Unpacked and Dazed

April 26th, 2008

here’s the lowdown on my status : tired, hella sleepy from the recent (successful!) recalibration of my body clock, voice sore from screaming back and forth in a noisy club, knee scraped from a lousy fall when i tripped over my own feet, hungry because i forgot to have dinner!!, but most importantly - bags unpacked :(

i’m leaving in the morning for a long overdue holiday somewhere not so far away :) it is a sort of runaway-getaway, clear-my-head kinda thing. only, the original plan was to go alone, but it has since been hijacked by an incorrigible idiot who insisted i set my holiday back two weeks so that he could come along after his exams. haih. bencinya T____T

anyway yes lah i haven’t packed and i’m so tired, but i’m sitting here blogging because there’s a few things i want to blog about!

1. COLLEGE
the first and most crucial is my college decision, because this one involves a deadline. i have to send in my replies to all my schools by Monday, but until now i still haven’t decided on a school. i’ve narrowed it down to two - University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Columbia University in Manhattan, New York City.

okay i seriously need help in making a decision here :( please help, ok? if you know anything about UPenn, Philly, Columbia and New York City, pleaseeeee leave me a comment with all you have to say. i would muchly appreciate it. here are the attractions of both schools to me, and put side-by-side is precisely why i am so undecided :

Penn : big Malaysian community, has my intended major of Philosophy-Politics-Economics aka PPE, close to my aunt who lives in Pennsylvania (this means board during spring/winter break! and of course seeing my lovely aunt whom i love), the presence of Wharton (arguably the best business school in the world) where i may consider doing a dual degree in finance, Chenchow’s opinion that a Penn degree is more recognized in our part of the world (i’m not sure about this!), a warm, friendly and sociable student body that i know i will fit into and love.

Columbia : small Malaysian community (can be a good thing), the fact that i was accepted as a Scholar (more on this later), it’s in the extremely exciting and thriving New York City, nicer dorms than Penn, dorms are RM 3200/year cheaper, a school known for exciting events and its artistic (but potentially snobby) culture, and FREE TICKETS TO BROADWAY!!

i only just found out a few days ago that i was named a Scholar by Columbia upon admission, because i’d completely overlooked the letter when it came in my admissions packet. the perks for me as a Scholar are - arranged meetings and discussions with world renowned speakers, academic enhancement programs, first dibs when choosing courses, a conferred special title upon graduation, cool internships with program partners like the NYC Mayor’s Office and … JP Morgan Chase, muahahahaha (sorry, inside joke :P), better research and study opportunities, and free Broadway tickets!! yes you can tell the last part excites me the most :) in a nutshell, it’s a kinda ‘elite’ student program where the participating students get all these added benefits and probably more that i dont know about.

i only have 2 days left to decide :( please help me reason this out. do you guys think the perks offered by the Scholar’s Program and the excitement of NYC is worth giving up Penn? after all, if i went to Penn, NYC is only two hours away… sigh. so emoe. do leave me your comments ok? and i even modified my Nuffnang poll to have my college options instead. haha. *points to right side* please answer my poll! thank youuu :)

2. AMERICAN IDOL

okay first of all. CARLY DID NOT DESERVE TO GET VOTED OUT. /stomps around

i didnt know this week was Andrew Lloyd Webber week, and when i found out at the start of the show, all i could do was jump up and down, screaming PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!!!!! and i am so happy because David Archuleta sang my favourite Phantom song - Think of Me, and he did it beautifully. this performance of his, as well as Imagine from Lennon-McCartney week, proves that this 17 year old kid deserves to win American Idol 2008. yes, any Phantom fan would know that he botched up the words to one part of Think Of Me, but the clever thing to do was make up new words that sat nicely to correct timing - which David Archuleta did, AND which Brooke did not, and deserved to be voted out for.

and my favourite Idol contestant of all, David Cook, sang Music of the Night from Phantom. now i dont usually like this song, because the love that the Phantom has for Christine was just never communicated rightly to me through the song. in fact i always found the song kind of scary, in a perverse way. but when David sang that song this week, it all just became so clear. oh the tenderness! the emotion! the love. there is no doubt about it - David Cook owns my heart and soul. *dramatic*

i’m hoping to see a Battle of the Davids in the finals. and before this i wanted Carly as number 3, but now i guess that’s not possible. Jason Cook is good and i like him, but he’s shown that a lack of versatility is his problem. his rendition of Memory from Cats was just awful :(

