So, now SPM students can enter public universities...
8 mad rant(s) » Add your own! RANDTed: Henry Yew at 12:00:00 PMBack then, SPM students with excellent results were allowed to bypass the STPM system to pursue tertiary studies straightaway after they obtain their SPM results. Later on, the Ministry of (Higher) Education issued a statement saying that SPM students are not eligible to apply for public universities and must sit for the STPM examination for the Pre-University level. And now, according to this article from The Star, the ministry once again permits students who have sat for the SPM examination this year to apply for places in public universities for the 2008/2009 session.
Little did they know that people who can do well in examinations may not have high IQ and that people with high IQ may not be able to do well in examinations.
To me, this seems to imply one thing, that the standard of the SPM examinations I sat for in 2005 was supposedly lower than that for this year. Therefore, because we are not well armed with the knowledge required before going to universities, we have to either sit for the A Levels examination (if you plan on going to private universities), the Matriculation, Foundation studies, AusMAT, Canadian Pre-U, or the infamous Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia.
However, looks like that wouldn't be necessary anymore for SPM students now. Starting November this year, students who have sat for the SPM examinations can now apply for university entry. Although they did not state specifically whether these students would be first taken into the university to do any foundation studies or just absorbed immediately as undergraduates, as far as I am concerned, there are no universities that are offering foundation studies yet. If there are, I wonder why didn't the ministry tell us so, instead of us having to do STPM examinations. Logical, isn't it? Correct me if I am wrong.
Most of us have already gone through the SPM process, and upon doing our Pre-University studies, we would have found how much lacking our knowledge is so much so that we know the reason why we were not allowed to directly apply into universities as undergraduates. The issue now is: Since we know that the SPM syllabus is simply insufficient for students to directly apply for undergraduate studies in public universities, based on what grounds does the ministry now permit SPM students this year to apply for public universities purely based on their SPM results?
Are they going to, once again, say that selection of students from the SPM level into universities will be based on the results they obtain, and that only the creme de la creme would be chosen. It certainly shortens time a lot for students, having to skip the two years in STPM, but this is like a repetition of the PTS case. Back in those days when PTS examinations were still around, we saw some of our friends skipping Standard 4 into Standard 5 because they supposedly have higher IQ compared to us, and therefore could cope even without having to go through Standard 4.
That's true to some extent. Little did they know that people who can do well in examinations may not have high IQ and that people with high IQ may not be able to do well in examinations. Perhaps they had not heard of savants back then. Hey, no offense to those who have succeeded in the PTS examination, but my point is just that a great number of those who skipped Standard 4 have also flopped in their examinations later on. Many who were regarded as potential genius in Standard 3 could not secure a straight A1 streak in their SPM examinations. Nevertheless, I must also add that getting straight A1's in the SPM examinations does not even necessarily reflect our intelligence nowadays.
So, now we have a similar situation where students who could score excellent results in the SPM examination would stand a chance to further their studies immediately in public universities. It saves money for parents to bring their children to pursue their tertiary education as public universities are far cheaper, and it saves time because they would not need to undergo STPM studies.
However, is that a good move? Many students who have gone through Matriculation and STPM studies eventually flop while pursuing tertiary education, too. Is it not too big a risk for SPM students to pursue undergraduate studies immediately? If they want to pursue any course in biology (medicine, genetics, biochemistry), what would they know about taxonomy (from kingdom to species), detailed anatomy and so on? If they want to pursue any course in physics (engineering, automotive), what would they know about statics, mechanics, kinematics, etc.? If they want to pursue any course in information technology (computer science, business), what do they know about programming, network analysis, problem solving, etc.? If they want to deal with language, what do they know about didactics, semantics, etc.? Virtually nothing.
Being Malaysians in a competitive era, we seem to favour short-cuts. We want to be over with studying. We want to venture into the working world as soon as possible. We want to start earning our first big bucks. STPM examinations seem to be for losers only. It is that kind of mentality that sometimes poison and eventually kill our minds, giving us the unnecessary distress that we could have avoided simply by being more patient.
Have I regretted doing my Foundation studies in UTP? Certainly not. I was offered the ASEAN Pre-U Scholarship too but I rejected it, knowing somehow that I would get the better offer from Petronas. But if Petronas had not offered me the sponsorship and I had rejected the ASEAN Scholarship offer from Singapore; and also assuming that I had applied for other scholarships but failed to secure one, would I go for STPM? Yes, and without any resentment. I wouldn't even consider doing A Level studies on my own. That's flat.
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;;Time for an update from me now.
University life has never been this hectic this semester. Last semester while I felt like I was idling around too much and therefore must kill time with more activities this year, I find myself suddenly rained upon by assignment after assignment, and competitions after competitions (in which I am always in the committee). It is really ironic as this semester I have been really active in quite a number of activities. However, I feel much fulfilled as there isn't really a time when I would spend just idling around. Then, whenever the weekend arrives, I would really appreciate it to have a good weekend's worth of rest.
While last semester has been quite a struggle for me, this semester (or the next half of the year) has been indeed fruitful, though stressful.
Anyway, perhaps I shall tell you what I had just done not long ago. Jared and I had just completed our part of the Health, Safety and Environment project whereby we put up a public speaking presentation at the Amphitheatre of our university. The memorable part for me was that we had to speak in front of the audience without a microphone; it really felt as if I was speaking in the amphitheatre back in the ancient Greek. I actually hoped that there would not be a microphone. So, although I was quite delighted that my hope came true, I was quite certain that many were displeased.
Jared and I, as well as another three more teammates delivered on the topic of safety legislation to promote a safe and healthy workplace environment. Despite the fact that we prepared for exactly one week, it was quite a good result that we produced overall. We spoke on why and how did safety legislation come about, the roles and functions of the legislation, the benefits of having legislation, the effects of NOT having legislation, the responsibilities of parties involved in a workplace as well as the organisations that exist to promote a safe and healthy workplace environment.
Although it was not our first time making presentations to an audience, it was certainly a wonderful experience to be speaking at the amphitheatre where audience from wherever they were going seem to always take an interest in what was happening at the amphitheatre, and more often than not they would stay for a while to listen, sitting on the terraced sitting areas made of cement, stones and gravel.
