Final Reflection (Blog Post #7)

After the nasty break up, Jerry took a long hard look at himself, and realised that he has so many shortcomings. The most glaring of which is his inability to communicate well with others. Fortunately he is also a self motivated individual, and driven by his frustrations, decided to sign up for ES2007S the next semester. Time fly by and he picked up many skills and gained self awareness and confidence. The last time i heard, his ES2007S classmate is having a crush on him! =)

Taking this course has further reinforced my beliefs about how bridges can be built and doors can be opened through communication. I've had the pleasure of working with a wonderful project group and being in an enthusiastic class! Thank you everyone! I certainly look forward to coming to class every monday and thursday.

I believe i have benefitted most from the Resume/Interview sessions. I'll hold on to these skills for life! I also enjoyed learning about interacting with different people using different techniques, such as observing non-verbal cues. I must admit, that this course is rather tedious! Given that assesment in this course is based on so many components, i must say that i have encountered some difficulty juggling all the work (with other modules). But in all, i have gained much from all the interaction and coursework.

I would also like to point out that many blog entries by my classmates have inspired me and encouraged me, and showed me many different perspectives. I'm also very glad to have the opportunity to learn from Brad, certainly a passionate and unorthodox lecturer.

Thanks everyone once again for a experience taking ES2007S. All the best for the quiz!

Biodata (Blogpost #6)

Hi i'm Liang Fu, a son to wonderful parents, a brother to lovely siblings, a boyfriend to an amazing girl and a friend to faithful friends. I feel truly blessed by the people i have met and the experiences i have been through these 23 years.

I believe in the proper stewardship of gifts that God has given, and i am thankful for the leadership opportunities i've had. It is an honour to have served as Captain of the St Andrew's Rugby Team and Head of Welfare of the Student Council. In addition, military experiences such as being Company 2nd-in-command during NS have also built up a confidence and responsibility in me.

I enjoy working with youths. Meeting, mentoring and learning from the young people in my church's Youth Ministry every week has enriched my life so much. I also love marvelling at the beauty of nature, travelling to experience different cultures, sharing good food with good friends, as well as singing and playing the guitar. I am reminded to seize every day, to have a drive and passion towards life.

Being an Industrial and Systems Engineering Undergraduate, i hope to be equipped with skills and competencies that will go beyond my career aspirations.

Reflecting on my Research Project Experience (Blog Post #5)

It has been a truly wonderful experience working with Joyce, Kheng Aik and Jacky! We're certainly the only group that took the "food is good for breaking the ice" advice beyond the initial meeting. Not only do we have little snacks in class, we take turns to bring our favourite tidbits to share! This certainly contributed to a high team cohesiveness and morale!

Besides the fun of working together, i also managed to pick up several learning points that i believe would benefit me well beyond the duration of the course.

The first of which is how effectively a team can function if roles are specified and members carry out their roles conscientiously. For this module, i was "volunteered" by the group to take up the responsibility of project group chairperson. Having being in many leadership positions in the past i was perfectly comfortable with that. However, looking back, i realised that this is probably the only group project that has roles spelled out for the members. I've had experience in past projects where a small group of us would gather to discuss/brainstorm for hours, only to accomplish little. Without a sound structure or facilitator to facilitate a discussion, project group discussions often go nowhere. Members "wait for one another", not wanting to take too much initiative, for fear of sounding domineering. Having clearly defined roles certain helped for our project.

TEAMWORK =)

Facilitating discussions, setting timelines, and allocating work can become a source of conflict if situations are not handled properly. Keeping this in mind, i am reminded to always be tactful, polite and considerate when communicating with project mates. This is also where teamwork comes in, to meet others in the middle and to offer help whenever we can. For example, i remember the group agreeing to work around each other's schedules when a tough week comes around. Different project group members took on greater loads at different points in time. I feel really blessed to have a group that is so easygoing and responsible.

As for the technical aspects, i learnt how research can be carried out and how data should be represented in a clear and concise fashion. Analysing and interpretation of the data are also important skills. I'll keep in mind not to over-interprete some figures!

In retrospect, i believe we could have made better use of our face-to-face time together. Thankfully, this groups checks their emails regularly! This was certainly an enjoyable experience and i would certainly like to work with everyone again! =)

Evaluating Intercultural Behavior (Blog Post #4)

The scenario which i am about to describe is a real life one. In fact, it is a personal experience, which left me highly frustrated (see picture) and blaming the government (for irrational reasons).

Changi Airport holds an interesting attraction for me, where many 'goodbyes' and 'welcome backs' have been said, many hugs have been given and many tears have been shed. But this recent event has left a slight aftertaste. I was with a couple of friends, and after sending a friend off, we decided to head to Popeyes to take away some fried chicken and biscuits for supper.

So we made our way to level 2 of Terminal 1 (T1) and i joined the shortest queue available. A young lady of Chinese descent was manning the counter and she looked pleasant and friendly. A few minutes later it was my turn to order and i proceeded to make my order.

