Singapore

#524

26th December

As I said, the next post after Recap Sem 1 would be talking about the one-day trip to Singapore and no doubt I quite excited for this trip haha.

As a record of mine, the first foreign country to visit is actually Taiwan on December last year, and the second one goes to Singapore.

So, basically you should know that Singapore is a small country but very well and modernly developed.

Well then, maybe your first impression about Singapore would be high-rise buildings, residential buildings equipped with modern facilities etc. But that is only true for some regions in Singapore, and the rest are actually quite flourished with green plants and reserved parks.

The main tourist attractions are mostly focused at the south part known as Downtown Core, but if you want more entertainment then Sentosa Island i.e. Universal Studios is the best choice.

Okay, so let's talking about this journey, shall we?

This trip wasn't planned (or may?) and I just follow my friends for the trip since this is quite a good chance before exam.

Among seven people including Jia Le, Chung Yang, Pei Ting (these three are Johorians), me, Jun Xian my roommate, Mei Yean and her friend (dunno her name XD), four of us had went to Singapore to work so it would be very easy for me to learn very quickly.

Trust me, my roommate had worked there for entirely 8 months, so definitely he knew everything in Singapore while my 3 Johorian friends lead us the best transport to Singapore (and also the custom).

Since we went there two days before Christmas, so you can imagine how terrible would be the traffic on Johor-Singapore Causeway. So make sure, if time allows, take the best time to Singapore. 

Our starting point set at Skudai Parade, and we took a bus direct to JB Sentral for about RM2.70. After reaching there, the first thing you have to do is passing through the Malaysia custom which is pretty easy and pretty fast with automatic machines.

The next one is depend on your luck, there are lots of buses for you to ride on to across the Causeway, and the price ranging from RM2 to RM4, depend on the drop-off destination.

Yet, a worse thing we experienced is the traffic congestion, which took us 30 minutes to reach the custom and another 1.5 hours to across the custom due to long queues.

Well this should be expected but it was considered fast that day, so such condition sometimes could be inevitable but another smart way is to pick a suitable time to across to Singapore.

After safely passing through Singapore custom, then you could either take bus or MRT to downtown core. However, the fastest way is taking bus because there is a highway straightforward to the city centre.

Well, not quite a good day for us as we waited the bus for almost another 1.5 hours and we decided to change another bus.

Malaysia Custom

Singapore MRT Station

Outside square of Somerset 313.

Reached Newton Circus and so we decided to have lunch at Aston's, a western restaurant at Bugis Street Mall. 

This was recommended by Jun Xian, and one set meal cost $10.90. Even it looks expensive if change it to Malaysian Ringgit, but the price included one main course and two side dishes.

That was the first lunch in Singapore and quite fit the stomach for whole day long.

After that, we took a walk and had window shopping at Orchard Road, consider a must when visiing Singapore.

Hmm... How should I say? I couldn't spend much money during the trip becuz' there are way, way too much branded stores along the streets with countless malls.

Same as what I saw in every MRT, out of MRT there will be a shopping mall and my gosh the money couldn't spent on those items too.

Just then, we took MRT to Gardens by The Bay, and it is a humongous place to walk through every single part of it. 

But, somewhat this is what I said before, a very peaceful and nice natural park best for jogging and strolling. 

It is just behind the iconic Marina Bay Sands so you could witness the full view of it here.

Some places in the Gardens by The Bay required paying fees but if you want it a free trip there're lots to look and walk for free as well.

Anyway, we walk across Marina Bay Sands and went into Shoppers At The Marina Bay, another big mall as wide as Marina Bay Sands. 

Here again, lots of branded items and it is very much like a luxurious version of Paradigm Mall.

As the sky goes dark, we decided to leave Singapore around 7.30pm as we have to catch up the time to avoid traffic congestion.

We took the MRT straightforward from Marina Bay back to Woodlands, waited for another bus to custom. 

Fyi Malaysian passports are now eligible to use automatic machines to pass through Singapore custom, which is a recent good news as this will be pretty easy and save a lot of time as well.

Fortunately, the journey back to JB Sentral through the Causeway is very smooth and it took only about 5 minutes lol.

It was around 10.30pm so it is very usual that that place won't be stuck at that time, but it is still depend on the dates and contingency like traffic jam may happen anytime.

Malaysian custom is easy to pass manually because we are Malaysians right? So, if you want to choose automatic machine, it is okay but that was much slower actually.

Our dinner just settled at JB around 12am lol couldn't believe that lunch can hold me for such a long time.

...Ready for it? It's the time to see some selfie and wefie pictures!!!

Anyway, here marks the end of the first trip to Singapore, and pretty sure that I will visit Singapore again next time, probably next year.

The total money spend for this trip is a fair amount of $25 including lunch, MRT and some drinking stuffs.