Joe was there, too, but just merely taking photographs. Joe, I and another friend of mine who were part of the public speaking team actually had a class at 2.30 p.m. (but the presentation was also at 2.30 pm!). Joe was not involved in the public speaking but decided that he would stay to watch; he is actually involved in the Health, Safety and Environment Board Game project which he will present on the 24th of October. However, he stayed until 2.45 and when he realised the time he decided to forego the class himself. I had actually asked permission to go late for class. However, at about 3.00 p.m. another coursemate of mine appeared at the Amphitheatre and upon asking him why he was there, he said the class was cancelled after the students waited for twenty minutes, because the lecturer said that he suddenly had a function to attend to. At that moment, I simply shouted "YES! I NEEDN'T WORRY ABOUT MISSING SOLID MECHANICS!" Trust me, Principles of Solid Mechanics is a killer subject for Civil Engineering students.
Overall, things have happened in such a way it is unexpected. To some, it might just be co-incidental but to me I believe it must have been a blessing.
Sometimes, things happen but they are not at your favour. It is just that sometimes we have to hold on and see what happens next. When desperate time comes, you may not know that a miracle is just a step away from you.
Overall, the presentation has been smooth and wonderful. I really must thank those who have taken part in this presentation group.
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;;I found some college/university study tips on a certain American website. These tips are written specifically for college/university students in the US of A but can definitely be applied all around the world. 1. Go to class - I know this one is mind-numbingly obvious but it’s important. Many professors lecture directly from PowerPoint and post the slides to the internet. This makes it tempting to skip class, download the lecture notes, and learn the material on your own. Although you can probably get away with this in easy courses, you’ll face problems in challenging ones. By skipping class, you miss out on a few important things: It’s also important to consider how skipping class affects your reputation. In most classes, grades are somewhat subjective. This means that the grader’s perception of you can make or break your grade. If you frequently miss class, you’ll be perceived as someone who lacks respect for the professor and the subject matter. Why should they give you the benefit of the doubt or round that B+ up to an A-? 2. Sit in the front row - Not only will sitting in the front row build self confidence, it will automatically engage you in the lecture. You’ll appear to be an eager student and highly visible to the teacher. This will help your academic reputation and make it more likely you’ll develop a relationship with the professor. You’ll have a much easier time maintaining focus and will feel more like a participant than a passive observer. By doing a weekly review you’ll gradually memorize everything and will better understand how one concept builds on the next. Putting in small amounts of effort on a consistent basis will drastically reduce the amount of studying you need to do right before the test. 5. Go to office hours - Professors and TA’s usually make themselves available at regular times during the week for students to ask questions about assignments. Do yourself a favor by taking advantage of this opportunity. First, attending office hours will motivate you to get ahead on your work and prepare questions to ask. This will give you a huge edge in understanding problems that aren’t clearly explained in the lectures. Second, it will build your reputation as a high-effort student who deserves high grades. Who you work with also affects your academic reputation. If you associate with students that aren’t interested in learning, teachers and graders will assume you feel the same way. It’s also a great way to connect with people who have similar interests and ambitions.
7 strategies will help you raise your GPA while minimizing stress and overall study time.
3. Take notes by hand - Another unfortunate side effect of the PowerPoint revolution is that it discourages students from taking notes. Taking notes by hand will improve your grades because a) it forces you to pay attention, and b) the physical act of writing aids memorization. If you take notes, you’ll find it much easier to stay engaged. Your notes also provide a point of reference that will help you build a mental link between a written concept and the professor’s verbal explanation. This is key for efficient studying.
4. Do a weekly review - A common problem students encounter is trying to learn an enormous amount of material right before the midterm or final exam. This is practically impossible. You’ll find it much easier if you take a gradual approach to studying. At least once a week, review your notes starting from the beginning of the course. This only needs to take 15 or 20 minutes, just enough time to build familiarity with the material.
6. Find smart people to work with - In courses that involve group work, this is essential. No one wants to get stuck with a bunch slackers, have to do all the work themselves, and end up with a poor grade to show for it. The quality of the your learning experience is directly related to the attitudes of the people you work with. Working with smart people will facilitate discussion. The best way to understand an idea is talking about it with other intelligent people.
7. Avoid all-nighters - Generally, having to pull an all-nighter means that you slacked off all semester and need to fit 3 months of learning into one day. If you use a gradual study strategy this will never be necessary. All-nighters don’t work! Yes, it might be possible to get a good grade if the course is easy, but it’s much more likely that your grade will be significantly lower. All-nighters harm performance because they make you tired and stressed. You’ll also forget most of what you learn right after the test, decreasing the practical value of your education.
P.S: This is a cut and paste post. I'll get something more original up when I have some inspiration.
~multum in parvo~
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How many of you do not understand the above sign?"
Nothing annoys me more than some people being so inconsiderate during classes. I have got an important question here for all of you - how many of you deliberately refuse to turn your mobile phones to silent mode during lectures?
You see, during lectures, everybody wants to pay attention to the lesson. For those who are not interested in the lesson, they can always do something else, but please do not distract other people, or cause other people to lose their concentration! Just because one is not able to catch what the lecturer is saying does not mean that you are given the liberty to cause others to stumble as well.
There are some people in my university who are either plain dumb (as in stupid) or just deliberately going against university rules and regulations, or even universal ethics.
The rule, though unwritten, is simple: During lectures, please keep your phone to silent mode or switch them OFF. However, I find, much to my annoyance, that I constantly hear mobile phones ringing away with short text messages coming in, or beeps that indicate whether the phone receives any reception or otherwise. This happened during my Health, Safety and Environment lesson. Worst of all, they put their mobile phones on the table so it was so loud and clear to me when the phones ring. Yet after the phone rings, they still had the audacity to keep their phones at the General mode rather than the Silent mode.
Such people exist in university, much to my disappointment. If we were primary and secondary school students, it might have been still acceptable for teachers or parents to tell us off that we must keep our phones off or at silent mode at all times during lessons. But with that fact planted firmly in our minds, I still find some people totally ignorant to that. Just because they have not been reminded to turn their phones to silent mode does not give them the permission to just keep them on the General mode. When phones ring, they are an interruption. With about one hundred phones in the lecture hall, can you imagine what happens if just one quarter of them ring every now and then during class?
So much for our education system! Yet the Malaysian mentality is such that we practise such egotistical values without thinking about other people. We are already approaching the country's 50th Independence Day, and yet there are people who still possess Third World mentality and refuse to change their ways for the better of society as a whole.
Do not give me excuses or reasons as to why some students cannot keep their phones to silent mode OR even switch them off. If it is so important that you keep your phone on and allows it to ring during classes, then it must be something urgent or must be some form of emergency. If it is so, then why attend the class in the first place? Quickly deal with the emergency and then only come back. Do not undermine the priorities of other students who want to focus during the class. It is very unfair to undermine other people's welfare just to protect one's.
