Why do I cry when watching Hindi movies?

Why do I always cry when watching Hindi movies? Maybe the story is just touching or maybe it’s the exaggerated background music. Yeah, I think it’s the music. What else can it be then?

My mom likes to watch Hindi or Tamil movies now. She said that they have good stories to tell and good moral values to convey. Well, I think she kind of like Shah Rukh Khan. Haha! Just kidding!

Anyway, there are only 3 days left. In 3 days time, I’ll know my STPM results. Oh, how I dread it and yet I can’t wait for it so that I can get it over and done with.

Which course should I apply for? Which university should I go? Should I try for a scholarship even though I know my results would not be that outstanding? Ah, I don’t know, I don’t know.

I’ve kind of made up my mind to go for Mass Communications. A couple of my friends are doing it now and they said it’s fun. One is in US and one is in Lim Kok Wing. Nah, not going to go to either place. I’m thinking of a public university like UM or USM, which is close to home.

If I go UM, I’ll be far from my family. Then, I can only get to see my nephew and nieces once in a while. I’ll miss my home so much. I’ll miss my parents. Most of all, I’ll miss my bed and bolster. Hmm, what if I brought them along with me? I meant my bed mattress and bolster. Okay, the pillow too.

Well, first things first. First thing to face: my results.

STPM results out next Thursday! Run!!!

The long-awaited STPM results will be out next week on the 15^th of March 2007 and it is on a Thursday. Well, who cares what day it will be released? As long it’s released then it’s all right.

A few days ago, my friend had been bugging and asking me when I think the results will be announced. I told him I have no idea but he still asked me to ask my friends. Haha! I guess he must be really, really anxious about his results. Well, I am too! Who wouldn’t be?

I know for one that my Chemistry is a total goner. I’ll be happy if I passed the stupid subject. I mean, I studied Chemistry very hard but it’s a mystery why I can’t answer the questions in my exam. Actually, even my brainy friends had to guess the answers. Was it that tough or what?

I’m also sorry for not updating my blog. I’m sorry for myself too. Just been busy, that’s all. But, I’ll try to update regularly after this.

By the way, the SPM results will be out on Monday the 12^th of March and like I mentioned earlier, the STPM results will be out on Thursday, 15^th of March. If you want to check your STPM results next Thursday, you can go to the following website after 11am.

http://www.mpm.edu.my/

You can also key in STPM, followed by space and your identity card number and send it to 39003 via SMS.

Tuition - Total Waste of Time

Reading Chong Sheau Ching’s column today in StarTwo about tuition (Best Tutor in the world), got me thinking about this unnecessary trend, which is spreading among school children as young as 4 or 5 years old. Heck, even babies who are barely a year old are already sent for special classes to teach them how to read! It’s getting more ridiculous by the second.

I never attended any tuition classes and my grades did not suffer. My mom never believed in all that tuition crap. She and my dad said that tuition is only for weak students and so far, I was not considered that weak. She also preferred me to have sufficient playtime and rest time so that I’ll look forward to school the next day. Frankly, I completely enjoyed my primary years. They were so carefree days! Even though I had bad times, I never grumbled about them. I was too busy playing and making new friends.

My niece is only in Standard 2 this year and she is already attending tuition classes 3 times a week for all the subjects she is taking. I mean, hello??? This is so stupid! Well, my sis insisted on sending her so that she can improve on her Bahasa Melayu and other subjects. She is in a Chinese school so there is no doubt that there is tough competition among the students.

I think this tuition thing for primary students especially lower primary kids is totally and completely unnecessary.

Why on earth should they be robbed of their childhood?

Why should they be forced to study all the time?

The kids will behave like robots if they study 24/7. It is just sad.

Isn’t 7 or 8 hours in school enough already? It’s not like the schoolteachers are so lousy. I just don’t comprehend the mentality among people, or more specifically parents, have nowadays. When kids come back from school, they are tired already, so they need to rest. After resting, I’m sure they would want to hit the playgrounds to play with their friends. When they are done playing, they have to come home and wash up and have dinner. After dinner, it’s time for homework. After homework, they can watch TV, read a storybook or hit the sack.