3. Return of the TV shows!
yesssssss Gossip Girl is back, and it seems the trends of stockings and ribboned headbands are here to stay :\ it’s a delicious new episode, this one, and the next one is going to be even more explosive! new character introduced!

and guess what else is back?? GREY’S ANATOMY, that’s what!!! yes it was too long a hiatus, but i’m just glad that it’s back at all - i jumped out of bed instantly to IMDB it when Jay texted me in the morning that Grey’s was back and showing in America in a few hours. hehe it’s torrenting now as i write this. oh how i have missed my McDreamy! and the delicious and scandalous lives of the cast of surgeons :D Scotty, try not to puke okay hehe. you know you love McDreamy too!

4. i remember having a fourth thing to blog about but sleepiness is really getting the best of my memory. le sigh. i’m going to pack at turbo speed now and then sleep :) goodnight all.

Entry Filed under: Daily Grind, General

Viewing 122 Comments

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    OMG I got first comment!

    Go to Columbia, Su Ann. But Philly got Morimoto restaurant by the famous former Iron Chef..
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    I'd agree with KY, Columbia's the one. It's known for it's elitenesspresidents. Besides you're right beside Upper West Side, how cool is that!
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    patrick dempsey has got a new movie!

    columbia? :)

    i actually jot down words that are alien to me whenever i read your page. then look it up at dictionary.com

    guess that's how i learn from a scholar who blogs. that's so cool.
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    babe, COLUMBIA!!!
    here's my two pence:
    1. big or small Malaysian community doesn't really matter, IMHO. you're going abroad to experience new thgs, why limit urself to msian community, u know what i mean? dont worry bout having no one to relate to. with ur personality u'll have so many friends u'd have a hard time deciding who to hang out with!

    2. penn's degree is more recognized in our part of the world? really? this i dont know. but does it matter if u're creme de la creme? no right. if u're good u're good. :) i think columbia is a more prestige school wherever you go though.

    3. your aunt is in penn, but nyc is not too far away from penn so problem solved! :)

    4. wharton arrh. i dunno wor liddat. but even if it is the best business school n u wanna do a dual degree there, i STILL think that being a scholar in Columbia wins hands down. i mean, the opportunities that you're gonna get as a scholar there is limitless!!!!!!! seriously. and u'll get a huge network of other scholars from all over the country which would be extremely useful. in the real world out there its not what you know dear, its who you know. ;)

    5. free broadway tickets!!!!! need i say more? :P

    p.s. i love mcdreamy tooooo. watch Enchanted! he's absolutely gorgeous! ok maybe i exaggerate. but still delectable nonetheless. anyways. go columbia, no need to think anymore. its really THE better deal. :) ok no, u should decide for urself. 'this only my opinion darl. good luck!
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    From the way you described them, I'd say go to Columbia. The Scholar experience is worth everything else, and you can always go to your aunt when you're on hols.

    As for Malaysian community - eh, I'd actually recommend not seeking them out so early. I've seen people who just stick to their race here and they don't get to experience all the other cultures. They miss out on a lot of things. For instance, I was just at a Flash Mob yesterday. only Asian. but so much fun. If I just hung around with the Malaysians, I'd never have known about it. Just make friends for who they are not their nationality :)
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    hi, am just another reader from your blog. i wud recommend columbia. I am currently in a uni which have a small malaysian community and i am greatful that i did that as i'm learning so much more. You do go all the way out to know all sort of peeps and you'll get more exposure as when u're in a place full with people you're comfortable with you will just stay in your comfort zone. Part of the reason of goin to another country to study is the exposure, if not, it would have been the same as staying back in malaysian in a good uni. As for reputation wise, i would think both have good reps in malaysia so dont think you'll have to be worry of that. if not, having a scholar as a name under your belt will sure boast it. furthermore, which all the opportunities you'll get as a scholar, you'll be able to learn more and experience more. hope this helps!
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    Go to Columbia... Agree with the reasons given by others.
    I'm a student in UK in a reputable university in London with a large Malaysian community here. This is one thing I feel disappointed, as Malaysians tend to stick to each other. If you hang out with other nationalities, some actually might talk behind your back with comments like 'this girl so action, don't want to hang out with Msians'. With a bubbly and outgoing personality like yours, I don't see any problems for you to make friends. Having a big Msian community is good for introverts.

