Balance

What does one associate with summer? In Taipei, it's humidity, earthquakes, tornadoes, bikinis at Kenting, buzzing nightmarkets, timeless 'night-stores', overcrowded basketball courts, jumping concerts, bubble tea from 50lan, noisy skateparks, pool halls and bowling alleys, congested MRT rides, and packs of 'salted fried chicken' in manga stores. Despite the waits, whether it's in line for the bathroom or for a takeout bento, people here still appreciate the convenience and simplicity of living. Juggling between work and leisure, for those of us inflicted with senioritis, studying doubtlessly becomes misplaced on the list of priorities. Word to Clipse - "I'm on cloud 9, and i aint even high" - perfectly illustrates the fabulous sentimentalities of city life and urban community. In the midst of the glorified present, when it comes to discussing the dreaded future, it seems like none of my peers have the slightest clue and all my mentors have some sort of suggestions or disclaimers to make. Insomnia and nostalgia for the past become regular customers to our minds. We try our best to draft productive itineraries so that these three months will not be merely reflected as still-frames in Polaroid’s. After months flew by, the unwanted yet inevitable anxiety has finally caught up.

The backronym of the 70s phenomenon, KRS-ONE, is Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everybody. And to this, Parker would definitely throw up a fist in the spirit of not just learning but also of seeking the truth. So what exactly does it mean when we scratch our heads and pop our eyes out over graduate examinations? Do the results guarantee a more fulfilling career path or are they just a mandatory and costly procedure the system has laid before us? It's partially true when folks say that we have squandered our youth, but where is the justice when most of us are channeled into an occupational path of no relevance to our previous studies? By no means am I discrediting the significance of education but it's damn hard to follow through a shot without believing it's going to go in.

I believe finding the right balance is key - not necessarily between work and play but between dreams and prerequisites. Ambitions are healthy, and consequently, the how-to's become our imperative vitamins for success. In admitting so, perhaps it's wise for me to end here and get to work...