Mar 31, 2009

First day in college

I put on my new brown blouse bought for me by amma, with a pair of jeans (bought by Florence atthai) and wore one of my top favourite earrings (bought by Salve atthai).

Walked upstairs to settle some stuff at the office and at sharp 11am, reached my classroom. My classmate was already there. Apparently, she had been sitting there alone for the past half an hour. Took a seat beside her then, decided to move right to the front (with her of course).

Teacher arrived and we were briefed about the subject - Law: how many papers, time allocation, career options, yadeyadeyade... He answered all our questions, even ones posed about himself. Sporting.

After clearing our doubts on the subject and realised that there was more than an hour left for class, our lecturer decided to give us some personal advice on the selection of food and restaurants around the area, recommending some and totally rejecting others. He even gave price comparisons and recommended the Mee Hoon Tom Yam dish in Nijam restaurant (I think) for those gloomy days when you are feeling unwell. What a lecturer! Reminded me of Mr. Vicky in F2 & 3 tuition.

Amma fetched me and we went to experiment the food in Giant (which is nearby and was on the no-no list of the lecturer). We had Rojak Pasembur with longan drink (both were pretty good by the way) although the longan didn't have its usual colour.

Guess that's about it. For today.

Mar 30, 2009

Induction programme today!

Today, I woke up, not knowing what to expect when I would take my first step into college life. I reached there on time, filled in my name and took a seat. While waiting, I made friends with the girl next to me. She had completed her STPM and was going into a Diploma programme in the same college. There were around 30+ students in the room. I kept moving around in my seat because the air-cond was turned up high.

Then, the Principal, who is also my course leader, cheerfully spoke about stuff that we needed to know. Why didn't anyone notice that the air-cond was so high? Next, we were lectured on the payments and exams by others. Felt ...brrrr... really cold.

The fun part, we were taken on a mini-tour around the area. Our guide was speaking so softly, no one heard anything she said. We just looked like a herd of animals moving around in a narrow passageway. The good part, we were shown the Art Gallery, furnished with works of the Art and Design students.

After that, we were to meet our respective course leaders. Imagine the shock on my face when I got to know that only two of us were in the same course! Our course leader asked us if it was alright to be in such a small class. What were we to say? No, we want a bigger class or we're leaving? Anyway, I started to like the idea of being in a mini class. Full attention from the lecturers, right? Also, we were shown to our classroom which we could fully utilise. Meaning, we could use the class whenever we wanted! Wow!!! (Or at least that's what I think he meant)

The whole thing was quite fun although there were some minus points to it (which I'd rather not mention). The best part, I would say, is not having to go for a 7am-2pm week of classes anymore. We were advised to use that time wisely but it is still MY time. I could do whatever I wanted...hahhahahaha. No, just kidding, I'm not that bad. Or evil.

Really hope that everything turns out all right. Good lecturers, friends and a simple conscience that will keep me on track.

Mar 29, 2009

How to Study Physics for SPM?

Although I scored an A1 in Physics for SPM, I am not exactly the right person to be asked, "how did you do it?" So, I posed the question to my friend, Jasmine, instead to see what she had to say. Jasmine and I have known each other for 5 years (yes, throughout my secondary school years) but, our fathers know each other longer than that! Anyway, here is what she had to say:

Firstly, Physics is very different compared to the other subjects. Physics is one of the toughest Science subjects for many people. Physics is more to the Maths side as it is mostly calculations, formulaes and principles.. Biology is 100% memorising, Chemistry is 50% calculation, 50% memorising, Physics on the other hand is 100% calculation and formulaes. The study of Physics is very deep and it involves a lot of techincal details: heat, electricity, electronics and so forth. Every minor detail is important and that makes the subject complex and sometimes even tedious. Nevertheless, once mastered, Physics is very useful for survival purposes in our daily life.

