Life in Moscow #2: The Decision

We went to the Sub Medic office two days after we have arrived in Moscow to process some documents regarding our registration in the university. We left our hostel at 12 o’clock in the afternoon along with a few seniors. After taking a bus to Yugo Zapadnaya, we took the metro to the Sub Medic office in Sportivnaya.

Processing the documents took forever. It wasn’t until 7.30pm that we were finally free to go. Before leaving, Dr Farid gave us an offer to shift to another hostel as he had received various complaints from students and also their parents in Malaysia. Anyone who wish to shift to the hostel in Yugo were to write their names in a name list provided by Dr Farid and then pass it back to him.

After discussing with my roommate Junson, we made the decision to shift from Pushkin to Yugo Zapadnaya as the hostel in Yugo was nearer to the university and the room conditions were also better. However, the other three of my housemates decided to stay back in the Pushkin hostel and we respected their decision. So, we found ourselves three new housemates. They were Jia Hao, Bengque and Dave. We wrote down our names on the list and we left the office.

Instead of going back to our hostel in Pushkin, we followed Catherine to Yugo Zapadnaya by bus to take a little ‘preview’ of our new hostel. Having arrived in Yugo Zapadnaya, we ate at Mcdonalds and we met a few more seniors from the Yugo hostel. They were really friendly and we started chatting. After having a satisfying dinner, the seniors brought us to the hostel.

The hostel wasn’t too far away from the metro station and the bus stop. Plus, there were market, grocery shops, restaurants and medium-sized shopping malls nearby, so it was more convenient for us if we wanted to buy food, clothes or some daily necessities. The environment surrounding the Yugo hostel was apparently much better compared to that of the Pushkin hostel. I was so thrilled for what I have seen here. Convenience for travelling and also shopping! At last, I have made the RIGHT decision!

We went back to Pushkin after that and we waited for another 4 to 5 days until we shifted to the Yugo hostel. J

Life in Moscow #1: A New Beginning

It was 4 o’clock in the afternoon (which is 8 o’clock in Malaysia) when we arrived at the Moscow Domodedovo Airport. The journey from KLIA to Moscow took us almost a whole day. The airline we chose was Royal Jordanian, the government-owned flag carrier of Jordan. The seats inside the airplane weren’t that comfortable and spacious, so I had a hard time falling asleep during the flight. However, the number of meals they serve was rather incredible. The air-stewardess never gave us any chance to have empty stomachs – they serve us 5 meals within 24 hours! So, if you ever had the chance to fly with the Royal Jordanian, don’t be surprised when you find yourself gaining a few extra pounds after coming out of the airplane. J

Our guide and Russian Language teacher, Ms Ayuna led us to the baggage claim where we got back our luggage once we got through the airport immigration. She left shortly after the employees from Sub Medic had arrived. Then, we took a bus and reached our hostel in Pushkin after an hour. A short briefing was given by Dr Pal, an assistant of Dr Farid(who is the ‘big boss’ of Sub Medic) to us. After that, Dr Pal passed us our room keys; my room was on the 12^th floor. My housemates Tzong Yew, Kien Peng, Jonathan, Junson and I carried our luggage to our unit.

Our unit had 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. The first bedroom can fit in 3 persons while the other can fit in 2 persons. My roommate Junson and I chose the twin sharing room just like we had agreed back when we were still in college. Our room was quite dusty and the condition of the furniture weren’t good. Furthermore, the size of this twin sharing room was really small. It was a few times smaller than my bedroom at home. To be honest, I was a bit pissed off when I first got in and saw the room. But, hey, what can I do? I’m already here, in Moscow, and there is no turning back. I had a look at the other room. It was much bigger than our room and it made me thought that I had made the wrong decision. Hmmph… What’s done is done. They might have a bigger room, but we have more privacy!

15 minutes later, we returned to the lobby to gather with the seniors from our university. I met Catherine, my ‘mentor’, and she’s supposed to take care of me, her ‘mentee’. So, I got a sim-card from her, withdrawed some money from the ATM machine, topped up my phone and called back home. Later, the seniors brought us and the other 1^st years to a restaurant and we had our dinner there. Just like I had expected, the Russians couldn’t speak English. So, Catherine helped us to make orders as we could barely speak Russian. We went back to the hostel after having dinner.

The weather here in Moscow was cold. 16 to 17 degree celcius currently, much colder than the weather in Klang. Everything in Moscow was so new to me. The people, the language, the weather, the architecture and so much more. Now it’s about time I experienced something new, something very different from what I had seen or felt or tasted in Malaysia. This would be the beginning for something new, something distinct. This would be a new beginning.  =)

Life in Moscow #Prologue: The Journey

1. KLIA to Bangkok (10.30pm – 1am)
2. Bangkok to Amman (2am-10am)
3. Amman to Moscow (??-8.30pm) --- GMT+8

The day has finally come, on the nineteenth day of September 2011.

Today was the day I would leave everything behind, in my beloved home country.

I would be travelling all alone to an entirely unknown region, without company of my loved ones.

Reaching the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 6pm, other Medic Ed students could be seen waiting at the check-in counter along with their family members. After a roll call and a short briefing by the Medic Ed staffs, passports and other documents were returned to us. Luggages were then being checked in at two counters adjacent to each other.

