It's interesting, coming back to Hong Kong and finding out about the experiences of all my high school friends. We went to an international school, and generally it's much more common to go overseas for university in Hong Kong than it is in Australia (I still find it hard to wrap my head around the fact that so many people I've met here in Melbourne live close enough to commute to uni from home without the aid of a long distance flight), so my old friends have basically come back from all corners of the globe, and from all sorts of different educational systems. The comparison between different experiences is really quite eye-opening.
For instance, my friend at Oxford is taught almost completely through tutes. Not the ones we have here, of 15-20 people, but tutes where there is one tutor, and at the very most two students. She and her tute partner get reading and an essay of 2000 words on a given topic every week (I'm never going to complain about the one 2000-word essay per semester again), and then come into the tute to present their essay and discuss with their tutors. Lectures and seminars (over there, seminars have a dozen people at most) are almost completely optional for them, and form a supplement to the readings and the discussion. She doesn't have exams, except one final comprehensive set at the end of her degree, and prelims during first year to see if she's surviving the transition.
My friends in America and Canada overwhelmingly live on campus, as opposed to the culture here where people generally either commute from home or get their own apartment, unless they're in college. People stay on campus during weekends, and it's much more common for clubs etc. to hold their events over the weekend, or late at night. Their schools are generally much smaller (a few thousand undergrads in an average sized university, 10-20,000 at most in the large state universities) so there's this whole campus community feel where you can walk across the lawn in the middle of the night to borrow notes from someone who lives on the other side of the quad.
Anyway. Hearing about other people's first years (they're all in the northern hemisphere, so they've finished the whole year by now, not just first semester) makes me kind of jealous, in the superficial 'grass must be greener over there' way, and also kind of really excited to do study abroad, which I've been planning during my lunch hour at work for the past two weeks.
Also, I think I may want to try to finish my 6 year degree in 5 years, largely because I think the music theory subjects and the practical music subjects should be taken in the same semester due to the fact that they complement each other, rather than in separate semesters under the normal double degree structure. Plus, growing up in a whole range of different countries gives you itchy feet, and the thought of living in the same city for 6 years seems kind of boring -- I want to go abroad for postgrad or employment and see the world as soon as possible. Overloading music theory onto the normal prac courseload would mean that I could finish in 5 years if I did four law subjects over summer, but if I went on exchange for law I could take one or two law subjects over the summer instead, which would fit in with my original plans (several law subjects are only available over summer, such as internships and competitions, so I was planning to do a few summer subjects anyway)
This works out quite conveniently in terms of credits and funding, too, because the law faculty is much more generous with exchange scholarships than the music faculty, if only because the required 70% average to go on exchange is so much harder to get in law than it is in most other faculties. The problem is that it would be so much more beneficial to do a music exchange, because the level of competition in Australian music schools is nowhere near the kind of competition you'd see in a top European or American conservatory, and so it seems like a bit of a waste to go on exchange and not at least test the waters on the international music scene. I could do both, but the list of exchange partners which open both the law school and music school to exchange students is very, very small, and the number which have a strong program in both even smaller.
So, what I have worked out in the last two weeks is that I want to do a law exchange sometime in the second semester of 4th year, and because the semester calendars work out juuust right under that plan, I can do a 6 week (northern hemisphere) summer music camp right before, assuming they allow me the right visas. I have my eye on the Tanglewood fellowship, which is a preprofessional training program with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, or on Music Academy of the West, similar thing, but a general solo/chamber/ensemble program not affiliated with a specific orchestra in Santa Barbara, California.
Both are very selective, so with that, I'll leave you all and go practice, because I haven't done that all holidays due to my job and now that it's over, I need to really move or I'll fail next semester's recital.
All the good stuff:
- Orientation was a wonderful event that pushed me to get to uni. Made friends even before getting to the first class with no butterflies in my stomach.
- Realized the fact that uni is much more open and exposed compared to high school (and that feels great).
- I loved the exam environment, actually. It wasn’t that stressful as I thought it would be. And getting good marks was just the icing on the cake. I liked the Royal Exhibition Building too. Often, I would look up from my exam paper and admire the intricate architecture. Look around to see if anything’s happening. Sigh and get back to the paper.
- Chem lectures were quite memorable due to the fact that the excessive use of the word ‘Zumdahl’ by one of the lecturers prompted a student to start stripping for each time it was said. Ah, that was amusing.
- By now, I have been to not just Parkville but also Burnley campus. Some of my friends asked where that even is! It was a small campus, mainly for hort students.
- I had my first formal speech that came out quite successful. I usually have those frights, stage frights maybe when there’s lots of eyes starting at you, but this one, I could manage.
