Officially Ended My Degree

So, I've officially finished my degree with my recent convocation on Saturday.

I remember it was such a big day for my brothers and sisters. They were getting all excited days before the convocation. As for me, I actually felt nonchalant. It was like, "Well, just a ceremony." I don't feel the excitement some of my friends have. Why? I don't know. Probably I thought it is going to be boring or probably it because of the location etc.

Turned out, the day wasn't that boring after all. I get to meet my friends and snap plenty of photos- that's for sure. I have the opportunity to have a couple of pictures with the VIPs on that day, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik and Dr. Leonard Yong. Also, I met unexpected people like my friends from foundation and back from secondary school.

It was very nostalgic how memories of my first day in foundation flood my mind while I was in the hall. They were still fresh in my mind. It was as if they were just last week when I was in foundation. When did time actually rocketed pass me?

All the hardship (well, not that hard actually. I was partially enjoying my youth as well.) of mind torturing for exams, squeezing time between tests, assignments and reports, copying and doing last minute tutorials, sleeping in lecture calls or skipping class. They were suddenly forgotten on that day. Suddenly, it felt as there were no hard times throughout the 4 years. Even the hard times were made fun of and they became a joyful event.

The end of degree doesn't mark the end of learning. What did I learn in degree? Plenty. It's not just academic. It's a whole a lot more than that. There are friends, stress, being crazy, family, being away from home and money. Most importantly, I think is that degree taught me how to be think. When I mention 'think', I don't simply mean everyday thinking like what to wear, what to eat or how to finish a homework.

I can't teach you all those. They are something with no theory to read or practical to understand. Therefore, these are the real valuable stuff I learnt in my degree.

Short Update

This blog hasn't been updated for a month.. why? One reason is there wasn't anything unusual or interesting happened that I could write it down here. And the other reason is, even if there were some special events, I was busy to notice them or to blog them.

For the past month, I was either busy studying for my exam or busy writing my thesis. Now that I'm finally done with my thesis (I've just came back from submitting it), I have to push myself to study for my finals this Thursday. Pack, but since it's already the final finals, as in the last final exam I would sit for, I won't complain. In fact, when everyone is supposed to be happy there wouldn't be anymore exams, I'm in the opposite. No more exams simply means I'm graduating and leaving my current stage in life, and entering a new stage soon. New stages are always more difficult. Have you ever played a game where Level 2 is easier than Level 1?

Come to think about it, it's pretty sad. My elder brother once told me that studying life is the best because there is where we gain most freedom in many aspects. It might be stressful at times, but it's nothing compared to what we're prepared for in the future. And yes, it took me long but I understand what he meant now.

Jalan-jalan Cari Makan & Tangkap Gambar

Yesterday evening at 6.30 p.m., the 6 of us, Guat Shan, Sito, Hua, Eric, Jing Wei and I decided to drive down to Teluk Intan for some chee cheong fun. Since it has been quite some while since I last play around with my Nikcy, so I decided to snap a few shots and well, see if my skills improved. I doubt this though.. Lol.

Teluk Intan's famous chee cheong fun.

So we arrived thanks to a 'super map' by Hua's classmates. We got our chee cheong fun at 8 p.m. and then went to a nearby food court to have our dinner and chee chong fun. Coincidentally, there was pasar malam as well. So, being a pasar malam fan (me, that is) and being overly full, we went to the pasar malam for a light walk. I got myself a pair of adorable flip-flops. Only RM 5!!

Sito waiting for her burger.

Facebook for Sito and Gs and mine is Blogger! Lol.

It started to drizzle soon after that but we still went to the leaning pagoda because the guys never been there and Ah Hua was so anticipated to see the slanted tower. We snap some photos then left for some tea in Old Town.

The Leaning Pagoda.

The moon was supposed to be the biggest and brightest last night but it was obscured by the rain clouds.

My honey lemon.

Another passionate photographer.