After checking in my luggage, I went to the airport cafeteria. My parents and siblings were there waiting for me. My aunt’s family came after a while and we had dinner. We ate and chatted and took photos together.

At 10pm, we exchanged our “final” words and bided farewell before I went into the terminal with my batch mates.

I would be all on my own from now on, without guidance and urging from my parents. I made a leap of faith and I would stick to it no matter what the circumstances are. By the day I return home, I would have achieved something great. I believe in myself, I truly do. J

Finally!

Finally! Finally! Haha. I can finally put on my pair of contact lenses after all these months (bought them on March). Feeling freaking happy and excited now, haha.

Well, the principles from the book "The Secret" written by Rhonda Byrne seems to work on me. It actually helped me put on my cons indirectly. :) I borrowed it from my sister and briefly read through, and now I will download the e-book from the internet so that I can bring it to Russia. ^^

Lee CW Rules

The world number 1 badminton player Datuk Lee Chong Wei has finally entered the final stage of  BWF World Championships 2011 after defeating China's Chen Jing in the semi-final. Now Lee CW is only one step away from becoming the 1st ever "World Champion" of Malaysia.

Lee CW has improved quite a lot since his defeat by Lin Dan in the final of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. His playing style was more towards defensive at that time. After 3 years of training and hardwork, he is now an all-rounded player. His offensive and defensive techniques are both excellent. He has good judgement, agility as well as stamina. He's shown all these qualities in the match against Chen Jing.

Lee CW thrashed China's Chen Jing in 40 minutes by 21-13 and 21-9. Lee CW is incredible. The score was 8-8 during the second set and Lee gave no chance to Chen Jing at all. The final score was 21-9, Lee scored 13 points in a row and only allowed his opponent to score a single point within 10 minutes, not to mention Lee was actually  playing against a former world champion. Dato Lee made Chen Jing look like a baby. He totally owned the match.

Lee will be playing against either his arch-enemy 2nd seeded player Lin Dan or Denmark's 3rd seeded player Peter Gade in tomorrow's final. Lee himself is the 1st seeded player of the tournament as he has kept an extraordinary record this year. He had more than 40 wins and only a single defeat in 2011. Lee is now in his best form and I believe he can win the match tomorrow and become Malaysia's 1st ever World Champion. All the best, Datuk Lee, you have our full support. Go out there and grab a gold medal for your country! Make your country proud!

Updated on 15th August: Lee Chong Wei lost to his nemesis Lin Dan, but it was a really close match.

Learning a Language

Learning a foreign language isn't easy, especially when it's a language you aren't particularly interested in. I'm currently learning the Russian language as I'll be leaving soon to further my studies in the Russian Federation. I wouldn't say it's a very difficult language to learn, but learning a new language in a class with one teacher and a hundred students is almost impossible. The Russian teacher (a female Russian who looks like an Asian and is probably in her 30s) is passionate, yes, I can see that. However, learning a foreign language in 15 days and in such a big group is extremely difficult.

I'm trying my best to learn the language. I have to learn basic Russian language before my departure to Moscow as most of the locals do not speak English (even if they do understand English, they'd pretend as if they don't). The Russian language class isn't going to help much, so I might as well learn the language from materials found in the internet (there are a lot of videos teaching Russian on Youtube). Still, I'll try to concentrate in the Russian class and see if I could learn anything... The tuition fee for the class isn't cheap!

Lighters ft. Bruno Mars

This ones for you and me living out our dreams,
We are right where we should be,
With my hands out wide, I open my eyes, and now all I wanna see,
Is a sky full of lighters, a sky full of lighters.

The Rules Of Life

Rules For You

Rule #2: You'll get older but not necessarily wiser
 -> Wisdom isn't about not making mistakes but about learning to escape afterwards with our dignity and sanity intact.


Rule #16: Change what you can change, let go of the rest
-> Dedicate yourself personally to things you can change, areas where you can make a difference.


Rule #17: Aim to be the very best at everything you do, not second best
-> Failing is Fine. Aiming for second best isn't.


Rule #49: Only the good feel guilty
-> If you do feel guilty. That's a good sign.


Rule #50: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all


Taken from "The Rules Of Life" written by Richard Templar

5 Ways to Maintain a Balance College Life

5 Ways to Maintain a Balance College Life by Bryan Tan

1. Set Personal Goals

Setting goals helps in maintaining a balance college life. Do not set goals that are too high or goals that are too low. If you set goals that are too high, you will end up being frustrated and disappointed for not being able to achieve your goals. If you set goals that are too low, they won’t be much of a challenge and you will feel empty and unsatisfied when you achieve them. The goals you set should be slightly challenging, but not so much that you can’t achieve them. These goals aren’t too high or too low, they are more realistic and attainable.

You must be specific with your goals. You can’t just set a goal of wanting to get ‘A’s, instead, you have to set a specific goal - “getting ‘A’s in all Science subjects”. Besides, your goals need to have a deadline for you to achieve them. If you do not have a time frame for your goals, chances are you will delay them over and over again. Having a time frame is to prevent procrastination in achieving your goals.

You can learn to set short term goals and also long term goals. Short term goals are goals that can be achieved in a shorter period of time (a week or maybe a month), while long term goals are goals that can only be achieved after years or decades of endurance and perseverance. Let’s say your ultimate goal is to become a successful doctor. You can set getting straight ‘A’s in your first year of medical studies as your short term goal and becoming a MD (doctor of medicine) graduate with honors as your long term goal.

