Final Reflection =')

Another 13 weeks came and went. ES2007s had been unexpectedly enjoyable. Where do I even begin?

Honestly, I love writing. The only problem was my grammar skills (or the lack of it). That made me think twice before bidding for this particular module as I am afraid of how my peers would be one step of ahead of me. Having heard how useful this course was, I decided to take a gamble, and I am glad I did. The first weeks were hard due to the topics for blogging. It had been too long since I had to write something "formal" that was not a lab report. That being said, I wrote at least 3 lab reports each semester and never gotten back a single feedback. It gets frustrating after all the effort I put into it but never to learn how to make it better. So I am really thankful for the feedback from the class and Brad to improve my writing. I found that by reading different writing styles of my peers is, in fact, a great way to improve my own! I have definitely learned lots about writing and will continue to strive for improvement.

Another aspect of the class that made it so special was the resume writing. This was not like the other preparation course I had been to before. Eventually, the purpose of all these years of education is to pursue a desired career. Having to peer teach this particular topic and also to go through weeks of revising resumes and application letters had been an extremely rewarding. While I had a rough idea of the importance of these documents, it was not until we sat down to compare resumes as a HR team did it hit me how crucial it is to have a well crafted one that stands out. I may have not quite grasp the ability to perform well in job interviews, but the exercise have definitely made me more prepared.

I could go on forever about how useful the things we learned in this module, but I am sure you all know that well enough and I do not wish to repeat my thoughts of the OP. The most memorable part of the class was not the content but the environment. It was a good change to be in a small tutorial class where thoughts and opinions are easily shared and friends readily made. It was such pleasure to get to know everyone from our 4 short hours together every week. Thank you all for making the class an enjoyable one and I wish everyone all the best in your future endeavors, especially for those of you that are graduating and our lovely ladies on exchange!

Lastly, I want to thank you Brad. You have been an amazing teacher and never once made me feel silly or stupid despite the many mistakes I have made with my writing. The lessons would not have been so rewarding and enjoyable without you. Hope to see you around campus! =)

WORK HARD & GOOD LUCK FOR FINALS EVERYONE!!!

Reflections on Oral Presentation

The last time I presented to a class before this module, was two years ago. I have never been particularly terrified of presenting in front of a crowd but I knew that I was not a great speaker. Even then, I was not fond of scripts and preferred to elaborate from pointers on my slides. The result was unnecessary fillers. 

This time, I wrote a script for mock presentation and also partly, to be more persuasive. Though I intended to just familiarised myself with the crucial points, I inevitably ended up memorising them as I practiced. I never like the idea of memorising as I fear that I might blank out during the presentation itself. So to prevent this, my preparation included presenting to a mirror. My confidence grew as I practiced more and this greatly reduced my stage fright on the actual day. 

I feel that one of my weaknesses is that I become utterly unaware of my body language when I am focused on getting my points across to the audience. For the mock, I received feedback that I was too rigid. But for the actual OP, I heard I was moving in circles. I will definitely work on this for future presentations! 

One of the takeaways I had watching the other groups' OP was the importance of having effective slides. Having simple and aesthetically pleasing slides really helps the audience to pay attention. There is definitely more to slides making than I initially thought!

During our practice session, all of us were tripping over our words, having yet internalised the content. However, I felt that everyone improved tremendously by the time we had our actual presentation. So, thank you Christopher, Samantha and Sharlene for your hard work and contributions to this project!!!

Lastly, thank you all for the kind words regarding my presentation. I think the strength of my presentation stem from the fact that this issue is something that I am personally concerned about. I guess, in order to be persuasive and convincing, it helps to strongly believe in your proposed idea first. Either that, or fake it well :) 

If anyone is interested, this is the full version of the apology video we showed in class!

Evaluating Intercultural Behavior

For a city dweller like me, stepping into a rural area in Cambodia was truly an eye-opening experience. I went on a Youth Expedition Project trip last December along with 21 of my friends. The villagers were extremely welcoming but I will like to share about something that occurred outside of our village.

During the three week stay, my friends and I visited a small church in town. Most of us are not religious, but we were keen to see how Christmas was celebrated in this country. We sat through most of it rather uncomfortably due to the language difference. The church prepared dinner and after everyone ate, the crowd started to disperse. A few guys around our age picked up their instruments and started to play. The girls brought us to the middle of the church where all the chairs were cleared to create a dance floor. Turned out that they have a practice of social dancing during parties and gatherings and they were encouraging us to join in!

