Day 1 (MKTG 25,790)
Before the paper, I felt my heart lost in me, that kind of anxiety or nervous breakdown, everyone would had gone through that…The 1st paper was a breeze, tips were relevant, I was taking this lightly because I thought I had committed myself most to this paper, others were not very prepared, but the paper was freakingly identical to prelim that really shocked me, word for word, if you memorize, no problem getting full marks. I was only capable of doing 2 questions well, the rest; nah, smoking through all the way, I wrote continuously non-stop for 2 pages, and my hand was so tired, I was racing against time, try to make full use of the time given, but I couldn’t write that much, as my ideas were distorted, I was making sure that relevant linkage was done. After I leave the exam hall, I had a feeling whether my marks were enough for me to pass, another thought that came into mind was that maybe I would fared worst than for prelims…
The only happy thing for the day was that my study table which stood like twin tower of KL has started to collapse.
Lesson of the day: Exam-smart students get smart results.
Day 2
I was cooping myself at the library to read articles of HRM. That seems to be the minimum requirement but I was running out of time. I was couching on a leather seat by the window overseeing the blue sky, and the surrounding neighbourhood. I witnessed an astonishing incident of an elderly with some primary school girls from CHINA. The old man who was sitting behind me left his seat for lunch, but the books and a couple of handwritten notes were left on the seat. After a while, a young lad came over, occupying the seat, throwing the books on the floor, read a book and left shortly. Another 2 primary girls came over and sat down; the books were already on the floor. After that, another 2 girls from C came and joined them, 2 on the seat, 2 on the floor, they were discussing about their mid year exams, but talking loudly, even though I had my mp3 on, I could still hear them. The old man came back, upon seeing the books on the floor, shouted at the girls to return him the books and questioned why were they so rude to put the books on the floor, they were innocent though, but argued with the old man, the old man who was a little short-tempered questioned the young girls if they were taught hao gong min in school, and they were exchanging blows till the whole library was aware of the incident, there were words of discrimination though. The old man left angrily, wanted to go to the library counter to ask for the CCTV of whether was it the girls who put the books on the floor, some minutes later, he returned with a smile and apologize to the CHINA girls, he blames himself after seeing the library notice that seats cannot be reserved. The girls were taken aback with the abrupt change of behaviour, but they were still discussing about the old man who seems mad to them. The discussion was so loud and irritating with their stupid slang. Still, the old man now came back again, with the library manager, he apologized in the presence of the library manager to the schoolgirls, but still the girls want to blow up the matter because of discrimination, but the library manager told them to treat it as an misunderstanding as old people are usually quick tempered. The girls let it past, everything went back to normal, but still they were talking loudly like nobody business. A malay librarian who was sorting out the books came by, “girls, this is a library, you don’t want to be chased out right? So, please lower down your volume” The warning seems to last only for half hour, and they were back to talking aloud again, another librarian who was nearby came by and shouted “no talking”, but they continued talking, the librarian came back and shouted in CHINESE, “this is a library, so no talking please”. How much of advice seems to fall on deaf ears. They left in the late afternoon, but their irresponsible behaviour somehow tarnish the school reputation, dozen of CHINESE books were left lying on the floor. Finally, there’s peace, I continued with HRM, left the library on when it’s dinner time.
Lesson of the day: Old people are hot tempered, young people are quick tempered!
Day 3-6
I was back for retreat for the next 3 papers.
Day 7 (PSOC 22,868) The day when I was “killed” w/o a bulletproof vest in the battlefield!
I covered almost all the topic hoping to score at section A as reviewing the past year paper gives the SUBJECTIVE knowledge that it will be REPEATED this year. Before the exam, the chief invigilator announced a mistake in the total numbers of question, which was changed from 8 to 6. The 1st few minutes of the start of the exam, I was shocked, my heart sank and broke in to pieces, I couldn’t find the topic of question that I studied, I flipped over the cover page to see if I got the wrong paper, it wasn’t….. Organization was not part of question. I was very disturbed during the 3 hours, my mind couldn’t think well. Through PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION, I saw 1 guy leaving the hall after 30 minutes into the start, the invigilator collected his script, flipped open, I saw that it was empty. That guy must be in great despair. I couldn’t do section A as well as the questioned posted was not covered in syllabus at all, it was a twist of structure, everything seems to be different. I was stuck for section C, die die also must attempt as it carry a hefty weightage of 25 marks, I got no choice but to turn my answer into organization even though the question asked for power. After all, I was only taught organization and extreme emphasis from this topic came from all the foreign and local lecturers. Throughout the exam, I couldn’t control my teary eyes. After the exam, everyone walking out the exam hall was discussing HOW COME THERE’S NO ORGANIZATION QUESTION IN SECTION C, everyone was basically talking about the same issue…… On the way home, I just couldn’t believe that organization was missed out from exam, my main concern, I’m sure to fail and repeat this unit again. I didn’t blame myself for not studying well enough; I was just in for a shock of a lifetime. The next day was HRM paper; my mind was full of socio mishaps. I tried to turn in early, hoping to catch more sleep, I lay in bed, eyes still wide open, I couldn’t get to sleep, I’m suffering from exam sleeping disorder, only to be waking late the next day.
