Whaddup, BEC

It was the time again when classes suddenly give you a significant amount of homework. This week equals stress with assignments, exams and presentations all piled up in one week. So far, everything went good. On Monday, I received my BEC result for my CPA. Alas, a good result to set my week in a positive note. I actually passed BEC, and it is do-able. This boostered my confidence a little bit. Now, one down, three more to go. I have to destressed myself this week from all the studying I have put in. And concentrate fully on REG. Hopefully, it will be as I planned. Not sure how that goes, I think that this exam is a challenge too. But with new confidence, I believe that I can do it. My will to succeed is ever stronger. They say that, "if you fall, pick yourself up and try again." I will do just that.
See you in a bit...

Ipad and $20 richer

This week was like a gold mine to me. Last Saturday, as I was checking out from Kroger, a passerby found a $20 note on the floor and asked me: "Did you drop a twenty dollar bill?" I was stunned at first, but if somebody gives me $20 you won't say no correct. So, I conveniently said yes. And I kept it in my pocket. Then, I waited for my roommate to check out her stuff. The guy who dropped his twenty bucks ask the counterlady "Did you find any bill, I dropped it?" Since I was a good Samaritan, I took out the $20 and gave it to him. I thought that was my lucky day. I guess I was wrong.

This week on Thursday. One of my friends left her Ipad charging on the desk. The lab assistant that happens to be in my class rotated shifts. She left her Ipad charging on the wall. I came back from a meeting and decided to return to the lab. The new lab assistant who looks Asian asked me if that your friends Ipad? And I said yes. So I started calling my friend to contact my other friend to retrieve the Ipad back. I even sent her an email. Man, imagine loosing your Ipad that you spend hundreds on. Wow, in one week, I would be an Ipad richer and $20 bucks richer. I could live with that. But, obviously those possession does not belong to me.

Good thing, we are both Good Samaritans. Good thing that these people still exist in the world today. In Bowling Green. In Ohio. They say that karma always goes around. Hopefully, my ethical and good instincts would help me in dire need. Especially if I accidentally misplaced something. We will see about that.

Linked In

Social media websites....If I remember correctly, my first social networking site was Friendster. I did not really do much on this website because it was just plain dull. Nothing really much to do. When I came to the US, there was this big hype on Facebook. So, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and join Facebook. Facebook has pretty neat stuff and it has connected me to many people across the world. I have managed to stay in contact with a lot of my friends through Facebook. Friendster, has just gone down the drain. But, it's always the case. Social media websites. A new trend that is Twitter. I do not think that I will be a member of Twitter just yet. Social media websites actually reduces productivity and is a good way to waste your time. And, it's adddictive too.
Then, I discovered Linked In. A professional website to connect business professional over your social network. Over the weekend, I decided to apply for entry level accounting jobs. I was writing a cover letter and did not know who the human resources director of the company name. So, I Googled and LinkedIn provided me all their information. From CEO, CFO to Human Resources Director. Instead, of "Dear Human Resource Director", I actually am able to write their name on my cover letter. This shows that I have done my research my addressing the Human resource director name. Hopefully, my application will stand out compared to other potential candidates interested in this position. I contemplated opening up a LinkedIn account, but I thought it was just an ordinary websites. You know the big "Hoo-Haa". I realized that LinkedIn is actually legit. I am able to look at jobs posted my companies and connect with business professional. LinkedIn, professional business networking at its best. My profile is updated, resume is posted and I am in the long stretch. Hopefully, something good will come up soon before I graduate here from Bowling Green State University. I really need a full-time job related to Accounting. I just need a legit job. Doing everything that I can do get my name out there. Hopefully, something good will come out of this.

My Jobs

I began to realize that I have took on many work related experience. For example, I was a salesman at 1utama selling shoes. Not really one of my most exciting jobs, pretty stressful dealing with girls who wants to buy a lot of shoes. Especially during the weekend, when it is so busy. Not the best time to be working. And then, I worked at the Dining Hall serving customers food. Pretty good job, with good benefits like free food if you work for 2 hours. Love the managers over there. At times, there will be a crazy line, but besides that it is a pleasant work environment. Get to meet a lot of co-workers and new students which was always fun. Thinking about Alexander makes me miss those times. Now, I work as Campus Operations from 10pm-1am at night. My duties include emptying the trash at night, vacumming the carpet and cleaning the toilets. Luckily, I got the least frequent area, the Music Building. Not many people roam that area, and it is not that dirty. So, all's good. The perks of working there include hearing some music being played. Ah, the things we do for money. I need the cash in order to survive my last year in graduate college. Although the pay is not that much, at least I am able to cover my expenses. Plus, I get my graduate student stipend on top of my work. Extra income is always good.

And now, for my real work related experience. KPMG. Audit Internship. Probably the best work related job I ever had. At this point, I think I can handle the late nights or long hours. I really do not mind any of these. If I am working with friendly people, then I think I will be okay. As long as managers do not yell their butt off. I remember once I was working in the office, and this guy went into the manager office and she yelled at him. Like seriously, who do you think you are. Employees have dignity too you know. Oh well, guess that the way of life I guess. Finally, my credit union experience. I did daily transactions, process credit cards, debit cards and issued loans to customers. When I was the VP of Depository, I had to request for a police escort to deposit extra money into the bank. Probably the best experience I ever had.