One very important thing in Physics is understannding. You must understand what you are learning, not just memorise for the sake of exam. Physics is actually an easy subject to study. All you must know are the formulaes and principles involved.. What usually happens is the teacher will twist the questions and asked them from different angles. That is when it becomes tough. What you must remember is the basic pronciples involved. No matter how tough the question is, in the end, it will always go back to the basic principles.

I would recommend a good revision book for this subject as the school textbook alone is not enough to score. Pay attention in class and ask questions whwnever you don't understand. Do not be scared or shy to question your teachers as it is necessary for you to know in detail about Physics. For eg:
Where did the formulaes come from, how are they derived, how are the variables involved connected to each other, conversion of units and many more.

Master your calculations and make sure you choose the right formulaes for each question. This can be a problem sometimes. Physics is not a mugging subject, you cannot simply study it by the book. You must attempt questions from workbooks and do a lot of exercises. Only then you will be exposed to a wide range of different ways questions can be asked. Hence, you will be able to answer various types oy questions no matter how tough they may seem.

Interest plays a vital role in scoring in this subject. You must show keen interest in studying Physics. Most people dislike the subject as it is far more complicating then the other Science subjects. Therefore, they make no effort to master the subject.

Finally, try attempting the past year questions for Physics. Analyse the questions and topics that have come out in the previous years. SPM questions are always very similar, so chances of the same type of questions coming out every year is very high. Please take note, same type of questions, not same questions. Make sure that you are able to do all the past year questions. If so, you will not have a problem during the actual exam.


It is very important for you to understand in Physics. You MUST know what you are studying. Only then will you be able to score in the subject. Physics is not a difficult subject. I feel that it is much easier than Biology and Chemistry, bur it requires a lot of patience, interest and understanding.

NEXT, I asked her what type of reference books she would recommend. Also asked why she was very interested in the subject.

I don't know what are the reference books they have nowadays for Physics but I would recommend either Success or Focus. I found both quite good. But you can also check out the others that are there now.

I was always interested in tools and mechanical stuff ever since I was small. I love playing with my father's gadgets even now and I suppose that's why I love Physics. This is something that has to come from within I guess.

So, there you have it. Feel free to add on to the above mentioned points. One question for all of you out there, how do you spark an interest in Physics?



Mar 26, 2009

He's married!

Shoghi Ilamaran Mayalagan, my dear cousin, is finally married. Posted here are some pics from their wedding day and a guestbook that you can sign. Congrats, guys. Would have loved to be there.

Mar 13, 2009

I can drive now!

I meant the car.

Today, I earned my right to be on the road, on the driver's seat this time. After 12 hours of driving practice, I finally qualified for the JPJ test.

Met some of my school friends and friends that I've come to know by attending classes in the driving school.

We were required to be there at 8.15am. Since my parents had to go out, I was dropped there at 7.30am. Already, there were people waiting. When the clerks had arrived, I asked one of the candidate's father if we should register or something. He wasn't sure. So, I boldly walked up to the desk to enquire and I was registered first! Lucky me, candidate No. 1! Later, I realised how lucky I really was.

The officers were running a bit late so, I got to drive the car up to the hill and wait. When I was there, the person-in-charge asked me to off the engine and I was half-way up the hill. While waiting, I watched as another 11 candidates pulled up behind me.

Then, the officer came - fierce as ever. 'Naik' (climb), he said. I went up and looked out. I was not really satisfied when I had stopped but he was. I passed! I drove down the hill to park. Again, I had to wait for all 11 to finish before the same officer tested me for the 2nd test. This time, it was alright.

The funny part is I had a final class one day before my SPM results. Sub-consciously worried, I had made all the possible mistakes and this helped me today because I was able to focus and note any potential mistakes. Yeh! Towards the end of that class, I was to do my final parking. I was doing fine when I saw amma parked a bit further. Normally, amma would come in a bit later but today, amma was early. Excited, I forgot to brake and headed straight for the 'tiang' (pole)! My instructor had to make an emergency brake as we were inches away from it.

