Treasuring my last year of school

My first week of school has been awful because I feel so stressed out. I don't know if I'm stressing myself out, or it's the real level of stress I should be facing. I guess it's because I'm an Honours student now and most of the people I meet in the level 4000 modules give off a very zai vibe. Furthermore, the professors of these modules went through the content at lightning speed! Before I had any time to digest the material, the prof has already moved on to the next topic. I miss prof Emir from my Investment Analysis class last semester. He always spend a lot of time explaining concepts to us and making sure that everyone understands before moving on. Also, I miss the days in secondary school when I'm always the first to understand new concepts.

It's like... I feel like I'm just average or mediocre among my classmates.

Also, I'm not taking any module with my usual clique of friends in this semester (or the future semester to come) as we're doing different specializations. It's just sad. I miss those times when I look right left and centre and everyone smiles because they're my friend. Now whenever I look around in the class, it's all hostile stares. I really miss talking to them about anything under the sun...

Haiya. It's always after losing that I realize how important these little things are to me. Oh well, no matter what I'll need to trudge on to get my degree. The only consolation is that it feels better than working... 

Anyway I only have two more semesters to go. I should treasure these times before I miss it too. 

East meets West

Canon in D with Yangqin & Ukulele (albeit a weird combination)
    

L played the melody while I played the easy chords. If you didn't know Canon in D is one of my favourite songs. I love how it brightens up my day!

Coming up... Game of Thrones opening theme! I love the opening theme and how they show the map of the Westeros and Essos. I know I'm like crazy over Game of Thrones right now. All I want to do now is to give up my studies, curl up in bed and read all 5 books that GRRM has wrote. But I can't, so that will need to wait till end nov :( L is currently writing the score for the opening theme! I can't wait.

Winter Is Coming

Sorry for my lack of updates, I've been busy watching Game of Thrones recently! Now I've finally finished the last episode of the latest season. Feeling empty... So it's time to return to going out/editing photos/blogging.

I did not have a good first impression of Game of Thrones even though I've heard rave reviews from my friends from different cliques. And I thought, it must be a good show since there's a major consensus. Oli was kind to dropbox me the first five episodes of the series and I began watching last week. Below is what I tweeted after watching the first two episodes...

I found it really really depressing. I was originally in a (sort of) good mood. However after watching the first two episodes, I felt really upset. There were a lot of explicit scenes that made me cringe, eg. executions/naked/sex scenes/torture/blood spurting out. I haven't seen such gore before. It wasn't a lot but this kind of thing is just not my type. I LIKE HAPPY ENDINGS.

The next day, I was still curious about the storyline so I went to google the books. I came across a page where they discussed the themes in the book and I felt what the author did made sense. Emphasis is placed on realism. In the author's world, the good people may not prevail each time, unlike what happens in almost every book and show. I liked the idea of "realism" and I continued with watching the show. I did not find it depressing after I accepted that Game of Thrones is going to be a sad story and that sometimes, justice would not be upheld.

After that, I was hooked. The exciting story line kept me going back for more and before I knew it I finished the latest season. I'm feeling a little empty, but I might buy the books to read. Cus I really like the story!!!! Maybe I just like to torture myself with sad stories... Even though I accepted that it is going be sad, I still hope for revenge and a happy ending (how ironic)

Can't believe I wrote a blog post about Game of Thrones. I hated it originally. It just shows how easily I go back on my tweets. 

A New Chapter

I ended my internship last Friday and I was so so so happy it ended! The main perks were no more waking up at 7.30am every week day morning and I can spend my day anyhow I want. So... One more week of summer holidays to spend before school start. Such a short holiday. Hope I can spend a day or two at home lazing around cus I LOVE LAZING AROUND AT HOME.

At first I was really excited about my internship cus I thought a bank internship is hard to get. It was so elusive, at least to me. I applied to so many banks but only 5-6 replied me. However, a few weeks into the internship, I felt that there was nothing special. The people were cold and they do not ask interns out for lunch. Even my supervisor and I have a strictly work relationship. There were twelve people in the department, but none of them talked much to me except for two. I really like the people in my previous internship more! Thank goodness the other interns saved the day. There were 7 other interns on the same level as me and we went out to lunch together. Some of them were pretty outgoing so they kept our lunch conversations funny and juicy. We went drinking on a few Fridays as well.

At the same time, I've seen the true colors of people there. There's this selfish person which I can't stand, but I shall let it pass. This is because the other people are nice and helpful, so I want to continue keeping in touch with them.

This internship has also made me realized I do not want to do risk management. Like what K said, risk management is 80% data management and 20% modeling. They use SAS software for data management purposes and I SUCK at it! In the end my supervisor realized that and assigned me a lot of research work which I enjoyed better than writing SAS programs. Currently I want to be an equity analyst in the future, so the research experience would help a little.

Overall, this internship has lots of hits and misses. But nvm it will still be an experience under my belt!

With that, a new chapter begins. Am I ready to be a Honours student? I can't believe three years passed so fast. Half of my classmates have already graduated and I'm due to graduate next year. I really need to spend my time wisely and spend them well!

Kai Kai's 1st Birthday

Attended my cousin's son's 1st birthday party today. Babies are so cute, even though they ignore you most of the time unless you're holding an iPhone/iPad. This phenomenon signifies a new generation of kids who will be brought up with technology. Even the present my mum bought was a touch screen toy.

Anyw we were pretty bored after eating so my sis and I took some photos. I love pudding camera, especially the four frame effect that selectively crops out a part of you. I think it's artistic. However, I think a lot of people (who never use the effect before) think otherwise, cus they always ask me why it crops people out.

Today, I discovered a new favourite photo editing app, VSCO cam!!! I really like the sleek and minimalistic interface and its effects are awesome. I used C1 as the filter for all the photos in this post. I love how bright the colors are!

My sis & I

Kai Kai's Mickey Mouse cake from Bengawan Solo, which I thought was not bad. 

What's a post without the birthday boy? He fell asleep right right before the cake cutting and his parents had to wake him up.

Some photos with the cake. I realized it's really difficult to get a baby's attention.

Me and Kai Kai. I didn't carry him cus I didn't know how to carry a baby. He's quite heavy, think about 9-10kg and I was so worried I'll drop him so my cousin just held him next to me. I think he has quite a mature face.

Kai Kai with the four girls born in the 1990s. As you see, I'm the shortest. I'm like the shortest among them and in my family. What a sad life I have.

With my grandma.

Me and my grandma. I think she looks more happy with the baby >:(

The baby resisting my grandma.

My brother and I. Asked my sister to help me take a full body shot but my brother photobombed. I think it looks quite nice though

Finally a proper one, but without shoes.

With that, we headed home.