In retrospect, 2008 may have been the most event-filled and exciting year of my life thus far. I guess it is only befitting as it was the year that I turned 21. From teaching JC students to getting that acceptance letter, I believe these are once-in-a-lifetime experiences which I will forever be grateful for having (unless I pursue the teaching vocation). It was also a year in my life where I realized one very important thing, something my family always stressed since I was young: the importance of traveling. I believe education doesn't stop in the classroom; it extends to one's travels too. From managing the slopes of Tahoe, Nevada to walking the bustling streets of Manhattan, I learned so many things about life - about the American culture, about how my living preferences help shape my ambitions, about how different immigrant stories are in the US from those in Asia. Ditto for my KL trip, where the 5-hour luxurious bus ride gave me a chance to reflect on my 4 and a half years in Singapore, and get ready to bid farewell to the hundreds of people I have crossed paths and befriended during my stay...and in KL I was able to spend time with two of my best friends, perhaps for one last time. Coming to the United States made me appreciate some wonders of Singapore, but also opened my mind to its shortcomings and even flaws which I wouldn't have seen from the inside.
But it was also a year of questions, some even unanswered to this day. Being privileged enough to have the best possible education, does it necessitate a new obligation to one's fellowmen? And when I say fellowmen, they don't necessarily refer only to the Filipinos. I have never really seriously considered entering politics before, but coming to Harvard made me rethink my self-purpose. Can I say that this is one of the beauties of a Harvard education? Maybe, but sometimes, having that brand name associated to you can be annoying and sometimes dispiriting too. I didn't know that rat and mice are of different species, didn't know who Thomas Friedman was (don't give me crap and tell me all of you know who this guy is - it's Thomas, not Milton.)...such lack of knowledge can lead to awkward situations here in school. Even when you're somewhere else, people around you always expect you to be really good and be always on your feet..well, it can give you feel-good moments, but sometimes you just want to be yourself and chilax. Sadly, you may not always have that choice. But that being said, we are all still humans, we all have our wants, dreams, and silliness too.
On a lighter note, before coming to Harvard I attended the Last Lecture. I was fascinated by how the late Randy Pausch told us about his childhood dreams, and made me think of mine. There are two things I so badly want to do in life: be a basketball coach/player, and be a CIA secret agent. For the first one, maybe I'm a step closer as I have finally set foot on an NBA arena, an arena of the world champions. Maybe a few more years and I'll be able to be courtside and eventually be on the hardwood. I remember I would always tell Hong Quan that I am still in the process of applying for the CIA scholarship, but haven't had the chance to fill in the application yet because you have to be smart enough to find it. Watching the movie The Recruit fueled my dreams even more, although I know it is kinda out of this world.
Indeed, the experiences I had in 2008 changed the course of my life and influenced my aspirations. People grow, people change, hopefully for the better. And I'm glad to say that I did.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
My Top 10 Moments for 2008
The top 10:
10. Snowballing at Harvard!
9. Skiing at Tahoe
8. KL Trip
7. March 7.
6. Winter Break at San Jose
5. New York City Trip
4. Siblings Visit and our first Celtics game
3. Aug 7-11 Singapore Trip
2. April 1 - the email and the pranks
1. Relief Teaching!
10. Snowballing at Harvard!
9. Skiing at Tahoe
8. KL Trip
7. March 7.
6. Winter Break at San Jose
5. New York City Trip
4. Siblings Visit and our first Celtics game
3. Aug 7-11 Singapore Trip
2. April 1 - the email and the pranks
1. Relief Teaching!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
New York
So this is what New York is after all. The bright lights, the tall skyscrapers, the vibrant energy, the indefatigable spirit. During Thanksgiving weekend, I had the chance to experience all these in the Big Apple, the center of the world (among all the places I have been to in my entire life, I can say that it indeed deserves the moniker). We went to the usual suspects: Times Square, Broadway, Maddam Tussad's museum, the United Nations, Wall Street, Ground Zero, NBA Store, Rockefeller Plaza, Fifth Avenue, Battery Park to view the Statue of Liberty, Trump Towers, M&M Store, Giant Toys R Us, and the best McDonalds in the world (seriously, the one in Times Square was just awesome... I must say it is better than a lot of the restaurants and cafes I have been to - with the interiors, music and ambience) What made it fun was the fact that we had to plan our itinerary, with our friends from New York suddenly unable to bring us around due to unforeseen circumstances.
To boot, when we wanted to check in in the hostel at 1130pm, WE WERE TURNED DOWN BECAUSE WE DIDN"T HAVE PASSPORTS OR STATE IDs. During Opening Days we were told the Harvard ID can get us places, and do magical stuff for us, but apparently that night it did us no good. So, in the middle of Harlem at 1130pm on Black Friday, we made calls just like the Obama campaign doing phone banking to countless hostels in New York City. Call after call we got rejected. We started contemplating on where to sleep that night: the subway, the airport, or just a McDonalds. Haha luckily in the end after about an hour we finally found one in Times Square. So we traveled across town to our hostel, and retreated to our beds around 1230... excluding the talking cock of course.
Too lazy to post pics again. So here is a link to my facebook photo album.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62937&l=7f425&id=620781495
To boot, when we wanted to check in in the hostel at 1130pm, WE WERE TURNED DOWN BECAUSE WE DIDN"T HAVE PASSPORTS OR STATE IDs. During Opening Days we were told the Harvard ID can get us places, and do magical stuff for us, but apparently that night it did us no good. So, in the middle of Harlem at 1130pm on Black Friday, we made calls just like the Obama campaign doing phone banking to countless hostels in New York City. Call after call we got rejected. We started contemplating on where to sleep that night: the subway, the airport, or just a McDonalds. Haha luckily in the end after about an hour we finally found one in Times Square. So we traveled across town to our hostel, and retreated to our beds around 1230... excluding the talking cock of course.
Too lazy to post pics again. So here is a link to my facebook photo album.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62937&l=7f425&id=620781495
Saturday, November 22, 2008
A Singapore Education: My Perspective
Today I received an email from a friend asking me to describe my Singapore educational experience. I replied with an email with a short description of my experience... Nevertheless, this is what prompted me to candidly blog about my perspective of the Singapore educational experience. There might be politically unpopular statements that I would make, but I say all these in good faith, just to convey my OPINION.
Background
I was offered an ASEAN Scholarship in 2003 to study Secondary 3 and 4 (3rd & 4th yr high school) and 2 years of junior college (they have this 2 year thing in between high school and college). This is a bond free-scholarship, which brings me to my first point. People back home thought that my relief teaching for half a year was my 'bond', but it actually wasn't. I didn't need to work, although I felt a very compelling urge to give back (thus I did RT in my own school, instead of relaxing or accepting a better paying job somewhere else).
A few months ago, someone actually asked me if Singapore 'wasted their investment' on me. What did/can I contribute to them if I leave after JC and head somewhere else? Well, this I must say: it wasn't a wrong investment, and I believe they were already prepared that some of the scholars they recruit would end up taking this path. Some people contribute during their 4 years - by diversifying perspectives in school, raising standards, improving their image, increasing the level of competition. Others can contribute later on, or even continue to contribute, after their 4 years by continuing college in Singapore, getting a job, settling down there eventually. Plus the fact that whether one is in Singapore or somewhere else, one can be the country's goodwill ambassador - worth more than any advertisement put up by the Tourism or Education Board. Because of the various stages where the scholars contribute, and knowing that it would be best to have scholars contribute in each category, I believe (note, this is only a personal hypothesis) the MOE recruits scholars of varying abilities. As they say, the best team may not always be the best people put together. So I think this analogy holds in their selection process too.
The Most Important Thing I Learned in Singapore: (I compare their 'importance' on their usefulness and on whether I could have learned them if I stayed back home - in short, the value add of going to Singapore compared to the Philippines... there are a lot of important stuff, but I could have learned them too in the Philippines... gets?)