Therefore, let us not be part of such idiots. When you are attending classes or lectures, remember to TURN YOUR MOBILE PHONES TO SILENT MODE OR SWITCH THEM OFF!
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;;Of all weeks, this is about to beat the lot!
I have not been so out of touch from blogging before than this! Honestly, with so much things going on in campus around these few weeks, staying in front of the computer for hours is like a dream in the past. I find myself barely able to sit down for just half an hour, doing nothing but blogging away.
Just recently, my university had a special guest coming to deliver an adjunct lecture on the topic of independence of our nation and how to fulfil the vision that has been set. The guest is none other than our Chancellor himself, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. It seems that it is an obligation for the Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS to deliver a lecture every year, in conjunction with the convocation ceremony of the university. It is during such lectures that students get to meet the former Malaysian Prime Minister face to face. It is also at this moment that university students get to raise up certain issues to be addressed by the former politician himself.
This week marks the seventh convocation ceremony of UTP. As usual, the university has invited various companies to set up booths and stalls at the ConvoSquare (which is actually a carpark and a football field). It is at this ConvoSquare where there will be a ConvoFair. In the ConvoFair, you get to purchase items you may like such as cameras, computers, toys (I'm not joking) and many more. Staff, students and non-staff of UTP are welcomed to see for themselves what the ConvoFair is about.
During the ConvoFair there are lots of food and even stage performances, which encompass performances by the UTP Orchestra (Chinese Musical, Classical and Jazz, etc.) and even by students themselves.
As the convocation ceremony will see the presence of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the university has made numerous preparations, namely beautifying the landscape of the campus, completing the wall that would function as the main entrance of the university and even putting up a gigantic signboard to mark the entrance of the campus. All this is done in a hurry for the convocation ceremony itself. In fact, I have seen workers working from day till night non-stop. I believe they work under shifts.
I am very much involved in the convocation, although I am not one of the graduates (duh!). I have been chosen to perform during the ConvoFair and the ConvoLunch (two separate occasions on two separate days). During the ConvoFair, I shall be conducting the Chinese Orchestra and perform six pieces, while during the ConvoLunch, I shall be performing on the piano together with five other players; we meant to have a sextet (read: sextet) during the ConvoLunch. As the pieces in ConvoFair and ConvoLunch are all different, I have to practise extra hard to master all pieces. Tough, isn't it?
I wish I could write more about the upcoming events in ConvoFair (perhaps you could even come down to UTP yourself?) which will begin from the 24th to the 27th of August 2007, but I have to go to the Multi-Purpose Hall now to collect my course confirmation slip!
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;;A friend of mine recently told me some things interesting about the African guys studying in our local varsities. With all the hidden prejudices he said that an African guy will only be your friend (applies only to guys) if:
- He wants your money. - In my experience the few Africans I talked to seemed to have a strong affinity to money. My friends also talk about how some African guys are so interested in borrowing money.
- He wants to know your girlfriends (not in the passionate sense). - It's a fact that some African cultures are offensively misogynistic.
- You are African. - What do you expect when the idiom "birds of a feather flock together" almost always holds true (at least not for me).
- He wants your backside (another friend added in a "racist" manner)
~multum parvo~
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;;Wednesday, June 14th, 2007 AD.
The shit hit the fan between a Malay dude and this here Furball.
Our college (KDU) I must first say has a very nice and reasonably well thought out canteen. Plus the food isn't half bad and the prices are reasonable. But this incident revolves around a particular section of the cafeteria - The Drinks/Desert/Breakfast Stall (yea I know but seriously thats what we all call it)
First off I will try and give you an idea of the configurations of this here stall, well actually i just want to point out that the stall has this glass divider/sneeze-guard thingy over the actual counter.
The incident happened in the morning (and i have changed the names of those involved to maintain anonymity) a friend of mine X was at the stall getting his morning caffeine fix. Nice guy, on the stocky side, stout as a wall and just as hard to arm wrestle... ;P So anyways...
Hes' at the stall see? And he was leaning on the sneeze guard thingy (common activity for most people who visit the stall and do note that this divider is constructed of tempered glass and so should actually be able to take a hammer blow without breaking) and I see him see? So I come over all friendly and give him a man sized pat on the back see?
And guess what? Lo and behold the damn glass slides of its rack and crashes (shattering into a gazillion pieces) on what appears to be a basket o' eggs and some bread ready for toasting...
So now were both like: "Holy shit! WTF Just happened??!"
("What away to greet a friend eh? -.-")
Obviously the canteen people call the "manager" right so we wait...
He comes on all friendly and assures us straight away that its all cool after we explain that the glass pane (get this) wasn't even secured properly in any way to the brackets in which it was placed...
Then he surprises us and goes: "Yea it's ok thats happened like three times" or something to that effect. Now i dunno bout X, or you guys but at this point I was like: " 'WTF??! It has happened three times and you guys haven't even done a shit about it? I mean tempered glass can cause some serious shrapnel if the fall angle is just right"... (Can anyone say Claymore Mine?)
But okay, whatever right, so I was about to walk away and guess what happened?
This Skinny ass Malay dude that looks like a damn motherfucking high school dropout goes like "You Bayar saja la sekarang apa mau bising bising lagi!" (Just pay for the damages now la why you making so much noise?)
And I was like *WTF??!?*
And he goes on like he fucking owns the damn place! And the manager as nice a guy as he seems, just stands there doing shit!
Then I was fuming at that point see? And dearest X has (wisely and i don't blame him for this one bit) faded in to the background. And Canteen dude was still holding me in his gaze see? Like he wants me to respond, I was about to ignore him but...
(Now i would also like to point out again that the "manager" had already settled that neither me nor X was to blame)
He gives me one more stab too many and goes: "You yang kasi pecah! You bayar la!" (You broke it! Now pay for it!)
And me being the Gentleman that I am, decided i was obliged to do so...
Very Very Very vocally (as only an angry Bhai can ;D)
So I gave the guy a thorough sounding see? In front of the whole Fucking canteen. Very nice performance if I do say so myself. And guess what!? He gets so fucking dumbfounded that i know MALAY! LOL!
So anywys that was over with now we fast froward a few minutes, still in the canteen;
Four of us are sitting together see.
X and two girls and myself.
The girls are still trying to calm me down (got this ' ' close to punching he guys head in).
X is going on about how I handled that badly and should have been more "diplomatic".
