#10YearChallenge

There is a new social media hashtag going around that you might be familiar with: #10YearChallenge. As a Tepper student with a marketing concentration, we could spend time pondering about the virality of this and the implications on marketers and data miners. But, that’s not what this post is going to be about.

2009 – 2019 has been quite the journey for me. I grew up in Singapore, and first set foot in the USA in 2009 when I enrolled to the University of Michigan as an undergraduate student. Exactly 10 years later, I am just one semester shy of graduating from Carnegie Mellon University as an MBA student. There are no combination of words that will do justice to describe this incredible journey. This decade flew right by; with it, the definition of home has been challenged, the bonds of friendships strengthened, and the boundaries of what is possible pushed.

Here are some of the fondest comparisons between 2009 and 2019 that immediately comes to mind:
1. Thinking August was butt-freezing cold back in 2009 … Now giving advice on how to combat Winters to 1st-year MBA’s from Singapore
2. Confusing folks with my British (colony) English such as “rubbish, pavement, petrol, lift, toilet, timetable, car park” back in 2009 … Now finding it extremely difficult to spell “neighbors, colors, labor, flavor, behavior” with an additional “u”
3. Constantly confusing the levers between the turn signal and the wipers back in 2009 … now refusing to drive when I visit Singapore because I ended up on the wrong side of the road the last time I tried

What I still struggle with:
1. Understanding temperature in Fahrenheit
2. Lines (or should I say queues) at TSA and DMV
3. Eating onions

Needless to say, I am extremely excited for the next ten years. I hope you are too!

• Author
• Recent Posts

Wei Lim | MBA 2019

Lead Engineer & Coordinator (pre-MBA) at CMU School of Music

Wei grew up in Singapore before coming to the U.S. for college, and has since been working in the music industry. He did his undergraduate degree in Sound Engineering and Psychology while at the University of Michigan, and later joined a world-class boutique recording studio in NYC as a Staff Engineer. He most recently left his job as a Lead Engineer & Coordinator at CMU School of Music to complete his MBA program. Wei is currently the Vice-President of the Design & Business Club, an Advisory Board member with the Consulting Club, and an active member of the Marketing Club. In his free time, Wei enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, cooking, and practising his magic card tricks on unsuspecting friends.

Latest posts by Wei Lim | MBA 2019 (see all)

• #10YearChallenge - January 16, 2019
• From Part-time to Full-time - October 29, 2018
• Three transitions - February 19, 2018