16

yes this is an update of my life.

tomorrow will be the last day of 2015. gosh time is really moving too damn fast. soon it will be entering a new year. soon semester 2 will start. soon Chinese New Year will be here. it feels as though it was only a couple months back when i was enjoying Chinese New Year.

it is such a time when i will pause to see what i have achieved and experienced. i guess this past year has been really a struggle. well these struggles came from school i guess. well i am glad all those are over. in fact, here is where i am thankful for those who have helped me through and struggle with me haha. no one said university would be a breeze anyway. of course, there were really happy times throughout the past 12 months.. especially the fact that i found an amazing girl early in 2015. she is the best thing that has happened to me in NUS so far.. probably the best even when i graduate haha.

ohh wells.. thankful for all the friendship i have.. from those i just made this year to those that have lasted for many years. may such bonds last really really long. really grateful to have my family as well. let's hops 2016 will be as entertaining or even better. cheers.

i feel it with you

the current song i am looping over and over again since last weekend. enjoy.

one corner

yes this is an update of my life.

so near to christmas and the new year. so near to the end of the holidays. the same old mundane thing of planning timetable is on the way. got a rough plan i guess.. just needing to find one more module to get the timetable ready. of course, considering few other alternatives and what not just in case luck isn't always on my side during the rounds of bidding. i know the situation of my bid points.. sad but ohh wells hope i can get the modules i want. the timing of lessons aren't exactly fantastic though.

moving on, in a few hours time, it will be the release of the last semester's results. i don't speak of it much but in fact, i am really fearful of the grades i will be getting. i am literally, in my own imagination, hiding in a corner feeling comfortable as i see my last semester's results slowly creeping up on me. there is no place to hide but to face it as soon as it touches me. fingers crossed.

until next time then. cheers.

CFC

yes this is an update on my life.

holiday time is passing way too fast. or maybe it is because i have less me-time this time round. not complaining about going out too much or what but just hoping that winter break will be longer. lol.. don't we all wish breaks are always longer than work time?

anyway, it is about a week from a short getaway with my family. Bintan again. however, this time we would be going to another part of the island. really cannot wait.. though i don't mind camping at home to sleep all day too lol.

okay, however, the main thing i want to talk about this nothing related to my life. it is something to do with a-day-old news. a news pertaining to a rival football club but nonetheless worth talking about here. Chelsea football club has just removed the manager due to its club poor first half season performance. poor dude take the blame. personally, i would want to weigh in a little of my thoughts. i guess such a poor performance isn't exactly the fault of the manager's. yes, bad managing will probably bring a club down slightly but bad players' attitudes will bring it from top flight to dirt. ohh wells.. life is harsh.

until next time then. cheers.

before acting

before Jared Leto was famous for his acting and what not now.. what was he doing? being a really talented musician, including being the lead singer of 30 Seconds From Mars. man, old songs but golden songs.

enjoy.

recall

so it is back to the usual tradition of the end of the year. introducing Youtube's rewind for 2015. see how many of your favourite artistes can you spot.. haha.

enjoy.

uncollected thoughts

yes this is an update on my life.

busy is good. well, not always but at times it is. i think it is more appropriate to say that being busy at the right time is good. because, of course, no one wants to be busy at a time when you are exhausted, needing a little more rest. well that's me tonight. after being a day busy going around with my family i want to rest and sleep in tomorrow but i cannot.. i have a tutee to teach. ohh wells, shall focus on the good.. earning extra pocket money.

one month is a little too short considering the things i hope to achieve and the fact that the next long summer break i would be working as an intern or a temporary staff somewhere.. hopefully. nonetheless, been trying to enjoy myself as much as possible. enjoying through giving time for my own recreational activities and spending time to hang out with loved ones. one thing i have yet to really do is recollect my thoughts. thoughts that matter. of some i would at times post here. hopefully i could do that soon. meantime i shall catch up on my shows during my free time.. lol. stay happy people. cheers.

perceptions

i think in today's context, people see giving thanks as something deeming to their pride or something. instead people would rather give a unwilling apology over thanks. well, here is some examples i came across the other day that set me thinking.

Stop Saying "Sorry" If You Want To Say Thank You: A Seriously Insightful Cartoon

enjoy.

failing friendship

another article to tickle your mind a little.. do you agree to the points raised?

There's A Modern Affliction Ruining Our Friendship -- And We're All Guilty Of It

enjoy.

unfairly fair

think many many posts ago, i mentioned about life is unfairly fair. or fairly unfair.. whichever you think might fit your perception better. then again, i came across this particular article about something similar and thought that it would be good to share it here.

The Problem Isn't That Life Is Unfair -- It's That You Don't Know The Rules

be the judge yourself. enjoy.

at peace

yes this an update of my life.

at long last.. finals is over. goodbye to year 2 sem 1. never felt this mentally drained for quite sometime. even not for those finals in past two sem.. wonder why. probably because the content of the modules i take this sem. probably because the exam papers are generally tough this sem. probably because i had to work even on the evening of my last paper. either way, all is over. i can start to really enjoy my break.. a real short break.

first off, sleep debt and no alarm. my sleep debt is near zero thanks to the fact that i have only three finals but i still want to sleep without using an alarm clock for just one day or two. like i mentioned in my previous post, i will not waste too much time in this short break to sleep too much. next, trying new experiences with my favourite girl. hehe intending to go out explore places like Ubin and Coney Island and what not. three, hanging out with old friends, especially those that i didn't managed to hang out with during the summer break.

for now, i shall chill and enjoy my shows before hibernating into lunch time.. lol. cheers.

hey Dec.

yes this is an update of my life.

this year is really flying by. it feels as though it was just mere days ago when i was enjoying Chinese New Year. but no.. now we are nearing Christmas and then next year's Chinese New Year. i don't know if it is a good thing or not.. think i am leaning towards the idea of feeling time flying by as a good thing more than a bad one.