I took a couple of shots during this short trip and well, what do you think? I'm interested in getting a macro lens, thanks to Miss Sito. It's a 50mm lens which cost somewhere RM400. Or perhaps I'll get a fish eye lens? Well, I'll think about it.

Touched

For the lack of updates, you can definitely guess it's (as always) because of my schedule. I'm in my final year final sem which explains everything. I'll be graduating very soon and some of my senior friends have already graduated.

When I came back from class just tens of minutes ago, I logged in to my Facebook account and the notification said that I was tagged in a post. I clicked it, got linked to Chee Choon's blog and read a post which touched me.

Chee Choon is my Photography Society's chairman since I was in Foundation. He's a really talented photographer and what makes him more special and memorable to me is that he's humble and not selfish. To me, it's like his passion for photography is so deep that he's like a pastor, travel to preach about his teachings. Of course, we're not talking about religion here.

He's the type of guy so ideal that you're dying to find a flaw in him but that one flaw is hidden so deep that only his intimates knew it. I just can't tell you how much or how ideal he is. He came to  my place once before he graduated and told Sito and I about his dreams. I hope he'll achieve it one day, I really do :) There was once when I visited Penang with my family members, he was so helpful that he told every interesting spots in Penang, where to eat good food, the directions and special events that time. At night, he offered to fetch me around Penang island on his motorcycle. A very simple action but means a lot to me and always appreciated.

Here's the link to his blog post about Photography Society members he worked with. It really touched me that he remembered event the smallest detail I told him years back. It made me feel appreciated and it's the kind of feeling that will put a smile on my face for the whole day and every time I read back.

Mr. President's touching blog post.

Thank you so much, Mr. President.. for everything and anything.

Temporary Break

So, it's Chinese New Year in 3 days.. and I'm still in Kampar. Everyone went back last week to celebrate their new year but I had to stay back to attend a class today. Well, partly because of that and partly because I need to finish my thesis draft for submission.

After what seems like a long time, I'm finally done with 4 chapters! And I'm sending these 4 chapters as the first (and only) draft. I still have 3 chapters to go. Sigh...

Things are going to be a little hectic for me. I have 3 chapters for thesis, an average of 1 lab report per week and the tests and quizzes are not included yet. I'm just glad I have one subject lesser this sem (because I took it last sem).

Well, since it's Chinese New Year, I guess I'll enjoy plenty of Mandarin oranges and 'ba kua' before I return to my hectic student life.

Happy Chinese New Year!!

Flat Tyre

I woke up this morning, all prepared to go to lab. I went into my car, start the engine, warm it up and put my gear on Reverse. I put my hand brake down and weird, how come my car did not reverse like it usually does? I step on the accelerator a little and found the car not moving still.

I went down and check on my tyres. Great. I have a punctured front right tire. First thing I did was... guess what? Update Facebook. Lol. Then I text messaged several friends and then got Jo to fetch me to uni. Thanks, Jo!

About 5 p.m., I left my lab to get my tire fixed. In order to fix my tyre, I need to change the tire first, right? So, Wei Khiang, Prince and Edwin followed me home to help.

It was kind of an easy process, I think but it certainly need strength! We had such difficult time trying to loosen the nuts. After about 45 minutes, we finally managed to change my tire and then we went to a nearby mechanic to patch my tyre and changed it back. It took less than 3 minutes as opposed to the 45 minutes that we took and cost only RM 5.

Well, this is man-power versus technology, as what Prince said. But hey, they got free dinner after that. Lol.

Thanks so much, you guys!

Merry Christmas!

It's the 23rd of December today. And I just got back from my lab, still working on my final year project. Even tomorrow, Christmas eve, I'll still be here in Kampar, going to lab. Not only it's Christmas, it's December! The holiday season! And not only it's December, it's my sem break!! Geez!

I'm still not getting the desired result so, I'll guess I'll stay this entire sem till next year. Great way to start a new year.

