Comments on: Education, As I Know It

By: Poppy

Poppy — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:18:22 +0000

when i first read your post, my thoughts were like Ace’s: Very smug person, trying to gloat that she is different from the mainstream.

That’s what happens when people write in a fit of anger I guess. Haha!

Well, looking forward to your article! Be sure to add something about how they foul up their employment survey!

By: yh

yh — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 06:44:12 +0000

amen to that.

it’s tough, this double life. and week 11 totally blows. =|
it sure does make people angsty. at least you’ve got a few more weeks to go!

thanks for keeping the rest of us, dareisayit, miscreants of smu, sane.

By: heartistic!

heartistic! — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:55:08 +0000

not the academic atmosphere of your choice? all means to a more flexible end (said the BAT corporate slut, who’s logging on to read your blog on a day that’s looking to go on forever)

hang on in there :)

By: Ace

Ace — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 08:17:41 +0000

(we hate SMU too, with all ‘em handfed internships, job placements and all. buncha poseurs who think they’re different and shove it down OUR lesser throats - yes, please get your article published)

By: popagandhi

popagandhi — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:27:43 +0000

:) Cool. I should state here that I have nothing against corporate attire or the corporate life. I think it’s great if you choose it, and I’m happy some of my friends are doing very well in it. But if you look at what SMU is doing.. they’re shoving it down our throats with no room for any protest (which is opposite to the image we’re trying to portray: WE’RE SO DIFFERENT!).. In 4 weeks I will write about that, maybe even get it printed in a newspaper. It’s THAT bad and the lie has to be exposed now! I figured I’d try a different approach from my usual “I hate SMU” line. Guess that didn’t turn out too well :)

By: Ace

Ace — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:23:01 +0000

Ah alright. I misconstrued your intentions. I’m sorry you’re at SMU and not enjoying it, but hey the world’s at your feet :)

By: popagandhi

popagandhi — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 06:52:09 +0000

@Ace: You misunderstand me. Professional preparation is great. That is why I am going to Journalism school at the best place for it. The first bit was about the inferior hybrid business/political science education I’m receiving at a local university, and how awful it’s worked out to be although I badly wanted to believe otherwise. It’s really not about anything else: it’s about the corporate culture my education is forcing me into (see the link at the start). The rest of it was about what I perceive to be my REAL education. Although it was too emo for sure — but sitting in a horrible business class this morning drove me to the depths of desperation. Having to make a horrible presentation in that horrible class wearing horrible clothes and shoes didn’t help. I cannot begin to describe how horrible it is. That’s all — I should have been more specific. That was a rant about Singapore Management University, which I attend.

And you got another bit wrong: it wasn’t about travel. It wasn’t about travelling at all. It wasn’t about other people. It was about career decisions, and how I hated my ‘education’. How I’m desperate to stop being the person my education is making me become (corporate slave in the training — just look at the website) and to pursue my dreams, but how that too is scary. (BTW we make pretty good money… not millions, but competitive enough.)

By: Ace

Ace — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 05:59:48 +0000

*wandering, not wondering.

By: Ace

Ace — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 05:58:59 +0000

I don’t see anything wrong with preparing oneself professionally. It keeps the world running if you noticed. You make it seem like a chore, almost a curse. I say, different people different strokes.

Your photos and stories don’t go to print immediately ya know. They go to the sub-editor, the editor, the designer, the printing press, the distributor, and finally to the reader who has money in his pocket to spare - all of these people have prepared themselves professionally one way or another. They didn’t get where they are by wondering around in thongs and rusacks. (when Googleplex takes over the world, maybe)

Some people prefer to make their millions first before travelling in comfort - is there anything wrong in travelling in luxury? I don’t know how you feel about that, but a trawl on the lonely planet forums and many other travel forums reveal a pretentious pomposity that many (poor) young people carry with them. I hope you’re not one of them young proud brats. You don’t seem like it, which is why i like reading your blog, but this post reeked of smug conceit. I could be wrong.

Well, to each his own. Travel is meant to be fun, let everyone enjoy it however they like.

By: kozmozz

kozmozz — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 05:46:41 +0000

The feeling of being torn between home and being somewhere else…of doing something that is not the norm..is something that not many can understand. Many people think that doing what everyone else is doing must be the right way. But alas, only those who go against the norm are the ones who can look back without any regrets. At least you can say that you tried.