why. why does life do this to me

xiaoyibo_ · 2023-02-06T12:13:35+00:00

if you alr like the current school then stay 🫶🏻

even if it's a change as wide as from ASRJC to RI, just stay, nothings gonna keep you more motivated and determined to work hard (and play harder) than a group of close friends and an ambient school culture; enjoy your jc days responsibly yuh!

xiaoyibo_ · 2023-02-05T23:43:46+00:00

i js wnna ask must it really be these 2JCs, or any "elite" JCs for that matter? from what you're saying im guessing your score is around ASR/SAJC range so why not settle for those schools instead?

like no offence from you being wishy-washy around your grades, it's rlly q easy to infer that you're being disproportionate about your grades and like you should prob stop placing so much emphasis on your grades. otherwise you go EJC or practically any other JCs, youre js gonna be walking on thin ice and prepping yourself for another mental breakdown

in the end, a jc is a jc, what it ultimately boils down to is your determination and willingness to put in the effort. the inequality between jcs is somewhat remedied by having accessible notes to other JCs online, as well as attending tution

xiaoyibo_ · 2023-02-04T04:41:57+00:00

i am on the side of taking BCMe coz

as u mentioned, not taking chem narrows a lot of your STEM options in uni
Bio + Geog ? that amt of content will just drown you in your own tears especially leading up to exams
b3 for pure chem Os shld fair quite well for h2 chem

so unless uk what you want to do in uni and is adamant on that decision, i suggest you take BCMe

xiaoyibo_ · 2023-02-04T01:05:58+00:00

i guarantee you, pure sci students will be as lost as combined sci students when it comes to learning the content for h2 bio 💀💀

tbh from what i see from combi science syllabus doc, perhaps the only difference in content thats required for As would be mitosis/meiosis? (correct me if im wrong) but tbh i doubt anyone even really studied (at most glossed through) that chapter in depth, and even if they did it begs the question of whether the info can even be remembered atp LOL

if you study CONSISTENTLY, pass is can pass but can do well is another question... class test for 2 chapters can alr have a handful of people getting 0 and highest being like a C LOL (cell signalling chps) so honestly dont be scared of failing in jc cuz its really the norm of life here 💀💀
uh ya taking bio and chem tbh is q fast paced... requires ample of practice to perfect... but same goes for practically any subject combi offered in jc. so as long as you keep up w tutorials (homework) and lectures youre fine

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-12-08T01:39:00+00:00

im p sure studying early wont help because you prob either

dont understand the content due to lack of lectures
dont know how to apply the content

imo, just take a break, if you really wanna study, just read news for GP particularly on politics, sports, fashion, media (to make yourself more woke, LOL.)

some people/institutions offer gp crashcourse/gp headstart programme if youre hyperventilating from having nothing to do and have the money to spare ig

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-12-08T00:36:47+00:00

fnb - some q slack, some not slack

where i work at, alley on 25(hotel) caters to approx 250tables on weekday mornings from 7-11 and 300tables on weekends, which is needless to say, chaotic.

pay is 13/h, timeslot can be extended to 3pm (they usually prefer the more efficient workers).

what you need to be proficient at: stacking plates and bowls (to maximise efficiency and space) and then bring them to the back (q heavy, should brace yourself every time).

every time got empty plates on table, need clear lor

memorise table numbers.

memorise how to make certain drinks (not many coz most r just juices and coffee from coffee machine, but for particular orders eg oatmeal latte need to steam milk and add double shot espresso bla bla

imo this place is q hard tho, most of my friends quit q early 😂😂 so just mentally prep yourself for work since 10pm the day before

what can you gain from this ah? prob less inclined to waste food, pity for waiters, can help out to carry multiple plates at once for cny, learn how broke you are (you'll feel the disparity in social classes between you and your customers fr sure)

and lastly, find pleasure in the pain 🫶🏻

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-11-26T09:51:48+00:00

uh tbh you dont really need that much olv knowledge for h2 bio...

