Purchasing the iPhone 5s

What consumed (kind of) my life for the past few days was over in a matter of minutes, or so I thought.
I had a problem, or rather, a new "want". There was no real need, but since I was about to get anyway, why not get it?

So here's the context: My current xiaomi is not getting any data speeds higher than 2G + it's battery life is declining (or so I think).

So I decided, why not just get a new phone and then stick to it. And if I want to get a new phone, let's get a good one, one that would last me 2 years at least.
And so I went about looking for iPhone 5 / 5S.

I thought, how about a second hand phone? As in, it won't be so crappy, and it would still last, because Apple right?

So I looked through Amazon, and then Germaine/Sean showed me this website which acts as a "flea market".

And I bought a second hand iPhone 5S for $450, and to think that I was happier?

Yes I was happy, but several considerations soon popped out:

1. Why was I so weak, and flinching? Should I have said no? The phone wasn't exactly in mint condition, and the front screen has some minor scratches
2. Should I have tried to negotiate more?
3. Shucks, now there are some things that Android has that iOS doesn't (think of widgets in home screen)
4. Should I have just spent the extra $150 (that's about 33% more) and bought a new fresh phone from Apple store?
5. Should I have risked and took a gamble and bought the iPhone 5S from Amazon which claimed to be in better condition and provided even the earphones - all for the same price?
6. Do I even need to get the phone in the first place?
7. Why not just get iPhone 5 instead of 5S? Do I really need that?

All the more I tried to pacify myself and fight the cognitive dissonance, the more I realised how contradictory I have become. Have I become so materialistic? Am I really someone who wants to always "win", as in trying to get the best of both worlds? 
Ugh... I have to stop and just accept my decisions.
I have made so many decisions, which only after "experiencing" it, then I realise my decisions were wrong. And thing is, I could have thought of it....

Ugh... 

The road ahead.

To improve my resume try out something new that Singapore does not seem to have (keyword "seem": I recently learnt of a club in NUS that also offers "consulting" services to companies in Singapore. In addition, there are marketing clubs in Singapore that have also established links with private companies. Just that probably these clubs are reserved for the super-elite or I just didn't bother/couldn't find them), I decided to apply for Imagical (a marketing group) and Berkeley Consulting (a consulting group) as they are both interesting and I am willing to invest 24/7 onto them.
However, my practical side sounded some alarms - a particularly strong one in fact: we (me and REP people) are only here for one year, and they (the clubs) will probably want members who can stay with them for as long as possible. Nonetheless, the defensive pessimist (or is it optimist/perseverant?) decided to try and apply for it, what's there to lose?

Lo and behold, all I got was some computer generated email from both sides:

Thank you for applying to Berkeley Consulting. Unfortunately, due to the competitive nature of the selection process, we regret to inform you that you have not been selected for a first round interview with Berkeley Consulting. 

I want to assure you that we considered your candidacy carefully and that it was a very difficult deliberation process given the number of extremely qualified applicants we received this semester.

Kind of expected, but this certainly was a direct stab in a heart. I mean, why don't you just provide me with an interview? Ok, maybe they have prevented me from wasting my time, but isn't this a good chance for you to use the interview to get to know other willing people? Ugh, oh well. My stubborn self made me waste 2 nights of my life (which could have been used for squash and homework).

Also, I have decided not to join the Squash team. Nope, I am not going to stop playing Squash, but I won't fork out the $300 required to be in the team. The $300 covers transport and some team outfits, but I feel that it will only be worth it if I get to play in competition. I know I am not up to par, but can't I wish for it sometimes? Well, squash to me is my "best relative" game, the one with the highest "comparative advantage". For the befuddled, there are significantly many more pros in badminton and basketball, the other sports that I can (defined as being able to engage in some level of game without having to spend much time picking balls) play, as compared to squash. 15 people will be recruited into the team, and I think I can make it to the team. But only the top 10 will be given the opportunity to play in competitions with other schools, and from my observations I definitely will not be able to make it - even if I mugged squash every night. C'mon an opportunity to travel around US and play with other people? That's like once in a lifetime experience + there's so many perks to it.. all for $300? (+ some possible extra fees) That's a real steal!

So what's my plan now. I am definitely not someone who is fine with doing nothing - I have come all the way here, and I have decided not to pick up the 150B course that the 10 other chemical engineer classmates have picked up = more free time more me!

