Exams, exams, exams, but curiously, I don't feel as stressed out as I usually do in Singapore. Is it a new culture of play here, or is it that the exams account for only 40% of my total? I don't know.
Math and my thesis...
Monday, December 3, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
List of Frustration
- Using three days doing nothing but coming up with my draft, of which 4 hours was used on writing the actual thesis
- Not sleeping as a result of the essay
- My Language and Human professor called me a "Native Chinese Speaker". har har
- Looking at calligraphy and laughing at it in class, with my professor subtly fuming at my irreverence. Am I going crazy?
- Me getting back my Art History essay tomorrow
- My convoluted Math teacher who taught integration by parts without teaching LIATE
- The so elusive help I require for my Math test. I made a trip to the library to find a Math Tutor, only to hear from her that the integral of sinx is cos x... yes, you also insulted me by telling me Si(x) can be integrated...
- My midterm Math exam is tomorrow and I haven started studying. And I still don't understand limits. EXAM...
- What am I doing here online?
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Hello Winter
Just on Sunday, a heat wave was sweeping across the US, and temperatures soared to 32 degrees. This morning I woke up freezing cold. I usually sleep with my window open but this morning, the temperature had suddenly plummeted to 6 degrees.
I usually change into my PE clothes first in my room, then walk over to the Athletics centre for PE. For the first time today, I wore my usual clothes, then went to the Athletics center to change into my PE clothes for my Conditioning class, because I was pretty sure I couldn't make it there in 3 minutes without freezing.
Everyone was wearing some sort of winter clothing. Some wore a beanie. That marks the start of Winter, abruptly.
I usually change into my PE clothes first in my room, then walk over to the Athletics centre for PE. For the first time today, I wore my usual clothes, then went to the Athletics center to change into my PE clothes for my Conditioning class, because I was pretty sure I couldn't make it there in 3 minutes without freezing.
Everyone was wearing some sort of winter clothing. Some wore a beanie. That marks the start of Winter, abruptly.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Accused
I required help (serious help) in writing my paper, so I went to find the PhD student to help me by submitting my first draft that I struggled on for 4 days, with the final day culminating with no sleep.
She says my grammatical errors are far "too distracting" (which is true, I really had far too many grammatical errors). She kind of insulted me by asking me to "find a native English speaker" for help... Nevermind about that. I really just left the errors inside without proofreading.
Imagine to my dismay when she tells me I committed plagiarism in my final paragraph "because it is far too good, free of grammatical errors and detached from the main body" that I "could be put forward a disciplinary committee and face expulsion".
I didn't copy from anywhere. I merely did that paragraph on a different day.
I worked so hard for it, and I'm accused. But oh well, at least she gave me lots of tips.
The paper's due Thursday... I've got to get over it and start serious work.
She says my grammatical errors are far "too distracting" (which is true, I really had far too many grammatical errors). She kind of insulted me by asking me to "find a native English speaker" for help... Nevermind about that. I really just left the errors inside without proofreading.
Imagine to my dismay when she tells me I committed plagiarism in my final paragraph "because it is far too good, free of grammatical errors and detached from the main body" that I "could be put forward a disciplinary committee and face expulsion".
I didn't copy from anywhere. I merely did that paragraph on a different day.
I worked so hard for it, and I'm accused. But oh well, at least she gave me lots of tips.
The paper's due Thursday... I've got to get over it and start serious work.
Monday, October 8, 2007
The Whiner
Do you notice how undergraduates are so successful at whining? I think I am becoming one of them. I haven't slept for a day...
Friday, October 5, 2007
Art Block
I'm supposed to be working on my art history paper. Alas, writer's block has struck me. I stared at the painting for 1 hour at the museum, but I can write nothing. It's sort of a still-life painting. The painting can be reduced to nothing but a void; A syntagmatic collection of nouns, devoid of any narration. It gains its own autonomy, having derived of meaning for itself as opposed to paradigmatic, at the expense of my time? It's due on Thursday, and I have barely begun on my draft. I have procastinated since last Tuesday.
Do I make sense? Maybe not to you. Maybe I don't even make sense. How do you abstract still life into an essay?
I'll be travelling 2 hours to this downtown shopping district tomorrow, where will I ever find the time to complete my paper? Gosh, I realize I'm extremely successful at procrastinating. One of the milestone virtues of the undergraduate student.
