CNA Article - The Big Read: Fuelled partly by youths' anxiety, the internship rat race has unintended effects
-
Coolkidsrock2\" post_id=\"2135263\" time=\"1718805051\" user_id=\"48901:
Clap clap super supportive partner!!
My answer will be 陪你一起走。累了，可以依着我。 -
lee_yl\" post_id=\"2135264\" time=\"1718806875\" user_id=\"17023:
My kids also reasoned with me and told me all their lives they had worked hard since pri Sch to sec to jc and then to uni to get to where they are, along the way, definitely sacrifices were made but they are ok with it because at the end of the day, they also want to graduate with a degree that provides the most options for them. But I really didn’t expect this last leg is not an easy experience (ie graduating is easy but to build up the portfolio takes a lot of effort)so have to provide a lot of mental and physical support whenever we could.
Of cos I know don’t need 1st or 2nd upper still can get married and buy a BTO lah.
But it is very real that some jobs only look for 1st and 2nd upper. Even for some ministries, 2nd upper and 2nd lower can mean being recruited into different schemes of service.
There must be a reason why undergrads hope to get at least 2nd upper what. Get, give oneself more options, don’t get, life still goes on. -
Imp75\" post_id=\"2135265\" time=\"1718807072\" user_id=\"2358:
No lah, the cheapest thing in the world is \"talk\". 更动听的 also can say. Heart sure melt if say \"我不在乎你飞的多高，我在乎的你累不累“
Clap clap super supportive partner!!
DH told DS not to believe any single word if anyone says things like this to him.
-
Imp75\" post_id=\"2135265\" time=\"1718807072\" user_id=\"2358:
No lah, the cheapest thing in the world is \"talk\". 更动听的 also can say. Heart sure melt if say \"我不在乎你飞的多高，我在乎的你累不累“
Clap clap super supportive partner!!
DH told DS not to believe any single word if anyone says things like this to him.
-
Imp75\" post_id=\"2135266\" time=\"1718807734\" user_id=\"2358:
Break down the process into bite-size goals. Once a goal has been achieved, work towards the next aspiration. This makes the next one more achievable.
My kids also reasoned with me and told me all their lives they had worked hard since pri Sch to sec to jc and then to uni to get to where they are, along the way, definitely sacrifices were made but they are ok with it because at the end of the day, they also want to graduate with a degree that provides the most options for them. But I really didn’t expect this last leg is not an easy experience (ie graduating is easy but to build up the portfolio takes a lot of effort)so have to provide a lot of mental and physical support whenever we could.
遇强则强 whatever can hurt / kill you can hurt / kill others too. Treat it as a learning opportunity.
Our kids are still young - plenty of opportunities to pick themselves up. Just ensure not the same mistake twice.
Personally feel that they are luckier than us as they do not need to support the family in the way some of us have to. And they have the benefit of better guidance and experience. 起跑线不一样了 -
There may be advantages from having a long list of internship experiences on graduates’ resume. It’s like between us 2 adults, the one with 10 years of working experiences stand better chance than another with 2, with everything else being equal. But it’s also important those internship experiences are relevant to what the recruiting company is looking for. A graduate with 2 internships, doing emerging market analysis will be in better position than another that did 10 internships, doing coding, when both graduates apply for same economist job. My relative told me during his undergraduate days they started to figure what sector they want to build a career in, then plan backwards, look for internships during Uni days in those flagship companies that can build their portfolio, to let them stand out after graduation.
If the internships competitions get too much, when it mean have to sacrifice something else, like basic leisure time, then I think it’s better don’t join the frenzy, even if it’s may mean losing out in the beginning. From my own experience, sometimes after getting what we dream of, the feelings that come with it are not as wonderful as we imaging them to be. Some may think, maybe try even harder next time, to earn even more, then will be happy. Sometimes this is not the case at all.