well, to feel as though time is flying by would mean that one has been keeping oneself rather busy and occupied. being busy and occupied is a good thing for me considering i am a student and a part-time home tutor. so being bust and occupied at least would mean i am likely making use of these time to earn extra cash and gain new knowledge. at least that's what i hope i am doing.. haha.

nonetheless, one thing i would regret now and then during school semester is not catching up with all the close friends i have prior to start of the semester. ohh wells mental note then.. have to make full use of holidays to catch up with them.. spend a little less time sleeping in or idling on my own. personally i think being at this stage of life, the close friends or best friends or buddies i have currently will be the people whom i will hold dear to for the rest of my life. one, i would have known most of them for a rather long time now so if we have been sticking to one another, there is bound to have a reason and thus a purpose. two, subsequently in the remaining years in college and in workplace, i think the friends that i will make will probably be friends-friends kind of relationship. yes, we will help one another and hang out with one another now and then. however, the closeness those future friends share with me might be really different to those of i share with my current treasured friends.

this leads to me to think about something else now and then. i realised that when we meet a person is really crucial too. allow me to elaborate a little. say i met this person only a year or so back. i am in good terms with him/her. however, if i were to have met him/her say a decade ago, this person might actually turn out to be one of my closest buddy. as you grow older, vulnerable seats for treasured friends would be occupied. a human heart cannot hold too much as well.. hence the number of relationships has a limit as well. time in which you first meet a person does really matter.

ohh wells, shifting the focus back to time flying by. one last paper for this semester in less than 12 ours time. freedom in slightly more than 12 hours time. i really really cannot wait. while adults always tell me that a students' life is better than a working adult's life, i still look forward to ending my studies. as i am not in my graduating year, i am only looking towards each end of the semester.. haha how typical.

ahh.. December. short break and short holiday but i shall treasure every single day of it. i will not waste too much time sleeping in and idling. cheers.

war song

somehow whenever the first final paper is near, i will be hooked onto this piece.. probably and good war song lol. it is "Europa" by Globus.

solemn

yes this is an update of my life.

again, in the blink of an eye, reading week is over. Sunday is here and a new week begins tomorrow. not any other usual week but a week where finals draw closer. my brain is at saturation as of now. i think this is what you get when you force yourself to revise a little during the weekends. that is probably why i insist myself on having off days to really let go and relax. i'm glad i could do so more often than not. nonetheless, i shall treasure the remaining few hours of weekends before entering yet another week.. days of revision before the papers lasting until the 2nd of December.

i really cannot wait for the holidays to come. yeah, some might say "duh, who doesn't" but this time i mentioned with greater emphasis because, like i mentioned at the start and middle of the semester, i hate this semester. the modules i have at hand is generally boring and content heavy and tedious. okay. i can make do with content heavy and tedious.. but once it is boring and draggy it really turns me off from the start. ohh wells, nearing the end. i must keep in mind why i have been holding on from the start.

moving away from academics, i am so sorry and saddened to know that Gavi, a band member with Lindsey Stirling has passed away. to think that the man whom i saw in a concert earlier this year is now gone is really sad. back then, he was still so energetic and cheerful. well as some put it, "the best way to mourn the dead is to live", life goes on but their life would be remembered. rest in peace, Gavi.

the beautiful mosaic

introducing to you all something really interesting. personally, i find this a really good read as the author was able to really relate one's experiences with friendships to the experience of losing baby teeth. here is the link.

The Problem Growing Up Is Losing Your Friends

"The problem with growing up is it hurts to give away a piece of you. But the beautiful part is you become the piece of art you were meant to be."

onward

yes this is an update of my life.

just before heading to dreamland. just wanted to update here for a bit. end of 13 weeks of lessons and here comes the reading week no one likes to call it a study break since its purpose is entirely opposite. revision time before heading to the battlefield of the final papers. hope to have the strength and wisdom to conquer them all. all the best people. probably not update much for the next week or so but will share videos and songs now and then. cheers.

we don't give a..

can't really find a lyric or MTV version of this song but yeah..

roped

yes this is an update of my life.

just a really quick update i guess. on a verge on ranting but ohh wells nope.. inner peace. anyway here comes the end of the semester. really really home i can find the strength and wisdom to really take on this last lap of numerous tests. may i find peace in balancing my work time and fun time as well. all the best people. cheers.

halloween

a little late but still going to post something that i look forward to every year during Halloween.

where is the love

down days

this is a rant. hopefully a one time off thing and i'll be better.

note to self: the world will always be unfairly fair. everyone gets different portions of different aspects of life. a charming person might not exactly be smart. likewise a smart person might not be exactly charming. all in the all, the spread of attributes seems really different from person to person. nonetheless, it is probably due to this uneven distribution that makes one's life seems less unfair or more fair.. whichever term you want to believe in. that being said, i want to say about things that i have less. duh.. it's a rant.

the amount of hard work placed in does not correlate with results. you can be diligent and yet fail. you can be lazy and yet excel. results are really all that matter most of the times. results here refer to any results. it does not mean only about academic results. people don't care what you do behind the scenes. they see what you do in front of their eyes. one might abuse his/her parents at home but act kindly in public.. there a good person. one might be filial but tend to ignore his/her friends.. there a bad person. no matter what, you will be judge. nothing ever satisfies everyone. given two options, choosing either will still give you the dirty words from people around you.. just from different people based on the different choices made.

after saying those, i now recall the times where i love being alone with my thoughts. being alone allows me to be away from such issues. yeah those are inevitable but dealing your own shit yourself can be therapeutic. never promise what you can't deliver. never expect someone to do something for you when you can't do the same for others.

it is time to find some inner peace.

days

grace

the intern

yes this is an update of my life.

it is moving too fast. time. it is now the tenth week of the semester. you know shit is getting close when the number is now double digits haha.. nonetheless i am still running the course in hope of not being too burnt out too soon.

