又开学了，看到新生中许多熟悉的学妹的面孔，这才意识到自己已经是大二的学生了。 回头看看走过的一年，就很像写点什麽。
WARNINGS/ TIPS SHEETS
1. The FIRST THING to do in the MORNING --checking the NUS EMAIL ACCOUNT for any updates
2. On-campus housing though is guaranteed two years for international students, but the precondition is that you have submitted your application WITHIN the DEADLINE. 我就是犯了这个迷糊，结果appeal不成，第二年就被踢出了NUS on-campus housing.
3. The rest of the first year days are very different from the FIRST THREE WEEKS.
4. I find these few books in the matriculation package typically useful “eng handbook”, “The effective student…” and a booklet prepared by the Eng club.
记得一开学，马上就忙着选课的事。因为是第一次在学生中实行bidding system，所以我们又成了Genia pig，没有人可以consult一下。虽然Eng有一个freshman briefing，但我越听越糊涂。一会儿是分A,B,C group 和 streaming，一会儿是university/faculty/major requirements，还有那麽多enhancedment program, minors ... 如果有这麽多因素要考虑，而我又不确定要那个，那又怎麽选那些非专业课呢？带着这许多疑惑，我又仔细研究了一遍handbook。 得出的结论是，按它上面给的recommended timetable 先选吧，应该不会错太多。 等进了CORS WEBSITE，才发现所有的专业课都被prescribe了。这样也好，省不少心。只是连Tutorial timeslots都被安排好，没有锻炼一下bidding的机会，导致大二时手忙脚乱。不过那也是后话了。在bidding过程中，发现几个sections特别有用，详情见关于CORS的blog. Eng handbook可真是一本宝书。每读必有新收获。尤其是对其中的各项restrictions, 总会有更新的理解。所以无论多沉都不肯扔掉它。不过等大二streaming过后，就可以把其他不相干major的部分撕掉了。
刚刚开学那两三个星期，只上lecture，没有tutorial, lab。所以就特别清闲。我还以为以后的日子都是这样的呢，心里暗暗窃喜。可没过多久，这味道就有点变了。很快我就发现大学的进度是非常快的。数学物理那些在JC至少讲一个月的章节现在两节lecture就cover掉了。我因为在JC学double maths double science，所以不觉得怎样，可那些没学过FM的人可就有问题了。真难想象他们怎麽跟上来。对这种转变不适应是非常正常的一件事，问题是怎麽处理。我碰巧翻了一下matriculation package 里送的“The effective student : a guide to learning for the NUS student”那本书，从中得到不少启示。看来学校在准备那个包时，并不是草率了事，其中别有一番良苦用心呐。
另一本有用的书是Eng Club 准备的一个小册子。里面给了不少academic matter以外的tips (more like a survivor’s booklet)，比如做电梯时要注意写有的To All Block 的按钮，还有如何在Eng各楼里穿行而不致迷路。One thing you notice about Eng buildings is that as you going from one block to another, you could suddenly walking from 6th floor to 4th floor though you are effectively remain on the same level. And the names of the building are very confusing. There are BLOCK EA, E1 and E1A.
谈到上lecture，就不能不谈谈上课的地方。也是在其他LT上过课后，才发现原来并不是每个LT都像7A那样冷。我觉得用一个大号FREEZER（而且还是马力特别强劲的那种）来比喻最恰当不过了。 每次一进去时，就有种立时”速冻”的感觉。全身的寒毛恨不得都竖了起来。 于是立刻裹上外套，减少热量损耗。即使这样，熬不过一小时，人还是冻僵了。所以中间休息时，一定要出来“解冻”。就因为这个原因，我这个酷爱穿裙子的人，被迫穿了整一年的牛仔裤。回家时还特别买了很厚的长袖线衣。弄得我妈直纳闷：“ 新加坡不是在热带吗？怎麽穿得跟过冬天似的？” 不过也不能怪我不清楚状况，基本上大一所有的课都是在LT7A--那个地窖般寒冷的鬼地方--上的。甚至连General Biology 这种选修课也因为庞大的Eng人数而不得不安排在那里（别的地方也装不下）。Eng club 的调查做了一届又一届，每次都有人提出空调太冷的问题, 可每次都没办法解决。原因很简单：温度是由电脑控制的，我们没法自己改。天哪！这还是在工程系吗？
大一这年共学了１１门课，可现在能想起来的全是与Eng无关的课。我最庆幸的是在Sem1旁听了一个history module called “from settlement to superpower” (from the name, you know it is about America) 和在Sem2用S/U option学了a political science module called “The politics of United States foreign policy”. The first module was taught by a very interesting professor. She makes the courses so fun that I actually looking forward to attend her lecture every Friday morning. For the second one, I too have enjoyed it tremendously, including going to library to photocopy almost the entire book of Rosati’s “The Politics of United States Foreign Policy” (a typical violation of the copyright laws). Reading averagely 100 pages of the book on Sunday afternoon becomes my favourite pastime. These two modules fully satisfied my interest to America then and the timing is so perfect since I went to US in the summer holiday followed.