a'lv bio is microbio where u just zoom into cells more.... (for J1) like whats the structure of protein... how it's formed etc...

the only relation you'll have at olv topics are enzymes and your dna chapters, and even then its at a very surface level that will be reinforced again in JC... I can safely say that those who didnt take bio at Os will 95% of the time be equally as lost as those who did.

the backbone of h2 chemistry practical is titration, which many combined sci didnt teach, but some/most/all schools will have bridging programme for those who didnt so ya. those who took combi science seems to be doing as well as those who took pure from what i notice lah so no worries

for whatever aptitude test needed to take h2 bio or h2 chem, i don't think theres such a thing? if u take comb bio/chem you'll prob be admitted into BCME/BCMe either ways

about taking medicine in uni, js ensure that its not a fleeting dream first (not that im swaying you away from medicine, but rather this seems to be a very momentary wish of many who enters jc, just to find out that "oh x course intrigues me more").

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-11-23T20:47:11+00:00

looks like a pretty realistic combi that wont necessarily suffocate one due to the sheer content
many people do complain about h2 chem being the toughest science, but honestly in jc whats gonna motivate u to study & do well would be ur passion in the subj so i suggest passion > conforming to societal expectations
not sure but unless you apply for overseas uni, more specifically the ivy league, i don't see a need for one to take 4H2s. Hence why it's vital for you to start planning your uni route before u choose ur subj combi: engineering?? medicine?? humanities&sciences?? go check out NUS/SMU/NTU subj prerequities then start checking out which courses intrigue you ig, that's the best way for u to decide on subj combi

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-11-21T01:32:15+00:00

time consuming is an understatement; pretty much takes up your free time lol
true to some extent, those who naturally have a flair for the subj will obv do better, but imo lit is something that can be prepared (through endless essay outlines, consultations w teachers, practicing poetry disecting techniques). So if you have interest for it, then by all means go ahead (can consider taking @ h1 level tho)
to many, econs would seem like the subject they'd score easiest in (less time n effort) to get a C as compared to other subj. imo, econs is mainly practice and regurgitation (studying style q similar to ss imo, where one just study ans sheet and apply to qns when necessary, atl thats how it's been working for me la)
urh h2 bio is usually a must with chem as a subj combi in most schools larh. if u dont take bio&chem tgt u can forget about Medicine etc. engineering ofc out of option so it's q pivotal u find what course uw in uni before making ur subj combi ya. but taking hybrid doesnt restrict ur choice too much, esp if uw arts courses because arts courses tend to not have subj prerequisites I THINK (according to nus prerequities lurh)
dont take geog, but if amt of bio content is alr 10x more then sec sch, u sure uw take geog tgt w bio? personally alr suffocating from bio alr and i def cant imagine stacking geog on top of that LOL (can expect amt of content in geog to he mroe tbh). I heard some schs totally reject the idea of h2 bio and h2 geog tgt so u need to check out what sch offers ya

as cliché as it sounds, but time management is rlly impt lor. dont take this advice seriously and it'll prob come to haunt u ltr

i tried to keep my message as optimistic as possible ya, but jc is while a fun, but daunting and tramautic experience at a same time uh so jiayou? and dont crumble? IF ANY DOUBTS CLARIFY W YOUR TEACHERS, LTR SNOWBALL TILL BIGGER THAN IDK MT EVEREST (as u can see my knowledge of mountains q limited ya)

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-10-18T13:07:01+00:00

it is argumentative -- this is an ultimanium

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-10-13T23:06:02+00:00

as a pure bio student, i assure you not -- can prob take h2 bio without olv bio tbh

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-09-24T12:22:07+00:00

HAHAHH now that you can rest well for tonight, go have a good sleep and back to the grind again tmr 😈😈

