Outside Of Familiarity

How long did you take to learn ABCs as a kid? Let me guess, probably, a few days, weeks? 

And when you want to start a conversation with a friend, what would you do? Well, you would call your friend by his/her name, and just naturally start the conversation with a question or two. 

Well, that's not the case for the intellectually disabled. Some take years to even master ABCs and forming of words, and starting a conversation may not be that instinctive to some of them. 


I went to Bishan Home for the intellectually disabled on Wednesday, 15th of Jan with my classmates to volunteer and entertain the residents there. It was my first time volunteering and actually stepping into a turf of the disabled. I was aware of the disabled people around us but have never really gotten a chance to interact with them in real life. 

When I first stepped into the home, I was having mixed feelings about the volunteer work. There was a bit of fear inside me too ( I don't know if I should be guilty of this ). 

We first stepped into a conference room to be briefed about the things we were gonna do, before putting our valuables inside the lockers. We then headed straight to the canteen and made our way to the hall. 

As I was walking towards the hall, the initially grown fear inside me grew even more. Some of them looked and behaved like normal people, but there were some who were behaving in a creepy manner and saying things that don't make sense to the entire human race. 

To be honest I felt intimidated by them, questions like "  why are they behaving like that? " and " are we still on earth? " ran through my mind simultaneously. 

It was something that most people don't normally see... 

I did not judge them as I know that they were born like that, but it just crept me out, you feel me? 

When we set foot on the hall, we were greeted by a massive amount of audience that stretched across the hall. Still containing the fear inside, I walked up the stage with the class while trying my best not to get the residents' attention. 

We were supposed to put up a performance for them. My classmate and I have printed a couple of songs, and some of them brought things like Piano, Ukulele, speakers, etc. 

We started singing slow English songs to them, they seemed to enjoy them, but what really spurred them on were the Old Chinese songs. Yeah, should have known... 

However, what got them really hyped up was when we started singing and dancing to Gangnam style 



Wow, I wasn't expecting the residents to be so liven up by one of the most popular K-pop songs of 2012. PSY, you rock! :D 

After we finished singing, we were supposed to interact with them, teach them how to fold origami, get to know them, etc. 

I decided to face my fears and approach some of them. I said hi to some, but they just looked away. Nevermind, I continued trying to interact and finally, I got to teach one of the uncles how to fold an origami airplane. 

Surprisingly, he was a fast-learner. But when I tested him after he's done, he took time to recall the steps, but that's okay. I'm a pretty patient person when it comes to teaching.... occasionally. 

I started talking to him and he's really cool. He opens up once he's comfortable. 

Before I know it, it was time to pack up and say goodbye to the residents. I shook hands with bunch of them and at the end of the day, I could see that they were filled with happiness. 

We left the home and it was time to go back to ours. 

After the volunteering was done, I could tell that everyone was enriched by it. Yeah, it was a very memorable experience for us that we will never forget. 

Our class photo outside of Bishan Home. Spot me haha ^^ 

What did I feel after the volunteering? 

Firstly, I would say that I feel really lucky. I mean, I have an IQ level similar to that of most people and I can do things, like a normal human being does. Often, things such as being able to start a conversation with ease or processing information quickly are taken for granted. 

I'm not bragging here, just telling you guys not to take things for granted. 

Secondly, I've come to realise that they are actually normal human beings like you and me, it's just that their brains are wired differently. They just can't control their behaviors. They have feelings too, so it's not right to discriminate them. So, well done Bishan Home for making them feel accepted in society! 

Lastly, I've learned that happiness can be obtained from simple things such as singing with them and doing that extra little thing to help the less fortunate, and god was it satisfying! Maybe the key to life is not to focus TOO MUCH on ourselves, but to also care for others. 