Learning more about the world - from books, teachers, talks, newspapers, friends
The single most important and useful subject I have taken thus far is the General Paper. Yes, I believe that people who do well in the General Paper definitely have great potential and ability; but the converse isn't true - people who don't do well in GP may still be very capable and smart. Doing well in the General Paper requires one to be articulate in his arguments, know the facts (since mostly are world issues, one has to be well-read), and be able to link various things together and see their nuanced connections. Whether debating about the most essential quality of a politician, assessing the state of the environment, considering the cases where capital punishment is justifiable, examining the link between violence and media, or simply talking about the future of one's own country, this subject made me think broadly and about the most important issues that I may not have considered in my dining hall conversations. I think this is a subject that will be really beneficial to students when applied to other countries like the Philippines. However, other subjects like Social Studies, Geography and History made me aware of the world too. Switzerland's economy, Venice's rise and fall, Hong Kong's public housing, conflict between ethnicities and religions all over the world, The Great Leap Forward, Ruhr Republic, Malayan Independence, Singapore healthcare and population policies, etc.
That being said, I also learned a lot from my conversations with classmates and friends - about their personal experiences in their homeland, their views on the current and future state of their countries. These perspectives help shape my understanding of the dynamics of international relations - something I was quite ignorant of before going to Singapore. I understood how these stories impacted their lives, and the lives of their countrymen and how it shaped their present culture. From the stories of friends who had to hide during the Indonesian Riots because they might get raped or beaten up simply because they were Chinese, to the Malaysians' version of the separation between Spore and Msia, I had a better understanding on where these people were coming from. Thanks to my subscription of Newsweek in JC, (self-praise is no praise but an international disgrace, as what my friends jeremy and ashvin always tell me whenever I praise myself..but still, im just being candid)I have become so much aware of the happenings of the world. I read the magazine almost every week, and sometimes from cover to cover - except when it's Iraq and Afghanistan, i tend to skip. But if you want to subscribe to know more about the world, in hindsight I suggest Time. It's much better than Newsweek. That being said, having access to these materials made me sound smarter (or really smarter, i dont wish to conclude) during discussions with the group or with individuals during interviews. Yes, I own a large part of my general knowledge to these factors and resources that I had access to in Singapore. This was perhaps the most important thing I acquired, much more important than the math formulas or the organic chem equations...
this piece may not be very 'flowy' as I am writing this as a spur of the moment thing... next time, i shall write about another aspect of the Singapore education... maybe academics... or something else totally not about singapore education... have a nice weekend everybody..
(PS. Harvard trashed Yale today 10-0)
Background
I was offered an ASEAN Scholarship in 2003 to study Secondary 3 and 4 (3rd & 4th yr high school) and 2 years of junior college (they have this 2 year thing in between high school and college). This is a bond free-scholarship, which brings me to my first point. People back home thought that my relief teaching for half a year was my 'bond', but it actually wasn't. I didn't need to work, although I felt a very compelling urge to give back (thus I did RT in my own school, instead of relaxing or accepting a better paying job somewhere else).
A few months ago, someone actually asked me if Singapore 'wasted their investment' on me. What did/can I contribute to them if I leave after JC and head somewhere else? Well, this I must say: it wasn't a wrong investment, and I believe they were already prepared that some of the scholars they recruit would end up taking this path. Some people contribute during their 4 years - by diversifying perspectives in school, raising standards, improving their image, increasing the level of competition. Others can contribute later on, or even continue to contribute, after their 4 years by continuing college in Singapore, getting a job, settling down there eventually. Plus the fact that whether one is in Singapore or somewhere else, one can be the country's goodwill ambassador - worth more than any advertisement put up by the Tourism or Education Board. Because of the various stages where the scholars contribute, and knowing that it would be best to have scholars contribute in each category, I believe (note, this is only a personal hypothesis) the MOE recruits scholars of varying abilities. As they say, the best team may not always be the best people put together. So I think this analogy holds in their selection process too.
The Most Important Thing I Learned in Singapore: (I compare their 'importance' on their usefulness and on whether I could have learned them if I stayed back home - in short, the value add of going to Singapore compared to the Philippines... there are a lot of important stuff, but I could have learned them too in the Philippines... gets?)
Learning more about the world - from books, teachers, talks, newspapers, friends
The single most important and useful subject I have taken thus far is the General Paper. Yes, I believe that people who do well in the General Paper definitely have great potential and ability; but the converse isn't true - people who don't do well in GP may still be very capable and smart. Doing well in the General Paper requires one to be articulate in his arguments, know the facts (since mostly are world issues, one has to be well-read), and be able to link various things together and see their nuanced connections. Whether debating about the most essential quality of a politician, assessing the state of the environment, considering the cases where capital punishment is justifiable, examining the link between violence and media, or simply talking about the future of one's own country, this subject made me think broadly and about the most important issues that I may not have considered in my dining hall conversations. I think this is a subject that will be really beneficial to students when applied to other countries like the Philippines. However, other subjects like Social Studies, Geography and History made me aware of the world too. Switzerland's economy, Venice's rise and fall, Hong Kong's public housing, conflict between ethnicities and religions all over the world, The Great Leap Forward, Ruhr Republic, Malayan Independence, Singapore healthcare and population policies, etc.
That being said, I also learned a lot from my conversations with classmates and friends - about their personal experiences in their homeland, their views on the current and future state of their countries. These perspectives help shape my understanding of the dynamics of international relations - something I was quite ignorant of before going to Singapore. I understood how these stories impacted their lives, and the lives of their countrymen and how it shaped their present culture. From the stories of friends who had to hide during the Indonesian Riots because they might get raped or beaten up simply because they were Chinese, to the Malaysians' version of the separation between Spore and Msia, I had a better understanding on where these people were coming from. Thanks to my subscription of Newsweek in JC, (self-praise is no praise but an international disgrace, as what my friends jeremy and ashvin always tell me whenever I praise myself..but still, im just being candid)I have become so much aware of the happenings of the world. I read the magazine almost every week, and sometimes from cover to cover - except when it's Iraq and Afghanistan, i tend to skip. But if you want to subscribe to know more about the world, in hindsight I suggest Time. It's much better than Newsweek. That being said, having access to these materials made me sound smarter (or really smarter, i dont wish to conclude) during discussions with the group or with individuals during interviews. Yes, I own a large part of my general knowledge to these factors and resources that I had access to in Singapore. This was perhaps the most important thing I acquired, much more important than the math formulas or the organic chem equations...
this piece may not be very 'flowy' as I am writing this as a spur of the moment thing... next time, i shall write about another aspect of the Singapore education... maybe academics... or something else totally not about singapore education... have a nice weekend everybody..
(PS. Harvard trashed Yale today 10-0)
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Game
Field trip
Taking a look back as Harvard and Yale meet for the 125th time
By Emily T. Simon
For well over a century, Harvard and Yale have gone head-to-head at the end of November for the epic football match known simply as “The Game.” The contest is steeped in history and tradition, not just for the undergraduates who take to the field but also for the thousands of students and alumni who descend on campus to cheer for their beloved schools. This year, crowds will be celebrating a special milestone: 2008 marks the 125th playing of The Game.
The rivalry — the oldest in college football — began on Nov. 13, 1875, when Harvard and Yale met at Hamilton Field in New Haven. The game was played according to rugby rules. Harvard, dressed in crimson shirts and knee breeches, won 4-0. In 1898, it was determined by both teams that The Game should be the final match on the football schedule, and it has remained that way ever since. The match alternates between Soldiers Field in Allston and the Yale Bowl in New Haven.
Victory, defeat, triumph, heartbreak — Harvard and Yale have known them all in their years of play. As of November 2007, Yale has won 65 matches, Harvard has won 51, and the teams have tied eight times.
A few games, however, have made a special mark on the history books. The match in 1894 was so brutal that newspapers reported seven players carried off the field in “dying” condition, and the schools suspended athletic competition for two years. In 1954, Harvard obtained its 500th win by beating Yale 13-9, at home.