Next, it was time to drive on the road. I loved it although one part really shook me. I was on a straight road with not many cars, driving on 4th gear. Suddenly, a car crossed the road and came right in front of me. I tried to break slowly, didn't work, I changed gears, 3...2... My mind was racing, figuring out what to do. I was barely inches away. The officer quickly stepped on his break and the car stopped. That was close. I could have just met with an accident! However, am glad that I am here to say, don't take anything for granted.

So, what else? I passed the test and am happy. Still, the shock from yesterday (my results) was able to balance today's excitement. Believe me, I am glad that it all didn't turn out the way I expected it to be. Definitely a wonderful experience.

Mar 12, 2009

My SPM results experience

This was my experience earlier today when I went to school to pick up my SPM results. (Actually, I had written this yesterday but the computer went crazy and I could not post it :)

I was as cool as a cucumber... 2 days ago. Yesterday, I went for my final 2 hours of driving class and couldn't pay attention - I was sub-consciously worried. Today, I tried to keep a cool head before going to school; definitely a lot calmer compared to the previous years, but little did I expect it to be the most shocking of all.

I marched into the school compound at 10am, armed with my family and their support, happy to see my friends. We were told that the results will only be out at 10.30am. So, we waited; a long, tormenting half an hour eased with small conversations. We also got to know that 3 students in our school had scored straight A1s.

When my teacher had taken her seat, indicating that the results were available, students crowded around the table, keeping a distance as well. I slowly moved to the front, but turned back; I was not ready.

After a while, we heard a scream of joy. It was Prasana, one of the school's top scorers who is also now a straight As student - 10 to be exact. Jasmine also got her results - no doubt that she was also in the list, proving herself time and again. The third one? We had our speculations. Much later, we got to know that it was Kavitha, an equally brilliant student. All three of them had scored 10A1s. Congrats, guys.

Next, I realised that it was time I went to collect mine. I sat down, heart beating faster than ever, as I waited for the teachers to pull out my slip. They started counting. It clicked to me that I could not have gotten straight As if they were counting. The small shock mellowed down fast. After that, I saw the teacher write on a list beside my name, 10 A1s, 1 A2.

Something was amiss. I voiced out my concern. I had taken 12 subjects. The second shock - I got 1 B3. I felt my whole world come to a halt; couldn't hear anything, mind was totally blank. I was feeling down. Coming out of it a little, I asked which subject was it. The teacher glanced at my slip and asked me if I really wanted to know. I didn't know what to say. My head was still spinning. Amma said that at that time, the teacher was talking to me, but honestly I can't remember.

Finally, I picked myself up and asked for the slip. I screened it carefully, eyeing for the B3. What a shock - BIOLOGY!!! Next, I looked for the A2. Shocked, yet again - MORAL!!! I laughed it out, but inside it was piercing me through and through. Amma said that I had an array of expressions before I returned to my normal self.

I stayed on in school to spend time with some of my friends right up to afternoon. Wow, what a day!

Summary:
A1s: Malay, English and 1119, Tamil, Tamil lit., Maths, Additional Maths, Chemistry, Physics, English for Science and Technology (EST), Sejarah (History)
A2: Moral
B3: Biology

Just a note of appreciation: Thank you to amma and appa, my siblings, family and friends, school and tuition teachers, your support means so much to me.

Mar 11, 2009

How to Study English for SPM?

1. Read
2. Read
3. Read
4. Take note of spelling and grammatical errors (You can grab some tips from the BM section in my earlier post)
eg: difference between 'effect' and 'affect'
5. Read
6. Always make it a point to upgrade your standard of writing.
7. When reading, take note of easy yet effective sentences.
eg: The row of houses burnt down in a fire.
The row of houses were razed to the ground.
8. Check out this site, Daily Writing Tips, for correct usage of vocabulary, etc.-very informative
9. Good English Essays is an essay writing guide blog, includes analysis of past year questions
10. Speak English and get people to correct you. Watch English programmes, listen to English radio channels, do lots and lots of practice.

