Module Review - 2009/2010 Semester 2 Module Review

Exam result came out this morning so I can write my review about the modules which I have taken during the last semester without having the anxiety of waiting for my result nagging at me. Admittedly, last semester was tough and it taught me many great lessons not only in studies, but also in my life. Without further ado, lets look at my opinions on last semester's modules:

CN2108 Chemical Engineering Process Laboratory I

Sometimes, in life, you need luck to get by. Otherwise, you just have suffer through it. This module is about "applying what you learn in CN2121 and Cn2122" in the technical procedure of lab work then writing 40-page worth of report. Of course, this is not a one-man job, as students are grouped into clusters of threes or twos. One of my groupmates happens to be the most "amazing" person I have ever met. Never have I encountered an individual of such profound laziness, deplorable attitude to work, and an unflinching disregard for his own self-esteem.

As his groupmate, I learn to "wipe his ass" for him by doing his part of the project for every experiment (there are six altogether) either because he conveniently forgot that lab report is a must-do, or he has some "concert" going out, or worse, he submit a work so deeply marred by the doings of plagiarism. Then, I learn to stand up for my own right as well as the right for my other poor lab partner, who has to shoulder some of the burden, by making sure that he does not reap what others sow.

When he found out that one of the report did not bear his name on the front page, a testimony of his lack of contribution to that report, it was the first time I saw fear in his eyes - the sort of guilty fear that you know you would experience when you do wrong. Not that it is particularly delighting to watch, but he needs to first learn to give contribution before he can sow the benefit of producing a good lab report. Omg, why the hell is he the first thing to come to mind when I think of CN2108?!

Nonetheless, I do thank dear Joey and Mr Qin Zhen for casting some bright light on the otherwise dim outlook of this module.

CN2116 - Chemical Kinetics and Reactor Design

This is a truely difficult and eye-opening module. The concepts are hard to grasp, but once you are able to do so, it is a great feeling of enlightenment. The questions are tough, but once you know the tricks of doing it, everything else is standard procedure. How I wish i could have gotten an A+ for it, not really because I need to pull up my grades, but to prove to myself I have mastered the in's and out's of this module. This module provides the core knowledge for the chemical engineering discipline (it is what distinguishes us most from other branches of engineering anyway) around which ancillary knowledge of other chemical engineering modules are clustered. I think I will taking an advanced technical elective module which has its foundation on this module so I really look forward to the challenge ahead!!! I really love Prof Lee's funny English accent (it's between Singlish and Brit-ish English) and Prof Tan's funny character.

CN2125 - Heat & Mass Transfer

Everything about this module is very well structured and defined down to the equations and parameters definitions for the equations. Most of the time, it is tweaking the brain a bit, then applying the formula, and walaa, you can see for yourself how much heat boiling water imparts to your egg, how long after one farts that the whole room would realise it and more. It is very practical as evidenced through the mini-project assignment. Both Prof Wang and Prof Tong are great educators aspiring for all their students to learn and understand the modules. You should see the amount of effort they put up in form of posting summaries, reviews and other helpful notes for circulation among the students.

CN3124 - Particle Technology

Like CN2125, it is a plug-into-equation-and-answer-will-come-out module with some brain tweaking. The exam paper for my year is relatively tougher compared to the previous years but the concept behind these questions never veer too far from those in the past year papers. The lecture durations are very short and sometimes there is no lecture at all in the entire week!!! Adding the fact that the lectures are on webcast, it is small wonder that the lecture hall is usually empty even though there is actually a session. Prof Uddin is soft-spoken to the extent that people think he is not a good lecturer, but he is very attentive to the questions that are posed to him either after lecture or via email.

ESE2001 - Environmental Processes

Haha, I didn't really finish this paper (Don't know why I did the paper so slowly)... But learning stuffs from this module is really fun. As an engineer, I find it very useful to have a qualitative measure of everything, and this is what the module seeks to do to the environment. I learn to calculate the dosage required for a poison to kill someone, the amount of CO2 needed to raise the temperature by 1 degree celcius, the time taken for an oil spill to spread through the groundwater system and contaminate the water supply and more. Prof Lin is really nice and shares his daily experience which is related to the subject matter, which makes learning all the more enjoyable as it can be easily identified with everyday life.

Singing

Finally, exam is over heralding the end of a tiresome semester. This semester, I have worked with the most inspiring as well as the most difficult individuals.But this post is not dedicated to ranting about what happens in school, rather it is to reflect on how far my passion in singing has gone.

My revelation to the wonders of singing has come rather late when I got a chance to perform in the hall choir. Back then, the diction, tone and richness of the notes that were sung were downright disgraceful. Over the years, I have learnt much and have encouraged by friends to sing.

