Of Conversations with Dr Margaret Chan
My favourite type of conversation is when I keep what I say to a bare minimum. just enough to have the majority of the conversation = me listening and absorbing precious knowledge and wisdom from a wiser.
I've just had such a conversation with Dr Margaret Chan, esteemed theatre actress and assistant director to Student Life in SMU.
Aiya.. "crush you like a cockroach!". Yes.. that Margaret Chan.
Dr Chan, or Margaret (she waves off formality), talked about this section of human beings that so inextricably bound to the need to constantly pre-occupy themselves with activities, projects that they are constantly on the edge of burning out. The logical thing for these people to do is obviously to take a step back and chill, right? True but for these people, they cannot accept themselves if they're not anything short of a near burn-out.
I must admit, I am one of these people and evidently, so is she.
There is always an urge to get up and get involved. Sitting down should only constitute getting enough rest for the next action. Get involved in everything and anything. Lead, go, serve, keep going.
Evidently, its a choice between meeting this seemingly insuppressible urge and end up having to constantly fight against burning out and the occasional depression, AND not doing anything, end up rotting somewhere and go insane.
What lives we lead.
or aptly summed up, Jialat liao..
I reflected my thoughts and feelings on the whole fee hike issue to her and she said that the truth of the matter is, there are quite a number of ning-nongs out there who just bleat. Reactionary slave mentality. May sound a little too controversial to put up here but its the truth. So her advice was whatever these ning-nongs say.. let it ning-nong in one ear.. and ning-nong out the other ear. Use your wisdom and knowledge to lead as best as you can. Heck whatever these ning-nongs say. Just listen to any valid points that surface.
So the question is, are you a ning-nong?
The conversation rounded up with motherly Margaret Chan insisting on me focusing and prioritizing grades. "Because this is what this time of your life is all about. You will regret it if you don't"
=) Yes Margaret.
I've just had such a conversation with Dr Margaret Chan, esteemed theatre actress and assistant director to Student Life in SMU.
Aiya.. "crush you like a cockroach!". Yes.. that Margaret Chan.
Dr Chan, or Margaret (she waves off formality), talked about this section of human beings that so inextricably bound to the need to constantly pre-occupy themselves with activities, projects that they are constantly on the edge of burning out. The logical thing for these people to do is obviously to take a step back and chill, right? True but for these people, they cannot accept themselves if they're not anything short of a near burn-out.
I must admit, I am one of these people and evidently, so is she.
There is always an urge to get up and get involved. Sitting down should only constitute getting enough rest for the next action. Get involved in everything and anything. Lead, go, serve, keep going.
Evidently, its a choice between meeting this seemingly insuppressible urge and end up having to constantly fight against burning out and the occasional depression, AND not doing anything, end up rotting somewhere and go insane.
What lives we lead.
or aptly summed up, Jialat liao..
I reflected my thoughts and feelings on the whole fee hike issue to her and she said that the truth of the matter is, there are quite a number of ning-nongs out there who just bleat. Reactionary slave mentality. May sound a little too controversial to put up here but its the truth. So her advice was whatever these ning-nongs say.. let it ning-nong in one ear.. and ning-nong out the other ear. Use your wisdom and knowledge to lead as best as you can. Heck whatever these ning-nongs say. Just listen to any valid points that surface.
So the question is, are you a ning-nong?
The conversation rounded up with motherly Margaret Chan insisting on me focusing and prioritizing grades. "Because this is what this time of your life is all about. You will regret it if you don't"
=) Yes Margaret.
posted by undergradbyday @ 2:18 AM
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