Secret War Journal[31 July 2009]

Friday, July 31, 2009
Another week went by! That was fast.

I foresee that this post will be rather long, so bear with me. ;)
--
Prelims 2 Marks 2009 Part 1
So far, I'm not very happy with my results.
  • Chemistry -- 59.2 [C5]
  • Combined.Humans -- 69 [B3]
Not a single A yet! OMG! I fared really badly for these two subjects. I feel so sad. Chemistry, I can understand but combined.humans?

This is like Secondary One all over again. Argh. I need to see As. (Someone help me pray for As for the rest of the subjects. ;)

On the bright side, Mrs Hay said that my Chemistry marks should be rounded up to 60[B4]
Then it won't be so bad.

And I'm in the process of claiming one mark for my Combined Humans. Wish me luck on that. :D

English Paper 2

I got it back and the results weren't as disappointing as the other two aforementioned. I scored 32/50. I was not expecting to get the top position for this Paper 2 for my class(still not confirmed! Hahas)

Anyway, I hope my Paper 1 would be just as good, then my english would have improved way lots! Hahas.

And on top of that, this prelims would be memorable. Wanna know why? Because....
Page 1 of English Paper 2 QuestionsPage 2 of English Paper 2 Questions
That's right! I wrote some funny answers on the Question Paper. I'm quite proud of it.

Please note, however, that these are not model answers and should not be used as learning aid or for educational purposes. There are simply meant for entertainment. ;)

Elementary & Additional Mathematics Paper 1
  • E.Maths -- 72+1/80
  • Add.Maths -- 62/80 (I think, I sort of forgot)
Here's something I think is funny(okay, that was evil of me)

I wanted to claim 2 marks from Mrs.Sim because she marked Cynthia's Answer(which is same as mine) correct but mine wrong. So I went over and it turned out that the answer was wrong(talk about false hope) and I sort of made Cynthia's marks reduced by 2 marks(my bad!)

But I need to thank her on one matter, because she lost two marks, she argued for one mark to be claimed due to method marks. Since she got the one mark, I got it too(Because I had that method too, hahas).

So her marks overall were reduced by one while mine was added one mark. Sounds like she sort of 'transferred' one mark to my paper. Hahas. (okay, should not laugh at people's mishap)

Let me clarify, I'm laughing on the way I got one extra mark. ;)
--
The Day there was Biology
That exams portion took you so long to reach here and guess what? It was just the beginning. (Told you this post would be long ;)

Next up, on Tuesday, my class and some other classes have no school on that day because of the fact that we have no exam papers on that day and hence we decided to go out and relax.

People who went(with me):
  1. Christopher
  2. Jing Ting, Jaytii
  3. Lai Yin
  4. Yan Zhi
This time, we have fewer people. Vanessa was feeling unwell and hence she did not come with us.

Well, it turned out that Vanessa still went out that day, with Bernice and co. She claimed that she recovered overnight(yes, hard to believe) and so can go out. Well, no matter what she claims(whether it was true or not), we have to respect her decision so no hostility there when we spotted her. Hahas.

After that, we went to Bugis for Lunch. Actually, I had lunch before meeting them but I ate all the same. Hahas. Of course, I did not order a full meal set. Just some side orders, which was just some garlic bread.
They decided to dine in "PastaMaina" for some pasta. I must admit, that was my first time dining there and I wasn't very impressed.(Partly because I don't really like pasta)
Nevertheless, they had a great meal and we went off to accompany Lai Yin to buy her musical tool(s), whatever that was.

So, you would be wondering, what's the freaking highlight of this outing? Obviously, our aim was not to wander around in the streets of Orchard. In fact, we haven't even reached out final destination yet. Yan Zhi was still not with us. (Surprised?)

Next Stop: HarbourFront
Yep! Insane as it sounded, I thought it was insane, we're heading towards VivoCity. Yes, the land of HarbourFront, on the opposite side of Sengkang, the great journey from the North to the East to the South. Ahh! We were really insane then. Hahas.
Now, of all places, where VivoCity, and why so far?

The reason lies with Jaytii - She wanted to watch a movie. In 3D(ah, the catch).
As to why this cinema, beats me. I'm pretty sure that isn't the only cinema in Singapore that offers 3D movies...

Oh well, so we go..the movie...:D

Ice Age 3: Dawn of Dinosaurs

Poster for Ice Age 3
Cute little poster, hahas. Basically, the 3D effects were really a let-down. Not much worth noting effects inside which is why I feel that we should had just watched in a normal movie environment. Sigh, I was expecting more...