Imagine how tight a kid’s schedule would be if she/he attended tuition classes? They would be rushing like mad to reach the tuition center in time. Some students don’t for tuition to learn. Instead they go there to flirt with the opposite sex. This will happen when the child hits puberty.

If they are already studying more than they need to at a young age, they will eventually get bored or sick of studying when they are older or when they reach the secondary school years.

Yes, I know that parents are busy working nowadays. It’s just too bad and cannot be helped. But it doesn’t mean that they can’t take some time off from work and spend some quality time with their kids. Their kids would appreciate it very much. Think of your children. It’s not enough to buy them expensive things all the time. All they want from you is your time. They want you to pay attention to them. To listen to them.

The best things in life are free.

There is no need to spend money on tuition. You can coach your child yourself. There is no need for materialistic stuff. They only want your time.

Analytic and Sequential Learning

I received this in my e-mail today. As I read along, I began to think I'm kind of an analytic learner. Let's go over the characteristics, shall we?

An analytic person likes to learn things step-by-step, or sequentially.

Sound familiar? If so, look over these characteristics to find out if these traits hit home, as well. Then you may want to capitalize on the study recommendations and improve your study skills.

Are You a Sequential Learner?

• A analytic or sequential learner may be more likely to respond to a problem with logic first, instead of emotion.

Logic? I approach a problem with curiosity to see if I can answer it or not.

• If you’re a sequential learner, you may feel the need to understand each part of an algebra equation.

Yup, that's me. I read through the whole question and put brackets or underline each question/task.

• You may be good with time management, and you probably get to school on time.

No, this does not describe me. When I got the chance to drive to school by myself, I was late. The punishment was collecting rubbish. Got the chance to talk to a cute boy though. =)

• You tend to remember names.

Hmm...sometimes.

• Your notes may be divided and labeled. You categorize things a lot.

My notes are definitely not divided. I write everything in one book.

• You plan ahead.

Yes. I plan ahead.

Problems

• You may get hung up on details when reading.
• You have to understand something before you move on.
  You might get frustrated easily with people who don’t understand things as quickly as you do. (so true!)

Analytic Style Study Tips

Do you become frustrated when people assert opinions as facts? People who are very analytic learners might. Analytic learners like facts and they like learning things in sequential steps.

They are also fortunate, because many of their preferred methods are used in traditional teaching. Teachers also enjoy giving tests that favor analytic learners, like true and false or multiple choice exams.

Since your learning style is compatible with traditional teaching styles and you enjoy order, your biggest problem is getting frustrated.

An analytic learner may benefit from the following:

• Ask for clear rules. You need clarity. Without rules, you might feel lost. (I kinda like rules. Without rules, there will be no order.)
  
• Don’t get frustrated by opinions. Some students may offer opinions in class, especially the holistic learners who want to make comparisons! It is just their way of understanding, so don’t let it bother you.
  
• Don’t worry about not finishing a task. You may not want to move on to a new task if something (like a lack of supplies) interferes with your work. Try not to get hung up. Sometimes it’s okay to move on and re-visit a project later.
  
• Don’t worry if things don’t seem logical. We don’t make the rules sometimes. If you come across a rule that doesn’t make sense, don’t let it bother you to distraction.
  
• Group your information. Analytic learners are good at categorizing information. Go ahead and place your information into categories. It will help you recall the information when you need it.
  
• Sit in the front of the class, to avoid distractions. If you’re annoyed by rowdy or talkative students in the back of the class, try to sit where you won’t notice them. (I'll be so lonely if I sat in front. All my friends either sat in the middle or in the back. I like to sit in the back too. I really loved my place at the back of the classroom for the past 2 years. Very windy.)
  
• Don’t worry about big concepts right away—give yourself time. If you’re reading a book or chapter and you don’t seem to be “getting the message,” give it time. You may need to know all the details first, and then put them together.
  
• Take things step-by-step, but don’t get hung up. If you’re doing a math problem with an equation, don’t get hung up if you don’t understand a certain step. Take a leap of faith!
  