One of the most fabled games took place in 1968. Both teams went into the match with a perfect 8-0 season. On the Harvard line was a senior offensive tackle who would later go on to gain Hollywood fame as an Academy Award-winning actor: Tommy Lee Jones. The Elis took charge early, leading 22-0 by the second quarter. Desperate to recover, the Harvard coach put in junior Frank Champi, a fourth-string QB. Though Champi had made just five completions the entire season, he seemed to work magic. A few perfect passes by Harvard and a series of fumbles by Yale brought the score to 29-13, with less than 10 minutes remaining. The clock wound down, and the Crimson kept driving. In the final 42 seconds, Harvard scored two touchdowns, bringing the score to 29-27. With no time left on the clock, Harvard went for the two-point conversion and scored to tie the game. The next day’s headline in the Harvard Crimson told the whole story: “Harvard Beats Yale, 29-29.”
The 2005 Game will also be remembered for a brilliant Harvard comeback. The Crimson trailed 21-3 at the beginning of the second half. With less than 15 minutes to go, defensive back Steven Williams ’08 returned an interception 18 yards for a touchdown. Williams’ play set off a rally that kept the Crimson in fighting form. They forced the game to three overtime sessions, before finally claiming victory 30-24. It was the longest game in Ivy League history.
The football field isn’t the only place where the Harvard-Yale rivalry gets played out on Game weekend. Beginning with a pep rally on Thursday night, the Harvard campus turns Crimson as undergraduates show Elis the true meaning of school spirit. Several student organizations welcome their Yale counterparts for a tête-à–tête: at the annual Harvard-Yale Football Concert, for example (held in Sanders Theatre Friday night before the game), the Harvard and Yale Glee Clubs perform fight songs in college regalia and try to drown one another out before the finale. The Immediate Gratification Players, an improvisational comedy group, compete for laughs against improv troupes from Yale.
Undergraduates may keep the rivalry heated, but it wouldn’t be Game Weekend without the thousands of alumni who come to support their alma mater, reconnect with old friends, and enjoy a few days back on campus. Their lavish tailgates and spiffy dress set the example for current seniors, who — whether they can believe it or not — will find themselves entering the “Alumni” section of the tailgate in just one year.
A special tradition for alumni is the waving of the “Little Red Flag,” a small cloth banner embroidered with an “H.” The flag was originally carried by Frederick Plummer, Class of 1888, who brought it to the game as a token of good luck. It was rediscovered by William Bentick-Smith ’37 in 1950, who suggested the honor of waving it be given to the Harvard fan who had seen the most Yale games. Nine men have since waved the little banner, though the number of Yale games viewed is no longer the primary determinant.
At its inception, the Harvard-Yale Game was just two teams on a small field in Connecticut. Now, it is a landmark in the history of undergraduate sport and a storied tradition for the men and women of Harvard and Yale.
Taking a look back as Harvard and Yale meet for the 125th time
By Emily T. Simon
For well over a century, Harvard and Yale have gone head-to-head at the end of November for the epic football match known simply as “The Game.” The contest is steeped in history and tradition, not just for the undergraduates who take to the field but also for the thousands of students and alumni who descend on campus to cheer for their beloved schools. This year, crowds will be celebrating a special milestone: 2008 marks the 125th playing of The Game.
The rivalry — the oldest in college football — began on Nov. 13, 1875, when Harvard and Yale met at Hamilton Field in New Haven. The game was played according to rugby rules. Harvard, dressed in crimson shirts and knee breeches, won 4-0. In 1898, it was determined by both teams that The Game should be the final match on the football schedule, and it has remained that way ever since. The match alternates between Soldiers Field in Allston and the Yale Bowl in New Haven.
Victory, defeat, triumph, heartbreak — Harvard and Yale have known them all in their years of play. As of November 2007, Yale has won 65 matches, Harvard has won 51, and the teams have tied eight times.
A few games, however, have made a special mark on the history books. The match in 1894 was so brutal that newspapers reported seven players carried off the field in “dying” condition, and the schools suspended athletic competition for two years. In 1954, Harvard obtained its 500th win by beating Yale 13-9, at home.
One of the most fabled games took place in 1968. Both teams went into the match with a perfect 8-0 season. On the Harvard line was a senior offensive tackle who would later go on to gain Hollywood fame as an Academy Award-winning actor: Tommy Lee Jones. The Elis took charge early, leading 22-0 by the second quarter. Desperate to recover, the Harvard coach put in junior Frank Champi, a fourth-string QB. Though Champi had made just five completions the entire season, he seemed to work magic. A few perfect passes by Harvard and a series of fumbles by Yale brought the score to 29-13, with less than 10 minutes remaining. The clock wound down, and the Crimson kept driving. In the final 42 seconds, Harvard scored two touchdowns, bringing the score to 29-27. With no time left on the clock, Harvard went for the two-point conversion and scored to tie the game. The next day’s headline in the Harvard Crimson told the whole story: “Harvard Beats Yale, 29-29.”
The 2005 Game will also be remembered for a brilliant Harvard comeback. The Crimson trailed 21-3 at the beginning of the second half. With less than 15 minutes to go, defensive back Steven Williams ’08 returned an interception 18 yards for a touchdown. Williams’ play set off a rally that kept the Crimson in fighting form. They forced the game to three overtime sessions, before finally claiming victory 30-24. It was the longest game in Ivy League history.
The football field isn’t the only place where the Harvard-Yale rivalry gets played out on Game weekend. Beginning with a pep rally on Thursday night, the Harvard campus turns Crimson as undergraduates show Elis the true meaning of school spirit. Several student organizations welcome their Yale counterparts for a tête-à–tête: at the annual Harvard-Yale Football Concert, for example (held in Sanders Theatre Friday night before the game), the Harvard and Yale Glee Clubs perform fight songs in college regalia and try to drown one another out before the finale. The Immediate Gratification Players, an improvisational comedy group, compete for laughs against improv troupes from Yale.
Undergraduates may keep the rivalry heated, but it wouldn’t be Game Weekend without the thousands of alumni who come to support their alma mater, reconnect with old friends, and enjoy a few days back on campus. Their lavish tailgates and spiffy dress set the example for current seniors, who — whether they can believe it or not — will find themselves entering the “Alumni” section of the tailgate in just one year.
A special tradition for alumni is the waving of the “Little Red Flag,” a small cloth banner embroidered with an “H.” The flag was originally carried by Frederick Plummer, Class of 1888, who brought it to the game as a token of good luck. It was rediscovered by William Bentick-Smith ’37 in 1950, who suggested the honor of waving it be given to the Harvard fan who had seen the most Yale games. Nine men have since waved the little banner, though the number of Yale games viewed is no longer the primary determinant.
At its inception, the Harvard-Yale Game was just two teams on a small field in Connecticut. Now, it is a landmark in the history of undergraduate sport and a storied tradition for the men and women of Harvard and Yale.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
NYC... Here We Come!
After months of being in the Harvard bubble, shuttling to classes, engaging in intellectual debates, writing academic papers, writing sponsorship letters and letters of intent, analyzing financial statements, doing equity analysis, meeting renowned people from gore to stiglitz to ban ki moon to gobok (yeah just checking if you guys can spot the not), it's Thanksgiving. Yes, next week, and I need to get out of this Harvard bubble for a while and see the world out there, not just the daily Boston trip.
So, I and a couple of other friends are heading on a roadtrip next weekend to New York City! It will be an adventure - hopping on the Chinatown bus (it's cheaper than the trains or plane) and staying at a hostel in Manhattan near Harlem - yes, HARLEM. it's that place. Nevertheless, the danger makes it more fun right? I wouldn't be surprised to hear gunshots in that neighborhood. Haha, i may be exaggerating, or maybe not, but u get what the place more or less is like.. it's gonna be another adventure! haha and i'm gonna fulfill one of my 2008 goals of visiting NYC - wall street (maybe future workplace), times square, statue of liberty, broadway, etc.
