Recollection (1)

Part I. 1st midsem, 1st assignment.
Initial heat.

I intend this to be a series of reflective writings on MBBS Sem 3, one posted per day, as my result day approaches. Gee, I've been doing 1 post/day for the past 5 days...
If you could graph my enthusiasm level, it was still up high early in the semester. It was five weeks on, with a variety of random stuff like going to the Allans Music warehouse clearance sale, MoMu BBQ in Flagstaff Garden, buying chicken for home stock, etc.

My diary entries were also still very up-to-date, with each of the 5 tute cases of lung diseases recorded neatly. And I didn't miss any of the AMS info sessions.

I didn't know what to expect for the test, but I revised extensively regardless. Stayed up till almost 5am to cram for the Monday test. The fact that I was leveling up my Facebook Mafia didn't help.

The assignment was due that Friday. For the first time in 5 weeks, I finally revised my epidemiology/public health lecture notes!

Allowance money came in on that week as well, so that probably was some source of motivation too =)
Like the pink text?

Backfire!

A taste of my own medicine...

Just today I had a bit of a feel what it's like when you wanna study at your own pace--and then there's the girl who's sitting next to you--this probably isn't what you're thinking

OK, I have a confession to make. Oftentimes, I come to my lectures having pre-read the lecture notes; to my dissection pracs, having tried memorising the names of the bones, ligaments and muscles; and so on. So here's my confession, I'm uncovering this thing: I actually like the "wonder" aura that I get when people see how I'm not lost in those classes. It's not 100% of the time that I do this, mind you, but still I realise how much I've been dwelling on what other people think of me.

Back to what I was saying: The girl next to you, obviously much better prepared, starts telling you everything that she knows about the subject. You start feeling nervous. Anxious. Stressed. Intimidated.

Hah, what I just realised is that I'm the one who has been doing this to all my friends all along! Those poor enough to be sucked into my presence just when my megalomaniac ego is bursting forth! And sad enough to be bashed when I sometimes deliberately and knowingly criticise, "What have you been doing in class all along?"

I repent from this. I had a taste of my own medicine. Backfire!

Truth is, we gotta esteem our friends better than ourselves. Better be building up than breaking down.

A Moment Captured

What's happening when Creski says he's studying...

It's the first time I've taken a screenshot of the PC in ERC ground floor. These "study sessions" have been my routine for the past 2 weeks plus, ever since SWOT VAC started on 1st June.

If you look carefully, you can see:

1. Media Player - Now Playing: 2009-03-12@0905 (CRL 4.6 Superior and Posterior Mediastinum by Dr Jenny Hayes). Speed: 1.6X.
2. imeem - Playing: IvyFocus G2 (by iMusic). Website says it can improve brainwaves for focus, absorption, stamina and mental acuity. Don't know how true that is.
3. Firefox - Welcome to your Student Portal. To get Lectopia, lecture notes, email, notices, etc. Of course there's the distracting bit like Gmail and Facebook opened in multiple tabs.

So I'd have my printed lecture notes in front of me, my earphones plugged into my ears, and I'd spend 1-2 hours doing this. Two reasons: I won't study as efficiently in my own room, and even if I do, I'll use up the Internet download quota to get my lectures and the iMusic mp3's. Gotta make good use of our resources =)

It's a new way of studying for me, so it's pretty cool (although it's becoming a little bit mechanical/repetitive/robotic now that I've been doing it day in, day out for almost 20 days).

And I cherish the way that music/sound is augmenting my study. Here it is, a moment captured.

Can't wait for exam to be over.

Time for physical exercise.

Success

What leads to it?




Short and sweet. And meaningful.

Thanks to:
Chang Yang's blog post (where I found it)
www.TED.com