As the semester is winding down, I am curious and worried of the future that lies ahead of me. What will I do with my career in Accounting. I know, the job prospects is plenty. I just need to spam my favorite companies and hope that I will hear back from them. Ah, I hope there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. I want to open up my email and say "Yes, I accept your offer. I am interested in working for your company". Please let this be a fairytale ending. Although I also need to pass my CPA exam. So many things to do, so little time..

CPA Exam

I just completed by BEC exam today. I felt like I did pretty well, but I am still not that confident in doing well. Kinda hard to predict my result. I will have to wait till the results come out. Man, I am keeping my fingers crossed. I need a good start to my previous two setbacks. What am I gonna do. Studying for a certificate license is so hard. This is only when I am studying in school. Imagine, if I have to work and study at the same time. I might just go overboard.
On a side note, I scheduled for REG on Nov20. The clock is clicking rather quickly. I only have a year to go still my time in the States is up. I don't wanna do the ACCA. I need to get this CPA exam over with. And then, many opportunities will be on my front door. I need a good start, I need a break. I need a pass all four sections. FIN, AUD, REG and BEC. Only four parts, yet still so far. Hope this next result will be a good result for me.

Career Fair

Career Fair is this Thursday. Gonna bring my A game to this career fair.. Dress up looking professional in business attire, printing out resumes and speaking like an adult. I have been to many career fair, especially in Miami University. I always been prepared for career fair, putting on my best suit and dressing up. Getting ready for interviews, etc.
Career Fair can be overwhelming. You will see a lot of people talking to recruiters, so you have to bring your game. And then I wonder, what if this year does not turn out too well. What would I do? I need to pass my CPA exam before I go back, because I do not want to take the ACCA exam. That is even difficult. Not to say that CPA is easier, it is difficult too. But what if I don't get anything, what would I do? Do I pack my bags and go home, Malaysia? People will be asking, you did not get a job in the US? Why ah? Or Singapore? Actually I really want to work in Singapore. That would be my ideal place to work. I think I want to start out my career in public accounting. I tried Audit, maybe this time I will try Risk Assurance that deal with Information Systems Controls. I think I would like that better. People say that internships helps, I do believe it now. Good thing I got an internship with KPMG Malaysia on my resume. That says a lot. Honestly, I do not intend to stay in the US permanently. Yes, I do know that that America is the Land of Dreams and all those things. I just want to get some exposure working in the States and then I will look at opportunities worldwide. Don't get be wrong, there is nothing wrong with US. It's not like if I got an offer from any company, I will not accept it. I just don't see myself working here. I miss home. I miss my family. I miss the food. I miss my friends and my cousins. Living here just grows old.
Career fair here I come.....

Number system

I thought I had a presentation today for my Accounting Communication class. I prepared my Power Point slides, practiced my speech and printed out my presentation slides. I practiced my speech like the whole night just to be well-versed. I even dressed business professional for my presentation. When I walked into the class, I was surprised that my name was not on the board.

Me: Why is my name not on the board?
Professor: "What is your number?"
Me: There a number? * the class laughed* I don't know. Where did you get that number from?
Professor: Yes there is.
Me: Errr, I don't know.
Professor: Your number is 16.
Me: Do I go today?
Professor: No. You go next week. You didn't know that? We are using the number system now.
Me (whispers): I circled today I remember...

I asked my friend. Did I not circle Sept 29. He said yeah, I think you did. Even my friend vouched for me. Why would I go through all the trouble to dress up and get ready for a presentation which is due next week. As a matter of fact, I did circle Sept 29.
But, oh well. I guess I go next week then. Hopefully, I don't be speechless like I did for my first COM 135 class. The longest silence of my life. And then, I got so scared I walked out of the room. Yeah, that's what happened to me.

"My dog ate my homework"

I think this is a good title for my latest blog. I have this shirt that is inscribed as "My dog ate my homework" that I wear it sometimes. I love this shirt because I do not need to explain to my professors the reason why I forgot to bring my homework. Actually, I always bring my homework with me to class so I have no reason to wear this shirt.
I find it very disturbing that professors are not willing to tolerate with late turn-ins and etc but when they forgot to bring their materials, it is easy for us students to just forgive and forget. Or worse forgot to prepare for their class. "Ah, we will come back to this materials later. I will just post the answer on Blackboard so that everybody can view it." Yes, I know professors are human too, but just try to be more accomodating to students too. If it happens to you, it can happen to students too. Well, we are students too. We might have just too many assignments going on during the week and forgot to complete the assignment. Shit happens sometimes too, to us students. I also don't think that professors should just read off slides that you got it from a textbook. Well, I can do that too. I can stand up there and push next. You finish one chapter in 1 week by clicking through slides. Wow, seriously? It took me like five solid hours to understand the fine print in the book. And you post the solutions to the answer that you got from the publisher. That's convenient.