And after that...well, back to business. But I shall spend money wisely this trip because I am spending the money that I earned while doing odd jobs here at Harvard - from cleaning rooms and bathrooms, to participating in business school studies, to being test subjects for neuroscience experiments (no, they don't do anything that may affect your health). Haha and next term I might get a real job, perhaps in the admissions office where you get to sort all the interesting crap people send in with their applications (i heard some people do weird stuff - someone sent a life-size cardboard cut out of himself last year, some send chocolates together with their applications too - sucking up doesn't work here, FYI)
This weekend is THE GAME - Harvard vs Yale 2008! Yalies are coming to town, and it's going to be exciting to meet our rivals (or so they claim to be ;p)
So, I and a couple of other friends are heading on a roadtrip next weekend to New York City! It will be an adventure - hopping on the Chinatown bus (it's cheaper than the trains or plane) and staying at a hostel in Manhattan near Harlem - yes, HARLEM. it's that place. Nevertheless, the danger makes it more fun right? I wouldn't be surprised to hear gunshots in that neighborhood. Haha, i may be exaggerating, or maybe not, but u get what the place more or less is like.. it's gonna be another adventure! haha and i'm gonna fulfill one of my 2008 goals of visiting NYC - wall street (maybe future workplace), times square, statue of liberty, broadway, etc.
And after that...well, back to business. But I shall spend money wisely this trip because I am spending the money that I earned while doing odd jobs here at Harvard - from cleaning rooms and bathrooms, to participating in business school studies, to being test subjects for neuroscience experiments (no, they don't do anything that may affect your health). Haha and next term I might get a real job, perhaps in the admissions office where you get to sort all the interesting crap people send in with their applications (i heard some people do weird stuff - someone sent a life-size cardboard cut out of himself last year, some send chocolates together with their applications too - sucking up doesn't work here, FYI)
This weekend is THE GAME - Harvard vs Yale 2008! Yalies are coming to town, and it's going to be exciting to meet our rivals (or so they claim to be ;p)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
It's going to be sweeter the second time around.
People often ask me if I'm having 'the time of my life' over here, or what amazing thing has happened. The truth of the matter is, despite all the prestige and awe attached to attending this institution, sometimes i still have 'what ifs' in my mind - about how life would have been if i chose to stay in singapore, how much fun it could have been (not to mention the weather, which i now begin to appreciate after New England's harsh weather experience... yesterday it was as hot as Singapore or the Philippines, today its close to 0C. beat that.)
I surmise uni life would have been so much fun, so much easier, with less of the pressure that pervades the campus 24/7 - about having to do everything and do them really well, about having to be extraordinarily talented. Before, i must say i always 'got things done my way' - i guess, in most sense of the word. With people around to help you in times of need, with people to chill and have fun, with the knowhow on how to get a lot of things done. I knew coming here entailed a lot of adjustment, but i guess i just underestimated it - it's not that easy, and not that fast. Not as smooth and as fast as i adjusted when i left everything back home and went to Singapore having to start from scratch again. sometimes having to work really hard, feel adjusted, and just when u are about to 'reap the rewards of your hardwork and adjustment', you suddenly have to give it up again to start anew, seems really hard. Having to do it twice in a span of 5 years is really tough, not to say disheartening at times.
I must admit, i often long for the good old days. I long for the days when i could just talk rubbish whenever i feel like doing so in class while talking serious and intelligent things too when i feel like it. I miss those times when you feel that u really belong and are an integral part of the school, a member who contributes a lot to it, giving u the true sense of ownership and saying proudly 'this is my school'. i pine for those times when i just can be a normal person without always having to be an overachiever and an intellectual - i believe this is the environment that brings out the best in me. I have tj to prove it... not saying that tj isn't excellent, just that it fosters a conducive environment for people like me to find ourselves. But those WERE the days.
Looking ahead is smarter than clinging to the past. For whatever nostalgia I still hold about my high-school, 'good life' days, I'm now married to this place. For better or worse. But I'm going to make sure it's for the former; I'm now in the process of reclaiming it. Step by step, one by one, they will fall into place. And then I can say that I did it again.
It's going to be sweeter the second time around.
I surmise uni life would have been so much fun, so much easier, with less of the pressure that pervades the campus 24/7 - about having to do everything and do them really well, about having to be extraordinarily talented. Before, i must say i always 'got things done my way' - i guess, in most sense of the word. With people around to help you in times of need, with people to chill and have fun, with the knowhow on how to get a lot of things done. I knew coming here entailed a lot of adjustment, but i guess i just underestimated it - it's not that easy, and not that fast. Not as smooth and as fast as i adjusted when i left everything back home and went to Singapore having to start from scratch again. sometimes having to work really hard, feel adjusted, and just when u are about to 'reap the rewards of your hardwork and adjustment', you suddenly have to give it up again to start anew, seems really hard. Having to do it twice in a span of 5 years is really tough, not to say disheartening at times.
I must admit, i often long for the good old days. I long for the days when i could just talk rubbish whenever i feel like doing so in class while talking serious and intelligent things too when i feel like it. I miss those times when you feel that u really belong and are an integral part of the school, a member who contributes a lot to it, giving u the true sense of ownership and saying proudly 'this is my school'. i pine for those times when i just can be a normal person without always having to be an overachiever and an intellectual - i believe this is the environment that brings out the best in me. I have tj to prove it... not saying that tj isn't excellent, just that it fosters a conducive environment for people like me to find ourselves. But those WERE the days.
Looking ahead is smarter than clinging to the past. For whatever nostalgia I still hold about my high-school, 'good life' days, I'm now married to this place. For better or worse. But I'm going to make sure it's for the former; I'm now in the process of reclaiming it. Step by step, one by one, they will fall into place. And then I can say that I did it again.
It's going to be sweeter the second time around.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Life For the Past Month
Oktoberfest... Intense "Midterm"-ing...Al Gore Comes to Harvard... Bowling at Boston Lanes with HPF...Watching the Boston Celtics at TD Banknorth!!!!!....Siblings Visit..Obama wins. (not '...' nor '!', but just a '.'
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Coldest Night of My Life thus far
it's 1am, and as usual, i was on my way back to my dorm from the library doing homework and meeting with my chinese group. and guess what, tonight is the coldest night of my life. literally! it's 3C outside, but with the wind chill, its -4C. what the heck, i was in my 2nd thickest jacket but it was still so cold. i so wished to touch snow, but if such a weather continues, man... i dont know. i couldn't carry anything on my hands, or even just talk on the cellphone. it was that cold. im gonna take a hot shower now and get back to doing my work. have lotsa stuff to finish up this week before Friday's big game... guess what, I'm watching the World champs Boston Celtics game this Friday night with my sibs! :)
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Reverberations of the Church Bells
It’s a lovely autumn Friday afternoon. Midterms are over, at least for the immediate future, and the foliage in the Yard is simply breathtaking. The quintessential scene of people shuttling through this historic site gradually transforms into a picturesque setting of laid-back academia. As the bells of Memorial Church ring aloud with the sway of the wind, the shifting scene can be a microcosm not of our minds’ fickleness, but of our adaptability to the changing times as we continue to grow.
Six months ago a young, starry-eyed kid made perhaps one of the biggest decisions in his life. He thought he knew what he wanted to do, certainly convinced of the need to utilize such a privileged education. But just as the bell serves as a stark reminder, the winds of time help broaden perspectives. From listening to speeches that weren’t always bereft of the underlying political overtones no matter how they claim to be to the private conversations with peers, that young man comprehended that in order for one to be really convinced of what one would do, one has to break the decisiveness of his passionate pursuits. A product of a semi-elitist Jesuit education coupled with a few years in an amazing place which has always stressed the holy trinity of ‘Passion, Purpose, Drive’, the eternal pursuit of excellence and the ‘always do what we love, and do it fervently’ has been embedded in his psyche. But little did he know before that the elixir of one’s passion lies on doing other things OUT of it; in order for one to really love what he does, he has to do and experience other things – by having a comparative framework of one’s different experiences, this reinforces and further strengthens his passion in a particular field.
And so, this profound shift in perspective has made him think of exploring other things. Doing community work and related activities for most of his teenage life, to find out if that’s what he really cares most about means that he has to give it up, at least temporarily, and try out new areas - from the more pragmatic financial analysts club to perhaps even the more idiosyncratic magic club. In short, if something is really what you are meant to do, it would eventually find you. If politics is it, you don’t have to want to be a politician; someday someway it HAS to find you. That’s perhaps one of the realizations that this kid understood.
The church bells ring every hour. They do wake people up, especially in the early morning. But they also served as a wake-up call to a 20 year old when he reached a crossroad in life.