Consider setting goals for yourself, not only for academics, but for other aspects of college life as well. Remember, you have to know the purpose behind your goals, stick to your goals and never let others influence them.


2. Learn to Prioritize

You are now in college and you are no longer a kid. You don’t need other people to tell you what you need to do and what you needn’t. You are a grown-up, an adult. Start learning how to set your priorities. Setting priorities brings balance to your college life.

Get to know what your priorities are. As college students, study must always be in your top priority list. Spend more time doing revision and less time playing computer games. Always study first and play later. Don’t go for a movie with your friends when you haven’t completed an assignment that is due on Friday. Your studies might be affected if you hang out with your friends too often, so go out with them once in a while and don’t ever forget to check your priorities.


3. Eliminate Distractions

There are many things that can distract us and prevent us from achieving our goals. You have to focus on your goals and try not to get distracted too easily. You need to know what are the things that will distract you and you must eliminate them.

The biggest goal of most college students is to get excellent grades in order to enter a decent university. Too much distraction will affect your academic performances and prevent you from achieving your goals. You have to eliminate distractions to keep yourself focused. Simple things like logging off from Facebook, signing out from MSN, turning off the television and checking your email once or twice a day (instead of every half an hour!) can help you study well and get your work done.

If the dorm is too noisy and you couldn’t do your revision properly, find somewhere else where you can study quietly. In addition, get away from ‘friends’ (friends that are too playful, friends who always skip classes etc) who will distract you from achieving your goals. Having eliminated/minimized distractions, you are able to focus on your goals and excel in college.


4. Manage Your Use of Time

You can always spend time going out with your friends, take part in extra-curricular activities or get a part-time job to earn some extra income. But, you should never neglect your studies. Start learning how to manage your time wisely. Good time management helps you to maintain a balance college life.

You must plan well and make yourself a study schedule. Try to study for at least an hour every weekday and 2-3 hours during the weekends. This is definitely a promising way for you to achieve good grades in college. Besides a study schedule, you can also make yourself a to-do list everyday (or every week). Try your best to complete everything that is listed down by the end of the day (or end of the week).

Avoid procrastination. If you’re one of those who actually prefer procrastinating instead of turning in their assignments in time during high school, believe me, you really should stop this terrible habit from now on. If you continue to procrastinate in college and fail to turn in your assignments before the deadline, it’s possible you will end up getting a failing grade and you are forced to retake the entire semester. Procrastination can ruin your college life. My advice is, learn to allocate your time wisely and never ever procrastinate.


5. Study Effectively


Everyone has their own unique way of studying. You have to find your way to study effectively. Learn to study smarter, not harder. Students who are hardworking might not be able to get good grades if they do not study using an effective way. Study smart is the key to good academic performance in college. Not only does it help in getting satisfying grades, but it saves you plenty of time as well.

Pay attention when you’re in the classroom or lecture hall. Take down notes during lectures as you will be needing them during revision. One effective way to take down notes is by using the Cornell note-taking method/system (a widely used note-taking method devised by Professor Walter Pauk of the Cornell University in the 1950s). This method can help you revise your notes easily. If you’re worried you couldn’t take down the important points the lecturer said in time, use a mp3 recorder to record lectures.

Try to do revision after classes, even a mere 5 to 10 minutes will do. Doing revision helps you to refresh your memory and prepare yourself for the upcoming tests. Remember, you’re no longer in high school. If you choose to study at the last minute, there’s a high possibility you’re going to fail your test.

Study using the right/effective way is a must in college. You have to choose the right spot to study (never study on your bed!). A place without disturbance is the ideal place to study. Other than that, try to study when you’re the sharpest. For me, I don’t study when I just woke up in the morning or after a heavy lunch. I choose to study in the evening (before dinner) as that is when I can stay sharp. Studying when you’re sharpest maximizes absorption. Lastly, try to take a small break every 1 or 2 hour of study. Your mind need some rest to stay in its sharpest form.

Man Utd Season 11/12

Manchester United
                                 

Pre-season signing: Ashley Young, Phil Jones, David de Gea, Wesley Sneijder (in progress), Nasri (maybe)

Main Team Formation: 4-4-2

Goal keeper: David de Gea
Defender: Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Fabio/Rafael/Phil Jones
Mid-field: Valencia (winger), Wesley Sneijder (attacking midfielder), Ryan Giggs/ Park Ji Sung (central midfielder), Ashley Young/Nani (winger)
Forward: Wayne Rooney, Chicarito

Subs:
Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Owen, Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick, Anderson, Chris Smalling etc.

Hmm, Dead Blog?

It's been quite a while since I last updated this blog. This blog seems dead... I have always wanted to update my blog, but sometimes I really don't know what to write about.

I'm lack of inspiration. That's the problem. Can someone please help me out? =)

When I'm Gone

"When I'm Gone"

We're doing it.

I look around me,
But all I seem to see,
Is people going no where,
Expecting sympathy.

It's like we're going through the motions,
Of a scripted destiny.
Tell me where's our inspiration,
If life wont wait,
I guess it's up to me.