Jin-ious

As I lay awake in my sleep at night, I randomly thought about what if I started a Twitter account. And then, I asked myself, do I really need one? I already got Friendster (which is no longer in existence) and a Facebook account. Why do I need a Twitter account. There are just too many social networking websites to keep up to these days. Social networking is the Z-Generation form of communication. Facebook is already a good procrastinator where you randomly stalked other people who might be of interest with you. You just want to know what are they doing, how are they. You know, when you update their status, you just comment and speak your mind. Instead of counting sheep, I decided that I would come up with possible names for my Twitter account. I do not intend to open up a Twitter account. But, I thought it would just be interesting to create a unique name. Finally, I came out with a name: Jin-ious aka Genious. Isn't this the coolest name ever? Why have I not thought of that before. The name just sprung up on the top of my head. Could you believe that? Then, I wondered maybe I should opened up a Twitter account just to see whether the name is in use. I might be the only one to have that name. I am still debating about it. Not sure whether I will use it.
"If I had a Twitter account, my nickname would be Jin-ious" Damn, I am good!

Walking to class

I don't know why sometimes simple things like this just annoys me. When I am walking to class in the morning, some ignorant people will be smoking. Okay, I don't have anything against smoking. But seriously, smoking at 8am in the morning? In the morning, you are suppose to be working out or exercising. I can't even imagine that you desperately need a cigarette to get you going in the morning. Are you that stressed already? Some people. If you want to smoke, that is fine but don't blow your cigarette smoke into my face. I just need a clean air while I am walking to class. I don't want to get lung cancer if I am not smoking. I want to see the world a little bit more and just be considerate about it. Wish they make it a smoke-free campus like Miami. Smoking sucks. I have to put up with your puffing every day while walking to/from school. You are polluting my lungs!

Print Holiday

The university announced last week that there will be a printing holiday that last till Saturday, Aug 27. I started being the kiasu guy and started printing off the syllabus, book notes and a few PP slides that some professor put on Blackboard. I was so happy because I do not need to use my own printer cartridge yet alone my own paper. As you know, university college love free stuff. Last week, there was this Orange Umbrella that university provided for its student in case of rain. As I was grabbing the umbrella, I thought to myself, how would the university know who returns it, unless they have a RFID tag attached. If you were going to ask, no, I did not steal some. I was going to, but then my moral values prevented me from doing so. I felt bad. Karma will eventually bite you.
Anyway, back to the main story. So everybody started to get involved into this free printing act. Some people was so inconsiderate that they started printing the book which created a long line. How inconsiderate! After the printing holiday was over, my professor decided to post the entire Power Point slide chapter from the book. Each chapter has 44 slides...13 chapter, 44 slides. Looks like I am going to spend a lot on printing this semester. And for my MIS class, there is also a lot of slides. I wished my professor posted them earlier so that I can utilize the free printing holiday.
Now, I wish I there is another printing holiday so that I can print my slides out. Sigh, I guess it won't happen for a long time. If only she posted them a day earlier, then I can save some trees or printing costs. Man, this really sucks.

Signing off,
#Poor Falcon college graduate student

Bowling Green

First week of classes have started and I am still getting adjusted to life at BGSU. Transitioning is pretty difficult especially if you are new and need adjusting. I feel like I am a freshman again, meeting new friends/people, joining groups, finding my passion etc. However, this time is a little bit different. No more freshie status, I am a graduate student. To be more precise, MAcc student. I am still undecided on my track but it probably will be IT. But, Audit/Accounting can be interesting too. I am not sure whether I do all the coding, software analysis etc. Although I am knowledgeable about computers, I am not an expert. Hopefully, I can decide on my future track soon. BGSU is comparable to Miami in some ways. The College of Business has a good reputation and I think I might join this Accounting organization to be expose to more career opportunities, meet new friends. On a side note, I have been spending my leisure time at the Rec Center, playing basketball and running around the track.
In addition, I have classes MW 8-915, 11-1215 and 1-215pm. And then I am done. On TH, I have only one class 2-315 which is good. I just got a new email about my graduate assistant position. I will be working with the Accounting advisor of the organization that I am planning to join. I have a meeting tomorrow at 930am. I am still debating whether I should buy BGSU shirts or sweatshirts. But, the colors at Brown and Orange. These colors are limited in my wardrobe. As they say, you need to broaden your horizons. Put more colors in your life. I wish it will only be like normal colors like Red, Black or White. Sigh. Oh well.
Today, I visited the dining hall on campus and reminded me of Alexander Dining Hall. I ate lunch at this buffett style place but it was completely different setting from Alex. There are no student workers working there. Everybody are cooks. Imagine that. The food is just okay. I might check out another place. This dining hall just did not meet my expectation. It just did not surpassed my expectations. I guess my chances of getting an approval to work in the dining hall is slim. Oh well, it's so hard to find a legit job on campus. Good thing, I got this stipend to cover my expenses. I wonder how they are going to pay me.

Limitless

I decided to watch a movie today. So I searched and searched for a good movie. And what did I finally decide on? You guess right....Limitless. The show is about a drug called NZT that work your brain at limitless capacity. Statistics shown that throughout your life, your brain only works 20% of the capacity. With this drug, you are God-like. Which brings me to my next point. Studying for the CPA really is an endurance task. I am taking Financial on the 13th and Audit on the 27th. After studying for 2 weeks, waking up at 9am in the morning, studying straight till 5pm with occasional breaks at 12 for lunch and 2pm. It is taking the toll on me. Now, with five days to go I am feeling nausea. Feeling scared. I feel that I should be prepared by now. But, I don't think I am. I covered all topics, worked on all questions. I done my part. Hopefully, I can get a result that I am happy with. That is to pass this exam. It would be a good start to my CPA/Accounting career. Please just let me pass this two exam and I will forever be grateful!

