I think people in honours year of NUS are mostly busy with readings and largely misunderstood... why?
People think that honours students are muggers... well, I admit I am preoccupied with readings most of the time. But I didn't chose to. I would love to enjoy my last year engaging myself for the last time in being an university student... however this is not going to happen. Unless I finish my readings. HaHa. TMD... then some people (most of time asked by a non-honours student / *at this point I must stress this is not a post to complain about anyone or to be biased against anyone. Its just one where I want to share my thoughts after a day of reading 3 tedious readings which I cannot see their link with society at all* ) will ask... 'Is it really crucial to do the readings? I don't ever finish readings I still can score in my exams.'
Yes, it is crucial to finish those blardee readings. Cause of two reasons. Firstly, the class is made up of highly intellectual students who are much more 'zhai' and 'scholarly' then me ( to begin with I was never smart). I am there to make the base of the grades given out during class. Well... trying being a once open and talkative student who suddenly became so quite in class... why? because the moment you want to share your thoughts and feelings be prepared to get 'shot' by the smarter kids. I don't blame them or anyone for my sad condition. So I have to work harder then I use to... so I can have ago at making statements in class once again... What I really enjoyed in the past *sigh*
Well it is also crucial to finish the readings... so you can survive the lesson the lecturer is trying to provide without being 'lost' as the blog post title suggests. Why do I feel so 'lost'? Firstly, the jump from level 1-3 thousand to level 4 thousand modules are just too great... Lets use some example to make this point more visible.
Example 1: Many students believe Geography mods in NUS are generally 'scoreable'. Yar, I do not disagree... you need not have prior knowledge in Geography to do well in some of the Mods... you can Ace it as well... Well not the case of Geography level 4 thousand mods... with great emphasis on 'Geographic thought' series of modules. I cannot cope with understanding the topics taught even with my 3 years experience as a Geography major. The jump is way too big.
Example 2: What is taught in level 4 thousand mods... is 'un-understandable'... Well can you imagine studying like the history of geographic research development? or would you every believe that my lecture notes have physics equations in them and that some Geography concepts are adapted from Newton's law of gravity? Even my classmates question... 'what is the point of studying these 'ancient' text when what is developed tomorrow will erase their applicability?' haha I totally agree with them....
yar so here I sit, at the lecturer's desk in Honours Room (AS2 03-02) thinking about the tough schedule ahead. How am I going to enjoy this semester if things go on like that? Well my answer now is, I just have to work harder... I believe in the human spirit's ability to propel me and I am praying that I actually start understanding rather then feeling 'lost'. And I hope what Yi-Fu, Tuan's (quoted below) defense of 'Humanistic Geography' does pay off for the requirements and madness I am exposed to in the Honour program.
"Self-knowledge (is) the prime reward of humanistic enterprise..."
Yi-Fu, Tuan, 1976
Yi-Fu, Tuan, 1976