Anyway, I found this amazing occurrence in my lab incubator today. Look! It's not man-made. It occurred naturally and no one actually noticed. Life is amazing, isn't?

Just in case you don't know, they are bacteria. Not the design of the container. Looks like snowflakes, yes? Even the bacteria are celebrating Christmas this year!

Merry Christmas All!

Hectic Schedule

I received my FYP schedule a few days ago. Have a look.

Items 4 and 5 especially caught my attention.

4. Completion of bench work - 3 Jan 2011

5. Submission of project report draft to supervisor - 31 Jan 2011

And this simply means one thing.. No sem break for me.

Will I Be Graduating?

What is the worse thing that could happen to a person?

What is the worse thing that could happen to a student?

What is the worse thing that could happen to a final year student?

What is the worse thing that could happen to a final year student working on her final year project?

What is the worse thing that could happen to a final year student working on her final year project in the effort of graduating with good grades?

 Answer : 1) She graduates with bad grades.

               2) She doesn't graduate!!

Earlier this afternoon while I was walking back to the lab from lunch, a friend broke a shocking news to me. What she told me was that we (as in my group mates and I) might not be able to complete out projects. You see, since my supervisor, Dr. Wong is a new lecturer, he doesn't have his own lab yet, which is why we under him are using the common lab. Luckily for us, this lab is not in use this sem because the juniors went for their industrial training.

However, next sem, when they return, they will need to use this lab. I don't know why but the lab officers decided not to allow us to use this lab anymore next sem. Which means, we have no lab to work on our projects! We are only half way through our projects. It's impossible to complete them with only weeks left. Even if we could, some of our ingredients have not arrived yet. I have 2 genes to work on and so far, only ingredients for 1 gene arrived.

It is clearly not our fault! We only have one short sem which is 7 weeks for our project. Other students are doing their projects this sem and can still continue next sem. Some even have one whole long sem last sem and they are still working on them this sem. 

So how does this affect me (or rather, us under Dr. Wong)? We write our thesis till where our projects are force to stop. Which maybe only half way through our projects. Then we'll only get half the grade due to incapability to complete the assigned project. If we did our project well, then we'll graduate with low grades for our fyp. If, God forbid, we did badly, we might not graduate at all.

Rubbish!

Time (And People) Destroys Kampar

I think I've figured out the reasons I kept complaining how hot it is in Kampar. Of course, it may be because of the world climate change, green house effect, thinning ozone layer and etc.. But I think the reason why Kampar is getting hotter day by day is because of UTAR's fault, mainly. Lol.

It's not that UTAR uses more electricity compared to any other buildings in Kampar, it's not that UTAR students spend all night awake hence, their laptops/lights/TVs on. It's not that UTAR indirectly built McDonalds. Well, maybe these contribute as well.

Area after the flyover, 2007.

Just less than an hour ago, after breakfast, I went to a place I haven't been for years. I went to the other side of the bridge. You must be wondering, what bridge? Well, for those of you who are aware, there's this flyover before the turning into UTAR. I've been there a couple of times years back. I went there with Leon, Guat Shan, Ah Wei and Sito to fish. There were 3 small lakes over there and full of greenery. I still remember how we got bitten by mosquitoes and stuff.

Area after the flyover, today. (Bad quality photo taken using my hp)

So, while Eric and I was riding on his bike around, we spotted a lorry went across the flyover. Curious of what such a big lorry doing over there and where it is going, we decided to follow the lorry (yea, like some detectives ==). What greeted me was a wide plot of white sand dessert. What happened to the lakes and the greens? I don't see any lake, I don't see as much greens as before. Everything are covered with sand!

 As you can see, Harvard didn't exist until 2 and a half years ago.

Another one of our sacred fishing spot, Batu-batu China, 2007.

Apparently, developers realize that they are able to make big money from students by building more accommodations. Shops and more houses will be built on this once-green-and-beautiful land. Isn't Harvard enough? Isn't Westlake enough? As if they aren't, the once 'Batu-batu China' (as what Leon named this place) is now Beijing.