[Chorus:]
Woah!
No, we're not gonna waste another moment in this town.
Woah!
And we won't come back your world is calling out.
Woah!
We'll leave the past in the past,
Gonna find the future.
If misery loves company well,
So long, you'll miss me when I'm gone.

Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.

Procrastination, running circles in my head.
While you sit there contemplating,
You wound up left for dead (left for dead)
Life is what happens while you're busy making your excuses.
Another day, another casualty.
And that won't happen to me.

[Chorus]

Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
When I'm gone-

Let's go!

Won't look back,
When I say goodbye.
I'm gonna leave this a hole behind me,
Gonna take what's mine tonight.
Because every wasted day becomes a wasted chance.
You're gonna wake up feeling sorry,
Because life wont wait,
I guess it's up to you.

[Chorus]

Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.
Ooh, ooh, ooh.
You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.

Challenge

Challenges cause growth; they test our skills and make us better. =)

Time for Something New

It's about time I posted something new :D

College - Week 01 - What to do?

College – Week 1 – What to do? (by Bryan Tan)

Do you want your first week of college to be the beginning of a great year? If you do, here are the 10 must-dos during the first week of college.

10) Buy your books – You have to buy all the textbooks you need right away as the lecturers will probably start giving reading assignments or homework during the first week of college.

9) Bring everything necessary – Textbooks, notebooks, foolscap papers, stationeries, laptop… Bring everything you need. (Refer to 10 Items to Survive College)

8) Know where your classrooms are – The campus is huge and there are many classrooms and lecture halls. Make sure you know where your classrooms are. Go to college early on the first day and find out where they are. Remember, do not be late. Being late on the first day isn’t a great way to begin college.

7) Avoid getting lost on campus – During the first few days of college, you are still a little unsure where everything is. Therefore, you might get lost on campus. You wouldn’t want that to happen, would you? So, what you can do is spend some time and walk around to find out where everything is located before your classes begin. That will help you to avoid getting lost on campus.

6) Make friends – Get to know your classmates/college mates. Make friends with them. You might need their help in time to come. Besides, having friends in your class makes it easier when you are trying to look for group members for group assignments or group presentations. A college life without friends would definitely be the last thing you want.

5) Look for a study spot – There are many places in college where you can study alone quietly without any disturbance. Choose a spot. It can be in the library, in the corner of an empty lecture hall, under a shady tree or somewhere else entirely. Remember, choosing a quiet place allows you to study better.

4) Check your schedule – Don’t forget to check your class schedule or timetable before classes start and bring all the books you will need. Although textbooks are not really necessary in classes (handouts or other materials will be given), you should still bring them for your own reference.

3) Attend all classes – Some students think that real lessons won’t begin during the first few days of college and will choose to skip classes, but the fact is most lecturers will begin teaching on the very first day after making brief introduction on the course or the subject. If you miss the first few classes, not only will you lose attendance marks (yes, attendance marks are given in most colleges), but you will also fall behind and have a hard time keeping up. So, do attend all classes starting on the first day.

2) Fill in your calendar – Once you have been told by your lecturers about doing presentations or assignments, deadlines will be given. Fill the major deadlines in your calendar to make sure you won’t turn in your assignments late. You can also fill the exam dates in the calendar so that you won’t forget about them. Knowing where all of them are helps you to allocate/manage your time effectively.

1) Plan well – You can spend time going out with your college friends, but you need to manage your time well in order to have a balance college life. You should spend 70% of your time to study and 30% to play and hang out with friends. If your play time is longer than your study time, chances are you won’t be able to get good grades in college. Without good grades, you are not likely to enter your university of choice. So, allocate your time wisely to find a balance between studies and play time.

Follow these tips, and I can ensure you that your first week of college will certainly be the beginning of a great year!

10 items to Survive College

10 items to Survive College (by Bryan Tan)

As a college student, you have to know what are the things that you need to bring to college. After studying for more than five months in a college, I have come up with my own list of items you will need to survive college. I believe they will certainly prove to be very useful.

1. Laptop – Every college student needs a laptop. It doesn’t have to be the most advanced model out there in the market; you just need a laptop good enough for you to complete your assignments and presentations (many lecturers prefer your assignments to be in both softcopy and hardcopy). However, IF YOU CAN AFFORD to buy a laptop with a powerful processor, a hard-disk with higher capacity and a longer battery life, why not? It certainly cost more, but it has better functions compared to the wallet-friendly (cheaper) laptops.

2. Mouse – Of course you can still use your laptop without a mouse, but don’t you think that using a mouse can enhance/speed up your performance when it comes to doing assignments?

3. USB flash drive – A USB flash drive/thumb-drive/pen-drive or whatever you call it is a must-have tool in college. You will need to use it for transferring and backing-up files. Besides, you can also use it to share music and videos with your classmates. An 8 or 16 GB thumb-drive will suffice.

4. External hard disk – Likewise, an external hard disk is also used for storing and transferring files. It has a bigger size, but its memory capacity is much larger than that of a thumb-drive (common external hard disks sold in market have 500GB to 1TB memory capacity).

5. Mobile phone – You will need a mobile phone to communicate with your parents, college friends, classmates and sometimes lecturers. You have two choices when you consider buying a mobile phone.
a) More affordable: A regular mobile phone that has all the basic communication tools you will need.
b) More expensive: A smart-phone (Apple iPhone, HTC etc) that can be a communication tool and also an entertainment tool.