- Dissecting a rat for bio prac. It was simply fascinating. It was the first time I dealt with an animal that way and I did it happily.
- Group assignments were quite tedious. In my group of four, I was the networker, having to make appointments with each individually. I still cannot believe that we never had a discussion where all of us were there. Always, one of them would be missing. However, I’m glad to announce that we did work pretty hard and it was worth it.
- It makes me wonder that I never got lost aroung uni, even without asking anyone for directions. And that feelig when u find a toilet or something similar that none of of ur friends found..that's like a huge discovery!
All the not-so-good stuff:
- Walking all the way from Melbourne Central to the uni on Labor Day, It wasn’t that I couldn’t do it(although I was fairly tired when I reached there) but I was getting late! Got to my seat with few minutes to spare..
- Falling for the article in Farrage that non-union members were being kicked out from the toilets in the basement of the union house. Jeez, How could I fall for that?
- Climbing all the stairs of Redmond Barry till the 10th floor. I can still recall my friends panting behind me, stopping for a few seconds in between to get a gulp of air. I pledge to never do that again (however the idea of getting stuck in a lift allows me to have second thoughts).
- The incident in the System garden where I tried to ask a lady sitting next to us for directions and respectfully asked, “Are u busy?” And she goes, “Yes, I’d rather not be disturbed right now.” Well, that was a slight surprise since I haven’t got that kind of answer before. We then found it all by ourselves.
- Submitting my assignment in the last minute. And I literally mean, last minute. It was due at 1 and it close to 1. The thing was that I completely forgot about it! I was uneasy after that wondering I would get marked for it. As soon as I got back the assignment with marks on it, I could give out a sigh of relief. I learnt a lesson that day: never keep things until the last moment.
- Lost my new USB at the Burnley campus. I wonder who could be having it now…they will suffer.
- Getting iodine splashed on my lab coat on that last chem prac. One student informed me that iodine spots cannot be washed away but with a little bit of optimism, I washed it and they disappeared.
- Realizing the fact that I won’t be able to see the friends (that aren’t in my course) that I made during lectures and tutes. It is possible that we can make time and catch up but then as the joy and excitement of the next semester starts and we begin to make new friends, will the memory of the old friends vanish slowly?
And of course, writing this blog and sharing my experiences with other students is a comforting feeling.
(on a random note, THE SIMPSONS MOVIE is out in precisely 2 weeks. I simply can't hold my excitement...just needed to let that out)
Till next time
Bit too late to fuel excitement now but YES, I PASSED with all H1s.
I was thinking of failing at least one of them. Phew... guess I'll still be allowed to do all advanced subjects in semester 2. YAYY.
The cold weather has finally got to me. I have been ill the last few days and it’s pissing me off. I advise anyone planning to sleep at a friend’s house to ensure that their house has some sort of heating or spare blankets. I think I caught my cold by sleeping on the floor with my clothes as my only warmth. Pity there wasn’t anyone special there whom I could hug and warm up with :P.
It’s the first time I have fallen ill this year and probably the first time I had to take a panadol. It’s so frustrating, because all my plans for the holidays have been put on-hold. I don’t have the physical strength to do anything except blow my nose and make hot honey tea (I will never add lemon into my tea next time Im sick because apparently acidic foods make sore throats worse, source:Wikipedia). My uni results did nothing to lift my mood, yes I passed but I am not especially happy. I’m not sure if its my high expectations or if its because Im just shit. Probably the latter.
To make matters worse, I had to take the weekend off work, forgoing a considerable amount of income. Usually I wouldn’t mind having fewer hours because I get more free time to go out and to do things I want to do. But in this case, I am confined to my house with absolutely nothing to do. I got so bored today that I decided to do my tax return online. I didn’t earn enough to pay tax but there were a couple of weeks in the summer holidays where I worked a lotta hours and therefore had tax withheld from me. It’s a pain really, they ask you so many questions and for a 19 yo boy most of them are irrelevant; eg the many references to ‘spouse’ and ‘dependants’. Despite all the trouble, Im looking forward to the tax refund, however small it may be.
The past week has been miserable really and these holidays haven’t been the best ever. I guess all there is for me to do now is rest and recover, get over my disappointments and frustrations, be happy and enter second semester 2 (only 2 weeks away) with a smile and some motivation. Other than that the only excitement now is Le Tour de France, which means staying up late and watching SBS. Most people can’t stand watching cyclists cycle on TV for hours but I guess its something only enthusiasts can understand, like how only cat lovers would ever buy a magazine completely dedicated to cats. The beauty of the French countryside keeps the race fascinating and the dramas that unfold are absolutely captivating. The tour starts tonight in London, in fact it starts right now!