that aside, i am also hoping to be an intern come the break in December. been hunting.. okay not so intensive but still searching ways to get an internship during the December holidays. i really really need help if there is any haha.. i want to be an intern. build up my resume before it is too late and i regret not spending my holidays wisely. anyone has advices? cheers.

treasured days

yes this is an update of my life.

if i haven''t mentioned his before, i'm going to say again. i've gotten sick of this semester already. the timetable isn't exactly great. the modules aren't exactly interesting. the assessments aren't exactly really friendly. then again, i will always end up reminding myself that no one ever said this is going to be easy anyway.

well, yeah true but yeah just have to let it go out there. sick of this semester. i'm probably going on auto pilot most of the time ever since the midterms. body there but heart and mind might not be there.  just glad to be always completing a week. i now look forward to weekends as much as i did when i was in army or even more. yes, that is how bad it is. in fact, i really treasure my weekends more than ever. will my work life be like this as well after i stop schooling? hopefully not but no one knows.. really.

moving on, wait. not much things happening outside school.. lol. aside from the fact that i really enjoy this time of the year where all my dramas are pretty spread out across teh week. at least there are things to look forward to in between.. beside my bed. i have to press on. cheers.

post midterms

yes this is an update of my life.

whew finally got to rest a little while after the previous week of hell. had something going on on each of the last five weekdays. from tests to presentation to submission. was like a zombie for more than half of the week. glad to be able to catch up on my sleep and free time over this weekend. thanks goodness one of my tutee wanted to take a break for this week as well.

good break. but now back to motion again. few weeks time and another round of consecutive submissions will kick in. thereafter, the finals will loom. i really hope i will have the strength and wisdom to pull through them all. will still try to update as much as i can as well. cheers.

drag me down

yet another cover better than the original

crystal eyes

storm

damn Indonesia

yes this is an update of my life.

been telling lots of lies to myself lately. almost every single day for teh past week i would tell myself to not blog that day for i can always blog the following day. the following day came and the same thing repeats.. haha repeat and repeat until now when i decided to stop the vicious cycle.

so anyway, recess week for NUS is nearing its end. really hope whatever effort i have put in isn't exactly in vain. managed to catch up quite a bit in my studies and what not but still slightly behind even as of now. better.. but still behind. really hope the midterms won't be a great killer and what not. nonetheless, maybe still can not panic and worry that much yet. i still have about a week before my first midterm anyway.

last few days have been really hardcore discipline. you realise i say hardcore discipline but not hardcore studying. well because i think i work more on my self-discipline rather than studying. i tried to make sure to wake up not too late so i will not waste a morning. also not too early until i am very sleep deprived. during the day i tried to keep to my schedule and give myself appropriate breaks and what not in between. worked out pretty well i guess.

time management is key to me i guess. i like to be organised in everything i do.. even when it comes to allocating time for anything. call me old fashion or boring or what but i think this method works well for me. i'm happy with it anyway. one good thing also would be making sure i have time for everything. work, play, social time and what not.

moving on.. really glad the American shows are back on air with all new seasons. there will be days in the week to look forward too even more. however, what's no good is the stupid haze in Singapore presently. thanks Indonesia.. i hope those responsible for it will die by choking on their own toxic air.. lol. until next time then.

cheers.

stress

this is just some random, hopefully one-time-off, rant.

while many rejoice at the fact that NUS recess week is next week, i remain emotionless. to me, i think this week is just a mere break from face-to-face classes.. not a real break kind of break. the stress i feel still remains.. or maybe even more. yeah, i choose to believe i can handle stress well and hide my worries better than others. but the fact that i am saying and pouring things out here worries me. maybe i have reached my breaking point and from here i will just spiral into temporal state of self-pity as i choke my mind with worries. at times, i really wonder how much or what will it considered as unnecessary stress? i mean, stress can be a good motivation now and then but it is also a tool for suicide. relax.. i'm stressed not stupid to do anything silly. nonetheless, i really hope all these will be gone soon.

timely tune

people's RO

as we wait for teh GE2015 results, let us remember this hero of the previous election. haha.. if only he could be the one reporting the results later in the evening. too bad he found a better job.

partial truth

you hear it in the business world most of the time i guess. apparent from the title of this post, of course i’m talking about the idea of partial truth. is partial truth ethical or right? i’ve discussed this topic with couple of my friends over though not all the time regarding the business world. we somehow would also expand this topic to our daily basis. so i shall attempt to iron things out on this topic in this post. whether you agree or not doesn’t really matter to me for i know such a topic draws countless viewpoints anyway.

before going into the details, i shall state my interpretation of the term first. the term “partial” here signifies incompleteness but not a lie or a white lie, for the matter. it means that the entire story or the truth isn’t revealed. well, “truth” here is pretty straightforward. i’m sure my definition of it is the same as you and the dictionary. 

moving on, i think giving partial truth is nothing wrong. nothing wrong doesn’t mean completely alright but i’ll go on to the exceptions later. how is it not wrong? well, personally i think it as something similar to giving certain information. like for example, if you are telling a story or an event that happen to a friend, you might leave out certain details and points. likewise, partial truth is like telling the truth but not highlighting every single small detail and what not. partial truth is not wrong for it isn’t a lie. okay, at least partial truth from me isn’t, just like how i mentioned about my interpretation in the previous paragraph. every person has every right to choose what he want to say.

with that being sad, how so can partial truth be not entirely alright? it isn’t completely right when you know that the person you are giving the partial actually deserves the entire truth. in a very worst case of example, say a family member of your friend went to heaven after being wheeled to hospital hours earlier but you told that friend to the point of the hospital part and not the death. well, this is where it isn’t completely right. technically,, you aren’t at fault as well. you did not lie nor did you use lies to cover up the truth and what not. however, it is obvious that your sad friend deserves to know the entire truth, though it might hurt him big time. another aspect in which partial truth is not completely alright is when you start to use white or harmless lies to cover the partial part. well, to me this is somewhat deviating from the term already since i mentioned earlier giving partial truth involves no lies, harmful or harmless ones.

