A glance into the week
A glance into the week
Classes have officially started this week and looking at all the requirements every subject demands, I just felt so swamped. Anyway, I don't think I'm in the frame of mind to write the more "intellectual" stuff. I guess to journal what had happened for my own records, I'll just give a glance into the week ...
Feeling overwhelmed
WOW, I'm just overwhelmed by the requirements of the 5 subjects which I'm taking. I guess for the initial 2 weeks, the task at hand is to ensure that I catch up with all the readings. For the 1st lecture, most of it was supposed to be introductory and foundational, but many of the lecturers had already given chapters and chapters of reading FOR THE FIRST WEEK!! Meaning, by this coming week, if I don't clear the readings for week 1, I won't be able to clear my readings for wk 2 either, and the backlog will hence begin ...
Not only that, assignment deadlines seemed to be coming head-on at us - 1 book review (the book is like 300 over pages) due in early August!!! I'm just ... swamped ... overwhelmed ...
Back to basics
Greek is an interesting language, but learning it with all the background of English makes it rather confusing and difficult. It's back to basics, throwing off whatever English alphabets, pronounciation, etc - and just learning Greek as it is. Now I need to tune myself to Greek alphabets and to really learn to recognize them at spilt seconds ... which is quite a challenge ... hahaha
Ridiculous
With the GST hike, prices are also increasing - in anything you can think of. I find it so ridiculous that a glass of ice water now costs $0.60!!! A few of us went to an eating place around Coronation Plaza area for our lunch (I had to send some notes for printing for PC&C class so that my classmates get them on time for the next class, and the copying shop at Coronation Plaza does it cheap and quick) and being poor college students, we settled for the cheapest fish & chips =P and thought we'll ask for ice water to go along with our meals, only to be told that ice water will be charged at $0.60 per glass!!! What??? And that's when we decide that we would rather throw in an additional $1.20 (on top of the $0.60) for soft drinks. Ridiculous, isn't it?
I guess the other "ridiculous" thing I felt was the amount of photocopying we had to do for each subject - on top of the books which we were required to purchase as course texts. Can you imagine, forking out $5 to $10 for each subject to photocopy for the notes, how much that will add up to? Why don't the lecturers just settle with teaching based on the books they wanted us to purchase? Why made us spend additional money to copy all these extra reading material? Granted, these material are good and helpful reading material too, but ...???
Additional role
A few weeks ago, C & A asked me if I could take on the role of the class rep and I said yes. I guess when I gave that nod, I was hoping not only to be of service to the Lord and my classmates, but also that I'm sure this additional role would give me opportunity to learn and grow. Hmm... now with all the regular emails from Student Council, I begin to realize this role does require a fair bit of concentration and time. Xiao-di is my other partner and we just have to see how we spilt our responsibilities as we serve the class in this capacity.
Amusing moments
Xiao-mei was really excited about some BIG words she learnt and began to irritate Jack with all these words. First was "perspicuity" learnt during IBI class, which simply means "clarity". During class, she kept repeating the word and Jack who was seated beside her was just so "irritated" by her, and she purposely irritate him further after class and with her msn message, "Jack Jack, this is for you ... perspicuity, perspicuious, perspicuism ..." Then during Theo class, we learnt another BIG word, "prolegomena" which simply means "preliminary" and Jack said when xiao-mei turned behind wanting to irritate him during the class, Jack immediately pointed at her and said, "shut-up" ... xiao-mei was so tickled by all these ... haha
Managing stress
I think I need to ensure that my coping mechanism is working fine - with all the chunks of readings that are staring right into my face. Haha, I find myself grabbing a number of tidbits from the supermart shelves when I brought mum to run her errands this morning. I think I came back with a plastic bag full of tidbits ... haha, de-stressor =) But I'll remember my aim is to keep lean throughout the years studying in theological college - you see, all the seniors had said that they put on weight after coming to college coz they just eat and eat and eat, especially all they had to do is to study and write papers ... =)
Hope the days and weeks to come will be more manageable. Phil 4:13 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength! Yey!
