🚙 Family Trip to Penang, Malaysia (17 to 20 Dec 2018)

          As currently now I am in university, December would be my 1 month winter break. It was the only time where I could truly enjoy because for this entire 1 month, I have no homework/exams and do not need to study at all. It was something which I was truly looking forward too, especially after enduring so much during my 1st semester in uni. My relatives (my father's side) had already booked a hotel and a mini tour package at Penang, Malaysia. My father asked me last minute whether I would like to go with him for this trip. Sadly, my mother or sister did not manage to tag along. My father wanted to treat me this trip as a birthday present for my 21st birthday.
           Initially, I was not keen in going at all because I have been to Malaysia countless of times. In this December, I was supposed to go to Malaysia two more times. However, one of my mini two day trip was cancelled last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. I got more inclined to this trip since then as I missed out one trip already and would not want to miss another potential overseas trip.
           As my father booked the trip last minute, me and my father took a different airline from our relatives. Our flight was a transit flight and we flew from Singapore to KL and from KL to Penang and vice versa for the return journey. I was slightly worried as I have a fear of heights and this meant that I have to take a total of 4 airplanes. As recently there were two major and serious commercial airplane crashes (lion air in Indonesia), I was afraid that something could go wrong during one of the 4 flights that I will be taking. 4 flights to take, 4 times more the chances that something bad could go wrong... I kept listening to christian songs and praying to God until I felt calm during the 4 flights. All 4 flights were quite short being roughly about an hour each and I just watch only 1/2 episodes of anime during each flights.
            After reaching the airport, my father bought data. As I recently started playing Pokemon go due to the influence of my CCA peers, I was quite happy as I could catch Pokemon on a foreign land. There was also a double candy and Christmas event which spawned much more ice and Christmas related Pokemons than usual and I made the full use out of it through these 4 days!
            Me and father arrived few hours earlier than my relatives so we explored the streets and shop-houses near the hotel. As my hair was quite long and my parents dislike me having relatively "long" hair, my father took me to a saloon to cut and wash my hair. I was quite thankful as I only paid 36 RM for it, which is about 12 SGD. For a cut and wash in a saloon, it is considered relatively cheap as compared to Singapore where a wash and cut could amount to twice the price or more of what I paid. In addition, the haircut experiencing was very soothing and relaxing overall as the hairstylist put in her 100 percent effort in cutting my hair and also massaging my scalp. The haircut experience last about an hour plus and I thoroughly enjoy the whole process. This is one of the most worth 12 dollars haircut ever.
           The real adventures begins on the second day. We went to Penang Hill. It was one of the main highlights in this trip, going high up the hill in the cable car. It was possible to climb up the hill by foot, but there was older adults and a toddler so we chose the convenient way anyways. The view high up the hill was breathtaking and spectacular. Took quite a number of picturesque photos and even saw an eagle soaring high up in the sky. In addition, I on my Pokemon Go app, to my surprise, there were a hoard of starters that spawn frequently without lures or incense.
           I ate a lot delicious food at Penang. The one that was the most memorable was actually an Indian Vegetarian Restaurant. For me particular, I love meat a lot and would definitely prefer a meal with some meat over a meal with no meat at all. However, the meal I had at that Indian vegetarian restaurant changed my mind. Surprisingly, the vegetarian dishes were scrumptious.
           Furthermore, I also grew closer to my niece, my older cousin's young daughter. Usually in family gatherings there will be a lack of chance to interact with my young niece one to one on a close personal level. Most of my relatives will "chope" her first. However, during this trip, I got to interact with her personally as I held her hand while touring around Penang many times and she enjoyed it and was delighted whenever I approached her to hold her hand.
           The only tilting part in this trip was the return flight. Not only it was another transit flight, both flights were delayed. On top of that, the plane did not have space to land on the official landing area so they landed somewhere far else outside. They have to send a private bus to ferry us back to the main terminal. In the end, I was supposed to reach home around 7 to 8 pm but I only reach back at 12 am midnight.
            Overall, still it was a pleasant journey and I do not regret at all going this trip. Initially, I was not very receptive in wanting to go this trip but thank God I did went for it in the end.