    Go for the full experience in Columbia! And I think it is more reputable... =) hope you'll make the right choice. Living in a city rocks!
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    heya.. first time commenting here. all the above reasons are good, and you sound way more excited about Columbia. you didn't mention what course you will be doing. is the course what you want?

    Bout recognition, both are prestigious and well known. The Scholar programme gives you more opportunities, but if you go to Penn, it doesn't mean you won't get the same opportunities. if you are driven, and i think you are, you can still be part of a network / student society which has access to all these too. internships and all can be applied for, and i'm sure Penn is a good launching platform. difference is probably that Columbia hands all these to you, while you have to work for it harder in Penn.

    Doesn't matter where you go in the end, just what you make out of your time there. Have fun at uni! It's the best time of your life (cliche i know, but true :p)

    oh, and about msian community. they are great company and good for taking away homesickness, but don't limit yourself to msians! overseas education is all about making friends from all over the world!
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    Pinkpau please listen to me for once in your life and u know you wont regret it.

    Take Colombia.

    Its better for your prospects, and NY IS the place to be :)
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    UPenn is a great school, don't get me wrong, but Columbia is amazing. Its always been one of my dream schools. One of my best buds from law school went there and he always had stories about what a good time he had there. Also, New York is so much better than Pennsylvania.

    However, I do know that you mentioned UPenn was your dream school, so if you've always wanted to go there, don't let me convince you otherwise. Moreover, if you really ARE interested in business, its a good idea. One of my buds went to Wharton there and it has helped him throughout his career. I wouldn't go there just for the b-school if you weren't sure you were interested in business.

    Also, I know that it would help that there's a bigger Malaysian community at UPenn, but please don't be one of those students who only hangs with people from their own country. Many Asians from abroad who study here are only willing to hang out with other people from their country and never really mingle with people of other nationalities. I think it is such a waste because we could learn so much from them.
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    Also, you are lucky to have two such great choices. I'm sure that you will be very happy at whichever of the two you pick.
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    congrats on all the accepts, suann!

    and go with conlumbia. it's considered a
    more prestigious uni and it's in manhattan.
    you gotta live there for a few years some time
    in your life.

    upenn is in a sketchy area. and i've heard it
    can be a rather gray and depressing city.

    of course, opinions may vary, but columbia
    would def be my own choice. good luck!
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    I'll give you a call ah paus
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    You already know which school I'm pulling for. Obvisouly, you know the educational reason for columbia, but another part of it is New York itself.

    Columbia is located near the heart of New York. If you wanted to...within 20 mins of travel time, you can be in Times Square, where every broadway show is no less than 2 misn away. Or you can walk down Fifth Aveune and view EVERY single store possible. Everything from Apple (PLUG!) to Nintendo to Prada. You can just walk 2 mins from campus and find yourself in Central Park. Surrounding Central Park are some of the greatest museums in the world, like The Metroplitian Museum of Art and The Museum of Natural History. You can head downtown to SoHo or NoHo or The Village are and find great local scenes in music and social interaction. In the Lower East side, you have little clumps of area where international communities have grown. There's nothing like going to Little Italy for dinner or browsing through Chinatown. And this is just ONE of the bourghs that makes up New York City. With Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island, you will never have a moment to wonder what to do!

    New York is huge in terms of events. In sports alone, New York has more than 8 different teams that play year long. Now, I'm sure your not interested in that, but to experience some parts of New York, you have to go to a Yankees or Mets Ball game. It's just one of those New York things! With Music, with Madison Square Garden just 15 mins away from campus, you could go to any concert because no artist would tour in the US and not do MSG. (http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/237569?start=...)

    What I'm trying to say is that New York is full of possiblities. That's what make makes this city great. There's a reason for the saying "Only in New York." There's a reason why this city has been the muse for so many songs (New York, New York or City of Blinding Lights for example).

