Life of a Student Part 3

Do we plan too much and we are too afraid to venture and we fail to learn more?

I was talking to a Vietnamese peer of mine, Allan, and we were talking about SEP and he told me that he is going to apply to European countries for exchange instead of going to USA. I asked him why not USA and he told me that he went there last year on the work and travel scheme.

I was taken aback because he is on student loan and I remembered that he told me that he will take a super long time to repay his loan. If that's the case, how is he able to go to USA and with great plans to go for SEP while me and some of my peers are not even thinking that far when we are financially able to?

I am impressed that though he is not rich, he is travelling more than anyone of us who is staying in our comfort zone, doing what we do best and not venturing out. Are we planning too much about the future that we are not fully utilising what we can enjoy now? Perhaps it is a good takeaway from the foreign friend of mine that we should enjoy what we have now and not worry about the future. Perhaps I shall plan for a backpacking trip in December and not worry about money issues.

Life of a Student Part 2

Having Urban Planning Tutorial now and here I am blogging cause something hit me.

I remember Dr Kwame mentioning a concept called 'Learn, Un-learn and Re-learn' which he said is the way to go in university. I'd say that I agree with him to a certain extent that we have learn what we already had for the past 12 -13 years, it is about time to un-learn so that we can adapt to a new system and new environment of learning but the difficulty is about re-learning. How do we re-learn? How do we teach someone to re-learn?

Some friends of mine are facing problems with adapting to the system in the university and I think that it is about learning the process of re-learning. Be it from Poly or JC, the system here is different. Poly students may be used to the idea of modules but not JC students and for the poly students the weightage of the projects to final year exams is different from poly system as well.

In my point of view, the only way to re-learn is to know the game of the university well and to know how is the system is like and strategise the way to learn.

It is about consistent work in uni and not about last minute mugging.

It is about striking a balance yourself and not just about studying as there is no such thing as compulsory CCA.

It is about having the last opportunity to learn about management, leadership and making mistakes as it is our last time schooling.

It is about making friends and keeping them as these friendships will last you a long way.

It is about the learning and not about results.

This system works well for certain people but not for some others but it is possible to be tuned to it. Excelling in JC and Poly does not equate to excelling in Uni and not doing well in JC and Poly doesn't mean that you are gone too. The only limiting factor is yourself and your mental model of yourself. You may feel that you have been disadvantaged in any way that you felt you are but that should not be a limiting factor to yourself.

Hope that this will inspire you to do your best and not to belittle yourself. You are as powerful as you think you are.

Glimpse of Council Photoshoot

Photoshoot for Council.. =D

29th Council Formal Shoot

29th Council Informal Shoot

C-Cube Photo

Student Organization Review

Committee (SORC) Formal Shoot

Student Organization Review
Committee (SORC) Informal Shoot

The Reps from SDE - 3 Times RAG
Best Float Design Champions and the
Wannabes being the Background... =D

Life of a Student Part 1

Hmm.. Decided to start this series of Life of a Student since many of the posts will revolve around school during term time and even during vacation.

Anyway, last sat was a long day with no night.. Did my ES project till 5pm, took a break, start doing my Soci Essay and watch TV with my brother.. and guess what.. I took 10 hrs to finish my essay.. from 7pm to 5am.. lol.. Decided not to sleep cause if I do, I am sure I will not wake up in time for my NEW Balance Real Run.. Damn.. 15km run without rest.. How best can the life of a student be? -_-

The run was a good one with a good weather and it was held at Changi Exhibition Centre area.. The endless road and the 'sand-run' which was ran not really on the sand.. haha.. A much easier run than last year's as I was taking my own sweet time and not going for timing.. And perhaps the route was much much easier.. Did the run in 1hr 33 mins.. Not bad.. Pretty acceptable without much training coupled with no sleep.. Below is a picture of the clear blue sky of that morning.. =D

After the run, I went home, bathe and slept for a good 7 hrs till 7pm before packing up and go back to school with my brother and his gf. Back in school and do what? Tutorial loh.. haha..

Hope that this coming week will be good. Prof Shih's meeting, induction program with OSA and Dean of Students' Affair, Star Search Finals, and the highlight of the week will be Wednesday's ORD Parade of my men over at 6 SIR. Will update on the events by weekend so check my blog!

**exams in 25 days.. countdown..**

Strike a Balance

As the exams is nearing, people around me are hitting the big red 'PANIC' button already. Some are going into seclusion while some others are tired of studying.. **me and joel..**

Many things are still happening, local and overseas and even in school, as we are hitting the panic button.. Things ranging from repealing Penal Code 377A to Keeping Penal Code 377A, CPF changes and its effects on Singaporean Citizen and PR, Myanmar Crisis, Bangkok Sinking, China-Taiwan Relationship, Death of Major Roberts in Afg, Court Martial for Wrongful killing in Iraq and the list goes on.. Are you keeping up with the news?

As we are studying for exams, it will be good to strike a balance by studying, exercising, relaxing and keeping up with the news in order not to be a nerd in a well. Don't look at the end point which is the results. Enjoy the process of learning by thinking through what is taught and apply it in your life whenever applicable. Be a devil's advocate and think against what was taught and find out about other perspectives before accepting something as the gospel truth. It will help you to know what are you really accepting and not accepting it for what it is. The mass media may not be the best source though it is a good source.

4 more weeks to exams.. Study hard, play hard, relax and enjoy the process of studying..

Council vs SEP

After being in the council, I felt that there are a lot that can be done at NUSSU level to benefit the students and yet on the other hand, I am facing the dilemma of choosing between running for council and SEP for next year..

For the students or for myself?
Is there any possibilities for the best of both worlds?

8 MEETINGS IN A WEEK!!!

Hmm.. 8 meetings in a week.. Will I break the record in any upcoming weeks?

1- Rag Acct
2- Kim Seng Project Manager
3- Heads Meeting
4- Prof Lim Meeting
5- YEP Leaders' Meeting
6- OSA + OFN Meeting
7- BEMs and TAS Meeting
8- NUSSU 3rd Council Meeting

Anyway, all the planning for the club is more or less done except for the meeting of the Vice-Dean to approve on some of the student activities and proposals. Great to have a strong team working together towards a common goal.

Another project deadline coming up next week and a Sociology Test next week, it seems like weekend is going to be burned.. But then.. Brother organised a dinner on sat with Mum and Dad.. Henceforth.. SAT WILL BE A REST DAY!! =D

Suffer on Sunday then.. -_-!!!



"Discipline is not something I impose on you so I can control you. Rather, it is something you must develop within yourself so you can become the best person you can be, not the one who could have been.” - Timothy F. Hough