Opportunities

Ok just came back from the Shell industrial visit yesterday. It's a timely break from my intensive revision and yeps, it was a really interesting trip. Or rather, it's really an eye-opener for me to see for myself what a real world-class petrochemical plant looks like. It's really.. wow. But yupz, I'm more motivated than ever to work at Shall after I graduate. And my choice in specializing in petroleum aka process engineering is the perfect choice for me. Suddenly, I can see that whatever I'm learning in school is of 100% use to me when I get out there to work in a chemical plant. Mass transfer, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics.. they are all like part and parcel of life working in a chemical plant. The common saying that whatever you learn in school is irrelevant once you get out to work is seriously not applicable to engineers. So technical, so exciting. Haha. And the working environment seems so enticing (ok not the ferry though... )! And in the last post I was somewhat questioning my decisions in life - I'm now very sure that the best decision I made in life is to take the leap of faith and choose chemical engineering over chemistry.

Sometimes, having too much opportunities creates headaches as well. All of a sudden, I feel like I'm flooded with tonnes of opportunity but I can't have everything I want. Maybe I'm being overly ambitious. I want to optimise my experience while I'm still in school, but at the same time, I'm doing things to restrict myself. Such an irony. But I really need to settle down after my exams to straighten out my thoughts - about what I want to do and what I have to forgo in order to those things that I want. One good example would be Industrial attachment. Should I sacrifice summer programme,  overload my overloaded semesters, and shorten my exchange just to go for it? So many things I have to consider. Sometimes it really helps to have someone experienced to talk to. I'm still not talking to my mentor because he's so rigid. Every time I try to request for some flexibility, he turns them down without giving a good reason, or even discussing with me. Yupz, so I have to find other avenues to do so. But yupz, I shall not bother too much about this now and just focus on my exams. Yikes! Econs this saturday! =(

Oh and one last thing. I'm done with my SEP application. Placed Imperial as my first choice and UIUC as my second. Hope I get it =D