Ah! My blog looks awesome now. Many posts ago I've mentioned that I want to get rid of the default blogskin I was using cause it was way too cluttered and had way too many widgets.. And now I've finally  edited it to something I like! I've been wanting to find a layout code similar to my tumblr (staygolddontgo) which I loved due to its simplicity. I found a similar one on blogskins and loved it but it was still too cluttered and the datestamp was irritating me so viola! Made some changes to the html code and have finally something I adore. x



First week of lessons has passed in the blink of an eye!

I only attended two lessons this week actually as most of the tutorials don't start till next week. Of course, I'm not complaining. A lot of times I still find myself lapsing into work mode and the train comes to Raffles Place and I instinctively feel like alighting; or I look at the time and sometimes wonder what I would be doing if I was working. I miss the workplace :(

It's only after six months of the internship that I am more sure now than ever that the internship was a wise choice. I've brought so much back with me to school and grown substantially as an individual. Glad I didn't like the people who questioned my decision back then affect my eventual choice. We all choose various ways to experience life differently, whether it is an exchange, internship, relief work overseas.. I'm just thankful mine turned out to be so unforgettable.

x sending all my love to gia, who was my rock in those six months and all my dear colleagues.. I will visit  soon!

School has started and I am hardly as joyous as above; attended my first seminar this morning (accounting) and while the prof was actually decent, I am glad to drop accounting this semester and take it next sem. Of course I know I won't be able to drag it for long but omg accounting really kills all my braincells. And my results just prove time and again, that I am better at any modules that does not involve figures.

On a happier note, my timetable has finally been settled thanks to some intervention from the school and I am so glad I don't have to camp by the computer and wait. This semester is gold - 3 day work week (though I end 8pm on tuesdays and thursdays, I have good company and its french elective, oui!) Total of five modules but only two are examinable, wonderful news.

Only thing I need to get my ass down to? Shopping for new year's! Ugh x




1. Clearing my horrendously messy table to make it study friendly
2. Start buying concession because yes, NTU is a country away
3. Prep a few cans of coffee and redbull in my fridge for me to get through those all nighters
4. Shopping for stationary - lucky that's always a fun thing. I need new pens, pencilcase, notebooks, and files.
5. Practicing my shorthand
6. Shopping at threadless - they are such a savior when I'm lazy to think about what to wear.
7. Making sure my ezlink card has $$ for printing out all those notes!
8. Rearranging my wardrobe - stashing the dressies and pulling out all the casuals. Sigh my wardrobe has expanded a fair bit due to my internship but they're all quite dressy!
9. And digging out my backpacks - I'm considering getting a new one since my dickies really, really suck. Jansport maybe? They're cute.
10. Re-orientate myself entirely - I've stopped studying for six months and I kind of forgot what it feels like.

I really, really hate school but still gotta get through it so sigh, here goes.



So, obviously I was supposed to do this much earlier than Jan 7rd, but I didn't really have the time to sit down and reflect on 2011.

I guess a the major thing that took up the most of my 2011 was my internship at MBS. I guess when I first submitted my application to their HR team I didn't really expect to really get it - but I did, and in a matter of weeks I was this excited, young, intern who knew absolutely nothing about PR, and yet was thrown into an office full of intimidating adults, and a whole property of chefs, managers, security people, you name it.

It was frightening, definitely. Its like signing up for something you weren't even really sure of. And going into it without friends, without anybody I know, didn't help. But I was always independent that way, feeling like I can survive well even without friends in an unfamiliar environment. The first few weeks of work involved a lot of orientation - around the property, getting to know what's where, and of course, the PR works - how everything was run from our perspective. Conducting property tours seemed especially daunting at first. I had little practice and suddenly I'm supposed to meet all these international journalists and editors and give them enough information to write a piece about MBS? But in the end it turned out to be something we're comfortable enough to do anytime anywhere (guess being talkative really helped).

And of course, the whole learning process included a fair share of getting chided and directed.. but I know it was a necessary process. I emailed the secretary of the CEO without going through my boss, sent out sponsorship rejection letters without approval, and did a whole load of other things that I should have the common sense not to.

Of course, our colleagues helped sweeten the days we spent there. I will miss all of them.. I already do! I was quite afraid I was going to face an office of grouchy old people but everyone's outgoing and caring and just such a dear.

In my time there I have met so many people my namecard holder had to be emptied three times. Varying backgrounds, nationalities, and personalities. And I can't express how incredibly lucky I am to have met so many wonderful mbs staff who made my life there so much easier. Chef Jason from Sky on 57 who cooked laksa for me, Kelvin and his overwhelming hospitality (sad he left :'( ) the lifeguards at the pool who relieve my boredom during shoots, the sampan fellows who offer free rides, Kunal who is so generous with offering complimentary food (I miss their shashuka already!!), front office folks whom I watch suju videos with, security guys who help me to activate lifts.. Amazing people. Makes me feel like I have so little to give in return.

On Christmas Eve morning, I picked out some namecards from the stack and wrote emails to them wishing them merry christmas. I didn't have time to craft personal notes to them so I pretty much changed the names and copied and pasted generic notes.. Of course I would love to have the liberty of time to write personal notes but my wishes were sincere! And guess what.. So many of them wrote back with long messages not only wishing me the same back, but also updating me with their christmas plans, where they are now and if we would be able to meet up soon. Probably isn't much but to read these notes on Christmas just makes me all warm and gooey inside : )

Maybe if all works well, I would be able to return to the mbs family when I graduate!





















Grateful for an awesome 2011!