And the ladies start spilling stuff about Malay dude see. Apparently he's also a notorious pervert when at the cashiers to the point that most ladies in their circle of friends would rather avoid the stall than have to deal with him. (note one of the girls is also Malay)
Oh and heres X's side of the story just for fairness sake... (this is his unedited testimonial)
So I was in college for an extra class, and while I was walking to the drinks stand to buy a coffee, I saw Jas. Now, obviously you don't just say hi to someone you haven't seen in weeks, so I gave him a manly pat on the shoulder (read: I whacked the shit out of him).
After the obligatory "Cibai-motherfucker" from him, I went to buy my coffee. After placing my order, I did what I almost always do - leant against the glass barrier separating the counter from the outside. Suddenly, I felt someone crash into me and heard a loud crash.
For a moment, I was almost speechless, but at the same time, I thought it was really friggin' cool. I think the first thing I did once I got over the shock was laugh. My only worry was that me or Jas would have to end up paying for the damage.
Fortunately, as it turned out, the manager said he didn't blame us. I thought that was the end of it, but while we were talking with the manager, one of the staff told us to pay - I don't remember his exact words, because I wasn't paying attention to his diatribe, so the only word I recall is "bayar".
Jaspreet exploded at him, and embarassed, I retreated to the table where we had been sitting. I didn't see a need to antagonise them - if I were Jas, I'd have ignored the guy altogether and just asked the manager to do something about his rude behaviour and insubordination (I mean, if your boss says he's not at fault, and you ask the fella' to pay...there's not another word for it).
Unfortunately, I'm not Jas, and so as it turns out now all the guys at the drinks stand don't like him. A lot. Talking to them is quite awkward now, but I just nod and listen to them rant. I see their point of view, because nobody likes to have an angry bhai yelling at them, but at the same time, nobody likes to be rudely told off by some guy in direct contravention of what his manager had just told you.
In any case, that's what happened. I think it's seriously cool, and hopefully they won't spit in my coffee. I probably won't be spending much time there anymore, since my exams are almost over anyway. :D
So guys wasup huh? Anybody else think i should have acted differently? Are we that afraid nowadays to be vocal against AssClowns such as our very esteemed Bumiputra example?
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;;Date: 19th of May 2007.
Time: 2130 hours
Listening To: Quando, Quando, Quando (Michael Buble & Nelly Furtado)
Current mood: Bored, melancholic, nostalgic.
I'm so sorry that I haven't been posting anything in RANDTS at all this week or two. You see, examinations have started and have yet to finish. In fact, I still have two more papers to go, notably Statics of Rigid Bodies (Tuesday 9.00 a.m.) and Geology (Saturday 2.30 pm). Both papers are three hours long each.
So, just a little information update here. You might be interested to know that recently I had a bad food poisoning. It was during my first day of examinations (thankfully it was after the paper). I went back to my room and felt exhausted. So, I slept and woke up at about 5.30 p.m. to a great pain in my abdominals. So, I went to the toilet and dear me! It was really diarrhoea. But it was more than just diarrhoea. I unknowingly lost a lot of fluid in my body, too. Still, with a bad stomach, I went out to dinner with Joe and before I could go any farther into the cafe, I almost passed out twice. Thankfully, I had two cups of tea after that and bought a big bottle of water. Obviously it was due to loss of fluid that made me almost lost consciousness. What did I eat? Well, I had roti sardin for breakfast, so what do you think?Also, I look forward to some enjoying moments of holiday. I plan to join a church camp but I'm not sure if I can make it (for the camp registration; I asked but still haven't received any response yet. Will wait, though). It will be held on the 5th to the 6th of June. And I certainly am looking forward to another RANDTS gathering in KL on the 2nd of June, I was told. I hope I really can make it. I plan to kill two birds with one stone. What's the plan? You will know when we RANDSTers meet.
As for now, I don't really know what I'm thinking. I seem to be thinking but it also seems like everything is just empty. I have nothing to talk about already, I have barely anything to write about. Even with anybody, I have barely anything to say except for just "Hi" and "Bye". All I feel like doing now is just to go back to my old trade back in secondary school when I'm free: start composing new pieces.
I've got plenty of ideas in my mind, so much that I couldn't put them on paper. Often when I spontaneously compose a piece on the piano I would just continuously come up with new ideas. Lately, even I have been having some problems trying to play my ideas out on the local church keyboard. Hmm... perhaps I'm more suited for a piano than a keyboard. To me, the keyboard is forever a keyboard; its range simply suits me not.
I now find that quite often I'd be lost in my own thoughts. With some music on (sentimental or otherwise), I would just sit in my chair, perhaps just stare blankly into space or into the laptop and be lost in my own musings. This could be the most probable reason to why I spend less time talking and sometimes why I have nothing to say at all.
Back then when I first started my semester in January this year, I looked so much forward to it, not knowing that there were so many disasters ahead. Thankfully, I have been able to overcome all of the disasters and now all I want is an enjoyable one-and-a-half month semester break. I don't know whether I should look forward to the next semester, starting at the end of July 2007, for there are so many unknown happenings that might take place. This current semester for me has been by far the worst, with the most hectic lecture timetable, the lowest of motivation, the lowest of emotions and so on. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but hope that the next semester ahead has much better days for me as well as my friends. Ironically, many of us have been rather emotionally, spiritually and psychologically affected this semester.
Adjusting to a new, undergraduate environment? I don't think so. We never felt so bad during our Foundation semesters last year. As I thought I'd be able to get used to a similar life in university but this time as an undergraduate, it turned out that so many things took a drastic turn. Nevertheless, it has been a fruitful though painful growing process.
I'm quite tired out now. This exam stress has been taking me off bit by bit. I've never felt this exhausted and frustrated thinking about examinations. Normally I'd take my exams coolly. What has really happened, I wonder?
Signing-out time: 2150 hours
Listening to: I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You (March Anthony & Tina Arena)
Current mood: Sleepy, bored (in need of a conversation if there is one)
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;;(Here is an updated version of this story that was posted three days ago.)
Here is a true story about the utter foolishness of an arbitrary decision by a college called NGX caused by the selfish complaints of N and H. It involves the poor A Level Science students in the college.
This is how the farce took place. The chemistry lecturer L taught N's class from January to May last year. She also taught H's class since last March. Everything when on fine for the A Levels classes last year. The majority of students liked N.
Then came the first half of the A Level exams last November. Everyone sat for it and they went through it without incident. When their results came out two months ago everything changed for the worst. Dark clouds started to loom. Correction: N and H who were supposed good students each achieved a D not a B for their Chemistry and unfortunately went selfishly bonkers. Whether or not it was their mistake they decided to scapegoat L.
