Blog 9: How to stop worrying

As we know, we are trying to adapt to the environment of Singapore. So it's natural for us to have some worry, for example, about the new life in NUS. Do you want to know "How to stop worrying and enjoy life"?  

There are frequently asked questions you may also have, for example, Where does worry come from? What should we do when worry really comes?

Let me explain.

Worry comes from unknown. Only when you are not sure about something will you be worried. Right? So we shouldn’t pay too much attention to the future.

Let me tell you a story.

William Osler was a medical student in 1871, he worried about where to go, how to make a living in the future. One day he picked up a book and read 21 words. After he became famous many years later, he said these 21 words had changed himself from a worried student to the most famous doctor in his generation. These 21 words are: Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.

It doesn't mean we should not make any effort to prepare for tomorrow, but the best way to prepare for tomorrow is to concentrate with all your intelligence, enthusiasm on doing today's work today.

Now we’ve known where worry comes from, but it’s not enough, we should also learn the magic API formula for solving worrying situations:

A stands for Ask. Ask yourself what is the worst situation if you can’t solve the problem?

P stands for Prepare. Prepare yourself mentally to accept the worst situation.

I stands for Improve. Improve upon the worst- which you’ve already mentally agreed to accept.

Now you know why it’s magic? Maybe you have no idea at present. But try this formula when you feel worried next time and you will find why.

From the above, we've known 2 facts about worry: worry comes from unknown and we can use API formula to solve worry.

I hope I have made myself understood and you have found this report useful.

This Saturday, I went to Jcube to watch the movie “man in black 3”. It is a classical movie. But I do not like it very much because as an action movie, it did not give me much unforgettable impression or some exciting fighting scenes. The plot is that James—the main character went to the past to save his friends---Agent Kane from the attack of a monster. Today, I just show you my reflections on that movie. My recommendation is that you should do some research before you go to the cinema unless you love the series of Man in Black very much. Maybe because of the culture differentiation, I did not think there are some funny scenes and even feel a little boring. The good aspect of this movie is that it has a meaningful ending to show the spirit of sacrificing. Besides the meaningful ending, the movie also shows us the magic power derived from the friendship. In addition, the movie also gives me the strong third dimension although some details have been ignored. In the other part, the movie also shows me some advanced technology in America but maybe some are not real, such as the space gun and the giant brain washer. All of them are showing us the creative imagination. Furthermore, the plot is based on the background that human are living in harmony with aliens, which is a great imagination. How brave the director is to show us that scene! Human beings are living peacefully with different kinds of aliens without any consciousness of it. In conclusion, I think it is not an excellent action movie but maybe a good science movie.

The most delightful character

     Having seen the movie Pride and Prejudice twice, I do love the unique character Elizabeth Bennet who I have never seen before.  As one of the most popular characters in English literature, Elizabeth Bennet lacks extraordinary physical beauty, which makes audience pay more attention on her unique character.  Firstly, her wonderful wit always leaves a deep impression on the audiences at first sight.  She has an infectious smile and a sharp wit when she was talking with others.  Her conversation sparkled with her own subtle blend of wit and charm.  With her brilliant wit, she can form the arguments, quips and even rebuttals perfectly and powerfully.  Secondly, Miss Bennet is an icon of modern femininity, a budding feminist who advocates equalities between the sexes.  Although she is not good at playing music and dancing, she is interested in reading, which helps her become intelligent and have an independent spirit.  She does not care how others’ comment on her behaviour and still holds a clear view of what she wants to do with her life.  It may be one of the chief reasons she is attractive to Mr. Darcy.  In addition, Miss Elizabeth shows obsequiousness in dealings with Darcy and Lady Catherine de Bourgh.  While she is facing the powerful and domineering Lady Catherine de Bourgh, her forthright and brave rebuttal wins Lady’s trust.  In closing, Elizabeth Bennet is the most delightful character I have seen.

Blog 9. The Crash of Ego

    On Sunday, my friend invited me to attend an activity of a Chinese church.  Though I am a determined free thinker, I was attracted by the preach by a paster during that activity.  The content of the preach is about the crash of ego (translated from Chinese by me), which is quite meaningful.
    What is the crash of ego?  Why the ego should crash?
    First, this paster told us a story that Jesus saved a servant of a certain centurion.  There were three interesting sentences.  First one is that "he is worthy for you to do this for him,
for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us."  which said by the messenger who was sent for Jesus.  The point of this sentence is that the messenger took the Jesus's grace for granted which is the ego.  However, according to the Bible, what all people have including their body, foods and even the ceils are all provided by the God.  People do not deserve them.  Second interesting sentence is  that "lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.
Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word, and my servant will be healed.
For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers.
I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes;
and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it."  These were the words of the centurion which shows that though the centurion was well off, he did not take what he owned for granted and he even did not think he deserved them.  Then the Jesus said "I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel."   After it, the centurion's servant was recovered.  The paster said because the centurion crashed himself, the God rewarded him.  And he gave an example, when Moses, the King of Hebrew, was the prince of Ergypt, he could not achieve anything, but after he lived through 40 years as a sheepherder, he got the help of the God and release Hebrew. 
    Personally, it is very tough for me to accept the fact that there is a powerful God in the world, but I am glad to admit the moral parts of Christian which are not contradictory to our Chinese traditional morality.  For instance, the crash of ego is quite similar to a famous saying that when heaven is about to palce a great achievement on a person, it always tests resolution first, exhausts him, makes him suffer and frustrated his efforts.  Also, I am proud that this saying is hundreds of years earlier than the Bible.  Are you?

Blog 9: My oral report

Last Wesday, I was supposed to do my oral report.   Ms Brenda Lee did not let me  present it.  However, I really want to share this with you.  Here is my oral report.