so, back to me, real personally. i will not deny the fact that i do give partial truth now and then. when i do, i do by my beliefs as well.. no lies and cover ups. however, if the recipient is smart enough to know i am hiding some part and insist on me telling, i would tell though with much unwillingness depending on the truth itself. yeah.. so now you know.

wildest dreams

i lava you

burning bridges

yes this is an update of my life.

i saw the warning signs. i saw a day like this would come sooner or later. just that i never expect it to really turn out this way. not complaining but just saying. meh.

recent events over the last couple of days and weeks really open my eyes a little more and assure my own instinct. ever since couple of "slaps" from life in those early days of puberty, i told myself to never let anyone in or close easily. i told myself not to trust anyone too easily. i told myself to be really aware of leeches. some find me ridiculous to live by such a strict personal rule. at times, i doubt if this kind of way is really too harsh on myself and people around me. guess not. recent events proved to me once again my instinct is right.

destroying the superficial bond you have with me is something i really don't mind. i can't call it friendship. okay, wrong, i won't even call it friendship not that i can't.. i just don't acknowledge so. from the start, you were fishy and what not. you got the face and actions of a leech from the beginning. i was careful and i was right to be so. i'm glad. normally, people whom i call friends will have a bridge that can be painful to destroy but your case is different. burning this bridge is something i am always ready for and willing to do. no regrets just feeling sorry for you. not feeling sorry to the extent i will lend a helping hand. not lending it because things like this is something one ought to deal on your own, something a supposedly mature thinking person should be able to sort it out. well, too bad you aren't what many think you are. not mature. not forgiving. just plain stubborn and ignorant. if pride is something you value more than any relationships, so be it.

with all those said, i would like to thank you for a number of things explicitly. thank you for assuring my gut feeling is reliable. thank you for showing me once a leech will always be a leech. thanks for making enough a fool of yourself and some people around you to let us know you aren't worth the time and effort.

ohh wells, relax people. i'm not angry or what not. just that these stuffs set me thinking now and then. keeping my own life and things happening around in check. just releasing heart felt thoughts here as usual. no worries. stay happy people. remember, you aren't born to please everybody anyway. do not go out thinking so.. for in the end you will hurt yourself most. know who is worth your time. know who is worth your time. not everyone does.

cheers.

mad rush

yes this is an update of my life.

so i was just reminded that the end of the 4th week of this semester is almost ending. two weeks of pure lectures and another two weeks of lectures and tutorials have just passed by like that. wonder what have i achieved really.. haha. everyday seems like a struggle to juggle with the modules i have this semester. yes, no one ever said university will be easy. yes, no one ever said higher level modules will be similar of easier than the lower ones. but.. damn the increase in stress is real.

the content is definitely crazier i would say. despite trying my best to pay attention during lectures and tutorials, i find myself ever trying to catch up with the syllabus. tough mountain to scale but i'm not giving up. i just want to rant and let my stressful thoughts flow out. saying out can be a remedy.. i hope. as for motivation, i am not sure if i can source for anymore.. haha. probably partly because it has been a while since i watched all the dramas or select a movie to watch. just waiting for middle of September where all the dramas that i follow will start to air again. then again.. the midterms will be looming by then.. haha damn semester one.

away from academics, i was also slightly disappointed when Science got knocked out of floorball IFG. ohh wells, we did really fought hard and played hard. the points where too tight to call and goal difference cost us our advancement to knock-out stages. the only blessing in disguise is me going home on the weekend when the competition continues.. unless i want to watch lol which is a real likelihood as well.. haha. ohh wells, shall try again next year. hopefully internship won't hinder my chances of making into the team.

speaking of internships, probably i have to start hunting for some if i ever want to land myself in an internship during the December holidays.

well, reflecting whatever is happening now here is kind of therapeutic. i held on for so long.. shan't give up that easily. things will be better i suppose. mean time hope you all are doing fine.

cheers.

pandora

wrong lists

this channel never fails to deliver thought provoking and funny shorts. the latest one is yet another i think it would be sad not to share. do watch from start to the very end.. don't play cheat and skip to the ending.. enjoy.

ball of yarn

yes this is an update of my life.

somehow as each semester past.. it seems to move faster and faster. it really felt as though i just started the semester a couple of days back.. but in a blink of an eye, the second week is about to come to an end. in other words, the tutorials are about to kick in really really soon. i'm not ready for it to be honest.

lectures barely entering the great depth and i'm kind of lost in some of the modules. the struggle is real.. haha. nonetheless, as i have set the aim before semester.. i must really get this shit together real soon if i want to really pull up my CAP this semester and next semester. come year 3, i doubt it will be any easy to pull it up already. right now, i'm like an ant trap in the core of a ball of yarn.. tangled in the fur but trying to find my way out.

modules wise, i would like to talk about two modules for now. the first one is my core module ST2137. this module sort of introduce to us the softwares and programs used by statisticians so i heard. happy to take this module because i think this module requires me to apply whatever i have learn and that how i can bring theory to practical. i hope i won't be disappointed. the second one is not my core but still a requirement.. ES1541. the lat english language module i am probably going to take in NUS. fun as in i can get to interact with different crowd of students.. not just my major. also, i can keep my mind off calculations for a moment. hope the experience will be good too.

guess for now, that's about it. semester begins.. and so is the random posts about academics now and then. if you dislike those, check back here in December lol. kidding.. i try to post other stuffs as well, no worries.

cheers.

magic power

securing classes

yes this is an update of my life.

the beginning of every semester starts of with the tedious process of securing classes. from fighting for modules to take using whatever bid points one has to relying on luck to ballot for tutorial classes. that's of course speaking from a NUS student. i know other schools have other system. nonetheless, regardless of the system used, i'm sure each and every one is tedious and troublesome.. lol.