But again, that quote still stays: You can do anything, but not everything.
After some rumination, here's a condensed list:

• Make some good international friends. Everyone can be a friend - it's pretty easy to make friends. But 99% (I'm exaggerating the numbers) of these people will be relegated to hi-bye friends. While we should maintain contact with people back home, now is a good chance to develop strong friendships with other people from around the world.
• Travel (and drive hehe) around California to appease my nature loving self
• Better my squash (I got a new racquet :D) - I will try to make it better so I can at least play properly back in NTU. Shoutout to Yu Rong and Leon who would probably be my squash buddies this year.
• Work extra hard in the Engineers Without Borders chapter in Berkeley. 

I think I should stop being a "jack of all trades", and try to master something, or at least be decently better than what I am now. Realised I have to play catch-up to simply too many things. 

Side note:

~$180. Vans for $30 (:

Went shopping at Livermore Outlet and here's my loot. Honestly I should have brought clothes so I don't need to buy. But that Gap T shirt was like USD$4, so why not? XD
and I think the pair of Vans was a splurge, but I probably need the other shoes. In fact I'm wearing the Columbia shoes now to break into them. And I realised I am a US 7.5 feet.
But I have to get more stuff - for the more "official" and "officy" look. Omg, I saw my watch for sale, but it wasn't on discount ): I actually thought it was out of season, as I last checked the online catalog it was absent - and it still is ):
And leather shoes. And a cardigan. (omg, shopaholic me)


And below is a random anvil I saw at a car workshop. Can you believe that there's an "F1" team in United States, where students actually build cars (some even built their own engines) and race? Like.. How cool is that? Joan would certainly love this ;)
 

Always see them in virtual games.

 

Reflections 2 weeks late

*Cue nice music*

Yes Sean, yes Joan ... This is certainly due. And I shall dive straight into it - and this time with little or no organisation. Anything that comes into my mind will be placed without significant rearrangements.

Here are some things that I picked up:

1. The word "big" just grew bigger when you travel from Singapore to US
2. There's just so much land everywhere you go
3. And animals too. Mooo. Mehhhh... *insert deer sound*
4. Air is significantly drier, and weather is cooler - but still bearable and in fact it's like permanent air-conditioning -> this means my feet is constantly wet (I have "sweaty palms and feet" in cold weather)
5. Everyone here is good in something, and when they are good, they are really good. Puts me into shame -> what am I doing with my life?
6. There's really so many cultures and other people in the world. The world is like FKING huge?
7. It's one thing to know, understand and read about; and another to experience it in full blast in your face
8. There are many Koreans in International House as well, we can probably fight with the Korean contingent
9. The system here supports alot of recycling, but somehow, paradoxically, some people do not bear the "recycling" or "save the earth" mentality. It's like you have recycle bins, we do drop in the food into compost bins and plastic bottles into the recycling bin for plastics, but we do not cut down on the initial consumption... It's like we have NEWater but we still waste water nonetheless
10. I like this campus because it makes people walk, and walk alot. It's like walking from Hall 11 to Can A everytime -> not too far, but not that near.
11. There is an epic fitness culture here, almost everyone is doing something related to health/fitness I think one can easily catch the fitness bug. It's all about making the decision to get out of the room, through the cool/cold air, into the sports facilities, and sweating it out and getting into shape. The sports facilities are almost always crowded with people. They might not be 80-90% occupied, but at least 40-50% full at ALL times - including off peak periods like mornings and mid day.
12. Making friends is 'easy', but actually creating a bonded relationship - that requires some effort. I think one can be easily "overwhelmed" with the number of "friends" you can have.
13. A term is coined: socialising saturation point / friendship saturation point
14. There are 2 ways to spend this time in CA, US:
• Do different things with the same people to deepen the relationship
• Do different things with different people to expand your circle
15. There's really so much thing to do and so little time.. which leads to
16. This quote: You can do anything, but you can't do everything.
17. Now I have to find things that lie in the "I want" & "I can" quadrant. Joining the established clubs just mean one thing: selection. And that's tough.
18. Now distance is calculated in hours, rather than just minutes.
19. Relatively laggy internet -> boo ):
20. More 花草树木 ;)
21. Simply more experiences lie ahead. Make a choice, and work with it. Grass is always greener on the other side, but be thankful that you have the opportunity to be where you are at the moment.
22. I like wearing caps + hoodies -> Gonna have a new style yo~ wassup~
23. And finally, more self actualisation. Who am I?

Yosemite

That's pretty much about it. Time to go for lunch then class ~

Thanks Clara for this wonderful photo.
I pretty much look like this everyday.