I believe that each of us want to be health.  Well, if we want to be healthy, we need to live a healthy life first.  It is suggest that our diet should be high in fruit, vegetable, whole grains and lean meat.  Therefore, we can be healthy and live a happy life.  I would like to share some tips about how to live healthily.

1. Limit or avoid fried food
It is not easy for us to refuse fried foods because they taste so delicious.  However, after the oil has been used over three times, some harmful substance will come into being.  So limit yourself to fried food if yoou can not avoid it.

2. Choose whole grains over refined-flour product.
 As life becomes better and better, each family can afford to eat flour and rice.  Those whole grains has gradually out of our diet.  However, there are some essential nutrition in whole grains which do not exist in refined-flour.  So it is better for us to eat whole grains regularly.

3. Limit consuption of alcoholic beverages and quit smoking.
I believe each of us know it bad to consume alcohol and smoke.  So do not tempt to try it.

4. Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight
Because the transportation is very convenient now.  We get less exercise than before.  After having meals, we just go back, sit down and do not move any more.  This is really bad for our health.  Gradually we will put on weight and the risk of getting disease also increase.  There is no need to find a particular time to exercise.  You can choose to go upstair instead of taking an elevator or walk home after work.  All thses small attempts wil help a lot.

That is all about the four tips, I hope you can benefit from them.

Blog 9

Last week, I watched a video about how foreigners think of China.  In the video, people from diversity of countries were interviewed and expressed their impression of China.  Inwardly, I was disappointed, because at first several people merely appreciate Chinese food.  They consider Chinese people as a large population to conquer the whole world.  When some people tried to describe Chinese friends, the only word I could hear was friendly and Chinese always stayed in their small circle and seldom participated in social activities.  Isn’t there any other good traits or some admirable culture?  When I finally heard a man said that some Chinese colleagues are not responsible enough for their tasks, I turned off the player.  I began to ponder why the comment is like this.

         Having lived in Singapore for quite a long time, I am familiar with many SM3 or SM2 students.  Due to the similar background, we became friends spontaneously, but I have only a few Singapore friends.  I don’t go to church so that I don’t have an opportunity to be connected with others in the same committee like Singaporean.  I still feel weird while being chatted up in the street or MRT station, but Singaporean does not, even children.  I am not accustomed to be exposed completely to a new culture.  I am reserved.  In addition, the traffic accident which occurred recently was caused by a Chinese.  The other two victims met their doom unfortunately.  The news provoked Singaporean so that they wanted to kick Chinese out of Singapore.  I felt humiliated.  No wonder they said Chinese are not responsible.  In some countries, the negative impression to foreigners is becoming terminal.

         In order to change but not to nag, I am far away from my motherland.  On behalf of her, I must behave myself.  It is the very time to start to join the new groups and accept everything new.  I wish everything will be better.

Last Sunday, I had watched my first film “Avenger” in Singapore in Golden Village. Although it was a very exciting and a little funny action film, I do not recommend all of you to watch it. This film’s main actors were not like other films which has its own special main actor but it has combined many recent big American action films’ protagonists such as “the capital of American” and “Iron man”. Therefore, if you are not familiar with these guys before, you may not understand these characters’ behaviour or thoughts. As a result of this reason, I am inclined to agree that it is a perfect film although I enjoy a marvellous version of the American technology. This film shows many scenes about the advanced American technology such as the invisible giant spaceship and the exploding arrow. Besides the advanced technology, the film shows the team spirit and the sacrificial spirit, which is the key to defend the alien’s attack. Maybe the plot of this film is a little bit old fashioned but the magnificent fighting scene is very impressive. In addition, the funny factor is also set in the plot. Let me share you with the following scene. After the evil boss said “You people should give in to me. I am God.” After a little stop, the green giant man wrestles him without any hesitation and he cannot have any resistance. Then the green giant man said “a weak god”. Only after you watch the movie, you can appreciate the merits of the film.

blog 8 goodbye

Although to be honest, I don't think my time arrangement during the bridging course is efficient, I do believe that I have learned something very beneficial.  I have the same feeling as ours have that time always flies quicker than we could imagine.  The days in our bridging course will definitely be an invaluable precious memory for me.  Here, although not all my tutors can hear me, I would like to say thank you for every tutor.  It’s you that teach us very basic English knowledge and knowledge for life.  Ms Lim, she is so nice and kind that she always tries her best to help us. And she always smiles happily!(although when we made silly mistakes she would be a little bit serious)  I  really appreciate that.  Mr Ng, what’s more can I say about him.  He is so rich and so knowledgeable that almost every class he could manage to make us surprised.  He also knows a lot about China and Chinese so that he could give his class from a very receptive perspective for us.  I will definitely miss him.  Ms lee, she is a nice teacher , she is very gentle and she does everything in a good order.  I like her self-discipline!  Ms Choo, she teaches us ont only English knowledge but also her stories in American which we are very interested in.  She really has broaden our spectrum of knowledge in terms of culture and education. 

The bridging course is about to end but the spirit of the course does not—learning English is a life-long process!!

Blog 9: Progress

One year ago, when I was about to take part in the National College Entrance Exam, I was confident about my English and I thought my English was good.  Half year ago, when I came to Singapore, I felt my English was terrible because sometimes I cannot understand what people say and make myself understood.  During the five months’ English bridging course, I have suffered blows many times because of the grades of tests and essays.  Today I’m still not a good English user.  However, I’m happy for the progress I have made.

During the five months my mother asked me several times if I felt any progress in English.  I always give her a negative answer.  However, as the bridging course is coming to the end and our last presentation is over, I can clearly feel my progress in English.  In fact, all the people in our class have made evident progress.  Compared to five months ago, we can write better essays now.  We can understand what people say better.  We can read more efficiently.  We can speak more fluently and confidently now.

