Nicholas Onie

Nick was one of the first friends I met at university.

Actually, if I remember correctly, someone introduced me to him on MSN Messenger even before we physically met.

There are a couple of things to admire about Nick.

The first attribute that always stands out in my memory is his exceptional ability to pull-off the dreaded "all-nighter" that uni students are so infamous for. Of course, all-nighters are not unusual. However, being good at them, I find, is VERY unusual. Nick is superb at all-nighters, and can cram for exams very well. I think he told me that he crammed for his Advanced English HSC paper on the train on the way to the exam LOL.

No wonder he is now in the investment banking industry where his last-minute skills will be put to good use.

The second attribute perhaps lends itself from the first. I feel that Nick has a good sense of 'cunning' (the word used in the positive sense). More specifically, I feel he is good at knowing when to be aggressive and when to be passive, and therefore when to toggle between those two frames of mind to fit the social or other situation he is in. To that end, he is not lacking in confidence because you need confidence (and a sharpness of mind) to know when you are supposed to be doing what. And you need to read people well to do this properly. There is a time and place for everything, so they say.

For example, I feel that I should be more aggressive in certain situations but, more often than not, I find myself staying somewhere in the middle.

So I hope I have not embarrassed him in this post, but there is certainly a lot I could, and should, learn from Nick Onie.

And I mean that in all seriousness.

Andre Lim

*Update (7.2.16):

My friend, Diana Liu, read this post and kindly shared a very nice thing regarding Nick Onie (aka "Nonie"). With her permission I have put what she has to say below:

"I will always remember Nonie's kindness on a dark rainy night after a function when he drove me home. 

His home is quite far from mine, some 40 minutes to 1 hour from where I live. Although I was just a friend to him - not a special person of interest - Nonie insisted on driving me home. 

Not only did he drive me home but when we arrived at my place, he came out of the car and stood in the pouring rain to watch me get into my house safely - through the door and into my home. I'll never forget it :)

He is such a gentleman in that sense, and I feel that this aspect of him isn't often recognised as it should be."

I appreciate Diana's input - thanks Di :)

Actually now that Diana mentions it, Nick did kindly drive me home as well one night when I was without a car, and my house is also quite far from his. So Diana puts me to shame as even I had forgotten his generosity with giving lifts to people!