Exhale

Was at an interview a week ago. I think the most interesting part occured in the waiting room, where I was seated with about 4 other girls who came with their own unique arsenal of weapons: Sharp suits, Crisp accents and the Power to annoy.

Scene: Waiting room. 4 girls who represent a vast spectrum of Singaporean JCs - namely the top 3. They all seem to know each other fairly well perhaps because of some invisible elitist fraternity that binds them forever more.

ACT I: The Pointless Small Talk.

Future Med Student: So what have you been doing this holiday?
Future Law Student: Oh I've been so busy - *sigh* with my French lessons...and you know, all these scholarship interviews. And May's going to be even busier...because I have to go for even more interviews with scholarship boards. Its suuuch a waste of time. *knowing smiles amongst all of them*
Future Engineering Student: Oh I can totally understand. Happens all the time. Which scholarships did you apply for?
Law student: Ohhh...let's see then. *rolls eyes up to think* A fair few - the EDB, the MAS, the GIC, the SAF, the PSC, the SIA, the AAR, the PIE, the ECP, the AYE, the AFFEFI, the NIEB, the IQENFLJNELQ... Yes that about sums it up I think. A fair few.
Med student: IQENFLJNELQ? Oh, that's a good one.
Engineering student: Yes I applied for IQENFLJNELQ too but they didn't want me after the 5th round of interviews.Boohoo.
Law student: Oh. I've got another interview tomorrow. It's my nth number.
Medicine student: This is my n+1th interview.
Engineering: (n+1)2th
Law: Oh this waiting is really too long. When can we go up?

ACT II: Great Expectations.

Engineering: So what are you planning to study in Uni?
Law: *promptly* Oh Law. Most definitely. I want to do a double degree in Law and Econs if I study locally. It's so utterly divine. And everyone from my school is applying for that.
Medicine: I'm going to do Medicine and specialize in Pediatry.
Engineering: Is there a double degree in Engineering and Business? I would love to do that.
Law: *tinkle of laughter* Oh no there isn't, sweetheart. I'm so sorry.
Medicine: I don't think there's much point in doing the Arts is there? More or less a dead end.
Engineering: Actually my sister's studying the Arts now.
Law: Oh? Which one?
Engineering: Sociology I think.
Medicine: Ah. *pause, shrugs* HR in the future I suppose. *knowing smiles all around*
Law: I do love your bracelet by the way. Its absolutely divine!

ACT III: THE SHAM.

Law: Oh dear I do hope they don't ask current affairs questions. I'm absolutely clueless!
Medicine: Yes! Oh my, I only read the Life section! *giggles* What a disgrace I must be!
Law: I only read the gossip section of the Life section! *giggles x2* I'm totally ill-informed! I don't know how I survived GP and got an A!
Engineering: My friend who went for the interview yesterday said they asked her what she would do to reform the UN Security Council!
Law: *gasp* OMG! I could never answer that! I know nothing about the UN!
Engineering: Well she was a History S Ppaer student. I guess they ask you questions which they deem relevant to your subjects.
Law: Oh no. I'm only a Geography S paper student! Maybe they'd ask me about the Kyoto Protocol!
Medicine: Yea well what about me? I'm only a Bio and Chem S paper student!
Engineer: Well I must be the worst then - I'm just a Physics S paper student! *light laughter all around* What could they possibly ask us? We're so ignorant!

Haha ok so I've definitely exagerrated. It was certainly intimidating sitting in the same room with them at the time, but now in retrospect, it was rather hilarious. Don't we all sometimes feel the urge to oogle at our stereotypical overachievers and marvel at how divorced from reality they are?

posted by Jeanne @ 2:24 PM