• Ask for specific goal. Analytic learners may feel the need to understand the specific goal before they can get into a project. Go ahead and ask for clear goals if you need them.

Hope you discovered something about yourself! Enjoy learning!

Source: Analytic and Sequential Learning

Superhot Tips for Studying Specially for STPM Students

My STPM or Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia exam was last year and boy, did I wish that I had studied my butt off! I did study but it definitely was not enough cos I had to tembak (shoot or in my case, a slang for guessing answers) my answers during the test. I sat for 4 subjects and they are Pengajian Am or PA (General Studies), Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics T. I like Bio and Math but I detest Chemistry. PA was all right. Quite simple and we had to know how to draw different kinds of graphs.

I'm feeling generous right now, so I'll share with you some tips on how to cope with these 4 subjects. The tips could work for other subjects too. We'll start with my favourite, i.e. Math.

Mathematics

• Practise every single day. Even if it is only for 15 minutes or you can do at least 5 questions a day.
• Pay attention in class. Listen to your teacher while he/she is explaining. Copy down the examples the teacher writes on the board. They will come in handy when you are doing your homework cos you'll need them to refer to. Don't talk too much to your friends during Math class too.
• If you don't know how to solve a problem, ask a friend who's a whiz in Math or better still, ask your teacher. If your teacher doesn't know how to solve, find another Math teacher. Make sure you have tried doing the question before asking. If you keep on asking without even trying first, nobody will be happy to help you later. Remember: God helps those who help themselves.
• If you can't get the answer after 15 or 30 minutes of trying, mark it with a question mark or any other preferred mark, and skip to the next question. Come back to the question later and try solving it again. If you have no idea how to do it, then it's time to seek help.
• If you fail your Math test, don't give up. Learn from your mistakes. Look through your exam paper and see where you have gone wrong. Your teacher will explain every question in class after they have finished marking. If your teacher doesn't explain, then it's up to you to find out the answers yourself.
• Finish your homework on time. Don't leave them for tomorrow cos there will be new homework tomorrow. Then, your work will be piling up and up. Don't procrastinate.

Next up: Biology

• There's a lot to read for Bio. But if you read once, you'll get the main idea. It's better to read at least 3 times for each chapter so that you'll be familiar with the topics. Make sure you read and understand. Don't read blindly.
• After reading a chapter, do practice questions. There are questions given after a chapter.
• For essay questions, you really do need to read a lot. My friend used to copy back his tuition notes while he studied. I guess it helped him remember. He even drew out diagrams and pictures.
• There are new words you may not be familiar with while reading Bio. Write out these words and look them up in the dictionary. Purchase a Science dictionary, as there'll be specific explanations given.
• Read up the topic before your teacher discusses it in class. It'll help you understand.
• Study Bio everyday. =)

Chemistry

• A lot of reading involved too. There are calculations but a little different from Math.
• Memorize the important formulas and ions.
• Get familiar with the Periodic Table.
• Study Chemistry everyday.
• Find out the meaning of words that you don't know. Ask others if you don't understand something. Pay attention to your Chemistry teacher. If your Chemistry teacher is lousy, like mine, then you had better study hard. Don't rely on your teacher. They are there to guide. Not force you to learn.
• Like Bio, read up the topic before your teacher discusses it. Read up each chapter 3 times or more and understand what you read. That's IMPORTANT.

I do not like Chemistry but I made the effort to study it as often as I could. However, don't concentrate too much on one subject. Make time for other subjects too. Balance your studying.

Pengajian Am

• This is quite a simple subject. In fact, it's the easiest among the four. But, you still have to read your PA textbook and do the questions after each chapter.
• When you've finished reading the WHOLE textbook, you can start doing model tests.
• A little Math and thinking is needed from questions 45 until 60 of Paper 1. Practise doing these questions. They are considered easy but be careful that you don't make silly mistakes.
• Learn to draw common graphs like graf bar, graf garis, carta pai and so on. Be meticulous in your work and don't leave out important details on your graph. Colour neatly and quickly. Time is crucial.
• Read the newspapers so you'll know the latest news and issues. This knowledge may help you in your PA essays.