Do I make sense? Maybe not to you. Maybe I don't even make sense. How do you abstract still life into an essay?
I'll be travelling 2 hours to this downtown shopping district tomorrow, where will I ever find the time to complete my paper? Gosh, I realize I'm extremely successful at procrastinating. One of the milestone virtues of the undergraduate student.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Art
When you breathe in the air, there is a smell. You can't really pinpoint the smell. How do you really describe it? But you know it is distinct. There is something about it that reminds you that it is different. Somehow, it feels different too.
Do you know what made me want to study abroad? During the December of 2003, I was watching Mona Lisa Smile. The art history class and the surroundings... something struck me, but I cannot pinpoint what.
So here I am today, October 2007, enrolled in a very exclusive class. There are only 13 students. My professor is a Visiting Professor from Yale.
But I fear about my writing assignments. My grades. If only I didn't have a nagging GPA to meet. Then I would be really enjoying this class... ok i shan't say more, in case my funding gets cut off as a result of this.
Do you know what made me want to study abroad? During the December of 2003, I was watching Mona Lisa Smile. The art history class and the surroundings... something struck me, but I cannot pinpoint what.
So here I am today, October 2007, enrolled in a very exclusive class. There are only 13 students. My professor is a Visiting Professor from Yale.
But I fear about my writing assignments. My grades. If only I didn't have a nagging GPA to meet. Then I would be really enjoying this class... ok i shan't say more, in case my funding gets cut off as a result of this.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
The days go by...
OK, so I've confirmed my classes. I attended 10 different classes this week, and settled on choosing 4 (maximum courseload), including a PE lesson.
It's a hectic week. I've settled on these classes:
1. Calculus Level 3 (hmmm... the test said I can only enter final level 3. At least I didn't take Honors Calculus)
I think I'm totally stumped by proving limits... Anyone knows the epsilon-delta proofs for limits?
2. Biology 20191 (with emphasis on Chemistry)...
This is still fine, but I hate my homework. Which is more diverse, prokaryotes or eukaryotes?
3. Language and the Human I - I need 2 humanities courses to graduate, and I decided to stick with this
I'm reading Socrates (oh save me) and my lecture was more of linguistics, a study of how languages are the way they are and why humans have more complex language than our cousins, the apes (or do they?) Really interesting lecture, but it's intimidating
There are no exams, but I got to write 3/4 papers in a timespan of a quarter?? Seriously the reading is killing me
4. Japanese Art History and Culture - 1 Art course that I need to graduate
Now this is the horrible one. I thought it was interesting, until I did my readings. I didn't understand what this "object and name" concept is. And when I stepped into this really small class of 13 at the art museum, my teacher asked us to debate "What is an image?"... anyway in total i need to submit 3 papers. The final paper will be on "Manga". And I am struggling with the kanji characters in the painting. Luckily I'm chinese-educated. I make a really really really small sense of what it says.
I'm quite intimidated by the workload. Readings are horrible. There are so much, and debates are even worse in a classroom setting.
I have no idea how to write a paper to comment on an art piece. And I have no idea what my thesis will be. Gosh...
Week 4 is deadline for all papers. And so is the mid-term exams for Bio and Math... I think I am drowning... Mid-terms are 30% weightage! 3 weeks to mid-year...
It's a hectic week. I've settled on these classes:
1. Calculus Level 3 (hmmm... the test said I can only enter final level 3. At least I didn't take Honors Calculus)
I think I'm totally stumped by proving limits... Anyone knows the epsilon-delta proofs for limits?
2. Biology 20191 (with emphasis on Chemistry)...
This is still fine, but I hate my homework. Which is more diverse, prokaryotes or eukaryotes?
3. Language and the Human I - I need 2 humanities courses to graduate, and I decided to stick with this
I'm reading Socrates (oh save me) and my lecture was more of linguistics, a study of how languages are the way they are and why humans have more complex language than our cousins, the apes (or do they?) Really interesting lecture, but it's intimidating
There are no exams, but I got to write 3/4 papers in a timespan of a quarter?? Seriously the reading is killing me
4. Japanese Art History and Culture - 1 Art course that I need to graduate
Now this is the horrible one. I thought it was interesting, until I did my readings. I didn't understand what this "object and name" concept is. And when I stepped into this really small class of 13 at the art museum, my teacher asked us to debate "What is an image?"... anyway in total i need to submit 3 papers. The final paper will be on "Manga". And I am struggling with the kanji characters in the painting. Luckily I'm chinese-educated. I make a really really really small sense of what it says.