The so-called Batu-batu China is called Beijing today. 
Rows of houses instead of water and plants.

It's not that I don't support all these developments in Kampar but I just hope developers know the limits. Instead of developing Kampar, they are destroying Kampar. When I first came in here 4 years ago, I remember I need to put on a blanket every night and how I shiver every morning when I bathe. Now, I wear as thin as I could to bed and woke up sweating.

Please, Kampar has a life too!

Another Accident, Another Student, Another Death.

Two Fridays ago, I received an sms from Guat Shan saying, "Accident in front of our house."

Shocked, I text-ed her back asking if it was her involved in the accident. She then replied me saying no, which made me feel so relief but soon, excited (no, not exactly excited but I can't find another word more suitable. More like curious?) about the accident. I was told the accident took place in front of my house, along the Westlake main road to UTAR. It was about 9.15 p.m. and being such a 'kepo', I went and have a look.

When I arrived there, there were lots of cars and people. There was an ambulance and a tow truck as well. I saw a black Mercedes ran into the fences of Westlake and 2 young motorcyclists, a guy and a girl, lying on the road, both motionless. By that time, I've already figured out that the motorcyclists were students. The motorbike was parted into 2, the body was near them but the head was thrown several feet away.

I was there for about an hour then I went home.

Next day, I check on J-on (click!), which is a website by UTAR students on UTAR-related news, for any news or update about this accident. Then I head from my friends that the guy was okay but the girl has a dislocated leg. She was sent to Ipoh hospital and then there was some news about she had clot in her brain. She had a surgery and went into coma.

She was supposed to awake from coma on Monday but she didn't and she was on life support. I then got to know that she passed away on Sunday evening, a week later.

The sad thing about this accident is, we'll never know the real story behind this. There's a story from the Mercedes driver that protects herself and there's another story that supports the motorcyclists from other sources. Then, from Chinese newspaper, the information was so false. I was there during the scene (I mean, I was there after the collision). It took place in Westlake but the newspaper reported that it took place somewhere near Tesco, which is in the Eastlake.

This is the 4th accident in Kampar involving UTAR student's death and the nth accident involving death in Kampar. I update on this because of how false information given in newspaper can be. I do not understand why newspapers report on information they are unsure of and why won't they get the reason behind the accident rather than reporting that the victims had their dinner and were going for revision. How important is that?

Suddenly A Chic-Lit-A-Holic

You knew that in my previous post I said that I can finally start on my FYP and all. So logically, I ought to be reading journals, articles, anything my FYP-related. Indeed..

But instead, I'm suddenly so into a slightly different genre. 

Before this, it took me up to months to finish reading a moderately thick novel. Surprisingly, it only took me a week or two to finish a book. Hmm.. was it because I'm bored? But hey, I could spend some time on journals but... 

Yes, there's always 'buts' and ironically, the sentence usually ends after the 'but' with no apparent reason for the 'but'. But what? But I can't find the journals? But I can't get connected to the internet to find journals? But I don't know which and what journals to look for? But I don't understand the journals? But I'm LAZY? You choose the best answer.

I've finished reading and left with none, so I borrowed 2 from the library earlier today. I went to the library for these books instead of looking at thesis. Yes, job well done, Eliza.

Yay! Finally!

I've been waiting for this day to come..

MY PRIMERS ARE FINALLY HERE! I CAN START ON MY FINAL YEAR PROJECT!!

I was back in Kampar for my final year project (FYP) since the 11th of October... only to be told that my primers (one of the 'ingredients', actually the main ingredient needed for my fyp) hasn't arrive yet.

Having no other choices, I waited...

And waited..

And 2 weeks later, my supervisor told me that the officers have just sent out the order list. WTH?!?!?

Thus, I waited again..

And waited..