I guess it’s important to be aware what is the real motivation behind wanting to build up impressive list of internships: to get that first job with a billion dollar company? In order to have a successful career? To earn lots of money? To live a comfortable life? Will we really be comfortable at the end of the day? Do we really need that much to live that comfortable life? I think some people don’t see any alternative of a good life other than making lots of money. But I also believe this group in minority. The other minority are on the other end of the spectrum: “bo chap”. The majority are in the middle, moderates
The article title has the word anxiety. I think it accurately describe the motivation behind the frenzy. If youth can invest sometimes in building up their sense of security too, it could help in reducing the stress from needing to do more that are mean for reducing anxieties. -
I guess we all have different views. Just to say that I don’t believe that all people can or should want to rise to the top in the most competitive careers as their first choice, then drop back to a 2nd, 3rd choice if they can’t take it. I give myself as an example, which perhaps will encourage some who think that it’s completely impossible.
I did OK up to university, was never the super-competitive type, and chose to aim for a job that I felt suited me - being a librarian. I was warned - dead-end, poor pay, poor prospects… My husband supported me - we felt that I could aim to do well within the librarian career instead of civil service/legal/finance (which was what my father wanted); we were prepared to live within our means. I was spared the trying hard at a job only to find it too hard, too competitive, something I disliked or failed at. I enjoyed the work itself. I can tell you that we are the only ones of our friends who has never moved out of HDB, and live and travel at a different level from all of them. It really doesn’t bother us, our friends have not shunned us, and our family has been happy and contented all these years. My motivation has always been to do a good job, whether or not it rewards the best in terms of pay or promotions. Of course I expect to paid fairly, but if it’s 50% less than I could be earning in some other job I like less, it doesn’t matter to me, and thankfully, to my husband. He has made similar choices in his own career, and it seems my daughters adopt the same thinking.
This probably shows, again, that my family is very much an outlier, but I put this out here to show that there is no need to follow the herd in every aspect of life. There are consequences of our choices - but we can choose to be satisfied with doing our jobs as best as we can and be happier with less, rather than being stressed by the need to compete and climb. -
Speaking from another person who is also not that competitive with outside people…actually I find it ok de. So long as they not at bottom, if can at average standing with the rest, will happy event to me already. Dd told me at start of holiday…at the end of our conversation on what her friends worked before, after considering some good and bad, she told me that she finds working at bubble tea shop should be quite interesting. I think it is ok for them to experience different thing.
-
MrsKiasu\" post_id=\"2135280\" time=\"1718846409\" user_id=\"43981:
Ha...ha.. she can enjoy free bubble tea everyday when working in bubble tea shop. :evil:
Speaking from another person who is also not that competitive with outside people..actually I find it ok de. So long as they not at bottom, if can at average standing with the rest, will happy event to me already. Dd told me at start of holiday..at the end of our conversation on what her friends worked before, after considering some good and bad, she told me that she finds working at bubble tea shop should be quite interesting. I think it is ok for them to experience different thing.
Last time, when DS worked as part time waiter in hotel cafe during holiday, he could enjoy free hotel buffet food
-
Liew Nga Wing\" post_id=\"2135281\" time=\"1718848166\" user_id=\"195250:[quote=\"Liew Nga Wing\" post_id=2135281 time=1718848166 user_id=195250]
Hmm.. next time I tell her Starbucks also good
Ha...ha.. she can enjoy free bubble tea everyday when working in bubble tea shop. :evil:
Last time, when DS worked as part time waiter in hotel cafe during holiday, he could enjoy free hotel buffet food[/quote]
Hello! It looks like you're interested in this conversation, but you don't have an account yet.
Getting fed up of having to scroll through the same posts each visit? When you register for an account, you'll always come back to exactly where you were before, and choose to be notified of new replies (either via email, or push notification). You'll also be able to save bookmarks and upvote posts to show your appreciation to other community members.
With your input, this post could be even better 💗
Register Login