Biodata

My name is Jane. I am currently a second year Statistics major in the National University of Singapore (NUS). I decided to major in Statistics because of my love for numbers and wanting to know how I could apply this in the financial world. I have always loved solving algorithms and facing new challenges of any kind. To me, studying Statistics is not only a new challenge but also an avenue for me to sharpen my critical thinking and analytical skills. I hope to see myself working in the finance industry either in the Risk Analyst field or in an actuarial firm, as I enjoy not only dealing with numbers but also the thrill of each new challenge everyday. Because of NUS’ rigorous education, where expectations and benchmarks are set high above average, I believe that this process of sharpening will prove to be useful in the future and help me prepare for bigger challenges next time. 

Apart from dealing with the rigorous course of school, I have also taken up a leadership position as the Dinner and Dance Director in NUS Students’ Science Club. This club is main student organization in the Faculty of Science which attends to students’ needs and also organizes events for the students. Taking up such a role is no easy feat; managing not only my studies but also running a committee at the same time. A lot of planning goes into preparation for the annual Science Pageant and Manhunt Preview Bash as well as the annual Dinner and Dance such as liaising with big sponsors and clinching big marketing deals and sponsorships. This experience has also helped me enhance my interpersonal skills while having to speak to people of higher authority than myself and has also taught me how to put my ideas across in a clear succinct manner.

However, above all these, I have actually learnt much more from this experience. I have often remembered my Mother’s wise advice, that a leader is not just  a person who leads his/her members well, but is also one who is able to mould and build up new leaders from his/her committee. While leading my team, I have kept this in mind, and have learnt to work better with my committee members, seeing them not only as an equal, where their opinions matter, but also helping them achieve their potentials in their current areas of specialization. I believe that this experience as a leader will further enhance my ability to work in a team with my colleagues and be a good team player. This is highly essential in the work place, as no man is an island. More often than not, I believe a workplace requires people to not only co-exist peacefully but also have good working relationships. I would thus be able to tap on my experience in my committee and assimilate easily into a group.

Sure enough, school work and school activities are not the only things that occupy my time. School aside, I am actively serving in Church. On Sundays I play the piano for the Junior Sunday School and also teach in the Sunday School. I find doing so very rewarding personally because I love interacting with children and find it a joy to be part of their moulding years. Being a musician in church really taught me to play by ear instead of the traditional, classical way of playing the piano by sight reading. This has also further inspired me to play on the piano whenever I feel down or when I find a tune catchy and memorable. It has also helped me compose tunes easily whenever I feel like it and further motivate me to find my own type of style of playing and of composing my own renditions of certain songs. Serving in the music team in this freestyle manner has not only increased my creative ability but has also helped me to be more meticulous to small details to perfect a piece of work. 

In my other spare time, I love spending time with my family, having nice sumptuous meals and playing with my beloved family dog, Dong. I believe that no matter how busy one is, time still needs to be portion out for family time. In our fast paced society, balance is definitely key in juggling one's career and private life. Like a proverb Dr James Dobson once read, there is a time and season for everything. 

/edited 25 March/

As I felt that I did not specify as clearly what I hoped to do in the future or how my skills are relevant to what I want to do.