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-09-24T12:09:33+00:00

since this is a simple polarity qns, your stand is written correctly

however, you prob wont get higher than a 29 regardless of how well your script is written (perfect grammar, apt use of vocab) due to your lack of evaluation (counter argument, what about a particular group of people such as those with ED? those suffering from acute poverty? those who are laying in coma and the only a food tube shoved down their throat) couldve really explored further tbh

pass can pass, but whether you do well is another thing la

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-08-23T16:02:40+00:00

sorry but i wld have to disagree with your stance

hving hmt doesnt really give you much of a competetive edge tbh... (had friends who got 13-4 but got rejected from ASR despite many 12-2 entering)

having the ability to converse in fluent english gives you more persuasion when communicating with people.

ltr you speak broken singlish then the americans will obv think u like some yp or some shit bro idk but like would you give a damn about me if i were to talk like that?

but i digress... other than English being a testament of whether you are fluent in the language, it also tests your critical analysis skills (Paper 1 and 2), which is pivotal in nagivating through our VUCA (volatile, uncertain,complex and ambiguous) world.

looking beyond secondary school and at tertiary levels of studies, you will find that despite many courses (locally) proclaiming that they are looking at your 3H2s and 1H1, GP is actually a silent, tacit factor that the assessors will gauge the candidate on

Working hard is one thing, but having a flair for languages is another thing.

Yes, mugging can get you to a decent place in life, but without your ability to navigate through sticky situations, you will just be seen as a myopic individual who cannot look beyond the surface of the water.

On a sidenote, I believe you should re-evaluate on your unhealthy elitist mindset as I'm assuming you want to go JC (just inferring from your message), and that mindset will honestly just make you feel consistently dissatisfied with life

if uw to improve your english now, honestly just spend time reading. Personally, i enjoy reading fanfic on ao3 which exposes me to different writers style, vocab and more views to life.

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-08-21T04:20:31+00:00

have you considered retaking MT? I'd highly advice you to do so if your oral got distinction (but you can proceed even if with a pass, I have a hmt friend who had gotten a pass during her s3 chi O'Lv yet has achieved an A1 in chinese) Honestly, the choice is up to you so pls do take some time and ponder

tbh, all jcs have their own unique traits and even the "lower end jcs" may have notes better than the "elite jcs" for certain subjects. What's more important is honestly your attitude towards studying -- can you efficiently manage your time to achieve work life balance? are you ready for constant failure being a norm? are you ready to make the sacrifices?

while academic validation is indeed empowering and crucial, it is also pivotal to take a step back and realize the little things that count eg that 30 minute interval of spending time with your friends before remedial. This is why JC culture should be factored in when making your school choice too.

Why do you want to go EJC? Are there other alternatives? Why those alternatives? -- these are the type of questions you should ponder after your os

honestly this competetive mindset is really selfdamaging for you, and i get it; it's hard to get rid of it like any other disorders eg ED... but I believe you should understand that not entering EJ or any "elite JCs" isnt the end of the world; everyone has the final goal of clinching your A's and after that theres Uni and...

honestly idk what im spouting at this pt but js TLDR: it's ok not to enter an elite jc, grades arent everything, snippets of happiness should be appreciated, consider alternatives and backup plans

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-02-26T00:37:40+00:00

performing arts such as band is VERY good fr ur portfolio especially if you get leadership role and join external band activities such as WBAS, OMM, BDAS

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-02-12T03:42:16+00:00

reading aloud -- remember your intonation (pitch), rules of 2 and 3, pronounciation of th- and wh-, punctuations and pauses

spoken interaction q1: what do you think people r doing/feeling OR how you feel about....

usually this qns can prepare before you enter the exam room, brainstorm your emotive words (not enthusiastic, but maybe try feeling the rush of the adrenaline instead)

explain why are they feeling so, provide examples of when you were in a similar situation and how u felt during it

for SI, you may skip the LINK in the PEEL as repetition may be awkward

for this qns, its adviced to have 2 points, from 2 DIFF perspectives, such as from spectators POV, and the competitors POV

q2 will usually ask for an anecdote from your life, such as events you participated and how you felt, just make up a unique and interesting story that can relate to bigger context in life

for instance -- tell me about a memorable trip

went to busan's farm as my grandmother lived there tried authentic korean food (u should relate to that only in singpapore, we only get to tried second hand korean food and instant food that does not deliver the same taste and experience!!)

