1. Studying at the last minute/Doing assignments at the last minute
"I'm going to turn over a new leaf."
I say this after pulling half an all nighters for an assignment. Eventually, towards the end of the semester, half an all nighters became 3/4 all nighters and eventually a full all nighter just to submit an assignment. I've accepted the fact that I have the tendency to push things to the last minute especially when its something I dread such as having to write an essay. I've also accepted the fact that starting early will still lead to some last minute editing of assignments because you're too scared to submit and hence many hours will be spent on recursive drafting be it an essay or an assignment. I never thought the 2am life was real as I've never stayed past 2am for the past 19 years of my life until university happened.
2. Assignments will always pile
"Alevels will be the hardest period in your academic life"
Yes, Alevels was the hardest exam in my life thus far. But in retrospect, Alevels did not prepare me sufficiently to constantly meet deadlines and the ability to handle so many things at once. No matter how I think, Alevels was hard because of the grades and the desire to get to university and to get to the course I wanted. Yet, in university, we could have a "PW" like report to submit every week, group projects and many assignments to be submitted and graded. It is a continual assessment. Assignments pile week after week, the pile never gets thinner unless the semester has ended.
Then again, it's an endless cycle isn't it. I've read many articles online regarding how university education has not prepared the author for work life.
I would complain to my friends every week and towards the end, I figured that I should focus all my energy on finishing my reports/essays instead of complaining.
Well, I'll probably have to live with it. No course is ever easy. I've paid $700 for each module and I definitely want to make my final route in my education worth it since I've entered university.
3. Making friends
I've made many friends in university. Every conversation to me felt like I was climbing a very steep mountain using a dangerous route. I would see it as a way of making friends who may be useful to me in the future. I wouldn't confide in any of my uni friends (except for 2-3 of them) if I've problems. In fact, I would go straight to my JC friends or my secondary school friends to tell them of my problems. I guess towards the end of the semester, I've literally miss out on everything as I was too tired of socialising. I really didn't know I would die out this quickly. I thought I was more on the extrovert side but now I guess I could go on for hours without even opening my mouth.
I wasn't able to really find a close group of friends except the chem majors as we take the same lessons together. I am truly glad for them.
Looks like I've to put in effort next semester again for I've drifted way too far and I'm actually starting to FOMO.
4. Independent Living
Living in the hostel has taught me a few things:
2. Assignments will always pile
"Alevels will be the hardest period in your academic life"
Yes, Alevels was the hardest exam in my life thus far. But in retrospect, Alevels did not prepare me sufficiently to constantly meet deadlines and the ability to handle so many things at once. No matter how I think, Alevels was hard because of the grades and the desire to get to university and to get to the course I wanted. Yet, in university, we could have a "PW" like report to submit every week, group projects and many assignments to be submitted and graded. It is a continual assessment. Assignments pile week after week, the pile never gets thinner unless the semester has ended.
Then again, it's an endless cycle isn't it. I've read many articles online regarding how university education has not prepared the author for work life.
I would complain to my friends every week and towards the end, I figured that I should focus all my energy on finishing my reports/essays instead of complaining.
Well, I'll probably have to live with it. No course is ever easy. I've paid $700 for each module and I definitely want to make my final route in my education worth it since I've entered university.
3. Making friends
I've made many friends in university. Every conversation to me felt like I was climbing a very steep mountain using a dangerous route. I would see it as a way of making friends who may be useful to me in the future. I wouldn't confide in any of my uni friends (except for 2-3 of them) if I've problems. In fact, I would go straight to my JC friends or my secondary school friends to tell them of my problems. I guess towards the end of the semester, I've literally miss out on everything as I was too tired of socialising. I really didn't know I would die out this quickly. I thought I was more on the extrovert side but now I guess I could go on for hours without even opening my mouth.
I wasn't able to really find a close group of friends except the chem majors as we take the same lessons together. I am truly glad for them.
Looks like I've to put in effort next semester again for I've drifted way too far and I'm actually starting to FOMO.
4. Independent Living
Living in the hostel has taught me a few things:
- Be clean and be neat. No one is there to clean up your bin and your mess. Many people step in and out of my room and therefore, I had to ensure to keep it neat.
- Do your laundry. Initially, I would wait till the last minute to do my laundry and ended up having to wait till 1am for my laundry to finish before I could bathe. I learnt how to clear the lint and fold my clothes properly.
- Noise pollution. Live with it.
- Nag at yourself because no one is there to nag at you. Yes. No one is there to tell you to bathe, to sleep and to eat.
So this is how independent living feels like. I like living in the hostel because of the freedom I have but it was really lonely at times when the only 2 private places I'm entitled to is my room and the toilet.
5. Punctuality
I've decided to take this out separately from the rest because I realised I'm late for almost every lesson. I've learnt my lesson to NEVER put back to back lessons when the shuttle bus is required because I was NEVER on time for my lesson and I am actually very ASHAMED of myself even though it was inevitable. Semester 2's timetable was slightly better as I could have 2 free days every alternate weeks but the back to back schedule totally killed me every Monday, Tuesday and Friday. And next semester will be the same thing again albeit I'll try to my best to arrange it in a way such that I will not miss my meals and have to rush from one location to another. Definitely not looking forward to travelling back and forth Utown and FoS. Not that I didn't plan my timetable carefully but my timetable will always be this packed. But I will strive to be a more punctual student if possible.
6. Life is unfair
It will always be.
some people just don't deserve anything. and I want to change just that.
7. Finding myself
I'm actually lost. Uni didn't teach/help me to find myself. Uni has made me feel that there is a need for repeated introspection of myself. I'm not directionless but there are other aspects that I'm still lost. I hope summer and year 2 will help me out.
There are many other lessons I've learnt in Year 1 that are not as significant here and I must say that I've been very blessed to have friends who supported me through 2 semesters. Evan and gang who would come to Utown to have a meal with me. USChem who has helped me with my studies, hear me complain and all the fun times we have during meal times and really, many other friends. I've grown a lot and I do not regret my decision to come to NUS. I hope to take these lessons to year 2 as I continue my final phase in my journey in the education system before I hop on to the other side of the education system.
No comments:
Post a Comment