oh exam oh

I will be sitting for my first paper in an hour.
I've been whining, slushing, grunting, walking aimlessly around the room, singing, swearing, cursing, hopping, chatting, lying down, and everything else.
But that darned little stack of slashes, swipes and strokes.
Wish me luck!

Exams: A Case Study

...via Lawrence Teoh

‘Exams’. How much we students fret just upon hearing that word, let alone when we are forced into the exam hall to do our exams. How we wish there were no exams, and how some even go on to the extent of cursing the poor guy who started something called ‘school’ which led to the existence of exams.

Like many events in life, there are pro’s and con’s to exams that are not only held in schools, but in colleges and universities throughout the world as well. Based on my opinion, exams are rigid and it is of no good to unearth the talent needed to drive the nation forward. Exams measure one’s textbook intelligence primarily, and that is an important point to be noted.

At the same time, I would say a good many students would not care about their studies if it were not for exams. Therefore, in a sense, exams pushes students to study. Otherwise, students will just go to school with the intention of disrupting law and order.

In truth, exams are not a prerequisite for success in life. Many, for instance Bill Gates and Albert Einstein, did not do too well in their exams in school. The reason why many study hard for exams is because it will offer them a stable job in the future.

Say, for example someone scores brightly in school, and carries on that form into college and university; it is highly likely that that person would become a successful individual in their career thereafter. One who studies biology well in school, does pre-medical in college and medicine in university with distinction, will inevitably be a good doctor.

However, the odds of that person being a multi-millionaire, or someone to that tune, would be nigh unimaginable. That is because since exams are most of the time based on textbooks and ‘confined’ knowledge, hence those who excel would most probably have limited soft skills needed to start enterprises and businesses among others, and also shallow general knowledge.

This is not always the case though as I know of some people who are academically strong as well as posses abundant soft skills in addition to being articulate general knowledge wise. This is a rare breed, one which I respect and wish to emulate as I feel it is simply superb to be always able to get results towards the top end of 100 while at the same time being holistically intellectual.

No offence, but I am sure we have come across many people who get top marks in class yet they cannot speak an intellectual conversation. These are the sort of people that are branded ‘nerds’ who mug their textbooks all year long. Do they serve themselves and humanity on the whole any purpose?

Another con of exams is that those held especially in the East are typically harder than those in the West. Instead of being an advantage, this has backfired on countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. This is because for Easterners, the emphasis is placed on detailed theoretical knowledge, while in the West, it is on hands-on practical knowledge.

No matter how hard we try, exams will remain a part and parcel of a student’s life. The best thing is to adapt and try as hard as possible to get good grades. However, there should not be a state of paranoia whereby you keep staring into a textbook all day long. Therefore, keep this in mind that you should excel not in exams by virtue of being a ‘nerd’, but as a holistically developed individual.

cp's mugging zone!

Now that exams are around the corner and tempers are flaring, students are on the lookout to study uninterrupted. Yours truly, comes to the rescue! Hopefully...

First, studying should be done alone, or with just ONE or two others. The concept of group studying is pure, unadulterated NONSENSE. Gossip will creep in inevitably, which pretty much kills the studying mood.

Your room is the ultimate HAVEN for studying, because
a) It’s yours;
b) It’s always open;
c) And you can listen to music, read aloud, and walk around at your free will.

But, there are complications too. There’s an inviting bed a few feet away, and studying does make one sleepy. Also, with no one monitor, you may not study very well. Distractions are plenty, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to name a few.

Alternatively, you can study in the reading rooms or libraries with the disadvantage of creepy people staring non-stop or observing each and every movement you make. One loud sound and you receive venomous glares from near and far. You have to stay glued noiselessly to your seat or else it’s gone in a jiffy.

However, libraries do have their benefits. You can refer to countless books and clear your doubts because the brainy ones are bound to be there. Furthermore, seeing students feverishly studying induces you with a spurt of enthusiasm combines with a sprinkling of deep-rooted fear to crack those notes!

For nature lovers, the serene setting of Yunnan Garden is also a viable option. Sprawling and peaceful as it is, you can study undisturbed to your heart’s content. Beware of insects and creepy crawlies, though.

The benches in the spines are frequented by loads of students as well. During exam time, it is indeed difficult to find an unoccupied bench. It is a refreshing experience to study on these benches through the night and watch a beautiful sunrise the next morning.

Student lounges and canteen tables are among other options for some serious studying, not during meal times obviously. But try not to hog tables, it is extremely inconsiderate.

So get going, dig out those lecture notes and slides, take a deep breath, and start! It is that time of the year when we must tell our frolicking souls to settle down, and STUDY... or else!!! And though we would much rather it was abolished from our school calendar, till wishes really do turn into horses, find your own little corner and MUG HARD, NTU!

Sick!

I'd been down with a bad virus.
Being sick is horrible.
I've not been sick for so long that the experience this time seems almost overwhelmingly tiring.
My throat feels like an unwashed drain in the dry weather with brown dead leaves scraping and scratching on my larynx.
My head bangs louder than a deafening rock band.
I look like a pathetic Panda Bear from China with dark rings around my sagging eyes, already lined with crow's feet.


I fear that my back will start aching soon! Aih…
Nothing is just nice - everything is too hard, too soft, too lumpy, too cold or something.
Thankfully my B and T cells are beating the hell out of whatever is causing me this pain.

