28th June - Visit to UPM

It was like any ordinary Saturday morning. I woke up really late... and virtually wasted the entire morning doing nothing... reading the newspaper while eating my breakfast at a speed that is almost ten times slower than ordinary university days. Suddenly, Mom called me on the phone.."Sheng Hung! Are you going for the public u thingy today??"

"Err... what public...oh!!! Today ah?" I suddenly realized that it was the day where new undergraduates of public higher education institutions (IPTA) register into their respective residential colleges today. (No... don't get me wrong my fellow Form Six classmates, I knew you guys were going to be entering public uni that weekend, but I mistook Sunday to be the date...)

It was the fourth Saturday of the week, and my father worked half day that day. So, after picking him up from the office, Mom, Dad and I drove ourselves down to Serdang where my campus is located. (One university but two campuses; the other one is in Sabah.) The first place that we went to was the residential college that I am supposed to register myself in ('unfortunately' I decided not to take up the offer). Yeah... yeah... there were the usual registration booths at the main section but we did went up and have a look inside the hostel. Each of the rooms in it was actually small... two person per room. Wanted to take a picture of it but couldn't. But we did went for a bite at the cafeteria... errr.... like dat lor... what can one expect?

Before we left, we drove around the campus and had a look at the various faculty campuses within the university grounds. Basically what we saw were buses and buses carrying people from all states into the various campuses... students who came with their families, with each of the family members helping him/her to carry things such as blankets, bags, clothes and stuff like that... students bersalam-salaman with their parents... What a sight. (Yeah, it will happen to me sooner or later...)

"SO.... UTAR or UPM??" Mom and Dad asked me as we left the university compound. I did not answer, but rather smiled at them. After 'a moment of silence', we burst out in laughter. The clock finally ticked at 5pm. The registration was now closed. There's no turning back now, I told myself. It's First Class Degree or nothing else.

Myself in front of Kolej Sepuluh, the college that I am supposed to stay in...=)

My name on the list... guess you can't see it...
Doorway
Room 246-- The room that I am 'supposed' to stay in for the next three years
Haha... err..
My parents and I in front of the old building(still being used).
Faculty of Engineering

Faculty of Engineering

26th June - Toastmaster of the Evening

Heard of Toastmasters before? Well, then check out this website then: www.toastmasters.org. Sorry, have thinking quite a while about how to start of this blog entry... but then I thought the websites and the relating ones would give you guys an idea about what actually is Toastmasters..

I actually have been in Institute of Engineers Malaysia's Toastmasters Club (IEM TMC) for about four months (previously just a guest, following my father to a few sessions before joining as a member in March). Presented my first speech in March, and then another one I think in April... Well, I really think that this Toastmasters thing really helped me a lot in my public speaking skills (not that I want you to start wonder if I really am a better speaker, or communicator... or something like that... coz I have know I have a long way to go... I am still that kind of quiet guy... haih...), and I believe it will continue to help me in the future.

Anyway, for this post I am going to talk about my experience being the 'TME': Toastmaster of the Evening. The duty of this person is to coordinate the meeting, handle the meeting so that everything that is on the agenda goes on smoothly. I am in charge of scheduling, confirming speakers, mastering the ceremony a.k.a. MCing the meeting... and stuff like that la... According to my Toastmasters manual, usually the TME would be a quite senior member of Toastmasters... but somehow they all asked me to do... so I just accepted it lor... ahha..

Being the TME I really got to be professional and handle things that way: I got to send out emails to correspond with the members, who are mostly professionals such as professional engineers (since it's being held in the IEM Building in PJ...), but there are professionals from other fields as well, who are like two to three times my age... Got to cooperate with them in order for the meeting to be able to run smoothly.

Being the person who stands out there and conduct the meeting wasn't really hard actually, but you need to be a bit creative and able to adapt to the latest changes and going-ons in the meeting. A script was passed to me beforehand, so I just read through it. The result? Really boring... As though what I have been saying the whole night was like... a program or computer like that just executing the commands that have been entered into the program...

Really wanted to elaborate more on this... but can't because I have so many things that I want to blog about, and so many things that I need to do i.e. assignments (oh yeah, still getting used to the term, we now use 'assignments' instead of 'homework'... guess it's more like... higher class homework? haha...)

For more info on the club that I am attending to, you can check out this IEM Toastmasters Club website: iemtm.blogspot.com.

I'll blog more about this topic in the near future... IEMTM holds their meetings every second and fourth Thursday of the month, and unless unavoidable circumstances, I will usually attend the meetings (which means finished Programming lecture --> Straight to home --> Shower --> Dinner-->IEM Building in PJ until around 10 or 11pm...) Phew...

27th June - Class 2nd Outing

Second class outing within a week!! Understandable... understandable... Somehow this day we do not have programming practical... I mean, how often do we get Friday afternoons off? So, it was only right that we use the free time to go somewhere to walk... and we did. Went to Mid Valley... and then we went straight to the bowling centre to bowl a few rounds. Had our 'really late' lunch at McD, after which we all went back home.

At the bowling centre in Mid Valley

Scores for the Game

25th June - Class Gathering & Wern Chiet's Birthday

I missed you guys so much!! Finally... a class gathering for U6F!!

First of all, thanks a lot Zijie for making sure everyone is notified about the gathering. Looking forward to it ever since I was informed about it. In fact, I was the first one to reach Wern Chiet's house that day! (well, kinda need to reach there early since there's transport only at that time when my siblings are attending tuition in PJ...) Anyway, it didn't take long before people started to arrive. A few of us played Wii while waiting... played tennis, football... stuff like that...

Wern Chiet later arrived and soon we had our dinner. I enjoyed the food very much, but it was the company of fellow Form Six classmates that got everyone in such a joyous mood that day. It was really like the old school days... we chat... we laughed... we gossiped... (without the booze) Made feel younger to be honest... at one time I was like thinking...'Would you guys want to go through this again... I would... maybe without the exams and STPM, haha...'

After the dinner some of us spend time on the computer, but the majority of us just hang out in the karaoke room and just sang our lungs out... haha... or chit chatting la of course... Talk about what leh? Public unis... Questions like 'What course did you get? Where are you going?...' fills the air... (Wah, my English...)

It will be WC's birthday the next day, but since a few of us can't stay back until so late, we sang WC a few birthday songs and ate the cake early. Of course, we did not forget to 'try to' smash the cake into his face... haha...

It was almost like two when a few of us left his house that early morning. Obviously, I won't be able to stay that long had I had morning classes the very next day; my class on the next day only starts at two. I was exhausted and went straight to bed upon reaching home. Felt really lucky to be able to be there... hope we can all keep in touch with each other in the near future!

Oh, and thanks a lot to Wern Chiet for the hospitality that night. Hope you had an unforgettable night!!

23rd June - First Tutorial Class Outing

23rd June was the first time that I have went out with my tutorial groupmates in uni. It wasn't just an ordinary outing... one of my groupmate is celebrating her birthday, and another classmate has decided not to continue his studies after being offered a course in a public university near his hometown, and thus was his last day with us. Someone suggested 1 Utama... and so after our last class ended at 2pm, we 'squeezed' ourselves into two cars (I think, correct me if I am wrong...). Somehow, we ended having one car with five person, and another one with seven!! (Unfortunately I ended up in that car!!)