N went on bitching about how bad L was when she was teaching her for 6 months. Her bitching went up all they way to NGX's principal, F. Along came H who poured salt onto the open wound further confirming N's crap talk about L. Stupidly without investigating further NGX's management decides to replace L. Being fed up but not yet fired L resigns from NGX to pursue her PhD in protest.
Suddenly students find that L is being replaced. L actually isn't that bad. Some unexpected students actually scored an A for Chemistry. Many the students were naturally very pissed. Too bad nothing changed and L was replaced by a weirdo named J. Everybody wasn't happy with J. He was just a bad lecturer who knew nuts about the Chemistry Practical Exam.
With the Practical Chemistry trial just around the corner the A Level students of NGX now are forced to swim against a strong current. This is all because NGX listened too much to N and H. The asinine NGX has earned infamy for being too arbitrary. Selfish N and H can now hook up as everyone hates them to the core. Just as V said: "You can screw with anything, but don't screw us." V is an excellent student but is now having trouble because of the selfish and immoral acts of N & H. What now lies ahead for the weak ones?
(Updates start here)
This is V's side of the story. I have N's side of the fiasco too.
The chemistry lecturer L taught N's class from January to May last year. Everything when on fine for the A Levels classes last year. L was just simply a bad lecturer. She didn't know what she was teaching. All her Powerpoint slides were copied lock, stock and barrel from the internet or textbooks. To make matters worse the syllabus baffled her.
Somewhere in June 2006 O took over L. Everything seemed fine except that L screwed up her students learning for a time. Then came the first half of the A Level exams last November. Everyone sat for it and they went through it without incident. When their results came out two months ago everything changed for the worst. N knew L was to be blamed for her just horrible results.
N then sent a petition to get rid of L that started teaching her again this year. H being her boyfriend signed her petition along with many others to stop L from teaching them. One thing led to another and L resigned.
V then got came up with a counter petition when he found out that L was being replaced. V actually has finished his SAT and was just gaining a varsity experience from NGX. He being a jerk who loved when the blur L asked him question as though she knew nuts about Chemistry. V loved the fact he seemed cleverer than his lecturer. V realised that his new lecturer knew too much being very experienced wasn't less clever than him.
Apparently by getting a counter petition signed V slandered N making her lose friends. The position is like this now. N hates V like hell for making her lose friends. V hates N like hell for taking away his enjoyment. N even told me she would punch V in the face if he ever faced her. I was imagining how hilarious it would be. V gets punched by a girl and stumbles to the floor having his already red face turn red from embarrassment.
Another fact that has emerged is J is actually very experienced. He has thought A-level Chemistry for 30 years. That V is a big fat liar! He was not having tough time preparing for his practicals!
Altogether N really, really hates NGX simply because they hire lousy lecturers!*laugh* That's N's testimony for you.
Anyway, H is a real backstabber. Apparently he influenced N to persuade M to testify that his one time lecturer was no good. M was unknowingly testifying against L thinking he is complaining about O. N and H then manipulated L into thinking M not N and H were responsible for her forced resignation. M is suddenly a bad guy. He liked the fact that L tries her best to teach. Sadly, L now has hatred towards M.
Could this be a parable cautioning against anti-democratic decisions, manipulation (backstabbing included), selfishness and incompetance?*grin* Bring on your comments.
Names were changed in this post to protect myself against libel lawsuits, the wrath of my sponsor and the hatred of my friends. NGX is a code, try breaking it but I won't confirm your guess.
~multum in parvo~
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;;Sometimes I wish that I have 32 hours in a day. Sometimes I wish that 24 hours pass as if it is just 12. Sometimes I feel that I have so much time that I need to feel it up with other activities. Sometimes I feel so foolish to have sign up for other activities.
... I look into the future. Still bleak... I look into the past. I miss those days but I would like to try something new.
The truth is that we can never be sure about our time. No matter how well you organise your time to the point that you follow your timetable by the hour, there will be unforeseen circumstances that will force you to be unusually occupied or unusually free. Paradoxical and contradictory? Go figure!
Lately, a lot of assignments keep pouring in together with tests and quizzes. And not long after this we'll be having our final exams! Plus (foolish that I was, I guess) I registered to be a facilitator of the EduCamp to induct the students who applied for the Petronas Sponsorship to undergo their interview sessions. Now, a five or six-hour sleep per day is like a luxury to me.
Gone are the days when I can have lunch or dinner together with my friends. Now, I often eat alone, walk alone, do things alone, perhaps even sleep alone. *laughs* There is simply not much time for me to get in touch with friends now.
I am so exhausted that I fell asleep while facilitating the students during the Document Management session. Of course, I stayed outside and bent my body down so nobody thought I was sleeping. Then, I went for Statics of Rigid Bodies tutorial. I read a page on the topic of "Method of Sections" and before I could finish reading two paragraphs, poof! I fell asleep again. The tutors were very understandable and it wasn't until one of the tutors approached my table did I begin to wake up. I felt extremely sleepy but I had to try to fight off the drowsiness. For ten whole minutes I felt blur and uninterested in anything at all.
Tonight, I don't care anymore! It's seven hours of sleep for me, man!
But my exhaustion was also due to some issues that have been burdening my heart. Not that I can't let go of the burden, but I've been entrusted with that particular burden so I can't just release it. As I'm typing in the Information Resource Centre now, there is a nostalgic feel in me, as if I'm longing for those days when things seemed much simpler, more enjoyable, less wearisome and more company. I'm referring to my Foundation year actually.
Not that I'm not enjoying my Undergraduate year, but it hasn't been such a memorable one for me considering the fact that I have piles of assignments and a project to complete.
This is truly the life of a university student. I'm in no position to complain actually, but what can I do?
Sometimes I just let my mind wander off a while (not too long) and I look into the future. Still bleak. Oh well, don't bother about it then! I look into the past. I miss those days but I would like to try something new.
Now all I can do is to just sit back in the Information Resource Centre (aka the library), listen to a very relaxing Classical piece (Cavatina) and enjoy the soothing environment for a moment before I toil over my Differential Equations. The test is tomorrow!
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Notice anything peculiar? Try to guess before reading more about this post and finding your answer. 
We have an injured sparrow here. It couldn't fly. Someone put it on the table two days ago on a table outside my classroom. My friend JJ first stroked in with a highlighter. He then tried to coax it to fly by pushing it up using the highlighter. It seemed to be working but it just failed to fly.
We gave it some bread crumbs. Then it started pooping much to JJ's wrath. He started to push it around the table in a vain effort to rouse the bird. Finally after failing to make it fly we left it there and went for class. When we finished sitting for the lecture the sparrow had disappeared.