Really hope that we can volunteer there again, will they remember us? I don't know. But it's shouldn't be too much trouble to reintroduce ourselves right.. ^^ 

Venturing into Ngee Ann Polytechnic... ( Open house 2014 )

Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Just hearing those three words alone motivates me to do well academically. Ngee Ann has always been my dream school since sec 2 or 3. Why is that so? Well it's because Ngee Ann is the best school to study the course of my choice. What is it you may ask? Read on and find out :)

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I attended the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Open house on 11 Jan with my friend's and my family. When my family and I reached the campus, we were immediately greeted by friendly and welcoming students with brochures in their hands, ready to be given to incoming guests. 

Walking into the school while occasionally glancing at the map, I was bowled over by the vast size of the school. The campus was a conglomerate of buildings, ranging from the different academic schools, to the different eateries, Koufu, Toastbox, you name it. 

I first headed to the convention center with my mum to attend the parents' seminar, where they talked about the admission to the Poly, whether poly education is right for the child, etc. The thing that I like about the seminar was that it wasn't propagandic. They did not just talk about how beneficial poly education is but also to see if the child suits the poly or JC education. 

After the seminar, I went to meet my friend and his family there. Hadn't met that guy for some time, so glad that I got to catch up with him a little bit. 


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We had lunch before heading off to the first academic school- School of Engineering 
            




There, we went to different booths of the different courses to find out more about them. Some booths actually allow us to try out some things that they do! 

For example, the booth of the Diploma in Aerospace Electronics allows guests to try navigating a simulated aircraft. Awesome experience for aspiring pilots :D 

Does this look familiar to you? If you're guessing that it's an F1 car, then you're right. It was not built by some experienced professional, but by engineering students. 

Engineering is an innovative and futuristic field, isn't it? You get to be like Tony Stark, who engineered a computer-programmed, iron-coated suit. Someday, you may just be able to engineer something that will make you famous, why not? it's possible! 


Most of us are unfamiliar with the campus, so there were shuttle buses to take us around. What a great deal of convenience! Ngee Ann, I'm giving you huge thumbs up! 



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We boarded the bus and alighted at the School Of Infocomn Technology next. 





This is the place where the heart of IT lies, and certainly where computer enthusiasts would love to be in. 

I got to program movements for a robot using a programming software there. Programming was foreign to me, so it was a great first-hand experience. Of course, I wasn't asked to program it in a complicated way, that would be like asking a beginner to beat a black belt in a fight. 


The robot seems tensed and anxious that it's gonna be programmed by me haha... 

Time to show off your cool new moves XD 

... 

Finally, it was time to visit the school that I've always wanted to check out - School Of Film And Media Studies 

If you're someone with lots of imaginations and would love to express yourself (like I do), then this is probably the school that's right for you :) 

There were two tours that we could embark on -

1) Advertising Public Relations/ Mass communications tour  

 2) Film, sound, Video/ Digital Visual effects tour 

I joined the queue for the first tour where we were guided by a Mass Comm student. 

We were first directed to a conference room where a lecturer from the Diploma in Advertising and Public Relations talked about what the course is all about. She explained that Advertising is the spreading of information to the masses while Public Relations is about convincing your audiences in a persuasive way by revealing the good qualities about your product or idea ( Correct me if I'm wrong ). The open house itself, is a form of Public Relations. 

Both of them will then merge together to form a bundle called, Marketing Communications. 

The Media office was our next stop. There, Mass communication students were extremely engrossed in their writing for the school's website, magazines, and newspaper as they rushed to meet the datelines for the respective stories that they cover.

A lecturer introduced some of the school's media platforms such as NpTribune, the school's newspaper, fully written by Mass Communication students.....

...the school's entertainment magazine, HYPE 

    

I learnt that they actually get to interview REAL celebrities face to face! How cool is that?! Well, that's part and parcel of being a student journalist, right? 

With the advent of New Media, what is the media without its internet platform? So let's not forget TheUrbanWire, the school's website covering news on entertainment and lifestyle. 