Anyway, we didn't really immediately went for lunch after reaching there... kinda hesitated a bit on which restaurant to go to. Walked around... before we decided on Old Asia. I had a chicken chop set, which was the one which the majority of the people called.

After our lunch, we went to the bowling centre where we bowled a few games. Wah... it has been like years since I last played bowling... A bowling 'noob' already... I have to agree that bowling is a perfect game when you want to hang out and chit chat with friends... but at the same time knowing that you are not lepaking... yeah rite? You are just waiting for your turn, and not 'doing nothing'...

I left One Utama after the bowling game. I think a few people were still walking around when I left. Anyway, it was a very nice 'first gathering'... haha... I really enjoyed it... Will always remember this one...=) Was thinking: now it's not the question whether we can have another outing... it's a matter of when is our gathering... haha...(I think there's such a saying rite? Don't know la...)

'Why not yesterday... or the day before... why TODAY??!!'

Us at Old Asia Restaurant

Outside of the restaurant

Our bowling scores. Mine is 'S'. (Just for archive...haha...)

Why (on Earth) Actuarial Science?

Why Actuarial Science? I am also not really sure myself. But after a lot of researching on the subject, what I can explain to others about the field of actuarial science is: the application of mathematics especially statistics and probability in the insurance and banking fields to make predictions and forecasts... or something like that...

I don't blame anyone if you guys don't know what the **** am I studying.... e.g. "what kind of science is that? Physical science?" Haha...

Why not engineering? Yeah... that's the thing... had a long long chat until the wee hours of the morning with my parents the other day... and one important point is that I don't really have that inquisitive and technical and hands-on thing... even though I still love physics...

See la... I heard a lot of ppl changed course after one semester... failing rate really high... I am here just to try my luck... Kind of digging my own grave... (no la... can't be that 'cham'...)

18th June - Public University Application Outcome

Just in case you would like to know what did I get for my local university application...

I got:

University Putra Malaysia - PK02 Electical and Electronics Engineering

I have thought about it for a very long time after getting the news.... my verdict?

Not accepting the offer.

Anyway, I hope that my other classmates got what they want. Wish you guys all the best... (just in case I forgot to wish y'all later....)

18th June - In the Examination Hall for the First Time

Oh dear... just because we are having two sessions of people attending the same lecture at different times, we can't have our test during normal lecture hours? Or is it that quizzes and tests must not be held during normal lecture hours? Anyway, I think that the former is true though...

The test at 4pm Wednesday was held at the main hall, and the arrangement of the tables and chairs were exactly like the ones that I encountered when I was sitting for the music theory exams long time ago... Luckily it was just a 10-marks test.. not those STPM coz I will definitely faint.

I chose to sit in front so that I don't have to be feeling nervous looking at the blank seats in front of me... But not really at the first row though... On second thought... I should sit at the area where most of my tutorial group friends sit...

Oh dear... this will be a usual scenerio for the few years to come??!! =S

My University Class Schedule

I have to say something about my uni class schedule (with respect to my tutorial group 7)... Actually I think all pre-university courses are like that... the times for the classes can range from 8am till 5pm... and there will be tutorials, lectures, practicals.... stuffs like that...

It was a MESS! Sometimes we got around four hours of non-stop lectures, tutorials... and stuffs like that... and sometimes we only got one hour in the morning... and I have to wake up early just for that class... sometimes we have up to two hours in between classes... (even longer if the class is rescheduled...)

Aih... I know it won't happen but I really missed my classes back in secondary school. No need to worry if it's tutorial or lecture... no need to have unnecessary breaks in between classes... The time scheduled is fixed:

7.30am start class 1.10pm finish class

My afternoons back then were packed with things but at least I don't have to be 'bothered' about my classes... worry if this will clash with that... that will clash with this... I have the whole afternoon and night for me to plan myself...

At least now I started to get used to it... haha...

Father's Day

It's Father's Day!!

First of all, somehow this year, I feel so determined to give my Dad a special day, since, you know, probably I won't be able to be around next year to celebrate the special occasion with him. So, what did I do on that day?

This may sound a bit childish, but every year since I was in primary school I have been writing a card for my father for Father's Day. Nope, I definitely know it is not from Standard One onwards, but it started when my Arts teacher from don't know which year asked us to do a Father's Day card as an assignment during the Arts period. We were asked to use colourful paper, with some decorations on it using other colour papers and so on... And I really did put an effort to make my card look beautiful (and not because of wanting to get high marks...).

But nope, I am not here to describe my first Father's Day card making experience, but just to tell you all about how the 'tradition' came along. And although I am turning 20 this year, for as long as I can remember, there isn't a single year which I have not written my father a father's day card, and give it to him personally on that day. Yeah.... that's why I say I may sound really childish.

Maybe I should kinda like bring my father (and my family of course) out for a dinner (of course, bill on me) but still have not done it. What a teenage son.... (oh no, I am turning into an adult soon, and it doesn't sound nice especially when everyone keeps telling me so...)

Anyway, I followed him to play table tennis with his friends (I suck in table tennis...). Then, I helped out to prepare a special dinner for our family. Yeap, I agree with you if you think this is not something special... Didn't turn out the way I planned (wait, what was the plan?)

Anyway, I am just glad to have such a loving and caring father and mother...=)

UTAR Talent Night 2008

The Talent Night Organizing Committee calls it "the most happening event this year in PJ Campus!" Yeap. It was UTAR Talent Night 2008, and as a fellow UTAR-ian, I told myself that I should not miss out on this 'special' event. And how glad I was when I got to witness some very interesting memorable performances by the students from UTAR, who came from three different campuses, namely Bandar Sungai Long campus, KL campus as well as our PJ campus.

A brief description of the event: The decoration of the venue (Block D Hall) was fantastically done. It was stated on the flyers that it will begin at six, but it only started one hour later (not that I was surprised, Malaysian time mar...). The stage was averagely sized, but was well decorated. Now on to the performances: First was the introduction by the contestants followed by a short thirty something second glimpse of their upcoming performances later on the night (there are 13 performances, some solo and some are group performances).

Next was their impromptu acting, where contestants need to perform a 30-second play from the keywords that they chose randomly. Lastly, they will get to give their full-length prepared performances to the crowd. Thought I would just mentioned the most talked about performance of the night, which was also kinda controversial and 'sexy' and.... wonder how the audition panel was able to include him in the line up.... hmm...

Anyway, my thought of the evening? It was definitely a successful one for the organizers. But who cares about what organizers... I indeed had a lot of fun watching the performances. And oh yeah, T5-T7 Course Rep G-Han performance was amazing (yeah, it was...)

On an interesting note, why did we need to register to enter the hall when the event was free? Isn't it the more the merrier? Furthermore I think there's still places in the hall...

20th till 22nd May 2008 - UTAR PJ Campus Orientation Week

Orientation. That's more like the reason that I am looking forward for when it comes to entering university. Being the person that I am (for those who knows me well) people especially seniors will highly recommend that I attend all the programmes that are being held during the week, especially the Ice Breaking and Telematch session on the second day. Anyway, more about the event later.