Hell Week

For someone who needs more than 24 hours every day, recess week is an oasis to catch up on readings and deadlines.

The first seven weeks left most of us with no time to even breathe, what with professors gleefully handing out assignments and presentations.

As weeks passed by in such a flash and recess week was virtually over. I found myself wondering how I was going to complete the remaining assignments and projects due the coming weeks.

My workload for the week seemed insurmountable. Among other things, I had to prepare for four CAs (Continuous Assessments), a graded assignment and a research paper. It may seem manageable on any other given week, but the key point here is that it was recess week.

Ideally, recess week is a brief respite from the stress of school. It is a week in which I can escape from the crowds I have to endure in my daily commute.

And recess week means I can escape from the rigours of edveNTUre and draining tutorials.

I have always thought of recess as a week where students can rest and take a break from the tiresome cycle that comes with school, shopping sprees and carefree hours in the city, leaving them rejuvenated by the week is up.

But what does recess week of NTU mean for NTU students.

Recess week at NTU seems to be just another week of ‘lax’ studying in anticipation for the upcoming second half of the semester.

There seems to be consensus among students that the break week is a good time to catch up studies.

I completely disagree.

In fact it would be quite an achievement if I completed all of my assignments amidst all of the project meetings. Time for revision is scarce as I dedicate my time to completing assignments due the next week. The impending examinations are an additional cause for concern.

On hindsight, it was foolish of me to think of recess week as a genuine period of rest. I had long anticipated the recess week, promising myself that I would catch up on watching movies, playing games and socialising.

I am still wondering how I’m going to complete my piled up assignments. Can we have a week’s extension for recess?

Yunnan Garden

My school

Nanyang Crescent

Lee Kong Chian Lecture Theater

Lee Wee Nam Library

School of Art, Design and Media (ADM)

ADM

Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information

The Quad

The Quad

Pine Tree

Chinese Heritage Centre

My Hall

I can't wait to meet Lee Hsien Loong!

Date: 15/9/09
Time: 7 - 9.30pm
Venue: Nanyang Auditorium

See you there! :)

Adopt a Tree, Save the World

Adopt-A-Tree

a fund-raising initiative

About this initiative

This fund-raising initiative is part of Project O2 (a Youth Expedition Project), which is organised by a team of undergraduates from the International Service division of the Rotaract Club of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.

Our team will be heading to Sapa, Vietnam, for a 2-week community service trip in December 2009, with environmental conservation and education as our main areas of focus. Over the course of the trip, we will be planting trees and conducting basic, conversational English lessons for the local school children.

Planting trees is one of the easiest methods to reduce one’s carbon footprint, and we will be planting at least 1000 saplings for this project. The average tree absorbs about 1 tonne of carbon dioxide over its lifetime, and while this may seem little, we believe that a small step will go a long way.

For more details about Project O2, you can download a copy of our Project Factsheet right here, or visit www.projectO2.tumblr.com!

How you can contribute

Vietnam has the second highest deforestation rate of primary forests in the world, and only 10% of the Earth’s mature tropical forests may be left by 2030, if no significant action is taken.
You can help change that.

With a donation of SGD10 from you, we will plant a tree for you in Vietnam this December.

As a token of appreciation, you will receive a small instant photo of your planted sapling, with a tag of your name (or the name of the adopter of the tree) on it. This can also be a simple and meaningful gift for your friends and family.

If you’d like to make a donation, or find out more about our project and the different ways you can contribute, please feel free to email us at racntu.is@gmail.com.

Do help us spread our cause by reblogging/re-posting/emailing any of the images or by simply sharing this link :)

First four weeks at NTU

Four months ago, I decided to join NTU. Four weeks ago, I actually arrived at NTU.

Every four minutes, I still find myself hopelessly lost in finding my way around campus.

And even then? I've fallen in love with this university - four times over.

Being an international student in NTU does not only mean discovering that the nearest canteen's as far away as my beloved KL.

I've realized that NTU is as foreigner-friendly as it gets with the Freshman Orientation Camp (FOC) helping to transform the homesickness of the first week into a whirlwind of fun.

Students here, especially the Malaysia Students, have been amazingly helpful to me: assisting me in navigating around school, and even striking up random conversations at the bus stop.

There is always someone nearby who is willing to explain finer intricacies of academic complexes, canteens, and the likes.

Perhaps it is the culmination of all the little things that has made me feel truly at home.

Happy Merdeka Malaysia!

When I stepped into the Nanyang Auditorium for the Freshman Welcome Ceremony, the last thing I expected to find was a set of robes draped on our seats.

For a moment, I thought I had crashed a convocation ceremony.

It was all very evocative of scenes from Harry Potter - the grandeur of the auditorium befitted that of the "Great Hall".


Sitting in our robes waiting for the proceedings. I felt like a Hogwarts student on his first day back to school.

To top it off, NTU Provost Bertil Andersson, in his academic dress, half-moon glasses and bonnet, uncannily resembled "Professor Dumbledore".

Taking the school pledge with our robes was a string moment. I appreciated the symbolism of the light up ceremony and the provost's welcome address which was light-hearted yet meaningful.

It spoke of new beginnings and set an optimistic tone for our future in the school.

One month in, like in The Beatles' song, "I have got to admit it's getting better, a little better all the time".