during the bidding of lecture slots, i've bad couple of poor decisions. this resulted to me paying more bid points for some of the modules. one of the modules i have now also required me appealing to the faculty to give me a slot. just as i thought all was over, the first round of tutorial balloting almost gave me the ideal timetable. sad to say, i failed to secure a tutorial slot for a particular module. gosh.. ohh wells not complaining or what not for i am somewhat numb to it already i guess.

moving on and away from academics, my birthday happens to fall on every start of the academic year. there have been countless surprises and celebrations over the past few days. i would once again thank all those people who were there to celebrate with me and come out with cool surprises. thanks for the wishes, gifts and the the love.

fairytale

swallowing you whole

people say NS changes a person. i say no. no, as in not that NS don’t change someone.. but rather i think what really change a person are the experiences and what not. just that guys have an additional luxury of 2 years to handle such crucial experiences. or at least that is what i feel. personally, i think the years in NS change me as a person. no, not really NS itself changing me but those events that happened during the course of 22 months. comparatively, i find myself better at handling stress and insecurities now as to those times before NS. you see, NS is the period of time where, aside from doing the mundane drills a soldier has to do, i could sort myself out, trying new perspectives and learning. 

stress and insecurities. everyone has them. everyone sure will have them some point or another. these are aspects of life that are inevitable in a fast pacing society like Singapore. however, the thing that really separates individuals when they are all faced with similar pressure is the ability to handle it. it’s an obvious statement but not many people really put it to context. okay.. let me rephrase that. many people know those stress and insecurities are affecting them and what not. they try to take it head on but after seeing not much improvements, they spiral into negative emotions.

well, before moving on, let’s hear the hard truth. stress and insecurities will eat you alive from the inside. upon that, you will feel a great void as you begin to question anything and everything. i say so for i have experienced so.

like i said, those are natural. they will visit you now and then. thing is how one respond to it really makes hell of a difference in your daily life. i used to one who will desperately try all methods to reduce it and after some time of not seeing any improvement, i will wallow in a deafening silence of self-pity. in the end, nothing good came out. no improvement. nothing. then after couple of wake up calls, i tried other ways to handle such emotions. methods differ from individuals as well. for me, i would always i am calm before even getting started to trying to solve the issue. if i sense myself too stressed or what to think straight, i would excuse myself away or not think about the problem for the time being. once calmed, i will not jump to the first solution i can think of. i weigh the pros and cons of all methods before deciding on one.

to be honest, putting those in words seem so silly. but if you can figure what i mean then good for you. if not, don’t fret just take your time to manage them. you know you have learned when those negative emotions don’t hit you often. good luck.

straightforward

came across this article a couple weeks back and i think it speaks certain volume. i can relate to more than half of the things mentioned. kind of a food-for-thought article for your own entertainment.

7 Struggles Of Having A Straightforward Personality In A World Of Highly Sensitive People

a season begins

after winning the Community Shield against Chelsea, i'm really excited to see what's in store from Arsenal this season..

sharing

recall the time when your teacher asked the class to share some ideas say pertaining to a particular topic that was related to a composition you all were tasked to do. what was the immediate scenario? did anyone raise up their hands eager to spill whatever ideas he/she had? or did the teacher have to single out individually to get the class to spill ideas?

for Singaporean students, i am pretty sure it is always teh case of teacher singling someone out before any answers could be heard. a teacher of mine once said something thought provoking that disturbed me up to today. that is why i am going to talk about it. she was telling us that generally the Asian schooling culture has been brought up in such a way that students are discouraged by the parents to share ideas and information with peers in fear of others getting as good as or better grades than their children. sadly, in the short run it might seemed a little logical but this mentality isn’t exactly healthy in the real world in the near future. at least this was what my teacher pointed out and so i went on to ponder as well.

i remember in primary as i mingle with my friends, their parents are always comparing results and what not. the area outside the school gate was like a place for parents to show off their kids’ grades. but that wasn’t all, i will always hear a parent of a kid who was from a smart class telling him/her not to talk to a kid who was from a not-so-smart class. being in both of such classes before in primary school, i was extremely puzzled at that time as to why they were asked to do such things. now, think back, i think parents told their smart kids so just to ensure that there remain this boundary between them.. separating the smart and the not-so-smart one.

you see, habits that are cultivated from young are not easy to change. such simple “advices” soon impacted the students’ involvement in class. they rather keep answers and ideas to themselves if they were not forcefully asked for it. this brings on to the next part of my discussion.

does hiding knowledge and ideas hinder progress? yes and no. not sharing will not hinder progress as students will keep on keeping track of what he/she don’t know and hopefully go on discovering stuff on their own. independent learning. not sharing will hinder progress when it comes to tackling an issue that no one has a clue on. say each one has bits and pieces only and not sharing will no spark any further thinking. personally, i find it better to share since who knows someone else might be able to take the current idea to the next level. after a while, who knows something new can be discovered.

i know what some of you might be thinking now. if you share and someone else build upon it and find something great out of it, wouldn’t the person claim credit or what not? the fear of losing credit might be a primary concern to some when the idea of sharing comes into picture. however, this is where you have to weigh it out, whether you prefer self-progression or progress as a group.

so yeah think about it. this is probably somewhat related to the fact as to why the Asian culture don’t churn out as many discoveries as compared to the West. discoveries made there, if you realised, often published with multiple credits.

waiting for love

"for if there's love in this life, there's no obstacle that can't be defeated"

crossing fingers

yes this is an update of my life.

so the camps i have signed up for during this summer break have all concluded. got to say i think i spent the first summer break of my university life exactly how i wanted it to be.. all about fun and enjoyment, a real break from the school work and what not. come next year, plans for the summer might be different because i know where i stand in the society. not so smart to make the education part of the resume really impressive. as such, i have to seek another means to beef my resume up as well. internships and work experiences.

