Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Sunny side of Sept 29th

A lot of nice things happened today so I must note them down before I start chiong-ing what I want to present to Prof. Lee tomorrow (which is a not so nice thing. Opz).

Had to do some sai-kang work for yesterday and today in Biotech. Like what my supervisor said, sai-kang work is fun if you do it once in a while, but I would really, really need a VERY good motivation to do it daily. Two days is still fun :) Especially when
1. My supervisor is doing the work with me so I got to talk to her and eat lunch with her for the first time :D
2. The work is actually quite an important one although it was really sai-kang as well.
3. I met another NTU intern in Biotech! She's the second intern I actually talked to. (There's one which I always greet but never talked to properly.)
4. And I did learn things through the sai-kang work by asking questions on how a product is manufactured.

So overall it was quite a fruitful day at work. Plenty of exercise walking back and forth from API to Biotech too. Better than stoning in front of the computer freezing under air-con trying to be productive during my down time. :p

And I found out why I was accepted for the position (in comparison to two other candidates out of an unknown number of people who applied for the internship). Firstly I wasn't too ambitious and didn't have too lofty expectations of what I was going to do. And secondly, my resume was decent and was close to reality. Overall, it's because I'm a very normal aspiring intern. Haha. I don't know what I should think about this reason. It's enough for now but how about the future? I'll just be a normal needle in a pin cushion of needles.

But I'm really glad my supervisor told me all this because it showed that she cared about her interns and manages their expectations even before they start work. I think my supervisor is a very different person from who I am but I like her all the same as she is.

Learned much in HR class today too. I'm really glad for this 3 MC module because it's so thought provoking. Reminded me of the time Prof. Kai would ask us to write down what we learned in the previous class before class starts. Makes lessons applicable and concrete. The take-home point for me today - before starting work, know what I'm working for. If it's for money, be happy about it and let it be my motivating factor (that's different from 'selling life for money' and waiting for Friday every week). If it's other things: Think of how those needs can be fulfilled during my future work?

As I told my supervisor today, I don't quite think I'll be an engineer when I graduate. But what is it that I like to do? And can I do what I really like to do? Are expectations going to be jarringly different from reality?

The future is so suspenseful. I anticipate it, but yet, I am apprehensive. The only anchor I have is, in the future, just as in the present, God is there for me.

And finally, I'm so thankful to Emily and her mum today for giving me and Kasun a lift back to RH after class. It was just one of those little things that add up to make your day a wonderful one. :) It reminded me of Simon and my fellow church mates and class mates in Singapore and Tampin who are generous with their transport too. Little things like this really go a long way.

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