It's been two days now since I saw the sparrow. Farewell sparrow!*salute*
~multum in parvo~
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;;Have you ever deceived yourself? Have you ever thought that you could get away with things by convincing yourself that things will go well, although that in true fact it will not?
Well, if you have, then it is an obvious case of self deception. Sometimes the human brain simply works in ways that we couldn't understand. We keep fooling ourselves that things will work a certain way when it will simply backfire.
There are various reasons why we would sometimes deceive ourselves, but normally we do that because we are met with a dilemma and we are simply out of wits. However, self deception is something that is not healthy for us to live on. With self deception, our judgements are easily clouded and we will not be able to make good decisions. With self deception, we live in a world of fantasy rather than reality.
We cannot continue deceiving ourselves when we are faced with a dilemma. No matter how big the challenge can be, we have to face it bravely. Deceiving yourselves is equivalent to fleeing away from the problem; it will not make things well, but rather aggravates them.
We live in a world full of deception, but we have the choice of whether or not to deceive ourselves. If we allow ourselves to commit self deception, then we are dead to the world.
Self deception can bring about self destruction. As we live in an imaginary world, we shut ourselves off reality and claim that reality is imaginary. We will refuse to admit that things have to be the way they are, whether they are good or bad. A person who practises self deception will continue to live in the bubble unless they prick it themselves and face the world boldly.
So, what say you? To deceive yourself or not to deceive yourself? The ultimate decision is in your hands.
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;;Lawyers, doctors, accountants, businessmen, pharmacists, engineers, actors and so on have something in common. What is it?
They are all known as careers. The above-mentioned careers that I have mentioned are some of the most popular careers that are taken up by people. However, fair enough, a doctor is the most popular career in the country.
But why have I chosen to discuss about careers? Well, I have just read the newspaper in The Star Online and it was reported that once again most STPM students who scored a CGPA of 4.00 would apply for medicine in public universities. And out of about 1660 students who are eligible to apply for medicine, only 1000 seats are available for grab.
However, sometimes we must reflect about this: Choosing a career for my own is about my future life; if the career I chose does not suit my taste, should I continue pursuing the course for that particular career? If you were in such a situation, it can either be "Yes" or "No", depending whether or not you have any other problems.
There are, of course, other reasons to why some students choose certain careers, such as persuasion from parents, but this time, I would like to discuss about a situation where you have to choose a certain career that you may not like simply because it is a matter of "no other choices".
Well, not that we have no other choices, actually, but it's more like God telling us that we have to give up what we want for something that we don't really like. But let's discuss from the point of view of life.
Back in those days when people pursue for their ambitions, now many students have this mentality that "they will go for anything that is open to them", meaning to say that they are willing to take up any course as long as the prospect of the career in the future is a good one. Some, even for the sake of scholarships and sponsorships, agree to study the subject which is not favoured in order to relief the burden of the family. A noble decision for the family, I must say, but caution is really needed.
Many of us would apply for scholarships and sponsorships upon receiving our SPM and STPM results, and the application is not just for a single type of course, meaning that you would just aim for one particular course (either medicine, engineering, etc). In the end, you will find one applying scholarships for engineering, medicine, actuarial science, business management and so on. And when there are options for them to choose, they can choose the one they prefer. However, when only one door is open, they will still walk into that door, knowing that it is the door that they wouldn't want to walk.
It is really a personal matter if you come to think about it. Some people are really desperate to take up whatever options they have simply because of one main reason: not everybody can afford higher education (especially in private institutions of higher learning) and if possible nobody would want to do STPM.
As for me, my main choice of career was not to be a civil engineer, but to be a geneticist (before that, a lawyer). However, there were two factors that told me that I should accept the Petronas sponsorship and pursue my civil engineering course. First of all, though I am interested in the subject of Biology, I didn't seem to be able to do well in it at all in my school tests and examinations (although I scored 1A for it in SPM). It dampened my decision on whether or not I should continue to persist for genetics.
Therefore, I looked forward to getting a sponsorship from Petronas. Actually, I was offered the ASEAN Pre-University Scholarship by Singapore but I declined the offer because it only covers my studies in Singapore for a duration of two years for A Levels. I took the gamble and prayed that I would still get the Petronas sponsorship. Thankfully, I got it.
But before my Petronas sponsorship was confirmed, I compared the tuition fees for civil engineering course in various universities, and they would cost at least RM300,000 altogether, excluding accommodation, books, food, etc. My family doesn't have that kind of money (although I would say that we are of an average family). When the offer from Petronas came, I jumped upon it. It is an offer which nobody could really refuse. They cover your studies, accommodation and everything else until you graduate with an honours degree.
In today's society, it is rather sad that people now cannot pursue their dreams because of certain sacrifices that they have to make. Sometimes this sacrifice is so great that they find it extremely hard to cope up with their studies. Such a challenge is great indeed, but to face this challenge with a bold heart is what we should marvel them. To face this challenge without regret isn't something that everyone can do.
Not that I'm facing any challenges mentioned above, because although civil engineering isn't my favourite career, it is nevertheless one of my ten most favoured careers. And to be given the course that I requested sure made me very thankful and appreciative.
I wouldn't have asked for anything more.
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;;...felt like I am feeling now?
As many of us are studying in university and are already past the seemingly distant hurdle of SPM, we face many new obstacles and new challenges as we experience a new environment. With new environments come new problems. Adjustments, making new friends, getting the grades, getting our study gears started after SPM, etc. All these issues would be the standard set of problems faced by nearly every university student.
The latter two problems in the set above cause me a lot of problems. Still, I am very much a laid-back person, so burdens like this can be lightened with a little "chilling out" once in a while. I can say safely that there are not many types of problems that can get my head spinning. For the very reason I stated earlier, I seem to never have any problems. This has been rather irritating to some people who get stressed out easily and those who are pessimistic. They don't seem to be able to find me looking all stressed out ever.
All this has resulted in people having misconceptions about me, thinking they know me without even really understanding what makes me tick. Perhaps I have been a victim of stereotyping.
I told you all about how I never seemed to be stressed. But there is only one thing in this world that can give me stress, and I don't mean stress on a normal and mild scale. It's like, either I don't get stressed, or I just feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. That particular issue, coupled together with the shocking revelation of the degree of which it has affected the people around me, just totally weighed me down. To the extent that I even feel my back weighing a tonne as I write this post (I mean that literarily).