Classes have officially started this week and looking at all the requirements every subject demands, I just felt so swamped. Anyway, I don't think I'm in the frame of mind to write the more "intellectual" stuff. I guess to journal what had happened for my own records, I'll just give a glance into the week ...
Feeling overwhelmed
WOW, I'm just overwhelmed by the requirements of the 5 subjects which I'm taking. I guess for the initial 2 weeks, the task at hand is to ensure that I catch up with all the readings. For the 1st lecture, most of it was supposed to be introductory and foundational, but many of the lecturers had already given chapters and chapters of reading FOR THE FIRST WEEK!! Meaning, by this coming week, if I don't clear the readings for week 1, I won't be able to clear my readings for wk 2 either, and the backlog will hence begin ...
Not only that, assignment deadlines seemed to be coming head-on at us - 1 book review (the book is like 300 over pages) due in early August!!! I'm just ... swamped ... overwhelmed ...
Back to basics
Greek is an interesting language, but learning it with all the background of English makes it rather confusing and difficult. It's back to basics, throwing off whatever English alphabets, pronounciation, etc - and just learning Greek as it is. Now I need to tune myself to Greek alphabets and to really learn to recognize them at spilt seconds ... which is quite a challenge ... hahaha
Ridiculous
With the GST hike, prices are also increasing - in anything you can think of. I find it so ridiculous that a glass of ice water now costs $0.60!!! A few of us went to an eating place around Coronation Plaza area for our lunch (I had to send some notes for printing for PC&C class so that my classmates get them on time for the next class, and the copying shop at Coronation Plaza does it cheap and quick) and being poor college students, we settled for the cheapest fish & chips =P and thought we'll ask for ice water to go along with our meals, only to be told that ice water will be charged at $0.60 per glass!!! What??? And that's when we decide that we would rather throw in an additional $1.20 (on top of the $0.60) for soft drinks. Ridiculous, isn't it?
I guess the other "ridiculous" thing I felt was the amount of photocopying we had to do for each subject - on top of the books which we were required to purchase as course texts. Can you imagine, forking out $5 to $10 for each subject to photocopy for the notes, how much that will add up to? Why don't the lecturers just settle with teaching based on the books they wanted us to purchase? Why made us spend additional money to copy all these extra reading material? Granted, these material are good and helpful reading material too, but ...???
Additional role
A few weeks ago, C & A asked me if I could take on the role of the class rep and I said yes. I guess when I gave that nod, I was hoping not only to be of service to the Lord and my classmates, but also that I'm sure this additional role would give me opportunity to learn and grow. Hmm... now with all the regular emails from Student Council, I begin to realize this role does require a fair bit of concentration and time. Xiao-di is my other partner and we just have to see how we spilt our responsibilities as we serve the class in this capacity.
Amusing moments
Xiao-mei was really excited about some BIG words she learnt and began to irritate Jack with all these words. First was "perspicuity" learnt during IBI class, which simply means "clarity". During class, she kept repeating the word and Jack who was seated beside her was just so "irritated" by her, and she purposely irritate him further after class and with her msn message, "Jack Jack, this is for you ... perspicuity, perspicuious, perspicuism ..." Then during Theo class, we learnt another BIG word, "prolegomena" which simply means "preliminary" and Jack said when xiao-mei turned behind wanting to irritate him during the class, Jack immediately pointed at her and said, "shut-up" ... xiao-mei was so tickled by all these ... haha
Managing stress
I think I need to ensure that my coping mechanism is working fine - with all the chunks of readings that are staring right into my face. Haha, I find myself grabbing a number of tidbits from the supermart shelves when I brought mum to run her errands this morning. I think I came back with a plastic bag full of tidbits ... haha, de-stressor =) But I'll remember my aim is to keep lean throughout the years studying in theological college - you see, all the seniors had said that they put on weight after coming to college coz they just eat and eat and eat, especially all they had to do is to study and write papers ... =)
Hope the days and weeks to come will be more manageable. Phil 4:13 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength! Yey!
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