Pic: this is an eagle soaring quite high up

   Pic: my hotel

This train was quite fun but scary as it went uphill and I believe it was overloaded

Pics: scenery high up Penang Hill

Pics: Pictures of me and father and extended family from my Father's side

🔧 Year 1 Semester 1 NUS Common Engineering/Mechanical Engineer Modules Review

 Hi to whoever is kindly reading this blog, I am a Y1S1 (Year 1 Semester 1) Common Engineering student in NUS (National University of Singapore). How common engineering works is that first year we will take common engineering pre-requites modules that other engineering majors also will take in their first year like math, physics/chemistry modules. After the first year, we will be streamed compulsory into a major, which currently I am aiming for mechanical engineering. Most people in common engineering are aiming for computer engineering, because their A-level cut-off point could not make it as now computer engineering is a very competitive course like computer science in which even the 10th percentile consists of straight As students. I am writing this blog mainly to give a modules review of the modules that I had taken this semester.
               

1) EG1111 (ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE I)     

6 MCs

10% Oral Presentation
15% Written Report
35% Project and quizzes
20% Mid-term quiz (week 5)
20% Finals quiz (week 12)

For all engineering majors who are not from the poly direct intake, they have to take two EPP (Engineering Principle and Practice) modules in their first year each per semester. A usual module in NUS consists of 4 MCs (modular credits). However, both EPP modules are 6 MCs each. EG1111 is compulsory for all mechanical engineering majors to take it. In the first 6 weeks, you will learn about stuffs you learn before in JC (Junior College) physics if you take it. Some of it is also very similar to what u will learn in PC1431, another module I took in this semester with this module. The content is relatively easy to follow through initially and the bell curve for the first quiz was quite high, an 18 out of 20 is a A. The quizzes are all MCQs. From week 7 onward, the content gets harder and harder as you will come across stuffs you never learn or see before. The final quiz was extremely hard and the average mark was around 12 to 13 out of a 20. For the first quiz, the questions were relatively easy and some of the questions were repeated questions from past year papers. For the second quiz, the question types were new and were relatively hard. For the oral presentation, it will be an individual component and the week you are supposed to present will most likely be accordingly to alphabetical order of your name. You will be given the question topic two weeks before. Half of the marks will be graded on your engineering content, the other half will be graded by CELC (Centre for English and Language Communication). CELC will be grading you on your English and how effectively you deliver your presentation to your audience. Likewise for the written report, you will be doing it in your groups and while half of it will be graded on your engineering content, the other half will be graded by CELC on the English. For mine cohort, there were only two short quizzes, and they contributed to 3 percent each of the whole total module. The quizzes are open book by the way, just no electronic device that can communicate during both of the 20 percent quizzes. For each week, during one of the studio sessions out of two, one of the session will be graded. To score well for this module, the two quizzes will play a very huge difference because in my group, our final grades were very diverse even though we got the same marks for our studio sessions. I did very well for the first quiz (18/20) and average for the second quiz (13/20) and roughly average for the other components, but I still did quite well in the end.

Expected grade: B+/A-
Achieved grade: A-

2) MA1505 (MATHEMATICS I)

4 MCs

20% tutorials in-class-assignments
20% mid terms
60% finals

The first half of this module covers A level H2  Mathematics stuffs. The second half covers advanced calculus. The 20% in class assignments is easy to score and secure because discussions were allowed in tutorials and if you come for all the tutorials. The other 80 percent is just exam, but an A4 sized double sided cheat sheet is allowed into both exams. You should be able to squeeze in every formula into the cheat sheet if you write or print small enough with extra spaces to copy down some tough questions from tutorials or past year papers. For my batch, the bell curve was in our favor as everyone find it very hard. Generally, the time given for the mid-term paper were very little and most people did not have enough time to complete the paper. For the finals, the questions were very tough and many of the questions types were unseen or the working are just too long. Even though I did not know how to do the questions completely or get the final answer, I just try to write down whatever formula or working I can because they mark quite leniently as generally everyone could not get the final answer. Even if you completely do not know what or how to do, just write something down like some formulas or even just copy down the question and do some simple manipulation.

