Time is a Very Valuable Resource

Today, my thesis advisor invited all students who were under his guidance in thesis for lunch. He's a Korean, so it is not surprising that he brought us to a korean resto. There, he ordered dolsot bibimbab (it's like a Korean rice menu consists of rice, vegetables, egg, a little meat, and spicy sauce mixed together) However, that's not what is important in the lunch meeting.

There, after he ordered, he told us that he would like to hear from each of us the answers of his 2 questions:

1. What suggestion can we give to the department?

2. What are our specific plans in 10 to 20 years time?

Then, my friends and I started to speak up about what we want, both in our department and in our future. The most common answer about the 10-20 years plan is getting married and having children, or having own businesses.

After all of us finished answering the questions, he told us something. Something that gave me some other insight about our lives.

Here is what he told us, "I may seem old to all of you, but trust me, i felt like it was yesterday that i finished my bachelor degree. Trust me that time, it flies so fast, especially when we do our routines everyday. Routines may trapped us in a condition where we pass 10 years and we feel like we have just passed only 1 year. Routines keep us busy in this life and sometimes make us forget that time, is a very limited source that we have to utilize the best. That is why i asked all of you what you want to achieve in 10 to 20 years specifically, because i do not want you to go through life like me. I regret what I did years ago, i feel like i can actually use time more wisely in order to achieve what i really want to achieve in this life. Thus, if you are going to do some things now, think about what it will bring you in the future. If it is going to give you positive value in the future, then do it."

His message really hit me hard. I must admit that these days i am really confused about what i should do right now, which choice i must take, and where should i go.

However, this insight helped me to understand what i should do next.

Thank you, Dr. Kim Sung Suk, my thesis advisor who has shared this point with me.

Thank you for giving me the best guidance that you can for me in finishing my thesis despite of your busy schedule and tight workload.

Thank you for being not only a good lecturer, but also a very good role model and inspiration.

I cannot return back what you have invested in my life directly to you, but i hope what i am going to achieve in the future will also make you proud of me, and your investment too :p, i am sure that God will bless you and your family for what you have given us, our students.

All in all, the important message i get today is "time is a very valuable resource."

Good nite, universe. :)