Sudden Meets

Drix and Henrik, one a recent Metallurgical Engineering graduate preparing for his board, another a graduating Materials Engineering student took a risk to attend an unscheduled, out of the blue social event in the vicinity of their campus. Time could have been spent resting after a board review or chilling out with dorm mates on a rainy Friday night. One is an introvert who recharges by isolating himself; the other is an extrovert who draws more energy engaging in active conversations.

They were not drawn to the place because they were required to as students but simply out of curiosity perhaps not expecting anything but to discover something new in a company of working and retired professionals whose only distinct commonality is sharing the same campus as theirs but on different eras.

While they can claim they learned about wine, wine drinking, meats and music in that marathon social gathering, we too learned from them.

That failing several classes may now be a norm. That school life is really not all ups as there are down moments too. That they have a deep appreciation for history and music, both Asian and the world.
Millennials can be active listeners even outside of their groups. They can appreciate good food and wine and the factual support behind them. They have patience. And they can relate with seniors on an equal footing.

Both have expressed different paths post college. One will pursue a masteral degree after taking and passing the board, the other to get employed. We wish them the best for the endeavors they chose to pursue.

Drix only dragged Henrik to the gathering initially with hesitancy. In the about 10 hours of social exchanges, Henrik must have thanked Drix 7 times.

Leaving the place not knowing if ever we will meet again, the only message we leave is, to take risk. As Paulo Coelho wrote, “we will only understand the miracle of life when we allow the unexpected to happen.