Smart Choices, Wrong Paths

Guys, just 22 days to go before heading home for Chinese New Year! But it’s only Monday, and I feel like I’ve already burned through all my energy for the week. Honestly, I totally get why everyone has Monday blues—it’s always packed with endless tasks and surprise issues.

Then it hit me: being an engineer means your work always stems from processes. Our entire career revolves around solving problems from the process, for the process. It’s like being stuck in an infinite loop of problem → analyze → solve → prevent → new problem.

It’s a closed cycle, and let’s be real, even after a thousand years, this will still be our reality. Guess engineers are just modern-day warriors battling process dragons one issue at a time!

Sometimes, I just don’t want to use my brain. Ever since I was a kid, people—parents, teachers, everyone—kept saying how “smart” I was. I think it’s because I did well in academics. But honestly? I don’t see myself as the hardworking type—I’m more of a work smart kind of person.

I did well in secondary school because I figured out how to play my country’s education system. It’s simple: memorize tons of stuff and know exactly how to apply it in exams. But does that really count as being “smart”? I’m not so sure.

I was always in the science stream, and I still don’t understand who decided to spread the myth that science students are somehow smarter than arts students. Like, no. Everyone has their own talents. Some people are just naturally gifted in specific areas, and they just need time to figure out what those are.

But back in secondary school, I didn’t feel like I had a choice. Everyone kept telling me to study science. So, when I got to Form 6, I was in the science stream again. This time, at least, I got to pick between Physics & Chemistry or Biology & Chemistry (and for some mysterious reason, Chemistry was non-negotiable). I ended up choosing Physics because, well, I didn’t want to memorize a ton of stuff, and I’ve always liked Math. Physics is mostly theory and calculations, so it made sense.

But here’s a confession: I actually like Biology, too. If there were no exams and it was just about learning, I would’ve chosen Biology in a heartbeat. The problem is, I didn’t choose based on what I liked—I chose what I thought would help me score better. And this is where the suffering began.

I don’t like what I’m doing now. And I’ve realized something important: humans can’t really go far without passion. It’s like being forced to choose between the person you love and the person who loves you. You need to do something that truly reflects what’s in your heart. Only then can you feel real satisfaction.