moving on, i finally moved into my resident on campus. PGP this year. glad to see the room conditions are pretty good.. slightly better in fact. just that i need to figure how to get fresh drinking water.. at first glance i don't see any cooler lol. ohh and washing of clothes too.. don't want to drag home a bag of dirty clothes week in week out. place is so foreign to me.. just have to slowly explore and get used it.

apart from that, let's talk a little of academics and i think i will say this whenever the semester is about to begin. bidding is a big burden. i gamble but the bidding market is really to unpredictable at times. really sad to be not able to secure two of my core modules that i intended to take. had to reshuffle my timetable a little and come up with a backup plan. my first plan can still be carried out but i can only try again in later days. sigh.. fingers crossed. cheers.

end is near

yes this is an update of my life.

been quite a while since i have really sit down and post about what's happening here. didn't do so because i was part lazy and part busy. busy as in preparing for the next camp happening this Sunday evening to Thursday night. busy as in planning my timetable for the coming semester. busy as in hanging out and catching up with various groups of friends. busy as in trying to find more tuition assignments and giving tuition.

well, among the busy stuff, i have a good news to share. finally got a hostel spot on campus so that is one worry off my head. no need to wake up super early and make a close to 2-hours journey to and fro NUS daily. can't wait to move in and get ready for the semester.. and nope, i'm not exactly excited about studying just the fact of moving into campus again.. lol.

okay, for the lazy part, let me explain haha. amongst all the outings and stuff i have to attend to outside of home, i rarely catch a breath. rest days are rare.. those where i just huddle at home and in bed without feeling any pressure or need to break away. so yeah when those days come, i really do those and blogging happens not to be my primary task. nonetheless, i still remain a leisure blogger.. writing only when i feel like it without stress.

to sum up, the end of holidays is near.. busy days ahead but i am going to treasure every single day of it left. cheers.

broken dreams

"my shadow's the only one that walks beside me"

year one in review (NUS)

holidays for university kids are ending. meaning, for my fellow NUS school mates and incoming freshies, the period whereby students will be busy planning timetable is here. in a blink of an eye, my freshman year is over and i am about to start my second year this August. 

a year ago, i remember being a little worried about the bidding and school stuff, especially having not been in the education system for two years thanks to the mandatory NS. through the course of the two bidding periods in my freshman year, i always made a habit to google online reviews by students on the various modules and what not as module description might not always be helpful and insightful compared to students’ point of view.

therefore, i am doing the same thing as well and hope my reviews might help souls googling about NUS modules. in each review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

so, here are the modules i have taken in my first year and their respective links to my reviews.. all the best in your studies.

year 1 semester 1: -

CS1010S     GEM2027     MA1101R     MA1102R     ST1131

year 1 semester 2: -

CFG1001     EC1301     ES1102     GEM2901     LSM1302     PC1327     ST2131

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

CS1010S review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

CS1010S: Programming Methodology

this module teaches you to write and read codes through Python. take note that this is different from CS1010E though both modules are related to computer coding. for CS1010S, they used the platform Coursemology for tutorials and assignments.

as for grading wise, they grade you through midterm paper, final paper, practical exam, tutorial participation, submissions in Coursemology. 

personally, i find this module challenging yet fun. why challenging? one, i have no computing background, so taking this module felt like i had to learn an entirely new language and be graded for it within the semester. two, the tutorials and assignments were time consuming.. they required quite a deal of time and effort weekly. three, doing past year papers might not exactly be super helpful as the staff tend to come out with new “ideas” every other semester. why fun? one, for most of the people, coding might be something new and learning new things can be interesting. two, the assignments are rather interesting. the module has no bell curve.. so yeah, it can be good news to some, bad for many.

as for tips from someone who has taken this module, this module really require consistent work. yeah, you might be hearing this from your seniors and teachers and it is starting to get boring. however, i would say that this module has no room for last-minute stuff. what you don’t know at the front will snowball and bite you consistently  for the rest of the semester. revising last minute cannot bring you very far. if you are lagging at the start, you are in deep trouble. remember, no bell curve.. no standardisation. however, this is probably the only module that gives second chances as there might be re-midterm and re-practical.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

GEM2027 review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

GEM2027: Introduction To Public Speaking

this module, like the title mentioned, expose you the key ideas and what not when it comes to speaking to a crowd. lectures tend to highlight key things to take note whenever you are the speaker or the listener. now and then, there will be guest speakers as well.

as for grading wise, they grade you through three speeches, in-class quiz and one group project. for each speech, you are required to submit a speech outline as well.

personally, i find this module an enriching and fun experience. i really enjoy class time as you get to learn many new things pertaining to giving speeches. most might think it is common sense but you would be surprised at the amount of new things you get to learn. furthermore, you get to practise now and then since there are times where you need to give a speech there isn’t graded.. just for trying out. however, the in-class quiz is kind of silly i guess. without reading the textbook, like me, you might find the quiz a challenge despite it being in MCQ. at the end of the day, i find that this module really taught me to feel more confident whenever i am expected to make a speech.

as for tips from someone who has taken this module, i suggest to those aiming for a very good grade to really read the long boring textbook in preparation for the in-class. aside from that quiz, i would say enjoy the process of the group project and giving speeches. while producing the speech outline can be a pain in the neck, you get valuable feedbacks from your peers and tutor after each speech. these are things that will be carried for the rest of your life, treasure them. there are sure to have those “spoil market” students who speak really well and spoiling the bell curve, nonetheless, i would say the experience is more worth it.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

MA1101R review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

MA1101R: Linear Algebra 1

this module is a rather abstract module that might really interest those who are really into pure mathematics and proofing questions. your knowledge on vectors and matrices will really be tested here. your visualisation of mathematical problems has to be of certain standard too. like i mentioned, this module is quite abstract with test questions filled with both proving and calculation. i would say a 50/50 distribution of those two types.

