Uncle Su’s Got Some.

I have just received the news I have been waiting for. Its April 30 and UC Berkeley indeed has an answer for me. My application has been declined. They claimed that the acceptance rate this year is 29%, with 7% for business school and 23% for the college of engineering. Now now, I have expected that from them, and frankly I am not the least bothered, so friends please keep your consolations to yourselves. =) Its only sensible that I reflect on what I have learned from all this madness on school application. Maybe I can share a tip or two for my sister.

Procrastinating killed me.
I could have provided more information, wrote a better personal statement and met more deadlines if I have had planned my time properly. Most of my application are submitted towards the last days of the application process, and many documents were sent on the last minute. I was so desperate at times that I sent through express delivery. Lesson learned: Do not procrastinate, plan my time properly and do what matters first.

All it takes is desire to apply.
Back at square one, everyone is equal. When it comes to applying to schools (and everything else you want from life) is the guts to go for it and the commitment in following it through. The guts to apply to the school and THE COMMITMENT IN FULFILLING ALL THE REQUIREMENTS.

I could have applied to more schools. My dream school was CalTech but I backed out on the last minute because their track record of 36 transfer students accepted in 5 years intimated me and because I couldn’t commit to their requirement of 3 letters of recommendation, a personal statement and 2 standardized test spanning over 7 hours. CalTech has a high reputation for its engineering departments, a small but engaging environment and a rigorous course. Plus its in Pasadena, CA (Hollywood, beach, great food and everything else the nightlife has to offer). I chickened out on the very last minute and now I shall live to regret.=) Advice: Stay the course. If you planned on applying, don’t think on it for too long. Just. Do. It.

Documents
Different schools have different requirements and documents that the want to see. They have specific deadlines for these documents, so don’t you dare bank on the chance that the school will be lenient on you. Because it’s not gonna happen! My advice is if you’re running out of time, send your documents first, then complete your online applications and statements. Why? Because documents take time to snail mail, while online applications can be submitted on the last night. Don’t submit your application on the last minute either. Chances are the school server will be in a bottleneck and your application will have difficulty being submitted through the web. Some documents (test results, official transcripts) are required to be sent by the institution/school, so send them what they want.

Make up your mind.
I should have spent more time researching schools and their strong points instead of following the crowd and applying for schools because a friend of a friend did the same. I should have had a master plan, a ranking system for the schools that I should apply to. Some factors to consider include reputation and ranking, quality of education provided, research opportunities, proximity to industries related to the major, accessibility, environment eg. if its urban/suburban/ulu, proximity to nature parks, seas, lakes, recreational areas, hardware/clothing/food stores, climate/weather. This is so that when you’re accepted to multiple schools, you won’t be faced with the dilemma of WHERE YOU SHOULD GO.

Subscribing to US News’ prime account ranking database should help. They even have organizer where you can organize your schools of your choice. I made something like “Top top elite everests”, “west coast parties”, “Midwest so cold they build character” and “spare tires”. Anyhoo. Since I’ve found out that the everests don’t want me in, should I go to the midwest to build my character or party in the west coast?

Anytime today I will know if UC Berkeley have accepted me. If they want me in, I’ll turn in my intent to both UCB and UMich, just in case UCB backs out. If they turn me down, it’ll be Michigan from tomorrow onwards.

Fingers crossed.

I was browsing through my contact lists’ photos in Flickr, and I went like “OH MY GOD who is that?!”

The girl in the photo is Nureena. Nureena was a schoolmate of mine back in Singapore, and even then she was already a cover girl for Seventeen magazine. Today 2 years later I found her picture in Flickr. My, its amazing what a small world this planet has become. Simply amazing!