Six months ago a young, starry-eyed kid made perhaps one of the biggest decisions in his life. He thought he knew what he wanted to do, certainly convinced of the need to utilize such a privileged education. But just as the bell serves as a stark reminder, the winds of time help broaden perspectives. From listening to speeches that weren’t always bereft of the underlying political overtones no matter how they claim to be to the private conversations with peers, that young man comprehended that in order for one to be really convinced of what one would do, one has to break the decisiveness of his passionate pursuits. A product of a semi-elitist Jesuit education coupled with a few years in an amazing place which has always stressed the holy trinity of ‘Passion, Purpose, Drive’, the eternal pursuit of excellence and the ‘always do what we love, and do it fervently’ has been embedded in his psyche. But little did he know before that the elixir of one’s passion lies on doing other things OUT of it; in order for one to really love what he does, he has to do and experience other things – by having a comparative framework of one’s different experiences, this reinforces and further strengthens his passion in a particular field.
And so, this profound shift in perspective has made him think of exploring other things. Doing community work and related activities for most of his teenage life, to find out if that’s what he really cares most about means that he has to give it up, at least temporarily, and try out new areas - from the more pragmatic financial analysts club to perhaps even the more idiosyncratic magic club. In short, if something is really what you are meant to do, it would eventually find you. If politics is it, you don’t have to want to be a politician; someday someway it HAS to find you. That’s perhaps one of the realizations that this kid understood.
The church bells ring every hour. They do wake people up, especially in the early morning. But they also served as a wake-up call to a 20 year old when he reached a crossroad in life.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Notice To The Viewing Public
It has come to the attention of the writer of this blog that the aforementioned blog has been reported as 'abusive' due to undesirable content and inappropriate language. The author seeks to condemn whoever did so as it is totally unsubstantiated hence obviously done in bad faith.
Note: The blogger shall resume blogging activities and updates soon.
Note: The blogger shall resume blogging activities and updates soon.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
第一年级的大学学生应该找女朋友吗？
Warning: The mini-essay below doesn't not necessarily convey the writer's actual feelings or intentions, as it may suggest otherwise.
我觉得第一年级的大学学生可以有女朋友如果他知道怎么样安排他的时间。 虽然才刚开学，十八岁的青少年就足够成熟了。
找女朋友有几个好处。 学生不想家因为他有了朋友。 另一个好处是女朋友可以帮学生作做业，但是学生应该不要限制他认识的朋友， 因为在大学朋友很重要。
现在，你们问我：怎么样认识好的女人？ 你就跟着学别人做的。
你可以上中文课，不只是 因为中文很有用，而借你有机会认识女朋友。 你一定喜欢中文课！对吗？
Friday, October 10, 2008
Randoms for the Week
Randoms:
1. Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore dropped by yesterday, and so did Jojo when she came to one of the final clubs parties a few weeks back, or so I heard. But I never got to see them, I saw a familiar looking actor though in Harvard Square early September, but not famous enough that I'd know his name on top of my head.
2. Today I was talking to my friend about how much I love Subway Cookies, especially back in Singapore when we'd go there once a week. She then said "wow, they must be really good that you go all the way underground just to get them". Hilarious.
3. For a moment, I felt like a celebrity today. Two girls, who were clearly tourists, were walking in the yard. I overheard a smattering of Tagalog, and they approached me to ask for directions to the Harvard Hall where they could take fabulous photos. When I replied in Tagalog, they were pretty shocked and asked if I was a tourist too. I told them I attend college here, and they immediately wanted to take a picture with me and requested me to take out my Harvard notebook so that they can hold it. (Of course I didn't tell them it was free) Haha, just one of the fascinating things.
4. Anyone who can provide inputs to this, I'll be really glad: Do American colleges have much to learn from foreign higher education institutions? You can share with me what you think are the good points in other countries' system (academic, advising, CCA, admission,etc) that America can learn from? I have a debate on Tuesday, and I am on the Con side.
5. I am pretty upset with HPIE, they haven't gotten back to me since I submitted my application. I emailed a few of the board members inquiring about the status of the application, but they haven't gotten back to me yet.
6. It feels great today, not because it was a good day, but because it's Friday. My Ec midterms were a killer though, if I get a B-/C I'll be happy (and a 'C' here isn't like a 'C' in Singapore... getting a 'C' here is like an 'E' in Singapore..yup, it isn't that good.) And I just found out my two favorite Chinese words, especially if they are uttered during my last class on a Friday : 下课.
1. Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore dropped by yesterday, and so did Jojo when she came to one of the final clubs parties a few weeks back, or so I heard. But I never got to see them, I saw a familiar looking actor though in Harvard Square early September, but not famous enough that I'd know his name on top of my head.
2. Today I was talking to my friend about how much I love Subway Cookies, especially back in Singapore when we'd go there once a week. She then said "wow, they must be really good that you go all the way underground just to get them". Hilarious.
3. For a moment, I felt like a celebrity today. Two girls, who were clearly tourists, were walking in the yard. I overheard a smattering of Tagalog, and they approached me to ask for directions to the Harvard Hall where they could take fabulous photos. When I replied in Tagalog, they were pretty shocked and asked if I was a tourist too. I told them I attend college here, and they immediately wanted to take a picture with me and requested me to take out my Harvard notebook so that they can hold it. (Of course I didn't tell them it was free) Haha, just one of the fascinating things.
4. Anyone who can provide inputs to this, I'll be really glad: Do American colleges have much to learn from foreign higher education institutions? You can share with me what you think are the good points in other countries' system (academic, advising, CCA, admission,etc) that America can learn from? I have a debate on Tuesday, and I am on the Con side.
5. I am pretty upset with HPIE, they haven't gotten back to me since I submitted my application. I emailed a few of the board members inquiring about the status of the application, but they haven't gotten back to me yet.
6. It feels great today, not because it was a good day, but because it's Friday. My Ec midterms were a killer though, if I get a B-/C I'll be happy (and a 'C' here isn't like a 'C' in Singapore... getting a 'C' here is like an 'E' in Singapore..yup, it isn't that good.) And I just found out my two favorite Chinese words, especially if they are uttered during my last class on a Friday : 下课.
Friday, October 3, 2008
My Goals for the Year
I have 7 things that I want to achieve this year, and slowly but surely, I hope to reach there.
1. To experience a snowball fight.
2. To visit New York
3. To fulfill one of the Harvard traditions.
4. To be able to write a simple Chinese essay.
5. To be an equity analyst at Harvard's Financial Analysts Club.
6. To be familiar with Boston and Cambridge such that I can tour people around.
7. To have taught in 4 countries by the end of freshman summer.
1. To experience a snowball fight.
2. To visit New York
3. To fulfill one of the Harvard traditions.
4. To be able to write a simple Chinese essay.
5. To be an equity analyst at Harvard's Financial Analysts Club.
6. To be familiar with Boston and Cambridge such that I can tour people around.
7. To have taught in 4 countries by the end of freshman summer.
Monday, September 29, 2008
My First Academic Paper At Harvard
This is a paper written for Professor Richard Light of the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, for my seminar on Tackling the Toughest Challenges of American Higher Education. The topic this week is about the much-debated SAT. Here is a two-page paper on the change I propose for the Writing Section of the SAT:
If I were the president of Harvard during those years, one of the things I would bring up to the ETS is the inclusion of a writing section in the SAT. Although it is already present today, I believe there are still improvements that could be made in order to boost its ability to predict college writing performance, increase its credibility in the eyes of admission officers and expand its usefulness to post-admission concerns.
To begin with, the writing section of the SAT should be longer, about 60 to 75 minutes. This would give the student time to write a more substantial essay that would be a better gauge of his writing ability. In fact, longer essays are more reflective of writing in college as papers are generally longer than the typical five paragraph essays in the 25-minute section. (In comparison, in the GCE ‘A’ Level Exam, the British equivalent of standardized testing, General Paper essay writing exams are an hour and a half long, with the average essay length of 500-700 words.) As reported by the Boston Globe, about 56% of the 1,000 four-year colleges disregard the writing score due to their belief that length is unduly rewarded and that there is a ‘formula’ to doing well for the 25-minute section
Despite the writing section preceding the other sections, the anxiety pervading while writing the essay may hinder the student from performing his best. Coupled with the fact that this proposed change brings about a much longer writing section, the new writing section will still be administered with the SAT, although it should be conducted in the afternoon after the 9 other sections and a break. This would provide a better gauge of students’ writing abilities, with fewer variables that could have affected actual performance.