It is quite reasonable when visiting Singapore, so I can't argue much about it.

This have to thanks to my friends who guided me throughout the trip and I can make such a simple post.

Well, maybe you would ask about where is Merlion? What about Singapore Flyer? and others...

But because of time limit so we couldn't visit that much places in such a short time, so maybe I would take pictures on those attractions, or maybe we would go to Universal Studios next time.

Since this trip is insufficient for me to post travelling trips, so I would end this post here.

Waiting for my next trip to Singapore again, and there could be much more to talk about.

Bye!

Recap Sem 1

#523

26th December

Well hello there my dearest netizens... 

Yupe apologize for the really unpredictable long halt since the end of October and yet this is the only best time I could blog though.

Oh dear, classes of Sem 1 was over and now preparing for the FINAL EXAM!!!!!

Basically, after the week of final class, there would be a week for studying, so either you want to take it just for studying or having a trip is on your own.

Lots of people went back home but necessarily for those who live far away, like me and my roommate and some other friends lol.

Thanks god I'd finally done all assignments in time and make it through all tests as satisfied as possible.

Well, basically this is a recap post for all of the events since the last mid-sem break, starting 21st October.

29/10/2017

Alrighty this is a meaningful for all of the graduates as this day is the graduation day of UTM. 

For what I know is that that whole particular week is a graduation week, because we can't fit in so many graduates in the hall for one day so the graduation ceremony is separated according to faculties.

Like this day, it is the graduation day for all Faculty of Electrical Engineering's graduates.

Remember that I mentioned about that direct line? Yupe, our current 老大 is Bryan, who is studying PhD now, graduated from Degree!

So all juniors in the direct line decided to share and buy a gift for him, as well as congratulations to him ^_^

Unfortunately I didn't get any pic with him but there's another group, which is CLESIC, also have another same kind of attendance where we got a banner showing congratulations to the graduates too.

Yupe that's how it looks like and for sure it will continue until me as well lol.

Of course I will attend the ceremony continuously each year cuz' it is really meaningful right?

31/10/2017

So as you may thought that being an engineering student, study life would be boring right?

Nope, it's not actually, but I spent plenty of time enjoying and... pretty much different from what had I done during Form 6.

Like this one, it is a field trip organized by my lecturer to Imagineering Institute in Iskandar Puteri (formerly known as Nusajaya).

It is an institute, related to electric and electronic engineering, studying research on IoT and this is quite an opportunity for us to learn something new outside of campus.

Surprisingly, the invention amazed me a lot as those applications and research they are currently undergoing or already proposed to the world had came out results that are effective to solve world problems.

There are tons of demos but couldn't remember any of them now lol, but at least a group photo might good as well.

17/11/2017

I should say that this day is quite a tiring day, well becuz' of two events crashed together.

One is 工大华文班三处联谊会 and another is CLESIC Orientation Bonding Camp + AGM.

The first event was done in the morning, and continuing the second one in the afternoon until the next day.

So the first event is obviously from 华文班 and it is a sports event i.e. badminton competition.

I can play badminton but that's a long time since Form 6 lol, and now I'm much more enjoying playing rather than competition, but it is still a very fun event and let everyone relax as well.

Unfortunately I had to leave early for the next event, which is CLESIC Orientation Bondng Camp + AGM.

Okay presenting the group photo without me inside lol.

It is an annual event that let seniors and juniors gather together and know each other.

Welp of cuz' not just a simple meet and talk but there are games and steamboat dinner as well. This might be a better relaxation for me, away from those stressful assignments.

So what about the AGM? Yupe it's the passing down of position in CLESIC to first year juniors.

I dunno why I just been chosen as treasurer without any interview or what lol.

But guess I just take it for sure.

21/11/2017

Again, another event held by 工大华文班, it is known as Students' Activity 学员活动. Such event will be conducted once each semester and this event mainly purposed for the non-Chinese students to play, learn and experience Chinese cultures.

So, for this sem, it was titled "Huállywood". Sounds very familiar with "Hollywood" right? 

Now you get it, it is a one-night show for all students to shine and act a mythical Chinese story.

These stories are those you had heard before, including 年兽, 牛郎织女, 屈原, 嫦娥奔月 and 十二生肖.

I was honoured to be the MC of the night, but pretty sure wasn't doing well cuz' it is the first experience of mine to host an event.

But anyway, at least I learned quite a lot and now I'm pretty wish that I could do MC next time.

Talking about the students' acting, some of them speak Mandarin really well (of cuz' with the help of faci) and quite funny as the stories progressed.

All in all, most of them enjoyed this event and considered a success as well.

If you want to see more photos of this event, you can click here for the album on Facebook.