I'm quite intimidated by the workload. Readings are horrible. There are so much, and debates are even worse in a classroom setting.
I have no idea how to write a paper to comment on an art piece. And I have no idea what my thesis will be. Gosh...
Week 4 is deadline for all papers. And so is the mid-term exams for Bio and Math... I think I am drowning... Mid-terms are 30% weightage! 3 weeks to mid-year...
Saturday, September 22, 2007
How Courses are Chosen
OK, today I shall introduce to you how the University of Chicago strives to allow students to choose their modules and not having to bid for any. I will also tell you about the safety measures put in place to give every student the opportunity to enter the courses they desire in a scarce educational economy.
The UChicago uses Chalkboard, the same system employed by NTU. In this system, the computer first allows students to select courses they want using the first-come-first-served principle. Courses are of course, filled up very quickly. However in UC, the student has no access to the first Add/Drop period. Instead, every student has to arrange an appointment with their Academic Advisor during the week, and only after discussion with the Advisor can the Advisor manually add/drop courses. So, classes are continually opened/closed throughout the week, allowing students on Friday to have fair opportunities to enter very popular courses.
But, I had a 4pm appointment on Wednesday, so I was very unlucky. I didn't get the courses I wanted at all...
But come Monday, we will all have access to the Add/Drop system, provided that we obtain appropriate signatures from the Professor. So, I will be entering classes that I didn't get, sitting in and hoping that the Professor would notice the Pink slip in my hand and sign it...
Do I really have to take Language and Human? I have 5 books to read in 10 weeks... (including the Bible... and Shakespeare? I am going to suffer)I wonder how I will achieve that...
And oh ya, I got 2 credits for Chemistry, but I'm thinking if I should use it. Should I challenge myself? Or should I get used to my heavy reading in my Humanities Classes...
How am I going to answer these questions? And how am I going to answer to myself?
I will post my timetable for you all to see when I can answer these questions.
The UChicago uses Chalkboard, the same system employed by NTU. In this system, the computer first allows students to select courses they want using the first-come-first-served principle. Courses are of course, filled up very quickly. However in UC, the student has no access to the first Add/Drop period. Instead, every student has to arrange an appointment with their Academic Advisor during the week, and only after discussion with the Advisor can the Advisor manually add/drop courses. So, classes are continually opened/closed throughout the week, allowing students on Friday to have fair opportunities to enter very popular courses.
But, I had a 4pm appointment on Wednesday, so I was very unlucky. I didn't get the courses I wanted at all...
But come Monday, we will all have access to the Add/Drop system, provided that we obtain appropriate signatures from the Professor. So, I will be entering classes that I didn't get, sitting in and hoping that the Professor would notice the Pink slip in my hand and sign it...
Do I really have to take Language and Human? I have 5 books to read in 10 weeks... (including the Bible... and Shakespeare? I am going to suffer)I wonder how I will achieve that...
And oh ya, I got 2 credits for Chemistry, but I'm thinking if I should use it. Should I challenge myself? Or should I get used to my heavy reading in my Humanities Classes...
How am I going to answer these questions? And how am I going to answer to myself?
I will post my timetable for you all to see when I can answer these questions.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
More exams
Today marks the end of my orientation exams.
Let me tell you my results.
I got placed into Honors Chemistry Class. It simply means that I got myself into a harder class, and a smaller class compared to the other mainstream chemistry classes. I don't know what I am doing, but nevermind.
I also got placed into Honors Calculus Class. Most of the Singaporeans are going to take it up, but I registered myself into the final 3-sequence calculus class (meaning i skipped the front two classes!) because I don't really care if (-1)(-1)=1, and i don't really want to do math without a calculator.
As for Chinese, yay, she gave me full credit for Chinese. Bye bye to Chinese!
I've passed my swimming test, and completely failed my PE test. oh please don't laugh, I am the only Singaporean who failed the PE test. I need 2 credits of PE to graduate... =( I was practically as flexible as a piece of wood. I failed sit and reach as well as 'superman' test. I couldn't reach high up lying on the mat with the superman position. And I completely failed my cardio test. Maybe I was too excited...
