you an engineer?

te recognition ive received for being a future tech student is funny at times, but most of all, i feel like its a priviledge.

almost everyone whom ive come across praises me or say that ive gone past the hard part simply im going to tech. jeez, ive not even graduated yet, and im not sure if i'll get to graduate from tech in the end, or transfer to some other university coz its so tough.

i went to an indian store today, where my mom gets halal chicken every thursday. as we waiting for the man in charge to come up with the total cost and such, my mom was saying something about college, i cant remember exactly what. then the guy asked me,

"you going to college? where?"

'georgia tech'

"oh, no wonder you're wearing that shirt. must be an engineer eh?"

'*smile* yeah'

"what are you studying?"

'it was computer engineering but i had a change of heart, i decided to go with undeclared engineering'

"very good choice, that's the best, watch for how the industry changes in the next 4 years and make the decision. dont worry, you'll be fine at georgia tech, its a good engineering school"

that's like the typical conversation when im asked where im going for college. i dont wanna really reveal and make a big fuss about it, but when they ask, i cant ignore the question can i?

sometimes its embarassing, or at times, i feel bad. there was this incident, where i was at an antique store, my uncle was getting a dining table cloth, and he was talking with the counter lady when a girl came into a store. the counter lady knows her, it seems, friends' daughter or a member in the family, im not sure. so it was now about her, that it was her spring break, she studies in university of ohio, she studying child education or something like that, i wasnt really listening, then my uncle reveals, 'my nephew here is going to georgia tech'

after that, it was all on me. the counter lady goes 'oh, we have the smart one in the family, dont we?' and suddenly the topic of the other girl was tossed away like it didnt matter. i felt a little glare from that girl, but it was obviously unintended. i didnt expect that to happen. that incident really made me feel bad. but univ of ohio is also a pretty good school and i dont know how the comparison came about, i mean, each university is different in their own way and such. there's no clear justification as to how we compare universities.

another incident, at our condo association meeting, we were talking to the new neighbours since it was our first time meeting them officially. and as they asked the inevitable question, i was bombarded with 'oh, that's excellent!' 'you're in for the big time' 'oh you're gonna be getting an excellent job' etc etc. there was one guy who was from univ. of maryland, an ACC univ, that told me of georgia tech's campus and that it is indeed a good school and such. that was probably the only helpful tip i received.

and of cus, when we went to register hasib for his high school, it wasnt any better.

i guess the only funny thing that happened is when i met my next door neighbour, dan, he snapped his fingers and said 'you're gonna get jobs like that'

its embarassing really, to think that im in a situation such as this, when i was way below average academically during my time in SAJC. i was failing most exams, and i wont be surprised if anyone thinks that i was involved in so many activities to make up for my lack of academic accomplishment.

but its pretty clear by now, bottomline, if ure a tech student, you're a good engineer.

that's all i need to be known as, actually.