Actually the most interesting part ytd is not the lecture, but the session as a group with Prof Ben after the lecture. I am honored to be part of this interactive session with him.
What is so special about this teacher is being a computer science lecturer is a head fake. He teaches us philosophy. Recently, a CS classmate was conversing with me regarding CS3216. He was someone who got rejected from the 1st batch of CS3216 application and never applied again. This is how I introduced him regarding Prof Ben: “He is known as the ‘evil’ prof who gives us a lot of work. He doesn’t teach programming stuff, he outsources. Rather he preaches us on philosophical stuff.” Then he mentioned about one friend of his who was an ex-student of CS3216 and asked me why his friend likes “the evil prof” (i.e. why like him even though he is evil). I replied he is friendly to his students.
Actually it’s not just friendly (is an impromptu answer)… To elaborate on this, he is rather “kay poh”; he tends to want to understand better about his students and bring out issues of the more concern for discussion. He keeps up with the times and he knows a lot, such that he can easily reach out to more ppl. And he keeps in touch with them.
The issue on why I think my father is not my role model; is not just the negative motivation part. I think he is rather trapped in his own thinking, resist new idea/perceptive and change. So I aimed not to be like him and see how well I can do by going in this other path. I have never watched Star Wars, but I believe the idea that Star Wars is trying to convey has probably been brought across to me in one way of another in other forms (being curious why it is so much recommended by prof, I will consider watching it :)). If proving oneself is said to be a “negative force” and doing family’s proud is said to be “positive force”. According to what I heard from prof regarding this “negative force” is that it will lead to the desired outcome in the fastest way and “positive force” is for the long run. Then what I am doing now is to start with the “negative force” and introduce “positive force” on the way. Since both forces (in this context) doesn’t conflict (we are not living in the Star Wars story), I think the two forces can definitely coexist and cooperate.
One thing u probably didn’t know. At the beginning to the middle of the semester, I was somehow “addicted” to blogging. What I meant was that the idea for blogging comes when I am waiting for bus, on the bus and even studying for other modules. (PS: This blog post also came out when I was on my way home; I typed the major portion last night, and did a bit of editing today) As my phone plan was up soon at then, I thought of getting a phone that can facilitate blogging while I don’t help even access to my laptop. I sorted of later “suppressed” that addiction as I am getting busier, the topics are getting more technical (later paragraphs will explain this), don’t know what phone or phone plans to get, the thought that phone’s keyboard too small for typing freely etc. Btw I still don’t even have the time to get a new phone yet :’( even though my plan was up on March 15.
If you look at my blog u will realize I don’t talk a lot about technical stuff. Though I am a Computer Science student, I don’t feel much writing about what I learnt after a technical related lecture. This is cos being a Computer Science in theory student (meaning I lack real world experience), I don’t think my discussion about these issues would be as interesting as those who have real experience. I could have regurgitated what I have learnt all over again in a blog post. But it would probably sound too boring as all other classmates have heard these before. I think a blog post should be more focus on experience and thinking, and probably about life.
I have got a somehow “short-term” memory. Doesn’t mean I have bad memory. Let me put it in this way: I can do analysis and regurgitate stuff better if I don’t keep it for long. For those knowledge that have been kept for long, they somehow turned into some kind of subconscious thing, not that I don’t remember, is that I would need some trigger to recall and more preparation to make them into something conveyable. That is why I don’t speak as well as some people, who can present sth as though they just experienced it ytd, but actually it is sth that has happened long ago. I need some time to prepare, if not I just blanked out. That’s why I need to finish this blog post soon, before I forgot about what I want to say. Inspiration is very important.
The reason why I was never marked a good speaker cos to me what I present is usually binary. Either I know so I can say in the simplest form or I don’t know so I can’t answer. Some people can say sth until as if they know, but actually they don’t, and furnish what they know little to as though they are experts. I can’t do that. Probably this is good in a way to keep thing simple, but I can easily myself into trouble if I have to speak more. One other thing about me is that I am bad at answering impromptu questions. These are things I need to improve on…
Actually I do have an interest which is more philosophical. In the past, once in a while I had some thoughts about life, I posted it down. Don’t believe? Check out this blog: http://weeliyen.spaces.live.com/, the category on “Food for Thought”. I don’t really maintain blogs, few reasons are: I have no time. I want to keep some privacy about my life from the public. I don’t hv much confidence of maintaining readership (with my boring life). I don’t want to halt my life at unhappy or happy memories, I want to move on.
Another thing is I was also bad in building relationship when I was young. I was the quietest girl in the class throughout my upper primary to JC school life. Being the quietest girl, what can I do? Observe! Observe how ppl interact and learn from them, and slowly adapt. I actually learnt humor! In observing ppl I do like to do some “analysis” on them, esp their characteristics and how to get along with them. University gave me the opportunity to learn these better, cos I am throw out from my comfort zone, there is no fix class that I have to attend. Now I am actually a different person from who I am in my JC or Secondary School days. I am still learning.
There was/will be never another semester like this. I would never be able to churn out so many blog posts in a semester. Though I could be easily contented (u see how I easily settled with a job), I don’t want just a plain life, I want more stimulations and happiness. I will go out and search for them in the future.
Hmm… it turns out this post is not really what I learnt specifically from CS3216, rather some reflection on myself. But I guess Prof Ben don’t mind right? :)
