Examination results

Mark my words, I didn't expect to receive the news that my results are out today. Always thought that it would come out only tomorrow. But a dear friend (pang) dropped me a message that it was out. This news was later confirmed by a senior. I swear my fingers were shaking as I clicked on the relevant links. Time seem to pass ever so slowly. The Internet betgan to lag. Looks like the NTU server was going to explode...The links are coming out all garbled. Can't find the correct tab. Help! Finally, my mouse found the link I was looking for and the results splash on the screen. Wondered deep in my heart if there was going to be a bloodbath and whether I needed a pail to contain all the blood. Scanning through, the first letter to catch my eye was my Calculus which scored a B+. Can't say I didn't expect it after hearing from friends that one needed to score at least 90 marks in order to score an A. With my mediocre mid-term, I could only hope for a A- at best and the B+ was probably fair. Scored a A+ for econs. Absolutely ecstatic about it as I was expecting an A and this was a bonus. A- for C++ was pure luck as I thought I made quite serious errors during the final-term. Finally, A- for FOM was also satisfactory since I didn't do that well for the quizzes. Satisfactory for my one and only S/U subject topped it of.

Here's my results at a glance:

• HE 191 Principle of Economics A+
• MAS 110 Intro to C++ A-
• MAS 111 FOM A-
• MAS 112 Calculus B+
• MS 2006 Thermodynamics S

Avg GPA: 4.5

Satisfied? Quite all right. Need to maintain this or even improve on this. On the bright side, I managed to secure my min GPA set by my future paymasters. On the flip side, I could probably do better and would need to continue the work I put in.

Till next time, may the winds of change bring the turn of fortune as the wheel of fate spins.

Merry Christmas!

Please see the title! Hope you all enjoy this wonderful day! Looking forward to the various outings planned after this joyous occasion. Really miss the kurtites! :-)

Not much to blog about at the moment. Just the lull period. Looking forward (or backwards) to school. Hope my results turn out well. (praying praying) Till next time, may the reindeers fly higher than ever and Santa to take a long break after today!

IHG Carrom

I was busy the last two days because of IHG carrom. Can't do much about it since I'm one of the managers. Blogging about the events now implies that we did not get into the semi-finals but that's all right. Here's the summary for the two days of competition:

Day 1
We went into the competition filled with anticipation and excitement. Nerves had a part to play but that's to be expected since most of us are freshies and this was our 1st time experiencing the tension and stress that comes with any kind of competitive games.

Our first stop early in the morning was unsurprisingly Canteen 2 for breakfast. A great way to relieve some of the tension and I detect a much lighter atmosphere after breakfast.
Then we were moving to the arena which was Hall 8. I was quite taken aback by the number of people there even though I should have expected it. The various hall tees stood out, providing a myraid of colours which added to the backdrop of the arena. Our first match was against Hall 13 which finished 2nd last year.

I was given scouting duties for this first round and here's where we encountered our first setback. We had too many capped players. Shakira, Benson and Ernest were all considered to be capped. Only two out of the three could play. Fortunately, we were able to play all three just for the 1st round as we were ignorant to this rule and the organizers were lenient.
If I recall, the line-up was:
Male singles: Calwin
Female singles: Shakira
Male doubles: Benson and Bharath
Female doubles: Shu Fang and Zhen Hui
Mixed doubles: Ernest and Fei Quan
Despite our valiant efforts, we were not able to perform a David versus Goliath as were were ruthlessly brushed aside by a better opposition. Still I was very proud of them as it was plain for everyone to see that they gave everything they got.

Heads were down for a while. I managed to scout Hall 5 and relayed what I thought to the team. I told them Hall 5 were a decent side but not beyond us. Belief was renewed and I could feel the overall team morale was improving. It did help that we had a team which really hate to be beaten.
The line-up was as follows (as far as I can remember) :
Male singles: Calwin
Female singles: Shakira
Male doubles: Bharath and I
Female doubles: Shu Fang and Zhen Hui
Mixed doubles: Ernest and Fei Quan
With no disrespect to Hall 5, we did beat them 5-0. Ecstatic was one of the milder words to describe how we felt especially after the 1st match. It was the perfect medicine to ease our pain of defeat. Armed with this result, we felt we could go all the way......

The next opposition was Hall 10. I was warned about the potential of the men doubles player who was also the captain of the hall. Surely after coming so far, we could only get better?
Again, here's the line-up in my memory:
Male singles: Calwin
Female singles: Shakira
Male doubles: Kai Hong and I
Female doubles: Shu Fang and Swee Ching (or Zhen Hui)
Mixed doubles: Benson and Fei Quan
We were almost taught a lesson of humility as it was a close match and we merely edged them out. It was a win nonetheless and it gave us even more confidence to proceed to the next match.

