Now that my timetable is fixed, I am able to recalculate what my expenses will be for this semester. I will be using the same format as the one I used previously. Please do not be shocked if this post seems familiar. The post for year 1 semester 1 is here.
Assumption: A month has 4 weeks and 22 working days. This spending is for my Year 1 Semester 2 as different semesters will have different timetable and will affect my spending.
CCA - Co-curriculum activity (which also means activities that occur outside of studies and is something that we chose to do)
MRT concession - $45.00
Bus rides - $1.00 * 12 (about 3 times every week due to my CCA and lessons ending late and the shuttle bus frequency is very low at night)
Daily coffee - $0.70 * 22
Lunch meals - $4.00 * 22 (the prices vary but $4 is about the average)
Dinner meals - $4.00 * 12 (I stay back for about 2 times a month for CCA)
Total - $208.40
Total budget required per month - $250
I like to give myself additional budget as there will be unexpected stay backs for CCAs or for projects. Usually, towards the end of the semester, we will have to rush for the completion of our projects and many weekends will be burnt. All these will add cost as additional lunches, dinners and bus rides have to be accounted for. Hopefully the allocated budget will be sufficient.
Saturday 16 January 2016
Sunday 10 January 2016
Gender Ratio In Engineering, especially Mechanical Engineering
Tomorrow the new semester will start again. We will be faced with similar people and maybe get to know new people and make more friends. While many things are changing, 1 thing seems to be constant - the gender ratio of engineering, especially mechanical engineering.
I have heard rumours before I enter NUS about how going to engineering, especially going into mechanical engineering is similar to the army. My whole company of about 70 people, there is 1 female officer. I thought that it could not be so bad. Some told me the gender ratio of mechanical engineering is about 5~6 males : 1 female. I thought it doesn't seem to bad. A tutorial class of 24 people should have about 4 girls? That was what I thought. Mechanical Engineering is the course with the worst gender ratio with the most guys to girls ratio. I was told that Chemical Engineering has about 60% males and 40% females while Biomedical Engineering has about 1:1 ratio which was the best in Engineering faculty. Even Electrical Engineering which is supposed to suffer the same fate as Mechanical Engineering has a more equal gender ratio. So what exactly is the gender ratio of Mechanical Engineering?
Engineering as a whole, I am not very sure about the ratio as the common engineering modules are taken by people from other faculties for their requirements. However, I do know about the ratio of Mechanical Engineering. Based on EG1109M lectures, the mythical creatures called girls, do exist. How many? I am not crazy enough to calculate but they exist. However, preallocated modules and my EG1109M tutorial group does not have a single female. My tutorial group has about 21 people and none of them are females. At least their names and looks tell me that they aren't females, I wouldn't want to confirm that though. Hence, based on my experience, there seem to be a really bad ratio in Mechanical Engineering.
I have heard about how some girls who only qualify to get into NUS Mechanical Engineering but chose to pay more and go to SIM as they do not want to do Engineering. Makes me wonder if Mechanical Engineering is really that bad.
Some of you might wonder why are there so little females in Engineering. I am not sure either but there are some possible reasons:
1. Engineering = dirty work. People have to go out to the field everyday to slog.
2. Engineering = Math and Science which are stereotyped to be easier for guys and harder for girls to grasp.
3. Engineering is dominated by guys, unless they are out to get their soul mate, the chances of having close female friends are slim due to the lack in numbers.
4. Engineering has no future in Singapore as many jobs are outsourced overseas (sunset industry), demanding, reasonable starting pay but low prospects of job advancement.
Therefore, guys who are planning to study in Engineering and wants to find a girlfriend from Engineering in NUS, you will have to participate in Engin Orientation camps and hopefully you get to go to your course camp too. Most of the females will be given a place in the orientation camps as there is always a need to balance the gender ratio. The girls will usually be with a group of guys from their orientation camp or from halls. If you want to stand a chance, either you have a thick face and approach them (but they might be creeped out if you do it too suddenly) or you join the camps.
I will like to promote my friend's app from DanbooruWorks as the downloads are quite pathetic. The apps are:
Prix - CompareFirst is not just another shopping app!
PriceText – Price searching and comparing made easier
Please do try them and if they are good, do support by using them more often!