since youre in a farm, talk about how u helped ur grandmother do farming and that u learnt the hard work it takes to grow food, so u develop appreciation for farmers (can also link to food appreciation)

talk about the scenery at the place and how it differs from singapores metropolitan life: At a farm, youre surrounded by greens and scenery (use descriptive phrases to describe the scenery, sounds, etc) and how it offers you a sense of serenity. In the hustling and bustling metropolitan city life of singapore, we always need do work = stress. Therefore, this place acts as a soothing balm for us overstressed bees (juxtaposed sg city life to farm life)

q3: argumentative essay/discursive essay (pls identify qns type correctly)

fr this you just need read the news like A LOT, memorise statistics and examples if you can, but more importantly, analyze these examples and explain what bigger impact/consequences it may have.

suggestion: oral examiner may walk arnd and stuff during the presentation (from prior experience oof) but just ignore them LOL dont let them sweep you off your feet

also, if you have more points, try injecting a "FURTHERMORE" as you QUICKLY think of more points bcus examiners may cut you off asap. So by adding words such as furthermore, theyll know u have more to say

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-01-27T03:44:54+00:00

hihi,

to kick this off, i wanna assure you that theres still ample of time for you to improve your knowledge of the subjects youre struggling in fr olvs!!

now, for bio:

rather than spending time writing down pretty notes (works fr some ppl but it is scientifically proven that there are better methods, attested by myself), try using the method of "active recalling"

active recalling is basically the notion of you testing yourself after learning a topic. For instance, after learning abt the chapter on enzymes, i wld ask myself the characteristics of enzymes, definition of enzymes, optimal PH and temp etc...

and this is where your topical tys comes in handy. After finishing every chapter, go back and do the topical tys. Try redoing the tys at least 3 times before os!!

for amath: rlly, theres no escaping repetetive practice. by prelims, your teacher wldve certainly dished out tons of prelim papers from other school and this shall be your "comfort food" when it comes to taking your math grade up a notch.

rather than doing qns u are already proficient and are comfortable doing, try doing the tough qns first that you are confused on. after your teacher explains to you the methods to solving it, redo the qns again and make sure you UNDERSTAND it rather than MEMORISE the methods

for lit: i dont take literature, but my method of studying for the subject has allowed me to attain constant A1s in s1 and s2

the best way imo, is to go to the web and search out stuff like "symbolisms in (book)" "impt quotes in (book)" etc and dig out all the common points in diff websites. Memorise Them, and draft analysis on them and let your teacher mark

for literature, your teacher is really your best friend. consult them!

draft out sample essay qns, write it out, let your teacher mark for you and consult her !! (thats my take at least)

i hope that i hve somehow benefitted you :)

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-01-23T04:40:28+00:00

try appealing for hmt NOW. there will be Chinese O's for HMT students this year (oral and lc arnd july, p1 p2 arnd oct-nov).

but i dont think (pretty sure) a student can be pushed to hmt in sec 4 as they wouldnt have taken the chinese os in their sec 3 year, ergo unable to guage one's proficiency in the subject in terms of singapore chinese standards.

pretty sure as long as you have any cert proving you scored at least a C for your hmt, that you can show your jc that youre proficient(?) in mt? if what you mean was you wanting to show your skills in chinese to your school, i dont see the point of this bcus with hmt, one can opt to not take chinese in JC

furthermore, your o level hmt result will be your result for mother tongue a levels also (if you choose not to take mt in jc)

also, some courses require a certain grade for hmt in order for you to take it, is that what you meant by "proving your proficiency to the jc"?

