Friday marks the end of my lectures for term2. For H2 that is. Hipee!! :)
It had been a week of lectures, references and marking. At least 3 days in a row, I stayed up til 3am to finish up the work.
Tues was the worst because I got so upset with my lousy lecture that I stayed up to redo my powerpoint with brand new animations. At least I am proud of my newly created animation :P.
Wed, I went home to nap from 8-11pm then started marking tutorials until 4am before another round of nap to take on the world.
Thurs, I stayed up to improve my slides and create new slides for the next half of lecture.
Friday, ended with a happy note. I was quite pleased with lecture except for the fact that LT1,once again,jinxed me again with no sound and a broken down projector (replaced with a portable one). I recalled that fateful day when I had to use transparencies in LT1 some years ago.
Whoosh! At least one big item is off the checklist and now for the rest. 6th more weeks and I crossed my fingers with all the looming deadlines.
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Two separate lecture grps and in each case, I caught someone taking pictures of my slides. Was it rude or was my slide that good? Should we condone such actions? What do we expect from them?
Fear of not doing well
It is always 'been a while since I last blogged'. I think I have been playing fb games too often to distract myself from all the piling work which unfortunately will never decrease. Of course, there were times when I want to blog but was just too tired like 2 wks ago when I was running short on sleep again and I realised that as I grew older, the lack of sleep makes me more snappy. I remembered it wasn't this bad last time because my friend once asked me if I will be grouchy when I suffered from the lack of food or sleep and I replied none of the above - she wanted to make sure I don't snap at her when we went backpacking haha. But I guess now one of them has won the contest. [2 weeks ago I was on a super tight schedule to prepare lecture notes, a mini-lecture, marking tutorials & practicals and trying to get out of the holiday inertia which actually wasn't much of one since I doing marking 5 out of 7 days. I don't know why this year the marking felt so endless. geez.] Anyway I did snap a little when someone fooled around in lab that week. I think my brain wasn't functioning that well then so for the first time, I took off and left the lab. Standing outside the lab, I was trying to decide if I should blow my top or if the sense of irritation was due to the lack of sleep and so I shouldn't really scold the kid. Ok, in the end I didn't when I walked back in.
So why this entry anyway? Because I wrote a mail to my CT class recently and I think I would like to share the message with all my ex-students. Something for you to ponder over:
As many of us prepare for interview, be it for next wk's medicine, for some scholarship or a post down the line in the future, it is very easy to get carried away with the fear of not doing well and so our faces crunch up during interview as we tried to think of the most intelligent or even witty answers.
RELAX
Truth is, no matter how good you think your answers may be or even how good you are, there is no reason to worry to hit the bull-eye, philosophically-speaking.
Each batch of interview or each year, the assessors may look for something different in a cohort. For medicine, there are years when they want sportsman to spice up the faculty or they want people heavily involved in community etc because they want diversity to jazz up this community that is getting homogenous. Then another year, they may feel that there are too many sportsman so they go back to choosing academically strong students and it goes on. Thus to a certain extent, some choices were pre-determined. And this scenario is applicable to all communities and faculties as the world progresses these days.
So why worry?
An interview is a face-on assessment, to see in real life the person who did the writing and to determine (hopefully) if the material written has been blown out of proportion. But the key thing, esp for medicine, is still the smile and sincerity. In those minutes, you will be like seeing a patient, so be compassionate. It is the first impression of a patient as seen from the eyes of the interviewers. Anyway, please pity them :) cos they are sitting in the whole day or days dealing with young fellows like you , sometimes irritating sometimes CMI and most of all, some of them were made to go down to conduct the interviews when they prefer to stay in their offices...mmmm... maybe playing farmville? Or one of current fav of Zooworld!! :)
So don't worry! :) I guess during the intermission period when interviewees come in and out, they may just whip out their iphones and start playing these games and feed their animals hahah.
In a recent book I read by a renowed education fellow, he noted that it was wrong to assess one based on an interview whereby the candidates are supposed to come up with a super witty or good model answer spontaneously or within a given time-frame (some interviews are like that)- and that was the impression given to us by tv programms.
why is it wrong is because all of us come with differently personalities (Myers-Briggs yah?) . Some of us preferred style is to consider the scenario carefully while others tend to be more impulsive and dive in. Of cos there are others who are really superb. this kind of tests does no justice to people who like to contemplate and look at things from all perspectives who are equally important in an organisation.
Anyway, there is no need to be pressured to come up with a super-fast response for I have learnt too (or rather because I am not quick-minded haha) , to take my time to consider my responses and be sincere and truthfully about it.
So what I am saying is that an interview is no indication of your ability and the many wonderful qualities you have as a person.