Bye!
So, two things have made me rather happy this week. The first is coming back to Hong Kong and realising that the Philharmonic spent their new endowment and corporate sponsorship money on a brand new concert series featuring internationally renowned guest artists. Yesterday, I saw Joshua Bell in concert (He was amazing. I loved it, and I don't even like the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. It's a pity I didn't manage to get his autograph, but they limited it to the first 60 audience members and I wasn't fast enough.) The week before, I got to watch Charles Dutoit conduct. Next year, Midori, Yundi Li, and Emmanuel Pahud will be playing concertos with the Philharmonic. And, with the exception of the Pahud concert, I'll be in Hong Kong for all of the new series. And I can watch them for less than the equivalent of $15 Australian dollars, full price. And my Melbourne student card lets me have the 50% student concession, so actually it'll only cost $7-8. (To put it in perspective, student rush at the Melbourne Symphony costs $20, and you can't book in advance like you can here.) How awesome is that?
The second thing that makes me happy for this week is:
Legal Method and Reasoning: 73 (H2B)
Practical Study 1-1 (clarinet): 82 (H1)
Principles of Public Law: 83 (H1)
Aural Studies - yearlong subject, grades not released for first semester
Yaaaaay! Especially the two law exams - only 5-10% of the class gets H1s, and I didn't do so well on the research essays worth 50%, so in order to get the H2B and the H1, I must have gotten H1s on both exams - in the case of the PPL exam, unless there was a huge amount of scaling and shifting afterwards, to get an 83 overall means I got 91% on the exam, and usually only one or two people in the entire year of 400-ish people get over 90% :D
As for the clarinet exam... good mark, but I think I need to work a lot harder. I want to get into individual program (it's a subject designed to stretch the people with performance talent or potential - you basically get an extra masterclass with higher expectations, and more individual lesson time) next year, and I've heard that you generally have to have around 85% to be seriously considered. Of course, I have no idea how true this is, and I've also heard that they require an H1 and then look at each person on a case by case basis, but either way I think 85% is a good goal for next semester for prac. Overall, it all averages out to 79%, which is an H2A, so I think I'll aim for an H1 average next semester :D
But until next time...*puts Joshua Bell CD into CD player* so... very... pretty...
EDIT: And he's on TV on Monday! Yep, soooo skipping Grey's Anatomy. It's not like I can't find it on DVD from someone at college, anyway.
(drumbeats in the background..)
I PASSED...PASSED I SAY, PEOPLE!!!
Gee, that's some relief...Just checked the results early in the morning..couldn't help it...
And not just passed, but pretty good marks that I can be proud of. Ah...
GOOD LUCK, guys!
Till next time
Docklands Fire and Ice Spectacular
The City of Melbourne is presenting a spectacular fire and ice visual feast for one special Saturday night in July. At sunset watch a breathtaking 'fire and ice' performance. The elements will collide as giant ice-sculpture unicorns share the stage with a magical fire sculpture. Stay for live entertainment, with some of Melbourne's most loved buskers lining the promenade. Make the most of Docklands restaurants with special dining offers or try ice-skating at the Snow Dome at Docklands Winter Wonderland. Top off the night with a dazzling display of wintery fireworks on the waterfront. From 5pm, Saturday 7 July, 2007, Waterfront City Piazza, Docklands. www.thatsmelbourne.com.au
I can't pick what subject I want to replace spanish with next semester! There are too many good ones, and even narrowing it down to subjects that only have lectures on Tues - Thurs (so I get 2 days off), I'm still picking from 5 - ARGHHHHH!
So any suggestions welcome. It's between:
- Pyramids and Princes: Egypt and the East
- Sex, Gender and Power: An Introduction
- Age of Revolution: French Revolution
- Australian Society
- Social Work Practice and Diversity
- China since Mao
I'm thinking I've already done an Australian studies subject this year, so maybe not Australian Society, and maybe not the French Revolution because I've already done 2 histories. I was tossing up between China Since Mao and Sex, Gender and Power, but China Since Mao is a 9:00 lecture and I really hate early mornings and I don't know how useful Gender Studies would be. Mmmm, I think it's looking like Pyramids and Princes at the moment, but I think I can be swayed...
Too many choices.
Upset that I'll miss this
Edit: The link, for some reason, is not showing up, so here it is http://www.nationaldesigncentre.com/Default.aspx
When the date comes, fly to SIS.unimelb.edu.au and brace for the best or worst.
Good luck, all Science fellows and everyone in other Faculties.
I'll stock up sleeping pills just in case...
Au revoir
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