Of hunger and ambition
Here I am, off work again thanks to a brand new public holiday (Thaipusam) in KL. This one, while unexpected, was certainly not surprising in light of the upcoming elections and recent political going-ons.
Time then, to take stock of where I am and where I will be going. My 2 month stint at PricewaterhouseCoopers KL is drawing to an end. I'm quite reluctant to leave, despite having substituted my entire holiday for work, as I've really enjoyed this internship. My colleagues, both fellow interns and permanent staff, are an awesome bunch. While the scene in Tax and Assurance may be bleaker (so I've heard), my time at Advisory - Corporate Finance/Infrastructure, Government & Utilities has been extremely rewarding. I've worked on a number of projects now, and the opportunity and ability to make real contributions to their work is something I find very fulfilling.
Post-internship, I will have a 2 week break for general relaxing and of course, CNY. Then it's back to Melbourne on the 15th Feb. This coming semester will be hectic, and if things go according to plan, my final semester at university will be even more so. At this stage, it looks very likely that I will finish off my final semester at Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania. There is no expressing just how much I want this.
Why I say 'likely' is because there are two stages to the exchange application process. The first and biggest hurdle is obtaining the Faculty endorsement, which is based solely on results (so they say). Once Melbourne Abroad receives this endorsement, it will then nominate you for a place at your host institution. This, I think is based on the number of spots available any given year. I've never been so fixated on a goal, so hungry for something ever in my life as I have been with Wharton. Getting in was my sole and all-consuming motivation throughout the exams. While my Sem 2 results came in weaker than I'd hoped for, I somehow scraped through the selection. I feel a bit like I snuck in the back door illegally, but I may well have overestimated the competition. Either way, the picture Faculty advisers and Wharton return students painted prior to my application had not been a rosy one.
Anyhow, that's over and in my favour. I'm overwhelmingly relieved and 12 kinds of happy. I'm now waiting for the host institution papers, which may take up to 12 weeks. What this means for Sem 1 is that I will now have to complete the four prerequisite subjects for an honours year in Finance all in one go. To have a realistic bid at an honours year, I will need straight mid-to-high H1s in all four subjects - a feat I've not been able to pull off to date. But it's doable - I've quit competitive frisbee, minimised other commitments - it's just that failing is not an option.
I have no doubt that the States will be everything I've dreamed of and more. I just need to make sure I get there - that place, that stepping stone midway between Washington D.C. and New York City.
Time then, to take stock of where I am and where I will be going. My 2 month stint at PricewaterhouseCoopers KL is drawing to an end. I'm quite reluctant to leave, despite having substituted my entire holiday for work, as I've really enjoyed this internship. My colleagues, both fellow interns and permanent staff, are an awesome bunch. While the scene in Tax and Assurance may be bleaker (so I've heard), my time at Advisory - Corporate Finance/Infrastructure, Government & Utilities has been extremely rewarding. I've worked on a number of projects now, and the opportunity and ability to make real contributions to their work is something I find very fulfilling.
Post-internship, I will have a 2 week break for general relaxing and of course, CNY. Then it's back to Melbourne on the 15th Feb. This coming semester will be hectic, and if things go according to plan, my final semester at university will be even more so. At this stage, it looks very likely that I will finish off my final semester at Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania. There is no expressing just how much I want this.
Why I say 'likely' is because there are two stages to the exchange application process. The first and biggest hurdle is obtaining the Faculty endorsement, which is based solely on results (so they say). Once Melbourne Abroad receives this endorsement, it will then nominate you for a place at your host institution. This, I think is based on the number of spots available any given year. I've never been so fixated on a goal, so hungry for something ever in my life as I have been with Wharton. Getting in was my sole and all-consuming motivation throughout the exams. While my Sem 2 results came in weaker than I'd hoped for, I somehow scraped through the selection. I feel a bit like I snuck in the back door illegally, but I may well have overestimated the competition. Either way, the picture Faculty advisers and Wharton return students painted prior to my application had not been a rosy one.
Anyhow, that's over and in my favour. I'm overwhelmingly relieved and 12 kinds of happy. I'm now waiting for the host institution papers, which may take up to 12 weeks. What this means for Sem 1 is that I will now have to complete the four prerequisite subjects for an honours year in Finance all in one go. To have a realistic bid at an honours year, I will need straight mid-to-high H1s in all four subjects - a feat I've not been able to pull off to date. But it's doable - I've quit competitive frisbee, minimised other commitments - it's just that failing is not an option.
I have no doubt that the States will be everything I've dreamed of and more. I just need to make sure I get there - that place, that stepping stone midway between Washington D.C. and New York City.
