Ok so all the big stuff have been settled, which gives me some time to slow down a bit before the final exam stretch.
Just to recall the things that have been done, (so as to give me a sense of achievement lol):
1)Human capital Project report + presentation
2)Accounting project
3)Chem Eng Lab Presentation
4)Science of music essay / MIDI (made but haven’t submitted)
And I actually feel that so far everything is going pretty smoothly, probably cuz I have zai teammates. like, the HR presentation I think we did above average. the chem eng lab presentation we could actually answer all questions, unlike the totally disastrous viva the week before. Guess we learnt our lesson haha.
And just got back my petrochem results. Yes, I’m surrounded by friends getting 96, 91, 82. And I got a measly 71/100. But noting that the average is only 63.8, and that I didn’t study finish, so I guess I should be quite satisfied.
But the thing I had always been worried was the participation. No problems with the participation in accounting, but I was languishing behind in HR. Our tutor had already said that there are some of us who practically never raise hand and say anything at all, and that he’ll give us one last chance (since it’s the last lesson) to participate something, and at least jack up the marks by a *little bit*. So I told my friends, by hook or by crook, I’m gonna raise my hand, and say something. And I REALLY shuld be credited for trying very hard that day!
Attempt #1:
Tutor: Can the second last row hear me?
Me: (raise hand and nods head) Yes.
Friend: Stanley, that’s not gonna earn you any participation mark.
*****EPIC PHAIL!!!!!!!!!******
Attempt #2:
Tutor: Give me an example which shows Singaporeans are stressed
Me: Working hours. Singapore has longer working hours than many other countries.
Tutor: Working hours correlating to stress level… yes I can accept that.
****+1 PARTICIPATION!!!!****
Attempt #3:
(Background story. We supposed to read this article on the girl and the sailor.
In a nutshell, there were five people in a ship which sank in a storm. The sailor, a girl and the old man were stranded on an island, while the girl’s fiancé and his best friend were stranded on another. The girl wanted to find her fiancé and asked the sailor for help. The sailor agreed on the condition the girl sleep with him. The girl sought the old man for advice and the old man said “I can’t tell you what’s right or wrong, just look into your heart and follow it”. Being truly desperate the girl agreed to the sailor’s terms.
The sailor fixed the boat the next day and rowed the girl to the other island, where the fiancé was. However, upon telling the fiancé the truth, the fiancé pushed the girl away angrily and said he did not want to see her again. Weeping, the girl walked slowly down the beach. The fiance’s best friend saw her and put his arm around her, and said “I can tell you guys have a fight. I’ll patch it up, but meanwhile I’ll take care of you.”)
So we’re like supposed to rank the person from the one we liked most to the one we liked least. Thinking most people would definitely rank the sailor least, and the girl (or maybe the old man) most, I wanted to be different and ranked the sailor best. Honestly, I was already thinking if I am one of the few who choose differently I’ll have a higher chance of speaking up.
TURNS OUT. I was the ONLY ONE who ranked sailor as the best. And needless to say I was asked to justify my choice. I presented a few reasons:
•Sailor honours his promise. He fixed the boat after sleeping with the girl, and he need not do that
•Sailor is merely making the best of the situation , i.e. a good opportunist. He is a high Mach person.
•Sailor is skillful -> he can make a boat! And the boat didn’t sink and reach the other side.
And so, by some unforseen miracle, I think my participation in HR is quite ok. 
