On graduating

It definitely feels good.

I was always a determined student, hard worker, and a high achiever since primary school days, all the way till A-levels. But these traits did not exactly follow me a hundred percent when I got to Uni. I guess after so many years of studying hard, I just lost the little mojo in me, and started slacking relaxing in Uni. Or put it in a better way, I started realizing results are not everything.. hence I've focused less on academics. *Disclaimer: all students out there should still aim to score to their best potential. I am just writing based on my experience/thoughts.

Despite me slacking, sleeping 10-12 hours a day during winter time... (oh god, I know what my parents are gonna say when they read this). And sometimes even skipping lectures and not preparing for tutorials *for those epm students out there, I only found out what was interactive and diagnostic tools 3 days before my paper. And can you believe we  have been learning that all sem.. Goodness WL, sleeping throughout your case seminars ah?!*.. Despite all these, I am thankful I made it through 3 years of Uni with good, or at least - okay results.

For this I'd like to thank a few people whom I have gone through group discussions with over my last year in Uni: tax law with erick, FA with dinesh, product management with chak etc. And of course my last sem: Audit and EPM with ken and ronald, service marketing with chak. My dad always tells me that learning through oral discussions are the best. I have to second that. Though one must also know his or her stuff before engaging in oral discussions.

It definitely feels good because this is my last semester, and my exam scores were good. I am very satisfied. I guess I put in slightly more effort compared to other semesters, making sure I studied till I know at least 90% of my material, instead of my usual 75% (Ah okay lah, I know most of it.. then can go to sleep already- hoping to rely on my supreme crapping skills in the exams...). So everyone, moral of the story is: strive hard and don't think you can get away with just knowing "most" of it! Doing a little more definitely will give you the results.

Now that I have graduated (ceremony only in August), many of you ask what are my plans hereforth- to apply for Australian PR, get a job here; or go home.

Well, I have decided to go back. I have thought hard, and decided that it does not really matter where we are in the world, as long as we are willing to learn; and that we have a set goal/plan in mind to head towards to, we will eventually be successful.

On one hand I am anxious and worried of what the future beholds... but on the other hand, I am excited, and ready to face the real world. I believe with the right guidance from my parents, support from family and friends, and most importantly, a good grounding and mindset- I will be able to take on what challenges there may be out there.

I love Mandarin and have always loved the language since primary school days. I would love to keep in touch and do something related to the language in the future. I am not sure what yet- could be teaching Mandarin, working in a position where I am able to make of this language (my dream is to work in shanghai one day), or maybe get into chinese newscasting. I will definitely keep this dream in mind :)

With this I would like to end my post with a quote, this goes out particularly to all my other fellow melb uni graduates:

"Whatever course you have chosen for yousrelf, it will not be a chore but an adventure if you bring to it a sense of the glory of striving, if your sights are set far above the merely secure and mediocre."
-- David Sarnoff (1891-1971)

*Lastly, thank you for all the wishes and comments - fb, emails, sms-es. I really appreciate it. It reminds me again and again how blessed and grateful I am to be surrounded with people who love me, and people who care. :)*