    In the process of bridging course, we are making small progress day by day.  Although we cannot clearly feel the progress we make every day, we will realize how much we have improved in the end.  As Ms. Lim said we should clap for ourselves after the presentation, we should be happy and proud of the progress and the work we have achieved.  Thank you, bridging course.  Thank you, all our tutors.  Now I am confidently say I have made a lot of improvement.  Now I can face the campus life more confidently. 

Blog 8: My NTU friend Paid Me a Visit

         My NTU friend Ma Jiameng paid me a visit in LL on last Saturday afternoon.

         There were many things that bonded Jiameng and me together. We were both from Shanxi Province. We went to Xiamen University at the same time. Later both of us came to Singapore, although assigned to different universities. Moreover, I had already known her before I went to Xiamen University, as one of her classmates who participated in the same summer camp with me last year told me about her. Whereas at that time I did not anticipate that we would become so close friends due to the same experience.

         We had not seen one another for months, so I looked forward to her visit very much. She came after finishing the service program when the weather was still very hot. We greeted each other warmly. Knowing that she had not had her lunch, I provided her some snacks and fruit, and got a bowl of rice from LL canteen for her.

         After she finished her meal, we sat in the canteen, chatting and sharing our experience. We had so many common topics varying from food to airline tickets, from family members to friends, and from choosing major to future plan. Jiameng was not a talkative person, but she told me a great deal about her life - how the food was like, how her roommates were, and how she spent her time in bridging course. Our chatting was a very pleasant one

         When it cooled down a bit, Jiameng and I walked to the coast. The scenery there was peaceful and tranquil, and every moment seemed to be filled with joy and contentment. Jiameng told me that she felt very happy this afternoon. She also took some photos. We turned back when it was going to rain.

         We bade goodbye at the MRT station and made an appointment to meet the next time.  Jiameng looked tired but pleased after the whole day’s activity. I also felt happy after staying with her that afternoon. It was good to have a friend here with whom I could feel at home.

Blog 9 College Entrance Exam

Time always flies. This year's China College Entrance Exam is approaching again. I cannot help recalling my experience last year, which is still there clearly. Last year this time, I felt very teired and bored. This resulted in my fickleness and I had no mood to study more, although I was still sitting before the desk studying. I am a survivor of the exam, but I cannot say that time was easy for me. The atmosphere of classroom then was peaceful, but everyone had his or her own worries, except for those who had already had quantities of adding scores to certain good universities. Good scores owners worried about failure in the final exam, which would clear all of his or her honors before. Relatively low scores owners began to regret about their previous not enriched study life, from my perspective. In such circumstance, I heard that some of other schools' students began to behave weirdly as a result of high pressure. However, fortunately, such situations did not happen in my class. We were very friendly to each other and gave our encouragement and wishes to others, although we were so called competitors. We were all facing a big event in our life and we all tried our best to peace our heart to reduce our worries. I am thankful for being there last year to experience the coming-of-age ceremony, because it trained me a lot and gave me many unforgettable memeries and feelings. Wish all of those students who are facing it now have good results paid off their great efforts.

Blog 9 Final Oral Presentation

      With our research project coming to an end, the final oral presentation also came today.  We have prepared for this research from the beginning of phase 2.  It means that everyone has put a great effort in it.  Thus, all of us value it a lot.  So, I want to talk something about the two most impressive part of today’s presentation.

      The most impressive part is that the great progress we made.  I still remember the scene of our first oral report.  At that time, almost everyone was nervous because we were not familiar with this kind of report.  Our voices were trembling; our gestures were unnatural; and we didn’t have enough eye contacts with our audience.  But today, everyone can present it very well.  We have well organized slides, proper postures and precise transition words in our speech.  We really improved a lot during this bridging course.

      The other one is our great teamwork, especially Huixuan’s team.  In their presentation, every member of that team had a clear mind of what others would say later and they cooperated with each other perfectly.  That depends on the team leader’s good arrangement and team member’s efforts.  Other groups also did a good job in this aspect.  Actually, every team leader has done a lot to organize the presentation.

      I think our team also presented very well today, although there were some small mistakes.  All of us prepared a lot, especially our team leader.  So, I want to say “thank you” to all of you, Shuzhi, Jieliang, Lanjun, Zhu Kai.  Congratulations!  We made it!  I think this will be a very sweet and precious memory for me.

      Today’s presentation is successful!

Blog 9: The kind people in Singapore

  Time goes fast.  Five months have passed since I arrived at Singapore.  Totally, Singapore is a very good place and it has brought me many impressive memories.  Besides the Christians that I have written in former blog, there are many people that moved me a lot.
  First, I want to show my gratitude to my host family althought they will move to China in June.  Uncle Jual Miang and Autie Lei Han treat me very well.  The day before the Eve of the Spring Festival, they invited me to their home.  We have dinner and talk together like a family.  After the meal, we went downstair to enjoy the fireworks.  To be exact, we use a kind of small fireworks to draw different things and use the camera to take photos of the things we drew.  Moreover, they invited me to take part in some interesting activities and bought me a beautiful T-shirt.  Because of them, I did not feel lonely in the foreign country and felt at home. 
  Next, I want to thank my seniors.  They are also kind and generous.  They gave mw a lot of books and useful advises.  In the Eve of the Spring Festival, the students from Shandong University had a party in Raffles Hall.  I enjoy not only all kinds of activities including playing cards, mahjong and billiards, but also  the meal, snacks and the Spring Festival Gala.  What is more moving is that the seniors gave me a delicious ice cream cake as the gift for the Girls` Day.  Without seniors, I cannot adapt to the new environment as soon as I did.
  Also, I`d love to say "thank you" to my friends.  I like the period when three roommates and I went to study yoga together.  Another roommate was always happy to lend me her wireless card and we shared almost everything together.  Furthermore, my roommates and I agreed to visit each other when we go back to China.  Besides the roommates, the other girls in SM3 are all easy-going and kind-hearted and I consider them my good friends.  I cherish the friendships with all the guys and I hope the friendships can last forever.
  In addtion, there are many strangers who treat me well.  For example, a Malaycian shopkeeper gave me two pairs of shoes for free when I bou ght a bag in his shop.  The price of the two pairs of shoes is equal to the price of the bag.  It is amazing and I have never met similar things in China.
  In a word, I like my life in Singapore and I hope the good persons will eventually be rewarded.

