Type Madness

As I finally get back on track to do my essays (after my work related crazy detour), I suddenly found myself extremely behind schedule.

As for now:

School #1: Application form completed, essays not started
School #2: Application form not complete, essays just finished 2nd draft
School #3: Application form completed, essays not started
School #4: Application form somewhat complete, essays not started

I guess, I'll be typing like crazy when i'm on plane to go home next week. Sigh.....

Time to Procrastinate (again)

Now that my volunteering activities are done for the semester (thank goodness it's semester based, I can actually take a break), I can shift gear and start REALLY REALLY focus on my applications.

So here I am, 8:49am PST on a Saturday morning, all set and sit in front of computer typing my time away.

So far, my progress is definitely not where I should be:

• 80% done with School 1 application forms (essays don't count)
• wrote 1st essay draft, out of 16 (or 17) 
• Have ideas in point form for all essays for 1 school
  
• Resume currently in 3rd draft

My To-Do list:

1. Complete 1 application forms
2. Have ideas for all essays that I need to be writing
3. Write draft for all essays
4. Resume comcluded
5. Get recommendation letters from recommenders

Clearly my To-Do list is WAY longer than my Accomplishment List. Time to procrastinate.

Marketing 101 -- Sell Yourself

So....as I'm working on my applications, my manager told me to write a brief email to justify why I deserve a promotion. Basically, demonstrate why I'm important, and why I'm worth the extra money.

I've just self-studied Marketing 101. As for the grade, we'll know if I get a promotion. =)

Application 101 -- My USB Drive is Lost

Guess what?! I lost my USB drive which contains all my application materials: resume, essays etc....

How stupid of me. I don't even know where it is. I figure it's probably on the floor of my company's parking lot roof (hopefully those birds didn't see it as food and ate it), since this morning my handbag dropped out of the car when I open the door. All my stuff was on the floor, and I had to pick things up one by one. Since this USB drive is not flat, it'll RUN AWAY...

Now, for my contingency plan....I'm going through my emails to recover anything that I sent out. Hopefully I'll be able to at least capture some of the semi-finalist of my drafts (hence, those in between drafts might be forever gone).

Sigh...I need to go back re-do my mistake proofing.

Application 101 -- Get into the Mood

While I'm in Boston...sitting in my little hotel room, I started my application: the bulk of it -- ESSAYS!!

Being an engineer, this is unfortunately one of the most difficult task for me. I mean, I have no problem programming a page of logic (okay...maybe I do have problem, as I am no software engineer), at least I don't see it as dreadful, but writing an essay?! Not to mention, I have to now self-market myself.

This is totally going against what I was taught, growing up:
My grand-parents: Be humble. You have nothing to show off
My parents: Be humble. You don't want to have unnecessary enemies
My secondary school: Be humble. You need to put people around you at ease.

Hence, I say: Be humble. Coz it's weird to show off, and do a hard-sell for yourself.

And here comes the dilemma: The admission committee really doesn't know me. I'll therefore need to SELL myself! How can I be telling the truth, yet not making is sounding too grand, and yet pointing out the importance of what I did? (Do you still follow me? If not, I don't blame you, coz it's hard for me too)

So, to get myself into the mood, I start telling myself that I need to start get into the mood of BSing. (Or in Cantonese, we call it "blow water")

GMAT

3 months and $1584 later, I'm DONE with GMAT!!!!

I'm just so happy that I don't need to bury myself in the pile of books, practice CAT over and over, and I can now finally have some fun!!!

Yay!

Next Step: Application 101

Procrastination Mode

As the deadline draw closer, my adrenaline runs faster.

I'm officially in procrastination mode.

Let' hope that I will turn out okay, I will pull it through.