MUET (Malaysian University English Test)

• There are 4 parts - comprehension, writing, speaking and listening.
• To improve your English, read English language newspapers like The Star. You can read story-books too.
• Look up in the dictionary if you don't know the meaning of some words.
• Talk to your friends in English. Don't be shy to speak up even if you make mistakes. Learn from your mistakes. Don't bother if your friends make fun of you. They have their own weaknesses too.
• Practise writing essays. Include adjectives in your essays to make it more flowery and interesting to read. Don't overdo it though.
• For the listening exam, clean out your ears before coming to school. =D I'm not kidding. It may help you listen better. Haha! Don't dream during the test. The speaker will repeat the passage or conversation. If you don't understand the first time, make sure you get a clearer picture the second time.
• As for the speaking exam, speak loud and clear. Don't look down on your notes. Look at the examiners and other candidates when you speak. Stay cool and calm. The other candidates are feeling nervous too so don't worry too much.

It's also advisable to try out past year questions. Past year questions were more difficult but they are a challenge. It'll test how much you know. Trying other schools' trial exam papers is also recommended. Different schools will set different kinds of questions. Most importantly, don't spot or think that a certain topic may come out in the real exam. They are not accurate most of the time. To be safe, study all and have faith in yourself.

Well, that's all. Good luck everyone!

Books Sold For A Song

I have a whole stack of STPM revision books that I don't think I may need anymore. So, I decided to let everyone know that I want to sell it all at half price. On the last day of my STPM exam, I managed to sell some of my books to a friend. There are original books, photocopied ones, and even trial papers from other states. I enjoy exchanging trial papers with students from different states. The more, the better. It is fun to receive thick, brown or white packages in the mail. =) Well, my exam days are over already so I can't exchange anymore. =(

Back to the main point. Another friend found a guy who wanted to buy second-hand books and mentioned me to him. He came and looked through the books. When he was done, I took the books and counted the price. Then, I told him the price. He looked at me with a wide-eyed expression. I think he thought that it was too expensive. But, hello???? He wanted around 6 books plus trial exam papers and extra notes and what did he expect?? I even reduced the price a little for him. His expression made me feel guilty after that. Did I overcharge him? I began to think.

His dad then asks how much it was. I told him. He immediately handed me a green money note and I gave him back his change. Hmph! His dad didn't look at me with big eyes or something. Some people just want everything to be unreasonably cheap, cheap, cheap. Hey, that was damn cheap man! I spent almost a fortune when I bought my STPM books. If only I was smart enough to buy second-hand books from somebody else, but I like new books. So I bought them new.

At least there is more space on my shelves now. Just need to get more buyers.

Anyway, my niece studies in a Chinese school and she was telling me about her Moral education class. She said that the teacher told them things like:

• Don't let boys touch your bra.
• Don't let boys go near you cos he wants to touch your bra.
• Don't play too near to boys.
• Don't expose your thighs.
• Don't expose your armpit. (weird huh?)
• Sit nicely. Don't give the boys a chance to peep inside your skirt.

It looks like the teacher was teaching them about their rights. Well, it sounds fine to let them know if anyone was trying to touch them in an inappropriate way. This must be the beginning to sex education. They should know what's right and what's wrong. Who's nice and who's not. You can't trust anyone these days. It's not easy to trust somebody in the first place.

Sex is so taboo. Parents are shy to discuss it with their kids. My dad won't even let me read Cleo a couple of years ago. He said that it was time for me to study and not to learn about sex. Haha! I don't blame him though. The cover of the magazine screamed 'I had 100 lovers!' Who would let their kid read that? Certainly not my dad or mom. I wouldn't let my kid read that too.

Something needs to be done to stop rape and injustice against women. We need to make the streets safe for everyone. The worst crime one can commit is to attack a child. It is insane! They are spoiling the child's life. Think of the child. They are innocent and they need us to take care of them. Not take advantage of them. It is just plain sick!