Wow that last post attracted a lot of attention. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression that I hate SMU. I give recruitment talks at CJC for goodness sake. I’m just really annoyed with the way things are going right now.
I just want to share with you a few follow-up conversations that have happened today:
Nabilah questions today if SMU is a victim of our own success. In a lot of ways, I say yes. We started out as the kid who was different, but is quickly growing up into the adult that’s the same. But I also say, like she does, that it’s not too late.
Reuben (from NUS) dropped me one line on MSN today “Wow sounds like SMU is turning into NUS.”
I think the tension definitely exists. On one hand, people don’t exactly want to be this incredibly insane rat race. On the other hand, it’s a game that everyone else is playing. If you don’t play it. You automatically lose.
Last week I saw snippets of the SMU I experienced with the wonderful seniors I was in school with in year one: The SMU Seniors’ Flash Mob and a great last day at Frujch. Will they be the last traces of the old SMU?
I’m passionate about this school. I’m passionate about the experiences I had with people who showed me what SMU stood for back in 2005. And I truly, honestly feel sorry for those who have entered this school and have no idea what in the hell I am talking about.
I think we come in to SMU from poly, from jc, out of army, whatever. And we come here to learn something that’s going to make us who we are in life. Find our own USP (unique selling point) if we will. Maybe it’s really doing a great job with finance. Maybe it’s being a killer auditor. Maybe it’s the art of selling picked up from presentations. Maybe it’s in programming. Maybe it’s in anthropology in the social sciences. Maybe it’s in law.
It doesn’t matter what it is. But if that one thing that you came to SMU to be really good at is chasing that stupid A+ to one-up someone else, then I really do think you’ve wasted a lot of money, and a lot of time you will never, ever get back.
In 3 days I finish my third year in SMU. And will leave it temporarily at least until the end of the year while I go on exchange. That’s 8 months away. I wonder what I’ll be coming back to.
Tags: all quirk no play, last day of frujch, nabilah, SMU, smu a victim of our own success, smu becoming nus, smu seniors flash mob, smu's obsession with grades
April 14, 2008 at 3:18 am |
DT, no particular reference to this entry or whatever, but allow me to express my exasperated amazement at your chosen URL – DARYLTAY.WORDPRESS.COM, after all that pointless brainstorming on MSN!!!
April 14, 2008 at 9:55 am |
OOohhh D you’ll be missed. OMG that means Social Media was out last class in SMU….EVER!!!
I’m graduating in Dec 2008. boohoo. *sobs.
April 14, 2008 at 10:57 pm |
how can you leave ur toodi hrere, all alone! boohoo.
haha.but i’m looking forward to more stories from your exchange !! =)
April 15, 2008 at 1:06 am |
@Morr: It’s TEMPORARY! Until I move on to a proper .com (or .sg). But y’know, I think it’s gonna end up as daryltay.sg
@amsie: I know so sad! By the time I get back you’ll probably have a job already!
@myy: Haha I’ll be with you in spirittt =)
April 16, 2008 at 3:52 am |
“On one hand, people don’t exactly want to be this incredibly insane rat race. On the other hand, it’s a game that everyone else is playing. If you don’t play it. You automatically lose.”
That’s the main reason why I sorta..don’t wanna go to university. Or at least why I’m considering not going. Haha. Risky, I know. Maybe my naivety and whatever, but I kind of want to prove that you don’t HAVE to play the same game. If I’m wrong, of course…well….I hope I’m not.