Why I'll take this artsy fartsy thing

You seem very annoyed by your Objective Narratives HASS. You even considered dropping it. Can I ask you about it?

Sure! I'd like to know why too!

So what is it about this HASS that annoys you?

Well, for one, it's so abstract and I fear that I won't do well in the subject.

Also, I feel that I might be wasting one HASS module slot, where I could be learning more skills to deal with people (like Orgs & People), or skills to better understand how society works. Things that would be useful in the workplace. 

How does that concern you?

I just don't want to feel like I'm wasting my time since time is precious.

And how does that affect you? Are you just worried you won't do well? Do you think what you'll learn in this HASS isn't useful?

It makes my mind actually think for itself and formulate abstract opinions that only certain people care about. 

I think I'm a rather practical person that runs ahead with things. 

What if I told you that these exercises would train you in "how you analyze art, composition, meaning, and it also trains conceptualisation skills, how you think about a topic, represent it visually, communicate" (Ian).

Yeah! I think these are things I'm lacking in - standing my ground and being daring to conceptualize something out of my own mind, rather than adapting to others' opinions and going with the flow. 

So can you get over the fact that learning this is not inferior to learning about the more "practical" things?

I think I can. THANKS HAHAHA!

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So I just had a conversation with myself, using the little technique Jane taught us during Collab class to use when trying to find out the underlying values or themes of others. It's supposed to avoid the "why" question to avoid getting you into an emotional cascade and missing the point! It's more about "how do you feel about it" and "what about it affects you?".

I was quite bemused when Chun Yong shared with us a conversation he had with himself during the last day, and I somehow just had this with myself because I was seriously considering changing HASS subjects! Still a bit uneasy, but let's see how this goes! 

Week 9 After Midnight Musings

I need strength to do this. I know I can. God please grant me a clear mind and some productivity! 

My Ballsrolling supply chains game group just left, and now it's time to continue tying the Org Proc group essay together. I really don't want to sleep so late, but this has to be done! One major thanksgiving I have first though, is the friends I have made here in SUTD, especially while in ESD and living in hostel. The other is for the spiritual feeding from CF, being mind blown about more and more things about Christ through Genesis every week. And of course, for the occasional times I get to play floorball and exercise, like today.

As tiring as Uni life is, I don't want it to end! (:

SUTD Term 5

On Tuesday, at 5pm, the results for Term 5 were released on MyPortal. There I was, on the train on my way to one-north, almost forgetting about the release of results till 20 minutes before 5pm, when my whatsapp started buzzing with people saying that results would be out soon. The train was pulling through Buona Vista when I logged into MyPortal ... and I got the shock of the day!

BEST RESULTS EVER IN MY ENTIRE UNI LIFE! Praise God for everything!

Term 5 has really been one of the best terms in my entire SUTDent life so far! Not just because of the results, honestly, that's a real added blessing and bonus, but because of how the entire process was. It was a term where I know made it through with the love and assurance of God, no matter how tiring things were. That sweet assurance of waking up each day remembering Christ's love for me, mornings and evenings of talking to Him, resting in reading His word and remembering all that as I did my work and projects. Things weren't perfect, and I'll admit that it's really really difficult to battle the sin of pride and wanting to rule over my own life, absent of God, but through the struggles and encouragement from seeing how others walk this journey, I'm assured of Romans 8:28, "and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose," and my hope is to be aligned with His purpose, no matter how much of a struggle it is. The study of Romans this term has been really a blessing and Romans 5 is the chapter I hold close to my heart!

One thing I've learnt from the people around me this term, especially from the friends I've been working on projects with together, is how gracious and generous one can be to fellow friends. That's a very practical way of showing love in friendships. Especially in small things like treating each other to food, extending good opportunities to others, helping others buy takeaway food, and simply not being calculating in one's behaviour. We often forget that when we think about ourselves and what we deserve because of our own efforts, that we deserve exact fairness. But the small things count, and if we have the means to love another in a practical way, why not! Jesus did that too in His life here in both big and small things like feeding the 5000 and turning water into wine (without the host knowing). All these had eternal purpose, but on the level of loving others, that definitely constitutes as showing love! And if we can't even love our fellow human, how can we say that we love God?

That is what I've seen through living life on campus, despite being stuck there and doing so much work everyday!