Commencement speech

Miami University invited a Pepsi CEO, Indra K. Nooyi to speak at commencement ceremony. I thought that her speech was good. In her speech, she talks about taking risks, putting your best foot forward always, and giving back to society. So, I decided to Youtube some other universities commencement speech. In past years, Stanford invited Oprah, Steve Jobs and probably some other famous people too. Then, I came across UPenn commencement speaker, Denzel Washington. Imagine, having a famous actor speak at your commencement. It must be an honor. Just like how George Cloony filmed his movie in Miami. I have to admit that his speech was very interesting too. In his speech, he talks about falling forward, not backwards. It is a good metaphor. I decided to reflect on that a little bit. Everybody keeps on telling me that you need to have something that helps you, like the "Just in case". "Just in case you didn't get that, at least you got something to fall back on..."
In his speech, he talks about falling forward, because you want to know what you are falling on, so that you can avoid it. If you fall backwards, you cannot see what is behind you, all you hope for is that something will catch you from behind. I think I will want to fall forward from now. At least it is a better alternative. Graduation is a scarry thought, but I think it will be rewarding and I am looking forward to it.
Alas, I don't even know whether I will be going to graduate school. *still praying that Purdue accepts me* My most favorite quote from his speech is "to get something you never had,you have to do something you never did". I believe this is true, maybe I need to start something I never did, and get what I never had. Best quote ever, in my opinion.

Uhaul truck

After travelling with my parents around Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, California and San Francisco, it is time for packing stuff up. From Purdue, I drove to Indiana University to pick Joliana up, then drove down to Miami University. It was a little of a rush because we had to pick up the truck at 5pm in Oxford. Luckily we managed to get it in time. In my apartment, I realized that I have a lot of shirts and my sis and Jo helped me put my shirts in big bags. It only took us 2 hours to pack everything in the van, as 2 Courtyard of Miami stuff helped us to carry it to the van. We stayed a night at Dong's place and headed out the next day at 11am. Man, driving the van was not too difficult. The only difficult part was the van kept on swerving to the right. Good thing the rain was not that bad, it was just on and off. One thing that made me nervous was when I was about to turn into the junction to my sister's place the GPS dropped. That made me nervous,don't ask me why. Maybe because there was no place to stop to fixed it back in and I had to turn. But, whatever, everything worked out well. Now, everything is in my sis's place. Hopefully, *fingers crossed* that I will hear back from Purdue University. Ah, please accept me!!

Almost done

Update: I am almost done with finals...I just finished two today, MGT 498 and BLS 437 was pretty good to say the least. I just have a Theater play tomorrow at 1015am and then I am done. Today, I also managed to clean up my room to prepare for my parents who is coming over for my graduation. Ah, I cannot wait. Actually, they are in Purdue right now, my sister is taking them for a tour. I booked places to eat and maybe tomorrow I will call Hertz to rent a car to drive to the airport. This weekend will be so much fun and hectic. I am so anxious...I really am.

Operation Geronomino

It's been ten years now since the Sept 11 attacks on New York City, World Trade Center. After the building came crumbling down, Osama Bin Laden posted a video and assume responsibility. The terrorist network Al-Qaeda was responsible for a numerous jihad wars against the rest of the world. Yesterday, while I was taking a break from studying my Accounting exam, I opened my IE and saw a headline that read..."Osama gunned down". Apparently, he was hiding in Pakistan in a house. How could he ever just decide to live there? Like seriously....As the most wanted man in the world, a house would not probably be the best thing to hide, unless there is secret pathways underground. But, who am I to judge. I wonder how he could have crossed borders and ended up in Pakistan still remains a mystery. Anyways, Osama is officially dead. I heard Obama's live video feed officially announcing that Obama is dead. Imagine being in his shoes to lead this investigation, and calling the shots. I bet the room was in complete chaos, ultimately the President has to make the final conclusion. Phew, everything went as planned. This might be his milestone of becoming a President. I actually admire him a lot now. Quoting his theme: The change we need, I think this is the change we need to see in years to come. And the United States of America will be the leader in the world.

Finals Week

I just took my first spring semester final exam. Accounting exam, to say the least. I thinbk I did pretty okay, I thought it was a little bit too tough, but still do-able. I should be fine. Probably my most feared exam ever and I am pretty much done with it. I might be taking a week off from blogging to concentrate on my exams. I still have Cyberlaw, Management exam and Theatre exam. One down, three more to go...I can't wait to see my parents and lil' Eeling on Friday night. Ah, so exciting. And then Graduation Weekend.