According to Wikipedia, the two most common dances are the Romvong and Romkbach. The girls taught us both dances which involve elegant hand gestures and simple foot work. It was definitely fun trying to learn those dances but after a while, it got repetitive. The music changed but the dances were essentially the same. Hence, most of us ended up either simply moving to the beat or sitting in a corner, exhausted.

I initially wanted to share a photo from the day itself, but I could not find one that really illustrate how the Romkbach is like. So here is a textbook drawing instead:

Only only my Vietnamese friend persisted in dancing with them. She just started learning Latin dancing in NUS, but in my own opinion, she is rather talented. My friend spent the entire evening dancing and laughing with the girls, while the rest of us watched them in awe. It was really amazing how well she fitted in despite the lack of a common language. A bond was made simply because they shared the same love for dance. She showed them some of her own Latin dance moves and the girls looked  really impressed. When we had to leave, my friend was rather reluctant and she shared a long embrace with the girls.

I found it rather endearing, that they seemed to have forged a genuine friendship in that few short hours. It did not seem to matter to anyone that they came from different backgrounds and spoke different languages. They interacted and bonded without the need for a spoken conversation. I did wondered why none of the Singaporeans got close to these girls. Perhaps it was apparent that my friend truly appreciated their dances, hence the girls enjoyed spending time with her. We should have been quite honored that they treated us with such hospitality. Maybe there is a significance to social dancing that we could not quite grasp? In retrospect, I guess the rest of us could have tried harder to get to join in rather than having fun on our own. I was particularly wary of some of my peers who were sat out as they were not interested in dancing. I honestly hoped we did not leave a bad impression on them! Regardless, it was one of my many memorable experiences in Cambodia and I was grateful to get a glimpse of their lifestyle and culture.  

And here is a short video of the Romkbach, take a look :)

Jump to 1:30 if you want to learn the Romvong.

Application Letter Critique

Ng Xiao Wei

Block, Unit No, Street,

Singapore 000000

Mobile: 91234567

Email: xiaowei@gmail.com

19^th February 2013

Assistant Professor Chen Ee Sin

Department of Biochemistry
MD7, #02-03, 8 Medical Drive,
Singapore 117597

Dear Dr Chen

Application for Position of Research Assistant

I am writing to express my interest in applying for the position of Research Assistant in the Department of Biochemistry. I am expecting to graduate from National University of Singapore with a 2^nd Upper Class Honours in Bachelor of Science (Life Science), specialising in Molecular & Cell Biology. Before my undergraduate studies at NUS, I have also obtained a Diploma in Biomedical Science. I am keen to start my career with the department at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS because of your laboratory’s significant contributions to epigenetic studies. I would be honoured to be a part of the groundbreaking research of the molecular mechanism behind genomic instability that leads to human diseases.

As a NUS undergraduate, I possess relevant knowledge in the field of genomics and biochemistry. In my second year, I took up an undergraduate research opportunities project (UROP) under Dr Wu Jinlu. During my stay in his lab, I designed and conducted experiments to develop a sensitive detection method for the White Spot Syndrome Virus. This allowed me to hone my skills in genetic studies and effective project management. The experience also required me to managed my time efficiently so that my studies will not be affected. 

Being both a degree and diploma holder, I gained an edge over the rest of the undergraduates as I had more opportunities to acquire essential lab techniques. During my time in Ngee Ann Polytechnic, I also obtained a Diploma Plus in Chemistry.  For my final year project, I spent one year working on developing biomarkers for early cancer detection based on epigenetic mechanism. The opportunity enhances my experience in the studies of DNA methylation profile and working with cell culture. More importantly, it had ignited my passion for scientific research.  

During my summer internship at Tropical Marine Science Institute, I was involved in monitoring harmful algae blooms in Singapore. I learnt to be meticulous and developed analytical skills through carrying out nutrient analysis on seawater collected during our field studies. Due to all the opportunities that allowed me to develop my interest in scientific research, I have gained many indispensable lab techniques.

In additional to attaining a strong academic result, I am actively involved in voluntary work with NUS Community Service Club. I spearheaded the programme committee of our Youth Expedition Project to Cambodia. We organized and executed 2 weeks’ worth of activities to facilitate interaction between the locals and our team of 22 for a more rewarding cultural exchange. We also raised SGD$13, 000 for construction of classrooms in Baray Ket. The experience had been enriching and allowed me be a more all rounded team player and enhance my interpersonal skills. 

With my prior experience and my passion for science, I am certain I can perform well as a research assistant in your laboratory. Thank you for your time to review my application. I look forward to a face-to-face interview to discuss my suitability for this position. I have enclosed my resume for your consideration. I can be contacted at 91234567 or xiaowei@gmail.com.

