Memarang rumput, a time-consuming romantic

This morning Huan said to me, "Eh, your blog is full of weeds" (你的blog长杂草了); omg, my last blog was written right after Chinese New Year, and that's almost two months ago... Just now, when I was msn-ing with Sheau Maan about this, she gave me an even shocking answer: "then, memarang rumput lah!"... walao, the weeds have grown soooo tall, till need to use parang liao... In order to satisfy Huan, and the fact that Qingming is near, I will weed and sweep my blog today (扫blog). Btw, anyone knows how to say "weeding" in Bahasa Malaysia? Want to tell Sheau Maan that she also need to weed her blog too.

From Week 6 (the week right after CNY) to Week 11 (this week), I was too preoccupied by other stuffs (not necessarily studies) till no time (or rather no mood) to blog liao, although I thought of many things to blog. Feel like in Sem 2 time flies faster than in Sem 1, dunno whether is it due to public holidays (Chinese New Year, Good Friday) or the heavier course load. It's exam in 3 weeks' time, and my first three papers are on three consecutive days...

Yesterday, I had my Mastering Communication presentation. HW111A, this subject (or "course", the official NTU terminology for what we usually refer to as "subject" or "module") is my least favourite subject this semester. It was originally a Year 2 course, but somehow they decided to teach it in Year 1 this year, so there are both Year 1 and Year 2 students in the course this sem. Anyway, we have to take the course sooner or later. No choice, it's compulsory. The only two things I like about it is 1) completely CA based, i.e. no final exam; 2) our dearest School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences made the subject pass/fail graded; i.e. no letter grades, so that it won't affect our GPAs (thank you SPMS!). Even if it is graded, I WILL S/U IT.

We were divided into groups of four or five. Each group must present a case study and the communication principles applicable to the subject. Every person has no more than 5 minutes to present (What?!). Our group decided to present about Brown Sugar Macchiato (黑糖玛奇朵). Having no prior knowledge of the Taiwanese idol drama, I spent my whole recess week watching the drama, till no time to study for the 3 CAs right after recess (Physics, Maths and Accounting). I managed to finished the Accounting self-practice questions though, at least I didn't waste the energy used to bring back the 3.5 cm thick Accounting textbook. Thank God that I still managed to do quite well in the CAs.

After spending time and effort to make the slides and the cut the video clips, it was our turn to do the presentation. On the previous night, after our group rehearsal, I rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed, trying to keep the presentation time within 5 minutes. Although this is not the first time I did a presentation in NTU, I felt quite nervous about it. After all, it's just PASS AND FAIL (we often use this to confort ourselves).

After the presentation, the tutor, who is also the lecturer, let us took a look at our evaluation forms. I got a C. Then the tutor's comment: nervous, lack of eye contact with audience... Although it is a pass, my heart sank immediately. Felt quite upset as if I had failed. The other three persons in my group was evaluated better than me. But it was true; although I had already memorized the whole script, I was too relying on the cue cards in my hand, and I was feeling quite nervous too.

Was it because I set my target too high? Or was it my kiasuness? Now, looking back at it, I feel quite stupid to be upset. After all, it hasn't been finalized. And it is already the past. Why I am so disturbed about it? From another perspective, the evaluation is also based on the tutor's perceptions... haha...

Anyway, it was a good experience. Hope that next time my presentation skills will improve.


I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
- Philippians 4:13