Blog 9: It is too early to say goodbye

It seems yesterday when I wrote my first blog, in which I said ‘Everything is new’.  Now the blog you are reading is my last one and I have already lost my fresh feelings about my life here long time ago.  At the same time, our bridging course is coming to an end.   And maybe we can’t have classes all together anymore after this course.  Once more, I have to say ‘time flies’.  Also, many friends started to say goodbye to bless each other as well as express the pity of the coming separation.

But don’t you think it is a little early to say goodbye? 

It is too early to say goodbye since we still have three weeks to go, with everyone in our group including our lovely tutors.  I have to admit that maybe three weeks is “nothing” because twenty weeks passed as one moment, but we can also gain a lot during these three weeks.  Imagine that when we were in senior 3, how many papers we could finish within three weeks.  We can still learn a lot; can still know much further about others.  So we still need enthusiasm to our group mates, to our tutors and to our classes. 

It is too early to say goodbye since we will have advanced C programming and economy courses.  We still have another one more month to see each other after the bridging course.  We still have the chance to visit our kind tutors at CELC, to ask them some lingual questions, or something about life here.

It is too early to say goodbye since we have at least three more years studying in NUS.  Maybe many of us will not pass the QET (I hope we all can), and we will have the same course here again.  And maybe we will have the same majors or take the same modules.  Still, we have the chance to meet our tutors.

It is too early to say goodbye since we have six more years working in Singapore.  We can’t guarantee we will be employed by the same companies, but at least we are in the same city!  Singapore is very small, you know.  Can’t you deny the possibility that one day you will meet one of us in an unknown name street?

It is too early to say goodbye since we have several more decades living in the same world!  ‘As long as you are alive, everything is possible’.  But maybe one of us can be an astronaut one day, and at that time living in Mars -_-|||.  If it comes true, we also can see you, even more easily…

It is too early to say goodbye, may our friendship last forever! O(∩_∩)O~

Blog 9:Eight tips for all men about how to survive in this modern world

            A few days ago, I came across a very good article written for all men about how to survive in this world.  I picked out 10 most useful tips for you.

1.     The strongest enemy of a man is not time, power, or even not himself, but women and satisfied with the status quo.

2.     Think twice before you do something; consider what you can benefit from it.  At least you should not lose something.

3.     Try your best to be a low-key person.  It is well known that one who sticks his neck out gets hit first.

4.     A person’s achievement is always measured by his money and position.  Therefore, do not give up any chance to get money and power only if it does not against your conscience or break the law.

5.     No matter how wealthy you are, no matter how good you are, try your best to be modest and polite.

6.     Don't do anything you might regret.  A person who always stays in memory of someone or something will finally achieved nothing.

7.     Keep away from those people who are not filial.  They even do not care about their own parents, who will they care about?

8.     A man should not cry after ten years old, except for those who you love most pass away.  No one else deserves your tears.  Be a man!

In fact, it is very difficult to be successful man. Hope these tips will help you a lot.

Blog 9 Thank you !

   Since this is the last blog writing assignment, although there are a lot of interesting things which I want to share with you regarding last week’s inter-class debate, in this blog, I just want to say “Thank you!” to all of you.

      Above all, I would like to express my appreciation to our tutors. 

      Mr. Ng:  As my mentor, you have really contributed a lot to my progress during the bridging course.  Besides the fantastic activities you arranged for us in recess week, your help on my essay writing also impressed me a lot.  Last week, as for the feedback on Essay 6, you told me that I was going through a normal period in which, the sentences were complicated and sounded weird as I tried hard to improve my skills.  Thanks for your suggestions and I will try my best to conquer it.  Furthermore, you are such a humorous person that all of us agree that time goes really fast on Tuesdays.  I have learned more beyond the materials in your class, respecting the life in Singapore. In addition, I would like to thank you for your assistance on our research project so that it goes quite smoothly.

      Ms. Lim: You are such a warm-hearted person that whenever we are in trouble, you are always the one who gives us a hand. During our preparation for the debate last Monday, although it was not your responsibility to help us, it was so caring of you to brainstorming with us.  It is you who contributed a lot to our success.  Moreover, thank you for the snacks that you always bring in class to encourage us.

      Ms Brenda Lee: You are so considerate that you always let us do some activities in the afternoon class in case that we will be tired without sleeping at noon.

      Ms KM Lee: Although you only taught us for half of the semester, I am really thankful for your help since you are the tutor who listen to my first oral report.  Without your encouragement and suggestion, I wouldn’t have made such progress in doing oral reports.

      Mrs. Choo:  You are really a responsible tutor especially for marking our writing assignments.  Every time I received the feedback of my paper, I was touched by your detailed correction and the face-to-face elaboration also contributed to my better understanding of how to write like a native speaker.

      Thanks for all of your help so that I am able to improve a lot on learning English.