Lesson of the day: Trust nobody else but yourself.
Day 8 (HRM 9,359)
This was the day with least students taking the exam, or maybe they’ve not recovered from the sociology distress, or maybe hospitalized after suffering from stroke upon seeing the socio exam question. 3 “hardworking” girls were sitting at the taxi stand doing last minute revision, trying to test each other memory power on PC & RnS, and laughing like nobody business, after all, laughing is the only medicine for distressing….. Drinking coka cola to perk up. I was sitted at the last 2nd seat, had a bird’s eye view of the whole venue. After the exam, I rushed to the toilet, then I lost 2 friends at the coka cola machine, the burden was getting lighter, as the next day was rest day again. When we walking to the MRT control station, our eyes caught the same sight.
There’s many hunky whites queuing at the Citibank ATM machine. Bulky muscles, 6 feet and above height, but it’s like dwarf and…..
Me: That’s a perfect place to hook big fishes
SH: ya lor, cut a few holes on your blouse and cut dozens of holes on your skirt, then stand beside the Citibank ATM machine….
Me & Kio: LOL
While waiting to enter the train,
SH (to kio): hey, u should enter that cabin, many whites there….
Kio: Nono, that’s not my cup of tea…
SH and I move away from her to another cabin, leaving her to board at that cabin with many hunky whites
Lesson of the day: Girls who want to catch big fish, you know where to hunt?
Day 9 (UOL hit TNP headlines)
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,130676,00.html
Moderation to be done???!!!
Would it be fair to student who actually study other topics? How do you gauge the effort that they put in?
Would it be fair to student who actually answer organization in their own words, despite no organization question was asked?
Wouldn’t it benefit those students who actually left that section blank….
I don’t know what’s the outcome, but I doubt there’s complete OBJECTIVITY in the moderation done, and maybe students should be let known of the TRANSPARENCY of how the moderation was done. Let students judge for themselves the STANDARDIZATION of the marking scheme…. Hahaha
VERSTEHEN: Put yourself in others’ shoes
Many students were taken aback by the shock in the questions set, including me, the trauma caused a ripple effect, and it takes time to heal a broken soul!!!!
Day 10 (POA 29, 1132)
I omit 2 chapters of study hoping that they wouldn’t be at heavy weightage in the exam, but it proved me wrong, what I studied never came out but what I did not study splash over the whole exam papers. Again, I was caught off-hand, so devastating…. There was a repeated advice from my lecturer to tear the workings that had been done on the question paper and attach it to the answer booklet, and I did exactly that as I had a premonition that I would flung this paper. Again, I left the hall feeling down, I went to the toilet, seeing the queue, it made me feel worst….
The happiest incident of the day, my study table stood at ground zero, the books are notes are all “burnt”. But when I reached home at night, I didn’t clear the debris on my table, I was afraid I will be tempted to check my answers. After the exam, we went to celebrate, spend the whole night singing and dancing and rocking, to shake away the stress, but that didn’t help much after all, too much highness wreck my sleeping at night, as usual, I couldn’t sleep.
Day 11 (Post exam symptom)
This is the day when I resume work. Maybe the busy work will make me think less of the exam trauma but it proved me wrong. Nightmare haunted me at night and I woke up sobbing. Terrible man…… I’m trying to engage myself in my favourite past-time to move ahead in life.
For my faithful readers: (attributed by pk)
Cat & Fish: I really hope to meet your guys one of these days, I’ve got lots to tell you and hope you get ready to update me too. You know la, absence make the heart fonder, or what ah (dunno la), really miss you guys….Cheers
AT: Remember our pact on the activities that we’re going to do on 3 different days, I’m all geared up!!! If you ever make it BIG one day, must remember your dear friend here OK?
Kio: Oh man, really love to hear you speak, excellent humor cells to make me laugh non-stop. I simply can’t forget your “siao-liao-lah” in Indian accent while sitting at the taxi stand. All the best for your last paper, and practicing your ah-ah-ing if we ever make it to ktv again for those oldies….
Jasmine: Work must be stressful hor, I tell you ah, I’ve only come to realize that study is more stressed than work ah…. Exam craziness now no more… (Please ah, to-long,to-long, there IS NO MUDAN on my blog, it’s JH only)
Bel: it’s JH, remember JH, NO MUDAN, or I will “turn face”….. I really wonder why you can sleep so well during exam period, but as days get nearer, your sleeping hours will turned into reading hours. Even ms kio has sacrificed her sleeping time; learn from her la, lazy pig!!! Anyway, good luck for your papers, hope that you fell in love with my beautiful calc….Wahaha
PK: I really wish to attend your wedding, but I think I think, I’m always busy la, as usual. Congratulation to you for clinching the title of home maker, so busy doing chores and taking care of reishi till you forget how to blog ah… Really hope to see you soon, and wishing you a blissful marriage.