Graduation dillemmas

One week into graduation, I suddenly feel that the whole weight is on my shoulders. Yes, I know that my Miami experience has helped me transition towards becoming more prepared to face the real world. I am more analytical, proactive and have good time management skills. I have leadership experience and soft skills that make me a valuable asset. However, I tried numerous times to apply for jobs, internships and even to MACC programs. I always have a backup plan but this time, I do not think I have one. This weekend, I have done job search online and applied for internships, jobs. Hopefully I will get a reply soon. *fingers crossed*. Although I want to work in the US, I have a feeling that things will not work out for me here. If I am just given the opportunity, I am able to demonstrate to them that I am a leader in the making. On the other hand, I have friends who chose to take up another major, prolong their studies and eventually find a job. Well, I guess if you are rich then you can pay extra tuition.
For now, I think that I am on my own, I just need a spark to light up my career and pursue the impossible. So many decisions to make and high expectations make me feel that I am carrying so much weight on my shoulders. Life can be cruel sometimes, but then you just need to persevere and look at the bright side of things. Hopefully, I will hear good news next week.

the Social Network

I know that this is a little bit outdated movie, but it actually is one of the best movies I ever seen. As you know, Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook. He stole intellectual property from the twins and created his own social network that is worth millions today. At first, Harvard members were allowed to be part of this network, but it expanded locally, nationally and then internationally. Even I succumbbed to creating a Facebook profile. Facebook goes the same line with Myspace and Friendster. Somehow, Facebook is different, you kinda get addicted to it. It is a new revolution. Obviously, a new social media called Twitter is gaining popularity, but that is a different story altogether. Somehow, along the way, Mark began his deceitful ways and backstabbing people. I guess that is how it is in the business world, people are always trying to pull you down. You got to stand up and defend yourself. Which brings me to my next point, Business Legal Studies, Cyberlaw to be exact. Currently, I am taking a class that teaches how to control your intellectual property. In this class, we learn how to refrain people from stealing intellectual property. You protect your IP rights, by putting controls in place. Trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, patents etc.
An ongoing lawsuit is going on between Facebook and the "CFO" for litigation claim, damages and etc. I think the amount that Mark settles with his CFO, the twins and everyone else goes up to $10 million. Compare that to Facebook, these payout are merely peanuts. So, he won Times People of the Year 2010. How could he even be nominated for that award. Just because he is a milionaire, who stole people secrets. I would give credit to him for being a software engineer and writing codes. But seriously?

P.S: I know this sounds stupid but I might be liable for defamation purposes. To protect myself from any lawsuit, because I cannot afford one, I am by no means criticizing Mark or whatever. I intend no harm done. Period.

Formally Invited

As the semester is almost over, it is probably also almost time for formals. As usual, I attended AAA formal which was held in Holiday Inn (whatever that room is called). I definitely had a blast at that formal. Of course I dressed up perfectly for that occasion. This Friday, I attended Alpha Phi Omega formal. You will probably ask how do I get invited to this formal? Well, I knew a lot of people in this organization from Alternative Spring Break. So, I got invited to it. And, this organization is a service fraternity. I actually feel that I would definitely fit right in this organization. I wished I knew about it, but I cannot turn back time. The difference between these two formal is that AAA we had to do all the decorations and food is not served. How bad is that? AphiO, on the other hand, had snacks and decorations with their formal. Here are some of the pictures:

AAA 2010-2011 Exec members.

Group Photo

The boys...

Me and Tiffany...

Alpha Phi Omega formal, my closest friends...