There are many times when we simply could not figure out why some people pass an interview and others dun so the selection is really dependent on the candidates in the year, projected future based on current global progress and even wimps and fancies of the interviewers. So many variables which we cannot control. so why worry hahah.
To prepare yourself, I ask you to take some time to consider again why you want the interview, the scholarship, the post.
this is very impt: only when you look deeply into what you want and why you do certain things, can you convince others of your dreams and purposes.
only when you believe in yourself can you convince others to believe in you.
And if it helps, think of zooworld when you go for interviews
So why this entry anyway? Because I wrote a mail to my CT class recently and I think I would like to share the message with all my ex-students. Something for you to ponder over:
As many of us prepare for interview, be it for next wk's medicine, for some scholarship or a post down the line in the future, it is very easy to get carried away with the fear of not doing well and so our faces crunch up during interview as we tried to think of the most intelligent or even witty answers.
RELAX
Truth is, no matter how good you think your answers may be or even how good you are, there is no reason to worry to hit the bull-eye, philosophically-speaking.
Each batch of interview or each year, the assessors may look for something different in a cohort. For medicine, there are years when they want sportsman to spice up the faculty or they want people heavily involved in community etc because they want diversity to jazz up this community that is getting homogenous. Then another year, they may feel that there are too many sportsman so they go back to choosing academically strong students and it goes on. Thus to a certain extent, some choices were pre-determined. And this scenario is applicable to all communities and faculties as the world progresses these days.
So why worry?
An interview is a face-on assessment, to see in real life the person who did the writing and to determine (hopefully) if the material written has been blown out of proportion. But the key thing, esp for medicine, is still the smile and sincerity. In those minutes, you will be like seeing a patient, so be compassionate. It is the first impression of a patient as seen from the eyes of the interviewers. Anyway, please pity them :) cos they are sitting in the whole day or days dealing with young fellows like you , sometimes irritating sometimes CMI and most of all, some of them were made to go down to conduct the interviews when they prefer to stay in their offices...mmmm... maybe playing farmville? Or one of current fav of Zooworld!! :)
So don't worry! :) I guess during the intermission period when interviewees come in and out, they may just whip out their iphones and start playing these games and feed their animals hahah.
In a recent book I read by a renowed education fellow, he noted that it was wrong to assess one based on an interview whereby the candidates are supposed to come up with a super witty or good model answer spontaneously or within a given time-frame (some interviews are like that)- and that was the impression given to us by tv programms.
why is it wrong is because all of us come with differently personalities (Myers-Briggs yah?) . Some of us preferred style is to consider the scenario carefully while others tend to be more impulsive and dive in. Of cos there are others who are really superb. this kind of tests does no justice to people who like to contemplate and look at things from all perspectives who are equally important in an organisation.
Anyway, there is no need to be pressured to come up with a super-fast response for I have learnt too (or rather because I am not quick-minded haha) , to take my time to consider my responses and be sincere and truthfully about it.
So what I am saying is that an interview is no indication of your ability and the many wonderful qualities you have as a person.
There are many times when we simply could not figure out why some people pass an interview and others dun so the selection is really dependent on the candidates in the year, projected future based on current global progress and even wimps and fancies of the interviewers. So many variables which we cannot control. so why worry hahah.
To prepare yourself, I ask you to take some time to consider again why you want the interview, the scholarship, the post.
this is very impt: only when you look deeply into what you want and why you do certain things, can you convince others of your dreams and purposes.
only when you believe in yourself can you convince others to believe in you.
And if it helps, think of zooworld when you go for interviews
dun be disappointed ok?
The night before the results were out, my CT rep asked me not to give her the disappointed look when I passed her the results.
I was surprised at her comments because there was the exact thing I cannot do because I remembered the look on my form teacher's face when she handed me my O levels results. It wasn't that I did very badly, although I was naturally disappointed at not being able to replicate or emulate my results for the prelims, but somewhat I felt rejected and from that moment, for a young boy, things fell apart.
The recovery was slow but meaningful.
Many years down the road as I sat on the other side of the table, I asked who am I to judge each set of results? So it was with no expectation when I gave them out because at the end of the day, all of us need to deal with our own disappointments and that is more than enough for one to handle. I can offer them a shoulder or a word of wisdom but I will never be disappointed in them because I know they have given your best shot and there are things beyond any of our control. So as long as it takes them to the next level, I will be happy for them and will be proud of them because knowing all my kids, I know they have much to offer to this world, to the people around them and to blossom in their own capacity in time.
Adios, classes of 2009. Continue to move on with dreams because the best has yet to come. N Thank you for everything.