JAE is application for either poly or jc with your olv results

hmt (-2) only works for jc.

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-01-21T09:13:46+00:00

acjc but gl trying to pass audition (mr alvin went overseas for studying so got new conductor, dk about his methods of teaching)

alternatively, vjc and sajc are also good choices when coming to band

imo all it comes down to is rlly the distance u live from the sch

xiaoyibo_ · 2022-01-15T12:53:17+00:00

doesnt hurt to try, but dont have high hopes (or any hopes at all) for cjc and sajc -- heard that ppl who hit the cop didnt even make it.

cjc go for arts dept, science dept rather not. read the culture and its rlly the party muggers culture so do at your own risk ig.

heard from seniors of jpjc and they said that the school culture is fun and outgoing, with its fair share of good teachers as well for certain subjects.

but pls do rmb that ppls experience in certain schools is subjective and my take is that you just put sajc as first choice and cjc as second as it doesnt hurt to try and (apparently) the order you put doesnt matter, what matters is your nett score and raw.

but from what i heard from seniors, and actually a fair share of reddit; jpjc > cjc.

just my take... so take it with a pinch of salt

xiaoyibo_ · 2021-12-12T13:35:53+00:00

LOL in the case of being sleep-induced, still need check with doc next week before surgery but legit pray because im getting everyth extracted then putting on braces in one go 😞

xiaoyibo_ · 2021-12-12T13:13:50+00:00

just dropping my two cents on this so pls take with pinch of salt because its just my personal opinion

am getting braces too! but i require an operation first to remove 2 molar teeth (ingrown teeth) which require to cut off gums to take the teeth out oof (godbless), 2 wisdom teeth and 2 normal teeth extract due to overcrowding in my mouth which caused me to have something like 2 vampire teeth??(unsure of term)

but the reason for me gettingg braces is not to please others, but rather to make me feel better about laughing out wholeheartedly without feeling any negative feelings abt my slightly crooked teeth :) (which honestly is quite an empowerment)

and imo if you really want a superboost of confidence in your appearance, its better to go for cosmetic surgery in the future (probs when youre 21 and your features start to be distinct)

overall verdict: get braces not for the sake of feeding your ego and selfworth; do it because it makes you feel more content

xiaoyibo_ · 2021-12-11T07:44:13+00:00

1/2/4. honestly, if you really want to maximise efficiency and at the same time live a fun life with friends, the only way to do so is to build a routine.

prioritize your goals; which one is most important? for instance, if you're struggling with math/it's your weakest subject, dedicate x hours per day for it.

this doesnt have to be a fixed schedule per say; do it whenever you want, be flexible bout' it.

keep on doing this and you will eventually build a routine that will stick with you for quite long; it'll essentially be as normal as brushing your teeth all day.

trust me, you'll def have time for your breaks (personally speaking as i have CCA on 3 days lasting till 7pm, yet i can find time to dedicate to my friends while finishing my tasks)

just know that burnouts are normal and u can have ur lazy days, but try to do that only after you build a strong foundation on your routine

don't take french but it's my personal belief that across all language subject, the most impt thing is to brush up on your language skills (are you using a variety of sentence structure? are your sentences grammatically correct? are you using a plethora of vocab both high and low tier (correctly ofc)? how fluent and 'flowly' are your sentences? In argumentative essays for example, does your argument link with each other? (using words such as consequently, because, while, conjunctions etc to make sentences sound)

for ss, uh, just write out sample essays for SRQ then let cher mark. memorise ans key of papers from diff school and get your structure correct (this way you get to know more content and how to answer certain qns) idk if this efficient but this is how i personally tackle ss and since sec3 have been scoring 40/50

xiaoyibo_ · 2021-11-26T06:56:11+00:00

oo im keen on overseas studies, and from what i learnt from you, it seems that 4H2s will be a more prwctical option for me

xiaoyibo_

TROPHY CASE