I have no idea what is going on with me these days. I am losing my once monstrous appetite, feeling moody these days, even to the point of feeling study tension. Let's just say I've got the blues, and it is affecting my concentration power. Speaking of which, I find myself spacing out every now and then looking out for aliens that may abduct me.
Actually I love doing that "one thing". It brings me much joy and it gives me an avenue to get away from all the mountain of assignments and tests that have been growing by the day. But at times, I just feel like that thing is affecting many in a negative way. I look at their reactions around me and I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. I have nearly lost things dear to me too in the process, even though there were some things I just had to give up for the sake of moving onward. But that is not the main issue. Lately I feel that the joy I so often seek has been discounted. I get frustrated easily when things don't go right and it makes me feel like I may have made the wrong choice. In a way I feel like I may have limited myself into a confined space, a corner which I was getting so cosy in. A part of me wants to break free, a part of me longs to move on with whatever comes.
Have you ever felt that way? I feel I am making a wrong move with every step I take. Anyone have any advice?
Mood: Paradoxical
Pulse Rate: Wait a minute, I hear and feel nothing...
Next Action: Get some sleep
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;;Last Saturday, I shuddered in terror to think of what was going to happen today. Yesterday, I was terrified to the point that I slept only at 3.00 a.m. Today, thankfully I'm still alive to tell the tale.
Nah... I didn't commit suicide nor was anyone after my life. I just wanted to catch your attention with that suicide title.
Even so, it has been a very hectic day! And I fear that this week would be one of the most memorable weeks, so memorable that you feel as if the whole world is upon your shoulders.
Picture the following situation. This is the final week before your mid-semester break starts, and much to your delight horror, you find that:
- You have four tests
- You have five assignments
- You have two quizzes
... all within a week! And here's the best part. Almost all the assignments are to be submitted by this Thursday, and it is no easy feat.
But one thing I'm looking forward to (or not so forward to after all), is the Geology field trip to Langkawi this Saturday. But much to my annoyance, we still have to submit a long report upon our return to UTP about the trip. Bother!
Well, that's what you get for being a university student you know? Especially as an undergraduate. So, Khael, I tell you the truth, enjoy your Foundation year while you still can...
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;;Current time: 0545 hours Ladies and gentlemen, you can see that I am certainly not in my best of times. This is rather queer and quite a first-time experience for me to be having depression after a relapse from a previous depression. My previous experience of depression (which was about two months ago) started off with the feel of loneliness. Ironically, this time, it wasn't loneliness that sparked off my depressed mood (how could I feel lonely when I have friends around in university, right? After all, I looked forward to university life so much after spending seven weeks of holidays at home), but rather my thoughts. Thoughts? It is strange, I know, that mere thoughts can make one depressed, but lately I have not been able to control my thoughts. My mind keeps flashing about things in the past, things that have recently happened and what might happen in the future. Had my mind flashed about the good times I had, perhaps I would not have felt so bad. Today, as I stated earlier I slept for only five hours before deciding to write an entry here. Within the five hours, I woke up three times, with three similar flashes in my mind. In those flashes I saw myself alone, in utter silence and disbelief, shunned away by all whom I know. Previously, prayers had always worked wonders to me whenever I feel down. I have always believed in the power of prayers but lately they have only been a temporary consolation for me. Am I falling? Is there unbelief in my heart? Still, I'm thankful to God that during my moments of desperation, He sends some Good Samaritans to my side. Either Jared would just drop by my room and I could find comfort in him, or while walking aimlessly Joe would just appear before me and I would be able to seek refuge. My roommate, Brian, would ask about my condition and be concerned about me. There are times when I felt that I could walk no more. There are times when I felt my whole world would just collapse right before me. Still, I try my best to stand steadfast, with unwavering faith. Many things have happened lately to me, some are bitter moments which I think contributed to my predicament. Jared, Joe and some of my other friends would undoubtedly comprehend my condition (as I've told them about what had happened). Things are going rather too fast for me, and I can't seem to swallow everything at one go. Much as I like to take things slowly now, they accumulate fast. Still, I find great comfort in these words that Joe, Jared and some others offered: ...and many more. I have given myself enough time to make a come back. For now, I just want to lay back and try, again, to just let things be. I certainly hope that things would turn out well again for me. I am sorry to have vented this personal matter here, but believe me, I really need to share with all of you. Current time: 0645 hours
Hours of sleep: 5 hours
Buddies awake: None
Current emotion: Unusually depressed
Current desire: My best buddies' company
Current emotion: (as above)
Current desire: (as above)
Status: Peace out!
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;;Now that we're back to university life as usual (I'm referring to those in UTP; I don't know about the others. Maybe you're still having your holidays), we can expect loads of assignments piling up on our tables. Nevertheless, I insist on having my own time to do things that I want to do despite knowing that there is work awaiting.
Joe has written about the student who defied authority during the briefing by the Education Sponsorship Unit of PETRONAS. On a personal note, it simply shows the type of mentality or attitude that some people have, that is disregarding authority. If I were the Head of the ESU Department, I would have tried to find out who that idiotic student was and revoke his sponsorship for his act of defiance. If he cannot even show some respect as a young adult, how would you expect him to show his utmost respect while working? I hate to say this, but if I were the Head of the ESU Department, I would be disappointed at the wrong choice that the department had made in recruiting this potato-head (pardon my harshness) as a PETRONAS scholar.
However, this is not my topic of this post. From the incident which happened during the ESU briefing, I'd like to discuss on the issue of ethics. True enough, different nations have different ethics and may not comply to those that we have here, but I insist that it is only courteous and right that a person from another country learns up the culture and the ethics that are practised here, as the saying goes that "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
In Australia, getting a permanent resident status is not as easy as it seems to be. In many countries, after settling down for at least five years or so, that particular individual deserves the right to apply for a permanent resident-ship, but in Australia, every applicant is required to sit for a test about the culture, ethics and the background knowledge of the Australian community.
But why is ethics so important? Basically, ethics keep us from doing things that will be considered offensive in the eyes of other people. Ethics mould the character that will be embedded in us as part of our personality. Ethics keep you from invading other people's privacy. Ethics enable you to identify whether or not your actions are appropriate.
Here, our ethics are basically covered in our Moral studies since primary school. We are thought on the values of respect, compassion, generosity, responsibility, justice, etc. Of course, there are other types of ethics that are not included in our Moral studies, but are practised for humanitarian purposes. I do not think I need to elaborate on this so much because all of you should understand about the importance of our basic Moral values as well as the keeping of human rights and other types of rights.