Assignment

You know when you are doing an assignment or a paper, sometimes it takes you a long time to complete it because ideas is not flowing the way you want it to be. Other times, ideas just keeps on flowing like water and in the end you get a completed essay in a time span of below 2 hours. That is when you know that you are being productive. I think I successfully completed my finished product and I think that it is the best paper I ever written. I actually put in a lot of thought into this paper. I decided to post this paper on my blog because well, I am gonna graduate and I am sad that I am leaving this place. So here it is: My Miami Journey As I am typing this essay, I hear a Miami tour guide giving prospective students introducing King Library and giving a 30-minute snapshot of Miami campus. He tells them that Miami would be the right decision for them because of its abundant opportunities and advanced studying facilities. As graduation is approaching, I took a moment to reflect upon this semester and how my college experience has impacted my life. Throughout this semester, I have been constantly improving on my five self-attributes: sales ability, negotiating skills, public speaking and presentation, people management skills and attention to details. In terms of sales ability, I introduced myself to Executive Speakers such as Tom Padgett and Bob Moritz. For our group project, I took the initiative to help out my group members by researching additional information about Subprime Mortgage current issues. My negotiating skill improved as I established a two-way communication with my fellow members. I always encourage feedback or inputs from them so that we can work collaboratively as a team. Besides that, I am gradually improving on my public speaking skills. This semester, I presented in front of the class and answered the audience’s questions. During class discussion, I am always asking questions or giving good inputs to enhance the learning experience. Also, I completed my goal of reading the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Furthermore, I am paying more attention to details by taking down good notes in class. Before each class, I make sure that I print out the Power Points slides for me to take additional notes. After doing the time-management survey test, I ranked above average in time management skills. As a Student Manager in Alexander Dining Hall, I work 18 hours a week along with taking a full load of classes. As I have a long day filled with classes and work, I always plan my day out to help me accomplish more and feel more in control of my life. I use my Miami Memo to remind me of the things that I need to get done beforehand. Before I go to sleep, I will also have a to-do list and put the most important tasks at the top. I will make sure that I will spend my time wisely by accomplishing my goals the next day. If I have a free schedule, I will strategize myself in getting assignments done for the future. For example, I will read articles on Blackboard that is due two weeks later, take down notes on the next chapter or complete my assignments. If I am taking a break from studying, I will maximize my time by checking emails and replying them. Having a balanced time management helps me to minimize conflicts and last-minute rushes. Personal Finance Plan is as important to me as time-management skills. My parents are financing my tuition expenses and I work part-time to earn income. I use what I earn to finance my own expenses. Working at the Student Credit Union helps me to understand the importance of personal finance. Every month, I set up a budget expense to forecast on my spending amount. My budget will consist of threshold expense amount. This process helps me ensure that I do not overspend. At the end of the month, I reconcile my account balance with my expenses to ensure that I am spending within budget. Besides that, I always try to minimize my credit card expenses. To improve on my credit score, I remember to pay my credit card bill at the end of every month. If my account is balanced, I will reward myself by eating out or buying Graters ice-cream. On the other hand, if I overspend that month, I will minimize my spending to make sure that I am back in balance again the next month. Miami University offers a diverse variety of classes for students to learn more about their passions. My top five favorite classes at Miami are COM 135, MGT 415, BLS 437, ACC 456 and THE 123. I would recommend taking COM 135, Introduction to Public Speaking, because it helps nurture students to speak with confidence and become better public speakers. This class also equips students with useful techniques to help them deliver better speeches. MGT 415, Marketing to Organization is another class that has impacted me because Dr. Coley challenges her students to think out-of-the box with a lot of a class discussions. For this class, we were assigned a real-world project to improve Cintas’ supply chain department. During the final presentation, I met with Cintas’ top ranked executive officers. As for BLS 437, Ethics, Law and Business, it teaches students the application of morality in the marketplace and how to apply them in real-life situations. I would rank ACC 456, The Accounting Profession, as my favorite Accounting class because it has equipped me with useful knowledge to better prepare myself for this profession. For me, this class is a unique experience because it is a stepping stone towards being a professional individual in a workplace environment. Students are able to share their internship experience and provide good input to make this a positive learning experience. THE 123, Acting for the Non-Major is my favorite class because our group projects consists of working together with everybody in the class. We collaborated and support each other as a group. For our final project, I will be presenting my acting scene in front of an audience. These classes are my favorite because it appeals to my learning experience that could be applied to the real world. As a business major, my most significant class that I have taken at Miami would be COM 135, Introduction to Public Speaking. This class was memorable because for my first speech, I was so nervous that I forgot my entire speech. To make matters worse, I decided not to use note cards, so I had no material to help me. The ten seconds that I stood in front of the room felt like the longest moment of my life. I was so embarrassed that I walked out of the room. Luckily, the professor understood my situation and he encouraged me to try again. I presented for the second time, and this time I successfully did it. For each following presentation, I followed the professor’s guidance and gradually improved on my public speaking skills. Towards the end of the class, I was awarded most improved speaker by my classmates. This class has helped me overcome my fears of public speaking to become an effective public speaker. During my time at Miami, I attended many speakers because I wanted to learn more about their work, life and job opportunities in their company. Doug Batista of Nestle talks about how he went out of his comfort zone transitioning from a Director of Marketing into an Accountant. He mention how he is able to adapt to a new environment and how this experience strengthen him as leader. Last year, my Audit class lecture was impactful because Dr. Ballou advices students to seek out good mentors. Be proactive and do not be afraid to ask someone in the office that you aspire to be to be your mentor. A good mentor is important because it helps you navigate your career and you are able to follow in their footsteps. Gen. Colin Powell’s lecture topic was “Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust and Values”. The most interesting part of his lecture is when he describes how a leader should put his followers in the best environment. He talks about how leaders should possess integrity and motivation to succeed. Another lecture that I thought was important is that we should always give back to society. Before I came to Miami, I realized that I depended on my parents a lot. Studying abroad made me more independent, responsible and better at time-management. Furthermore, I have become more focused on my work. Before coming to Miami, I would categorize myself as an introvert. My experience here has helped me to branch out of my comfort zone and become more sociable with people. Furthermore, I have build up my leadership experience working as a Student Manager at Alexander Dining Hall, being the Treasurer of the Asian American Association, and VP of Depository of First Miami Student Credit Union. Now, I am a more analytical by thinking out-of-the box for innovative ideas. The five attributes that will be valuable for my full-time position would be people management skills, critical-thinking skills, teamwork, proactivity and determination to succeed. To be an effective leader, I need to be able to manage people effectively. I need to make sure that my actions are consistent with my core values and standards. Critical thinking is important because this attribute will help me make key business decision-making that will reflect my career, organization and most importantly my family. I constantly need to learn how to challenge the process by enabling others to act. I must also be proactive because I need to be able to make things happen under conditions of uncertainty. As I enter my full-time position, I constantly need to be a team player and work collaboratively with my colleagues to achieve the desired result. Besides that, I need to be determined in my work so that I can progress upwards in the organization. I need to search for opportunities to innovate, grow and improve to be a successful leader. College is a transition from high school to and becoming an adult. You should spend time to make new friends, in your dorms, organizations or even in your classes. I wished that someone would have told me as an incoming freshman to get to know more people in my major. Having group project helps to build relationship, but venture out and meet new people. Also, when there is an exam or assignment due, you need to set your priorities straight and do what is necessary. Having a balance is between friends and schoolwork is important. Enjoy what this college has to offer, including new experiences, classes and being away from home. If you are in my shoes, you will realize that you have only four more weeks of school left. I realized now that I want to spend my last weeks with my closest friends because pretty soon we will not be able to meet at one place again. My words of wisdom for someone who wants advice will be to choose a major that will define your passion. Condoleeza Rice quote, “Once you find your true passion, pursue it because you will accomplish something that you love.” You should not choose a career with the highest pay because money does not guarantee happiness. If you love what you are doing, you will be motivated to do your job right. Another word of advice that I would give other students is to just be who you are. For once, try to accept you who are because this is a gift from God. Having a large group of friends and fitting in is not what’s important. What matters is a few close friends who you will know will be with you throughout your journey. Four years do fly by so quickly and then “poof” I am out in the real world. In four weeks, I will be graduating with my degree and starting my own career path. I am sad that I will be leaving this wonderful place. Though I am unsure of what my future career would be like, I am confident my Miami experience will help me embrace every challenge with great desire and passion. There is a Chinese proverb that says, “Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened”. As I am writing this paper, I am picturing myself smiling wearing my red gown walking up the aisle and receiving my official certificate. I smile because I know that my time here at Miami is well-spent because of the memories and impactful experiences that I have made in four years of my life.

