Dear SMU

By popagandhi | Published: 7 February, 2007

I’ve been in this institution three years now — it was a decision I chose of my own accord, instead of going away, instead of going to law school, instead of everything I saw for myself — I chose you. You’ve been alright to me, and so far my highest praise is: I’d rather be here, than any other institution in this bloody country. Which is not very high praise at all, and you’d be right.

I am not interested in working for Merrill Lynch. Nor JP Morgan. Nor Goldman Sachs. Not a bank either. I don’t think I’ll be working in anything involving Excel spreadsheets, so count me out from 99.8% of the jobs you think I should be doing.

So when you stick me in this stupid conference room threatening not to recognize my internship until you’ve put me through a thorough brainwashing session full of business school jargon; like: _pedagogy_ and _elevator speech_ and _being different_ and _value-added_. Like _profit-maximizing_ and _corporate innovation_, your corporate spiel takes us nowhere.

Fuck you for all the days you stuck me in a suit and heels (every presentation, and sometimes every other day), fuck you for all the times you tell me I’m going to be stuck in a low-end job because I’m studying something that “won’t make very much money”. It’s not that I don’t like money. I like money very much. I just happen to think I have a better way to make it, and no, I won’t tell you how. Because I’m already making that money, and/or on my way there, doing the things I love, doing things I give a damn about. And you know what? The 3 out of 1000 people who get in to (namedrop another MNC) isn’t that impressive a statistic. There are harder battles to fight, and win at.

Because I’m doing so much more with my life than you can imagine: and no, a person’s degree at university is not the be all and end all, but a mere tool. And you wonder why I’m in such a hurry to get out before you stick me in another suit.

If I sound bitter and spiteful, I am.

possibly related

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  • From conversations with people studying overseas, I realise overseas schools aren't as good as Singaporeans think.

    But yes, the culture is a lot more liberal.
  • Nikita
    Yes, well I do not have that golden option of leaving the country - am actually from India, so in a sense - I'm already abroad :P

    Pray, tell me more about SMU's corporate culture?

    "I am not interested in working for Merrill Lynch. Nor JP Morgan. Nor Goldman Sachs. Not a bank either. I don’t think I’ll be working in anything involving Excel spreadsheets, so count me out from 99.8% of the jobs you think I should be doing " - This sort of scared me as well...I've heard SMU Career Service is one of the best? no?
  • i really wouldn't be able to tell you. in my mind, i would have left the country for any semblance of a higher education. i was optimistic in thinking that "our schools are quite good, we should give them a chance". i was sorely disappointed to find that i'd given up on four years abroad in some very good schools for.. this. i am of the opinion that our local unis are all pretty much the same, only the cultures are different. i did not take to SMU's corporate culture well. there are other things i dislike about NUS (although i did not go there, i have grown up in the NUS culture all my life.. my whole family is involved in that university). i always thought that if it had to be a singapore university, it would be SMU. but. now i'm not so sure. i'd say leave if you have the chance, but that's just me ;)
  • Nikita
    Hello, I've been offered both SMU and NUS Business, and to my happy disappointment - found your blog.

    I'm assuming you'd say NUS is better? :)
  • orange!
    YES! Another disillusioned soul from SMU. SMU is becoming so stuffy, like the corporate offices you see down in the CBD, I wont be surprised if any Singaporean mistakes us for the working crowds working in a major building downtown given how often we wear those stupid presentation attires.

    9 more months for me, and good riddance!
  • bep
    I graduated from smu last year. Managed to get through my 4 years there without having to don heels (yes, i'm female). I'll admit it's hard to get out of having to wear a suit, but choice of footwear very much depends on personal preference and there are more sensible options around if you know how to tweak it to your own sense of style.

