thinking back
Thursday, October 20, 2011
As I speak, I can't help thinking of Battlefield 3. Never before have I sat in such keen and eager anticipation for a game to come out, and it pains me to know I won't be around when it releases. I want so much to ask someone to come over and simply start the download for me, so that when I get home, I can jump right in. But I guess it's for the best that I don't do that, because I'm quite sure I'd not leave the game for a while and my bag will be left unpacked.
My thoughts on getting a job after I ORD had been refreshed by Nicole's mention of tuition as a possibility, and I quickly got to finding out how to list myself on the web. Given my desire to only teach English/GP and History, mine is quite a narrow fit. Sometimes I wonder if I'm too keen in finding a job after I ORD, even my parents say there's no need to think about it so early on. If I were to give tuition, it would make my time much more flexible. Yet I'd need to put in more effort than with a regular job as say, a sales assistant.
I still remember my tuition teachers, from the crazy bat who tried to teach us Chinese many years ago, to the two good and dedicated ones who taught me A Math and Physics.
When I entered MJC, I realised there was a path available to take Math at the H2 Level even though I didn't have the prerequisite that was A Math at the 'O' Levels. I had to catch up with all my peers who did the subject two years earlier whilst studying the new syllabus, so for that I had to engage a tutor. If memory serves, (which many say it doesn't for me) my mom found me a tutor who was already studying in the U, and her name was Sophie Choo. I think.
Once J1 was over, I decided I could cope without her from then on. I couldn't cope, however, with the increasingly complex Physics, and so found this guy in NS as an Air Defence Artillery man. He eventually went on to tutor Joel too. Both tutors seemed good and dedicated to the job, and both helped me through something I would otherwise have done poorly in.
All this recollection about the past when I was in JC triggered a lot of memories, likes how the atmosphere was like during the 'A' Level period. The tense, foreboding and thoroughly gripping period is without a doubt the most intense few months of my life thus far, and I wouldn't at all like to relieve it. Seriously, just thinking hard about it makes my heart beat faster.
Interesting memories, though. I'll have to end here as I'm going to go off soon. There'll be vsat on the exercise though!
posted by joseph at 11:45 AM
what's on my mind (and it's none of that emo bullshit)
Sunday, November 8, 2009
posted by joseph at 9:07 PM
so long, farewell
Friday, October 16, 2009
I don't mince my words when I say this is the second-best song parody I've heard in my life, the best one being another by MJC teachers, that time from the Chemistry department. (They sang Collide to a process in Chemistry called Free Radical Substitution.) Even though I don't take Chem, the whole thing seemed to gel so well. Parodies just make for funnier moments when they really strike a deep chord within you.
This is my civics tutor, also my GP tutor. She's carrying a teddy bear (white, khaki, brown or orange) that was placed on every seat in the hall. I felt like taking a picture of that, but... yeah.
Small party after the farewell assembly for each class, with Ms Hua buying donuts and giving each of us a small little parting gift. I was going to buy her a book for Teacher's Day, but that's come and gone, I'll find time to give it to her after my A's, because I've for the longest time been thinking of passing her something as a show of my gratitude.
I always notice my sense of meh when I see class photos with which I totally cannot identify with, but I decided to put this up here anyway. Man, I don't feel like growing so old.
posted by joseph at 8:20 PM
Thursday, October 20, 2011
I'll be leaving in a short while for the exercise to Tioman, but the last line will cast off from the ship at approximately 1700hrs. We won't take long to reach the nearaway waters of our neighbour, and there we'll anchor serenely and conduct our auxilliary role.
As I speak, I can't help thinking of Battlefield 3. Never before have I sat in such keen and eager anticipation for a game to come out, and it pains me to know I won't be around when it releases. I want so much to ask someone to come over and simply start the download for me, so that when I get home, I can jump right in. But I guess it's for the best that I don't do that, because I'm quite sure I'd not leave the game for a while and my bag will be left unpacked.
My thoughts on getting a job after I ORD had been refreshed by Nicole's mention of tuition as a possibility, and I quickly got to finding out how to list myself on the web. Given my desire to only teach English/GP and History, mine is quite a narrow fit. Sometimes I wonder if I'm too keen in finding a job after I ORD, even my parents say there's no need to think about it so early on. If I were to give tuition, it would make my time much more flexible. Yet I'd need to put in more effort than with a regular job as say, a sales assistant.
I still remember my tuition teachers, from the crazy bat who tried to teach us Chinese many years ago, to the two good and dedicated ones who taught me A Math and Physics.
When I entered MJC, I realised there was a path available to take Math at the H2 Level even though I didn't have the prerequisite that was A Math at the 'O' Levels. I had to catch up with all my peers who did the subject two years earlier whilst studying the new syllabus, so for that I had to engage a tutor. If memory serves, (which many say it doesn't for me) my mom found me a tutor who was already studying in the U, and her name was Sophie Choo. I think.
Once J1 was over, I decided I could cope without her from then on. I couldn't cope, however, with the increasingly complex Physics, and so found this guy in NS as an Air Defence Artillery man. He eventually went on to tutor Joel too. Both tutors seemed good and dedicated to the job, and both helped me through something I would otherwise have done poorly in.