More than just fooling people into believing that there is a girl singing in the guy's toilet in Block Six, I find singing a new area where i can invest my hope, passion and emotion. Of course, there were episodes of coughing and sore throat hindering the vocal production but everyday, I learn something new about singing.

First, i learn that different music is catered to different voices. There are songs that others can sing but I can't and vice versa. It has to do with quality of the notes produced and the "feel" of the song, whether it should be dark and eerie, light and ethereal or hip and poppish.

Secondly, i learn that it is not enough to just generate the right pitch for the notes. Even if the whole song is sung with such pitch perfectness but without emotion, then the song would meaningless. Singing a song is like telling a story and every story is unique unto itself. It is up to the singer to blend his or her techniques with the song to deliver the song to its greatest effect.

As a a fledgling countertenor, i find that my voice has changed very much since I first sang in falsetto register. The notes are now deeper, richer and less strenuously produced than before. Of course, I am not a master in singing but I am glad to learn something every step of the way.

Somehow, singing has allowed me to communicate with my inner self. It has made me realise that there is a purpose to music, which touches at the very core of the human soul. Why else do people weep when they hear the tenor aria delivered by Luciano Pavarotti? Why else is the Phantom of the Opera such an immemorial musical to which many individuals have gravitated?It is no small wonder that the human voice, in such daring stroke of agility and power or in the subtlety of mere humming, would evoke emotions deep seated within our hearts.

To me, music is a journey of self discovery. I find peace in the harmony of music and challenge in the agility of scaling notes and leaping from one octave to another. In my opinion, there are few things more soothing yet more exciting than music.

RH Choir is such a darling

I am beginning to believe that the best time for me to pour out my thoughts is the wee hours, when everyone else is asleep, leaving me in a world of my own to indulge in the mind of my mind.

It was less than a year ago when I went for the NUS Choir audition. Back then, I was full of enthusiasm, felicity and eagerness to learn. Now, all the passion in the world could refill that jar of joy and goodness. What is left is an empty figurative husk. Everyday, I am less inclined to be on time for NUS Choir practice.

I thought I could make long lasting friends in NUS Choir. I thought it was a conducive place for me to learn to sing. I thought I would be one of those proud choristers standing in the Esplanade to contribute my voice to the melody and harmony of our songs.

Well, I guess those are just assumptions which I make up in my all-too-ideal mind. I think I am gonna quit NUS Choir. There is no raison detre for me to be there. One less soprano would not make a difference to them as much as it would to me. To me, I would freer to indulge in my spare time, which have been used up for that one CCA, which I do not particularly enjoy as compared to others. I would not need to come back from the NUS Choir practice, feeling like nothing is accomplished for the day since the songs were sung with so much technicality yet so little emotion.

Digressing from that, I sometimes marvel at how Raffles Hall choir managed to survive the catastrophe of this academic year. Compared to NUS Choir, we lack people and skills. Moreover, there is no one who could teach effectively on the right techniques for singing. All that could be shared with the choristers are experiences from practicing in other choirs. Shu Ying was already cracking her head worrying about whether RH Choir would just die out.

Nonetheless, we manage to pull through. Although caroling was not exactly perfect, it promised a great deal of fun in the form of mistakes we did and the laughs we had in response to that. I dare say that it has made us closer as a choir as much as it had set me apart from NUS Choir. I feel more at home in RH Choir than in NUS Choir.

Recently, I performed for both choirs in Amplitude. The difference in both choirs were remarkable. In NUS Choir, the songs were well sung yet so emotionless. One friend said that I looked like a snob, with only my mouth moving and my face entirely expressionless. On the hand, the singing experience in RH Choir was fun, fun and fun. I really thought we screwed up on May It Be but it turned out to be okay. I enjoyed myself thoroughly swaying along with the songs. In fact, we did way better than most hall choirs which had more people than we had.

To say RH Choir is as good as NUS Choir would be outright foolish. However, singing for RH Choir involves much more conviction and feeling for the songs compared to NUS Choir. What is a song without emotion, even so much technical perfection? The crowd is obviously more wowed at NUS Choir's performance than at RH Choir. But I am definitely not the one in the crowd.

2009/2010 Semester 1 Review

Blogging in the middle of the night, at 2.00am to be exact, is not exactly an orthodox thing to do but i guess tonight is yet another turning point in my university year. I can now leave academic matters of Year 2 Sem 1 behind me and set my thoughts to the forthcoming semester. I have just completed my last caroling session for the year a few hours back. I am also set to go back home after 6 months in Singapore. Back home, I would have the chance to re-established the long estranged ties with the place where I am born and raised.