    That said, I have to agree that red tape is everywhere, even in establishments that claim to be "different". At this point, pretty much all you can do is to ride it out and enjoy the cheap beer! ;]
  • pl
    well said!

    i HATED the system.
    like you, i chose to join smu of my own free will,
    but i realised that i got out of 1 wretched system and into another.
    i slugged through it all and graduated in 3 years.
    hang in there!
    =)
  • k
    my exact sentiments whenever i am in school. and i just hate the pointless banter with peers about which major to study, which company to go to and countless other brainwashed stuff.

    nevertheless, i am still happy (somewhat) to be here...sure beats studying science in the west!
  • Friend says he went for the talk too, but just scanned his talk and left.

    Creative Thinking! :P
  • interesting thoughts. Well, but not everyone is like you, bold =).

    I agree with you about the education and mnc. The thing is these MNCs keep acquiring small companies.. so it is actually scary..
  • Satya
    i want some tandoori fish.. :) take care! MacBook is back in action, was unable to connect to the net yesterday using the built-in ethernet yesterday..
  • i HAVE TO COMMENT about this.

    Way to go girl!!

    it's grrreeeaat (far greater than anything) that you choose what you love to do and not be stuck by conventionals. That's WHY i choose to quit local U to pursue something that is far better than the few measly courses in the few measly unis here.
  • dewi
    this is all too familiar.

    i hate the world too.

    dinner soon. hang in there. : )
  • sue
    Hear hear! Especially the constant name dropping of various MNCs at ALL 'career talks'. Ugh.
  • mj
    NTU doesn't put you in suits or heels.
  • oh well, smu. my love hate affair with it will never end.

    though now that i'm just a commencement out of it, things are starting to get pretty nostalgic.
  • i agree with lainie. lack of choice screws us all over doesn't it. and geeks don't have to study technical stuff because they're geeks, eh.
  • jun
    i see you went for that "compulsory pre-requisite" talk peppered full of 'Citibanks' and 'KPMG's' and 'Merril Lynches' and 'CreditSuisse'. i hate that fucking talk.
  • Was bloghopping and ended up here...I'm glad you wrote this piece. The narrow focus on landing jobs in MNCs is something that's really stifling students, not just in SMU...
    and it's great to see someone who's able to step out

    Live your dream~! =)
  • wah. i just knew that you're an SMU student too. And reading your post convinced me that this torture of mine is going to continue.. Until approximately 3 years from now. Sigh.
  • Well said. The way Corp Comm and OCS are working, we are just robots in the line. Lets get out fast.
  • you strike me as someone way beyond the place you study (which at most could only be a nice complement to your person), and that was before reading this post.

    always a good thing. some people can't see beyond the narrow boundaries they've constructed.
  • "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting." --- e.e. cummings
  • Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
  • mb
    Please come to work in a suit and heels tomorrow. Thanks.
  • JamesTKJ
    yes you should carry on doing what you like.
  • Professor
    Eh, I thought SMU has an ad that states they are "different". Never expected them to prod the students towards the corporate path.
  • Bravo. You stick it to them girl. There are thousands of paths to success and a Uni degree is only one of them. Do what makes you happy. That's the key.
  • budak: i beg to differ. it's about smu students being willingly screwed over for a fast buck.

    hui, boon, c, z: we need to detox. tandoori chicken!

    donaq: i'll never know either!

    james: :) no such record exists.
  • Adri in a suit and heels - can I just say NPNT :)
  • Why a geek like you did not study something technical I'll never know. Anyway, you'll soon be out of it, so chin up!
  • Z
    Ok ok about the 'showdown', u're allowed to wear non-heels footwear k.
    And yes, I did warned you abt that upper-middle-class mother(fraker), didn't I.
  • Siow Boon
    Bless your soul! The school is a lie!
  • c the fairy god lover
    aye aye! flying f*cks to them! :) understand your sentiment exactly. at least you are studying a more open ended curriculum, us poor sods in acctancy with all the kpmg-pwc-ey brainwashing, def know what you mean.

    wasn't universities supposed to be about mental training, about the rigours and the learning? it seems to just brainwash, and throw big-ass words at you.
  • huiyin
    AMEN!
  • budak
    And there we had all those ads about SMU students unleashing their creativity.... to screw the world for a fast buck.
  • nicely said..
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