As for the English Literature component:
1. Be sure to read everything: novel, short stories and poems
2. Understand in detail, especially poems (line by line)
3. Make notes on themes, characters, moral values by connecting them to the story.
Eg: In 'The Necklace,' Mathilde wants a beautiful necklace to match her new gown that was bought from her husband's savings.
Theme: Greed
Character & characteristic: Mathilde; greedy
Moral value: We should not be greedy / We should be grateful for what we have.
4. When writing an essay based on the novel, be sure to add in feelings, not only facts.
Eg: In 'The Pearl,' Kino beats up his wife for trying to throw away the pearl.
Sample question: Which character do you admire?
Sample answer: I admire Juana [answers the question] for her loyalty [reason] towards her husband. I take my hat off [feelings] for Juana as she still protects and cares for her husband even after he beats her up [explanation].
5. English Literature for Secondary Schools - an online resource guide; very helpful

How to Study BM for SPM?

One method I used was to keep a personal note book for myself. It was my collection of notes from Form 1 right up to Form 5. Most of it were noted down when school and tuition teachers explained why certain questions were wrong - catch it!

The book was divided into 4: The front page, the back page, the center page moving to the right and the center page moving to the left.

1. The front page, moving in the direction that we normally write, is used to write grammar rules eg: 'ia' can only be used for humans and not animals or objects. I also list down words that are very similar in meaning, together with their specific definitions, so that it will be easy for me to differentiate eg: memikul, mengusung, membimbit, menjulang... (it all means 'carry' but are used for different purposes).

2. The last page, moving to the front, is listed with proverbs (peribahasa) that I come across during activites or exercises. You may have a kamus peribahasa but when you find a proverb that is not listed in the dictionary, the best thing to do is note it. Be sure to note all the proverbs used in the textbooks.

3. The center page, moving to the right, is used to list down quotations and phrases/sentences that have lots of flowery words eg: ...menopang dagu dan menuding jari.... I also use it to note recently coined terms like modal insan kelas pertama or other words that can replace common ones eg: keluarga - kulawangsa.

4. The center page, moving to the left, I write about common and current issues in point form.
Eg: Topik - Pencemaran air, Punca, Kesan, Langkah, berita terbaru, contoh, kementerian...

These may help in your collection of notes:
1. Cikgu Tan C L's blog - lots of points, resources - found this really helpful
2. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka - the official site has links to many other useful ones including a Malay thesaurus and a reference for 'sports language' (bahasa sukan).
3. Dewan Siswa and Dewan Majalah - my school library had subscribed this magazines and they were indeed very informative for the essay part with current issues clearly explained.
4. Bahasa Malaysia SPM - everything to do with BM SPM including the KOMponen SAStera

caRtOoNS :p

Those closest to me will know that I just love watching cartoons. So, here is a tribute to all the cartoons (and anime) that I loved so much (note: sequence in no particular order)

1. Cardcaptor Sakura
2. Skydancers
3. Ben 10
4. Digimon
5. Pokemon
6. Xiaolin Showdown
7. Danny Phantom
8. Totally Spies
9. Avatar
10. X-Men
11. Little Lulu
12. Rugrats
13. Silver Surfer

I used to watch so many. Will add on to the list when I recall the names.

Mar 7, 2009

Falling asleep in class?



Challenge #2: Sleepy in class

I used to , but not intentionally. When the interest level dropped a little, so did my eyelids. Sometimes, the effects of a late night kicked in. Other times, it was because of mental exhaustion!

So, what did I do to avoid little 'nap times' during class?

1. I had a friend beside me to tap me on the back whenever I could not hold my head up.

2. I would try to read my book instead of listening to the teacher talk (not storybooks, but the textbooks - that way, I don't have to feel so guilty).

