Converging the E

Teamwork at its best! Last year I was drowned in the pool of KIK work, I barely had time for anything else. It was time and energy consuming but I had a great time all the way. My team won best presentation which is something, because in KIK, presentation is the highlight. Or, that's just me mending the bitterness that we didn't win any prize. 

Anyways, this year I had a few projects running. One of them is the eConvergence. Some platform of videos contributed by lecturers and students to supposedly promote TVET in Malaysian Polytechnics. It was me on video again. Despite my skin breaking out like crazy during the shoots, we managed to produce a decent video about Design Thinking in Final year students' projects. 

So this is the team. 

(L-R: Kak Ros, Kak Rose, Me, Kak Iza and Kak Shimi)

Honestly, I still have no idea the point in this project, (Hope they don't mind). I guess it's something to make the world notice the existence of our Polytechnics and what we serve. Also, Design Thinking, the title of the video is another story. It is about a learning process where students follow the steps of this Design Thinking to invent something. It's a brilliant topic which I need to learn more about. 

Overall, I had fun doing these video projects. I just hope I don't let anyone down with the stupidness of my face!

Here are some photos taken during the shoots:

Quantity Analysis Course 1/2016 (Master) : How it went.

QA course 2016, Day #2: Just learned how to write journals, thesis, papers effectively. Now I see how stupid my conference paper is. Thanks, brains.

QA Course Day #3: Preparation of Proposal. Cool sangat lecturer ni... Dr Siti Rohaida, USM. Got a little inspired and motivated. I see sunlight!

QA Course day #4: Literature Review. According to my observation, i can summarize that the more we learn about research, the less we actually know about research. Too much input may harm the brains. Therefore, we have to keep reminding ourselves why we are here to avoid mental injuries. (Nor Haniza, 2016).

QA Course day #7: Walking down memory lane, chit chatting with an old friend, reminiscing the past. Oh the things i'd like to say to 14 year old me... (Btw, thanks Op for lunch!)

QA Course day #8: Qualitative Analysis. No lecture today, only groupwork. while struggling to finish the work... All I can think of is... Lecturer ini sangat cantik... 😍 Okay too exhausted to stay awake. Goodnight.

QA Course Day #9: Qualitative Analysis, Groupwork and Presentation. While the brain is being fed with more and more information, here i am posing for a random photoshoot. It can be assumed that although we are mentally and physically exhausted, we must never let it show on our faces. (Nor Haniza, 2016)

QA Course Day #12: Statistics. On the verge of tears... Hanya rakan-rakan kursus je memahami... Badan penat, otak penat, hati pun penat... Despite the hilarious jokes and whatnots, i realize my brain is not 20 years old anymore... Heart, strength and soul, I need you now more than ever.

QA Course day #13: Hypothesis Testing. Almost at the end now. There's a little bit of sunlight... My desperate prayers were answered, Alhamdulillah... There is a little hope now, just need to work harder. I don't have much humour left in me, but i know i'm going to miss this place. Seriously.

QA Course day #14: Hypotheses Testing.

H0: No Relationship can be established only through whatsapp.

H1: A Relationship can be established only through whatsapp.

P-value is higher than alpha.

Failed to reject H0; There is significant evidence to support that no relationship can be established only through whatsapp. Life does not work that way. At least not for me.

QA Course Day #15: Revision Day. Despite the unnecessary dramas, this crazy adventure is reaching its end. I made cool friends, met a creep, had ups and downs and learned statistics and life. Thank you, God for being with me all the way... Thank you, heart and soul for staying strong. Brains, your turn now... Let's do this!

QA Course Day #16: FREEDOM. We've done our part, now all that's left is tawakkal... Time to go home, back to reality... Gonna bring only the sweet, sweet memories with me. Drama-drama semua tu tinggal sini yea... I am going to miss this place. Good luck, semua.

And so we have completed this journey. Time to close the book and start a new one. Ah... what a memory!

QA Course, Siri 1/2016

I did it...! I drove alone 250+ km northbound. And now, i have reached the edge of the country knowing noone and feeling superly alone. But that's not bugging me so much. Just the lack of information and signage making me blurry.

So the room is okay. Nothing bad about it so far. Oh except for providing only one key per room, meaning you have to share with the roommate. They're probably trying to bond us or something. Other than that, it's all fine. Sec, lemme figure out how to blog on my iphone and post a photo of the room. 