I have not paid up my fees when I went to UTAR the first day. Didn't get anything from the registration counter. Was asked to go into the Hall, and was ushered a seat by one of the ushers. I arrived there quite early, but since I was stuck in the middle of the row, I couldn't really walk around. Had a small chat with the person on the right, who seems to be alone. Found out later that he is just like me, sat for STPM last year. He is going for Actuarial Science. I asked him why does he want to take Actuarial Science. His answer was: "Because I love maths." No kidding. I can remember it clearly; his answer was only four words. No further elaboration. That was it. I felt uneasy by the way he answered my question... I thought these people should at least explain to me to convince me that they really do have a passion for mathematics, not just a liking for mathematics.

The person on my left seemed to be with his friends. Looks younger (and dressed and looked less mature also)... and it did not shock me when I found out from themselves that they are taking foundation in arts. (Students from Foundation in Arts and the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FICT) attends the same orientation programme, while the Foundation in Science and Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS) students altogether attends another orientation programme of their own.) Talking about foundation programmes: I can understand why people want to take foundation programmes right after SPM in January. But I don't see why people want to take it in the May intake, when they could just go to STPM (It only costs half a year more and it is more cheap too in terms of tuition fees.). Maybe they have their own reasons I guess.

Anyway, there was some introduction of the university, the faculties, the library, the ICTC, the Student Representative Committee and others as well. We were also ushered into separate rooms to meet with our respective Head of Departments and Course Coordinators. I do not really know if this is weird, but everyone seems to be really quiet. No one asked any questions. Anyway, after the thing ended, I went up to the Head of Department and Course Coordinator to ask some 'prepared questions' about the course (reminder: I have not paid my fees yet). I think the both of them must have felt shocked to hear me asking questions about these things when they think: Hmm... this student already applied for this course and now he is asking us these questions that have been asked long time ago...

The second part of the day was the Mass Call Ceremony. Yalah... yalah... the things that you expect to happen. The national anthem, UTAR pledge, introduction of the UTAR officials, a few speeches and then the thing ended. After presentations have been made by the organizing committees of Talent Night, Ice Breaking and Tele-Match, KL Trip and lots more, the day ended.

The second day was the Ice Breaking and Tele-Match. More on that later.

The third day was the PTPTN loan briefing by the Department of Students Affairs (DSA). Have to say something about the presenters of this briefing: The male officer who gave the briefing at the KL Campus while I was there back in January did such a remarkable job in explaining compared to the female officer here who just read out the notes that was shown on the Power Point Presentation. It was at this briefing that I felt such a difference between the people at Setapak during the January intake compared to the students here for this intake... The students over there in Setapak really asked questions that sometimes the DSA officer couldn't give a good answer, and there was a lot of questions which was about how the fees are distributed. The briefing was extended overtime, with many students still crowded around him almost fifteen to twenty minutes after the briefing was over. But here in PJ... the briefing was cut short, the questions asked by the students weren't that many, and from what I heard, the officers just gave simple straight forward answers, mainly to question regarding documentation. Wait, what message that I was trying to convey here??

Anyway, the three-day orientation week ended like that. Culture shock that was indeed. Suddenly realized that I have been such a 'good boy' for all these years... no la, just joking. But I wonder if I am going to be like those kids out of 'college'... punky hairstyle, earings, fancy clothes... hmm...That, for now, will never be me. I wonder if anyone can actually influence me to change drastically. It was an eye-opener really. Oh, I don't think I have encountered this before while I was in Setapak... Explained this to my parents one day during dinner, and what they said were true also... Usually those who came out of STPM are much more wiser in terms of thinking. The people that I met at Setapak were mostly STPM students, those who were denied a course of their choice, in a university of their choice. They waited for another half a year, and they now have to start their bachelor degree's journey almost one year later that those from foundation. No doubt that the people from STPM whom I have met at the two campuses were really mature... and I am glad to be able to know them.

So that was the Orientation. As many would say, it's time to get settled down and concentrate on studies, as the new semester begins for the students... (I am still locked in my house...figuring out my next chapter in my life=(

Fun (working) is over... Now down to business (Studies)...

Worked in Sunway Lagoon for a few weeks around April and May... since I don't have anything to do... getting a few bucks per hour is much more better than just lazying around in the house doing practically nothing... haha...

I am typing this post out after the Orientation Week in UTAR PJ Campus (more on that later... if I am able to find time to blog about it...). To be really honest, I felt very out of place. Yeah... the same thing all over again... the speeches, the mass call, the meetings with heads of departments and so on.... It was the exact same thing that I have encountered before while I was attending the Orientation Week back in January in Setapak. New place, new surroundings.... but why do I felt like I am suddenly awake in a different world? Okay, yeah, this is SUPPOSED to happen after months of enjoying myself, living in a different world as most other students... But the difference was so big... I kinda felt a sense of regret for not really anticipating such a scenario coming at me... I thought I was supposed to be excited... I was hoping that I can fit in but I did not for the first week... I wonder how I managed to get so many phone numbers of the acquaintances on the THREE days alone there in Setapak... I just wonder...

Walked around Sunway Pyramid alone after the PTPTN loan briefing on Thursday. It was a normal school day, a normal working day. Nothing has changed... the mall working people are still checking their stocks, assisting customers, serving them... nothing has changed. It was STILL the same. For them, there is nothing to worry about... except those relating to their work... but still they do not have to worry about exams, assignments, homework... As the new batch of ex-students go back to study in various education institutions at all places, a new batch of students, those who have finished their A-levels, or diploma, or foundation studies, or degree students will come out to 'fill in their shoes'... People come, people go... But life goes on. The show must go on.

Weird as it may seem, I have been excited to enter university in March. But now, I felt the feeling that I missed so much about my 'mall' life (yes, missed my Form Six school life too!)... the place where students hang out after school expecially on Fridays, making me feel so young... During weekends, families came to hang around with children, reminding me of the early months last year (without my mind worrying about STPM) where I usually am 'forced' to go 'hang gai' with my family, upon the request of my younger siblings who just want to escape from their studies in school. There's no need to worry about anything. It is a whole new environment for us young fellas to experience a whole new life apart from just being students. There's so much to learn, yet knowing that we can never stay long here.

Unfortunately I found out that I have taken for granted the freedom that I have been given for the past half a year... always thinking why these people force us to work eight to nine hours per day, leaving us no time to do our favourite things. I also regret not trying out other challenging jobs out there in the city centre, or in other cities trying to survive myself. Yeah, found out that I was really pampered a lot by my family (especially my parents)... eat dinner prepared by Mom, watch TV the whole time, spend time on the computer for so long everyday, sleep until so late everyday (work don't start until 10.30am on a weekday)... Especially the sleep thing... SO don't want to wake up early for college... Now after meeting new people from other places from as far as Alor Setar and Kuching, who is staying in various accommodations around UTAR... living independently... I was so scared that I will not be able to survive if I were to be one of them, or if I were to go to Kampar for this course right now (FYI, I heard that I am going to continue my bachelor's degree in Kampar in January next year.) I got to toughen up now... Of course, I felt blessed and lucky to be able to live in current conditions, where I got to see my family EVERY SINGLE DAY (and it IS a good thing).