As for the story, it's rich, funny and fresh. For that, I urge you all to watch this movie(if you hadn't)


P.S: I used my handphone on that day. Ironic, huh?
--
Interview Skills Seminar
On 31 July 2009, our school invited NanYang Polytechnic to host Seminars for our graduating classes. I chose "Interview Skills" Seminar which I found enriching, hence I do not regret going to that class.

Basically, we were offered the following choices:
  1. Business
  2. Roller-Coaster Engineering(something like that)
  3. Interview Skills
  4. Infocomm Technology
  5. Life Sciences
  6. Media and Information Technology
Our class was rather special, majority of us went for Interview skills. The rest of the classes mostly rooted for Business.

Unless I can split myself into many pieces, I did not attend the other 5. So, I can only discuss about the Seminar that I attended.
--
Key Tips in Interview Skills
  1. First Impression lasts
    1. It takes 7 seconds to make one.
    2. 55% of the time, the outcome is based on your appearance.
  2. Accept Compliments (Don't deny them :o)
  3. Use Good English. (Simple English would suffice)
  4. Use interviewer's name occassionally (For interaction)
  5. Avoid simple answers like "yes" and "no".
  6. Do not lie (It's a big no-no)
  7. Don't be a "know-it-all", it will sound cocky and arrogant.
  8. Never make negative statements about your present or former schools/organisations.
Life Skills touched on

  1. "The world is unfair". This is why first impressions are so important.
  2. Learn to prioritise which is more important and spend more time on it. Do not spend too much things on trivial tasks.
  3. Don't spend too much. Learn to manage finance well.
  4. Overall, family is the most important, not the company. Avoid becoming a workaholic and end up being married to the company instead of your life partner.
Preparing for the Interview

  • Investigate the target organisation/Do your homework or research.
  • Study the job description.
  • Practise answers to typical interview questions.
  • Expect to explains problems area on your resume.
  • Build interviewing experience with less important jobs first.
Possible problems area on Resume

  • Time Gaps. In between your timeline, what did you do? For example, you graduated in 2007 but only got a job in 2009. What were you doing during 2008?
  • It is not advisable to put in your school grades unless they were superb. Else, it serves no purpose.
Fighting Interview Fears

  1. Video Record a practice session to see how you come across(if you can)
  2. Rehearse your closing statement.
  3. Prepare 110%
  4. Practise More.
  5. Know how to answer the most frequently asked Questions.
  6. Get ready success stories such as your experience as a leader. (If you have Leadership positions). Hence, get such experience by taking up leadership posts.
  7. Take deep breathes to calm down and think. It is useful when you're nervous.
  8. Remember that during some parts of the interview, you will be in charge.
  9. Remember that you are also assessing the interviewer, and his or her organisation. This should give you confidence. (For e.g. assessing their culture)
Sending Positive Message

  1. Never be late
  2. Be courteous
  3. Dress Professionally
  4. Wait for the receptionist to offer you a seat.
  5. A right and firm handshake (skill)
  6. Introduce yourself
  7. Control body movements
  8. Make eye contact but don't get into staring contest
  9. Sound sincere and interested
  10. Smile
--
Your face is the most important tool in non-verbal communication.
--
I did not copy down the Don'ts for the Female and did not copy finish the Don'ts for Male.
--
Don'ts(Male)

  • Bad Breath
  • Oily Hair
  • Short Trousers
Important Areas of Interview

  1. Communication Skills
  2. Attitude
  3. Motivations - Your goals
  4. Potential
Different Interviewer Types
  1. Dominance
    • Interviewer of this type are often impatient, direct, short and sharp.
    • To counter this, be brief and confident.
  2. Influence
    • Interviewer of this type are often chatty which makes you at ease.
    • To counter this, remember to smile and tell stories to illustrate your points.
  3. Steadiness
    • Interviewer of this type are often Patient
    • To counter this, speaker slower so that they can hear you properly and clearly.
  4. Conscientious
    • Interviewer of this type are often questioning.
    • To counter this, be precise, be serious, and think before answering questions.
Closing the Interview

  1. Stand up and shake hands again.
  2. Ask when you would hear from them.
  3. Thank the interviewer
  4. Take notes of the interview when you reach home.
  5. Write a thank-you letter to the interviewer and that you really like the job (if you're interested in getting the job)
--
With that, I will end this post. It is getting too long and I want to revise for my Chemistry Practical Assessment Tomorrow. Until next time!