Yours Sincerely,

Xiao Wei

P.S. Here is the job advert for your reference

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

To begin this story, I must let you in on one thing. I was brought up in a strict family. It is not as if I am on bad terms with my family, but to a certain extent I don't feel comfortable confiding in them and hence they know little about my personal life. (I have been working on it, things are much better now.)

So this incident goes 5 to 6 years back. It is what I remember as the worst 'fight' I ever had with my mum. My mum has a long list of rules for me, for the sole reason that I am a girl. There were many times when I feel frustrated about being constantly told what to do.

It was after a 4-days trip to Malaysia for an adventure camp. We came back to Singapore around 4 p.m. and went back to school to unload the logistics. When that was done, my friends suggested dinner. It had been a long day mainly due to all the travelling, but the enthusiasm from the camp had yet to rub off. I really wanted to join them, so I called home. Prior to that, I had texted my Mum the moment we reached Singapore. 

I remembered asking her whether she cooked dinner, and the answer was "no". So I asked her if I could join my friends for dinner. She was unhappy about it. Her reply was something like: "Aren't you suppose to be tired? Come home now." Naturally I said no, I want to join my friends for dinner. At this point, I was hungry, tired and getting a little frustrated.

I cannot remember the exact words she yelled next, but it was roughly about:
1. You are always running off somewhere with your friends 
2. You are tired so you should not stay out. (FYI, I did not tell her I was tired) 
3. Get back home now!

I was really angry about getting reprimanded when my friends were all within earshot. So I did not rebut and I went home. I reached home with a long face (more from exhaustion than anger actually) and that annoyed my Mum further. She repeated her lecture again, and well, I was not in the mood for an arguement. I have to admit, I am really bad with conflicts. I could have come up with an angry retort but I assumed that would make things worse; hence I gave her the cold shoulder and went to bed.

At the point of time, I thought she was being unreasonable and over reacted to a simple dinner request. I felt that it did not make sense for me to travel all the way home to have take-away food. It was disheartening to return home from overseas and get yelled at. I felt that she did not give me a chance to explain fully during the phone call. The next day, I was not mad anymore and I assumed things would be back to normal. When I realised my Mum was bent on ignoring me the whole day, my anger returned. I did not think I had done anything wrong and I was prepared to demonstrate the stubbornness of a Taurean. With that began one entire week of silent treatment on both sides.

Things eventually got better when my Dad stepped in to talk to me in private. So I took the first step to start a conversation with her, and things went back to normal. Although I still did not think I was out of line, I did wonder if I could have handled the situation better. The silent treatment can never solve any conflict.

While it is possible that I may have been on the receiving end of her temper due to a bad day, perhaps I made it worse by my response (or rather, the lack of it). I understand that when tension is high, one should not be too quick to come up with a rebuttal. It may have been better to make up with her the very next day. Perhaps if I had shared more about my friends with her, she would have reacted differently. Still, should I have explained my decision over the phone instead of grudgingly returning home? What should have been the appropriate response when you feel wrongly accused?

An Essential Skill: Effective Communication

Humans are social beings. Whether one enjoys social interactions or not, you can’t avoid them. Effective communication is beneficial as you could get your points accurately across without any misinterpretation or conflicts. I took this course as I believed I have much to learn in this aspect.

As a third year student, I would be embarking on my final year in NUS in due time. Soon, it would be the time many of us will approached and attempted to convince a professor to take us in to do an Honours project. A year after that, I would be busy sending out resumes. I always let my nerves get the better of me at interviews and that made it hard to convince potential employers of my capabilities. It is tough to present oneself under pressure but it is something that I must learn to handle. Hopefully, by the end of this module, I would pick up some really essential communication skills and with that, more confidence.

Honestly, what I really wish to achieve is better communication between peers. Communication plays a very important role in maintaining interpersonal relationship. Be it for project discussions or daily conversations, there are plenty of times I questioned myself if I had presented my opinions correctly or were my intentions misunderstood. It can get frustrating when I have to spend more time to get my message across when there could have been a shorter way. Being able to articulate better would give one more confidence to lead as well. But of course, communication is more than just imparting information. Active listening increases one's  participation of the conversation by fully understanding what the speaker is trying to convey before giving appropriate responses. This would thus make communication more effective and improved work productivity. Hence, I would try my best to be a better listener from this point on!

On a side note, being a Science lover, I can get too geeky for my friends and family without the relevant background. Perhaps, one day I would be able share my love for the subject in an effective way?

I shall end the post with a really long comic strip :)

Till the next time,
Xiao Wei

First Post

Welcome all!