A worthwhile article by a professor at my uni especially for future first year university students.

Q. I am so shocked by how hard uni is. The lectures are impossible to understand. I can't find anyone to help me. I was top of my class at school and now I am so completely lost.

A. There are probably at least two reasons why you are feeling the way you describe.

The first is that things are different. You are now in a new situation, different to the one you are accustomed to at school and one that requires a different set of independent learning skills.

The second is that things are the same, in a sense. You are now in a situation where you are among peers. You were top of the class at school because you're bright and you work hard. But everyone at uni is similar to you - they're all bright and (most of them) work hard - so you are no longer different.

Fortunately, with a bit of guidance, time and perseverance you will be able to navigate uni a little better and these feelings will pass.

Lectures are probably quite a different experience to the smaller classes you enjoyed at high school. There is almost certainly less interaction between you and the lecturer than you have been accustomed to at school and you may feel just part of the crowd in a large lecture theatre where no one knows your name. While this feeling may not be familiar to you, it is common among first-year students.

Each lecture should have a theme or topic and should aim to make you understand several key points. See if you can listen for the three or four main points and make and review notes in relation to these. Make use of available supporting materials such as copies of powerpoint presentations, recordings of the lecture and so on. These can often help you piece together the main points and review them.

The subject or unit outline might also be helpful. This usually contains the learning objectives of the subject or unit. These may be helpful in determining what the main points or message from each lecture are and how they fit into the overall whole.

The free academic skills, language and learning advisory service offered by your university may help you with note-taking and about making sense of your subject or unit. Check your uni's intranet for contact details.

Once you have made all these efforts, you are more likely to follow what is happening in lectures. If not, it would then be appropriate to ask your lecturer or tutor for clarification about particular points or for suggestions about how to better understand the material.

My advice would be to hang in there and things will begin to feel less shocking and different.

Dr Marcia Devlin is a registered psychologist and professor of higher education research at Deakin University. www.deakin.edu.au/~mdevlin

Sigh reflecting on my life I am now approaching another crossroad.

Not sure why but I am beginning to see my future is looking less and less likely to be in Malaysia.

In about a couple of months or so I will be eligible to burn my little red book that ties me back to my country of birth for a blue one that will bind me to a new country.

Wondering whether taking up the mantle of being a citizen of Australia could be a big mistake or an opportunity of a lifetime.

Either way a little part of me will be lost along the way.

Sigh wondering whether should I take it.

Or cling on to hope that something else will come along and make the decision for me.

Sigh should i take it?

Reading this article More important what you study, not where you study remind of the what I went through early this year when I talk to to other people and told them which university I went to.

Ever met obnoxious kids and even more annoying people that came up to you and ask you about which university your currently studying and then you tell them but you get replies such as

"What uni is that"
"Why go there? You not smart enough eh?"
"Not famous at all"
"Not a group of eight uni (G8), must be a useless institution"

Well thankfully I hardly ever get any of those but sometimes I do meet such obnoxious and arrogant people (usually some rich arrogant internationals) who act all high and mighty just because they are going to a "prestigious uni". Well just because I CHOOSE my uni and course base on the course content which by the way I find that it suits me it does not mean anybody who do not go to more "famous" universities are intellectually challenge students.

Lets face it in our pursuit of higher tertiary education many people often chose an institution base solely on the name or how famous a uni is without even once considering whether the institution they chose SUITS them.

Publicity campaigns often seduce students that G8 universities are superior due to the fact they are in a really nifty naming group such as the G8. Little that they know that the Group of Eight was just a group created to compete for additional research funding for their respective institutions. which has very little to no affect on UNDERGRADUATE courses. This in no way that I belittling all my friends/acquaintances/people that I know off (on the contrary I deeply respect them) that go to such institutions but just wanted to enlighten the arrogant few who actually believe that going to a G8 uni makes them intellectually and genetically superior to students from other universities.

Their brain is wired to a false fact that Big Name Uni = High paying career, which if you read the article above is NOT true. They must realize no matter what uni they went to it is what they LEARN that matters. Gaining knowledge is THE most important aspect of university life no matter which uni you go to. People must realize that the ranking/reputation of an institution means nothing if you were a bloody arrogant idiot who scrape through uni or even worse failing!

In conclusion I am a firm believer no matter what you plan to do in life from university to TAFE to apprenticeship, always keep in mind that learning the skills needed to make oneself more employable and an all round good human being is THE most essential and precious thing one can get in their life.

Remember WHAT you learn is more important then WHERE you learn it from.

I was recently amuse after reading this article BN leaders: Crisis proves PKR and Pakatan are incapable due to fact I do not see what is this so call hoo hah of a crisis. As far as most people are concern a resignation is just that a RESIGNATION!

Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said it showed that PKR and Pakatan Rakyat were incapable of administering a government.

So what?!?! Considering the circumstances PR are doing quite well. Despite the setbacks of the current economic crisis (which by the way B-End kept on having some self denial issues about it), B-End scheming to topple legitimates government and overall inherent weakness in the Malaysian economy; PR have prove them self as capable or more so than B-End when it comes to administering a government. From trying to get foreign investment to invest in their states to helping clean out the administrative mess left behind by B-End, they have already prove their administrative capabilities.

Muhyiddin said it also showed that some of the leaders were not able to place the people’s interests above theirs and hoped that the public realized that the Opposition could not lead effectively.

So what?!?! What a f*cking statement. Virtually ALL B-End leaders can't even grasp the concept of serving the people. B-End idea of serving the public has always been B-End first, the public last. The big wigs in B-End have always enriched themselves ONLY and their smaller mindless fanatic members are to f*cking stupid to even question the will of their corrupted masters.

Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib said Fairus’ resignation was an internal matter but “it shows that running a government is not easy.”
OMG who said anything about running a government is going to be easy! Like many things running a government is never easy! ESPECIALLY when an outsider (B-End) is pulling all the strings (MACC,Police,ISA etc) to topple governments form by PR. The Malaysian public know this and their anger for B-End is already boiling.

“They always criticise us, but when they have formed the government, they have problems in Penang, Perak and Selangor,” he said.

Well they did have to clean up the mess that B-END left behind (i.e. incompetent government system, destruction of important documents, internal sabotage etc) as well as B-End schemes to topple their states. So they are problems but the problems themselves were cause by the last government (B-End).

Penang Umno secretary and Opposition leader Datuk Azhar Ibrahim claimed that Mohammad Fairus had not performed the duties entrusted to him well and that it was best that he resigned. He alleged that Mohammad Fairus did not bring any development projects to the rural areas.

So what? if he is not doing a good job and resigns DUE to HIS OWN accord, all the better as he put the public first instead of the party unlike some idiot in Malacca that and a certain soon to be Prime Minister who would never step down despite the alleged corruption charges.

State deputy MCA chairman Eng Hiap Boon said Fairus’ resignation proved that Pakatan leaders did not have good leadership qualities.

On the contrary they prove they know their limts and are willing to acknowlege them which is a lot better than a lot of the babboons masquerading as people in B-End that can get away with inciting racial hatred,corruption and othe vices but CAN NEVER step down from their position of power.

“Pakatan Rakyat does not have what it takes to lead Penang. I have heard rumors that some of its leaders do not share similar directions with the top leadership,” he said.
So what! B-End and its members have been back stabbing and blaming each other ever since the last elections. If that is their idea of following the direction of their top leadership well I am better of with PR. (At least they have the gall to keep the public inform of their internal disputes instead of the silence and lies on the other side)


Foreword: Let me make me clear that I never support any party or leader blindly. If there people in B-End and PR who are corrupt and misusing their power or position just charge them and jail them. But if they start sabotaging states governments, destroying administrative documents, getting away with murder, f*cking up the economy, preaching holier than thou retarded statements and making life a living hell for ordinary Malaysians... I only have one thing to say to you..............

Well by now most of Melbourne and Victoria has mange to wrap their heads around the fact an earthquake of about 4.6-4.7 on the Richter scale has hit Victoria. The strongest earthquake in a while. Base on the news the epicenter was Korumburra but with tremors felt as far as Belmont and of course my area (Glen Waverly) got a little shook up.

It was around 8.58pm when I started hearing my roof creak and groan like a dozen hungry possums were running on it and then a second later, my sofa and other areas around my house started rumbling,shaking and even dancing for about 5 seconds and boy it was a seriously 'EXCITING' 5 seconds of my life.

The revelation that it was an earthquake did not come to me until I went online and most of my friends said that they felt tremors as well, later news reports came up with reports on the tremors felt and the I just realize ........" I have no earthquake insurance".



Man after the devastating bush fires in February now Melbournians have to go a round with earthquakes in March! What April gonna bring? Floods,hails,tsunamis!?!?!?!

I just hope that the cracks in walls is all that there is to worry about this time in this city of extremes.

After forest fires now about an hour ago Melbourne and other parts of Victoria felt tremors cause by an earthquake of the coast of South East Victoria! Also heard Tasmania also felt the tremors!

Damn it was kinda scary my sofa moved a little and the roof was well creaking!!

Lucky for me it last only for a few seconds.

Melbourne still a city of extremities!

Breaking news so far!
Earthquake shakes Melbourne suburbs (ABC)
USGS