3. You would also have caught me doodling in my book (which I would erase later - destroy all evidence! though I do keep some if they turn out very well).

4. Escaping to the toilets was not my thing so I would gulp down the water in my bottle real fast (and then run to the toilet because I really need to).

5. Talking to friends may help at times (but to escape being caught, I would pretend we were having a discussion and quickly ask the teacher a question - this way, it will look like we were the only ones paying attention!)

So, what did you do (or are still doing)? Do include some experiences. :)
*Check out this link. It tackles the question "Why can't I stay awake in class?."
*Personally, I would appreciate it if someone (including teachers) were to post some solid ideas or suggestions as to how this challenge can be managed well.

Mar 4, 2009

what's up with form 6?

I'm just really curious as to why people say Form 6 is tough and not a good a choice at times. I can't possibly know first-hand because I didn't go that way so I got my friend, Joann, to write about it.

Joann and I met during a workshop for Malaysian teens called 'Ideal Teen' 4 years ago. We've not met after that but still kept in touch until today. This is what she had to say:

Form 6 is tough for me as we have a lot to study but a limited time.so, time management is very very important.just a slip of mistake, u'll need a long time to correct it. things like extra curriculum, tuitions, assignments, projects, practical experiments, .. all of this is the thing that cause you to have 'Not enough time syndrome'.especially for those who are holding high post in some society such as librarian board, perfectorial board, etcThose who can't manage themselves well, will face 'Depressing syndrome' and their academic result will fall off.Its pretty hard to manage everything in time.You just can't expect things to go on well in your way.for example, u can't expect to have a teacher who teaches you everything tat is written in the syllabus, you have to do it yourself. if we're lucky enough, we get really good teachers. if not, that subject is all your own to manage. This is why people say form6 is tough.

So, what's up with Form 6? You tell me. Would love to hear.

Mar 3, 2009

free guitar lessons

just click the title...
really easy to learn guitar lessons... am trying it out myself...

Of Magical Lands & Wizardry Worlds!

Last night, I only turned in at 3am. Why? Coz I couldn't put the book down...The culprit? Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling.

Honestly, it's been a while since I've read a book that is so difficult to put down. From the moment I started on the 1st page, it was like a roller-coaster ride bcoz of the string of events that did not bore me out. I dared not to skip a single word, let alone pages. Normally, I would sit up when a novel reaches its climax but not this time. I was hooked from the very beginning.

I picked up the book in curiosity to find out what the craze had been all about. My aunt who was moving, lent us some of her books and this was one of them. I wasn't bothered to search for the first book coz I'd already watched the movie. Now, I might reconsider. What's great is that it didn't cease to bore me out at all.

I remember reading Julia (a Form 5 novel for BM). I was patiently reading the first few pages no matter how boring coz I'd made it a point to finish my Literature component books every year. When it came to the part when Julia met Jun, I was a little annoyed that it just stopped there. There wasn't anything else that seemed interesting so far. So, I skipped pages in search of their names and only read those parts right up to the end! I was satisfied. Then, I returned to page 1, determined to finish the book thoroughly and I did.

There was Narnia by CS Lewis which captivated me for a while. After watching The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, I was fascinated but, it was not until I came across the first book in the school library that I actually started reading fantasy genres. The Magician's Nephew is a prequel to the movie and I was intrigued at how it all connected and how everything made sense (including the lamp post Lucy Pevensie comes across in the movie).

Then, I skipped the 2nd and moved on to The Horse and His Boy. I was excited at first but it all seemed to mellow by the time I was half way through. Yeah, it was basically the adventures of a boy and his talking horse and how they got to Narnia, meeting a girl and her horse who were moving in that direction on the way. I set out to watch the next movie, Prince Caspian, without reading the book and I must say that it was a good one.

Right now, I've put down the novels for a while and am in search of good short stories on the net. Hopefully, a good book comes around soon and will be sure to update from my side.