All this recollection about the past when I was in JC triggered a lot of memories, likes how the atmosphere was like during the 'A' Level period. The tense, foreboding and thoroughly gripping period is without a doubt the most intense few months of my life thus far, and I wouldn't at all like to relieve it. Seriously, just thinking hard about it makes my heart beat faster.
Interesting memories, though. I'll have to end here as I'm going to go off soon. There'll be vsat on the exercise though!
Labels: exams, interesting, mjc, studies, thoughts
posted by joseph at 11:45 AM
what's on my mind (and it's none of that emo bullshit)
Sunday, November 8, 2009
I sit here a few more hours than a day away from the start of the two weeks of papers. This Tuesday I face CLB and Math paper 1, then it's rid of two GP papers on Wednesday, followed by history and the next math, and before I know it, the first week would have come and gone. The second week will leave me with just two subjects, (that amount to 5 papers) but they will not take forever to pass either. I mean, pass over, not the 'pass grade' pass, I sure pray not.
Nevertheless, these days I occupy myself much less with the preoccupation of the tests, nor their difficulty or their results. I think about other things, which most of the time involve the much awaited end. This time, though, I'm thinking about other things. I watched The Devil Wears Prada on television just now, (I told myself after dinner that it would just be a peek, but I watched it to the end) and I just can't shake off that inevitable feeling of hapless work. Not just for the next exam, not just for the next piece of coursework, but for life.
Have you ever seen or read those articles before, with those pessimistic people writing about how people these days work themselves to the ground from cradle to grave, with a good fifteen years of education before being booted off into the first job, which regardless of the colour, blue or white, is never going to bring a person closer to the American/Singaporean/Malaysian dream? (dang, that was one whole sentence) I still see some hint of valid pessimism in those articles, because even at the top, the work never really stops. In fact, the shift from blue to white only involves a shift of strain, that of which is from the body to the mind. And that just sours the mood when I look to the future.
I have a vague idea of what I want to do in the University if I make it. It's either got to do with business, (preferably accountancy) or design. As for the latter, I had originally cast it out quite some time ago, seeing as how I've said a dozen times over that I don't think I'm quite cut out for competing against some serious talent. But with the new design university coming out, I'm not so sure it is an opportunity I should give a miss. And for the former, the whole idea is purely something that, over the years, my dad has drilled into me is a good path. Truth be told, if left to my own devices, I would be at a loss for what to do for further studies. It's the whole reason I went to JC, as I am sure many others did likewise.
I was about to type out a *sigh*, because it's what I really did as I typed this out. But that just reminds me of the tremendously painful 'emo' blogs I've previously scarred my eyes with. I think less about the exams and the exam stress that I pile onto myself, but it still doesn't stop me from being the usual pessimistic me. The other time I had consultation with my math teacher, she stopped me suddenly and told me that throughout the session, I'd been sighing countless times, and asked if anything had been the matter, and did I follow any religion. I just said it was the usual bout of exam stress, and no, I was a free thinker (or as the twins have enlightened me, a Pastafarian), and we continued with the session for a while before I unconsciously lapsed into another sigh when we moved on to a next question. That was when she suggested that I go to church.
I took her seriously because I think she's a great teacher, also because I hear churches are a great way to meet good-lookin girls and get contacts who can give you superb part time jobs. But, no, seriously. I wonder if I'd be more optimistic about things in life if I followed a religion.
posted by joseph at 9:07 PM
so long, farewell
Friday, October 16, 2009
I still have to go back for next week's mock exam, plus consultations here and there, but a farewell is a farewell.
I don't mince my words when I say this is the second-best song parody I've heard in my life, the best one being another by MJC teachers, that time from the Chemistry department. (They sang Collide to a process in Chemistry called Free Radical Substitution.) Even though I don't take Chem, the whole thing seemed to gel so well. Parodies just make for funnier moments when they really strike a deep chord within you.
In any case, this video below was what we were treated to from the Math Department. Any H2 math student will surely appreciate it, and then some. Other than this, there were other performances by the various departments, and there was even this performance by a group of teachers who call themselves the Fabulously Attractive Teachers, or FAT. (it's a self-deprecatory thing.) They sang to a karaoke Chinese song which I couldn't identify.
Man, it felt quite bittersweet.
This is my civics tutor, also my GP tutor. She's carrying a teddy bear (white, khaki, brown or orange) that was placed on every seat in the hall. I felt like taking a picture of that, but... yeah.
Small party after the farewell assembly for each class, with Ms Hua buying donuts and giving each of us a small little parting gift. I was going to buy her a book for Teacher's Day, but that's come and gone, I'll find time to give it to her after my A's, because I've for the longest time been thinking of passing her something as a show of my gratitude.
I always notice my sense of meh when I see class photos with which I totally cannot identify with, but I decided to put this up here anyway. Man, I don't feel like growing so old.Labels: exams, mjc, music, studies
posted by joseph at 8:20 PM