After much thought, and consideration, and discussion, and calculation, and cost-benefit analysis (being the irritating economists we are, just cant resist throwing this term in).. i'm approximately 80% sure that i won't be going on an exchange.

I am quite aware of the possible arguments in support of an exchange:-

- it may be the 'best time of my life' <- that's what everyone says when they come back from exchange
- it looks good on the resume, cuz employers 'supposedly' will be convinced that you are an independent person
- able to maintain GPA while studying less (but this can easily work against you, depending on this sem's results)
- all that travelling and food, the people, and definitely, the shopping of course
- one of the more impt argument for me: to get away from the f*cking shitload of work we do at S*M*U, its totally non-transparent grading system, the classmates who constantly want to outdo each other in terms of class participation, the freezing cold seminar rooms, the bidding of courses at the start of every sem.. the list goes on.

The thought of leaving this shitty sch for just one sem is just so tempting.

Really tempting, really.

But there are numerous downsides to it as well, such as:-
- if exchange were indeed the 'best time of my life', i dun wanna look back several months later feeling sad abt it because everything was over in a flash
- Eating all the good food there and put on some 7kg again! (till now i have not shed the weight i put on during my europe trip)
- The freezing cold weather (as if the seminar rooms & concourse in S*M*U arent bad enough)
- going on exchange in my final sem means starting the job hunt later than the rest because the exchange term ends approximately a month later. To be granted an interview when overseas on exchange, the employer must really see something in you, which therefore means you gotta be outstanding in some ways, and that is probably not gonna be me.

It was the last reason really swayed my decision into the 'No go' region. Exchange is probably a hell lot of fun, but I'd much rather be sending out resumes, getting shortlisted for interviews, attending interviews and getting screwed over by some really nasty corporate executive and getting my ego all crushed in the process, and continue to pray hard that some rich firm out there will take pity and choose to hire me.

In essence, it's really just a trade-off between having fun and a higher probability of getting employed. Employment equals money. Money makes the world go round, and so i love money.

And so, no exchange.