    And when you get the chance, just google "Lemon Ice Kings of Corona."

    The one thing that I will say, there is a HUGE difference in visiting New York City and living in New York City. If you have the chance you live in NYC, even for a limited time...you should take it. Just my two cents.

    P.S. If you do choose UPenn...visit New York. It's not far away, only 5 hour train ride! =) (Also, if this seems rushed, it was (race against dinner time ;-)), but you get the idea.)
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    NYC of course. Why? Because that is the business school in the world.
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    err. i support u no matter wht. =.= . david archuleta!!! haha. enjoy ur trip!
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    Morimoto is kinda nice, but there are better places and I'll take you there if you're in philly.

    In terms of eliteness i wouldn't say there is a real difference between the two. And if you wanna measure prestige, well. I think it's easy to think of Columbia as the more prestigious one, because well, to put it frankly, Penn isn't a very enchanting or memorable name, But Penn is ranked higher, not just Wharton, but Penn as a whole is ranked higher. I don't put much value in rankings but since we're trying to compare prestige I thought i'd point that out.

    i completely agree about the malaysian community. part of what makes the ivy experience so special is that you want to experience diversity.

    As for the scholars program, I'd be cautious about that. Every university has many such glorified scholar programmes which they tout as giving you amazing opportunities. In reality however, many of them only require that you maintain a certain gpa and take special classes to get in. As for the claim they you will get opportunities to meet world-renowned leaders and platforms for networking i'll say only this: Every ivy student has the daily opportunity to meet world-renowned leaders and get involved in any network they want. The university provides that. So unless this scholars programme is very explicit as to the kind of perks you will get on a platter, I would be inclined to think that it might just be another of those gimmick programs just to pull in students. And you know, even if it were true that it does provide many such opportunities, I'd argue again that any student who wants to easily gets to meet the people they want to meet.

    As for choosing a college for it to be applicable in real life, no one would argue that penn is undoubtedly one of the most practical, pragmatic ivies. And call this a good or a bad thing, but because of the presence of wharton, you're almost trained into networking with leaders and people who matter for the sole purpose of helping your career when you leave college.

    Free broadway tickets... that IS kinda nice. Haha.

    New York IS a better city than Philadelphia, obviously. It's bigger, there are more things to do. But you want a campus-oriented lifestyle, don't you. Because Columbia is in New York, students are going to tend to center their activities and their spend their time outside of campus. That's nice if that's what you're looking for, which I don't think you are. These four years of your college life are precious. New York will always be there even after you graduate, but at that point, without going back to college you'll never be able to experience a campus-oriented lifestyle again if you let it go now.

    Philadelphia does have a very dangerous part of it in the west. But that's past campus, and if you don't go there you're fine. I've never felt threatened on campus, in fact I feel safer than I do randomly walking around in KL. As for it being gray and depressing, well. It doesn't compare to New York, obviously, but I would hardly call it gray or depressing. It's just a smaller city. With a far richer culture and history at that.
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    Well, i think that Columbia is more suitable for your personality from the way u described.
    Then you get to get the experience of meeting world renowned speakers which will definitely be an eye opener right?
    Besides I think Columbia would be more fun for you. *shrugs*
    However, do Columbia have the degree you want?
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    I so agree with Jay's comment. I say go with COLUMBIA.nyc is awesome.
    I heard ,it has a nice campus too. also, I'm at a school with only 8 Malaysians and i think its great. its better to have less Malaysians. you'll have a strong relationship with them and have your own friends outside.
    NYC is where all the internships/jobs opportunity are located and the scholar program is just amazing!
    If you do choose Columbia, lets meet up!
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    columbia. unanimous. itoldyousoheheheimsuchabitch
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    Free Broadway tickets lah do you know what you're turning down!

    Of course its columbia.

    Besides, i always thought that it would be better to go to a place with less Malaysians. Whats the point of going overseas if you're just going to talk mostly to Malaysians again?

    P/S: i KNOWW GG is back! EXCITEDNESS can't wait till episode 15 comes out on monday bwaahaha. It's one of my very few bimbotic pleasures :D I actually like the idea of N and V together.