I have heard rumours before I enter NUS about how going to engineering, especially going into mechanical engineering is similar to the army. My whole company of about 70 people, there is 1 female officer. I thought that it could not be so bad. Some told me the gender ratio of mechanical engineering is about 5~6 males : 1 female. I thought it doesn't seem to bad. A tutorial class of 24 people should have about 4 girls? That was what I thought. Mechanical Engineering is the course with the worst gender ratio with the most guys to girls ratio. I was told that Chemical Engineering has about 60% males and 40% females while Biomedical Engineering has about 1:1 ratio which was the best in Engineering faculty. Even Electrical Engineering which is supposed to suffer the same fate as Mechanical Engineering has a more equal gender ratio. So what exactly is the gender ratio of Mechanical Engineering?
Engineering as a whole, I am not very sure about the ratio as the common engineering modules are taken by people from other faculties for their requirements. However, I do know about the ratio of Mechanical Engineering. Based on EG1109M lectures, the mythical creatures called girls, do exist. How many? I am not crazy enough to calculate but they exist. However, preallocated modules and my EG1109M tutorial group does not have a single female. My tutorial group has about 21 people and none of them are females. At least their names and looks tell me that they aren't females, I wouldn't want to confirm that though. Hence, based on my experience, there seem to be a really bad ratio in Mechanical Engineering.
I have heard about how some girls who only qualify to get into NUS Mechanical Engineering but chose to pay more and go to SIM as they do not want to do Engineering. Makes me wonder if Mechanical Engineering is really that bad.
Some of you might wonder why are there so little females in Engineering. I am not sure either but there are some possible reasons:
1. Engineering = dirty work. People have to go out to the field everyday to slog.
2. Engineering = Math and Science which are stereotyped to be easier for guys and harder for girls to grasp.
3. Engineering is dominated by guys, unless they are out to get their soul mate, the chances of having close female friends are slim due to the lack in numbers.
4. Engineering has no future in Singapore as many jobs are outsourced overseas (sunset industry), demanding, reasonable starting pay but low prospects of job advancement.
Therefore, guys who are planning to study in Engineering and wants to find a girlfriend from Engineering in NUS, you will have to participate in Engin Orientation camps and hopefully you get to go to your course camp too. Most of the females will be given a place in the orientation camps as there is always a need to balance the gender ratio. The girls will usually be with a group of guys from their orientation camp or from halls. If you want to stand a chance, either you have a thick face and approach them (but they might be creeped out if you do it too suddenly) or you join the camps.
I will like to promote my friend's app from DanbooruWorks as the downloads are quite pathetic. The apps are:
Prix - CompareFirst is not just another shopping app!
PriceText – Price searching and comparing made easier
Please do try them and if they are good, do support by using them more often!
Sunday 3 January 2016
Analysis Of Accommodations In NUS
Residence
Just have to pay money and you will be able to stay. How do they give the slots to students? I have no idea.
Cost - $110 per week (single room)
$75 per week (double room)
Meal plans are not included. For more details.
Pros - You just have to pay money and there is no need to take up any extra module or extra CCA to help you continue your stay.
Cons - There are rumours saying that there will be very little interaction between the people inside and I guess it really depends on the individual? A sociable person can always make friends.
Hall
Similar to residence but if you will like to secure your place for the next year, it is said that you have to participate in 4 CCAs in order to be on the safe side.
Cost - $110 per week (single room)
$75 per week (double room)
Meal plans are not included. For more details.
Pros - You get to socialise a lot with the people as there are camps and it is likely that you will join many CCAs and get to know your neighbours.
Cons - Time management is key and many people find it hard to juggle between CCAs, studies and friends.
Residential College
These are relatively new housing which many people love (as it is new). However, the cost of staying is higher than the other 2 options available.
Cost - $120/$130 per week (no air con)
$135/$145 per week (air con)
Meal plans and air conditioning usage are not included. For more details.
Pros - It is new and it is really nice.
Cons - Expensive and you will be required to take their modules which replaces your general education modules. A lot of time will be spent on extra reading.
For me, I cannot imagine myself with 4 CCAs, I will certainly die horribly. Having 1 CCA now is already taking up almost all of my time and I don't have sufficient time to do work. So hall will be out for me. As for residential college, the extra cost puts me off and as a stereotypical engineering student, I am better with mathematics and science than languages. I will struggle a lot if I have to take the extra residential colleges modules. Thus, residential college is also out. Residence will be a good choice but cost is a very big issue as I am currently in debt. Nobody will lend me extra money just to stay in a residence. Due to my CCA commitments, I cannot really work part time during the holidays either. You might call me a spoilt brat that does not want to work, but I feel that this CCA is really fun and will increase my knowledge in university. It is not an experience that I can obtain just by being a normal mechanical engineering student.
Just have to pay money and you will be able to stay. How do they give the slots to students? I have no idea.