There. The room is kinda okay.

Upon registration they gave us a file containing a small notebook, a piece of A4 paper and a timetable. Oh and a fan. See? These people are considerate about the scorching hot weather here. They gave us a fan.

So yeah i'm nervous. But as previous courses had been before, all would fall in place one step at a time. I miss Nugget like crazy. My bafu is also going back to Sabah for a long time so yeah. This is the time to focus on me and the future. Wish me luck!

Only 1 day off! And an exam...! This is truly the warm up session before the real studies begin... Yikes! 

Back to school : How I got the scholarship (HLP)

So... Last year I went to an interview for a scholarship to do my Masters. The scholarship is like a 2 in 1 offer. They give you a paid study leave from work, and also pay for your tuition fee. So it's something that everyone wants, and it's not that easy to get. I took a chance and applied the scholarship. One of the documents I had to prepare was a research proposal. Unfortunately, I hate research. I hate collecting data and I hate analyzing data. Why? Because no matter what new innovation you can come up with, nobody's gonna use it.

Because it was compulsory, I prepared the proposal anyways. In one day, I managed to prepare a 15 paged proposal. ONLY. Everyone else had like at least 50 pages of idea. While me? Well I had ONE lazy idea and the best i could do was expand that lazy idea into 15 pages of nonsense. At least for me it was like that. My confidence level? Z.E.R.O. So when I got the call for interview I was like, oh what the heck... I'll do this for the experience.

I have to point out that last year was one crazy year. I was busy everyday. There was always something I had to do. In between hectic schedules, I managed to attend the interview. Thanks especially for mum and dad for driving me from south to way up north for the sake of my career. At the interview waiting area I looked around and noticed people carrying files and files of what i assumed were proposals and related documents. All I had in my hand was a suitcase of certificates and that 15 pages of expanded rookie idea which I was too lazy to improve.

Masters participants had to be interviewed in pairs. I think I was paired up with some lecturer from Port Dickson. I was too nervous to observe people so I just took a deep breath and went with the flow. There was a professor and a man (probably some scholarship representative) in front of us. My partner was interviewed first. I could tell she was more nervous than I was, her hand was shaking as she tried to explain her proposal using short notes. Something about windmills. As soon as I saw her struggling with both her idea and her English skills, I took the chance to take over. Nope. No notes-referring weakling was going to steal my scholarship.

I didn't have notes. I had a copy of my proposal in my hands. I closed it. I sat up straight and I asked politely to "try" explain in English what my idea was. I was on fire! My proposal turned out to be 15 pages of sincere honesty. Everything I wrote in that booklet was from my own head and heart. Every single word of it. Using all the skills and speaking talent I have, I sold the product. The professor was interested in my idea, he congratulated me for doing well, and I knew at that moment I had a chance.

Weeks later, I checked the results of the interview. I got the scholarship. I could only thank God for my luck and giving me great parents who were with me all the way. However, even today, a year after that, I still have a long way to go. So many things I have to do before I actually pursue my masters. I hope, with great intentions and great effort, I can do it.

19 Fragrance Hacks ...by Cosmopolitan

I'm a crazy perfume lover... I can't stand stinkiness (if there's such word). Here are something I found on the internet on perfume management. Enjoy!

If you want your fragrances to last longer (Why wouldn't you?), don't store them in your bathroom or other damp, warm places. 
Heat, light, and humidity will break down the perfume and lessen the quality of the fragrance. Instead, store them in cool, dry spots like on the vanity in your room and away from windows. Bonus tip: Use a pretty cake stand to display them.

Rub Vaseline on your pulse points before spraying your perfume to make the scent last longer.
The ointment, which is occlusive, will hold the fragrance to your skin longer than if you were to spray it onto dry skin.

Apply an unscented lotion before your fragrance. Oily complexions retain fragrances longer, so if you have dry skin, use a moisturizer first to help lock in the scent.

Spray your perfume right after taking a shower and before getting dressed.
The moisture on your skin will help lock in the scent. This will also prevent the fragrance from staining delicate clothes or jewelry.

Don't dab the fragrance on your wrists after spraying.
If you rub your wrists together, you'll force the top notes to disappear faster than intended and as a result make your fragrance not last as long.