as for grading wise, they grade you through midterm paper, final paper, tutorial attendance, lecture quiz and computer lab quiz.

personally, this module isn’t exactly fun to me and neither it is really difficult. when i say not really difficult, i don’t mean easy. there are sure to have challenging topics and what not but one can actually understand them after a sufficient amount of time and effort is put into understanding the concepts. the proofs are mostly challenging as they really test you fundamental understanding of each chapter and each law and what not. the lecture quiz is a breeze as the lecturer adopt the clicker system. you and your buddy will have to answer 8 questions per week in lecture time slots. you will be given the full marks for the week the moment you score correct for 5 or more of the questions. the lab quiz is rather straight forward as well. the exam papers, however, can be challenging when you reach the last couple of questions.

as for tips from someone who has taken tis module, i would say do not sleep in lectures. this will ensure you to not have a difficult time tackling the lecture quiz. if possible, sit with a big group of friends since discussion is allowed. expose yourself to a lot of proving questions in preparation for the papers. the calculation aspect should be manageable, just ensure no careless mistakes and you’ll be fine.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

MA1102R review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

MA1102R: Calculus

this module will be enjoyed by people who are really into function functions, differentiation, integration. while almost half of the topics covered are not completely unfamiliar to you, since you have briefly learnt them in secondary or JC or Poly schooling, this module goes slightly more in depth of each topics mentioned. you will be dealing with countless mathematical expressions and what not as well.. so be prepared.

as for grading wise, they grade you through midterm paper, final paper, computer lab quiz and five take-on assignments.

personally, i think this module is rather challenging. not that the concepts are tough to understand but i think the lecturers assume that since most techniques aren’t exactly alien to the majority, they ought to set questions that are really complicated.. those you can hardly find in tutorials and assignments. as for the computer lab quiz, it isn’t exactly a time-based quiz. you are given the question in the comfort of your home and time. of course, just submit the answers before the deadline. some questions can be answered by Google.. shh.

as for tips from someone who has taken this module, i would suggest practice, practice, practice. in fact, most math and statistics modules require lots of practice. however, to me this module requires more than the average. redo your tutorials. tackle the revision questions if they give them. do past year papers. repeat all over if you have the time, focusing on the type of questions you think you still have to work on.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

ST1131 review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

ST1131: Introduction To Statistics

this module merely introduce you the fundamentals of statistics. i would say you might know most of it if you took Math during your JC years. you learn about methods of data plotting, normal distribution, sampling methods and what not. the bell curve is rather steep for this module. the midterm is MCQ but the final is open-ended. nonetheless, it will not be of much challenge to most.

as for grading wise, they grade you through midterm paper and final paper. yes, it is just those two.. might be a bad thing for some, good for others.

personally, i didn’t really spend much time revising this module. this module never sent me into any state of panic or anxiety if you know what i mean. nonetheless, one has to still catch up on it now and then. the midterm paper can be rather straightforward. final paper might be just a little tricky. i think this module really reaches to the minute details like definitions and what not.. things that some people will tend to overlook as they think that they would have naturally knew those concepts and definitions.

as for tips from someone who has taken this module, don’t be complacent. many people go down that slippery slope and some crashed and burned. then again, no need to put yourself into too much stress for this module. do the papers they will provide you and i guess you will be fine. 

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

CFG1001 review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

CFG1001: StepUp Module (A Career Development Programme)

this module is a 0 MC module and you might have hear seniors saying that this module is a complete waste of time and pointless. however, i beg to differ. i shall explain more in the later part. this allocated module generally gives you advices on life skills such as preparing your resume, getting right in interviews.. things you will be needing in years to come. the course is only five-weeks long.. with just three of which being face-to-face interaction.

as for grading wise, they grade you according to your class attendance. so long you attend all face-to-face classes, you will be given the “pass” grade.

personally, i find this module rather helpful though it is a little too early to be taught some of these skills. well, some of you might think things covered in this class is more of common sense and what not. to be honest, i thought so too but you will be surprised at certain details that you thought you knew. the skills taught in this class will come in really handy when you are trying for internships and jobs. 

as for tips from someone who has taken this module, while at times you might not be able to help but not pay full attention in those classes, at least keep the handouts they give and take down pointers occasionally. these will be handy in years to come. like i mentioned earlier, this module is allocated, you need not bid for it.. just ballot for the class timings. you will be allocated during semester 2 of year 1 or semester 1 of year 2 if i didn’t remember wrongly. enjoy your time in class.. no worries just chill and interact.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

EC1301 review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

EC1301: Principles Of Economics

this module teaches the basics and fundamentals of economics. students who have taken H2 economics in their JC years might find this module rather a breeze as majority of its content are from JC H2 economics. for H1 students like myself, this module is still rather manageable.. just that you have to scale a slightly steeper hill compared to those who used to take H2 economics. the bell curve is rather steep i guess. easy to pass but not as easy to score in the A range since the assessments are all in MCQs.

as for grading wise, they grade you according to your tutorial scores you did online, midterm and final.

personally, i find this module useful and a good introduction to economics. from this module, you can roughly get a sense of whether you would like to take more economics module or even consider a second major in economics. topics covered are rather straight forward just that the scope is rather broad. i find the online platform where one is expected to complete the tutorials rather slow and annoying though. 

as tips from someone who has taken this module, when doing tutorial questions, just do with a friend. or at least have friends to share their answers around. this would definitely save you a lot of time. you need not do every single available practices online. the key ones are those graded ones of course and i think those are probably your first priority. if time permits, then by all means go ahead and explore and try the rest. as for exams, just be sure and clear of each of the concepts covered and you would be fine. try couple of past year papers to boost your confidence.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

ES1102 review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

ES1102: English For Academic Purposes

this module is a 0 MC module for sad students like me who did not do well in A levels GP and the QET test. this is sort of a bridging course in english language where you are taught simple grammar and what not. i think the only key take away is they teach you how to write an academic text and not a composition like you used to during the years prior to university. rather waste of time module but one does not have much choice.