There's this saying: All good things will come to an end. Guessed this is it. Partying is over, it is time to get down to business... time to start my journey in university... time for a whole new chapter of my life which I expect to be filled with ups and downs... But I can't wait to see what's in store for me in the future!

Why (on Earth) Actuarial Science?

Why Actuarial Science? I am also not really sure myself. But after a lot of researching on the subject, what I can explain to others about the field of actuarial science is: the application of mathematics especially statistics and probability in the insurance and banking fields to make predictions and forecasts... or something like that...

I don't blame anyone if you guys don't know what the **** am I studying.... e.g. "what kind of science is that? Physical science?" Haha...

Why not engineering? Yeah... that's the thing... had a long long chat until the wee hours of the morning with my parents the other day... and one important point is that I don't really have that inquisitive and technical and hands-on thing... even though I still love physics...

See la... I heard a lot of ppl changed course after one semester... failing rate really high... I am here just to try my luck... Kind of digging my own grave... (no la... can't be that 'cham'...)

Working people in Sunway Pyramid

Usually when people walk in shopping centres such as Sunway Pyramid, they often do not wonder how does it feel to work in one of the shops that they have seen. As a person who frequently walk (not shop!) in Sunway Pyramid, I actually come to imagine myself if I were them, if I were to work just like those people in the restaurants on the tables or inside the kitchen, or even as a shop assistant in shops... These people really work full time and... nope, they do not work temporarily... they usually work like more than two or three years in think la...

Which comes to my point: these people DO really work in shopping malls as their CAREER... (instead of people like us who work for a few months only...) I am not really sure if these people really don't have a dream of getting a real 'career' like a doctor, or an engineer or stuff like that... they would rather stay in their job for a long period of time and become manager or something like that, or switch jobs after a few years (a few years if that job really turns out well... maybe even shorter if they found out that they are not really suitable for the job anymore). Perhaps these people are supervisor of some shops (which I think will come with a very high pay) or they simply like doing these jobs for many years to come as a way of survival...

Anyway, I have walked past almost all the shops... And I can't imagine working at any one of them for a really long period of time. What I am trying to say is that we (yeap, we graduates from sec school) should have aim high in life... and to work hard in whatever that we do, and try our best in whatever that we want to pursue. Life is more that just work rotating around shops or staying and working with one shop for years and years... there's more to that. There's so much out there that we are capable of doing. We are young, and there's so many opportunities out there waiting for us to grab.

All in all, it was still a good experience for me to talk to the people (well, to discuss about salary, ahaha=) ) and look at the shop surroundings to kinda make me imagine how's life if I were to work here or work there... It has been an incredible experience of working in the many shops that I have worked in for the past four months and the four months after SPM... I wonder when we people can work again when we enter university...

Income Tax

These few days my parents have been busy doing the income tax forms thing... I guess we will need to do the same thing when we are adults later on...

Looks really complicated.... haha! But I tried to have a peek... I understand a bit here and there, but also at the same time, do not understand a bit here and there... haha....

Demopower Interview

Last Friday, went for the Demopower Interview. Well, actually it was really for fun. Hehe... Nothing to lose if they reject me... But if they accept I would be really happy... I really wanna try out promoting, just like those in the supermarkets (got inspired by those people while I was in Jusco working...)

So, I drove all the way to the Demopower office which was at Section 16 of Petaling Jaya. Was asked to sit in a meeting room. Then, a woman asked us to follow her to a training room which looks like a classroom. There, we were given a piece of registration paper. Next, they will call out one by one our names, and asked us to follow them to a room. There were two person in the room which I was usher in. A man and a woman.

"Introduce yourself, please."

I introduced myself la, of course. Very briefly.

"What are you doing now?"

"When do you plan to go back to study?"

"Why do you want to work as a promoter?"

"So, you actually work as a sales assistant in Jaya Jusco before?"

"You also worked at Sunway Pyramid as a guest service staff?"

"You worked in McDonald's before also?"

"How much was the pay for the jobs? Really RM3 only ah for McD? RM4 for Lagoon ah?"

Don't need to type out the answers, but I kinda think I answered well to those questions. Weird as it seems, but I think I was not being myself when I answered those questions...

"There's so many people outside, why do you think out of the bunch of people we should take you in?"

"What are your qualities? Why do you think you will be a great promoter?" (Or something like that...)

"Here's three products (there's a milk powder, a shampoo, and a insect killer thing... I guess-lah... actually I forgotten already except for the milk powder...) Choose one and promote to us...

So, I promote la... Actually I think I did terrible for this one. I don't know if it is because the two person in front of me are judging me, or maybe I just not up to the standard that they want... Anyway, hopefully, they can give me a second chance next time when I sign up again... (Oh dear, so fast already know I can't do it..)

After a few thank yous, and a few handshakes, I walked out of the room, and out of the office. The office was really like those typical offices that you see in the movies... and each one of them (if I remember) have an ad stand which helps you to promote your product... I guess each of them are in charge of a certain product...

Didn't time my interview, but it was not too long not too short. Very friendly the two of them. But I don't think I will be keeping my fingers crossed that they will give me the job... But at least I been in there, and got the whole experience of the interview... haha... Anyone wants to go there next time? Can come and ask me for some tips.. haha...

CHS Excellence Awards Ceremony 2008

This post will be very short. Just a short recap of CHS Excellence Awards Ceremony on 21st, Saturday morning...

What happened on that day? Ordinary stuff... not like we have not seen how it worked before when we were in Form Five or Form Six...

Out of ten from U6F/2007 who got 3As and above, only five turned up that day. The other classes I don't know. Anyway, I expected it to be very low key at least for our class....

VIPs on stage, with the banner on the background

One section of the hall (this left section of the hall is reserved for prize winners)

The right section of the hall. The front rows are for the parents and teachers; the back rows are for the CHS students.

One of the performances: "The Possessed Maska" Performance

UTAR Kampar Campus Visit

Last Sunday, my family and I went to UTAR Kampar Campus' Open Day (which was of course, at the Kampar campus!)

Long story cut short... drove all the way there... went for a tour around the campus... took a few photos. Very nice building indeed... or more like: nice environment... nice view... nice surrounding... nice... wateva la....

Can't really describe the tour for you guys... it's best that you take one day off and then have a look for yourself the university that has everyone talking about these few years... (at least within my family...)

Anyway, my thought of the new campus? Exhilarating. Beautiful scenery indeed (as stated above). Not surprising as the new campus was ready just a couple of years ago.. The hallways are very wide... Spacious. The rooms for the talks were big enough... three of the four sides of the room is made of glass... easy for people outside to see what is happening inside...

There's also the talks and booths for you to ask questions... nothing new there...

Final comment? Definitely a good environment/place for one to study, at least infrastructure wise... the lecturers? That one I promise myself to seriously do some research on it... But the talk speakers over there shown to the audience the list of all the names of the lecturers as well as their qualifications... which I think was done to kinda like reassure the parents and their kids that their programmes are really of high standard...

