How to excel in Poly?

A little about my Polytechnic Experience

I entered Temasek Polytechnic (TP) in 2007 and I graduated with a Silver Medal for the Diploma in Microelectronics (Merit) with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.91/4.00. I was also in the Dean's List (TP's version of Director's List), and my Final Year Project (FYP) was exhibited in TP's annual Engineering Project Show (EPS); my FYP team and I won the commendation award. After TP, I was awarded a scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Business Management at Singapore Management University; expected graduation Apr 2014.

Coming January will be Semester 2 for my Polytechnic friends. These 10 poly-success secrets will definitely make your Polytechnic journey a memorable and fruitful one. 

#1. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN, and EXECUTE. 

Know when you will have a quiz, or a test. Print/photocopy the schedule (usually in your course-book), and stick it on your wall or somewhere prominent. Highlight the important dates and remember to check them. Ignoring them after having them on your walls, is equally useless. I used a google calendar to keep track of important dates and plan my study/practice too. Print all the past-exam papers early and start looking at the questions, EVEN if the topic is new.

#2. BE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR WORK. EVERY QUIZ, COUNTS.

Unlike during secondary school where one only had to BE SERIOUS when taking the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O'Level) examination. Things are CUMULATIVE in Poly; be prepared for every graded assessment. If its a Lab-assessment, go to the free-access labs and practice. If its a quiz, STUDY! If its Mid-terms or the Finals, study and practice! Past-year papers are very helpful.

#3. TIME MANAGEMENT

I was giving private tuitions while I was studying in TP. BE PRACTICAL, do not fully 'book' your week. You need to have buffer time too. I used (and i still use) a 4-quadrant task table. Like this below.

This way, you are more likely to do the 'Important' and 'Urgent' matters and not be trapped into being busy with low priority tasks.

#4. NEVER SKIP LECTURES, WORST ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY.

In my entire Polytechnic education, I missed 3 school days due to being critically ill. Yes, I did go to lessons late (bad move), but I never skipped lectures unless I was critically ill. Lectures are the best time to learn something. You learn better when others ask questions. These questions could be lame, but its better to have questions cleared now then later during the eve of a paper. Furthermore, being humans we can also identify topics which the lecturer seems to be more interested to cover. These topics are usually the ones that you can expect more tough questions on or are fundamental topics. Either way, just take note of these topics and you make sure you MASTER them.

#5. MIND YOUR BODY
Take care of your health and be mentally prepared for the Polytechnic marathon. Have enough sleep before a morning lesson. No use being in class when your brain is not absorbing anything. DO NOT FEAST before a lesson especially a lecture. The heavier a meal, the more likely you will be dozing of as Dr. Marks YaDown lectures away; have a light meal instead. Bring a water bottle, drinking plain water helps to keep you awake and it reduces the need to buy sugary drinks which will also induce sleep (after the initial sugar rush).

#6. FRIEND OR FOE?

Polytechnic is a fun place to study but it can also sometimes be too fun a place to study. Make sure, your circle of friends are matured enough and have an end-view in mind; like a GPA of 3.8 or 'make it to local uni', having goals will motivate you and your clique. If you can't find any like minded souls, then fly solo. Better to fly solo then to die in a pack. I was fortunate to have a few like-minded 'kakis'. We printed papers, exchanged notes (don't waste time into making your notes pretty), and did lab-practices together. These 'like-minded' souls are usually found in clubs associated with the diploma. :P 

#7. CCA MYTH

GPA is still your ticket to a local Uni or a great job. However, do pursue leadership roles in CCAs but always remember your primary duty as a student! CCAs are a great place to make new friends and to try things you always wanted to try i.e. rock climbing, etc.

#8. BE NICE TO EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY LECTURES

I am typically a nice guy and it shocked me that some of my poly-mates were rude to certain lecturers and lab-technicians. They paid the price when they needed help from these 'third-parties' for FYP or additional coaching (the lecturers were busier when these rascals approached them). 

#9. CALCULATE YOUR GPA

I used to do it by paper, until SMU made me more of an Excel enthusiast. So here's my gift to you. Download this Polytechnic CGPA Calculator for free! Having calculated your GPA and CGPA, you will know how much to score to hit your desired CGPA. It will keep you motivated and focused.
LINK: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8ebwvp19sllzm4c/TP%20GPA%20CAL.xlsx
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zkknas5n5nxcb58/TP%20GPA%20CAL.xlsx?dl=0

#10. KEEP THE END IN MIND

The Polytechnic challenge is a marathon. Keeping the end in mind will help you remain motivated. For me, it was to graduate with a 3.91 CGPA. I have friends who had 'MAKE IT TO NTU' pasted on their walls.