It is hard to believe how the feeling of anxiety and apprehension would quickly turn into that of calm and tranquility in a matter of seconds. Nonetheless, this is the case when it comes to checking the exam result online. I must say I have done pretty well for the this semester befitting the amount of work I have put in trying to understand, memorise and apply the obscure knowledge of the higher academia. There are more A+s than ever to carve a smile on my face and the only "flaw" is an A-, which I don't really give a damn. It is so weird to be so fascinated with chemistry and do worst for it as compared to other subjects. Even so, what is the CAP but a few digits that would matter less and less over the years as compared to the memories of friends and knowledge you gain in university?

As a post-exam exercise, I find it rather important to review the modules I have taken for far.

CN2121

A wonderful module to take since I learn a lot about thermodynamics in a practical sense. Who would know that the amount of heat liberated when sulphuric acid is added to water follows a parabolic curve? Do you know that the engine and the heat pump are identical except that the the reverse direction is followed by the working fluid in the thermodynamic diagram? On a different note, I thought I screwed up in the final paper for not attempting some of the questions correctly. Then Esha told me that it doesn't matter what grade I get in the end, rather it is the intellectual fulfillment attained upon completion of the module. Both lecturers (Dr Jiang Jia Wen and Dr Lanry Yung) are dedicated teachers, a rare gem in the academic environment of NUS.

CN2122

Many consider this a bane but I can't understand why people cannot view the beauty of Fluid Mechanics. Lets face it: we deal with fluid all the time. Ranging from rain collecting and draining through the gutter to tap water pumped to our house as a modern convenience to the drag you feel when swimming in the pool, fluid mechanics is practically everywhere!!! At first, I could only swallow senselessly the content taught but over time, I have begun to savour the different "flavours" intrinsic in the subject. I now know that fluid friction in a pipe can be modeled and calculated with ease by the human brain (with the help of a calculator of course!!) I also appreciate the significance of the different flows of fluid under different velocity, pipe roughness etc since these determines how much energy should be put in to pump the water. Exam paper is quite tricky but when deconstructed with the appropriate knowledge tool, it is pretty straighforward.

XD3103

This is another fun module to take. Admittedly, the content covered is enormous as one has speed through the Physical, Chemical and Geological aspects of the Planet Earth. In my opinion, Dr Grahame J.H. Oliver is very knowledgeable and experienced in the field of geology. I can almost imagine him doing hands-on work on the minerals, rocks and minerals as he lectures on these topics. Although he seems outwardly unapproachable, i think he is a nice person to talk to (professionally of course). As for the final exam, it is certainly more difficult than last year. Honestly, I was surprised at my results especially when I thought I wrote two short and scanty essays in 30 minutes.

GE2229

Ah, Water and the Environment... the mention of such fluid element evokes a sense of peace and tranquility reminiscent of a silent flowing stream in an ancient forest. Think again. Although the content is comparatively little, the questions set are terrifically tricky and would squeeze every drop of your brain juice out. Nonetheless, the practicals are very enjoyable especially the one on water quality. Apparently, one group did a study on toilet flushing water and found it comparable to the quality of NEWater. Interesting...

CM1501

Chemistry is supposed to be my forte but I have done worst in it. Anyway, as previously mentioned, I don't give a shit even if I don't get an A+ as I have gotten for other modules this sem. I work hard. I get what I deserve. How self consoling... Anyway, organic chemistry is certainly more interesting than physical chemistry. I like to learn learn how one organic compounds can be transformed into another with the mere addition of a reagent or a tweaking change in the system conditions. Then, there is so much fun in linking many compounds together in an intricate web of reactions. It may sound a mouthful but that is the way chemistry should be appreciated - a modern alchemy of matter transformation.

Bleh... it is three already. I needa wake up early later at 7, have breakfast and leave NUS at 8. Thank you RH Choir and NUS Choir for making my holiday a wonderful experience!!!

(Some) Bloggers These Days

I was reading through a few blogs when i stumbled upon two threads which link all the authors of the blogs:-

a) They are self-centred

b) They are hopelessly prone to self-justification.

The first thread is perhaps what makes these blogs interesting. Blogs are these amazing conduit through which the thought and behaviour of the bloggers can be deciphered. Most can't stop complaining about their "dreadful" lives when there are more unfortunate people who lack nutrition or education or freedom.

I am not sure whether it is right to say that the urban society is inherently insular. Nonetheless, John told me that the urban individual is less likely to be aware of and help other people compared to rural individual because there are simply too many "distractions" in the fast-paced city life. I can't help but hypothesize that one of these distractions may include being distracted with the self. High expectation, stiff competition and the thin margin between failure and success are responsible for the high stress level but could this be extended to explain self-centredness?

