This will be the first of many posts by one of your resident bloggers here, Jaiden! There are others, of course, such as Yu Ling - who has already done a lot of work, doing the previous few posts - & Lorraine, so you'll get to hear from us a lot more. Also, this effort is coordinated by Ms. Noor Farida, an awesome lecturer from TP!
Well, I'm pretty sure that when it comes to picking a school, most people will definitely want to find out more about a school's overall dynamics, environment & most importantly, about the people in there! There's only one word that can sum the people in TP up. Awesome! Join TP, & you'll be rewarded with a host of awesome people, & trust me, you'll be glad to be part of this awesome school!
Being a Freshman in Semester 1.1, my experience with TP is still undoubtedly green, & there's a lot more I have to learn, but, I still have some tips on surviving the school - Which is by & by a nice environment. This means that you don't have to worry too much! You can focus on your studies wholly! - that can complement your learning & overall experience with the school.
Tip One: Internet on the Move
Well, one would probably not bring a MacBook - That's what I use! MacBook Pro! My beloved darling! - or laptop every day, but Internet is still important, & you might not be able to get access to a lab easily. So...
If you have the means, get a smartphone with a 3G plan.
If not, use iPod Touches, iPhones or any other phone/portable device that can connect to the school Wi-fi network. In case you forget or are lazy to bring your laptop, MacBook et cetera, you can simply use your phone or whatever to access your important emails or OLIVE - Online Learning Interactive Virtual Environment, which is a portal the school provides to complement your learning by placing important announcements there & course materials, notes et cetera. - on the go.
How to connect to the Wi-fi network with iPod Touches & iPhones:
Step One: Click on settings.
Step Two: Select Wi-fi from the menu
Step Three: Below the 'Choose a network' title, click the button that says 'Other...'
Step Four: Key in TP-Secure as the network name
Step Five: Select WPA2 Enterprise as the network name
Step Six: Enter your admission number - given to you when you start school - as the username, & your barcode number - on your matriculation card, given to you when you start school - as the password. There we go. Connected to the school wi-fi network.
Tip Two: 'PR Squared'
*WARNING. TIP DERIVED BY YOURS TRULY. HEED WITH DISCRETION!*
What's that? Personal Reputation, & Public Relations. Having lots of friends in polytechnics - or anywhere else - can be really advantageous, as when you need help, friends will undoubtedly be there for you. Now, imagine this scenario. You're stuck at doing an utterly perplexing assignment. Your lecturer is out of office for the next week. Who else can you turn to? Your friends of course. Now, if you didn't have any friends, & the assignment was due in the next week, all that you can do is to attempt the assignment to the best of your ability - Hopefully, you'll be able to finish it! - but with the aid of your friends, finishing that assignment would have taken less time right? Also, you probably would have more than one assignment to worry about! So, start socialising, & socialise well!
Also, a linked factor to Public Relations, is of course Personal Reputation. Now, if you're notorious for not wanting to do work et cetera, do you think people would want to help you? Or, do group work with you? Group work usually has to be a coordinated effort for it to work. I'm sure that you won't want your grades to be compromised right? Thus, whatever you do, remember to stay hardworking! Even when you graduate you have to. Whatever situation you are in you have to work hard. Don't let laziness become a burden.
Tip Three: Effective Time Management
More often than not, you will have more than one assignment to handle at one go. Thus, learning how to manage your time well - Again, this is an essential skill which can help you in your life after TP as well - is directly beneficial to your learning. There are many ways where you can do this, so I will try to the best of my ability to summate here as many time-saving methods as I can.
- Use a personal organiser, & note down every little appointment, assignment dead line et cetera to remind you of everything around you that goes on. This way, you're bound to forget less, & do more.
- Multi-task, if you can do it properly. If you're the type who must focus on one item at a time, then don't, for there will be a negative effect instead. More haste, less speed. But with wits, multi-tasking can be your best friend. But, without mastering it properly, it becomes a foe. Be careful with this one.
- Set alarms for everything. If you're overly cautious, set multiple alarms. For example, if you're afraid you'll be late for school, set five alarms on five different devices - or at least that's what I do, if you can't wake up, you really sleep well.
- Do your assignments ASAP. When you're hard-pressed for time, you won't have the mood or clarity of mind to finish up those assignments. Think of it this way, if you work hard at first, you get to rest later. Quoting my Chinese teacher from Secondary Four, Ms. Neo, 先苦后甜 - Translates to hard work pays off. So, work hard, & you'll enjoy the fruits of your labour!
Undoubtedly, Люди инвалиды - Russian, pronounced as Lyudi Invalidy, directly translates to invalid people, but I'm using this phrase in the context of morally invalid people - people exist. This is an inexplicable mystery of life that perhaps will never be solved. Why do some people - Sadly. Sigh. - do so much malicious things to other people?
Thus, if you ever feel that a classmate - Don't worry, there's not much here in TP, but everywhere you go, there'll be one or two, so you still have to be careful - is being malicious to you, just pay that classmate back in their own coin. If they cross the line, alert the 'authorities' - Lecturers, if your grades are compromised as a result of their actions - or confront them nicely. Strike a deal, make friends with them, & all will be fine. Well, you don't really have to 'like' them, you only have to make peace. Everybody wants peace, & making peace definitely is a win-win situation. Use your wits on this one. Brute force is a no-go. You'll lose for sure.
Well, that's about all I have to say for today. Having too long a post will turn people off, this is what we learn in Introduction to Human Computer Interaction. See! We learn so much from lessons in TP! So, what's holding you guys back? Consider joining TP today!
XOXO, Y'know y'wanna be a part of TP's awesome family,
Jaiden
P.S: In case you're wondering, yes, I watch Gossip Girl & am addicted to it. =)
