**Elvin is feeling moody**
Today, 28 November 2005. Nothing special happened today. Zi Xian looked exhausted today during ISP lesson. I hope that he rest well and do not put too much stress on himself. It makes my heart pain to see him like that. Talking about stress, I am feeling quite moody for the past weeks, not quite sure why. But I am getting annoyed and irritated easily the past weeks especially since the semester started. I should keep my temper in check. Maybe it is due to the workload I am experiencing, but every one else in my course is experiencing the same amount of workload and they are managing it quite well. I do not know why I could not handle the workload well. Maybe I am just a lazy, unmotivated fool. After three semester of honeymoon in the polytechnic, I am finally realizing that I am not as good a student my results suggested. Three semester of over-achieving in terms of results, I really found it hard to emulate my past semesters achievement. I think academically wise, I have reached a plateau. I have hit the top of my abilities and the thing I could do now is to maintain my standard or see my standard dipped. That is the harsh reality. A reality I had to face. I am undeserving recipient of the director list which is awarded to the top 10% of the students of the sub-level. That is in my own opinion. I felt that by receiving the so called award, I have actually sinned. You would probably ask why? I would say that I have prevented a more deserving candidate from the lecture hall from getting the award. The recognition for having performed well for the past semester. I would rather someone else get into the director list than I getting my name in it. I felt that I do not deserve it.
Monday, November 28, 2005
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**Good win for Liverpool**
Firstly, I would like to express my congratulations to Liverpool for wining four consecutive league games after the win at Manchester City. It had been a long time they achieve that feast and now Liverpool are closing in on the top places in the league. After a bad start to the season, Liverpool is slowing chalking up the points which is good news to the fan. Wigan, who stunned fans and punter alike this season with their impressive performance, lost their second consecutive game at the JJB stadium. Now lets move on to another topic and talk about life in school.
Last semester after we were given back the TPHM class test 2 papers, I realized a trend in 2AO8. The better student all scored 80+, the rest either failed or struggled in the paper. This trend happens only in our class. Miss Min, our TPHM lecturer even point out that. This led me figuring why such things happens. I draw out some conclusion. One of the conclusions drawn is that those so called weaker student did not really put in the effort to study the paper. I think the above scenario is quite unlikely. A possible scenario is that the better student did not help the weaker student. I always find it amazing why the better student always did not voluntarily help the weaker student. I really like to know and understand their mentality. For example, XX always finished his tutorial before others. The next thing XX did was to talk/gossip with his peer rather than motivate them to finish the tutorial. That really saddened me. I felt as a better student, you should have set a positive influence to your peer. That XX is just an example, it is not pinpointing at anyone. I felt that the better student should help the weaker student wherever possible. Doesn’t the better student feel that they are privileged that they are the one who understand the concept? Shouldn’t they help the weaker student? I can see that 2AO8 had been a more united class this semester, but I hope that something should be done to correct the above-mentioned problem. I hope that I could form something like a peer-tutoring scheme in my class to help those weaker peers. I hope that those better students in O8 could help me with the scheme. I am looking for it to materialize before the common test break. Forming study group is another option to consider.
Another issue I would like to highlight is again the late-coming issue. I get irritated when people come late and give lame excuses. Coming at 8.30am for an 8am class, I can close one eye. But 9.30am for an 8am class? That is ridiculous.
Attendance issue would be discuss next. I know that polytechnic is not so strict in their attendance policy. They give you all sort of empty threats like debarring you for the common test and examination which they never seem to impose those threats. But attending lectures, tutorials, practical are important. I do not know why some people refused to attend those lessons. Missing those tutorials citing oversleeping is the lamest possible excuse to give. The one to lose out is not your tutor but yourself.
Another thing which worries me is that some of my peers refused to clarify their doubts during the tutorials. Tutorials are supposed to be the class where we are supposed to consult our tutor on which parts of the lectures we do not understand. But it seem that the tutorials is one class that allow us to gossip. So sad that we wasted the opportunity to clarify whatever doubt with the tutor.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Last semester after we were given back the TPHM class test 2 papers, I realized a trend in 2AO8. The better student all scored 80+, the rest either failed or struggled in the paper. This trend happens only in our class. Miss Min, our TPHM lecturer even point out that. This led me figuring why such things happens. I draw out some conclusion. One of the conclusions drawn is that those so called weaker student did not really put in the effort to study the paper. I think the above scenario is quite unlikely. A possible scenario is that the better student did not help the weaker student. I always find it amazing why the better student always did not voluntarily help the weaker student. I really like to know and understand their mentality. For example, XX always finished his tutorial before others. The next thing XX did was to talk/gossip with his peer rather than motivate them to finish the tutorial. That really saddened me. I felt as a better student, you should have set a positive influence to your peer. That XX is just an example, it is not pinpointing at anyone. I felt that the better student should help the weaker student wherever possible. Doesn’t the better student feel that they are privileged that they are the one who understand the concept? Shouldn’t they help the weaker student? I can see that 2AO8 had been a more united class this semester, but I hope that something should be done to correct the above-mentioned problem. I hope that I could form something like a peer-tutoring scheme in my class to help those weaker peers. I hope that those better students in O8 could help me with the scheme. I am looking for it to materialize before the common test break. Forming study group is another option to consider.
