Mugging and Studying!

This is a deviation from my regular posts because it's short. (I'm a kinda busy with assignments and ....well anyway here it is)

It's usually the brainy ones who get the lecturer's attention. And I thought it appropriate to put down a list of attention grabbers for the not so gifted.

Tips for drawing attention to yourself at class! (Subtle deviations, that get the desired effect, yet not enough to get you thrown out of the class)

1. Interupt the lecturer in a crucial part of the lecture and tell him that he talks too fast. (It's best to arrange for some of your friends to agree at this point)
2. Drop your instrument box on the floor. (Thrice is more than enough. 4 times will get you the boot)
3. Pretend to faint. (Don't be afraid to lie on the floor for a while)
4. Come in late from the back of the class, and walk right upto the front row and sit directly in front of the teacher saying "Excuse me" as you do so.
5. If you're sitting in the last row, make a vomiting sound, hold your mouth, run right down the class and exit through the front door hurriedly.
6. When the lecturer announces a change in date for a midterm or assignment (or anything really, it doesn't matter). Shout "What the Hell??" so that everyone hears.
7. Laugh raucously when the lecturer makes his one and only corny joke for the semester.
8. Suddenly take your textbook and bang it on your head repeatedly.

This should be enough to keep you/lecturer occupied for a while. Until next time, Happy Mugging!

PS: You won't believe this, but mugging means studying in Singapore!

Bryan the Civil Engineer

Once upon a time, Bryan decided to become a civil engineer. And we all know what a noble profession that is, so anyone here who supports him, say "Yay, waitago Bryaaaan!".

So after going through his remaining 6 years of school + the 4 years of civil engineering training at the National University of Singapore, Bryan finally graduated as a civil engineer at the modest age of only 20. He was so happy and proud that he wanted to start work immediately. The very next day, he vigorously applied for civil engineering jobs all over the country so that his "dream" may finally become a reality.

As you may have observed, Bryan has a very optimistic personality. And so, 6 months and 2578 applications later, he finally received an interview for a civil engineering position in the Bukit Buttok* area of Singapore. This was his second interview so far.

The first did not turn out so well as the boss was perhaps too descriptive of the job at the interview(often not a good idea. You will see why shortly) The first interview turned out something like this.

President of Company: Why do you want to join our company?
Bryan: I am a very keen civil engineer and even though I have very little experience, I feel that I could contribute to your highly esteemed company by helping in the Pasir Pilllow project by suggesting some techniques I've developed. These techniques can halve the time for the project and increases productivity.
President: That's very impressive Mr. Bryan. I have just one more question and even though it is very trivial, I feel that it should be asked. If while you are on duty, one of the workers throws himself off the scaffolding and falls 12 floors to meet his maker, what would you do?
Bryan: Oh...err...err...I guess I should report the "accident" to the company.
President: hmm... hmmm...hmmmm

Needless to say, Bryan didn't receive the job.

The second company's name was Kiasu* Constructors (PVT) Ltd. Although Bryan was becoming somewhat disgruntled the past 6 months, on receiving his 2nd invitation for an interview, his optimism came back in cascades that only rollercoaster enthusiasts would feel as they fell head-fast into the raging waters of "The tides of Hell".

This time he was careful with his wording by clearly assuring his boss that the nearest dozer would be ready with the earth to cover the body before you could say "Hot Diggety Dang".

He was given the job immediately and was told to report to the site the very next day.

In my experience and probably in all of your experiences as well , job interviews really have very little to do with the actual job at hand(who's with me there?).

Bryan's first day at work was pretty much what he expected. A civil site, with civil workers, civil excavators, civil construction; yep, Bryan was the happiest man on Earth, and "what had job interviews to do with the actual job at all?" he laughed. "People throwing themselves off buildings...HAHAHAHA!" he laughed.

Only last week did I hear that he'd broken the record for "Best sales-person of the year" at Hollies (Orchard Road) for 6 years straight. And he's only 26 years old!

* These names are NOT made up. If you don't believe me, ask a Singaporean.

A civil engineering roadsign 

The Joys of Civil Engineering

Anyone who has visited Singapore will still remember some sites even if they can't remember anything else about Singapore. And those are, construction sites. Singapore is abundant with construction sites, and I am a Civil Engineer in training. I am a 2nd year Civil Engineering student at the National University of Singapore. And this blog, is an introduction to Civil Engineering to all of you non-civil engineers out there.

There are several advantages of being in civil engineering.

1. You get to learn cool equations (which are almost impossible to forget)
eg. fct = k fcu
2. You get to play with mud and sand and dirt (and your mom can't do anything about it..haha!)
3. You get to play outdoors everyday (Breath fresh air at work, instead of inhaling the chlorinating fumes of a hospital, or air-conditioned office)
4. You get to .... err...err...forgot the last one (let me get back to that)

Anyway, as you can see, there are many benefits to Civil Engineering, and only a few people in this world really know what a civil engineer does. Aside from the 3 (or possibly 4) fun stuff civil engineers do, they also design/build stuff like roads, bridges, highways, roads, buildings, castles, mansions, roads, apartments, roads etc..

Without civil engineers, civilisation ceases to exist (duhh...civil engineers, vis-à-vis civilisation). And this not only applies to civilisations; cause without civil engineers, civil servants die, civilians die, civil rights die, civil aviation dies, civil ships sink, civil cars crash, civil stock markets fall, civil countries disappear(Note: the US will never disappear) and anything that is civil will be annihilated from the face of the Earth.

So that’s why civil engineers are important. And that’s why I'm studying civil engineering, cause you will always need a civil engineer for engineering civil ...err...civil...err..stuff.

Please visit these sites if you want to know more about civil engineering.

An engineer is someone who washes his hands before going to the toilet - Anon
Did you know that a civil engineer created the slippery part of the water slide?
The Trojan Horse was built by a civil engineer

And if you want to civil know more about civil engineering, please leave a civil comment on this civil blog, and I'll civil think about it.