6. Mp3 player – Long study hours in college can be really tiring. You can listen to songs with your mp3 player during recess or after classes to relax yourself. You can also listen to songs while reading books or doing assignments in the library, but remember to use earphones so that you will not disturb the others. A basic mp3 player that cost around RM100-150 can be easily found in the market.

7. Scientific Calculator – Most mobile phones nowadays have the calculator function in them; you can use them for simple calculation. However, a scientific calculator is needed when it comes to serious and complex calculation (especially for science students). Besides, you will not be allowed to bring in your mobile phone to the examination hall during exams; you will have no choice but to use a scientific calculator by then.

8. Notebook/Foolscap papers – Bring a few notebooks (not the computer notebook) and a set of foolscap papers to college, you will have to use them to copy down notes, do tutorials and so on. I strongly suggest you to take down lecture notes in a notebook instead of scribbling them down on foolscap papers. Why? That’s because you will most probably lose a few of them when you are trying to study for your tests. Well, if you really insist on using foolscap papers to take down notes, at least organize and keep them in a file to avoid losing them!

9. Cables, adaptors, chargers – Remember to bring the cables, adaptors and chargers you will need, you don’t want your mobile phone and laptop to run out of battery when you need to use them, right?

10. Power strip – Believe me, you really need a power strip, or else you and your classmates will be fighting for the few sockets you could find in class to plug in your laptop chargers.

The Extra no.11
11. Broadband modem – This is not really necessary, but if you are fed up with the extremely slow Wi-Fi connection in college, you may consider having a broadband modem to provide you a faster and smoother internet connection. Unlike the normal modem/router, a broadband modem is tiny (slightly bigger than a thumb-drive) and you can easily bring it to college.

Never Give Up

You are not finished when you fail, you are finished when you quit.

The whole world can turn against you, but you can never turn against yourself. NEVER.

When you make a mistake, admit it, learn from it, and NEVER repeat it.

Marvelous Monday

Woohoo, today is indeed a Marvelous Monday. Besides passing my driving test, I also got to know that I scored 4.0 gpa for both maths and physics for semester 1 through my friend (I wasn't in class).

Well, I'll be getting my P license this Saturday and that'll be so cool! Haha.

Final Exam's Over

Semester 1 final exam is finally over. Thank god the lecturer gave us tips for physics last night through Facebook. My friend Nicholas created a group for Oasis College Foundation in Science yesterday and invited all of us including our Physics and Maths lecturer, Mr Daniel into the group. Mr Daniel gave us a lot of tips, I think he really doesn't want us to fail his subject.

It was 12 am, I was in my room, sleeping. Then suddenly my phone started ringing. I picked it up and answered the call, it was Edward. He told me that Mr Daniel was "leaking" a lot of info/tips on Facebook. What the hell? Really? I hung up and quickly turned on my laptop. I logged on Facebook and entered the Foundation in Science group. Oh my god. Tips for physics exam were flooding like mad.

After copying down all the tips given, I started studying them. I studied all night and never slept. Today, at 8.30 am, I reached college. Physics exam started at 9 and Maths exam at 11. Both are quite okay, not too difficult.

After the Maths paper, we went to Sunway Pyramid for lunch and movie. There were approximately 17 of us with 4 cars. We went to Nandos and had our lunch. The food there wasn't really tasty anyway. Then, we went to the gaming centre and played video games before watching movie.

We watched World Invasion: Battle LA, an action-packed sci-fi blockbuster. It wasn't too bad, I'd rate it 7 over 10. Before leaving, I bought a book - I Am Number Four. I haven't watch the movie yet but I kept hearing people saying how amazing it was, so I decided to read the novel before watching it in the theatres.

Today was awesome. Hanging out with friends is so cool. I'm going to get my P license very soon and when I get it, I can fetch my friends to Sunway, to KL, to anywhere, haha. I'm really looking forward to receiving my P license.

Depressed

Today’s Chemistry quiz was tough, partly because I wasn’t well-prepared, and partly because some questions weren’t in the syllabus. There was a question asking us to explain metallic bonding. Of course I know metallic bonds form between metals, they’re the forces of attraction pulling metals together. But, hell, that’s all I know about metallic bonding, it’s not even in the textbook. Yes, the lecturer did mention it once weeks ago, but she only gave us a brief explanation…

This is really depressing…

…
…
…

AHH, doesn’t matter, I WILL get myself well-prepared next time. I SWEAR I WILL.

Bruno's Grenade

Grenade by BRUNO MARS

Easy come, easy go
That's just how you live, oh
Take, take, take it all,
But you never give
Should of known you was trouble from the first kiss,
Why were they open?
Gave you all I had
And you tossed it in the trash
You tossed it in the trash, you did
To give me all your love is all I ever asked,
Cause what you don't understand is
I’d catch a grenade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Throw my hand on a blade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I’d jump in front of a train for ya (yeah, yeah , yeah)
You know I'd do anything for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Oh, oh
I would go through all this pain,
Take a bullet straight through my brain,
Yes, I would die for ya baby;
But you won't do the same

No, no, no, no
Black, black, black and blue beat me till I'm numb
Tell the devil I said “hey” when you get back to where you're from
Mad woman, bad woman,
That's just what you are, yeah,
You’ll smile in my face then rip the breaks out my car
Gave you all I had
And you tossed it in the trash