24/11/2017 - 25/11/2017

I should say that this week is a week of culture, as numerous events related to Chinese cultures just dropped in one by one on the list.

These two days were specially for PTUTM 工大中秋俱乐部 for the event called "《启相•熙辰》园游会". 

It is also an annual event but different theme each year, and this year is mainly about Chinese zodiacs.

As I went there with my friends, I was quite amazed again, by those decorations along the carnival. You see, there're exhibitions, games stations, stunning lanterns, drawings, sculptures, shows and concerts, and the most fascinating one is the floating lantern 水上灯笼.

Talking about food, most of them are prepared homemade by themselves, but not actually impressed me as the price is not cheap at all.

Anyway, the overall presentation of the carnival overwhelmed any flaw I saw through.

These are the photos taken by me, but not including the shows as I didn't have time to watch all of them.

Instead, you can see the photos of what performances had done by clicking here to see the full album of Facebook.

15/12/2017

Back to 工大华文班 again, it is the day of 慰劳宴, a subsidized lunch event for all of the members and AJK of UTM Mandarin Class.

Well, nothing much to say about this, besides having cheap Western lunch and game.

Of cuz' but not least, photos must be taken too!

15/12/17 - 16/12/17

It's a week before Winter Solstice and CLESIC UTM (with a new batch of committees including me), organized an event "锺灵冬至圣诞之夜".

Well, we prepared one day earlier to make 汤圆 at 15/12/17 and it is the first time ever celebrate 冬至 away from home.

So, everyone took this chance to 搓汤圆 and gather to prepare for the main event next day.

 The event took place at 柔佛锺灵校友会, and there's a buffet organized by the 会长 there, and new members like us need not to pay anything for the food!!!
Wow wow wow... It's quite a big surprise for us and we only have to pay for the items preparing for this event.
On the other hand, there is a present exchange session too since it is still an early celebration for Christmas.
I didn't took much photos so just imagine how actually warm of the feelings there with all juniors and seniors meeting each other together.

All of the important events ended right here, but recently I went for a one-day trip to Singapore with my coursemates.
However it is way too much to compact in this post, so I'm going to talk about it in the next post.

Now, lots of you maybe questioning why am I not have anything to say about my class?
The answer is not particularly clear to me as well, but let us start with assignments groups.

This is my assignment group for IoT project.

From left to right: Me, Sheng Wei, Tessa and Fikri.

Well, this project is massive for us. Think about it, you could actually do it even though there's completely no concept of what IoT is.

But a simple way to describe IoT is connecting device through Internet or Bluetooth to control, transfer and receive data from two different devices.

That's what you done before like hiring a Grab or Uber taxi, but our project is far more easier than that.

Our project is quite similar to TAGla, but pretty sure that we made a simple prototype that looks alike with it.

Yet, we improved it a little bit by adding lights and effect on the sound.

Finally, we made it in just one single week lol!

Most importantly is the set up and programming, as there're lots of apps preset for programming for us to complete the project, of course plagiarism is not allowed so we changed a little bit on the programming and citation added as well.

This is my assignment group for world problem case study.

From left to right: Me, Hariz, Fahmey, Fatimah, Farah and Zhong Ying.

Now this group was arranged randomly by our lecturer for the subject called "Graduates Success Attributes".

This is a subject which kind of like teaching you soft skills and their application.

Somehow there is no examination for this course but assignment carried a very high weight on our marks, up to 80%!

So, there's no doubt this assignment should have a group with good cooperation and teamwork.

I was very lucky to have these friends in my group as they can do work well and pass up the reports to me by the date I set.

Most of them are hardworking and we managed to pass up the report first among four other groups.

I'm sure that we may not be the best group but at least, we done quite pretty well.

And hope the marks could carry us to get a satisfying CGPA.

So, about the class activity, it is more from this subject too, as there are lots of group activities, and so I conclude that this course is quite a relaxation course for us, abide from the assignment given.

Below are the pictures taken from my lecturer during several group activities:

So, guess what? I can't complain anything right from now, it just feel like some subjects need not be that stressful and dull at all right?

But it's depend on one's impression on those subjects. Something that you are interested doesn't mean the same to others.

Till the last class of this course, it is the day of presentations by all of us, and it wraps everything fun for the first semester.

Wanna see more?

Yupe of cuz' there are!

Introducing the class SKEL-7 Semester 1 2017/2018!

Phew! Finally, it all ended, at 21st December.

Until the day I'm going back home on 15/01/2018, then that comes to a closure to my first semester in UTM.

Had been walked through 12.5% of life in UTM, I'm wonder how would it be in the next semester, and get along to the 25% of life in UTM?

Alright, it's a very very long post, so I'm going to stop right here.

And stay tune for my next post, where I will talk about my trip to the second foreign countries, Singapore!