Hall 6 looked like a daunting prospect. With their results (I believe they had already won all 3 matches) , we were definitely the underdogs. Maybe there was still room for a silver lining?
Line-up from my bad memory:
Male singles: Calwin
Female singles: Shakira
Male doubles: Bharath and I
Female doubles: Shu Fang and Swee Ching
Mixed doubles: Ernest and Fei Quan
Well, we lost a match that many expected us to lose. Still, in my opinion, all the matches were close and the scoreline of 4 1/2 : 1/2 flattered them. All the boards were competitive and we gave as good as we got. Some players were feeling disheartened after the match as it meant we were no longer in the running for a semi-final spot with Hall 1, 6 and 13 contesting for the 2 spots. I tried to lift their spirits during the debrief at the end of the day but wasn't sure if it worked at all. Fatigue was the key word of the day as most of us could barely stand and almost all of the female players had to play all 4 rounds that day. Quickly, we dismissed them so that they could get a good rest.

The end of round 4 signalled our chance of a semis spot but all's not lost. If we can secure our quarters position, we would still have exceeded all expectations. It's something we can fight for and with this goal, we were going to give everything we got......

Day 2

Bright and early, we headed to the same place for breakfast. Our squad depth improved with the addition of Shee Yin (I hope I spelt your name correctly). I had discussed the possible line-up with Benson the previous day while mulling it over with Ernest over breakfast. The crucial match was against Hall 1 and we were figuring out how to get the best out of our team. In my mind, I was trying to think of a way to up the the enthusiasm of the team. After breakfast, we moved on to Hall 8, the venue for breaking hearts and achieving glory.

Hall 11 was our 1st opposition of the day. We wanted to send out a signal to the rest of the halls in our group that we were here to compete.
Line-up by memory:
Male singles: Calwin
Female singles: Shakira
Male doubles: Kai Hong and I
Female doubles: Shu Fang and Zhen Hui
Mixed doubles: Benson and Fei Quan
Another tough opposition but win we did. A perfect start for our day and gave us the extra legs we would surely need to last the race. Ernest was on scouting duty on Hall 1 as we improvised our strategy to tackle the frontrunners of our group.

The must-win tie of the group as the win will secure our quarters place and create a mad scramble for the top 2 spots. If we ain't going to get that two places, the least we could do was to make it interesting for the rest. It didn't hurt that we had the added incentive to get 3rd in our group. However, there was no pressure as we know where we stand and we just needed to put in our 100%.
Line-up from memory:
Male singles: Ernest
Female singles: Shee Yin
Male doubles: Kai Hong and I
Female doubles: Shu Fang and Zhen Hui
Mixed doubles: Benson and Fei Quan
We had to sacrifice Shakira in the female singles as we attempted a brave strategy which entails putting bothe Benson and Ernest into the fold in the bid to try to secure two boards. My heartfelt thanks goes to Shakira for her understanding and also to Shee Yin who we had to throw her into the fray without giving her the necessary preparations. To Shee Yin: I hope you enjoy the game and sincerely wish to see you at our practices later on next sem. Although it was an intense battle as carrom strikers went zipping around on the board and seeds flying into the various pockets (some had a tendency of trying to escape the board :-) ), there would be no fairytale ending for us as we were beaten. It was a great battle and I really appreciate the efforts put in by the entire team, those playing as well as those giving support.

The last match was Hall 4. It was still a must-win since we didn't win Hall 1. We knew that Hall 4 were one of the halls in our group without a single win but there was a danger of complacency. We wanted to secure the win so we adopted a similar strategy as the match against Hall 1.
Line-up:
Male singles: Ernest
Female singles: Swee Ching
Male doubles: Kai Hong and Bharath
Female doubles: Shu Fang and Shee Yin
Mixed doubles: Benson and Fei Quan
I'm very proud of all of you. All of you turned in a fantastic performance to close out your matches and provided a magnificent curtain call to our tounament. The final result was that we secured 4th in our group which is a definite improvement on last year!

My reflections:

We exceeded expectations. I think that speaks volumes. I'm so proud of all of you!! For me, it was a harrowing adventure full of twists and turns, a rollercoaster of emotions and pride for being given the opportunity to represent the hall.
In addition, my thanks go out to the following in no particular order:

