Now the true reason for not updating the blog. It is WORK! As a Natsci, there are 12 lectures (14 for the last 3 weeks), 4 supervisions and 3 sessions of practical in a week. These add up to more than 25 hours. Doesn’t sound a lot? Of course because they do not take into account the amount of time I take to understand the lecture notes, read up textbooks and doing the supervision questions. Worst of all I have Saturday lectures! That basically ruins half of my weekend and I only get 1 night of decent sleep. Definition of decent sleep: sleep until I am awake.
That is not the whole story. As all Natsci have to take 4 subjects in the first year, I was undecided between Materials and Compsci. Months at IMRE did not give me any motivation for Materials, but I have not done any programming before. As the decision time came, I just thought about giving Compsci a try. It turned out to be a disastrous decision. The lectures made sense, notes are not hard to understand, the first two practicals are deceivingly simple. BUT, it’s a big but here. I have no idea how to do the questions. Not even the faintest idea. And there is the scary logic part. If something then one thing otherwise something else. As you can see, clearly my logic is not there. If this is not worrying enough, there is another even more worrying fact. Almost everyone taking Compsci has prior programming knowledge. Lots of people say it doesn’t matter but I seriously doubt so. Using my weakness against others’ strength is no joke, especially smart people. I could still have gone for it. But remember there is Astar sitting on top of everything.
My decision was to switch. That included arranging meeting with my DoS and persuading him. This thing really stressed me for about 1 week, as he thought I was making a rash decision. In the end after my switch was final, I was left in another mess. I am two weeks behind the materials work. Just like a peddle dropped into the water, this event has far reaching effect on other subjects and I was doing catching up for another 1 to 2 weeks.
Now that the term is ending, I am positive that the switch is a good decision. I am learning interesting topics just as magnetism and x-ray diffraction. To be honest, I don’t understand quite a lot still, but just like other subjects, I will be spending a good proportion of holiday revising and consolidating. A good holiday plan?
3 comments:
visiting! haha doesn't cambridge have satisfactory or unsatisfactory option for u to exercise? are there nice chinese food there for ur home-sickness? i bet it's ex ba.
Thomas! haven't talked to you for such a long time. how're you? glad you still reading my blog. satisfactory or unsatisfactory in what sense? ya the chinese food here are quite ex, just like everything else.
haha your friend thomas must be from NTU... Basically you exercise that and after you take the exams, your grade for that module on your official transcript either show S or U. You get the credits though.
It must have been hell for you out there at Cambridge. Jiayou !
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