Cost - $110 per week (single room)
$75 per week (double room)
Meal plans are not included. For more details.
Pros - You just have to pay money and there is no need to take up any extra module or extra CCA to help you continue your stay.
Cons - There are rumours saying that there will be very little interaction between the people inside and I guess it really depends on the individual? A sociable person can always make friends.
Hall
Similar to residence but if you will like to secure your place for the next year, it is said that you have to participate in 4 CCAs in order to be on the safe side.
Cost - $110 per week (single room)
$75 per week (double room)
Meal plans are not included. For more details.
Pros - You get to socialise a lot with the people as there are camps and it is likely that you will join many CCAs and get to know your neighbours.
Cons - Time management is key and many people find it hard to juggle between CCAs, studies and friends.
Residential College
These are relatively new housing which many people love (as it is new). However, the cost of staying is higher than the other 2 options available.
Cost - $120/$130 per week (no air con)
$135/$145 per week (air con)
Meal plans and air conditioning usage are not included. For more details.
Pros - It is new and it is really nice.
Cons - Expensive and you will be required to take their modules which replaces your general education modules. A lot of time will be spent on extra reading.
For me, I cannot imagine myself with 4 CCAs, I will certainly die horribly. Having 1 CCA now is already taking up almost all of my time and I don't have sufficient time to do work. So hall will be out for me. As for residential college, the extra cost puts me off and as a stereotypical engineering student, I am better with mathematics and science than languages. I will struggle a lot if I have to take the extra residential colleges modules. Thus, residential college is also out. Residence will be a good choice but cost is a very big issue as I am currently in debt. Nobody will lend me extra money just to stay in a residence. Due to my CCA commitments, I cannot really work part time during the holidays either. You might call me a spoilt brat that does not want to work, but I feel that this CCA is really fun and will increase my knowledge in university. It is not an experience that I can obtain just by being a normal mechanical engineering student.
Analysis Of Time Required For Travelling To NUS
Yay...It is a new year...It means I will be older by another year...
School is going to start soon and here I am doing nothing much during the holidays and totally not prepared for the early lectures at 8am and 9am. Since I live pretty far from NUS, I have to give myself an estimated time of 2h for travelling. As I am someone who bathes before going to school, it will be another 15min. So lets break down the time required to go to school.
Time needed to travel to school from the other end of Singapore.
Bathe + washing up + etc - 15 ~ 30min
Walking to MRT - 15min
Taking the MRT - 1h 15min
Waiting for shuttle bus + travelling to destination - 30min (over estimation but it is to ensure early arrival)
Total time - 2h 30min
Assuming a lecture of 8am, I will have to wake up before 5.30am.
A lecture of 9am, will require me to wake up before 6.30am.
While these does seem to be normal for primary school, secondary school and junior college, it just doesn't work for university. Time spent in school is long, my upcoming timetable will have 2 lessons that end at 8pm. By the time I reach home and finish bathing, it will be 10.30pm. Not funny... With CCAs, we will be overworked and those are the reasons why waking up so early is really tough for university students. Let's hope I can survive through this semester again, though I would prefer to also do well.
Many people ask me, why don't I stay in school. Currently, there are 3 options for school accommodation namely, residence, halls and residential colleges. I will analyse the pros and cons of the different types of accommodations in NUS in a separate post.
School is going to start soon and here I am doing nothing much during the holidays and totally not prepared for the early lectures at 8am and 9am. Since I live pretty far from NUS, I have to give myself an estimated time of 2h for travelling. As I am someone who bathes before going to school, it will be another 15min. So lets break down the time required to go to school.
Time needed to travel to school from the other end of Singapore.
Bathe + washing up + etc - 15 ~ 30min
Walking to MRT - 15min
Taking the MRT - 1h 15min
Waiting for shuttle bus + travelling to destination - 30min (over estimation but it is to ensure early arrival)
Total time - 2h 30min
Assuming a lecture of 8am, I will have to wake up before 5.30am.
A lecture of 9am, will require me to wake up before 6.30am.
While these does seem to be normal for primary school, secondary school and junior college, it just doesn't work for university. Time spent in school is long, my upcoming timetable will have 2 lessons that end at 8pm. By the time I reach home and finish bathing, it will be 10.30pm. Not funny... With CCAs, we will be overworked and those are the reasons why waking up so early is really tough for university students. Let's hope I can survive through this semester again, though I would prefer to also do well.
Many people ask me, why don't I stay in school. Currently, there are 3 options for school accommodation namely, residence, halls and residential colleges. I will analyse the pros and cons of the different types of accommodations in NUS in a separate post.
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