ES2007S ended abruptly for me. I was not able to go for the last class on Friday, I was sick from the hot weather. I had to drag myself to school for a test in school on Friday. Anyway, Es2007S really passed very fast.
I thought that there was no better time for me to take this module. The research report was due 2 weeks before my honors year final report was due. My group's presentation was just 2 days before my honors year final presentation. To top it off, I was just sending out the resume and coverletter that I submitted for jobs during the weekend. I would actually recommend all graduating students take this module, just like in my group's presentation we suggested a compulsory "green" module. I want to point out, off my head, some great knowledge I had learnt from this module.
I thought that the 7Cs were effective guidelines to have in mind when I am writing anything, even this. The presentation skills that were discussed were extremely helpful to me in formulating my presentation and how/ what I want to deliver my message. I personally feel that when we are presenting, we want to present as many things as possible so we look more intelligent. However, that is not the case, the audience would probably be too overwhelmed to understand what is going on. I guess when we are presenting something, we need to consider what exactly we want to tell the audience and keep the presentation as simple and concise as possible. Like how one of my professors will end his lecture, he will use a "take home message". I think thats the most important use of a presentation, the audience learning something.
I felt that the report writing was a interesting experience although the data collection period was quite limited. Role-playing different authorities and groups to finally churn out the report was very effective because, I think, its important to consider the requirements or limitations of the various sides in a research study. I believe this would help me in the future.
Lastly, I want to thank Brad for sharing his experiences with us. It was quite fortunate for having someone who is so well-travelled to share his experiences.
Right, Mr National Geographic.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
My presentation
I was glad that the ES2007s presentation was over but I had another blow coming. After my presentation on Tuesday, I will be having my honors project final presentation on Thursday. It was going to be a no-nonsense presentation where 3 professors sit in front of you and listen to you and after you finish, they bombard you with questions and try to make it really difficult for you.
I am not trying to scare anyone but it was the worst half hour of my life. Alright, back to my presentation on Tuesday. Interestingly, I had always thought that I was a confident speaker but I wasn't. I have stage fright. When I was in the army, as a BMTC instructor, I was occasionally required to lecture in front of a 200 recruits lecture room and I won't fret. However, whenever I was presenting in NUS, my hands were probably as cold as the recruits that were afraid of me in army. I was quite nasty to the recruits, possibility a retribution now that I get cold feet standing in front of 15 students presenting.
I think its probably different, I later realised. In army, I am superior to the recruits and they usually don't question. However, in NUS, everyone of us are equal and we generally like to quesiton. Although it may sound straightforward and blaringly obvious, I took awhile to realise that I can't present. I had practised a lot more before the presentation on Tuesday, so that helped tremendously. I had also practised a lot for my honors project presentation, to be exact, I went over it in my room about ten times and that helped me curb with the cold feet. Finally, I hope you all liked our presentation and Banksy is just awesome.
A sidenote on Banksy. In some cities in France, if I didn't remember wrongly, his graffiti are washed away the next morning and he is considered a nuisance. However, in some cities in Europe out of France, people tear out his graffiti off walls and they are auctioned for a reasonable sum. So much for the interpretation of art.
I am not trying to scare anyone but it was the worst half hour of my life. Alright, back to my presentation on Tuesday. Interestingly, I had always thought that I was a confident speaker but I wasn't. I have stage fright. When I was in the army, as a BMTC instructor, I was occasionally required to lecture in front of a 200 recruits lecture room and I won't fret. However, whenever I was presenting in NUS, my hands were probably as cold as the recruits that were afraid of me in army. I was quite nasty to the recruits, possibility a retribution now that I get cold feet standing in front of 15 students presenting.
I think its probably different, I later realised. In army, I am superior to the recruits and they usually don't question. However, in NUS, everyone of us are equal and we generally like to quesiton. Although it may sound straightforward and blaringly obvious, I took awhile to realise that I can't present. I had practised a lot more before the presentation on Tuesday, so that helped tremendously. I had also practised a lot for my honors project presentation, to be exact, I went over it in my room about ten times and that helped me curb with the cold feet. Finally, I hope you all liked our presentation and Banksy is just awesome.
A sidenote on Banksy. In some cities in France, if I didn't remember wrongly, his graffiti are washed away the next morning and he is considered a nuisance. However, in some cities in Europe out of France, people tear out his graffiti off walls and they are auctioned for a reasonable sum. So much for the interpretation of art.
Biodata
I just realized how backwards I am on the blog posts.
I will be graduating in May 2009, which is next month, with a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science (Applied Chemistry) with Honors. I was never certain on what I wanted to do in the future. I have been struggling since primary school when they start asking you to write compositions on your future ambitions.
Since they started asking about my ambition, I had so many ambitions or rather experiences, I will call it, that I hope to be able to do. I had wanted to be a fireman, bouncer, construction worker, so many that I can't recall now and even a beach bum. Alright, the most recent one being a doctor, possibly a plastic surgeon under the influence of Nip/Tuck.
I wouldn't call them as jobs because it would almost be sad to call them jobs. I believe in calling them an experience. A job is, in my opinion, boring, laborious and something you dread to do. I hope that I don't give my future employer the idea that I am not serious on my job and just a job hopper using this "experience" theory of mine as an excuse to change jobs.
On a serious note, I do play sports. Strangely, I represented my primary, secondary and junior college schools in basketball, soccer and rugby respectively. I also played for the varsity rugby team previuosly and I am also currently involved in a rugby club that plays in the national league. You could say that its an experience to play so many sports at the different levels. With that, I also believe that I am a team player.
Finally, I want to end by announcing my decision on the job that I will settle in after I graduate. I hope to be able to do research in Chemistry. For the past one year that I have laboriously worked myeslf down in the lab and just finally got my target compound, I can safely say that I want to carry on being a lab rat. The satisfaction was overwhelming and I am ready to experience it all over again.
Cheers,
Elvin
I will be graduating in May 2009, which is next month, with a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science (Applied Chemistry) with Honors. I was never certain on what I wanted to do in the future. I have been struggling since primary school when they start asking you to write compositions on your future ambitions.
Since they started asking about my ambition, I had so many ambitions or rather experiences, I will call it, that I hope to be able to do. I had wanted to be a fireman, bouncer, construction worker, so many that I can't recall now and even a beach bum. Alright, the most recent one being a doctor, possibly a plastic surgeon under the influence of Nip/Tuck.
I wouldn't call them as jobs because it would almost be sad to call them jobs. I believe in calling them an experience. A job is, in my opinion, boring, laborious and something you dread to do. I hope that I don't give my future employer the idea that I am not serious on my job and just a job hopper using this "experience" theory of mine as an excuse to change jobs.
On a serious note, I do play sports. Strangely, I represented my primary, secondary and junior college schools in basketball, soccer and rugby respectively. I also played for the varsity rugby team previuosly and I am also currently involved in a rugby club that plays in the national league. You could say that its an experience to play so many sports at the different levels. With that, I also believe that I am a team player.
Finally, I want to end by announcing my decision on the job that I will settle in after I graduate. I hope to be able to do research in Chemistry. For the past one year that I have laboriously worked myeslf down in the lab and just finally got my target compound, I can safely say that I want to carry on being a lab rat. The satisfaction was overwhelming and I am ready to experience it all over again.
Cheers,
Elvin
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