Have a great Polytechnic journey ahead! Cheers!

Illumi Run 2013

Me with my SMU friends at illumi run 2013

The inaugural illumi run yesterday saw about 10,000 runners (news.asiaone). I missed the early-bird window and had to pay $68 to be one amongst the 10000 party-goers/runners yesterday. It was crowded but definitely fun! However, I was disappointed with the goodie bag; especially the poor quality of the running t-shirt. Being a business student I was intrigued that they would try to pull a run with poor quality t-shirt as compared to the other runs with better quality gears, and yet illumi run could still charge a premium. Only then did I realise that infinitus (organiser) may have applied blue-ocean 4-step strategy when they organised the run. 

Here's my take on the illumi run's Blue Ocean strategy. 

Cheers,

Dev

Millionaire Teacher

I won this book last year from a Channel News Asia (CNA) MoneyMind quiz, and the author Andrew Hallam autographed 'Live long, prosper and pass on what you learn!' on the inside, and I would like to 'pass on' what I was fortunate enough to learn.

We normally do not associate great wealth with the teaching profession, unless one is familiar with the recent article that claimed that our (Singapore) teachers are amongst the world highest paid. However, Andrew Hallam was not a well-paid teacher and yet he was able to amass great wealth.

According to Andrew Hallam, there are 9 simple rules of wealth that schools ought to teach us. Unfortunately, many of us enter and leave the education system without learning much about personal financial management, unless you belong to the group of fortunate students at the Canadian International School who have Andrew to educate them on these finer matters. 

So let us begin.

Rule #1: Spend like you want to grow rich

Many of us fail to recognise that the rich do not splurge. A very good example would be Warren Buffett. He is a simple man with very little paraphernalia of the rich. He owns a private jet company and yet does not own a private jet. And he still stays in his old humble house despite the amount of wealth he now has. 

Remember that you do not need a $5000 watch, it will tell the same time just like a $200 or $2 watch. 

Why appear rich when you are truly not? Be like the big carrot with little leaves. 

Source: http://life-lenses.com/

Limit your spending and invest. Warren Buffett advices that one should set aside what one wants to save and then spend. Most people simply spend first then save the remainder. 

Rule #2: Use the greatest investment ally you have

Leverage on compound interest and audit your spending habits. 

Compound interest is a powerful financial concept and we ought to use it wisely. Start saving early to reap the benefits. 

Most people fail to identify the wealth leaks in their habits and lifestyle. Maybe it could be the upsize of your meal, or the electricity bill (not switching off lights). Draft a budget for your expenses and do a personal financial audit. Identify the variance and fix your wealth leaks. 

Rule #3: Small percentages pack big punches

Most people want to win fast and win big but this is not possible. Unless you rig the game. Index fund supersedes stock market as no one can beat the stock market time after time. An indexed policy is one that earns small but is more consistent. 

Rule #4: Conquer the enemy in the mirror

We often think that we act rationally but the truth is far from it. It is typical human nature to give in to the immediate thought. People become greedy in a bullish market and fearful in a bearish market. They fail to remember the aged old trading mantra, buy low sell high. One ought to be greedy in a bearish market and be aware in a bullish market. Buy when everyone is selling cheap and sell when everyone is greedy. 

Rule #5: Build mountains of money with a responsible portfolio

Know the differences between shares and bonds, and invest in both. Go for a portfolio with more shares if one is young and has the appetite for some, and one with more bonds if one is old and wants to secure retirement. 

Rule #6: Sample a "Round-the-world" ticker to indexing

Invest in index funds from different countries. If you are a Singaporean, invest in Singapore, and also in other countries like United States of America. An example would be 35% Singapore stock market index, 30% International stock market index and 35% total bond market index. Do not be greed, average out your earnings by taking out earnings from your high yielding and investing into your poorer yielding. This will average out your earnings and maintain a more consistent growth. Go and open a Vanguard account. This is the ONLY WAY you can invest without getting ripped off. 

Rule #7: Peek inside a pilferer's playbook

Financial agents are making a business out of your ignorance. No one can beat the stock market time and time again. So why trust that your agent can? They can convince you using historical data but that does not secure the future performance. 