"May i have set number 2 please? Can i also change the mashed-potatoes to fries?"
My order was met with a blank stare.
"I want the 2 piece chicken meal, and change the side dish to fries" i repeated slowly.
The blank stare became a sheepish smile, and she requested that i repeat my order again, in mandarin.

Now obviously i understood what she was saying, but being a front counter service staff in Changi International Airport, i expected her to be able to converse in simple English. Pointing to the menu, i indicated my choice. I still had to give in and do the change of side dish in mandarin because i didn't know how to use gestures to indicate that.

While she was preparing my order, many thoughts ran through my head and i began to feel really frustrated. Perhaps it was the disappointment in the level of service, and perhaps it was a little bit of irrational nationalism creeping up. Yes, the thoughts of why are there so many foreigners in the midst of us? What if a non-mandarin speaking tourist came, how would he feel about not being able to use English to take his orders in a fast food restaurant from New Orleans? Being the typical Engineer, 'standard solutions' started to fill my head, such as ensuring all foreign workers to be sufficiently competent in spoken English before be put in front line service positions.

Now looking back, i find my 'fears' and 'frustrations' to be irrational. After all, don't i have to order food from MacDonald's in Singlish or Mandarin once in a while? Why do i not have such frustrations when the counter lady is an old Singaporean lady from the heartlands? This Chinese lady is only looking to fill her rice bowl, and many foreign immigrants are in fact doing work that we Singaporeans do not wish to do in the first place.

Intercultural clashes such as this will only become more commonplace in Singapore as we seek to open our shores to more immigrants. Perhaps it is high time we began to integrate them into our society and introduce them to local societal norms and beliefs. After all, weren't our forefathers immigrants as well?

"Green Quotes"

In the blink of an eye, the mid term break is almost over!
Shucks, i don't think i've gotten enough rest or done enough work.. =)

Nevertheless, in view of the "Green" topics we have for our projects, here are some Green Quotes i found online.. erm.. actually they are not really green quotes.. but quotes from famous people which has the word "green" in it.. just for fun! =)

"Anyone who sees and paints a sky green and fields blue ought to be sterilized"
- Adolf Hitler

"O! beware, my Lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on"
- William Shakespeare

"When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy, And the dimpling stream runs laughing by; When the air does laugh with out merry wit, And the green hill laughs with the noise of it"
- Lord Byron

“On a traffic light green means go and yellow means yield, but on a banana it's just the opposite. Green means hold on, yellow means go ahead, and red means where the hell did you get that banana at...”

- Mitch Hedberg

“An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight. . . The truly wise person is colorblind.”

-Albert Schweitzer

ok thats enough randomness for today.. =)
Cheer

Research Project Topic (Blog Post 3)

Issue:

The world faces an unprecedented threat in global climate change. As occupants of our blue planet, each and every one of us should play a part in conservation and protecting our environment. The university's recent activity in highlighting the need to go green is reflected in the "NUS fights climate change" idea. This is truly a step in the right direction. How then can we further raise awareness and help NUS students and staff take ownership of this vision of fighting climate change?

Purpose Statement:

One objective of this research report is to find out how effective the university has been in raising environmental awareness amongst the NUS population. More importantly, the report hopes to help students take responsibility and ownership in the green initiatives of NUS.

Why do a survey?

The the use of an attitudinal survey, we will be able to have a gauge of how much NUS students know about the initiatives being undertaken. Sampling also enables us to have a better grasp of what areas require more work and publicity. Finally, the survey can also be used as a medium for the population to voice our their concerns, feedback and suggestions.

Target readers:

Upon completion of the report, the findings will be submitted to the Campus Sustainability Committee, the Office of Estate and Development, as well as to the NUS Students Union. The objective is to the increase awareness and to encourage the University to take appropriate and effective action towards helping NUS reduce our environmental footprint and enhance our sustainability.

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In all, i believe that this topic is not only relevant, but also very important to NUS students. It deals with a great challenge that the world is facing now. The university can lead the way in conservation and sustainability, doing our small part in the fight against climate change.

Blog Post #2 Part 2

I'm sure that the scenario i have described in part 1 is a familiar one to everyone. In our time here in NUS, it isn't difficult at all to find individuals such as Aaron. The relationship that Aaron has with Jacob and his friends can be likened to how a poker card leans on another when stacked into the shape of pyramid. The moment the distance between the cards increase, everything begins to crumble.

Aaron's reactions demonstrate a lack of self awareness. He was unable to recognise his own destructive behaviour and how his over reliance on Jacob was causing a strain. He could have taken some time to reflect, consider his role in the relationship and manage his own emotions. As an individual, he also needs to take responsibility for his own work in school. I believe that with a little more initiative and a big smile, he'll be able to enlarge his social circle, thus building healthy relationships! =)

Jacob could also have managed this situation better by being more sensitive towards Aaron. Even though he might feel that Aaron is overly 'sticky' as a friend, he could have spoken to him tactfully instead of ignoring him altogether. Aaron requires some support and Jacob could have been more patient in extending a helping hand.

In all, both parties need to take responsibility for this 'decline' in their relationship.

