I Survived My First 2 Weeks At NIE

Wow... Time really flies... & suddenly it's been 2 weeks at NIE for my formal teacher training. It has been quite a challenge to adapt back to studying, after working for 5 years. Although I did pursue my post graduate diploma back in 2007, that was evening classes, which I occasionally skipped due to unfinished work. Part-time study & full-time work is tough, but somehow I struggled through with the assignments & exams for the entire 1 year.

Frankly, full-time study is easier... much easier... in terms of managing work concurrently, which really takes a toil on me. However, now having gone back to full-time study, I experienced another different form of struggle - a struggle for identity. Although I am coming to terms with this emotional, mentally & physically, after 2 weeks of absorption back into study life, I remember that my first week, in fact more so for the first 3 days, was excruciating.

I couldn't accept this sudden change in my lifestyle & not to mention that I don't like studying. I prefer to do things on the job & learn from daily experiences, which I honestly feel that I learn better. Seriously. I just couldn't come to terms with the fact that suddenly all the primary school pupils had disappeared & I started to miss my daily interaction with them. Strangely, though they were horrendously behaved, especially on certain days, I still feel drawn to relate with them... whether as a teacher or even an elder brother. I miss the kind of honest, forthcoming & childlike interaction that they have with me... & I believe many of them miss me as well. How do I know? I still get SMSes, calls, e-mails, class blog entries, MSN messages & Facebook invites from them. They can be so horrendously lovable at such times.

Full time studying hasn't been easy for me, contrary to what most adults percieve about NIE. Maybe during their early years at NIE, things were not as hectic or messy. Who doesn't realise by now that as things evolve, more things get added & things get more complicated? Every seasoned working adult should recognise that by now. But I am still thankful that I don't have to juggle work concurrently, just like in 2007. That was a terror... & I truly respect those mothers who manage work, evening study & children at the same time. 24 hours is never, ever enough.

Workload aside, the traveling time is horrendous too. Daily commuting time of at least 3 hours to & fro, can really sap the living daylights out of me! That's just physically, but even mentally, I feel pissed off at times, coz it is such a huge wastage of time! Even if I was physically able to stand (despite tiredness) & mentally still partially functioning to try to read my textbook or notes, the REAL problem is that there isn't ANY SPACE to do so!!! Everyone is like crammed up like sardines in a long MRT sardine tin can... & most of us can't even move. How to study? And it doesn't make me feel better that Boon Lay is such a dirty, polluted & smoky place!

Food is generally blend but edible at NIE canteen, though I believe food at NTU canteen is much better. But I think it is more pricey over there. Anyway, I don't have time to travel to & fro, coz apart from a 20 - 30 min lunch break, I spend most of my time mugging at the library. Partly it is to keep away from germs around (recently quite a number of people are coughing), but mostly it is because I have so much readings & work to catch up! I feel that 9 modules is just too heavy, especially for a 1st semester student, who is TOTALLY new to this genre of education study!

Anyway, somehow... somehow... I managed to survive my first 2 weeks... Well, let's see how I go from here...