You tossed it in the trash, yes you did
To give me all your love is all I ever asked
Cause what you don't understand is
I’d catch a grenade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Throw my hand on a blade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I’d jump in front of a train for ya (yeah, yeah , yeah)
You know I'd do anything for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Oh, oh
I would go through all this pain,
Take a bullet straight through my brain,
Yes, I would die for ya baby;
But you won't do the same

If my body was on fire, ooh
You’ d watch me burn down in flames
You said you loved me you're a liar
Cause you never, ever, ever did baby...
But darling I’ll still catch a grenade for ya
Throw my hand on a blade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I’d jump in front of a train for ya (yeah, yeah , yeah)
You know I'd do anything for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Oh, oh
I would go through all this pain,
Take a bullet straight through my brain,
Yes, I would die for ya baby;
But you won't do the same.
No, you won’t do the same,
You wouldn’t do the same,
Ooh, you’ll never do the same,
No, no, no, no

Blogging in Class

It is 2.26 pm. The biology lecturer stands beside the white board, holding her laser pointer while giving us lecture. Basically, she's merely reading out loud from her PowerPoint slides projected on the white board. It is rather boring, most of the students aren't paying attention to her. Some are doing their own work, others are day-dreaming.

There is this guy in my class, nicknamed Electron or The Guy with Tie. Once, the Chemistry lecturer asked "What is the proton number of this element?" and he randomly shouted "Electron!!!". My friend Marcus named him Electron as this was the first impression he gave us. At the present moment, the Bio lecturer is explaining the types of Photosynthesis loudly in front of the classroom, but Electron is sleeping soundly with his mouth wide opened, totally unconscious.

My new friend Marcus is also another funny guy who craps a lot. I turn around and see him painting his fingernails with red and pink colour while crapping with Sarah. He's definitely a gay, I decided.

Look, it isn't my fault blogging in class while the lecturer's teaching because her lecture is really BORING!!! Well, I'll try not to do this again, maybe I should try reading from the textbook by myself instead of listening to her lecture next time.

A New Year Experience

It's Chinese New Year! I gambled with my siblings and my sister's boyfriend at home on Wednesday night. That was my first ever gambling experience. We played Texas poker and I won 20 bucks. The following night, my dad joined us and we played blackjack. He was the dealer and I won 80 bucks that night. On friday, we gambled with some relatives in our grandma's home in Setiawan, I won 40 bucks after 3 and a half hours of gambling (kept losing and winning and losing and on and on). Yesterday and the day before yesterday, we played "NAMI" - poker tiles. This game requires luck as well as skills, I lost 20 or 30 bucks in the end...

Happy Chinese New Year 2011

New Year Resolution

Well, little Calvin may be perfect the way he is, but I'm not, so I've got my New Year ResolutionS for year 2011.

1)Concentrate on my studies and score well in exams:

-pay more attention in class.

-study and revise whenever I have the time.

-put more effort in assignments and projects.

2)Build up my confidence (in progress)

3)Improve presentation and communication skills (in progress)

4)Lose weight and grow taller

-cycle for at least 45 minutes in the evening (3-4 times a week).

-milk, cheese and eggs for breakfast.

-don't eat too much.

5)Manage time

-watch less tv.

-reduce usage on Facebook.

-plan well.

6)Continue writing and reading

-blog during free time.

-read and write during free time.

College Life

It's been a week or two since I wrote my last blog post. Today, I feel like writing about my college life. Well, college started last Tuesday. Basically, my college is more like a tuition centre in terms of size and facilities. It's bigger than any regular tuition centres but much smaller compared to other colleges. It's located in Old Klang Road and there's a police station somewhere nearby. Everyday, I have to wake up at about 6.50 am, take a shower, have my breakfast, and then leave at 7.30 am. My mum fetches me to college everyday since I haven't gotten my driver's license yet. Normally, I'll reach college at 8.35 am and will have to wait for 10 to 20 minutes before the lesson starts.

There isn't much choice when it comes to food. Opposite to the college, there's a coffee shop and beside the college there's another restaurant where I haven't been to so far. Everyday I'll go to the coffee shop with a few new friends I've made recently for lunch, the food isn't very tasty anyway. Lunch break is at 1 pm and it ends at 2 pm.

There are quite a lot of assignments and homeworks and projects in college, and there's no term break for us on March and June, which is pathetic. People used to tell me that college life is much better than when we were studying in secondary school. However, that's not gonna happen to me as I'm attending an intensive course which ends on August. Everyday college starts at 9 am and ends at 4 or sometimes 5.30 pm.

I've noticed that college is a lot different from secondary school in various aspects. We cannot depend too much on the lecturers and expect them to spoonfeed us. We'll have to do a lot of self-study and make our own notes. Besides, most of the assignments are no longer to be written down in exercise books, instead we'll have to do them using Microsoft word or excel.

College life is definitely hectic, but other than the busy life, everything else is so far so good. I'll have to spend more time studying if I really want to get good results in order to make it to Moscow to pursue a degree in Medicine. After Chinese New Year, I swear I'll try my best to reduce my usage on Facebook and spend more time on my studies.

