coming to an end and approaching a new beginning

Our academic term is about to end. Next week, finals. And the students have started with their half-hearted "...Merry Christmas, Sir!" greetings :- )

They don't mean that. What they are actually suggesting is that they be given a passing grade because it's Christmas.

Ah, the feeling of entitlement. Sad. Really. It is.

From my observation "'Merry Christmas!' greeting students" can be segmented to "I was handled with baby gloves until now", the "'Friends with Benefits' professor friends ", the "Senior Citizens", the "Dazed and Confused lot" and the "True Blue".

Sometimes a student can be in cross section of two or more segments like someone who buys siomai in Siomai House and also buys it in Gloria Maris. The former, being part of the pedestrian segment while the later as part of a more'motivated' segment. Though the siomai eater is only one, he belongs to two segments :- )

But the usefulness of the siomai correlation ends there.

Though I appreciate the inventiveness and the 'flexibility' of students in building and acquiring street smarts to get that elusive 'Pass', I hope they also appreciate that there are certain and non-negotiable things in this world.

I mean, would they entrust their health or there parent's health and be treated by a doctor who got his license because he was only a friend of all his med-proper professors?

Would you? No!

Would they allow themselves to be opened up by ObGyn who got her license because the Medical Board together with the regulatory body saw that she was already an overstaying med-student?

Would you? No!

There is a reason for the 'pass' and the 'not yet'. There is a reason why engineering is demanding, hard and difficult.

If we do not understand that, then, we now know why we are where we are.

Maybe we should try to become somebody else other being an engineer even if we are already in our mid-20s and still in college. Because it is sad, and it honestly sucks, to be a 2nd-rate version of ourselves.

Or maybe it's time to rest and to reflect.

Listen. Be still and ...

"... why think like mere men."