Ending the term on a high note - The NANYANG MBA end-of-term party at 1-Altitude

by Zhou Dan, Chinese, VP for Communications, Nanyang MBA Participant, Intake 2011

How time flies! It was almost yesterday that we packed our luggage and came to this energetic and vibrant city-state – Singapore and now, the first trimester of our program has passed so quickly and so is the year 2011. After finishing our last paper for Trimester 1 at the end of November, both the current and graduating cohorts, went out for a chill and fun to celebrate the ‘end’ and the new beginning for some. We were looking forward for a fun-packed night, but it was bittersweet for everyone, as it also marked the night that we were saying goodbye to our senior peers. Talking about farewells!

The choice of the place was crucial to fulfill our purpose. Our VP for Socials decided to hold the event on the rooftop of now the tallest building in Singapore – a fitting venue to celebrate the end of studies, on a ‘high’ note. Hence, we all agreed to set it at One Raffles Place, a new iconic structure in the heart of the central business district and financial center of Singapore – Raffles Place. It houses the multi-concept lifestyle venue for the end-of-term party – 1-Altitude and CityGolf. One Raffles Place has a peak height of 282 meters (!) and boasts a spectacular 360-degree view of Singapore skyline.

view 1-altitude — Breathtaking view from 1-Altitude

1-Altitude and CityGolf has earned a reputation for a chill out and networking venue among the professionals working in the area – bankers, finance people, and even IT pros! With that, there is always a high chance that you will meet one or all three. But we did! We did not only have fun, but also we got to practice our networking skills (and polish these in process, a work in-progress).

Everyone felt nostalgic that night. We shared our experiences, the joys and challenges of being an MBA student. Kabeer, of my classmates and VP of Cultural, expressed his gratitude to the outgoing batch in giving him a different perspective of the program, “We have made more than a few friends from the three months of interaction and mentoring sessions that we had with our senior batch. Their diverse backgrounds, distinct experiences and industry-specific knowledge have not only helped us to get a better perspective of the program but also made us realize the true value of carrying the ‘Nanyang MBA’ brand.” As Kabeer has pointed out, our graduating peers were helpful in sharing their thoughts and experience in getting into their desired positions in highly reputable companies. They leveraged the time they have to offer us as much information and help as they could.

Charles Chua, VP for Socials, has his parting words of thanks and well-wishes to the outgoing batch – “We know you have come a long way for the past 12 or 16 months, adapting to heavy school load and particularly, back to student lifestyle. Many of us are working professionals and in just making this decision, we, the new cohort, are now again sitting in the same classrooms listening to lectures, working through case studies and rushing assignments for submission by the deadlines. Transition is never easy but you guys have made it through the program and I wish you success in your career and new endeavors. Learning never ends but we hope that the bonds and friendships established within your cohort and with ours will continue.”

As expected, all good things never last. But memories do.

We ended the night, the term and the year on a high note!