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6 months later, Alan finally returns from the SEP! Being incredibly excited to share his stories and pictures, he arranges to meet both Aaron and Jacob for lunch. Alan, being a former student of the ES2007S course, immediately senses something is wrong between the two by reading their non-verbal cues. Eventually, Alan facilitates the sharing session and helped clear the air. To cut the long story short, Aaron is now stronger and is more balanced individual! Jacob too has benefitted and has learnt how to be more sensitive to others! And they live happily ever after till they're old and bald... =)

An interpersonal conflict (Blog Post #2 part 1)

Aaron spends most of his time in school together with Jacob and Alan. Somehow, the three of them hit it off right from day one. Taking the same modules together, having meals together, being in the same project groups, even taking the same bus home everyday. Aaron feels extremely comfortable with the other guys in his clique and they share great moments together.

Things however, began to change when they came to year 3. They decided to pursue different majors and this led to their drifting apart. Although Alan has gone on the student exchange program, Aaron still expected to have Jacob as company. Initially, Aaron assumed that Jacob would be able to have lunch together everyday, but that was no longer possible due to timetable clashes.

Soon, twice a week lunch meetings became once a week. Aaron also observed Jacob hanging out with another group of friends, apparently from his class. He began to feel frustrated, betrayed and alone. It didn’t help that he has trouble making new friends in a new environment. Even Aaron himself was surprised that he had difficulty coping with these new adjustments.

He also started to experience difficulties in his schoolwork. No longer having his best friends for consultation and support proved to be incredibly straining and he began to struggle more and more. Bitterness crept in, and he began blaming Jacob for ignoring him. Finally, Aaron decided to confront Jacob face to face.

Aaron evidently had difficulty managing his emotions and adapting to change. Confronting Jacob also resulted in much awkwardness and tension between them. How then should Aaron have responded to these changes in his school life?

Why is developing effective communication skills important to me? (Blog post #1)

Jerry is a 23-year-old undergraduate from the National University of Singapore (NUS). His girlfriend of 2 years finally gave up trying and broke up with him. Citing “He is a block of wood!” as the reason. Project group mates in school often brush off his ideas. “We don’t mean to be rude, but his ideas just didn’t come across as constructive”, says a classmate. He often scores low for his presentations, and his lack of confidence is obvious to all.

The importance of developing effective communication skills cannot be understated. Not only does it enable you to function well in school or the workplace, it also very much affects how well people take to you in your social life. An effective communicator often comes across as more confident, often gets along well with others and often wields more influence.

I believe that developing and equipping myself with such skills is an integral part of my education. We all interact with many people around us throughout the school day, including our classmates and lecturers through many different mediums, such as emails or face-to-face conversations. Whether we like it or not, others form impressions of us through the way we communicate. Every opportunity we get to speak in front of a class functions as a practice session, enabling us to up our confidence and competencies. Speaking and writing well means people can understand our point of view better, leading to higher levels of persuasion. The job interview is probably the ultimate example of how a good communicator can hold an advantage over someone who is not. Of course, being a good communicator is a must for anyone who hopes to be an effective leader.

However, the skill of effective communication isn’t limited to the scope of academic or work excellence. It would be rather pathetic if I took this module purely to do better in future ‘situations’! In fact, communication is a soft skill that enhances one’s life. Very much like how having a driving license gives you much freedom (and not just a skill for you to get a job)! I love to listen to people and understand their viewpoints. I love having meaningful discussions and conversations over a variety of topics. Communicating well also means being able to manage conflict better. Learning how to observe and read non-verbal cues has allowed me to become a more sensitive listener, not to mention a better friend!

There’s just so much to be gained from picking up these skills. In my opinion, be able to communicate well opens up so many windows. So much so that I’m willing to spend 3100 points from the Program Account to bid for this module! =) Lets all make the most out of this module, so as to avoid being Jerrys!

I'm a Mac-evangelist

I'm loving my Macbook. Anyone thinking of getting a new notebook? Seriously, between Vista and Leopard, there will only be one winner.

Audi R8

There's something about raw power, sleek lines, pure speed and the rumble of an accelerating car that appeals to guys. God must be a car lover since He created us in His own image.

Hello!

Hi everyone! Thanks for visiting my blog! =)
I figured that i should start off with something light-hearted.. instead of diving into the 'work' right away.
A few questions.. so as to self-introduce myself!

1) What do you enjoy doing??
- I love hanging out and chilling out with close friends over coffee! I'm seriously a dessert junkie!
- I love playing boardgames, and watching tv! (Discovery, HK serials etc..)
- I love to Sing! =)
- I love spending time with my girlfriend... awwww
- I love travelling.. soaking in the sights and smells!

2) Do you enjoy sports?
- Yes! I love to swim (not much time for it though)
- I used to play rugby (9 years for St Andrew's)
- I support Liverpool FC =)
- I'm taking part in the Sheares Bridge Run/Army Half Marathon (i'm so dead!)

3) Why am i taking this module?
- Seriously, NO EXAMS was a major draw for me. Of course, the opportunity to polish my communication skills seemed a good deal as well. =)

... eh.. i just realised asking myself questions might seem a little schizo.. enough then..
looking foward to learning more about everyone as well.. see ya all in class

Love,
Fu