1. Ernest: Thank you for squatting for our hall. We respect you both as our captain and mentor. We will remember what you have taught us and hope to see you during our training sessions in the new sem. (Please leave all the thrash talk to me okay? :-) I'll try to convince Lawrence to give you his laptop so that you can stay in our hall. :-) )
2. Benson: Our very own cap player! Thanks for coming back to represent us and provide valuable information with regards to the competition itself. We hope you will come back and represent us again. (I'll even play doubles with you! )
3. Calwin: My other manager! I apologize for letting you shoulder all the work since I always come from home. Don't worry about your losses. We all have to taste the feeling of defeat in order to improve! Good luck in training to become the ultimate singles carrom machine!
4. Bharath: Despite your striker problems, I really respect the way you play your carrom. Your almost effortless way of hitting the seeds in is pure poetry in motion. Keep up the good work! Hope to see you at our training sessions!
5. Kai Hong: My bro! Love our chemistry! Doubles with you was very fun! You really displayed your form during the competition and I hope you had a fantastic time during the tounament! (I still want you to teach me tennis soon! )
6. Fei Quan: Our VP! The first female player to grace our very team. Despite your repeated threats on my life (no hard feelings?) because of my thrash level, I must say you have improved tramendously from last year and this is not only in my opinion. (cue Benson and Ernest) Thanks for your commitment even though you had other equally important commitments.
7. Shakira: Our very own sharpshooter! Thank you again for your understanding at being left out for the two matches! It wasn't an easy decision for Ernest either. Again your commitment to our team is beyond any shadow of a doubt. Hope to have you squatting for us next year!
8. Shu Fang: I'm so sorry I got you scolded by your friends! Thank you for being there when we really needed you! The poise and confidence you no doubt had, helped the female doubles pull through! Hope to see you next year!
9. Zhen Hui: Your teamwork with Shu Fang provided the artillery we needed to blitz the other halls. I knew you also had other sporting commitments yet you came down and played for us. For that alone, my heartfelt thanks go out to you! Again, I hope to see you with us next year!
10. Swee Ching: Thank you for being so adapatable in playing both singles and doubles. Just found out that this is your last year here in NTU and I really appreciate that you chose to represent us in carrom again this year! I wish you all the best in your studies and in your futsal!
11. Shee Yin: Thank you for coming down on the second day and I'm really sorry for throwing you right into a match without the proper preparations. You did a remarkable job and I stand by my view that with the proper training, you could be one of the stars of our team. Hope to see youo for our training next sem!
12. Francis: Your organizational skills and logistical support was an invaluable help in our journey. Every good team must have a fantastic support team and you were a part of it. You ensured that we were well taken cared of and for that I cannot thank you enough. Hope to work with you again!
13. Lawrence: Our beloved rec sec! Although we don't see eye-to-eye in most cases (face-to-face most of the time), I believe we have more in common. As the leader of the support team, the welfare of our team was never compromised. Your comaraderie with the players was a sign that your spirit was with us when we were playing and even though you could not do battle with us you were alongside us.

Other people I would like to thank are: Stanley who came down on the first day to support us; Amanda our president who bought waffles and teh bing for us; Kelvin, Chin Leng, Yi Heng, Hong Wen and Hui Ning who came down for our training sessions, as well as everyone who have helped us in one way or another. (I sincerely apologize if I have left anyone out.)

That's today's super-long entry of what I've been doing the last two days. Good luck for the rest of Hall 7 during IHG! Let's be number 1 in both rect and sports!

Till next time, may I wake up from this neverending dream that last a lifetime.

Training training...

Lots and lots of training. Strikers moving in, moving out. The dull chinks as the carrom board attempts to sustain the blows that are repeatedly dished out by the relentless players. The only respite is when the carrom seed glides into the hole like a ballerina. Even then, there are moments in which ballet turns to more like a rock concert as the seeds smash their way into the pockets. There are only two sides: black or white (with no relation to a certain King of Pop). The prize? The queen of course in all her splendid auburn glory. It is said that the true winner is the one who can lay claim to Her Highness. It is also at this stage that the two sides get stuck as frustration sets in. A win is declared to the side with the most prisoners-of-war should the queen escape unscathed. Each battle can only last 35 mins. (again not related to the popular MLTR song which is actually 25mins) The war rages on as the best-of-three decides the ultimate victor. Cries of anguish fill the air with a malaise which is unlike the plague...

Till next time, may I be able to attend the various outings that are already planned for and may Hall 7 carrom team triumph even in the face of adversity!

IHG IHG !!!

It's coming and you know it. The time when titans clash and bloodletting is but the norm. Lightning blaze the skies as the reddish sky oozes its own sparkling ruby. Magic fills the air with mystery as fantasy comes to life. Dragons rule the skies, giants roam the earth while serpentines dominate the high seas. Yes, the annual IHG (Infernal hellfire games) is almost upon us. There's no room for mercy as gladiators suit up and prepare for battle. The prize? The bragging rights to call ourselves the best in NTU (at least for the rest of the year). The sweat amidst the hard work, a necessary sacrifice for the ultimate glory. In fact, it's probably THE EVENT OF THE YEAR.

Anyway, on a lighter note, I'm wondering when VJ starts their carolling. It's pretty sad since as a senior I have already lost touch of the comings and goings of my almunus. How I wished we could go back in time where we were all together and singing in one voice. The memory would forever be etched in my memories and there it will always remain.

And on another note, just when I'm wondering when we're going to have a class outing, the answer was immediately answered. Thanks a lot jonah! Hopefully we can have more outings since the impending results may turn joy for the festive season to something less joyous.

Till next time, may the winds of change bring with it both happy times and tough times!