 

Ever wanted to be a radio Deejay and broadcast on the latest happenings? Well, you can with RADIOHEATWAVE! 

As it was getting late, I decided to just visit one more school, and my last stop was the School Of Business and Accountancy

There are 7 diploma courses, but I'm only interested in one of them. Some of you guys may think, why limit your choices? Well, who says so?  

The diploma that I have interest in is the Diploma in Business Studies and it has 7 SPECIALISATIONS to choose from :

- Entrepreneurship 

- Finance 

- Human capital management

- International Business 

- Marketing

- Marketing communications

- Psychology 

- Service Management 

So I'm actually broadening my choices by picking a well-rounded diploma course. 

A hilarious and unexpected incident that happened was that a Business Communication teacher there said that I'm really matured in the questions I ask. WOW, really? ._. You got to be kidding. 

Me, matured? That's not what many of my friends normally define me as. 

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The open house was really worth going and I will absolutely visit it again next year. I sacrificed three of my tuition classes on that day, but I didn't regret it. 

After much consideration, I've finally made up my mind and decided to set my heart on the Diploma in Mass Communications.

I realised that although the other courses seem appealing to me, mass comm is where my passion lies, and it's a field of study that suits me the most. 

I really enjoy sharing stories with the world and I'm always curious about social happenings around the globe, which explains my enthusiasm in Social Studies in school. 

Immersing myself into the story, getting to know about it from different perspectives, and finally writing and reporting about it is what I would love to do. 

Even in my personal life, I'm always eager to know what's bothering my friends, reasons behind someone's breakup, etc. and often times I would voluntarily dig into them and try to resolve the various issues. I'm naturally someone who takes action. 

2014 IS HERE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS! ^.^ 2014 is finally here! WOO. 

Another new year has come and 2013 is behind us right now. But it still feels like December though, I think it's just this weird feeling of suddenly transitioning from one year to another. It's so drastic. It's like suddenly breaking up with someone, you know, it feels weird to immediately live without someone in your life. 

Anyway, people have been talking about new year resolutions and all. Personally, I don't have any specific resolutions. I'd much rather look back and reflect on the previous year, and to continue my life journey in the year ahead. Because.. 

This is what happens when you wanna stick to a set of resolutions XD 



So just admit it, new year resolutions will almost NEVER be done. 

Looking back at 2013, it was a relatively good year for me, with lots of ups and downs of course. 

I had to adjust to a new style of learning in upper sec, I failed badly in the first semester , I had other friendships and relationship problems, etc. 

But having went through a lot in 2013, it has made me understand myself better and has helped me grow and develop as a person. I have made lots of mistakes but it is part of life, you can't escape from it. 

But look at the bright side, I've had lots of fun experiences this year. Like going to Singapore Polytechnic for my AEM ( read about that here:  http://yhpworld.blogspot.sg/2013/06/biologys-aem-day-1.html ). I'll never forget those 5 days. I've also improved my strengths and weaknesses, and I'm gonna continue with that. 

I feel that each new year is a great opportunity for growth and personal development. I always get to know a little something about myself each year, like what my strengths are, where am I going towards in life, etc. and that's the beauty of life. It's having that deep personal relationship with yourself.

Many people focus way too much on their relationships with people but not so much on the relationship with themselves. Having a relationship with oneself and growing as a person is crucial in life. You define your life and write your life story. 



Of course, a big obstacle awaits me in October this year. That's right, it's the O levels. 

Last night, when the countdown finally hit 0, I was like, damn. I'm gonna take the O levels this year. Can I run away from reality T.T ?? * bangs the wall *

But, life is an endless marathon. There will be an endless set of goals that you have to achieve. You got to keep going. 

I'm pretty excited to know what 2014 has in store for me. 

So, I don't really what the point of this post is, but, just wanna wish everyone a great and prosperous new year! Wish you a marvelous 2014. Achieve your goals, don't be afraid to dream big, and cherish your loved ones.