to impart the knowledge/skills to you and to give you the autonomy in doing your work. A supportive and understanding supervisor goes a long way to making your internship a more enjoyable and fruitful one.

Dining out, Shopping, and Movies
These three activities are usually fun. I learned to be thankful for my experiences and also the need to manage finances well.

Macau Trip
To be updated.

Signing off,
Maria

P.s. I have removed all previous blog posts and plan to keep them in draft mode instead. This is because I feel that I have matured quite a bit over these past several years and my past entries do not necessarily reflect what I think now. Hence, it may be better to keep them in my memories (i.e. for personal consumption).

Signing Off @ Monday, December 15, 2014 l 0Comment