      Secondly, I would like to say “thank you” to all my classmates.  It is you who make my life in Singapore interesting and meaningful.  As for Qingchun, Yiyang and Tianye, working with you together on our research project is really a memorable experience. You are so smart and hardworking that the whole work is bouncing along. 

      Furthermore, I also want to specially thank Jieliang for your company.  You comforted me when I was bothered by cockroaches in Labrador; and when I was tired or upset, you were always the one who stay there with me.  Thanks for your company that I never feel lonely.

      All in all, during the 6-month English bridging course, all my achievements should be attributed to your help and I am really glad to study with all of you.  Although it is almost the time for farewell, I believe that our friendship will last forever.

      Finally, all the best for the oral presentation in the coming week! J

Blog 9 College Entrance Examination

    How time flies! Two weeks later, College Entrance Examination will be held again. It's interesting to conceive that I was struggling for this exam which is considered able to determine one's fate. Fortunately, I went through this significant exam and reached expected target. Here I prepare to recall the former experience and express my reflections.
    In is said that people who have never experienced College Entrance Examination have an incomplete life. No wonder it is simply a joke, but I do admit that the process of preparing is unforgettable. We did the same things every day, taking lessons, doing exercises from morning to night. In my opinion, the physical suffering is not the hardest ordeal. The pressure of competition is  even more painful. I'm sure most students will not enjoy their fluctuating positions in the ranking lists. Even though a student feels that he has made every effort, he still could not obtain ideal grades. He might be discouraged by the failure caused by some careless mistakes. This is a commonplace phenomenon among the high school students. In their eyes, a high-class university nearly stands for a bright future. The expectations from families increase their stress as well. They need to deal with these difficulties. After conquering all the obstacles, they will be able to confront the hardships and dangers in their lives with an optimistic attitude. They will benefit from this improvement of spirits, which is even more valuable than their academic progress.
    I admire a former student in my hometown, who spent five years in the high school and eventually got in Tsinghua University. His stamina and determination help himself realize his dream. Yesterday, I chatted with my former classmate.He has taken one year's repeat classes and will take the exam in June. He told me he had spared no effort to prepare, but his grade was not satisfying. I felt sympathetic to him and encouraged him  to keep his hardworking. Sedulous students deserve good outcomes in the exam.
   Finally, I wish every student to gain good grades and enter his desired university in the final exam.

Without her I would not be here.

This weekend is Mother’s Day and I’m writing a blog about what I appreciate about my mum.

 I love my mum and without her I would not be here.

She gave a birth to me.  She sent me to a kindergarten.  She told me how to get on well with other children.  She sent me to a pretty good elementary school.  She picked me up from the school.  She told me studying hard was crucial for my whole life and English was more and more important, which I should pay more attention to.  She cooked for me, took care for me, she provided me food, water, clothes and things that I needed.

She is not beautiful.  She cannot cook as well as my friends’ mothers.  Sometimes she is not patient.  Sometimes she blamed me strictly.  Sometimes she does not want to talk with me.

However, she is my precious, unique and unparalleled mother; she is the source of my life.  Wherever I am, I love her all the time.  After I came to Singapore, I realized that more far away from home, much stronger emotion I have in missing my mother.

I have thanked my mother this Mother’s Day and prayed for her.

Have you done this tonight?

Follow our hearts

    You wake up in the morning, then do the same old rituals. You go to the office or to school. You meet the same people, do the same job, travel the same road, boooring.  Next day, same story. Do you want a change in your life? The solution is YOU! You're the master of your destiny. You decide if you want to have a change or not. Take the situation of a high school graduate. He has 2 choices - to continue through college or earn money working as a clerk. He's intimidated by the difficulties of studying, thesis, etc. He doesn't think he will pass the exams because he thinks he's below average. He doesn't like to take the risk of failing college and earning no money at present. So he works as a clerk earning meagre income. He's happy because he's earning money at such a young age while his friends are having a hard time. But then his friends graduated and got high-paying jobs. He envies them. If only he have sacrificed a few years and faced all the challenges of college, then he could've had a better life. If only he had taken the risk!

    There are also some people who want to improve their lives, but they're just too afraid to come out of their comfort zones and explore the endless opportunities out there. Last week, my best friend who is studying in Auckland University told me that she wanted to give up her architecture study in university.  She said she was pretty sure that her dream is studying photography in New York.  Finally, she asked me whether she should follow her heart or not.  This question let me think about our life and our dreams.  Yes, sometimes if we follow our dreams and do not go in a regular way, there may be challenges and problems; but if we try your best to move forward, we'll get more out of life. Explore and diversify. Take a different route to work, eat exotic foods we've never tasted, do something outrageous (not dangerous). Life could be exciting. It's our choice. Are we satisfied with our life right now? If not, then we need to do the things that we think will make your life complete and meaningful. We've got only one life to live. Maximize every opportunity.  Last day I found the answer to this question and sent her an e-mail.  It said that go out and do those things which will leave lasting memories in your mind. Live every day as if it's your last. Seize every moment!

Blog 8:One Choice Made, Another Created

                 Last week, all of us has chosen our majors on the internet. Once we clicked the button ”submit”, we could not change it anymore. It reminded me some of the decision I have ever made in my life.  The interesting thing is that in the past, there were lots of times I considered my choice as my final direction of life .  However, now I understand that although some of those choices were important , it could not decide my life.

Actually, a life has too many crossroads.  Before I graduated from my high school, what I only concerned about was to be enrolled into Chongqing University and major in Architecture.  But only a few months later, everything changed, completely.  I left my hometown, I left my country, and I came to Singapore.  In fact, this is never in my plan for futre.  However, future is always beyond our imagination and there are chance and changes everywhere.  