Furthermore, such a writing test would also call for a slight shift in prompt topics, from those that presently encourage more personal narratives to those that require a potentially more global perspective. One of the truths about the SAT is that it compels schools to structure their curriculum to better prepare students for the test. To take advantage of this, the prompts/questions could be more global in nature, and thus encouraging schools to increase their students’ exposure to international affairs. Although this type of questions (eg. Should richer countries always help poorer ones?) may be harder than the ones they currently have, this also indirectly promotes international education in schools. This is especially important in the 1950s, when Americans had to be cognizant of the new world order that arose after the world war. In this way, the SAT help shapes what are taught in schools and attempts to address one of the perceived weaknesses of American high school students: having inadequate knowledge about the world.
With such an inclusion of a writing section in the 1950s exam (and a revamp of the current writing section), some criticisms regarding its credibility and accuracy in predicting college performance will hopefully be addressed.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The First Time
This weekend has been probably the best couple of days of my Harvard days thus far. The football game, the pre-game tailgate, the Friday night party, Chinatown outing on Saturday, a good Sunday brunch followed by a slow, lovely afternoon. Aside from the workload, which is indeed piling up and Economics has never been this hard in my entire life (It took me about 2 days during prelims and A levels to study the whole Econs syllabus for JC, but hell, the Ec here is so mathematical and i don't have much people taking the same subject with me, so it's really tough..i need like 3 hours to digest lecture notes, plus all the distractions), life here at Harvard is becoming what I always liked it to be - in a company of scholars, in a society of friends.
There are so many people who proclaim their love for Harvard in their Facebook shoutouts. I don't know how exaggerated they are or to what extent they are true, so I never said anything about my school since. But for the first time in the three weeks since I've been here, I can honestly say that..
I love Harvard. And it's just gonna get better.
Friday, September 19, 2008
TGIF
It's Friday.. and of course, there's such thing as THE HARVARD FRIDAY.
Today was the 1st football game of the season, which was played at home at the Harvard Stadium across the Charles River. Before that, there was the Woodbridge 'Tailgate' Party (FYI - wikipedia this.) I had D'Good Burger for Dinner at the Tailgate, and maybe a couple of drinks... that's a typical American practice, to get pumped up to cheer for your team! we then headed down towards the stadium for my 1st ever live football game! But Harvard, the defending champions, had a lackluster 1st half, being down 6-17 against Holy Cross. This fact coupled with the very cold weather (about 10 C plus wind chill factor) made us leave the game early and we headed to Peets to grab a nice cup of hot chocolate... later on at about 10, we headed down to one of the upperclassmen houses for a party, which was jampacked and the typical dorm party you imagine... unfortunately, at around midnight, the cops came and busted the party! everyone had to leave, but again, it was the HUPD (Harvard University Police Department), so everyone walks off scotch free. Yes, the police here are our friends. haha. But some people walked out of the party wasted though, obviously drunk. If you ever wonder if I was, just look at the coherence of my language in this post.
By the way, I just heard that the Harvard Crimsons had a come-from-behind victory tonight. Final Score: 24-25 Harvard! No wonder we are the Ivy League defending champs. It may seem that there's a certain obnoxiousness in me developing, but I call it... school spirit!
Go HARVARD!
--it's the weekend, and I've got lotsa work to do. this is college. --
Today was the 1st football game of the season, which was played at home at the Harvard Stadium across the Charles River. Before that, there was the Woodbridge 'Tailgate' Party (FYI - wikipedia this.) I had D'Good Burger for Dinner at the Tailgate, and maybe a couple of drinks... that's a typical American practice, to get pumped up to cheer for your team! we then headed down towards the stadium for my 1st ever live football game! But Harvard, the defending champions, had a lackluster 1st half, being down 6-17 against Holy Cross. This fact coupled with the very cold weather (about 10 C plus wind chill factor) made us leave the game early and we headed to Peets to grab a nice cup of hot chocolate... later on at about 10, we headed down to one of the upperclassmen houses for a party, which was jampacked and the typical dorm party you imagine... unfortunately, at around midnight, the cops came and busted the party! everyone had to leave, but again, it was the HUPD (Harvard University Police Department), so everyone walks off scotch free. Yes, the police here are our friends. haha. But some people walked out of the party wasted though, obviously drunk. If you ever wonder if I was, just look at the coherence of my language in this post.
By the way, I just heard that the Harvard Crimsons had a come-from-behind victory tonight. Final Score: 24-25 Harvard! No wonder we are the Ivy League defending champs. It may seem that there's a certain obnoxiousness in me developing, but I call it... school spirit!
Go HARVARD!
--it's the weekend, and I've got lotsa work to do. this is college. --
Thursday, September 18, 2008
'In The Pursuit of Happiness'
Sometimes I wonder what I am here for, whether some things are really worth pursuing or are just lofty ideals which we try to hold dear but aren't practical at all.
I'm going to be frank and honest. I don't have my future all planned out like what some people might think. I don't have the noblest of intentions all the time, and I don't have the biggest (or one of the biggest) heart in the world, as some people may incorrectly surmise.
The past few days here at Harvard made me really reflect what I want to do with my life. Being in this amazing place just somehow gives you a feeling that you can do anything you want in the world. Where else can you have Nobel Laureate professors, presidents and prime ministers giving talks (President Kagame of Rwanda gave a talk today, and next week it's President Bachelet of Chile's turn - practically every week we have a couple of dignitaries who serve as superstar guest lecturers), companies like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley doing campus recruiting, and really awesome classmates??? Well I guess not in a lot of places.
My point is that I began to question myself if I am here just to help me become successful - like being in the investment banking industry - or for something more 'substantial'? Yesterday night, I attended the info session of the Harvard Program for International Education wherein Harvard students teach International Affairs to Boston public high schools. Well, I was really enamored by the program, I'm definitely signing up for it. It just made me realize on how much I love education and teaching, which dates back to my Zapatera Elementary School tutoring days in the Philippines where we tutored kids from public schools. Although I may not be a very good teacher YET (as some of my students can attest), I think I really have the heart for it. I'd really love to teach and get involved in education reform and planning in different countries especially my own. However, I sometimes wonder: is this just the idealistic me speaking? Working my ass off in Singapore and getting a Harvard education, why don't I just take the good life, earn the big bucks, and perhaps donate some money or do some pro-bono consulting for education reform later on? Plus, working for changes in my country isn't an easy feat, and for my personal circumstances, which I shall not elaborate to remain politically correct, this may be close to impossible. I sometimes feel that my 'dreams' of making positive changes are too idealistic, and sometimes it can dampen my enthusiasm. But I guess these are just typical questions one faces when searching for one's purpose.
If I graduate with one of the highest honors in Harvard, would I go back to my country, apply to teach and earn a starting salary of $200 (maybe a bit higher, considering inflation...ok $200 if you take 2008 as the base year)? Maybe, maybe not.
But then again, there are no real answers to hypothetical questions.
I'm not writing this just to showcase my 'lofty goals and ambitions'. What I just blogged about are serious issues which I face daily, and which I hope I can resolve in the next few years as I search for myself in this amazing community, and in the communities that I will be able to immerse myself along the way.
In four years time, actions will speak louder than words.
I'm going to be frank and honest. I don't have my future all planned out like what some people might think. I don't have the noblest of intentions all the time, and I don't have the biggest (or one of the biggest) heart in the world, as some people may incorrectly surmise.
The past few days here at Harvard made me really reflect what I want to do with my life. Being in this amazing place just somehow gives you a feeling that you can do anything you want in the world. Where else can you have Nobel Laureate professors, presidents and prime ministers giving talks (President Kagame of Rwanda gave a talk today, and next week it's President Bachelet of Chile's turn - practically every week we have a couple of dignitaries who serve as superstar guest lecturers), companies like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley doing campus recruiting, and really awesome classmates??? Well I guess not in a lot of places.