Secret War Journal [26 July 2009]

Sunday, July 26, 2009
It's been a long time, how are you guys? I hope life's good because this week hadn't been so good for me. Hahas...

This week had been packed with Examinations and more Examinations. (lols...)

On top of that, this Wednesday, we had "O" Levels Chinese Listening Comprehension. I should have every reason to feel stressed right? Hahas...

"O" Levels Chinese Listening Comprehension
So, I guess let me start on what happened on Wednesday then...

Ironically, on this day, the World witnesses the Longest Solar Eclipse ever occurred. The whole of Singapore missed it, wow.
You would be wondering why the whole of Singapore(, shouldn't it be only the "O" Levels Candidates?). Well, on the Wednesday Morning, which is around 8~9AM, it rained. Well that's partial darkness for us. (Laugh out loud!)
For my class, we never figured when the eclipse occurred so yeah, we lucked out (big time)

But on the bright side, we had no lessons on that day. The School decided to let us relax before going for the Examinations. I heard from some teachers that this is the first time the School did that and they were trying to figure out why the school made this strange move after so many years. My answer to them would be: Who knows? Hahas...

On the not-so-bright side, we got back our Chemistry Paper 1 for Prelims 2.

Boy, the class screwed up. Only one-third of the Class(excluding people who are taking Combined.Sciences) scored above 30 out of 40. Which is disappointing. Even more disappointing is that, I'm not the few who got 30 or above. T.T

I got only 28!!! AHHHH!!!!
(Okay, I know 28/40 is A2 grade but I want A1!!! AHH~!!!)

So yeah, the class got lectured by Mrs Hay. Nice backdrop for day of National Examinations, huh? Guess not.

So I guess I can kiss my Ai-grade for my Chemistry goodbye. Haiz...
--
I have the Question Paper for the Listening Comprehension since they allow candidates to keep it. But I won't be showing it here because of Copyright issue. Duh? Hahas.

Anyway, I feel that the Paper was very difficult. So I'm just hoping that I scored at least 14/20. I would be leaping with joy that I reach that goal.
Hopefully, I do not need to re-take my Chinese at the End of this year. :D

NCHS Prelims 2 Pt2
This week, I took quite a number of examinations:
  1. Elementary Mathematics Paper 1 & 2
  2. Compared to the first Prelims, this paper is much easier and Mrs Sim had mentioned that we did well for Paper 1. Paper 2 was not known because she had not marked finish.
  3. Chemistry Paper 1 & 2
  4. Chemistry Paper 2 was a killer and I thought Chemistry Paper 1 was easier. With my Paper 1 so badly done, I doubt my Paper 2 would be anyway near better...
  5. Additional Mathematics Paper 1 & 2
  6. Same as Prelims One...Paper 1 easier than Paper2. Hope I did not screw it up like the first Prelims...
  7. Physics Paper 1 & 2
  8. Gee, what can I say, the paper should be easy but I think my answers are filled with careless mistakes. So I'm good as dead.
Which leaves one last paper for me to tackle: Geography. My weakest subject, you can say. Oh great. Yeah. I'm proud to say that revision should be half done. :D

But I still think I will screw it up. Best not get hopeful. Haha...

Wish me luck! Because I would really need it.
The Wrong Signboard
Next up, here's a queer thing that happened. ;)

Remember the shop that my family set up? It turns out that a typo occurred at the Signboard. It wrote "Quenna" instead of "Queena"
And guess what, neither my father nor me spotted it. I should have realised it because I was advertising it on Facebook and used the Signboard as the logo in there. And the thumbnail wrote "NN" right in front of me.
I can't believe I did not register the problem! Stupid me!

Well, thankfully, my stepmother spotted it and the problem is dealt with(I think). ;)

Which is why I changed the Logo for the Facebook group too. ;)
The Lift Encounter
Another queer thing happened recently would be about the right-hand-side elevator.

On this day after a stressful examination, I reached the Lift Lobby. The Right-hand-side lift doors opened and I entered. So far so good. ;)

I pressed my Storey number and pressed the button to close the door.

Everything was fine until the lift door could not close. Okay, let me rephrase that, the lift door could close fully but it does not move up but open the door again.(only to close it again)

Yep, just imagine a mouth that opens and close. That freaked me out. I was worried I would be trapped in this lift. (God, why me...) I pressed the "Close Door" Button so that I can somehow move up.

Well, that failed. :o

My next move was to press the "Door Open" button. Hahas...Well it opens it doors alright, only to close it again moments later. LOLS...