I was surprised at her comments because there was the exact thing I cannot do because I remembered the look on my form teacher's face when she handed me my O levels results. It wasn't that I did very badly, although I was naturally disappointed at not being able to replicate or emulate my results for the prelims, but somewhat I felt rejected and from that moment, for a young boy, things fell apart.
The recovery was slow but meaningful.
Many years down the road as I sat on the other side of the table, I asked who am I to judge each set of results? So it was with no expectation when I gave them out because at the end of the day, all of us need to deal with our own disappointments and that is more than enough for one to handle. I can offer them a shoulder or a word of wisdom but I will never be disappointed in them because I know they have given your best shot and there are things beyond any of our control. So as long as it takes them to the next level, I will be happy for them and will be proud of them because knowing all my kids, I know they have much to offer to this world, to the people around them and to blossom in their own capacity in time.
Adios, classes of 2009. Continue to move on with dreams because the best has yet to come. N Thank you for everything.
Tomorrow is just another day
Writing this blog because once my Swoosh-kid said he dropped during exam time because he couldn't get to sleep. So I wondered if tonight insomnia will hit some of my kids.
Some declared tmr as Judgement Day but I beg to differ. Tmr is, however, the day a new journey will start. No matter how the results go, remember that the judgment was by others and only represent a part of you. Whether good or bad, it is important not to let the judgment of others on a part of you fully determine who you are. A new journey awaits ahead for you to explore your potential in many other areas.
Life after JC can be more exciting and some of my kids simply blossoms after that. We all find our own defining moments.
Regards, all the best kiddos! javascript:void(0)
Everything New
This is the 2nd time I fell sick this term and for the same thing - sore throat and its accompanying ailments.
One more time and I shall conclude that the condition is reproducible with my niece and nephew as the causes.
But was on MC yesterday but went to school still to conduct the practical because I meant it to be a follow-up from the lesson the day before and I promised the kids I would close it with all the questions I left hanging.
I was glad that lesson was in the morning because by noon, my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool and I validated my mc and went home to sleep off the daze (after informing the h3 class that I cmi and would have to push the lesson to next wk).
A lot of sleep and water did the trick and I felt immensely better today altho the head is still in a drugged state.
Went for lesson just now and today we got a new teacher and she spoke so fast that I could not string my thoughts together. Blamed it on the mist-filled mind but I knew better that for a strong visual but weak audio learner, it will never be easy. I saw words dance erratically in the air and images collide as she went into high gear and verbosity reigned. Does anyone else experience the same thing? I will have to work harder to rewire my neurons so that I can be a more adequate audio learner. sighz..my classmates are so much better at it.
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Feb is almost over and I felt a sense of loss with my class(es). I barely knew them and I floundered with my decisions. Perhaps I was a little impatient with them because it was a great year last year, with everything so familiar and comfortable that I forgot the initial tentativeness and worry. Or maybe my expectations have grown which I should never have because every class will never be the same. still, I missed the happiness of every morning and my very own laughter. Perhaps it is the one-intake syndrome and it will pass and I will find my CG again, especially with so many changes occurring in school.
With the amended testimonial on my desk it is one more time and a final signature to seal the memories.
One more time and I shall conclude that the condition is reproducible with my niece and nephew as the causes.
But was on MC yesterday but went to school still to conduct the practical because I meant it to be a follow-up from the lesson the day before and I promised the kids I would close it with all the questions I left hanging.
I was glad that lesson was in the morning because by noon, my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool and I validated my mc and went home to sleep off the daze (after informing the h3 class that I cmi and would have to push the lesson to next wk).
A lot of sleep and water did the trick and I felt immensely better today altho the head is still in a drugged state.
Went for lesson just now and today we got a new teacher and she spoke so fast that I could not string my thoughts together. Blamed it on the mist-filled mind but I knew better that for a strong visual but weak audio learner, it will never be easy. I saw words dance erratically in the air and images collide as she went into high gear and verbosity reigned. Does anyone else experience the same thing? I will have to work harder to rewire my neurons so that I can be a more adequate audio learner. sighz..my classmates are so much better at it.
--------
Feb is almost over and I felt a sense of loss with my class(es). I barely knew them and I floundered with my decisions. Perhaps I was a little impatient with them because it was a great year last year, with everything so familiar and comfortable that I forgot the initial tentativeness and worry. Or maybe my expectations have grown which I should never have because every class will never be the same. still, I missed the happiness of every morning and my very own laughter. Perhaps it is the one-intake syndrome and it will pass and I will find my CG again, especially with so many changes occurring in school.
With the amended testimonial on my desk it is one more time and a final signature to seal the memories.
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