If I may, I want to state my opinion on UTAR. One thing I don't like about UTAR is that the students and even staffs like to converse using Cantonese or Mandarin. When I was sending in my application form there last December, even though I told her about me sending in the form in English, the girl at the counter still speaks to me in Mandarin!! Something like... (in Mandarin) "Send this form to the counter over there..." Come on! I don't blame if she speaks broken English or anything...

Oh yeah, the same thing with the office staff that I worked with while I was a temporary assistant at UTAR. "Do you understand Cantonese?" That was like the second thing that the girl said to me after introducing herself to me. Aiyo...

Front Building

Inside the exhibition hall

Canteen

Food Menus at the Canteen
View from the Canteen (Canteen on the left)

Library under construction

That's me!

UTAR Temporary Assistant

On 4th April I went for an interview at PJ UTAR campus for their temporary examination assistant position. Actually saw the advertisement in the newspaper three days prior and called up to ask when is the appointment. So, took two buses till I got there. Interviewed. Basically, the most important thing was for us to declare that we do not have any siblings, friends, relatives or any other people who are close to us, who are currently studying in UTAR. Informed of the working time: 8am till 6pm for those who chose to work at the PJ or Setapak campuses, and 7am till 7pm for those who wants to work at the Sungai Long campus (with transport being provided as well). Of course the main thing was how much was the pay... FROM WHAT I HEARD, he told us that it is RM5 per hour. RM5. (Maybe I really listened wrongly about it...)

But our working period do not start till 21st, which was almost two weeks away. Was going to look for another job nearby at Sunway Pyramid until I got a call from the same guy, Mr. Lim on Monday who asked me if I can start work the next day. I agreed and the next day I arrived at the PJ campus right on time. After signing in, he introduced me to two of the staffs in his department. Next, was down to business. Basically the job was this: (at least for the two days I was working there) to calculate the amount of examination answer sheets a hall require, and then pack them, and tie them up properly. The three of us assigned among ourselves who do what: one person count the papers, one person do the packing, and another one tying. That was what we did for the first half of the day, up until lunch time.

After having lunch with the other office staffs (for blog posting purpose, I refused to acknowledge them as colleagues... They are permanent staffs and I am temporary... haha..), it's time to continue my work. This time I need to do everything on my own, which was to calculate the correct number of test papers, graph papers, query forms etc. (didn't know there are so many kinds of stuff @.@) for each type of examination and class hall. Then, I need to wrapped them up. (Exactly like what I did before this.)

It was around 4.30pm when suddenly I received a call from the HR Department. The person asked me to go and sign the offer letter. Oh! Went there and looked at the form: RM 26 per day for nine hours!! What? I thought it was RM5 per hour?

I quickly went to meet my supervisor (Mr. Lim), who knew right away why I was looking for him. "Come into the room, I explained to you..." Blah.. blah.. he explained. "At the end, you still get around RM4 per hour, in fact, you will get more than those people, if you calculate also overtime."

No lah, it was all my fault, my mistake again: didn't ask for the offer letter. Then it didn't cross my mind for it: a lot of the shops that I have worked before in Sunway Pyramid don't have this kind of thing... even though Jusco have one.

So, what to do? The next day, I gave 24 hours quit notice. I was thinking all the time the night before how to tell this guy. He is going to flip out, I thought. Yeap, he did.

"What???!!!" he asked loudly.

At that time, I don't really care if I will get paid or not. But then he assured me that a cheque will be given to me at the end of the month. Anyway, all I was thinking about was to get out of there...

Oh dear, my fourth job ended just like that... two days.

KL International Book Fair and PICOM PC Fair

Went to two places within a day. First was to PWTC to visit the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair. First time there so wasn’t sure what to expect from it. It turns out that it was really not what I thought it would be. I mean, it is stated there “International”, but there wasn’t anything ‘International’ about the fair. Hmm…

It was about Malay books… I don’t think I saw English books or Chinese books there… except for a section where they sell magazines (which really surprises me because it was supposed to be a ‘book fair’…sell magazines like Times and Readers’ Digest??) There were also revision books for secondary schools… (Har? What does it has to do with International Book Fair??)

Kinda really looking forward to the Popular Bookstore’s Fair… but that will be like… 2 months away!! I remember my family and I spent the whole day at the Fair once… it was so great, so many interesting books for us to read… I wasn’t ready to go home when it was time to go!!

Spent less than an hour there (have to lor, since I paid like RM2.40 just to detour to PWTC, might as well use the best out of it…). Then made my way to KLCC for the PICOM PC Fair!! Yeap, have been looking forward to it, not that I want to buy anything… (In fact, did not even buy anything, maybe except a small thumb drive…) I noticed that the LRT trains have notices advising customers using its services to buy their tickets early to avoid congestion at the KLCC station. Good thought!

My STPM results

I will be deadly honest about how I feel about my results: I don't feel anything.

Yeah, I'm dead serious.

It does not matter. Up until now I still don't know what that I want to study, where do I want to study. I don't have a clear vision of the future. I am practically as lost as a person can be. I can't see myself in a year's time in university, let alone imagining what will happen to me in five years or ten years time (darn those colleges and universities asking me what do I see myself doing in five years, or ten years, or twenty years, or... don't care also, damn many years la...)

Darn those As... for what? What's the use of pursuing a course like Engineering because one got A for Physics, when that person is not a hands-on person, not someone who are curious about things that happen all around him... My father told me, it's not enough to be able to understand in a snap of a finger, the syllabus of the subject, but continuously be curious about things, to always think out of the box...

Let me see... I don't even really have the urge to learn how to drive early... I mean, after SPM. I passed my driving test, in fact, almost 16 months after my 17th birthday (the eligible age to start learning to drive). I have always been a simple person (tell me, if you heard me talking to anyone about the latest electronic gadgets or cars or stuff like that...)

Maybe civil? But am I the sort of person who likes to go up and down, letting myself expose to danger, able to communicate with contractors, architects and etc. in such an outdoor environment? Or perhaps mechanical or e&e? No way. I am not that person who takes out small gadgets and see what is it inside....

Or perhaps chemical engineer? Hmm.... never really felt excited about chemistry experiments back when I was in Form Six. Never got my results out good. (i.e. always copied my friends' readings... the same goes to the questions... just can't think so fast.. or is it that I am lazy to find out the answer to it beforehand?) And don't ask me to start counting on the number of apparatus that I broke in the lab (come to think about it, no one asked me to pay for them... why ah?)

If the way we study engineering in university is just like how we study in Form Six then I don't have any worries. It is the speakers of the talks, and the people at the education fairs that 'question our interest to study a particular subject' by questioning us about our past... whether or not we are like this, like that...'because if not, you better consider studying something else other than engineering'... they said.

My parents found out about actuarial science and talked me about considering that course also (yeah, pay is a lot, IF you pass the professional papers which passing rate is like 15%...) Somehow thought about my characteristics, and felt like I should just sit down in the office and calculate, and earn money just by doing so... to be an accountant...(But for that I need to start ALL OVER AGAIN... which I am not prepared to do so...)

I am still blaming myself for making the wrong choices that I made after SPM... I know I should be dwelling over it, but I guess that I am now...