S3SY Farewell Party 2011

15/1 – S3SY Farewell Party 2011

Today’s farewell party may be the very last chance for 48 of us to gather and have fun together. Joey, Jin Teng and I are leaving to further our studies in different colleges, while Wan Ling is transferring from science to art stream. 4 are leaving and only 44 remain in S3SY.

Today’s farewell party is a great one, though I spent most of the time playing poker with a few Gods of Gamblers including Yeng Leek, Lee Hup, Kiwi, Boon Ping, Aik Huat and You Yang. It’s not about the food anyway, it’s about spending time together and have fun together before we finally go our separate ways. After chatting with a few, I realized that 2011 is going to be an extremely busy year for everyone. Senior 3 is UEC year, no doubt, a busy year. As for me, I’m attending an intensive foundation course (Science) in Oasis College in KL. As the name suggests, it’s an intensive course, so I’m going to have a very busy schedule in college. This year is definitely going to be a hell of a year, but, let us work hard together and make our dreams come true. Like Yuen Ling said, the sky is your/our limit!!!

The video made by Wei Shen was great, it brought back happy memories Science Loyalty had for the past 2 year. Well, we really had a great time together and I cherish every single moment of it. Now, I have a few words for my buddies.
~
Kuang You: I know you since kindergarten, and we’ve been in the same class for 9 years since we were standard 3. I still remember the time when we called each other non-stop to discuss homework before UPSR. We became good friends since then. Although we often quarrel and fight with each other, our friendship is still unbreakable, you’re still my very BEST friend. Last year, we went to KDU for a debate competition, you, me, Xin Yan, three as a team. With 3 wins and 2 losts in the prelims, we entered the octofinals. In the end we lost, but that was a great experience. You’re someone who is capable and talented, and you’re an excellent debater. I hope you’ll make your wish come true, you wanna be a lawyer right? Go for it then!

Yong Hwang: I met you when we were junior 1, and subsequently we became good friends. Sometimes I tend to be sarcastic to you when we were juniors, I apologize to you for being rude. You are very hardworking, you’re the one who stays in the classroom to complete your homework or read some books during recess when everyone else is having lunch or playing with others. You are an intelligent person, and I hope you could get good results in the upcoming UEC. Work hard and I’m sure someone of you caliber will have no problem finding your path toward success in the future. Best friends forever!

Kai Jian: If I’m not mistaken, we’ve been in the same English class since junior 2. The first time I talked to you was when we were both attending the 2008 Science Camp held in our school. However, it wasn’t until Senior 1 that I get to know you better when we started sitting beside each other in class. I consider you as one of my best friends. As time passes by, you are becoming more mature and you always have your own opinions on different issues. You are a leader in the Chinese Orchestra and also a talented musician who plays fine music. Besides, you are hardworking and always do a lot of maths past-year papers before exam. Year 2011 is going to be a busy year. Work hard and get good results. I’m sure you can succeed in whichever field you’re in when you grow up.

Xin Yan: Well, you and I have been in the same class since junior 1, but hell, I’ve never ever talked to you when we were junior 1 and 2. Our friendship started to flourish when we were junior 3, it all started when I sat in front of you in class with Kuang You sitting beside me. You are a worthy friend, but sometimes I don’t really like you for some reasons. I heard you are going to pursue a degree in Engineering when you complete secondary school, all the best to you. No matter what happened between you and me in the past, you’re still and will always be a good friend of mine!
~

It’s getting very late now. The clock on my wall ticks at 4.27 AM. One last paragraph.

To everyone in S3SY: It was truly a wonderful time we had together for the past few years. After listening to a few talking about me just now in the party, I realize I’m really someone who couldn’t express or rather show his true feelings properly. Anyway, I’ll work on that, thanks for letting me know my problem. And another thing, I don’t smile when people take photo of me, I know that’s another problem, haha, I’ll work on that too.

Oh, ya, I’d like to give a big THANK YOU to Hien Hui for organizing the party, Suat Xiang for the card, Wei Shen for making the video and everyone else for coming to the party. I’m getting sleepy, one last thing, FRIENDS FOREVER S3SY!!!

PS: Don’t feel sad, I’m pretty sure we’ll meet again someday.

A Book Review: The Lost Symbol

A Book Review: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Intro: Having finished reading renowned novelist Dan Brown’s latest installment, The Lost Symbol, I have decided to write a review for this novel. The Lost Symbol is Brown’s third novel featuring Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon who also appeared in ‘Angels and Demons’ and ‘The Da Vinci Code” (both were made into Hollywood blockbusters with Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon). Like the four other heart-racing thrillers written by Brown (Deception Point, Digital Fortress and the other two mentioned above), The Lost Symbol is also a fascinating and fast-paced read.

Plot: Well, the story begins with the protagonist Robert Langdon being summoned to Washington D.C. by his mentor Peter Solomon, who is a prominent 33rd degree Mason (aka Freemason) to deliver a lecture in the US Capitol Building. However, upon his arrival, it turns out that Solomon’s kidnapper is the one who summons Langdon to DC to help him gets his hands on the Legendary Masonic Pyramid in order to get access to the Masonic secrets (aka the Ancient Mysteries). With the assistance of several Masons, Langdon and Solomon’s sister Katherine who is a Noetic scientist manage to escape from the agents of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The encryption on the Masonic Pyramid is successfully decrypted by the pair and the information is given to Solomon’s kidnapper subsequently. In the end, the real identity of the relentless kidnapper is revealed, he is Zachary Solomon (he called himself Malakh), the long-believed dead son of Peter Solomon. The decryption leads Zachary to the House of Temple but he is later killed when the CIA arrives. The injured Peter Solomon (whose hand is cut off by Zachary in the beginning of the novel) guides Langdon and Katherine to the spiral stairway hidden in DC and it is revealed that the Bible holds the long-lost wisdom of the ancient. The Bible itself is the Ancient Mystery.