Rule #8: Avoid seduction

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Many of us get tempted by the quick rich "opportunities" and they come in many shapes and sizes. Wake up from your fantasy and think critically. 

Rule #9: The 10% stock-picking solution...if you really can't help yourself.

If indexed funds are too boring for you and you can't stand the slow consistent growth. You can go with a 10% "gamble". But do it rationally; commit to the stocks you buy and understand their businesses. 

The book is a beacon of financial knowledge and it is impossible to cover all 9 rules in depth in a short post. However, I hope I have inspired you to read this book as I truly believe that it will change your life as it has with mine.

You may drop by Kinokuniya for a copy of this book. Also, visit Andrew's website for more on personal financial management. 

Being offended?

<www.demotivation.us>

I am sure many of us have been offended and have intentionally or unintentionally offended someone. But have you ever wonder why we get offended and what makes a statement or action offensive? 

Yes, some people are hypersensitive but that is not my point. I do not get offended easily however one of the things that offends me is an insult to my intelligence, be it direct or implicit. 

The usual careless statements about religion, race/ethnicity, culture and heritage can offend a lot of people. Studies have unveiled that the evolutionary forces that have made us cooperative and empathetic, have also made us prickly and explosive (www.slate.com). This paradox ensures that as we develop the necessary gratitude to live as social being and yet still have a side of vengeance which ensures that we don't get taken advantaged of. According to author Emily Yoffe, as social creatures our lives should be ruled by the three Rs - respect, reputation and reciprocity. Respect refers to the treatment we receive and give others. Reputation refers to the perception of the qualities we posses,  and reciprocity refers to the fair response to our actions. 

However, we do not live in a highly politically correct society and hence we cannot expect the people around us to treat us the way we would like. As such my advise to everyone and to myself is to continue to treat others with empathy and the 3Rs, but also to develop the ability to not let the action of others spoil your day. 

Funeral - more than just a ritual

"I'll tell you a secret. Something they don't teach you in your temple. The Gods envy us. They envy us because we're mortals, because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we are doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again." -Achilles, Troy (2004). 

My late maternal grandma, whom I affectionately addressed as Paathi, told me that one may skip a birthday or even wedding but one should never miss a funeral, even if uninvited. I never truly understood the intent or morale behind this until I lost my paternal aunt last December. To me a funeral is not only a tool or ritual to cope with grief,  it goes beyond acknowledging the reality of the death by being a providing channel to remember and recognise the person and his or her contributions. 

Likewise, my beloved aunt is a valuable member of the family and she deserved a pause in our busy lives to remember, celebrate and honour the life she lived and the contributions she made. My late aunt had a beautiful name and an even more beautiful heart. Her name was Vasantha, which means Happiness. She might not have been blessed with much of it but she had been blessing all of her loved ones with plenty of it. She was a spinster but she had many children, all of us - her nephews and nieces were treated like her own children. Though she had one favourite son, she was kind and sincere to all of us. 

She passed away rather unexpectedly while vacationing in India. I remember sending her off and receiving a gentle peck on my cheek as she wished me well for my upcoming Vietnam trip. I received news of her death as I was about to leave for Vietnam on a Youth Expedition Project; Chong Chong 2 which I was leading. I was in a dilemma, as much as I wanted to stay behind and do the funeral rites along with my cousin brothers, I could not forsake my team as the project will be cancelled in an event that the leader is no longer available to lead. The burden of leadership started to weigh on me. I know no one (at least not the people I care about) would castigate me for my obliged absence but I could not accept skipping the final farewell of my beloved aunt. However, I decided to honour my commitment to my team and to the Vietnamese community.  

But if given a choice, I would have definitely done things differently; only if I had a YEP recognised co-leader or had an option which would allow me to stay for the funeral and still not forsake my team. But I guess, in life we will have to make difficult decisions and we must live with the ones we make. 

Yesterday was another day with another piece of sad news, a relative (my cousin's brother-in-law's mother) had just passed away. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend her funeral which was held today as I could barely walk without assistance due to my recent cycling mishap. However, I did pause and take a moment to remember her. I do remember her for her sincere smile and her kind words "Unn Amma naalaam maa?" as she would enquire about my mother's well being in Tamil. Though we did not interact much, I always could see the motherly warmth in her  eyes.  An instance was during a Christmas party at my cousin's place, when I caught her looking over at her nephew-in laws in a fashion only a mother would, a gaze of concern and sincere care. 

May the dead rest in peace!