Next Step After STPM is?

I have asked before a lot of people from my sixth form class about what course they want to study next after STPM. At that time, we have not sit for the exam yet. Anyway I thought those who have came in to Physics class in Form Six should have already know what they want to study, but a lot of them have not decided yet.

Anyway, I have started thinking about it right after I finished my STPM. I kinda thought that since I like Physics I thought that I should go for a career in Engineering. But liking Physics and scoring good Physics grades aren't going to promise one a brilliant future in engineering (an analogy to that of medicine: interest in biology and fantastic grades in Biology aren't gonna guarantee that person is going to graduate as a medical student and become a doctor...)

The thing is that we kinda need to 'predict' that we would succeed in the field that we choose right now. One might be so interested in course A, and so thought a lot before joining. But maybe two or three years down the road he or she might lose interest and drop out. Not that that person does not persevere. One can't force him or herself to continue studying that course if that person don't have interest in it anymore. Also, not that he or she did not do optimum research in the course or the profession that the person want to take up. I mean: how can one know that what he is seriously interested in right now, will equally interest him few years down the road?

Really REALLY CONFUSED right now what to study next...

Work at Sunway Lagoon

It was Thursday evening at about five thirty when I received a call from someone from Sunway Lagoon. “Sheng Hung, could you come and work tomorrow?” she asked.

I was quite surprised at first, because I remember going for an interview at Sunway Lagoon some one and a half months ago. And I have only received one reply, which was during Chinese New Year (obviously, I did not take up the offer). It wasn’t long before I realized that they need more staff because it’s the school holidays. I returned her call after some consideration, and she gave me more details of my job.

So, all in all, I worked only for two and a half weeks there.

Yeap, I quit so that I have more time to do my post-STPM results things. (Don’t worry, I won’t mention a thing about that…haha…)

Anyway, back to my job. I was a guest service staff there. Basically the things that I do were checking bags and scanning of wristband (to those who don’t know, visitors are to wear wristbands to enter and exit the park). Place of work was at the entrances and exits of the park (there are two of each, one entrance and exit at the main entrance next to J Co, the other entrance and exit can be reached via escalator next to the Pyramid Tower Hotel).

Checking bags. Blah… blah… blah… I think everyone should now know about the procedures… It was not easy at all (not that I ever thought it was going to be easy…). First of all, let’s talk about the contents of the bags. Some of the visitors’ bags could be easily checked. Firstly, for small bags I would touch the outer portion of the bag, and if I want to, I could ask them to open their bag (procedure: the visitors are the ones to open their own bags, not us). Okay, nothing hard there (there were a few who lock their bags with codes… hmm…)

If I am satisfied that they were not bringing any food or drinks inside, I will allow them to pass, and they will move on to the tag scanning area. But if there’s a lot of clothing inside the bag, I would ask them to take out their clothes, and let me check further.

Okay, here’s the tricky part. What if they were caught with food inside their bags? Well, I would tell them to either finish it first, or put them in the lockers in the mall. The problem now was that many of the parents who were bringing their children refused to follow the rule; they insisted on bringing in food.

“This is for my children mah… they are so small…”

Well, I was scolded many times, but usually I would refer to my supervisors (just so that they could be the subjects of anger… haha!)

Not even water is allowed. Empty bottles are allowed.

I have to admit: this rule is very stupid. I did not ask my supervisors about the reasons behind the ruling (forgotten, should have asked), but as a staff I just followed lor.

Why? Water bottles also cannot bring in ah?

Ma’am, you can bring in the empty bottle. You first need to pour away the water. There are water fillers inside the park for you to refill your water bottle.

Water only wor?

Ma’am, (Pointing to the sign) no food and drinks allowed.

Pour it all out and refill again. Why like that? Isn’t it the same?

Sorry ma’am. It’s the rule here.

(Pause) Why even plain water also cannot go in?

I think it’s because there is a pool inside and they don’t want people to pour in… (As I have said, I do not know the reason behind this, I just made this up myself.)

But I am sick, I can’t drink other types of water than the one I cook at home.

It’s the rule here. It applies to everybody, ma’am.

Why got so stupid rule one?

Yeah (touching my head), I know…

Then usually people would go to the front where there’s a drain, and pour out the water. This certainly got some attraction from the other visitors. (One visitor was right when he said that doing so would embarrass him in front of his crowd, but I still don’t have a choice. Of course, he was furious.)

Sometimes, people just got so furious about this food and drinks thing that they would ask for a refund (after I refused them entry).

This checking procedure gives a bad first impression to the visitors, even before they pass through the tag scanning area. But as I have said before, I did it because I was following the rules. And it’s the truth.

I heard from my colleague who was performing the same task, that a lot of people got fired, sometimes on the spot, for allowing people with food to enter. Anyway, I wonder how are the people doing this kind of job gets satisfaction when they are being scolded and humiliated in front of large crowds? Not to mention, the pay is so low…

Okay, so much about this bag checking thing, there’s another task that we need to perform, which was tag scanning when the visitors enter and exit. We need to check whether they are wearing the correct wristbands (there’s two different sizes of wristbands for adults and children, and different colours for different areas that they can enter. There are paper wristbands also for tour groups and online tickets). If they lost the paper or rubber wristbands, they need to pay RM10 or RM50 respectively before they are allowed to exit.

That’s all. How I feel about my job? Well, the part-time staffs are underpaid (there are full-time staffs also). Of course la, what else matters other than the pay?

How I feel? Well, it is a very challenging job… in fact, if they were to conduct a proper interview to see my caliber, I doubt I would pass that one for the job.

Will I work there again? No.

Working Experience at Jusco

It has been very long since I last posted something here. Just to revive my blog, here's what had happened in my life up until now, and what I am up to right now.

I worked 'very very briefly' at Jusco. It was so brief that I did not get any salary from Jusco. Nope, I was not fired, I quit. I could have got my salary by informing Jusco seven days prior to my resignation, but I thought, since I just worked THREE days at Jusco, I might as well quit without any strings attached (correct language?). Actually when I interviewed for the position of sales assistant the lady there asked me if I can do liquor and wine department. I said I would prefer other departments. She then told me to be present that day, and next she will decide then on where should she put me.

So, I reached the Jusco staff entrance at 9.30am, where a Jusco security staff brought us up the lift and into a room. (They are the Blue Waves, some of them wearing just a T-shirt, some of them wearing full security guard uniform) Then, two ladies came in, and they were the Management Trainees. They looked through our application forms and asked for lots of things... SPM results la, Maybank account la, photostated copy of IC la...etc etc. It was a small room with I think was fourteen new staffs, sitting in a circle on sofas.

After all those stuff was done away, they spoke about the rules, conduct, etc... etc... (oops, I think this is going to be boring...) Then it was lunch, then we were told to sign some contract. Then it's time to get our UNIFORMs. Next, I was sent to my department: Liqour.

Okay, fast forward a bit. What I did for the three days was helping to carry boxes, arranging the items properly from time to time, helped out with the labelling, stock up things etc. etc. It did not take me long to realize my perception on sales assistants was wrong: Sales assistants are not the one who talk to the customers about clothes, about wine, about television things and stuff like that. They are the ones who assists with the products, arranging them and that sort of things... HUGE DIFFERENCE!!

