Checking out
A once-in-a-lifetime story of how an overseas student became the current COGS Society Treasurer with some je ne sais quoi.
Hello there. π§
I bet you 1β½ that most of you did not run into me on campus this year.
Where's this Treasurer? Why does he get lost in Parramatta all the time? And is he a spy?
Well, first and foremost, did you know that I am actually not a COGS student? Le Gasp!
I'm actually an international computer science student who has genetically terrible sense of global directions. Thanks mum.
Some of you may be wondering how I got my role as Treasurer for this exquisite society.
Well, gather around kids and let this old man tell you a story.
(Take note of this phrase as we will come back to this later!)
It was year 2022, July, on a mid-rainy day, Sydney, Australia.
I was stuck in COMP1000, Introduction to Computer Programming, where some of our fallen comrades studied how to code for the first time in their lives, a long recursive journey filled with self-doubt, screams and semi-colons; I cried a lot.
It was on D-Day, where we were assessed in-person by the tutors on our major project assignment, a cold and thorough interrogation to determine whether we understood how we wrote our spaghetti code at 11:54pm on a Sunday.
But jokes on them.
I am Italian.
I know how to loop my Parmesan. π€
It was on that day, where I faced Connor Ellem-Sanders, a COMP1000 tutor, towering over us with his unshakable professionalism, superiority, and well, his height.
He threw me some questions about my code left and right and I responded back with β, β, β, β, β, β, β, β, B, A, START, SELECT. I know my Dance Dance Revolution, pal.
He proceeds to ask hypothetical scenarios which made me start perspiring and wonder why trees are green. Unconvinced with my half-peppered intelligence that got lost in the void, he clicks away to test my spaghetti code himself.
Well, you just activated my trap card.
He did not expect the Bolognese meatballs.
With his serious character defeated, we both reconvened down at ESC Cafe and he asked me to guess what I scored for that assessment.
I replied an 80 or a 90.
He told me to check my grade on iLearnedNothingYet.
100.
I made a frown and demanded he needs to knock me at least 10% off.
He thought I was a lunatic.
I thought the same as well.
I ended that semester with a High-Distinction for COMP1000.
Now, you might be wondering how this love story is any related to COGS Society or my role as Treasurer. Don't worry, I'm getting there! Patience, young Padawan!
It was 9th of August, 2023. Level 3 Australian Hearing Hub. Marri Room.
Comp Neuro.
I was not familiar with a single brain in that room and my Social Battery Deluxe (Introvert Limited Edition ver.) quickly depleted as the minutes went by.
Connor, the President of COGS Society, later walks in and greets everyone and then turns to look at me with his iconic pose.
"Did not expect you to be here" π€
Honestly mate, nobody did.
Not even myself.
Why was I here? Did my spirit animal guide me to this exact location and time? And who is that good-looking man in the Hawaiian shirt?
As the semester rolled on, I eventually volunteered to help out the COGS Executive Team with my video editing and advertising skills. Our book launch event for 'The Connected Species' by Mark A. Williams was a great success with our social media pages blazing with likes and comments.
If you came across any captions with puns - I'm not sorry.
1 December 2023, MSN Messenger chat with Connor
I applied to sign up as a general executive to help out with their social media or events - something I'm comfortable with and excel at.
* Boop * π§
" ... interested in treasury?" - ConnorTheGoat @13:55 π
* Vince sends a very Italian GIF * π€
"Sure." - Vinchenski @13:56 π€·
So there you have it, how I got my Treasurer role and lived happily ever after.
Jokes aside, I always avoided a Treasurer role as I feared the idea of handling someone else's money but I decided to take this opportunity to try something new and learn some neat skills before graduating and leaving Australia this year.
I had a great experience organising your merchandise with various businesses, getting chased in Parramatta station and growing as a person excelling in spreadsheets. I haven't regret signing up for this role not one bit.
But honestly, the role surprisingly did not do a number on me nor were the tasks that taxing at all.
Hmm? Wads up? All these puns are being too much of a big deal for you right now?
If you really want that change, make sure to apply to be part of a rewarding team!
β Did I forget to mention about something? Oh, right! π
When I was stuck in Seoul in 2020, I used to go bouldering (indoor rock-climbing) every week with some international professors. One of them worked in South Korea since 1995.
He urged me to study another degree and make use of my skills and talents instead of aiming to become a teacher.
Every week he would tell us invaluable life lessons and his past experiences by sitting us all down, starting off with, "gather around kids and let this old man tell you a story".
Oh, and did I mention that he's a Macquarie University alumni?