And, finally, 1 month later, my primers have arrived!! Can't wait to start my fyp! :D

I might be saying this now.. I just hope I won't say the opposite when I get too busy or frustrated with my project.

P/s : Just in case you're curious about what my project is all about, I'll explain it.. in another post XD

HOT!! (again)

Just to demonstrate how hot it is in Kampar...

 It's 33 degrees Celsius with a feel like of 34 degrees anyway. Damn! I already have 3 fans blowing me!

Phytochemistry..

I always thought numbers are the most confusing.

Just when you think Maths is difficult...

Think again!

Well, okay. I still think Maths is the most difficult and limited Chemical structures are still manageable.. I hope. Phytochemistry exam on Saturday!

Pangkor Trip

One of the old jetties in Pangkor.

Updates on Pangkor... And how lucky Sardin was, after finals! :D

P/s : Header changed!

Girls Night Out

It's been a while since I, or rather we, actually went out for anything, movies, random trip to somewhere or whatever. All because of heavy workloads and tests! Finally, after what seem like weeks of not knowing what 'Friday' is, last night, Guat Shan and I went for a 'date'. Yes, just the both of us.

We skipped badminton session with the rest of the guys because we really felt it was so long ago since we last watched a movie or just simply window shop.

We went for dinner at 6 in a Chinese mamak stall (you read it right, Chinese.) with Hua dn Eric. Then we drove down to Ipoh Parade for shopping. Couple of hours later, we met up with Kang and Lee Nel, whom coincidentally were in Ipoh. We hang around for a little while, while waiting for our movie.

We caught the first screening of 'Grown Ups'. A good movie as expect from Adam Sandlers but well, it wasn't as funny as expected.

It was just a normal outing but it was good :D

Prince's 21st Birthday

Prince birthday was last week, on the 12th of July to be precise. We, the housemates and 2 additional guests (Hua and Eric) had a small and simple celebration for him. Due to my busy schedule, I only managed to edit and upload the video we took now.

This was Prince's birthday present from Guat Shan and I. Not an expensive branded shirt or a hand-sewn shirt from us, but we got this for him because it's so significant to him, at least in our point of view when we saw this piece of shirt :)

Hope you enjoyed our little celebration, Prince!

Buzzzz..

Like every sem, it's once again, my busy week.

Only difference between this sem and last sem is that last sem, my busy schedule was thoroughly distributed from week 4 to week 12 but this sem, my busy schedule is packed into 3 weeks.

I have like 3 tests in a week and 5 tests in 2 weeks. This excludes assignments, reports and presentations. These are the times where it feels like, you know, you've worn a really uncomfortable pair of shoe out for a whole day shopping, and you can't wait to get home to take your shoes off and relax your overly strained feet. If you get what I mean ;) These are the times where I can't wait to go on a relaxing trip with my friends!!

It's already week 8! Time really flies on Boeing 787! XD

Edit : One of my test (Phytochem) has been postponed! I'm soooo happy!! :D

Indecisive

It's the time that I do not like the most- making decisions. Major decisions.

Okay, fine. Maybe not that major but having 6 empty columns to fill my choices for my final year project isn't an easy task for me. I have to admit being unable to make decision and being indecisive is one of my biggest weaknesses. I have always find it so difficult to make decisions. Perhaps I just consider too much while making a decision. Like for my FYP, I would consider things like,

Is the project fun? Will I enjoy doing it?
Is the project long or short? Will I have enough time to finish it?
Am I good at the techniques required for the project?
Do I choose between something I like, or something that will look nice in my resume next time?
Should I choose between grade or learning something new?
What can write for my thesis? Are the sufficient resources/information for me to write my thesis?
Who is the lecturer handling the project?

And on, and on...

Deadline to submit the form is this week and I've picked my top 6 but have not arranged them in order. Even if I arrange my 6 according to my priority, I might not get what I actually want because there are like tens of students competing for the same project title as me? I don't know, maybe I should just arrange the 6 in alphabetical order and just see which one I get. Lol.