Today, we has chosen a major. Tomorrow, we may change it when we find it boring.  Furthermore, when we graduate from NUS, we may not find a job what 100% matches our majors. Serval years later, what we apply in our working may not be the knowledge we have learned in schools at all.

Although we do need to be careful about every choice, we do not have to consider it as a road for the whole life.  In a word, be our best for present, make the best choice for tomorrow, prepare ourselves for the unknown change.

Blog 8: Prof Chew's last mathematics class for us

    In all my bridging course there is one man standing out
on the horizon of my memory like Mars at perihelion.  Last Friday,
we finished our mathematic curriculum and Prof Chew informed
that we have learned all the math contents of bridging course and
math curriculum came to an end.  Watching the big "END" at the
buttom of the notes, I felt that my heart was touched by
something.
     I still remember the first time I saw Prof Chew.  In
October last year, Prof Chew, representing NUS, came to Xian
Jiaotong University to collect us.  Surprisingly, his clothes were very
old and he looked very ordinary.  Moreover, during the interview,
he was extremely quiet, because he seldom asked any question
and just smiled. 
     After coming to Singapore, we got to know that he would
teach us mathematic and it is proved that he is really a kind
professor.  In the class, he taught us detailedly and tried his best to
make problems easier and simpler.  It is easy to follow him.  After
class, if we asked him questions, no matter how stupid or difficult
they are, he would explain questions patiently.  As to the exam, he
gave the last year paper.  And I know he spared no effort to
complete all the contents in the exam paper but limit the difficulty
so all students will be able to pass it.  He is very tender.
     Perhaps, he will never teach us, but we will remember
him for his good quality and significant help.  Hopefully, most NUS
teachers are very kind and helpful like him.  Like what my senior
said, all of them have morally good quality.  Finally, do hope Prof
Chew surgical success.      

Time flies

It is almost the end of our 6-month bridging course. I believe that everyone could reflect that time goes so fast. My feeling of it is stronger,because I always feel that I just arrived Singapore and went to River Valley High school hostel yesterday. I analyze some reasons for my special strong feeling. First, I think, it is the result of Singapore's climate. The climate here is always the same and the temperature is not changing much everyday, which is quite different from my hometown,so the sceneries in Singapore have not changed since we arrived here. This results in my feeling of arriving here just yesterday. We all know that time flies when we have fun. So another reason is that this period is pleasing and full of fun. Although, I should admit, sometimes the lesson is not that interesting, I enjoyed the moment staying with all of my classmates studying together. Although, the fact is that my essays were always not satisfying, I learned a lot from the practice. Most importantly, I understood more about the culture here during the bridging course, which is essential to my later life here. I also learned to do different kinds of oral reports and projects by cooperating with others, which I have never done before. All in all, I quite enjoy the life here and appreciate the wonderful relationship with all my tutors and friendship gained here. I believe that after I finish the. Bridging course, I will miss it and it will become my valuable memory.

What do we have?

  One always regards his or her life as a piece of profound epic. However, when we turn to some great historical figures, their lives just seemed to be samples to us. Our growth is influenced by societies and other subsistent things. Carl Marx once said that, “people are the fruit of environment.” By the same token, some historians asserted that, “A hero is created by time; instead that time is created by a hero.” It seemed that we are influenced and even totally controlled by the society and environments. As an example, we have taken a characteristic test named DISC. It claimed that our original characters were nurtured by the specific environments we lived in and that as we grow up, our characters are influenced and reformed by the surroundings. If our lives are like formulas and can be explained by all the objective things, what have we contributed to our own lives and what do we have? For me, the answer is “today”. Compared to the perpetuation, a person is nothing. Nevertheless, we all have the most value possession and also the only one possession—today. Based on it, we have the freedom to lead our own lives. We can complete a story which is belonged to today. We can enjoy the landscapes around us today. Most importantly, today, we can struggle for our dreams and do all the meaningful work today. That is, today, we are writing our own histories. Although our lives seem to be meaningless when compared to the whole history, the histories we are creating today is the most valuable possession for us. We live just for we live. 

Blog 8 I never say ‘missing home’

I didn’t realise it is already the 8^th blog until I checked the schedule.  “Time flies.”  The words have become one of my pet phrases recently.

The latest reminder of this sentence is that SM2 NTU boys these days are planning back home.  Because two of my roommates (generally) are SM2, I can feel the passage of time clearly.  Last moment, we had just greetings, now we say ‘farewell’.  Tomorrow, they will have left, towards their homes.  So when can we get home?  That is a question.  Maybe no worry, since time will fly~

Strangely, I never say ‘missing home’, not because I am a boy, since a man can also say; not because in my home nothing is worth missing, since I have respectable parents and two lovely sisters; not because I am not missing home, since I also have a mankind heart as everybody.  So why?  It is because I’m afraid that once I speak out, I will never miss it or I will miss it more; or I am afraid that the words will quickly go with the wind but let nothing left.  Eh…Kind of misty, right?  Maybe I have to use my clumsy words to explain further.

I always forget what I said or what I promised.  Sometimes, since I speak something out, I will mentally over-relax about it, and then maybe I will overlook it.  I don’t want a boy overseas home doesn’t have his home in heart.

I also always over-think about what I said (How can I do that at the same time!).  If I say I’m missing home, then I will think of it a lot, such as some reasons (it seems like what I’m doing now).  I’ll do miss home more.  After all, memory depends on how often and how many times one memorise.  The more I think, the deeper impression I’ll have.   I don’t want this missing to influence my life here.