The second thread is somehow more subtle. When we were much youngers, mistakes were part and parcel of childhood. We have done something wrong and therefore receive retribution. With age comes egoism and the belief (whether justified or not) that we are sufficiently enlightened to argue against the perceived "wrong". When things don't go our way, most of us complain thinking that by doing so, we would feel better after such self-justification.

Strangely, it is not difficult to spot that people often complain about the same thing over and over again. Is it because they have not found the solution to the problem? Or are they just wallowing in their muddy pool of pain, hoping for the rain of sympathy to wash all the sludge away?

I strongly believe in blog as a personal space where one can write down outrageously creative ideas that just pop up in the head. I believe that it is an avenue for self reflection i.e. to review what has been done so far and what more could be done. Certainly, the role of a blog extends beyond complaining.

Before I go further, I should probably slap myself twice. Who am I to stop people from exercising their freedom of speech? Am I supposed to justify myself here and now? Probably not....

The Voice: Part 2

I know I should be feverishly rushing my studies in preparation for the mid-terms but I really want to revisit the topic regarding my voice.

I guess it has been a full one year since the revelation that I am a countertenor. Armed with an unusually strong falsetto, which requires little exertion to execute, I am able to reach notes far beyond the reach of most mature men. Nonetheless, I am still new to this mode of singing and there are much more knowledge and experience to be garnered in my training.

Since then, I have been trying to sing different songs catered to women and boy sopranos, and have discovered a great deal of weaknesses and deficiencies which I hope to surpass one day. As mentioned earlier, there is still much to learn and improve on when it comes to my "other" voice.

The chorale experiences in both RH and NUS Choirs have been enriching. I have learnt a great deal and met some people of my kind, who are evidently more skilled and beautiful in their singing.

I have read somewhere that being a countertenor is conscious choice. I can choose between singing in my baritone to low tenor modal voice or in my soprano upper range. I do admit that it is more comfortable to sing in the latter than the former since I somehow do not strain my throat so much. This really sounds almost contradictory because the opposite case is true for most guys.

If some of you have not known, the countertenor voices are very diverse. Some sound like men, while other can imitate a woman's voice so flawlessly, in which case, I would gladly refer to the Youtube star, Nick Pitera. I recall my NUS Choir senior telling me that I sound like an immature boy. I am not sure whether this is a good or not but well, I will accept God's gift with an open, loving heart.

I also recall that there is a social stigma against countertenors, who are perceived as social oddities, to the extent of being labelled as gays and transsexuals. I have been labelled a homosexual simply because I have belted out a screeching, high note in the presence of a few ignorant individuals. Partly, they ought not to be blamed as their perception may be conditioned by the social disapproval of countertenors. Such stigma is less pronounced in Europe, where the countertenor tradition is better established. In Asia however, we are in danger of taunts and ridicule.

What is it, really, about our high voices which sparks revulsion in some hearts? We are very much like any men, complete with the necessary sexual characteristic which defines our sex. In no way are we rendered impotent, either by nature or by the act of castrations. We are not castratos of the bygone era, who have given up their manhood to sing like angels. Admittedly, we do not equal them in breath power but we do seek to revive some of their songs in honour of their unique vocal identity. Additionally, there is a diversity of voices among countertenors as previously mentioned. If the high voice itself is a satisfactory reason to engender ridicule for our kind, I feel that the society is indeed in a sorry state.

I am still an amateur in the singing art of countertenor. Nonetheless, I do look forward to do better and play a part in perpetuating this singing tradition.

Semester 1 Interim Review

When I was young, I used to wish everyday that I would grow up quickly so that I could do things that Mum forbade me from doing as a child. Harking back to the past, I now realise how wonderful childhood has been to me. The innocence, naivety and and stubborn resolve, the last of which still lingers on, have been truly beautiful. Sigh, time has indeed sprinted so fast ahead I cannot imagine I am gonna turn twenty-one soon.

Since looking back to childhood would result in a 500 page long blog, I would settle with a glimpse into the last six weeks (or seven, for those Orientation addict) marking the first half of Semester 1. The Recess Week, which is ongoing now, has afford me the time and tranquility to review the opportunities, obstacles and actions that have gone by, to evaluate the things I have succeeded in doing and those which I failed, and to sum up my ever changing feelings about life here.