Some people merely think that ethics are not necessary. They don't understand how wrong their thought can be, especially when it involves the job market. Ethics are one of the most important elements that keep companies running and allow the influx of profits to keep coming in. Without ethics, we would have disputes or arguments between employees and even with employers, and we'll end up practising the Machiavellian principle, with the thought that whatever is done for the benefit of oneself is justified, no matter what the means is.
Do not take the issue of ethics so lightly. Do not think that you could get away so easily even if you break the code of ethics just a little. The impact is great, because by breaking the code of ethics just a little, you are actually sparking a reaction from the whole crowd, who thinks that the particular action is entirely out of the norm. When something is out of the norm, it could mean that it is something new which is acceptable by society, or otherwise. If it is unacceptable by the society, it would mean that the code of ethics has been broken. Society looks at ethics in a very serious manner. We may be applauding at a particular individual for his or her daring feat, but in our hearts, we know that they are just inviting their doom for not conforming to the code of ethics.
Though we have all the right not to conform with other people, but when it comes to matters such as ethics, it is best that you display some sensitivity and consider your actions first, especially from the point of view of ethics. It is important that these questions be answered before attempting to do anything:
- Will I be offending anybody in particular with my actions?
- Is it the appropriate time and place to carry out my intentions?
- What could be the consequences of my actions?
When it comes to ethics, you cannot afford to be ignorant. Ignorance is no defence. So to those who are in favour of keeping with the ethics, kudos! For those who would still want to defy the ethics (such as that idiotic one during the ESU briefing yesterday), I wish you the best of luck. Maybe you wish to show the world that you are great, but in our eyes, you are just a mere fool.
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;;Pulse Rate : 72 pulses/minute
Mental state: in deep thought
Emotional : edgy and irritable
Activity : contemplate on whether to turn up for an 11 a.m. lecture
Check complete. I'm still trying to shake off the "drugging" of an all-night tennis class (I'm still a novice) and self-inflicted all-day mental distress. Seems like I'm doing fine so far, just my usual morning mood. There's only half-an-hour more to my first lecture. It has been a while since I put up a decent post here, so I'm taking a little time here... Still have loadsa assignments to deal with (due tomorrow)and my alarm clock just fell under my bed.
Anyways, here's a little something to think about. Remember how the older generation always talks about us not having any regard for authority anymore? Remember how they always say that young people have no more respect for their elders? Being a member of the younger generation, I always thought they were trying to compare us to people of their time. They like to say things like, "During my time, we were all good kids. We never disregarded the words of our elders... But the young people nowadays [fill in the blanks] "
I always thought those accusations were mere comparisons unfairly drawn, using their standards to measure against ours. We are from entirely different generations. In our generation, the society is more liberal. The society encourages freedom of speech, hence the birth of mavericks (no pun intended) and bohemians as people begin to express their opinions in a more direct and honest way. People now begin to learn how to pursue their own dreams rather than going with the flow of the "you-must-be-a-doctor-or-lawyer" mentality.
Still, we all know that freedom comes with boundaries. We can never have freedom without responsibilities. If we want to have the freedom of speech and expressing our opinions, we need to be responsible for what entails, agreed?
Assuming the answer is yes, most of us do recognize the importance of respecting authority and our elders (it's for our own good, right?). Yet they always say that a few rotten apples spoils the whole basket. If you know me, I do what I want as I please, and I hate to be told what to do... But the very least, I recognize that if I am in submission to a higher authority, I ought to be respecting every executive decision whether I like it or not. Still, some people out there refuse to be mature enough to tell the difference between guidance and constriction of personal rights.
I was attending a briefing by the Education Sponsorship Unit of Petronas yesterday. They basically wanted to review our results thus far and remind us of our obligations to the company. Being a Petronas scholar, I do not mind being bonded by them, I do not mind working for them for the first 10 years of my career. All this I have considered carefully before signing the contract. So even though I am not yet an employee of the company, in a way I carry the name of the company.
I don't mind sitting through a 3-5 p.m. talk. They pay for my tuition fees every semester, give me RM500 to spend a month. Listening to them speak for 2 hours, no problem. *grins* But towards the ending of the briefing, they permitted people to leave the hall. Those who want to leave the hall must collect a pamphlet from a box in the front. Soon after, seeing that too many people were leaving, they withdrew the offer and pulled the box back near to where the VIPs were sitting. But this jack**s, had the temerity to walk all the way to the front (in a "selamba" manner) and take a pamphlet before straddling along slowly to the exit. The majority of the crowd applauding this action. *gasp*
I don't know what you might think about this. To me, I think this is the most stupid act of defiance in the highest order. Is he going to do that to his employer too in the future? Maybe he just thought it would make him look cool doing some stupid things like that, but by doing that he really tarnished the reputation of Petronas-sponsored students. I'll bet he would've been bragging to people about his "daring" (read: definition below) feat in defying authority.
Forgive me if my reaction sounds too strong. Can't blame me for being one who has spent his whole life trying to prove the older generation wrong.
Definition(s)- In context of this post:
-"daring": "daring" is the quality or condition of being stupid, or lacking intelligence. This quality can be attributed to both an individual himself (that boy was "daring") or his actions, words or beliefs (John Smith's policies are "daring"). The determination of who is "daring" is difficult, despite attempts to measure intelligence (and thus "daring"-ness) such as IQ tests.
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;;Most of us here at RANDTS are now well past that strenuous stage of our lives that we all know too well as the SPM, or Malaysian Certificate Examination in English. Studying nine or more subjects in two years was a feat in itself, and to top it all off, the only way to guarantee success in the days post-SPM (a place in a tertiary educational institution, and eventually, a job) was to balance academic success with co-curricular activities. More often than not, we immersed ourselves in the activities of Prefectorial Boards, monitorial positions in class, martial arts, sports, and the like.
Those days are long gone now, and the cheerful carefree nature of high school has been replaced by the slightly more important atmosphere of university/college. It was hard indeed to move away from home for some, away from the friends we cherish and love, and mummy's delicious home-cooked food.
Adjusting has been a tricky business, what with learning to adapt away from home. But after the initial period of settling down in a new place, mixing with new people, turns out university/college life isn't so bad after all.
Or is it?
Here's an optional topic for those of you still cruising along looking for one. Share with us your memories of first entering your university/college. Just how different were our experiences, adjusting to a whole new world? How did you find yourself when you entered it? Perhaps most of the things only differ in small ways, while others may not have any differences at all!
Some guidelines if you write about this topic:
Pictures are most welcome if you'd like to share them! In time, we may come to find that the problems that we faced are, in fact, something everyone can relate to.
Cheers!
~verus rara avis~
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