Oh and she look very stunning, doesn’t she? *drools*

• I’m excited about my camera. When will it arrive OMG!
• I don’t think I am comprehending the magnitude of my education’s future given the colleges that’ve accepted me. Everything should feel surreal right about now, which is not the case for now. I’m being too calm.
• Mom reads my blog (Halo Ma!). So I should watch what I say teehehe.
• My little sister is adorable and very strong at the same time. I think she’ll be a very successful woman.
• Her housemate, on the other hand, shares the same birthday with me and have a very cute voice over the phone. Or maybe I’m just biased for her name? =)
• I have a chemistry quiz tomorrow but the material is overwhelming. I think I should go to bed now.
• I hope Siew Min get to contact Andrie, and I wish her the best of luck in Melbourne. (Kevin you said hi? Wait, am I spelling her name wrong?)
• Dian says I should go UCLA and be her bitch in LA. I think its a good idea.
• Dad is willing to pay for my trip to Ann Arbor. He doesn’t care if I stay in Marriott or Grand Hyatt.
• My laundry is now higher than my own bed frame. The rooms smells of laundry softener.
• I haven’t exercised all week, but not necessarily feeling guilty about it.
• Just made little improvements to the room. Might do a panorama shot of the room later. Amazing what a hammer and a pack of nails can do to your room.
• I need to buy a new phone and a decent pair of running shoes.
• Is Kevin going out with Junyi?
• I’ll flunk tomorrow’s quiz, but I don’t really care do I?
• Terra Naomi just inspired me to take photography to a higher level. Now where’s that Photoshop for Digital Photographers book I borrowed?
• I downloaded Sun Tze Art of War from simplyaudiobooks.com [link via  theory.isthereason.com]. I think it’ll turn me into a shrewd, nasty evil person, like Jordan in Scrubs.
• I keep reminding myself that I’m being too judgmental and critical of others because I’m a sad, sad little person. And uh, I should do something constructive about this.
• I am finding it hard to fulfill my year resolution #1.

I’m so excited! I got accepted to UMich, UCLA, UCSB, UCI! Too bad Purdue is being too much of a prick to accept the fact that JCs don’t give out transcripts for first 3 months admission. Easy money like that, give them la, suan le.

I scared I’ll get in trouble for the wrong grading system for UC leh.

From here, here and here.

How am I supposed to feel special huh? HUH! *Whaakakaka!*

… OK, time to get a new hobby.

original by manganite

I don’t tend to shop a lot. In fact, I see myself as more of a miser than anything else. But alas if I want to move ahead, the time has come to shop shop shop!

I did “research” since Christmas, but in the span of 3 hours this afternoon I have been spending up to a grand on amazon.com and eBay.com auctions, at the same time saving myself a great deal.

In detail, I bought a USA factory demo Nikon D70s with a Nikkor 18-55mm AF-S DX Zoom, a Nikkor 55-200mm AF-S DX Zoom and an extra battery (saved around $200-300 compared to a new product, a pretty impressive kit to keep me amused for a year), a new Lowepro SlingShot 200 camera bag (saved $20 compared to amazon.com’s, and I’m planning to bring the camera around in it), a Sandisk Ultra II CF card (saved $6), a printer cartridge, and last and most importantly a new Razor Pro Scooter (I returned the previous red scooter, but missed riding on it thus bought another one, hopefully keeping it after 30 days this time round). All Amazon purchases came with free shipping albeit a little tax. I are poor. Better sell that guitar and skateboard now.

Phew. I mean, what the hey! I finally bought a dSLR! And I get to glide around in the middle of the night again! Oh the possibilities!

Pretty, aren’t they! Sephia used to go bananas over them.

Link to photoset

Some friends are having domestic issues back home.

And I thought everything was settled last year. Come to think about it, I think there was some unrest right about this time last year. Its repeating itself its not even funny.

*sandwiched!*

Mom called tonight, and among the many things we discusses, she asked if I was still in contact with Sephia. I said, mmm yeah Mom but its nothing. Friend stuff. She said good, I should at least keep my friends close and please keep looking because she can’t wait to 抱顺子！

That’s something worth cocking an eyebrow for.

I bet she’s worried that I’m gay. Don’t worry Mama, I love women so much I pay special tribute to them every night, in my bedroom with scented incense, candles and my (very thick very long) flute oboe.

I contemplated going more serious into photography somewhere during Christmas last year.