And right now, I just came out of my Chemistry Accreditation Exam. It was 3 hours. The first paper was manageable, but the second paper wasn't really so, and the third was horrendous. I got confused with the units of measurement (calories and litres!!) and I forgot the quantum equations in the hydrogen spectrum.
School starts next week... how fast... And i need to squeeze one more PE lesson into my timetable. Hmmm
Let me tell you my results.
I got placed into Honors Chemistry Class. It simply means that I got myself into a harder class, and a smaller class compared to the other mainstream chemistry classes. I don't know what I am doing, but nevermind.
I also got placed into Honors Calculus Class. Most of the Singaporeans are going to take it up, but I registered myself into the final 3-sequence calculus class (meaning i skipped the front two classes!) because I don't really care if (-1)(-1)=1, and i don't really want to do math without a calculator.
As for Chinese, yay, she gave me full credit for Chinese. Bye bye to Chinese!
I've passed my swimming test, and completely failed my PE test. oh please don't laugh, I am the only Singaporean who failed the PE test. I need 2 credits of PE to graduate... =( I was practically as flexible as a piece of wood. I failed sit and reach as well as 'superman' test. I couldn't reach high up lying on the mat with the superman position. And I completely failed my cardio test. Maybe I was too excited...
And right now, I just came out of my Chemistry Accreditation Exam. It was 3 hours. The first paper was manageable, but the second paper wasn't really so, and the third was horrendous. I got confused with the units of measurement (calories and litres!!) and I forgot the quantum equations in the hydrogen spectrum.
School starts next week... how fast... And i need to squeeze one more PE lesson into my timetable. Hmmm
Monday, September 17, 2007
exams
I wonder how many people from UC will visit my blog since I told no one, but oh well, these are just meant for you.
Let's list what I've done so far.
On Sunday, I took the Honors Chem Placement Exam. That was manageable. Then in the afternoon I took the Calculus Exam which lasted 3 hours in this very cold lecture hall. I was struggling through, especially in Paper 2...
Let's preview a few questions:
"Explain what is meant by limits and continuity."
"Prove that two negative numbers when multiplied gives a positive number."
??? But you'd be surprised, after the exams, there were many people discussing the heuristics they used to prove these big problems.
On Monday which is today, I spent the entire morning taking my Chinese Language Exam. Well, I had to convince my examiner during the oral exam that B3 was a good grade in an AO Chinese Exam back in Singapore. She agreed to give me full credits for chinese, provided I did well for the paper. So how was the paper? Oh, the first section asked us to translate phrases from English to Chinese. The only word I forgot how to write was Nutrition....grr. Then we were asked to translate English sentences to Chinese. For that, please forgive me, but I forgot what was 'my wife's younger brother' in chinese. Ahh! How embarrassing! After which there were 85 MCQs. It was fine till the end, the comprehension was really crazy. I was guessing my way through.
Tomorrow morning I'm attending my swimming test.
And the results for all tests will be out tomorrow. Let's hope I do well. I got to go now, and study for Chemistry Accreditation on Thurs. That will be a 3 hr paper.
Let's list what I've done so far.
On Sunday, I took the Honors Chem Placement Exam. That was manageable. Then in the afternoon I took the Calculus Exam which lasted 3 hours in this very cold lecture hall. I was struggling through, especially in Paper 2...
Let's preview a few questions:
"Explain what is meant by limits and continuity."
"Prove that two negative numbers when multiplied gives a positive number."
??? But you'd be surprised, after the exams, there were many people discussing the heuristics they used to prove these big problems.
On Monday which is today, I spent the entire morning taking my Chinese Language Exam. Well, I had to convince my examiner during the oral exam that B3 was a good grade in an AO Chinese Exam back in Singapore. She agreed to give me full credits for chinese, provided I did well for the paper. So how was the paper? Oh, the first section asked us to translate phrases from English to Chinese. The only word I forgot how to write was Nutrition....grr. Then we were asked to translate English sentences to Chinese. For that, please forgive me, but I forgot what was 'my wife's younger brother' in chinese. Ahh! How embarrassing! After which there were 85 MCQs. It was fine till the end, the comprehension was really crazy. I was guessing my way through.