Pros: The Lost Symbol is no literary masterpiece, but it is definitely an entertaining novel by the great story-teller. I have heard of Freemasons from various sources (including a movie: National Treasure starring Nicholas Cage) but didn’t know much about the brotherhood. From this novel, I learn about their rituals, the degrees within the fraternity and so much else about Freemasonry, and now, I want to learn even more about them. Other than the fascinating facts about Freemasonry, Brown’s tantalizing and thundering style of writing makes the novel an extremely fun and exhilarating ride.

Cons: The Lost Symbol is a good read, but, not as good as the previous ones. Brown’s fast-paced writing style and interesting plot-development are the reasons why readers love his novels. His signature plot-twist is always unexpected, sending shocks to his readers upon revelation of certain conspiracy or the real identity of some prominent figures (Angels and Demons: the chamberlain turns out to be the pope’s son and he is the one who murdered the pope. Deception Point: the director of NRO who is the good guy in the beginning turns out to be the bad guy in the end.). The plot twist in The Lost Symbol is the revelation of Malakh’s real identity. It was suprising and unexpected, who would think that Peter Solomon’s long-believed dead son is still alive and he is the one who kidnapped his own father? The twist is a good one, but, a single plot twist isn’t adequate to satisfy the readers, given that his previous novels often had 2-3 plot-twists.

The character development is weak in this novel. Characters are under-developed and Robert Langdon appears to be skeptical in almost everything, which is annoying. He keeps on saying “I don’t believe this, I don’t believe that, this is not possible”, blah, blah, blah. In the end, everything he doesn’t believe in turns out to be a hundred percent true, making him look like a total dim-wit. Besides, the dialogue is lame and uninteresting. The conversations are repeated from time to time.

A few parts of the plot aren’t logical, for instance, the fact that Zachary Solomon (just got out of the Turkish Prison) went back to the Solomon Manor to steal the Masonic Pyramid when he could simply accept his father’s offer of receiving the “wisdom” (looking after the Masonic Pyramid) instead of the “wealth”. Other than that, Peter Solomon did not seem to be upset when his son died. Wouldn’t a father cry or even pass out when he sees his own son die in front of him? No, not in Peter Solomon’s case, he did not shed a tear when he lost his son and was still able to speak calmly and even guide Langdon and Katherine to the location of the Ancient Mysteries with no problem. In addition, the ending is rather dissatisfying and the revelation of the Ancient Mysteries doesn’t seem convincing either.

Conclusion: The Lost Symbol has its pros and cons. I’d rate it 3.5 over 5. Although it isn’t as good as the previous thrillers written by Dan Brown, it is still an entertaining novel worth buying.

Your Story entry~!!!

The drover ran as fast as he could. The lake! Jump into the lake and I’ll be safe. He turned abruptly and headed toward the lake. Shit! I can’t swim! He quickly changed his direction again and sprinted toward the farmhouse. Behind, the sound of footsteps was getting nearer, the ‘thing’ was nearing. The roof! I’ll be safe on the rooftop. He dashed toward a pillar and began climbing up. Faster! He was reaching for the crossbeam, when, all of a sudden, the ‘thing’ grabbed his feet. He panicked. The next thing he knew he was being pulled down violently.

1st Post of year 2011

It's a brand new year, year 2011. 5 days have passed since New Year Eve, I've been "busy" recently, busy watching television programmes and movies, so I haven't got the chance to blog until the present moment. For most of my friends who are continuing their senior 3 studies, school has already reopened. But of course, for me, I won't be at school (college school) until the 18th of January.

Yesterday, I received an e-mail which consisted of information about the college, including the location map, admission guideline, entry requirement and even the timetable for the course. When I first saw the timetable, my first thought was "God, this is gonna be a hell of a year!".

Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm, subjects are Bio, Chem, Physics, Maths and English. 3 lessons a day, but the duration for a single lesson is 2 hours, which is so damn long. Considering the traffic in KL is kinda jam, everyday I'll have to wake up early at about 7.45 in the morning, and I certainly won't reach home before 4.45 pm. I really hope the entire situation is going to be better than expected, hope so.

I've completed the 6 hours course in the Syah Bandar Driving Learning Centre weeks ago. Yesterday, I started my first driving lesson which lasted for 2 hours and today the second lesson with the same duration. Driving is cool, but, the tiny Perodua Kancil used in my driving lesson isn't. The tiny vehicle doesn't have Air-cool and the air-conditioner isn't cold enough. Besides, a manual car is quite a pain in the ass, very troublesome. Regardless, I'll get to drive an auto car after I get my driver's license and I'm really looking forward to that.

I've decided to blog at least two to three times a week, my intentions are quite simple, to improve my writing skills and to record things that had happened or things that are going to happen in my life. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?