I’m not a poser or anything, and I am humbled by what photographers around me have achieved. I believe that these people are amazing, I want to learn from them, and given time I can achieve just as much skill. I call this type of photographer Type-A. Hackson would fall under this category.

Then there are the insecure ones. They are the ones who bought their lenses in the dark, refuses to share their hardware or knowledge at any extent at all, and they are mighty arrogant. T don’t see myself learning anything from talking to them, and the more we talk the more I think that he’s nothing more than a poser, and makes me wonder if I’m already better than he is. I call this Type-B. Type-B will comment on your work but with a sour face that reveals their insecurity. They make damn sure that everyone knows he’s a photographer. He carry his camera everywhere for show, and rarely take any picture at all. He’s got a few good shots up his portfolio, but the rest are just mediocre. He’s very comfortable up where he is right now and he rather spend time being discouraging to people willing to learn the ropes than focusing on keeping himself ahead. He is a mean little person. Gentlemen, Type-B.

God why am I such a bitch.

OMG! OMG! Whoa liew how come whole family only I 没人爱！

…Very very comforting, kwa kwa.

I’m the shortest boy. Hmm too bad the sound is not synced to the video. Job well done, nonetheless.

I made a post on ISAUW night and my dance performance last night, but I forgot to save it before I off the computer and the post is gone forever.

In short I am just glad I did fine (in fact proud to have the opportunity and experience to dance with such superb people), met many old friends and am proud of what they have done for the event (most of them are ISAUW officers, and they kick ass!), there’s many pretty girls in short skirts and thick make ups(*blush blush*), great food, great support from friends, what more can I ask?

Good night and good luck! Maybe another time next year, teehehe.

I think what I meant when I said I believed in Karma is that, I can want something so bad for a moment (a Nikon D70s), forgot about it because it will cost more than what my lack of follow-through can shoulder, and then have the money appear out of no where in the form of scholarship I won months ago. That, after loaning a large amount of money to pay for a friend’s college tuition. That, in addition to the tax refund that I’m supposed to get (fingers crossed). That’s not including the extra scholarship at my institution of choice in the state (which I have to vie for on a separate application).

On another note, 4 weeks of dance practice has gone by and we’ll be performing tomorrow night. I really thank the ladies for accepting me in and being so patient in getting my grooves right. I’m so proud of them and myself that I can giggle in glee when I’m alone.

On another note, once dance is over, I should be back on my jogging and weight-lifting regiment (while trying not to put too much strain on my shoulder cause it hurt so much I have to put ice-pack over it), be getting my DSLR (and taking pictures that I should have taken months ago), get my driver’s license, apply to school departments, plan my summer, book air tickets and applying for OPT. You tell me, should I travel around (Florida, NY, Egypt, Hawaii, Bali) or work (probably unpaid internships, working slave labor in labs but good for future resume)?

Apple Statement

iPhone has already passed several of its required certification
tests and is on schedule to ship in late June as planned. We can’t wait
until customers get their hands (and fingers) on it and experience what
a revolutionary and magical product it is. However, iPhone contains the
most sophisticated software ever shipped on a mobile device, and
finishing it on time has not come without a price — we had to borrow
some key software engineering and QA resources from our Mac OS X team,
and as a result we will not be able to release Leopard at our Worldwide Developer  Conference in early June as planned. While Leopard’s
features will be complete by then, we cannot deliver the quality
release that we and our customers expect from us. We now plan to show
our developers a near final version of Leopard at the conference, give
them a beta copy to take home so they can do their final testing, and
ship Leopard in October. We think it will be well worth the wait. Life
often presents tradeoffs, and in this case we’re sure we’ve made the
right ones. [Apr 12, 2007]

Fuck. There goes my plan of getting myself a MacBook this June when I visit Apple’s Manhattan Store. I’m not purchasing a Mac with Tiger on it.

Maybe I’ll get an iPhone instead this June. =)

link [via Gizmodo]

Getting out of my procrastinating, self-beating habit has been a struggle so far. Some days I can be proud of myself, some days I go back to doing useless indulgences such as netflix and rss reading.

But I’m well on my way. I’ll get there.