Spring Break 2011

Finally, a well deserved break is come. I really need a break especially all the midterms, group projects and assignments. My spring break is next week. I have decided that this break I will be going to St.Louis, Missouri. I joined the Alternative Spring Break trip and we will be distributing food at the Food Bank. It only costs me $140 for a whole week. I will be leaving on Saturday at 815am and arriving back on Sunday. I will not bring my laptop so I will go one week without any Internet access. Sometimes, I wonder whether I should get a Iphone or a Android phone so that I can surf the web. But, then I tell myself I don't need one, I need my privacy. I do not want any updates or constantly checking on my email. Plus, the fees are so expensive.
This spring break will be completely new experience for me and hopefully I can mix with this new group of people.
Spring Break is here.....

George Clooney

Who would ever knew that celebrities like George Clooney or Ryan Gosling would come over to Miami University and shoot a film? It turns out that they actually decided to shoot Ides for March at Farmers Business School. Don't ask me why they chose to shoot the movie here but what does it matter anyways? What matters is that Miami University is famous. Today, I saw George Clooney and Ryan Gosling in the Business School. It causes such disruption in the school because they blocked off parts of the building entrance just to film the movie. Police were patrolling the place and standing guard.

Actually, you can be part of the movie as they are hiring to cast people in the show. Part of me wanted to do it, but I figured that it will be a long process. Shooting one part of a scene takes like 3 hours. That is like 3 hours of my precious time. I guess that is why actors get paid that much.

I decided to upload some pictures to show that I was not lying. And yes, I saw George Clooney, and yes, I am from Miami University. I pray that one day I will spot Natalie Portman or Rachael McAdams. If you imagine that this day would not come, think again YuJin! One day, your dream will come true. If you just believe......

My personality

You know how sometimes you don't really believe in personality test, and you think that it is so stupid. At first, I thought that personality test are just a waste of time, etc....But then, I decided to give it a try since I had nothing to do. All my midterms are over, I just had Business Law exam on Monday and SCOR exam (which went bad, i guess) on Wednesday. After completing the questions, my type is INTJ. I am introverted, intuitive, thinking and judging.

I realized that this 4 personality defines me really well. I can daresay that I am a very introverted person, as I rather be alone then asking a group of people to go out with me. I don't have the patience nor the time to fit everybody in. Don't get me wrong, I am a very sociable person too. Besides that, I believe that I use my instincts a lot when judging people's character. I know that sometimes this trait can be bad, but this is how I do it. I am always thinking, always thinking about the next step, the future, and what comes after.

After reading my personality, I got excited and decided to learn more about my personality. It says that I am a Mastermind. One of the characteristics of Mastermind is being prepared for alternatives that may arise in any step of the way. It also says that Mastermind are rare and are highly capable leaders. Although Masterminds are capable leaders, they are not eager to take the lead and prefers to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. This is where I fit in. (up to this point, so true, SHIT!) And then I read on, Mastermind work long and hard, dedicated in their pursuit of goals. I reflected on that for a moment, remember Alexander Dining Hall and becoming Student Manager in my senior year. I used it as a positive to improve myself. (Ah, so true!). Lastly, Mastermind are highly theoretical and insist on looking at all available data before they embrace an idea. (The more I read this, the more scarry it is because it is so true).

And there you have it, my personality test result. I have tried this like three times and the result is the same every time. My personality is INTJ and proud of it!!

Dim Sum trip

Last weekend, the Tinikling group went for a Dim Sum trip to commemorate Chinese New Year. We was on Facebook chat discussing about which places to go to eat. The choices was Cheesecake Factory, Italian restaurant, Kyojin (Japanese buffet) and etc. Someone, came up with a brilliant idea to go for DimSum. Actually, I have never been to a DimSum restaurant in Ohio. I remember the last one I went was in New York City Chinatown. I went with Margaret, Heng Leong, HuiHui, Che and QiaoWen. Nothing beats at home Dim Sum though. I think my favorite all time dish is SiuMai and Char Siu Pau. The best part of this trip was they actually serve Duck, Char Siu, and Tau Foo Fah. Ah, so Malaysian. Makes me miss home a lot.

