March 13, 2017 Reflection (Personal Finance)

Today we worked on an interactive module called "Foundations of Finance." I thought it was a good way for us to spend our class while you were gone. We delved deeper into the idea of interest. I learned a lot more about cars, and loans. I also enjoyed the examples they gave because they made it easier to understand what I was learning.

The module took most of the class, but I definitely think it was worth it. However, I missed the discussion we normally have in class. I think that the discussion helps me learn about different viewpoints. It also helps me ask questions. With this module, while I understood it in its entirety, if I had questions I don't know who I would ask.

I enjoyed it, though!

March 9, 2017 Reflection (Personal Finance)

Our presentations were today! I was in a group with Maddie Wong and Matthew Greisinger. We had a choice of three topics: retirement, cars, or property. I wanted to work on property because I thought that it would be the most interesting. Also, I chose it because it's the one I know least about.

I think that my part of the presentation went well. I got sick over CulCon, so I stumbled and was coughing through my presentation, but overall I think I did okay. I really enjoy presenting. Most importantly, I learned a lot about property through researching for the presentation. Most apartment complexes don't allow pets (at least dogs) and I know for sure that I will want to adopt a dog once I'm out of the house and living on my own. While at the moment I am neither financially equipped nor responsible enough to purchase property, I think that once I have a stable job what I learned will become useful. 

March 7, 2017 Reflection (Personal Finance)

Bonjour, Monsieur Bisset. I'm currently still in character, even though the second day of IASAS has been long over. I'm too tired to type this up on my laptop so here I sit, in bed at my host's house, writing this down. I'll update my blog later. IASAS is really fun. More than getting to know ISB folks, I'm really becoming closer with my fellow SASers. I think that's more valuable, in a way, because I'll be leaving so soon.

Paloma was a big hit today. Even though I didn't do very well in terms of scores, I did get a 3, which is pretty good. Besides, winning is not the main point of IASAS. The experience is. I've still been keeping up with finance, though, which is both good and bad. I have eight days of work to catch up on, which is bad, and also I'm more focused on my work than I am on completely letting go and having fun, which is a mix of good and bad.

I spent a long time formatting my March budget. I'm really enjoying this exercise.

March 3, 2017 Reflection (Personal Finance)

With the beginning of a new month comes a new experience: IASAS. I write this down in a notebook on the plane, and I plan to update my blog when I have time and access to an internet connection. Somehow I have the feeling that although I'll have the latter, IASAS will be more fun than updating my Personal Finance blog. Sorry, Mr. Bisset, but I'm sure you'll be pretty busy running around too, extemp-ing. I'm looking forward to meeting people from ISB and making new friends from SAS.

For the next weekend, I am French. I am a precocious twelve year old with a penchant for mocking people. Paloma, the character I am portraying, is biting. My favorite piece of dialogue from my script is when Paloma mocks her sister's boyfriend's father: So, when Mister I-have-engendered-a-pustule said... Her insults are hilarious, and although she is a haughty person, she's lovable in her own way.

I'll see you again in Bangkok, Mr. Bisset. I'm going to try and sleep now.

March 1, 2017 Reflection (Personal Finance)

I'm leaving for IASAS tomorrow. With three days away from school my absences will have added up to a grand total of 8 days. I hate that I'm missing so much school. It's so difficult to catch up after I return. At the same time, though, I'm excited for my first IASAS.

At times the world seems so complicated. But then again, maybe it's because I haven't learned everything. To me, economics seems immensely complicated. Maybe to someone else CS feels convoluted. I guess it depends on the person.

I've been rereading a good book during our 15 min reading time. That book is what I'd call value for money. One might argue that by rereading a novel you wouldn't learn anything, but I believe the contrary. I think that even on the fifteenth read you can discover something you missed earlier. That's what makes reading so worthwhile.

February 27, 2017 Reflection (Personal Finance)

Today I've been thinking about mutual funds. I think that they're pretty cool. I like that you can invest in a single firm that in turn pools together all its buyers' money to purchase stocks for you. Provided that the mutual fund is buying valuable stocks, I think that investing in a mutual fund is worth it. It also got me thinking about how mutual funds are different from indexes. I looked it up and found that it's possible for index funds to be mutual funds.

I'm still not in class today. I wonder what I'm missing. I'm worried about having to come back to a mountain of work, especially since two days after I get back I leave for IASAS. Even though I'm a second semester senior, I feel busier this semester than I did last year. I find that unfair, you know? It's not that I want to slack off in class. Many of them are applicable to real life, will help me better myself, and make my college experience (if not easier) more bearable. It's just...when am I going to be able to feel senioritis?

February 23, 2017 Reflection (Personal Finance)

I'm not in class today, but I am getting a taste of real-world budgeting and finance. I'm in the US for a college visit. Visiting the university that I would like to go to has helped me understand the value of personal finance. To me personally, financial aid is very important because it will help offset the cost of my college education. Visiting the college in person has shown me the value of being able to save money so that in the future I will not have student loans.

So far I have enjoyed the budgeting exercise. I like it because I am able to see exactly what I have spent my money on. In the future, when my friends might post on facebook something about them being a broke college student, I'll be able to show off my budget and handy dandy saving skills. I might be a poor college student, but I won't be broke. I think what we're doing is relevant and helpful.