Tomorrow morning I'm attending my swimming test.
And the results for all tests will be out tomorrow. Let's hope I do well. I got to go now, and study for Chemistry Accreditation on Thurs. That will be a 3 hr paper.
Friday, September 14, 2007
New Photos
Visit my multiply website at http://teosss.multiply.com to access my new photos.
Please be informed that you should either set up an account soon with multiply and add me as your friend before I restrict access to only my friends. I'm really unfriendly and I don't want to let everyone see my precious pictures.
I'm too lazy to upload my photos here.
Please be informed that you should either set up an account soon with multiply and add me as your friend before I restrict access to only my friends. I'm really unfriendly and I don't want to let everyone see my precious pictures.
I'm too lazy to upload my photos here.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Breakfast
Until I get my laptop, this post shall be but endless lists of things that I've did. No photos, nothing.
I woke up this morning at about 8am, took a breakfast... OK, let me tell you what breakfast was...
Omelette
Eggs
Orange juice
Dim Sum
Porridge
Yoghurt
Bagels with spreads
Shrimp egg-bread
Apple Strudel
Fruits
Milk
Coffee
Smoked salmon
I'm stuffed... OK now to the bank. Cya...
I woke up this morning at about 8am, took a breakfast... OK, let me tell you what breakfast was...
Omelette
Eggs
Orange juice
Dim Sum
Porridge
Yoghurt
Bagels with spreads
Shrimp egg-bread
Apple Strudel
Fruits
Milk
Coffee
Smoked salmon
I'm stuffed... OK now to the bank. Cya...
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
First Day
As the plane flew towards the international date line, it was as if we were travelling back in time; barely making contact with the sunrise some 4 hours ago, there came darkness. I looked out to see the sky turning dark once again. But it wasn't night. It was merely a shift.
When I entered customs, I joined in the Alien queue. I was an alien trying to gain lawful entry to USA. And for the queue next to me? They were all presumably from Africa, all wearing the yellow United Nations Refugess Program headscarves, carrying yellow bags of food and basic essentials. They had joined the Refugees queue, also trying for the American Dream.
America is a special place. It is a place where we all go to pursue our dreams.
On my way to the university, I met highway jams that were nothing like that seen in Singapore. I saw a dapilidated US train system, and many were waiting at the platforms in the cold. Then I saw Victorian houses. As I slowly moved into the city, I suddenly saw a sprawling city with skyscrapers, familiar logos like Starbucks and ABN Amro. I saw grand museums and waterfalls, and saw the second largest lake in the world. I couldn't see the other side of the lake; it was as if there was no other side of it. And the water was deep blue.
But nearer to the university, I saw a dark town surrounding the University... The houses were beautiful, but no one were on the streets.
Then during the mixer, I had pizza for dinner. I chatted with students from Hong Kong, Jamica, Nepal, China, Taiwan, Canada, and even places where I'd never heard of.
Right now, I am using the computer in the lab. I am tired but I am suffering from jet lag. I am unable to post the photos I took... Nevermind. I'm going to bathe now! I haven bathed!
When I entered customs, I joined in the Alien queue. I was an alien trying to gain lawful entry to USA. And for the queue next to me? They were all presumably from Africa, all wearing the yellow United Nations Refugess Program headscarves, carrying yellow bags of food and basic essentials. They had joined the Refugees queue, also trying for the American Dream.
America is a special place. It is a place where we all go to pursue our dreams.
On my way to the university, I met highway jams that were nothing like that seen in Singapore. I saw a dapilidated US train system, and many were waiting at the platforms in the cold. Then I saw Victorian houses. As I slowly moved into the city, I suddenly saw a sprawling city with skyscrapers, familiar logos like Starbucks and ABN Amro. I saw grand museums and waterfalls, and saw the second largest lake in the world. I couldn't see the other side of the lake; it was as if there was no other side of it. And the water was deep blue.
But nearer to the university, I saw a dark town surrounding the University... The houses were beautiful, but no one were on the streets.
Then during the mixer, I had pizza for dinner. I chatted with students from Hong Kong, Jamica, Nepal, China, Taiwan, Canada, and even places where I'd never heard of.
Right now, I am using the computer in the lab. I am tired but I am suffering from jet lag. I am unable to post the photos I took... Nevermind. I'm going to bathe now! I haven bathed!
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