First up is the ever persistent cough that has been tormenting me for three weeks straight. It started with an innocent attempt to put a slice of piping hot stingray into my mouth. Not more than three days after that, worrying signs began to show. The shallow cough whenever I run out of water to drink, the tingling sensation of the throat whenever I walk into the air-conditioned room and the inability to mouth out more than ten words before my throat starts hacking madly at me. I have taken antibiotics, lozenges, anti-inflammatory drugs and cough mixture but they did little to avail me of such physical agony. For now, I try to limit myself from talking and singing apart from taking care of my diet to avoid spicy, oily and cold food. In Singapore, this means soup noodle or congee every lunch. Mum told me to rinse my throat at least twice a day and to consume honey, which I did try to follow obediently. I feel better now than the worst of times in the past three weeks but I do hope to get better.

Secondly, I would like admit that the NUS Choir session is rather taxing both to the time and to the voice. At least eight hours a week has to be put aside for the formal practice sessions and this blatantly excludes self practice to execute florid passages which demands not only the right pitch, but also the right color, tone and timbre. Nonetheless, I am still happy being in there since I have gained a great deal of knowledge despite the inability of my skill to grow in pace with the increasing difficulties of our upcoming musical pieces.

With regards to academics, there is the list of modules, in descending order of favourable opinion towards the modules:

1. GE2229 (Water and The Environment) - Have I told anyone Dr Lim Han She, our dear beloved lecturer, is a passionate, funny and supportive lecturer? She would share with us not only theoretical knowledge but also those garnered out in the field. For instance, one of the practical assignments was based on a field-work research she conducted in Thailand to help us realise that geography is not a academic backwater but an active, burgeoning area of study which is deeply entangled with our environment and daily lives. Apart from that, I find her a very nice person who would not let her PhD set a cloud arrogance around her. When you need her help, she would deliver it quickly and earnestly. Having learnt a bit about Hydrology back in JC, the content of the module is pretty much a built-up on previous knowledge with more depth and slightly more breadth. This doesn't mean that i doze off in lecture because Dr Han keeps surprising us with thought provoking questions printed on the lecture assignment sheet to be printed out for every lecture. The questions are designed to encourage us to apply what we learn, to frame our answers in a systematic, thoughtful manner, and to use creativity or common sense as and when needed. Oh ya, talking so much about GE2229 has somehow reminded me that I have not collected the marked Practical 1. I do hope that the marks would not cause so much emotional casualty in me.
2. CN2121 (Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics) - Admittedly, this is no easy module but that does not stop me from investing my passion in it. I guess this is because the lecturer, Dr Jiang Jianwen has been very nice and understanding when teaching the module. His lecture notes are concise yet filled with various examples so that we are better trained at applying the concepts he has taught us. After all, Engineering is about applying equations and theories. He explains complex equations in simple terms, avoiding jargons so typical of the high academia, so that we can understand, not just memorise the main ideas of thermodynamics. Moreover, he is keen to provoke our mind with difficult questions to get us thinking hard about the assumptions underlying thermodynamics (I somehow like thought-provoking lecturer, don't I?). Lastly, he is very approachable and would entertain whatever weird question I bring forth to him.
3. XD3103 (Planet Earth) - This is a module not so well known among the undergraduates primarily because it is a recent addition to the geography course to emphasise more on geology. It is divided unequal into the physics (25%), chemistry (25%) and geography (50%) portions and each is taught by different lecturers. The physics lecturer is rather enthusiastic but I can't stop myself from dozing off when he starts talking. There are both old (Newtonian physics) and new things (Birth of Solar System, Planetary geology and atmospheric environment) that I see in his lecture. As for the chemistry portion, there is a mix-up in the NUS timetable system such that the Geography lecturer has to cover two out of three lectures which ought to be taught by the Chemistry lecturer. The concepts such as atoms, elements and bondings are rather "elementary", crystal systems a little more intermediate and the different classes of silicate and non-silicate minerals rather new to me. The geography part of the module will only commence after recess week.
4. CM1501 (Organic Chemistry for Engineers) - If you think it is a recap of JC Chemistry, think again. A whole new array of jargons such as Sn1 and Sn 2 mechanism, anti-periplanar, hyperconjugation and 1,3-diaxial interactions are out there to surprise you. However, the module provides explanations on the chemical reactions we often take for granted back in JC so pure memorising work, which I hate so deeply, is less.
5. CN2122 (Fluid Mechanics) - I don't really have much affinity to this module. The lecture notes are more like exam cheat sheets than an illustration to better comprehend what is going about. It is so succinct that if you miss a lecture, you will be looking helplessly at all the Greek symbols not knowing that they imply. Attempts to clarify things with the lecture are often unpleasant and may lead to further dangling up of the neuron dendrites.

Phew, I am little tired too write anymore so can we save it for next time?