After eating, we went to Kenwood mall for some window shopping. I got Yagoot, something like yogurt with real fruits. Best combo ever, Strawberry and Mango, yum, yum!!! And then, we visited Elyssa for a birthday surprise. Stephanie baked a cake for her.

I stole some pictures on my friend's Facebook. My blog needs more photos anyways. Too many words makes it boring. Here you go...my DimSum photo album.

Tinikling group

Picture taken after eating.

Tiffany, me and Andrew

Birthday surprise for Elyssa. Duh, she is holding the cake!

Year of the Rabbit

Chinese New Year is here again. Ah, I miss celebrating this holiday the most. I miss spending time with my favorite cousins, Jia Yen, Sharon, Angela, Jean, Jia Hui, Jia Jing, Joo Anne, Joo Xiang, Pei Wen, Pei Ying, Rachel and Rebecca. I always remember that Chinese New Year we would play fireworks and Pop-Pop outside of the house. This year, I think it is a lot different because both my grandparents have passed away. Still, Taiping is the place to be during CNY. I miss Uncle Kean Hong home cooked meals. He would always cook steam fish, curry prawns, pepper soup and etc. On the second day, we would go around visiting our relatives, collect angpows, eat lunch or dinner and then go back home. Sometimes, we would drive around Lake Gardens and hop on a boat and paddle away. Those were the fun times. I love Taiping a lot. Can you believe it that everybody is so big already? I am going to be 23 years old, and the majority of my cousins are in their Forms. Time flies by so fast when we are having fun. We all want to stay in Taiping a little bit longer but then my parents have to go back and work. I understand now, driving back is a hassle and Dad probably gets tired.
After Taiping, we would normally go visit Aunty Susan in Seremban. Another fun trip. This time, we will book a fanciful restaurant and lou "yee sang". The saying goes, "You should mix it as high as possible because then your dream will come true".
Happy Chinese New Year my fellow friends in Malaysia....Welcoming in the Year of the Rabbit!!
May this year bring you joy and happiness!!

Fusion 2011

Time flies by so quickly don't you think? I cannot believe that it's been 4 years already. As this is my senior year, I decided to go all out for Fusion. I was in Tinikiling, Guys Hip-Hop and Senior Dance. Tinikling is a Phillipines dance that consists of bamboo sticks. I felt that this dance was pretty easy since I done this last 3 years in a row. The chereographers are Stephanie Chou and Jenny Hua who had endless practices. We put in so much hard work into the dance, practice and mastering in the dance, jumping in and out of the bamboo dance.

Next up, was Guys Hip-Hop. I always wanted to be in Hip-Hop but I felt that I am really not a big hip-hop kinda person. However, I signed up and just casually did it. I did Big Bang and Girls on Dance Floor. I felt that Big Bang song was the hardest to pull it off as I only practiced like this January. I found a Youtube video online and practice it to perfection. I have to say, the Guys have some weird concept but it was cool nevertheless.

Finally, Senior dance was the most anticipated dance ever. There are a total of 20 seniors this year that are graduating and we thought that we should have our very own dance. It took us a long time to come out with an idea. Our theme was 2007-2011, a timeline. First song was Wawa Wawa by Chris Brown, Beijing Olympics, Love Story (featuring Kanye West), Beat It (MJ) and last song was Like a G6. I was in the Beat It and Like a G6. I actually did the Beat It moves which I thought was cool. Damn, I could be Michael Jackson. So there you have it, Fusion 2011.

Sadly, this is gonna be my last Fusion ever. Oh yeah, my sister and Dong came to watch me perform which I thought was awesome.....ah, so proud of myself. I will post pictures soon!!!

Spring 2011

Another new semester has just began, actually it is my final semester here at Miami. Who knows what will happen after that...I am a little bit scared to face reality, finding a job, working among my colleagues, being professional, and tolerating my future boss.
I schedule for 20 credit hours this semester, and then I realized that the work load is a tad too much. So, I decided to drop MGT 415: Leadership and Learning. Right now, my schedule looks like this:
MW 1245-530
Tuesday/Thursday: 930-1045, 1245-135, and Tuesday 530-8pm
* Not too bad a schedule right?

Since I my classes end late in the evenings, my work starts in the mornings. Every mornings, I have to wake up early and walk 15 minutes to work. I wished I have a car, but then I need a Red parking pass...so now, I get morning exercise. By the way, it is this time of the season, where it will be snowing a lot.. Note to self: stay warm and wear extra jackets. Did I tell you that I have no Friday class, which means that I have 3 day weekend. I have to admit, this semester looks like a good semester so far.

On a side note, January will be a busy month because Fusion is on January 29. I don't know why I signed up for 3 dances. I cannot believe that I am going all out this year. I guess this is my last year. I am in Tinikling (as usual), Senior Dance and Guys Hip-Hop. Monday is holiday becuase it is Martin Luther King Day. Therefore, I have so many days off. But, then I have dance practice. Luckily, I finished all my homework.

All in all, this first week is pretty laid back. I cannot promise that it will be the same throughout the year, but I will see how it goes. Spring 2011, here I come......