My point is that I began to question myself if I am here just to help me become successful - like being in the investment banking industry - or for something more 'substantial'? Yesterday night, I attended the info session of the Harvard Program for International Education wherein Harvard students teach International Affairs to Boston public high schools. Well, I was really enamored by the program, I'm definitely signing up for it. It just made me realize on how much I love education and teaching, which dates back to my Zapatera Elementary School tutoring days in the Philippines where we tutored kids from public schools. Although I may not be a very good teacher YET (as some of my students can attest), I think I really have the heart for it. I'd really love to teach and get involved in education reform and planning in different countries especially my own. However, I sometimes wonder: is this just the idealistic me speaking? Working my ass off in Singapore and getting a Harvard education, why don't I just take the good life, earn the big bucks, and perhaps donate some money or do some pro-bono consulting for education reform later on? Plus, working for changes in my country isn't an easy feat, and for my personal circumstances, which I shall not elaborate to remain politically correct, this may be close to impossible. I sometimes feel that my 'dreams' of making positive changes are too idealistic, and sometimes it can dampen my enthusiasm. But I guess these are just typical questions one faces when searching for one's purpose.
If I graduate with one of the highest honors in Harvard, would I go back to my country, apply to teach and earn a starting salary of $200 (maybe a bit higher, considering inflation...ok $200 if you take 2008 as the base year)? Maybe, maybe not.
But then again, there are no real answers to hypothetical questions.
I'm not writing this just to showcase my 'lofty goals and ambitions'. What I just blogged about are serious issues which I face daily, and which I hope I can resolve in the next few years as I search for myself in this amazing community, and in the communities that I will be able to immerse myself along the way.
In four years time, actions will speak louder than words.
Monday, September 15, 2008
SUNDAY - - - Interesting to see Harvard students roaming about the Yard to go to the various laundry rooms. Guess Sunday is the popular day. Figure that I may have to do it on some other day... and yes, I just bought my first book online from Amazon and half.com! gosh, books in college are really expensive...bought some new and used books... for my courses this term, i guess its going to be almost 300bucks... i didnt know it would be this expensive! i'm gonna try and sell them after i take the courses, hopefully can get some money back. Went to Boloco at night with entrywaymates and PAF Garrett.
MONDAY: First day of shopping week! Haha, yes, there is this unique Harvard tradition where you get a full week to try out and 'shop' for classes that you'd like to take for the term.. so its like a buffet week! haha, today went to my ec1010 and chinese Bx class.. i can hardly understand half of the things the chinese teacher is saying! by the end of the semester, we are supposed to write a 1000-1500 word Chinese essay, learn about 700 chinese words, do a presentation in Chinese, and have a written and oral exam! A momentous task, but I'm determined to really pick up the language this year. It's really amazing here, coz the textbooks you use in class are written by the professors themselves! hahha they even apologized for the high price (eg Greg Mankiw for Econs- I remember using his textbook for JC too, Sandel for Justice, and many many more!)
And today was the 1st day I walked out of a lecture by a professor...i walked out on a Harvard professor teaching a class of about 25 students. haha but it's totally fine, since it's shopping week. hehe =p
Went for an Ice Cream party cum ADvising Session at Annenberg tonight. Tomorrow's gonna be my first session for my Freshman Seminar. I'm excited!
MONDAY: First day of shopping week! Haha, yes, there is this unique Harvard tradition where you get a full week to try out and 'shop' for classes that you'd like to take for the term.. so its like a buffet week! haha, today went to my ec1010 and chinese Bx class.. i can hardly understand half of the things the chinese teacher is saying! by the end of the semester, we are supposed to write a 1000-1500 word Chinese essay, learn about 700 chinese words, do a presentation in Chinese, and have a written and oral exam! A momentous task, but I'm determined to really pick up the language this year. It's really amazing here, coz the textbooks you use in class are written by the professors themselves! hahha they even apologized for the high price (eg Greg Mankiw for Econs- I remember using his textbook for JC too, Sandel for Justice, and many many more!)
And today was the 1st day I walked out of a lecture by a professor...i walked out on a Harvard professor teaching a class of about 25 students. haha but it's totally fine, since it's shopping week. hehe =p
Went for an Ice Cream party cum ADvising Session at Annenberg tonight. Tomorrow's gonna be my first session for my Freshman Seminar. I'm excited!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Day 6
Rising up to a new morning, I was amazed with how comfortable my sleep was last night. Thanks to the warmth provided by my new comforter.. It was such a great buy!
Anyways, went to Boston Common today with several other Harvard Freshmen, high school student councilors and the kids from CHAD (CHinatown ADventure). It was very enjoyable playing Capture the Flag, Papparazzi and eating New York Pizza with them! I would definitely wanna be involved in such a program, reminds me of BP Mentoring in TJ. By the way, if you happen to be in the States and people ask you which school you're from, and you say TJ, they'll be really awed - coz TJ (thomas jefferson high school) is arguably the best high school in the country! haha.
When we arrived back at Harvard Yard, we just toured the other dorms - Weld, Matthews, Canaday, Thayer and Greenough. After the tour, I was convinced I was the luckiest to stay in the coziest and most beautiful dorm - Matthews, and that I got a very nice corner room and awesome roommates! Went to the First Chance Dance till about 12, then went to grab a pizza from Pinnochio's in Harvard Square. Just came back from chatting with entryway friends, and going to watch the Celtics Championship DVD which Andras lent me.
Hmm, an eventful day. Hope yours was good too! Signing off.
Anyways, went to Boston Common today with several other Harvard Freshmen, high school student councilors and the kids from CHAD (CHinatown ADventure). It was very enjoyable playing Capture the Flag, Papparazzi and eating New York Pizza with them! I would definitely wanna be involved in such a program, reminds me of BP Mentoring in TJ. By the way, if you happen to be in the States and people ask you which school you're from, and you say TJ, they'll be really awed - coz TJ (thomas jefferson high school) is arguably the best high school in the country! haha.
When we arrived back at Harvard Yard, we just toured the other dorms - Weld, Matthews, Canaday, Thayer and Greenough. After the tour, I was convinced I was the luckiest to stay in the coziest and most beautiful dorm - Matthews, and that I got a very nice corner room and awesome roommates! Went to the First Chance Dance till about 12, then went to grab a pizza from Pinnochio's in Harvard Square. Just came back from chatting with entryway friends, and going to watch the Celtics Championship DVD which Andras lent me.
Hmm, an eventful day. Hope yours was good too! Signing off.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Nay To Forgotten Memories
Extracted from my Facebook note dated August 17, 2008:
A few more days from now, I'll be starting a new chapter of my life. Pages of my life story will be flipped as I travel once again to the other side of the world, but now with a different purpose.
I must admit I do not have the best memory, and I often forget happenings. Compounded with the excitement and stress of college life, I am afraid that certain memories of mine will slowly fade away. Forgetting my experiences in Singapore is something I am most afraid about. I will be returning to the Philippines occasionally so I have ample chances to rekindle memories there, but I honestly do not know when I will return to Singapore, and whether the duration can allow me to collect the memories I left behind and evoke those that are within me.
That's precisely the reason I'm penning this note. Since I don't keep journals or have a blog (now I do!), a Facebook note is my only alternative to remembering stuff. Well, I flew to Singapore on the 26th of December 2003, a day before my birthday. In the four years, two at SJI and another 2 at TJ, I've had joyful moments and learning experiences which helped me grow. Communal living in the hostels was probably the highlight of my Singapore experience - I got to live with people of very colorful personalities, opened my mind to new ideas and heard life stories that ran the gamut of perfect to pitiful. But an amazing thing in the midst of this was how we all bonded together, temporarily forgetting our inhibitions in dealing with people who were different from us. I experienced something which I have never, or will never get the chance to experience back in the Philippines.