I always believe that time flies.  Whether I say it or not, it makes no difference.  If I say I’m missing home, the only thing is that my voice will go with the wind, fly with the time.  The time I spend saying will also fly.  I don’t want to waste time.  By the way, my family must want me seize the day.  So for the sake of them, I won’t say it, either.

Oh, my god!  How many times I have said “I never say ‘missing home’” so far, and how much time I have wasted!  I have to hurry up to finish my essay now and make way to learn more!

Blog 8: Tips on drinking milk

      Milk is a kind of healthy drink, packing with lots of Vitamins and Calcium.  However, do you know that there are several dos and not dos about drinking milk.  Here I would tell you what we should know about drinking milk.

DOs:   There are three periods in a day which are the best time to drink milk.  The first one is breakfast.  As the breakfast can provide us about 30% of the energy we need for the whole day, we can have some milk during the breakfast,accompanied by some bread and eggs, to kick up out metabolism.  Therefore, we will feel energetic for the whole day.  Around 4 o' clock is also a best time to  have milk.  It would be better if we have milk before supper.  The last one is to drink milk before sleeping, which would help us to fall asleep.  The effect can be magnified if we have some biscuits at the same time.

Not DOs:  The first thing we should not do is that we can eat orange immeiately afte we drink milk.  Because the protein will solify when it meets acid.  Therefore, we should not blend milk with other sour flavoured juice.  People  like to heat  milk  before drinking it.  However, we must not add suguar to the boiling milk.  It is because some poisonous things will come into being we suguar is added.  We should waait until the milk get cooler.  The last thing we should not do is that we can not have medicine with milk.  The reason is that the mineral substance in the milk will react with the medicine,which will influence the pesticide effect.

       After reading this, I believe that you know how to drink milk in a healthy way.  Next time when you drink milk, remember to drink healthily.

Blog 8:Detective game

Last Saturday we had our second English Speaking Corner (ESC) activity.  I have been looking forward to it so long.  Fortunately I feel the activity is worth participating.

Different with the first ESC activity, this time the game was more interesting.  Last time we played some entertaining games.  But this time we played a detective game.  The story happened on 23^rd, March. A Philippine maid was found dead in her employer’s room at 7pm on that day.  She was stabbed to death.  There were six suspicious people including her employer who treated her badly, her agent who knows her many darkest secret, the loan shark who lent her ten thousand dollars, her employer’s son, her best friend in Singapore and her good-for-nothing boyfriend.  We played the role of “Dorlock Dolmes” who was a detective.  He was assigned to investigate the case and found the murder competing with detectives from other detective companies.  

The key of this game is asking questions.  We could interrogate the six suspects.  By asking questions and analysing their response, we should speculate who was the murder.  I felt it was hard to come up with the conclusions because we even didn’t know what they said and their proof was truths or lies.  All in all, we failed to find out the murder in the final.  However, I didn’t feel upset at all because I enjoyed the process of the game.  I improved my speaking and detective skills in the process.  Moreover, we met our lovely befrienders and we chatted for a long time.  Tired but happy, I enjoyed myself on Saturday.

I still remember the scene we met our befrienders at the central forum.  Time flies! I’m glad we have kept a close relationship.

Blog 8

      How time flies!  This is already our last blog, which means that our bridging course is coming to an end.  So in this blog I want to talk about what I have gained from bridging course.

      The most precious part I think is the acquaintance of 5 tutors.  The tutors in our group are excellent.  Ms. Lim is very responsible and really good at teaching.  In phase 2, she has to teach for one and a half day per week and take care of 6 mentees.  She is so busy but she has never complained about it.  Mr. Ng is a very humors and talkative person.  All of us admit that Tuesday is the most relaxed day in a week.  He always tells us some interesting news or some special experience of himself and ignores our study task.  I like his lesson very much. HAHA!  Mrs. Choo is our group mentor and research supervisor.  She is always willing to help us with difficulties.  Mrs. Choo really distributed a lot in our research.  And she also took us for meals several times.  It’s very delicious!  The two Ms. Lee are also very kind and responsible although they teach us only half a day per week.

      Besides, I also appreciate my 17 lovely classmates very much.  Everyone has his or her own specialty such as writing, speaking, reading, or singing.  Someone is outgoing, someone is easygoing and someone is charming.  I’m so lucky to study in Group 2.  However, the only pity is that we have never gone out for fun together as a group.  I hope we can get such a chance after bridging course.

      The last part is that my English level has improved a lot especially in speaking and listening. But it is not as important as what I mentioned above la!

      Wish everyone can get a good grade and get into his or her ideal major!

Blog 8: ESC

       Last Sunday, there was an English Speaking Corner at Marina Bay Sands, which was organized by our befrienders, in order to help us practice our speaking skills.  I was quite interested to participate the activity, because several weeks ago, I had had an oral report to introduce that place, but I never went there. 

When we arrived there, we were separated into several groups.  What we needed to do is to solve a case that an employee who was a maid was stabbed to die in the employer’s home.  There were several suspects performed by befrienders we needed to ask for details, who were staying at different spots of Marina Bay Sands.  Therefore, while we were looking for the murder, we could also go through the scenery of every corner of Marina Bay.  I quite enjoyed the shopping center and so many tall buildings.

After asking a lot of questions, we finally agreed with the victim’s friend or her employer, amongst her boyfriend, the agent and the employer’s wife and son.  What impressed me most was a befriender who performed as the nine-year-old son, because he sat on a chair and kept shaking and smiling like a kid.  I laughed a lot because he kept saying “my mama blablabla”.  It was so funny.  When the leader asked the final results of every group, one of our befrienders said,” Let’s vote! The first one is the friend” and then her hand rose.  Before the rest of our members rose hands, another befriender did not heard the word “vote” but only the word “friend” so that she said “OK” and ran away towards the leader too swiftly to be stopped.  We burst into laughter and shouted,” Oh, my god. We have not decided the result at all.”  However, to our surprise, we were the only group who made the right result.  We laughed and enjoyed the snacks we won as gifts.  When we told the others that joke, they all could not imagine how lucky we were.