So, after three days of hard work, I quit. There were people who came up to me and asks why did I chose to work there, including the lone Chinese worker there who is working as cashier. After a good talk with him, who is two years my junior in terms of age (after SPM), I decided to quit. I actually did not quit properly, and I don't see the need to do so actually. I don't get paid even if I inform the supervisor face to face, or I type out a formal letter and send it to the management office.

Okay, learnt my lesson well. But anyway, life goes on. Will update soon on my new job!

Our New Pet!

Last month our auntie gave us a Silky Terrier! Of course, everyone in the family was excited about the newest member of the family...

Here's a few photos of the Silky Terrier who was given, after a few days of deliberation among us, 'Jackie'... a name which until now I can't figure why was chosen...haha... (I was not the one who suggested it.):

Chinese New Year Photos

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Okay, first, the fact: Both my father's parents and my mother's parents are in the Klang Valley (One in PJ and one in KL Cheras area).... Conclusion? No long travel needed. To me and my family, there's not such thing as going back to 'hometown'... haha...

Nevertheless, my CNY celebrations was as festive as years before... I'll let the following photos speak for themselves (it happened that my camera does not have enough batteries while I was in my grandparents' houses... oops!):




Picture taken at the Thai Temple along Jalan Gasing on the first day of Chinese New Year. From left: my sister, my Mom, Dad and I. My brother was holding the camera.

Went for a walk in Mid Valley as we really have nothing to do after lunch on the first day of Chinese New Year. This was taken at the concourse area. From left: My sister, my brother and I.

Haha... two photos for now first...

Hmm.. Why Not Department Stores?

Why not department stores?

Well, at first I thought the whole department store thing was too big for me... there's so many small shops around each selling different things, or offering different services... why go to such big stores?

I was having a really hard time trying to adjust my time to the working hours of the small shops... most of them requires me to stay from ten till ten or for four hours at night... The last thing that I want to do is to work at night when all my family members are at home relaxing... furthermore, what am I supposed to do during daytime?

Initially just for information I asked one of the department stores about the working hours and the pay and things like that...(apparently for Jusco, there is only one session when the interview takes place: 3 till 6 in the evening, not like anytime....) Actually the pay was like normal stores, but the working hours can be from 9.30am till 5.30pm for morning shift...

Actually wanted to start work asap but then because of CNY (I asked to take leave but was not allowed because too late notice...). So, she asked me to work after CNY... booked a place, but now with the class visit on the working I will try to get 16th holiday... which is kinda weird. Look: Tomorrow, I am applying for leave on 16th when I only start work on 11th...haha! Wonder how they will deal with this kind of application...

Sunway Lagoon Interview Process

Let's get straight to the point...

Actually one of the jobs that I considered before was Sunway Lagoon Theme Park (SLTP)... why? The other shops so far that I have asked ALL needs me to stay back at night during weekdays or weekends... Hey come on, that is the only time where I can spend my quality time with my family... (And not forgetting, I can't really spend much time with my family when I enter university later... so got to appreciated the time that I have with them now...)

SLTP opens from 11 till 6 on weekdays except Tuesday when it is closed. On weekends it opens one hour earlier. Bingo! No working at night.... furthermore I can work in such a happy merry kinda atmosphere... with family with kids... got to be a fun experience I thought...

Wanted to go to the office on a Thursday afternoon, but was told by the security guard there that the office will only conduct interviews on Monday (he told me that there IS, in fact, vacancy in Sunway Lagoon.). So, on that day arrived there at ten o'clock. I was ushered in to the main office which was surprisingly, situated in the middle of the theme park... like nowhere actually... haha! Went straight to the counter and the lady told me there weren't really any fields of work that I can choose... it is either.... if I can remember... customer service... lifeguard... zookeeper... that kind of stuff...

She said that they need lifeguard... asked if I can swim... I said I can... the woman told me to see this guy for test... the result... haha, don't ask me how I fared...

So this one I failed, went for customer service interview... was asked to wait for this man... but ended waiting for like almost 20 minutes before he was available for us. We were told to go in in groups of three. So, I went in with two guys who just finished their SPM. The man went straight down into business (obviously...)....

"Don't think this job is easy ah... just sitting there and collect money and issue tickets... you need to attend to the customers' needs... you need to check bags... "

Actually the job was supposed to look simple but then he explained to us so seriously as though it is like a job that thousands would want to have but not everyone is qualified for it...

"Okay, I will inform you all at a later date..."

Then we shook hands with the man and went out of his office room. It was a weird feeling....and I was thinking when I gave my pass to the security guard, collect my MyKad and walked out of the gate:

"Okay, so got to keep looking for jobs....again...."

Photos Photos Photos

Since I am sooooo freeeee at the moment, I thought I will post some pics... it has been so long... Afraid that I might forget how to do so if I don't do it often...

Here we go...

My family and I on holiday in Cameron Highlands in December. Picture taken on a hill on top of a Boh Tea Garden situated between Ringlet and Tanah Rata towns. Very nice view up there... got to climb up there and witness it yourself...

My family and I at a beach in Port Dickson.

My family and I at the living room with our Christmas tree... and some of my siblings' soft toys...haha...

My family having a barbecue at our house front yard on New Year's Eve... went out to watch fireworks display after that... so nice!!

Aih... now school started... wonder when can we do these things again in the future...

Any job?

Any job suitable for my consideration? Any job recommendation?

This is very odd... there's so many stores inside Sunway Pyramid but yet I couldn't get a job that 'suits my taste'... (okay la, I know I am choosy...)

Maybe it was middle of the month and the jobs are all snapped up.. maybe in the beginning of February there's people who are leaving and then I can take over...

No transportation (unless in PJ area... my mom will fetch my younger siblings to school in the morning and after school... that way I can come down at those times...)

If there's vacancies in school the better... haha...

'The vacancy was already filled.... FOUR HOURS AGO!!!!'

FOUR HOURS...

FOUR HOURS ONLY!!!!

Aiyoo!!! That's how late I am in getting the last position available... (and I did not even know that it's the last vacancy available...) Actually I could have been earlier but then... anyway, here's the story...

I actually arrived Chen Moh about 4 something on Wednesday (the vacancy I am applying for is a temporary teacher... btw...). I was asked to look for this teacher.. The teacher was saying... I forgot already but she was kinda saying 'I don't think we need more teachers already... we have enough...' something like that lah...

She took down my number... and told me that she will call when there's a job. Then she told me to pass up the form that was earlier given to me TOMORROW to the front desk.... (didn't really take serious note of it...)

Then I left. On Friday I came back to the school to pass in the form to the counter. (In the meantime I walked around Sunway Pyramid to look for jobs...) The person at the counter then told me that she was waiting for me... and that someone came to pass it to her!! I was directed to see a Senior Assistant who told me that the job vacancy was filled....

FOUR HOURS AGO!!!

Ayaya.... four hours only... should have just... four hours late...

ARGH!

Not that it is so very important... actually they told me to look for other schools which are although near but not where I can easily get to...

Some miscommunication there I guess...