Aside from the wholesome and wonderful dorm experience, spending a substantial part of my formative years in Singapore also gave me a kind of confidence to evoke changes around me. I credit Sacred Heart for inculcating in me the value of community responsibility and to strive to be a 'Man For Others', a Jesuit ideal put on the highest pedestal. We had opportunities to donate food to the orphans, live with them, immerse ourselves in the life of the troubled teens, as well as help public school children get through primary school. But what I experienced in Singapore was a more abstract occurrence. It opened my mind to what the world is like out there, that there are things that we young people can do, and it enabled my mind to dream big. Helping the local elderly, supporting African children's education, collecting recyclables to raise funds for charities, and consolidating relief goods and books for other countries - these experiences in Leo Club gave me the confidence that yes, there are so many things that we can do, and we can do them 'big' too. No longer was I confined to making just small contributions; it opened my mind to possibilities of larger dreams. However, I am still cognizant that these small steps are essential in helping communities; but it doesn't need to stop there as I previously thought.
My Singapore experience was replete with lighter moments and equally fond memories - from breaking curfews to my first 'business venture'. All nighters were not always the order of the day, but they did happen especially when the Os and the As came. Playing basketball so passionately (my scar on my right forearm is a vivid 'memorabilia') every time we - the Mavs - stepped on the court was unforgettable. My solo trip to KL was a first, and our Penang trip was 'meaningful'. And yes, how can I forget relief teaching? It was a totally new and exciting period when I've always hoped that I can, in small ways, touch others' lives as my teachers had mine.
As the adage says, life goes on. A whole new set of experiences await me in college, and I am truly excited for them. In the hustle and bustle of the near future, I hope this semblance of my past provides a mirror of what I have become.
5th Day at Camp Harvard
Today was cold. Again, but this lasted the whole day and it's raining now.
Woke up early today, had breakfast at Annenberg (picture on the left, the Freshman Dining Hall) with Ray (roommate) and headed down to Divinity Ave at the East Asian Language Department for an Oral Interview. Yes, an oral interview in Chinese, which I really sucked... i dont know if I'm placed at the beginner or advanced beginner based on that interview, but later on I went to see the professor and she talked to me for a while and said I can join the advanced beginner class, although I should work doubly hard (people here can speak and understand, but cant write and read). Anyways, that's for Chinese...
Went to Cambridgeside Galleria in the afternoon with Dimitri, bought Down Comforters which were originally $180, but due to the discount and the Macy's card, I got it for around $26! What a good deal.. Seriously. It can keep me warm this fall and winter.. :)
I'm going to take Ec1010, a higher level econ course of Prof Miron. I'll be skipping Ec10, intro econs, which is by Prof Gregory Mankiw (I would have loved to be in his class too).
And guess what, I got into the Freshman Seminar! Wohoo!!! Lucky enough to be one of the 12 the professor picked from the 40 applicants! Hehe. Really excited for this one as we aim to 'tackle the toughest challenges in US Higher Education - Funding, Curriculum, Public vs Private, Admissions, Diversity, Standardized Testing (SATs), etc".
As for Math, still don't know if I should stick with 1b or just go for 21a. Few more days to decide, I can still shop for classes next week though.
Just came back from the Harvard Carnival.. ate free food (not bad, but not as good as Annenberg Food) and shot some hoops... gonna go to the Freshman Talent Show at 9pm at the steps of the Memorial Church...or perhaps it's gonna be at the Science Center since it's raining!
Tomorrow's gonna be an exciting thing, gonna do something I'm familiar and really like - playingg with kids. Volunteered for a service trip to play with Chinatown Kids at the Boston Common. Yup, I shall write more about it some other day.
Woke up early today, had breakfast at Annenberg (picture on the left, the Freshman Dining Hall) with Ray (roommate) and headed down to Divinity Ave at the East Asian Language Department for an Oral Interview. Yes, an oral interview in Chinese, which I really sucked... i dont know if I'm placed at the beginner or advanced beginner based on that interview, but later on I went to see the professor and she talked to me for a while and said I can join the advanced beginner class, although I should work doubly hard (people here can speak and understand, but cant write and read). Anyways, that's for Chinese...
Went to Cambridgeside Galleria in the afternoon with Dimitri, bought Down Comforters which were originally $180, but due to the discount and the Macy's card, I got it for around $26! What a good deal.. Seriously. It can keep me warm this fall and winter.. :)
I'm going to take Ec1010, a higher level econ course of Prof Miron. I'll be skipping Ec10, intro econs, which is by Prof Gregory Mankiw (I would have loved to be in his class too).
And guess what, I got into the Freshman Seminar! Wohoo!!! Lucky enough to be one of the 12 the professor picked from the 40 applicants! Hehe. Really excited for this one as we aim to 'tackle the toughest challenges in US Higher Education - Funding, Curriculum, Public vs Private, Admissions, Diversity, Standardized Testing (SATs), etc".
As for Math, still don't know if I should stick with 1b or just go for 21a. Few more days to decide, I can still shop for classes next week though.
Just came back from the Harvard Carnival.. ate free food (not bad, but not as good as Annenberg Food) and shot some hoops... gonna go to the Freshman Talent Show at 9pm at the steps of the Memorial Church...or perhaps it's gonna be at the Science Center since it's raining!
Tomorrow's gonna be an exciting thing, gonna do something I'm familiar and really like - playingg with kids. Volunteered for a service trip to play with Chinatown Kids at the Boston Common. Yup, I shall write more about it some other day.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
First Blog Entry
Today is the first blog entry in my entire life. Haha.
4th day of Camp Harvard, and a lot of things happened... met my PAF at Pamplona for some advising, went to the Econs Department and emailed Prof Miron to ask if I can take ec1010... went for math advising too, hoping I'm suitable to take math21... and yes, info session for my freshman seminar! Prof Light was just so good, I hope I'm one of the lucky 12 to be selected for the seminar - fingers crossed till tomorrow 5pm! And it was the Philips Brooks House Association open house, the largest umbrella of community service groups on campus! I'm really interested in signing up for some of them, like Habitat for Humanity and the Chinatown English Language Program where they teach English to Chinese Adults from all ages... Well, these are besides the Harvard Financial Analysts Club and the Magic Club which I'm really keen on joining too. Hope my schedule permits. There are tons of amazing things to do out here that I just have a hard time choosing.
I just came back from playing outdoor basketball at the mather courts... it was friggin' cold, im not used to playing in that kind of weather... my ears were so cold that i could hardly concentrate.. haha but it was fun though, guess i have to get used to a lot of stuff here in Cambridge. Still pondering whether I should go for the Love Story screening at 10...or do the Chinese exercises to prepare for the placement interview tomorrow.. yes people, I'm taking CHINESE. To all those people reading this, better appreciate the chance you have to learn it now (eg Mother Tongue people..) It's really useful man. How I wished I took some classes in Singapore. Well, gonna try to make up for it!
Thats enough for the first post of my life, a historic event like this shouldn't be prolonged any longer than necessary.
4th day of Camp Harvard, and a lot of things happened... met my PAF at Pamplona for some advising, went to the Econs Department and emailed Prof Miron to ask if I can take ec1010... went for math advising too, hoping I'm suitable to take math21... and yes, info session for my freshman seminar! Prof Light was just so good, I hope I'm one of the lucky 12 to be selected for the seminar - fingers crossed till tomorrow 5pm! And it was the Philips Brooks House Association open house, the largest umbrella of community service groups on campus! I'm really interested in signing up for some of them, like Habitat for Humanity and the Chinatown English Language Program where they teach English to Chinese Adults from all ages... Well, these are besides the Harvard Financial Analysts Club and the Magic Club which I'm really keen on joining too. Hope my schedule permits. There are tons of amazing things to do out here that I just have a hard time choosing.
I just came back from playing outdoor basketball at the mather courts... it was friggin' cold, im not used to playing in that kind of weather... my ears were so cold that i could hardly concentrate.. haha but it was fun though, guess i have to get used to a lot of stuff here in Cambridge. Still pondering whether I should go for the Love Story screening at 10...or do the Chinese exercises to prepare for the placement interview tomorrow.. yes people, I'm taking CHINESE. To all those people reading this, better appreciate the chance you have to learn it now (eg Mother Tongue people..) It's really useful man. How I wished I took some classes in Singapore. Well, gonna try to make up for it!
Thats enough for the first post of my life, a historic event like this shouldn't be prolonged any longer than necessary.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)