Another issue I would like to highlight is again the late-coming issue. I get irritated when people come late and give lame excuses. Coming at 8.30am for an 8am class, I can close one eye. But 9.30am for an 8am class? That is ridiculous.
Attendance issue would be discuss next. I know that polytechnic is not so strict in their attendance policy. They give you all sort of empty threats like debarring you for the common test and examination which they never seem to impose those threats. But attending lectures, tutorials, practical are important. I do not know why some people refused to attend those lessons. Missing those tutorials citing oversleeping is the lamest possible excuse to give. The one to lose out is not your tutor but yourself.
Another thing which worries me is that some of my peers refused to clarify their doubts during the tutorials. Tutorials are supposed to be the class where we are supposed to consult our tutor on which parts of the lectures we do not understand. But it seem that the tutorials is one class that allow us to gossip. So sad that we wasted the opportunity to clarify whatever doubt with the tutor.
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**Feeling Down**
Friends are important to ones life. One cannot be friendless for the whole of ones life. Lucky I had a bunch of good friends willing to stand by me through thick and thin. I must admit that I did not really like my current poly class (2AO8) in semester 1. But after going through all the hardships with the class, I began to really love my class now. This semester I am going through a rough patch. I thought of quitting CE this semester. This thinking is still deeply rooted in my mind. I am really confused now. Really do not know what steps to take next. I really need to thanks those who stood by me this semester. Especially those who constantly encourage me, trying to lift up my spirits when I am down. Names in the list include Zi Xian, Sheila, PY, Melvin, Ming Chuen, Kenneth and Hassan. I do not wish to leave them now. I will be wasting my three semester in NGEE ANN POLYTECHNIC. But I do not know what I am going to do.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
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**Diffcult Semester ahead**
14/11/2005
This semester had not start well for me, but I intended to preserve till the end. All the project had started flocking in despite this being the third week of the semester. Add this with all the tutorials assignment and you will get a rough idea my workload for the new semester. But on the brighter note, I have made it to the Director’s list for next week module prize presentation. For your information, getting into the director list means that one is top 10% of the sub-level. This got to be one of my greatest achievements since being enrolled in this polytechnic. Remember last semester I had some problems regarding project group. But this semester, the grouping issue had not been bothering me as much as last semester. For CEL2.1, I was grouped together with Sheila, Kenneth and hassan. Mr. Phua made us draw lots and I was lucky to have drawn the above mention group. I have worked with Sheila and Kenneth in ICBE and PC respectively before so I see no major problem working with them again. This is the first time I will be working with hassan in group-based project so hope everything goes well. For Reaction engineering, I was grouped together with wei jian, phoon yin, Bernard lim. Again a good group and could not have asked for better group. Worked together with wei jian, phoon yin before in thermo and ICBE for Bernard lim. Feel so glad to be working with them again this semester. For ISSM group, I have decided to work with Zi Xian and Wei Jian. Visited Zi Xian in TTSH this evening. Hope that he will get discharged soon. Chatted with Melvin in MSN for a short while. Thanks for telling me that I am impatience. I know I am very impatience and valued the sincere feedback. I will try to work on this aspect. Also thanks Kenneth for his feedback about opening up during discussion too.
This semester had not start well for me, but I intended to preserve till the end. All the project had started flocking in despite this being the third week of the semester. Add this with all the tutorials assignment and you will get a rough idea my workload for the new semester. But on the brighter note, I have made it to the Director’s list for next week module prize presentation. For your information, getting into the director list means that one is top 10% of the sub-level. This got to be one of my greatest achievements since being enrolled in this polytechnic. Remember last semester I had some problems regarding project group. But this semester, the grouping issue had not been bothering me as much as last semester. For CEL2.1, I was grouped together with Sheila, Kenneth and hassan. Mr. Phua made us draw lots and I was lucky to have drawn the above mention group. I have worked with Sheila and Kenneth in ICBE and PC respectively before so I see no major problem working with them again. This is the first time I will be working with hassan in group-based project so hope everything goes well. For Reaction engineering, I was grouped together with wei jian, phoon yin, Bernard lim. Again a good group and could not have asked for better group. Worked together with wei jian, phoon yin before in thermo and ICBE for Bernard lim. Feel so glad to be working with them again this semester. For ISSM group, I have decided to work with Zi Xian and Wei Jian. Visited Zi Xian in TTSH this evening. Hope that he will get discharged soon. Chatted with Melvin in MSN for a short while. Thanks for telling me that I am impatience. I know I am very impatience and valued the sincere feedback. I will try to work on this aspect. Also thanks Kenneth for his feedback about opening up during discussion too.
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