说道讲课的艺术，我就不能不提几个人。The lecturer who taught General Biology is one of them. He is very humorous. 而且总能一语惊人。For instance, when he taught the chapter about tissue and organ, he said (not his exact wording) “I don’t understand why man has so much interest about woman’s breast. It is actually just a bundle of adipose tissue (fat).” He could really see things from a purely scientific/biological point of view and the statements were so provoking. (Thus, I made a conclusion that man actually likes fat.) His lecture slides are also very student-friendly. Because he knows that a lot of students may doze off half way, so he has a slides that shows the contents of the entire lecture’s and repeated showing it a few times during the lecture to remind the lost students where we were at the moment.
Among the tutors, I think my CS1101C module’s tutor and critical thinking tutor are most helpful.
My Tutor for CS1101C has gave me the confidence in learning programming courses. Without him, I definitely would not dare to think I could follow the other 2 programming courses in yr 2. I will dedicate a blog particular to programming courses. So don’t elaborate too much. My critical thinking and writing tutor is a Taiwanese. She was really an example of guding us to think critically by asking a lot of questions during the tutorial session. She also told thought provoking stories which made the lesson fun and interesting.
My favourite place in NUS is the piece of grass in front of AS1, besides LT11. 也许是因为上文科课经常路过的缘故吧，我发现那里的景色特别美。每当天气好时，我总会坐在甬道旁的木桌上，看阳光把叶子照得发亮。有些阳光会透过叶间的缝隙照下来，在地上投射出叶子的阴影，看上去好像在砖地上印出深深浅浅的花纹。微风拂过时，会有很多椭圆形的黄色叶子纷纷飘落，好像下雨一样。我家乡的人叫那树考试树（大名应该是芙蓉树吧）因为它的粉红色须状的花总在六七月考试的时候开。木桌被一整片碧绿的草地包围着。 那碧绿碧绿的草地让我不止一次有想躺上去的冲动。夕阳西下时格外美丽。
The room in PGP is the best place I could ever imagine. I had two big windows which allow adequate sunshine flooding into my room.
除了窗户，我最喜欢的就要数衣橱了。每次洗完衣服时，我可以直接把衣架吊在中间的那个木板上。等衣服干了后，就可以吊到金属杠上去了，省去叠衣服的麻烦。金属杠的位置设计的不高不低，伸手就可取到。而且位置留的很够，大部分衣服都吊着，一目了然，节约不少找衣服的时间。
Kitchen is another big plus about PGP, except that sharing the fridge makes losing food a constant headache through out my stay. The big dinning table is great when inviting friends coming for meals.
无名氏 @ 2/7/2008 1:50:54 PM那片树林是NUS 最漂亮的地方——但是，T_T 我数日前旅游了NTU 之后发现那里遍布这样的树木... 呜哇哇。。。
还有，你住的楼层好干净。我以前住的又脏又热。
wawa @ 5/9/2006 9:59:45 PM呃……“详情见关于CORS的blog”，其实……我就一直没有找出来这个blog究竟在哪里……
是的，偶毕业了……三年的course，没读honor……
不过也只有过去一些时日才谈得上“回顾”啊。
我想放那几个课的链接，可是我存的ｆａｖｏｕｒｉｔｅ都找不到了。search IVLE 也找不到了。
wuvist, 你还建议什麽相关链接啊？
怡然自得 @ 5/9/2006 9:51:02 PM你毕业了wuvist?！不敢置信。
底气不足地说：是两年前写的。一直有一部分没写完，所以一直没发表。昨天清理硬盘给搜出来了。没写的部分瞎填了两笔。
怡然自得 @ 5/9/2006 9:34:06 PM
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