Target pulse points and warm areas on your body when spraying perfume.
To make your scent last longer, choose a couple target areas (not all of them at once) from the chart below to spritz. The warm areas indicated will help diffuse the fragrance across your entire body and spraying your ankles and calves will allow the scent to rise throughout the day.

For a lighter scent, spray the fragrance in the air and slowly walk into the mist. 
The spray will distribute evenly across your body and leave you with a hint of fragrance for occasions when you don't want to smell as strong.

Spraying an alcohol-based fragrance directly onto your hair will dry it out, so instead spray the fragrance on your brush before running it through your hair.
Your hair will be lightly scented and undamaged.

Or use a fragrance specifically designed for hair to make it smell better in between washes.

Familiarize yourself with common fragrance terms so you know exactly what the sales associates are referring to when helping you find a new perfume. 

Pour the last bit of fragrance from an almost-empty perfume bottle into unscented lotion so nothing goes to waste.

Create your own custom scent by layering fragrances. 
Spray a few fragrance blotters with different oils and perfumes and smell them at the same time to see if they complement each other. Once you find a combination you like, try them on your skin (your skin oils can alter the way a perfume smells). Spray the stronger scent first and then top it with the lighter fragrance so that the first fragrance doesn't overpower the second.

If you're sampling perfumes and you spray yourself with something you don't like, use a makeup wipe to get rid of the scent. 
Fragrance sampling is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get. 

Use business cards as blotter strips for sampling fragrances. 
No need to waste blotter strip paper.

To sample the true scent of the fragrance you're testing, wait until it has dried on your skin before smelling. The first scent you smell as soon as a fragrance is sprayed is the top note, which disappears after a few minutes anyway.

Spray your pillow with calming scents before heading to bed to help you sleep better.

Spray cotton swabs with your perfume and hide them in sandwich bags inside your handbag for quick touch-ups throughout the day. 
It's much easier to carry cotton swabs in your clutch than an entire perfume bottle.

Line your dresser drawers with tissue paper and spray them with your favorite scent to make your clothes and towels smell amazing.

Wrap a scented soap bar in a thin layer of tissue paper and tuck it in your drawers with your clothes to give them a light, fresh scent.

The Little Lost Girl

I was in AEON, near the foodcourt area where I saw a little girl crying.
She looked distressed, lost and alone.
I noticed everyone around was just staring at her, a group of girls talking and probably analyzing.
As I kept walking, the little girl came up to me so I asked her where her mom was.
She was crying so bad, she couldn't even talk. I looked around, and people were still staring, while talking to each other, probably speculating.
So I decided to take the little girl to Information counter downstairs. Someone had to do something.
As we walked, some guy called out and the little girl's dad came to me, muttered a "thank you" and took her away.
Everyone still stared. Kept whispering to each other and gave that "look" as if I was going to kidnap that little girl.

Geez, I don't even like kids that much, why would I kidnap one?

You probably think I would regret it and vowed to never help a little child anymore.

Wrong. People can assume, speculate, judge however they want. Do they know me? Nope.

I don't care what the "society" think. People have always judged and talked nonsense about me, I've become immuned to it.
I dare to be different and will always do what I can to make a difference. No regrets.

Last minute work...

It's been almost 2 years I been working my new post (which I had to write my own appoint letter) and it has been a rollercoaster ride. I got to know important people and important people got to see me at work, which probably led me to the excellence award people are crazy for. However, rollercoaster rides are not fun when you start to feel like vomiting.

I hate being given last minute work. Like, you thought you could do it all, you know, to look all important and busy. Every time I asked to hand me over some stuff to do, this staff would be all "oh no it's okay... I can do it all.." Then 2 days before due, she'd be like "Oh hey, since you haven't done anything, can you please finish this 5000 pages report I thought I could do myself..."

Yeah obviously I exaggerated a bit there... But you get the point, right? Asking me to solve your problems 2 days before due is ridiculously selfish and unprofessional. Why must people over estimate themselves when in the end, others have to pick up their failures to complete their tasks...

Urghhh...! The thing is, this person keeps doing it again and again. I can't get used to this hassle. Everytime, everytime we have to do something important, I end up stressing myself out. Cleverly, this fellow manages to sneak their way in and out all the time. Sigh...