Driven By Fear
I’m not scared.
Really.
I’m frightened.
Yet it’s fear that’s driving me now. Never in my university life had I read much further than taught in lectures. Never had I done my tutorials way ahead of time. All for the sole purpose of leaving enough time for me to do my FYP and two other killer modules.
My FYP is progressing slowly. I’ve just finished reading some research papers, which I think can be used to represent the data in my project. However, that’s about it, I haven’t found a way to actually check if the data is correct or close to correct (some fuzziness is required here). I have some ideas, but I don’t know whether they will work. Next would be forming an algorithm and actually coding it in order to actually see if whatever the method is works.
The HRM project will be a killer. Those taking EEE in NTU and in their final year would know how it is like. Hint: Case studies, debates, company visits, company interviews, think value innovation, not satisfactory, redo project, presentation, final essay. It’s going to be fun, no doubt, but the module is also going to take up a lot (and I do mean a lot) of my time.
The last module which I’m quite worried about is Professional Communication. There’s a presentation in the end which will take up some time too, but it shouldn’t be that bad.
I’m quite comfortable about the rest of the modules, so they shouldn’t be that bad either. Now I only have to figure out how to survive the above three modules.
Please wish me luck.
PS: Comments such as “you’re so smart, you surely can make it” is NOT appreciated thank you.
August 20th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Hey. Don’t worry too much about your FYP. Things will automatically fall into place around 2-3 months before your deadline.
FYP is just a HUGE module, not a killer. Generally the amount of efforts you need to put in for FYP is not as much as most other courses, just that you need do put in that much effort for a longer amount of time..
Good Luck!
August 20th, 2007 at 9:48 am
NTT: Given the size of the project, I wouldn’t want to bet on things automatically falling into place 2-3 months before deadline… Besides, I’m expected to do a paper on it.
August 20th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
If your FYP is like what our third year project is, then you shouldn’t worry too much. If it is like our Honours project, then you’re on the right track already. The idea of a FYP is to test how you would handle real research. So, actually doing background reading and thinking about the problem is already a good effort. The key point is, you are learning to do research. Even if the project doesn’t go the way you want it, it’s still alright as long as you are learning from it.
I assume HRM is “Human Resources Management”? Well, it sounds very wishy-washy. Just do enough to pass and don’t worry about it. As for Professional Communication, it is unfortunately part of being a researcher: presenting your research. Even if you are working as an engineer, you still have to sell your ideas. Do your best!
August 20th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
akin: I suppose this would be like your Honours project. We don’t have honours year here, everyone has to do 4 years for the degree. But after the 4th year, each undergraduate may get an honour: first, second upper, second lower, or third class honours, or no honours.
August 21st, 2007 at 11:13 pm
cheers, and all the best! I did HRM before, and I should say my faculty assessment method is less painful than yours. not something to gloat about, but rather grateful
oh yes, you might want to balance your time better! ;D
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:20 pm
In that case, your Engineering is like our Engineering here. They have to do one year extra than everyone else (except medicine and the like), but you guys get Honours qualification after that. We in science have to do a separate year to do Honours.
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:09 pm
akin: Yeah, I guess that would be the nearest equivalent. It’s possible that you don’t get an honours classification here even after completing the fourth year though.
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:09 pm
nicole: Thanks, I know your faculty’s HRM is so much lighter than us. -.-