Wrong on my part...

Suddenly wanted this teacher's job so badly...

Anyway, life moves on...

If any of the schools need someone to step in... I am available... as of right now...

Not going to find job until February... waiting for those January people to 'step down' and for me to replace them...

I know it's only a couple of months... five months but... I really want to make it memorable instead of just... filling in the time... (Actually that's what I thought about initially...)

TEACHING????!!!!

Teaching??!!

That's like the last thing that I want to do after finishing STPM...

But then later found out that a lot of ppl actually are teaching in primary school...

Went to get one form from a primary school in PJ Old Town the other day... The teacher told me that there's no vacancy at the moment but gave me a piece of paper... shocked in the beginning when I saw that I need to give one month's notice before quitting... but then, I should have known about it... it's not like I can just throw everything aside at the second that I say I want to quit right?

Thinking about the ppl who I know are currently teaching... the way I am... I am not like them! They really suits to be great teachers in the future... not like me who is so intimidated by the students when I saw them again in school the other day... They are so outgoing and... I can't be like them... no matter how hard i try...

I can't remember how do my teachers back in primary school taught me... I don't think my classmates can still recall too.. but then some of their relatives, may it be their parents or older siblings may have taught primary school before... that's why they know what to expect... I can only imagine through reading the blogs... (Thank goodness there are things called blogs...)

Orientation Week (3rd Day) - Ice-Breaking and Tele-Match

This is the most interesting event which I have looked forward to for the past.... wait, I only found myself interested in joining it the day before... haha!

It was what they called 'Ice-Breaking and Tele-Match'. (shoot, forgot where I put my programme book for that day... if I have it now I would have scanned it and put it on the net...) Anyway, arrived there early and registered. I was given a name card with a string which I can hang it over my neck... (after typing that line I went to hunt for this name card also, thinking I should keep it as a rememberance... nowhere to be found.... :(

While waiting for the crew to call us, I had a few chats with some new students that I have just knew in campus... looks like everyone was really in the mood to get to know new people... The students were really from all around Malaysia... I met two from Johor, a few locals, one from Sarawak...

It was not long before we were told to put our bags in a room and then gather at the car park. First it was the speeches by the chairman, the chairperson, a staff from the DSA (Department of Student Affairs)... and then some short briefing by the committee members of the event...

The next event was morning warm-up exercises... you know la... the aerobic stuff with the music on... and everyone was jumping up and down loosen up their body... Kinda felt like young schoolchildren again...

We were then assigned to four groups according to our name tag colours... and the fun then began... Our first station was 'Blind Man Walking'. Members of a team need to line up and successfully walk across a field where there will be chairs as obstacles along their path.... with their eyes BLINDFOLDED! The only person that will not be blindfolded will be the person who is the last person lining up behind. No one are allowed to talk... so the trick here was that the last person needs to give signals in way of hitting the person in front of him... and then the person that was being hit will then hit the person in front of him and so on... so that the message would be able to send across...

Okay, I give up... It's hard to explain... You can't feel the excitement unless you are really playing the game...

Next! We need to search for sweets in a lecture theatre... in the dark! So how to look for the sweets? Well, we were given candles (which are lightened up, of course!). Nothing interesting actually... all the funny places that the senior thought of hiding the sweets... we was able to find them all!!

3rd station was the paper-scissors-stone game... yeah, the one we watch on television... Again it's one team versus the other... and the winner from the battle will get the chance to splash water on the losing opponent... The only way that person do not get wet is to use the umbrealla given to him/her...

4th station was the human link game and the water balloon game... 5th one was about finding sweets from a bowl of flour... the last one was treasure hunting...

I give up... no use describing without photos of the event...

But anyway, just in case anyone of you happened to enter UTAR sometime in the future... then hopefully you will get a rough idea of what the tele-match was all about...

As of now, I am now looking for work... hopefully I can find work really soon... desperate to go out there and do something instead of playing games here at home...

Orientation Week 2008 (First and Second Day)

Last Wednesday to Friday, I attended the UTAR KL Campus Orientation 2008. Now before I go any further, want to note this out first... I discussed with my family and we have decided that:

I WILL NOT GO FOR JANUARY INTAKE

Yeap... this was after I found out from a classmate of mine that he don't know anyone who is taking up bachelor degree courses that starts in January... everyone is waiting for the results in March. Some have decided to do courses that are not available here in Malaysia, some hopes to enter public universities...

Anyway, back to the topic...

I submitted my forms to enter Electric and Electronics Engineering in UTAR in KL. Checked out the website after a few days and saw that my application have been approved. Someone from the office also called my phone about going to the PJ Campus (that's where I dropped my application form to) to collect my conditional offer form.

So on the first day, I took the LRT from Amcorp Mall to the Wangsa Maju station. Then I took a bus to TAR College (As far as I know as of right now there's no public bus from the LRT station to UTAR). Next, I walked for about ten minutes to UTAR...

(Okay, straight to the point...)

1st day

Those who have paid up all the fees are given some freebies and important documents and stuff like that... Since I have not paid up, I am not entitled to these... Next we were ushered to the Lecture Hall. At 9.30am the events started. First it was... er... (Now looking at the orientation programme list in front of me...) a video presentation, then some brief speeches from PIC of the library, ICTC, Dept of Student Affairs, and also student representatives (the guys who put this thing together...), people from the counselling unit, soft skills unit, and a rep from the Institut Integriti Malaysia...

Somehow when one of the student representatives was giving a speech, blackout occurred. Things went on as usual however.

Learnt a lot of new friends... But I think when I first stepped into the school compound my parents and I already kinda knew that I am not going to be studying there right now... It was me who made the decision to study in January because I would probably can't make up my mind of which engineering course to study when it is time to choose anyway...

2nd day

The dean of the faculty gave us a talk... or rather an overview of the rules, general information of UTAR, info about how the courses are like and so on... briefly speaking, the way she talked to us really was how she wanted us to take it... to tell and remind us that we are adults, no longer teenagers or students at school 'that needs to be spoon-fed'... we need to be independent and have the initiative to study alone.. blah.... blah.... you'll get it...

The most interesting, important and major part of the whole orientation thing must be the welcome and mass call event. This was where all the students took their oath (is this the word?) and pledge (something like that la...) as new students of UTAR in front of the VIPs of the university. Even the President was here to deliver her speech... according to her, she and her team of university officials have been to different campuses (UTAR has four campuses) to attend to these mass call sessions. Other high-ranking university officials were also there to accompany her.

Before the mass call session I kinda imagined how it will be held. Glad to have attended such an event. I think all the students must have felt a strong sense of belonging to the university after that.

Anyway, after some slide shows about various topics, it's time for some serious stuff... the PTPTN loan. Heard a lot of it but since it is regarding my tuition fees, it has always been my parents that asked questions or discussed about it... I considered a long time ago that when it comes to financial matters it will be under my parents' jurisdiction (even though we never clarified it... and it's not that I don't want to care about it... they are the ones who told me not to worry about it...)

Surprisingly.... or not surprisingly... a lot of questions were raised during the session. Now I realized how indepedent these students really are... Really humble about that fact... I am such a loser...