as for grading wise, they grade you through online grammar practices, essay with three drafts including the final one, class participation, reflections and final.

personally, like i mentioned earlier i find this module a rather waste of time especially if you are a Singaporean. i think this module is more useful for foreign students whose first language isn’t english. otherwise, most of the stuff taught a simple and straightforward. i think this module is meant to waste your time. the only useful thing is learning how to write an academic text.. that’s it.

as tips from someone who has taken this module, just don’t sweat too much for this module. it is a pass/fail module. you score an A or B-, you still get the pass grade. you should only pay attention to the academic text part. as for final exam, it is only 30% of academic text writing so just know the format and what not and turn up for the exam. keep pace with the class since most assessments are from class work.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

GEM2901 review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

GEM2901: Reporting Statistics In The Media

this module teaches you how to interpret and sieve news article that contains lots of statical figures in them. you will learn the loopholes and errors in sampling and data collection and what not through the entire course of lectures. statistics major students love to take this module. even other students love this too as it is comparatively easier and relaxing. lectures only.. there isn’t any tutorials for this module but sadly, i heard this module is going to be taken away soon. not sure it will be replaced, renamed or really removed for good.

as for grading wise,they grade you through two group projects and final.

personally, i find this module rather interesting though skipping lectures won’t result you losing out mush as well. in fact, most of the time, few turn up for lectures. the notes are really comprehensive and concepts taught are pretty clear and straightforward. the final paper is also easy so long you have read through the lecture notes and sample tutorial questions a couple of time. the group project is rather straightforward too as you can write anything you deem might help explain your case when criticising a news article.

as tips from someone who has taken this module, take this module with friends since the group work requires 3 to 5 students per group. when starting on the projects.. sieve out few news articles and email the lecturers to see if those selected ones could be used for the projects. thereafter, you all can start and complete the project write-up without much sweat. as for the final paper, just turn up and bring along a certain amount of common sense with you. bell curve is naturally steep for this module.. of course.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

LSM1302 review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

LSM1302: Genes And Society

this module teaches students a lot of biological concepts before exposing them to ethical issues that can be brought forth from biological research and experiments. the module is naturally content heavy but the lecturer can be rather entertaining and interesting. this module has no tutorials just purely lectures twice a week.

as for grading wise, you are graded through lecture questions (one MCQ per few lectures), IVLE participation through surveys, essay project. brochure project, structured questions homework, final.

personally, i love this module really much. having learned H2 biology in my JC times, some of the concepts taught in this module are rather familiar. though the lectures are long and have no breaks in between, the lecturer is rather entertaining and on usual days i will not feel bored to death in his lectures. the assignments might be a little time consuming considering the low weightage each of them has but the process of doing can be enriching. final is the only thing that really separates the A students from the B students to the others.

as tips from someone who has taken this module, if biology interest you, this module is for you. i have a friend who did not have any biology knowledge prior to taking this module. however, despite having to climb a steep hill, she enjoyed this module as much as i did. keep up with the assignments and put in decent amount of effort to level yourself with the cohort. final exam will be the one that decides who score what. the practices the lecturer gives are not a good representation of the exam questions. though they are MCQs, the questions there can be rather tricky and tough. as always, biology tests who has the greatest memory.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

PC1327 review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

PC1327: Science Of Music

this module introduces physics into music. actually, the title of the module is pretty much self-explanatory. you will get to learn waveform and simple calculation pertaining to both physics and music. if you are worrying about not having any physics or music background, well, don’t worry. while prior music knowledge might give you a slight edge, there music stuff is rather straightforward and easy. as for physics part, i didn’t take physics since secondary school and i find this module physics aspect is more like basic mathematics calculations.

as for grading wise, you are graded from two term tests, tutorial attendance, MIDI composition and reflection essay on a musical performance.

personally, i enjoyed this module for not only it has a light workload, i enjoyed the assessments. however, if you hate steep bell curves then you might hate this module for this module has the steepest bell curve i have ever seen so far. nonetheless, the journey was rather relaxing and enjoyable. you need not have knowledge on physics and/or music to ace this module. even without knowledge on both, you won’t struggle much.

as tips from someone who has taken this module, try to ace in your term tests. in other words, aim for full marks. practise a few past year papers from your seniors and what not for the format and style is always the same.. i think the lecturer is a little lazy to be really creative year after year. also, for the live concert you have to attend to write that essay, find free or cheap ones and hang out with your friends. enjoy your time in this module.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.

ST2131 review (NUS)

in this review, i will be giving the rough description, assessment criteria and difficulty. i will not discuss about how easy or difficult to score a certain grade or what not. also, excuse my language.. i am not a professional writer.

ST2131: Probability

this module teaches a lot of statistical knowledge. permutations, combinations, probability, distributions. you will be taught tons and tons of formulas and expected to know how to apply them during exams. don’t worry, cheatsheet is allowed but that does not mean the paper will turn out easy. content heavy module but the stuff taught in this module is pretty applicable in future statistics and mathematics module.

as for grading wise, you are graded through midterm and final.

personally, i find this module slightly challenging. while there are certain initial chapters that teach us something we learn before university, the new stuff taught can be rather difficult and confusing. if you don’t love mathematics, especially statistics, this is not a module for you. the exams are pretty okay but from what i heard, their difficultly depends on the main coordinator. i guess i was a little lucky then.

as tips from someone who has taken this module, just be really consistent. i wasn’t so and kind of regret after recess week. for i could feel myself snowballing all my doubts and what not in the final parts of the semester.. which is not good. i had to scale a steeper hill during reading week. also, try to ace the midterm if you want a perfect score 5 for the module.

click here to see the modules i have read and their respective reviews. do feel free to contact me via Telegram @alvinngjh for any questions or what not.