Having enjoyed the food, we together took MRT to a food club which I was not familiar with to have lunch.  The interesting activity ended with chatting and laughing.  The time we spent with befriends was always gone too fast.

Blog 8: Wedding

 Wedding is the most important moment for most women.  Last Saturday, our host family took me to attend a Christian wedding which was much different from Chinese weddings.  Now, I`d like to share it with you, my dear classmates.

  The wedding was held in a Christian church.  When I arrived there, my host family took me to the dressing room to see the bride.  As imagined, the bride looked very beautiful dressing in white.  After taking photos with the bride, my host family and I sat down and waited patiently for the beginning of the ceremony. 

  At last, the host announced the ceremony was beginning.  Then everyone stood up and sang Christian songs together.  Later, the host told us the story about the groom and the bride.  He said that four years ago, someone had introduced the bride to the groom and they had exchanged the telephone numbers but had not contacted each other.  However, one and a half years ago, the couples met again in the church and fell in love with each other.  Therefore, they married.  After the long introduction, the most important part began.  The bride and groom were ready to come in.  Before they came, the flower girls and boys had come.  The father of the bride accompanied the bride walking through the red carpet and handed over his precious daughter to her husband.  Then the priest appeared helping the groom and the bride exchange vows and rings and announce them husband and wife.  After that, the new couple kissed, lit candles together and watched a video about their friends` wishes and their wedding pictures.  At the end of the wedding, every guest took photos with the new couple and went downstairs to enjoy the feast.

  The wedding ceremony lasted only two hours but it was significant to the couple, especially to the bride.  From then on, she was not a carefree girl any more.  She must care for her husband and the whole family.  She could not enjoy the happy time when her parents did everything for her.  She must learn to do housework and learn to deal with other tiring things.  From my perspective, girls should not get married too early.  Girls should enjoy the freedom without any restriction.  The old saying tells people that the marriage is the grave of love.  Once girls get married, the boy who always considered his beloved girl as the center of the world will not do it any more because he have got what he wants and he will not cherish the things he gets.  That`s why many women complain their husbands love them less after marriage.

  In conclusion, I do hope every girl can be happy forever.

blog 8: More Than a Dream

The other day, I found that my twin elder sister had written in her twitter, “Sister, I love you!” Although she wrote sweet and embarrassing words of me from time to time, I was still curious and responded to her asking what happened. She replied that she had dreamed a wonderful dream, after which she wrote it down.

And this was what she had dreamed: at first she and I were on a train. Then we suddenly realized that we had missed our stop. Both of us were very worried. When the train slowed a bit, I jumped out of the window, taking away my schoolbag and hers at the same time. She shouted to me,” sister, wait for me! I will see you later! ” the train went on, and gradually it became a bus. When the train almost stopped, my sister impatiently jumped off the bus. She was very anxious because the train, or the bus, had already gone so far away since I jumped off. It was a remote place with no other transportations, and she had to run back to me. She ran as fast as she could, thinking that I must have grown lonely and worried as I waited. Engulfed by a feeling of sympathy, she began to cry, and had a notion to shout” Sister, I love you!” she almost cried out these words, when my parents suddenly came to her sight. They asked her what was she doing and she answered that she was looking for me.

Right on cue, my older sister’s hand phone rang, which ended her dream. It was from her boyfriend. She felt it a pity that she had not cried out “sister, I love you!”, so she immediately wrote it down in her twitter.

“How could your boyfriend serve as a ‘light bulb’ at that critical moment?” I teased after she finished telling me her dream, but we both admitted that it was a wonderful dream.

Moreover, it was more than a dream. It reflects my sister’s deep love to me. How lucky I am to have my sister in my life.

Blog 8: "DISC" assessments

Last Friday, MOE arranged a special activity for all of us, in which teachers and volunteers helped us to understand ourselves better using the “DISC” assessments.  DISC is a quadrant behavioral model based on the work of Dr. William Moulton Marston (1893–1947) to examine the behavior of individuals in their environment or within a specific situation. It therefore focuses on the styles and preferences of such behavior.

The assessments classify four aspects of behavior by testing a person's preferences in word associations.  DISC stands for: Dominance – relating to control, power and assertiveness; Influence – relating to social situations and communication; Seadiness – relating to patience, persistence, and thoughtfulness; and Compliance – relating to structure and organization

I scored very high in “I”, which means I usually influence others through talking and activity and tend to be emotional. I am described as convincing, magnetic, enthusiastic, persuasive, warm, trusting, and optimistic.

I also scored high in “D”, meaning that I am very active in dealing with problems and challenges.

In “S”, I got very low scores, implying that I like change and variety.

I also got low grades in “C”, suggesting I am willing to challenge the rules and want independence and are described as self-willed, unsystematic, arbitrary, and unconcerned with details.

DISC proponents believe that characteristics of behavior can be grouped into these four major "behavior styles", which are  and they tend to exhibit specific characteristics common to that particular style. All individuals possess all four, but what differs from one to another is the extent of each.

After the activity, many students wanted to know how to change themselves and there indeed are some tips in response; however, I believe that we should not force ourselves to change because the world is beautiful as a result of variety.  If everyone is to be the same “perfect” person, the whole human society would be very dull.

Hence, I would appeal that it is okey to make some adjustments so that we can get along with others more smoothly but there is no need to change “what I am now” to”what I should be in the future”.  After all, a beautiful garden must include flowers with different colours.