Now that's one freak lift, so I sort of time it and exit when the Doors are open. I jumped out, literally. Phew! I thought I would be crushed by those doors, given my fragile body. I'm so freaking glad I'm thin! Wohoo!

But that's not all, the freaky thing is that the moment I left the lift, it closed its doors and launched off...leaving me on the Ground Floor...

=.=
Talk about rejection...

Since the lift on the right-hand-side was moving up, when I pressed for a lift, the left-hand-side lift came for me. Nothing funny happened to me, thank the gods.

As to why the 'rejection' occurred, I have no absolute idea. Subsequent trips using that lift gave no problems. It was a one-out-of-million chance for that to happen, I guess.

Well, just to be safe, avoid using that lift. If needed, just be on guard, the lift's spooky...
Epilogue
All right! That's all, folks! Gotta go now and continue revising for my Examination tomorrow! Until next week! ;)

Secret war Journal [18 July 2009]

Saturday, July 18, 2009
Three Subjects for Prelims over and done with. Woot! Two more weeks and I'm exam-free for a few more weeks. (before Prelims 3 begins...=.=)

Well, I don't know what to say for the past three papers. I guess, I can only talk about that after I get the results. Hahas

Well, to begin with, I took this few papers during the last three days:
  1. English Paper 1 & 2
  2. Chinese Paper 1 & 2
  3. Social Studies
  4. History
Yeah, and I should stop talking about Exams. God, I'm tired from all those papers.
--
Now, lemme think. Was there anything interest that happened this week? I think not. But here's something to take up the space. ;)


Queena Fashion on Facebook


Right! The thingy on top is a shop that has just been recently set up by my family. It sells Women Clothing. So those interested, please visit us and check it out! ;)
--
Come to think of it, it's been some time since I visited my Grandmother, maybe I should visit her next week.

Secret war Journal [4 July 2009]

Saturday, July 4, 2009
Wee! What a busy day today had been! I was intending to start on my homework today but I guess I got distracted. Or rather, I was given no chance to even so much as touch it. :o

Now, why?

Early in the morning, I was woken up by my parents just so that I can help out with extending the visit pass of my grandmother. BUT!

They had an ulterior motive! They wanted me to help out at the shop we're setting up today. So I was moved from my home, where the homework lay, and to the the office. Okay, I meant the shop. :p

So that's basically why I did nothing, homework-wise. :o

But I can't exactly say I wasted the entire day. For starter's, I helped settled the problem of extending the visit pass for my grandmother(which was met with lots of problems, the government should solve them as soon as possible)

In addition, I read some pages for "Wheel of Time". But that is not important.

Today is the day. Today is the day that I see the shop for the very first time. It is not exactly completed which is the reason I'm summoned to help out in the first place.

We, parents and I, sorted out the goods and drilled holes for the installation of furniture. That's when we realised that the walls of the shop is HOLLOW! We were doing nothing for a period of time, deciding on the next course of action as we really need to screw some fixtures onto the wall. So we thought of an alternative (which do not require strong walls) and so they left me alone in the shop while they shop for those things.

That's the time when I started reading the book. LOLs...

My parents were away for a very long time and at 4 o'clock at the evening, I realised that my fingernails are blue!
Forget fevers, talk about frostbite in a mall! Panicking, I locked the shop and went out of the mall for warmth. After walking out of the mall, I kind of got awkward. Me, alone, walking around the entrance of the mall for no due reason(I know I have, but the others don't)

That's when I wish I had someone beside. At least, I won't be at risk of being accused of loitering. :p

Anyway, my handphone battery almost went flat. Thank god, there's still battery when my mother called me to buy lunch (at 5+ o'clock..=.=)

And guess what? I had my dinner at 10:15PM! -.-

What a life-draining, energy-draining and mental exercise it had been!!!

Oh and before I forget, here's an interesting situation that happened after my parents came back:

My father and I started to place price tags on the goods. I was using the machine which prints the price labels and it went out of labels to print after we sort of spammed it.

Then, a problem occurred. We just bought this machine, and...

We had no idea how to refill...

LOLs....We wasted lots of labels just for trying to figure how to make that machine work for us. In fact, we were puzzled at how the labels went from one end to the other. LOLs.

All came to light after my step-mother took out the packaging box of the machine and showed instructions on how to refill. LOL, I was such a fool.
--
It's late, before I go off and sleep, here's some tips:

Never go eat Beef Ramen in Far East Plaza (it's...just not nice)

See ya, guys!

Wake tomorrow for a bright sunshine!