Expected grade: B+
Achieved grade: B+

3) PC1431 (PHYSICS IE)

4 MCs

10% Lab
60% Final
15% Mid terms
15% Online quiz assessment

This module teaches advances physics, way beyond your H2 physics. It consists of 3 dimensional aspects, which attributes to the toughness of the questions set in exams or tutorial. For the 15% online quiz assessment, it is a free giveaway if you attend the lectures regularly or get the password code from your friend. As long you submit all the answer within the given time, regardless of the accuracy of your answer, you will still get the 15% participation marks. The 10% lab assessment is split into two labs, one mechanical and and on heat, each 5%. The mid terms was very tricky, I did very badly for it, scoring about 1 or 2 marks below the average/median marks. For the finals, I could not do most of the questions. I just blindly wrote some equations and formulas. I even left a few parts blank. In the end, I did slightly better than what I expected to get but I still SUed it because I got a lot of SUs to spare.

Expected Grade: B-
Achieved Grade: B

4) CS1010E (PROGRAMMING METHODOLOGY)

4 MCs

10% Mid Terms
2% Online Quiz
18% Lab
5% Class Attendance
10%, 15%, 20% and 20% Continual Assessment Lab Test

This module is a cap killer module. Most people tend to do badly in this module. During my semester, my batch was the lucky batch as how the components were graded were easier to score as compared to previous semester. For most people, coding is something is either you dont get it or get it at first. If you belongs to the first group, if you put in lots of hard work, you should be able to do well. Even so, a lot of people will have computing background before they enter university so when comes to the bell-curve, you might be at a disadvantage if you dont have some computing background. My best advice you guys who wants to take this module is to read up ahead and practice coding before doing this module as you will definitely have a much better advantage. 

Expected Grade: C
Achieved Grade: C+


5) GEK2041/GET1025 (SCIENCE FICTION AND PHILOSOPHY)

4 MCs

60% Essay (6 x 10% Individual Essays)
10% Blog
15% 2 Quizzes
15% Tutorial

This module is a GE (General Education) Module, under the GET thinking pillar. This module is an very interesting module because it combines both science fiction and philosophy into one entire module. You will get to explore many science fiction plots in a philosophical approach. The lectures are broadcast-ed and uploaded online. The lectures are very interesting to listen to though so if you have time dont give it a miss. I got like a 4/5 for my first essay and then subsequently all 3/5 for the rest of my 5 remaining essays. The grading is all bell-curved for the essays as they have a certain limit to give out the 5s and 4s too. For the quizzes, you just have to read up the essential readings which are just science fiction tales and they will test up basic questions. For the tutorial, as long u attend the tutorial sessions and answer what the Prof/TA asked you you will get the full tutorial marks. For the blog, you just have to comment three times on the blog which is quite easy but of course if you are adventurous feel free to comment more.

Expected Grade: B+
Achieved Grade: B+

                    Overall, this semester is quite a tough semester because of CS1010E. Even though I got quite a bad grade and knew I would be SUing this module, I still put in quite some considerable number of time into it. Even though CS1010E was a 4 MC module, for most people who agree with me, it feels much more than 4MCs. In the end, I only SUed my CS1010E and PC1431 which my cap became a second class upper. The modules that I took I enjoyed a lot was my GET1025 and MA1505 module. It was a pretty good semester to begin with and I am glad that I cleared the most probably hardest module in my entire 4 years which is CS1010E.