Reflection on COM 443

These are my reflections on the end of COM 443.

We all have grown. Too bad I can’t say the same about my hair. This is perhaps the most taxing and trying semester ever, and this is so bittersweet because on one hand, I am glad the crazy workload is finally over and done with. On the other hand, I really wish I had more time to get to know my fellow classmates, especially my CheckMaters. This is my last semester in school, and the end of this semester is especially significant for me as I will see people leaving, for Buffalo and for working life, for our own separate ways. But as we end this semester, I am proud to say that I may not have come to UB/SIM expecting much, but I am leaving with much more than what I expected.

I am proud of my team, just as each and every one of you are proud of yours. I am glad to be part of my group, because there was more laughter than tears, more smiles than frowns. Because we knew that we can’t win it all, but that didn’t stop us from trying our best. Because even after disappointment, we learnt to picked ourselves up. Because in the midst of overwhelming deadlines, we still managed to have fun. Because they are not just my teammates, but they are my friends.

It has been my pleasure, and privilege, to have worked with such a great bunch of people. I am not the easiest person to work with, but they managed to pull it off without killing me. It is humbling for me, to see the sacrifices and effort that each of us put in, trying our best despite lacking the know-how, contacts and experience that many other groups may have had.

This is the semester where most of us had our capacities stretched, and we had to juggle so many things that I am sure we will make excellent clowns. We worked our butts off for each and every assignment and while the judgment of our work is subjective, like any parent, no matter how ‘ugly’ our work is perceived to be, we still love it, both the end product and the process we went through to get to that end product.

I don’t really want to talk about we learnt, about work, about advertising principles and theories because honestly, 10, 20 years down the road, who will remember all these? And at the end of semester, who wants to be reminded about work? But 10, 20 years down the road, what we would remember is the camaraderie, the friendships. These are bonds made of sweat, blood and tears, forged through fire.

I want to appreciate the class at this point as well. Thank you all for being so supportive of each other, and united as a class. We revelled in each other’s success, and encouraged each other when one of us falls. We spurred each other on, to outdo each other on every single assignment. Yet at the same time, we never lost sight of our friendships and become too competitive.

So today, let’s celebrate, not the end of the semester, but celebrate the friends made throughout. Let’s celebrate, not the completion of just another module, but of an experience we all will cherish.

And watch Germs cry in front of the whole class (what a crybaby... :P), thanks to Mahfudz for the video.. >:)