Was just looking through some of the previous posts and it's only then that I realised just how long I haven't actually had a proper Blog Entry. I'd be the first to admit it's due to either being too Lazy or Busy engaging in Procrastination. Looking Back, I would sure love to relive the moment when my exams just ended and that sense of excitement of boarding SQ218 back home. The results will be released on Friday, technically less than 5 days away and I don't foresee a pretty sight. I expect my number of HDs to continue the downward trend to just 1 this semester and I would be thanking my lucky stars if I could get a Credit for my Taxation Law. The other 2 units, I can only hope that Shit doesn't happen and I get my Distinctions.
The crucial question is, Can I be happy or satisfied with these grades? Do I think I have put in my best effort for the semester? To begin with, recovering and starting the new school term after more than 3 months of break proved to be more difficult than I thought. I never quite got into gear until well into the semester and even then, I was merely ensuring I was on schedule with regards to the weekly tutorials and readings. I never felt for once that I was on top of my game. It's something that has bugged me for a while, especially towards the end of the semester, where I started to take stock of what might have been, or rather, what are the underlying reasons for such mediocrity. Right from the beginning, I've warned myself against complacency, especially after a very difficult semester prior to the holidays and seemingly less challenging subjects this term except for Taxation Law. Have I heeded my own advice? Yes and No. Yes to the extent that I ensured that I wasn't lagging behind; No as in I was never as driven as I was in the previous semesters. As it turned out, while the units were hardly less challenging, I felt I still had adequate and appropriate preparations for classes.
This cant be said of my Equities unit. I'm not one to find excuses or engage in finger-pointing if I don't do well but I seriously think it's a poorly taught unit. There's almost a total lack of coherence in the lecture materials, textbook, and the tutorial questions. And even for me, who wouldn't accept answers or concepts blindly, it proved to be very difficult to obtain satisfactory answers from the teaching staff. Lecturer 1 gives sarcastic replies. Lecturer 2 thinks a lot of the material in the textbook are bull**** and explains concepts in ways probably only post-graduates can understand. My tutor. -_- "I'll get back to you on this" --> Yup, you guessed it. Never once did I ever get my answer. No reply to my emails. It certainly doesn't help my learning despite having scoured through numerous textbooks for relevant explanations. Nonetheless, deep down, I know I've let slip a HD for this unit 'cos my exam preparations for this unit wasn't as thorough as it could have been.
Tax Law. Well. Still reeling from the Gang-rape....
Of course, not to forget that this semester also saw me increasing my involvement in the SG Assoc of Monash as well as getting my hands dirty with the larger Umbrella Organisation, the SG Assoc for Victorian State. Much as I can deny its impact, I know I can do a better job in managing these 'distractions' mentally. I can't be thankful enough for the experience thus far and I look forward to unearthing more of the harsh realities of life in the months to come.
My Personal life, rather empty, just the usual boring -z.w-. Pretty tough sometimes. But well. I shall not engage in self-pity. Dig in and just keep plugging away. . . .That's pretty much my semester in a nutshell. At the end of the day, I just need to get back on track, once I get my bearings right, that drive will be back. I shall refuse say I'll work doubly-hard and push myself as much as possible next semester. It's too easy to say this but I'm sure all of us know, this may not be the case when the term starts. So, we'll just wait and see.
The crucial question is, Can I be happy or satisfied with these grades? Do I think I have put in my best effort for the semester? To begin with, recovering and starting the new school term after more than 3 months of break proved to be more difficult than I thought. I never quite got into gear until well into the semester and even then, I was merely ensuring I was on schedule with regards to the weekly tutorials and readings. I never felt for once that I was on top of my game. It's something that has bugged me for a while, especially towards the end of the semester, where I started to take stock of what might have been, or rather, what are the underlying reasons for such mediocrity. Right from the beginning, I've warned myself against complacency, especially after a very difficult semester prior to the holidays and seemingly less challenging subjects this term except for Taxation Law. Have I heeded my own advice? Yes and No. Yes to the extent that I ensured that I wasn't lagging behind; No as in I was never as driven as I was in the previous semesters. As it turned out, while the units were hardly less challenging, I felt I still had adequate and appropriate preparations for classes.
This cant be said of my Equities unit. I'm not one to find excuses or engage in finger-pointing if I don't do well but I seriously think it's a poorly taught unit. There's almost a total lack of coherence in the lecture materials, textbook, and the tutorial questions. And even for me, who wouldn't accept answers or concepts blindly, it proved to be very difficult to obtain satisfactory answers from the teaching staff. Lecturer 1 gives sarcastic replies. Lecturer 2 thinks a lot of the material in the textbook are bull**** and explains concepts in ways probably only post-graduates can understand. My tutor. -_- "I'll get back to you on this" --> Yup, you guessed it. Never once did I ever get my answer. No reply to my emails. It certainly doesn't help my learning despite having scoured through numerous textbooks for relevant explanations. Nonetheless, deep down, I know I've let slip a HD for this unit 'cos my exam preparations for this unit wasn't as thorough as it could have been.
Tax Law. Well. Still reeling from the Gang-rape....
Of course, not to forget that this semester also saw me increasing my involvement in the SG Assoc of Monash as well as getting my hands dirty with the larger Umbrella Organisation, the SG Assoc for Victorian State. Much as I can deny its impact, I know I can do a better job in managing these 'distractions' mentally. I can't be thankful enough for the experience thus far and I look forward to unearthing more of the harsh realities of life in the months to come.
My Personal life, rather empty, just the usual boring -z.w-. Pretty tough sometimes. But well. I shall not engage in self-pity. Dig in and just keep plugging away. . . .That's pretty much my semester in a nutshell. At the end of the day, I just need to get back on track, once I get my bearings right, that drive will be back. I shall refuse say I'll work doubly-hard and push myself as much as possible next semester. It's too easy to say this but I'm sure all of us know, this may not be the case when the term starts. So, we'll just wait and see.
