Sunday, November 15, 2009

Final Post

I only decided to take ES2007S after NUS module registration was closed and all other modules had started their lectures for a week. My reason for taking this module was simple: getting a free time out of other 6 science modules. However, only after I got to know this course, I realized 7 modules per semester was not easy, AT ALL, and especially one of them frequently requires writing and presentations. :-Q

Every weekend, all my friends would not to bother me since they knew that I would lock myself inside room, writing blog online. I also remember how nervous Rach and I were when we prepared for the peer teaching, since it was first time to be a teacher in front of peer classmates, and the heat discussions and disagreement we had regarding the activities to facilitate our teaching. Then was the time for me to write the resume and cover letter. I should thank a lot to it since that I send out my resume edited in this course and got an internship opportunity in December. Also in this course, I learnt to conduct surveys and how to write out a proposal. I did suffer a lot during the process of writing my part in the proposal. Our team communicated nearly every day and met up quite frequently. I always remember we boiled night oil in student lounge the other day; I remember my mailbox was filled with proposal drafts and discussions, and I will not forget that morning when I printed out the proposal, I was so excited that I wanted everyone I knew to have a look at our product and give comments on. Times flies to the end of the semester, and we prepared for the oral presentation. Our team had an email arguing about the way to prepare for the presentation, but we finally reached to agreement and did a great job.

So what does this course bring to me? I would say it outweighed all modules I learnt in NUS. I had three semesters in NUS before this school year, in total of 15 modules learnt, and I have to admit that I forgot them all after I went to exchange. I even cannot remember the fundamental theorems in my major studies, and have to pick them up this semester. I am so glad now that at least I had one module that I won’t forget in my history of studying in NUS. This course not only taught me how to write resumes and business letters, but more significantly, it equipped me with the skills in effective communicating. I will not be that nervous to do my FYP presentation and will not be over-frustrated after entering work place, because I have been trained to communicate professionally in this course. And moreover, this course brought me a lot of friends who I also learnt from and shared laughers with.

Thank you Brad for being our teacher, you are like the teachers in my high school years back in China, who were always nice and responsible, who always cares about their students. Thank you Van and Rach to be my team mates, for the wonderful time we spent together. And thank you for all my class mates for sharing four hours together every week. Now I know many people from engineering too, and I appreciate the way engineers think which is different from how scientists do to some extend.

Hope everyone does best in the exams and may a happy holiday for you ahead!

12 comments:

  1. Hello Dong Fang,

    I salute you for taking 7 modules man! I seriously will not be able to cope with that amount of work. And congrats on landing an internship opportunity. I am *still* impressed with your long list of achievements and work experience. I agree with you that we probably will not forget what we have learnt in this course, and that it will certainly aid us when we join the workforce.

    I have interacted with you a couple of times, and I found you to be a really nice and approachable person. I wish you all the best for the upcoming exams :)

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  2. Hi Dongfang,

    7 modules! Wow. HAHA. Now, I have no right AT ALL to complain about having no time. (: I would like to take this opportunity to say that both you and Rachel really impress me with your determination and positive work attitude. Looking at the long list of achievements you guys have earned, I can't help but feel ashamed. It made me reflect on my attitude towards life- be it in terms of studies or in other aspects. So thank you for that. I sincerely wish you all the best in your future endeavours. (:

    With Love,
    Jasmine

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  3. Thank you very much, Dongfang, for all your effort with our course and for this very comprehensive reflection. I appreciate the accolades and your willingness to work hard in this course even as you took 6 other modules. Amazing!

    As I've said before, I admire the dedication that anyone who is a non-native speaker of English must show to do well in this course. All the writing and speaking demands really can be pressurizing. Your work has been highly appreciated.

    Best of luck in your future pursuits!

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  4. Hey Dongfang,
    I would agree with Brad about taking up this course as I would have no idea how it would be like if I tried to do something similar in Chinese. Hope that it has been a great learning experience for you and if any of my comments or questions, especially during your presentation, were a tad harsh, it was really for critical evaluation. Nothing personal.

    cheers.

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  5. Dear Dongfang,

    I am happy that you still like me despite my endless complains and unreasonable expectation. It was fun to work with you. I hope you all the best.

    Hai Van

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  7. Hi Michelle,

    Thank you for your comment.Ya,I definitely won't recommende anyone else to take 7 modules in NUS....!!!!!!
    But after I suffered days and nights from them,I found myself still alive, and the truth is that I become even much stronger. :@ both physically (i gained a lot weight due to pressure & carring 7 modules' notes gave me more muscles. haha) and psychologically (we won't die if we took more modules)....

    Hope you all the best in both exam and holidays~~

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  8. Hi Jasmine,

    I should thank you for your presentation and peer teaching! which told me that presentation should be fun and not lecture-style.It was you and Gwen who dress up and gave me such idea to make presentation more vivid and hence to catch ppl's attention.

    Wish you all the best in coming exams and the rest studies in NUS!!!

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  9. Thank you Brad for always encouraging us! I never meet a teacher like you after I came to Singapore.Unlike other lecturers in science subjects,you always give both personal and acdemic advice to us,which is so valuable on our way to grow up.Thank you so much!!

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  10. Hey Feodor,

    Haha,I definitely knew that your comments on our op was personal, 'coz you gave evey group critical evaluation.Haha kidding.

    I indeed appreciate your comments! We are here to learn, and only people standing outside could give subjective suggestions. Thank you for your in-depth advice and your attention paid to the presentation!!! It did help me a lot that you might not expect.

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  11. Hi Van,

    haha of course, I will not take that personal and I hope to see you again! You always give the passionate look and confident.

    Hope you all the best in job hunting!The other day I saw you walking to biz dressing formally~You were a very pretty OL~~

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  12. Hi Dongfang,

    Thank you for choosing this course, it is you that give me the courgae to cope with the difficulities we faced during the process. All the best.

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