Just a simple guy living in a complex world.

Lately I’ve been reminiscing about what I’ve done to get where I am today. Questions like, what started it all, what made me choose the career path that I am in today, what led me here, etc. are constantly on my mind. This is the first part of my life story.

Back when I was a wee little boy I had dreams of becoming the best pilot and later on the best architect in the world. I

Image from dailyapps.net

saw myself flying one of those Boeing 747s from one continent to another or designing large, unique and innovative buildings. However, these two dreams quickly faded away. First, my dream of becoming a pilot faded away because of my need to get glasses (I was told that I needed 20/20 vision to become a pilot). Secondly, my dream of becoming an architect also faded away because of my bad experience with my Draft 11 highschool teacher (one of the most biased and unfair teachers I’ve ever had).

Throughout my lifetime I’ve always had an interest in technology. I was very interested with how technology was changing our society and how it was making everything quicker, faster, leaner. It just seem like the area that would grow the fastest. Also, PC games rock and was getting better and better each year. I have to admit, Duke Nukem (2D version) and Starcraft turned me into a gaming machine!

In addition, I also had a very strong interest in business. I always imagined myself wearing a suit and tie and holding a briefcase to work because that was how television and movies portrayed the most successful people. I took Business in grade 8 and with a team opened our own candy shop at school. It was definitely fun and exciting.

By the latter half of grade 11 I knew I wanted to pursue a career in Business and Technology. Coupling those two streams would definitely lead me to a successful and wealthy career… right? Hence, I decided to pursue a career in Management Information Systems which basically couples both worlds! That is exactly what I’m doing now…

My family and I at my convo

October 09, 2009. This was the day I crossed the platform during the Convocation Ceremonies at Simon Fraser University. I received a Bachelors degree in Business Administration, concentrating in Management Information Systems and Management and Technology. I also received a certification in Computing Studies. It was the day I started a whole new chapter in my life…

It has definitely been a great five years since I sat in my first class and met my first friends at SFU. I had a lot of great moments. But I also had some not-so-great moments. That is what’s so interesting about life. You can never predict what’s going to happen. But if you just persevere then everything will turn out OK. Like the infamous sayings, life is “…like a box of chocolates” or “…like a rollercoaster”. Just enjoy it!

My graduation ceremony was like any other graduation ceremonies–mind you, I’ve been to four others. I dressed up, went to school with my family, received my gown and degree, walked across the AQ gardens, sat down and listened to various people speak about our successes and the future, and finally walked across the stage. The best part about the whole process was actually, believe it or not, walking across the stage. When you get to that stage, you realize that you’re actually finished. That you’re no longer a university student. That you need to get a job. Quick. Overall, I had a fantastic time and it was definitely a highlight of my life. Thank you to everyone who came out and a special thank you to those who have supported me in getting this far!

So what now? What does my degree mean for me and my future? Theoretically it means I will get a better chance than the average person who doesn’t have a degree or any sort of post-secondary education to land that dream job. I guess we will have to wait and see…

Let’s do this!

Edit: I forgot to give a special thanks to the amazing coat rack that smiles.

My coat rack that smiles!