FeistyCat

I took a cab to school today and it cost me exactly $10 inclusive of the $2 peak hour surcharge to travel from my office in Jurong East to NTU. I didn’t mind paying for it because I hate taking the feeder bus service number 179 to campus. It’s always crowded especially in the evening when most people are going home.

My tired mind drifted away as the professor went on and on with her lesson. At times, I had to snap out of it as she went around the class asking questions. Every now and then, I’d look at my watch wishing that I could speed up time so that I could go home and get on with my Scrabulous game, check my emails and watch TV.

Aliya was already asleep when we picked her up from my mother’s place. I need a nice, long shower now.

I’ve got two good excuses to skip class this week. It’s fasting month plus the professor is so BORING. Last semester, I did three modules yet I managed to turn up for class quite regularly. This semester, I’m only doing one module plus my dissertation but it seems like such a drag to attend the class on Monday evenings. I don’t seem to learn much because she takes everything from the textbook. It’s as good as self-study.

I’m still around. Barely… I’m freaking busy with work and school assignments plus my exams are in two weeks’ time. It’s kind of crazy because I’m taking three modules this semester and my exams are on three consecutive days. Just thinking about it makes me nervous and I feel a tight knot in my stomach. I really need a break after the exams.

The good news is, I passed my exams with grades that are better than I expected. The bad news is, something happened at work which made my morale crash right to the bottom of the pit. I can’t elaborate about it here because as you know, big brother is keeping close watch of our blogs. Meanwhile, have a great long weekend ahead, my friends!

I had such a bad headache after my exams yesterday. I am so happy that it is finally over and I can relax a bit now. After spending the last few days at home, I feel kind of lazy to return to work. Oh well, at least there are no lectures and tutorials until January next year. Yippee!

It is my brother’s birthday today. My three-year-old daughter, Aliya had gone out with my mum, brother, his wife and their eight-month-old baby. I am now at home alone struggling with my assignment that is due tomorrow. This is the worst subject I had ever taken because the professor expects us to submit an assignment just three days before the exams. What a nightmare!

One of the subjects I’m doing now requires the students to post their views in the discussion board twice a week. To pass this course, I’ve got to abide by the rules and make sure that I dilligently post in the board.

That’s not all, I’ve also got a target to meet for my company’s forum. Oh, yes, I’ve got to post five entries or more each month. Failing which, the names of the employees will be listed in an email broadcast and their boss will have to “counsel” them. Though it’s a good way for employees to share their ideas and views, I just dislike the idea of being forced to post in the forum. To fulfill their monthly target, some of my collegues would simply post short, single sentence comments like “That’s a good idea.” and “Well, done, congratulations!”. I guess, it defeats the purpose. Oh, well…

Now that our exam timetable is finalised, I’ve got to plan my study leave. Luckily, it’s in November which is after the Muslim fasting month. The company allows up to five days of paid study or exam leave. I’d also probably take a few days of my annual leave to study. I’m quite nervous because it’s been a long time since I sat for an exam in the university. The thought of it makes my heart beat faster.

I received a letter from NTU stating that my school fees would be deducted through my bank account in the first week of September. True enough, my savings had significantly decreased when I checked it through the online banking facility yesterday. I must do what it takes to pass this course and get my Master’s degree. Something tells me that I might need this qualification in the near future. There’s too much uncertainty going on at my work place right now. I’ll see how it goes…

Going back to school again is no easy feat for someone who is holding a full-time job. Yup, I’ve been accepted by NTU (Nanyang Technological University) to do my Master of Science in Information Studies. I’m doing this course on a part-time basis. It’s pretty challenging because I’ve got to juggle between work, school and family.

The academic term started in August, right after I returned from my holiday in Australia. Now that I’ve started work, I can feel the stress starting to build up. There doesn’t seem to be enough time to read for the three core subjects I’m taking this semester. What’s more, the professors are piling on the assignments and projects almost every week.

On a positive note, it’s actually fun to be back in the school campus and making new friends. There are many foreign students who are also taking the same course. Most of them are doing their Master’s degree full-time. Those who are currently working come from various industries, so it’s a good opportunity for networking too. You never know…