Jun Hao: Time management is important.  For me, I prefer to plan my time ahead. Usually I would plan what I want to do a week in advance.  I try to stick to it even though it’s hard to follow. And if you managed to do so, it would definitely be excellent.

Another advice I have is this: always prioritise your tasks according to their importance. In life, there is always give and take, and you can’t do everything.  If you spend more time on CCA or studies, you would have to give up some time for your other commitments such as playing games.  So ultimately, it depends on what you want to achieve; there are no right or wrong answers.  My definition of success isn’t measured by my achievements as perceived by others; instead, it is being able to achieve what I alone want.

Sharon: When it comes to juggling my time, I pretty much played by ear over the past few years.   For example, if I have debate competitions coming, I would train harder and study less.  At other times, I spend more time study to catch up when my schedule permitted me.  If both commitments clashed (and unfortunately, they usually did!), I just weighed the consequences, examined my resources, and did whatever I could to try to have my cake and eat it.

I did not draw out a regular schedule. For example, I did not have a time-table that reads: "9pm-10pm, read on the Middle East conflict, 10pm-12am, study Radiography techniques", etc.  But having a time-table could be useful for some students.

Faith: I searched for my own internship company.  I approached a company which usually do not take in interns and presented my portfolio to the director.  He hired me and it turned out to be a most memorable and enriching internship.

I was a character/prop rigger in Tiny Island Productions. Initially, I experienced a steep learning curve, as I have to switch to another software platform and also learn rigging. But I adapted to the culture easily, as my fellow colleagues had been very kind.

I guess most important is to have initiative. Do not wait for things to be done for you. Make things happen!

Zhang Min: I was attached to GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK Bio) a vaccine making plant. The company is located at Tuas and I live on the Eastern part of Singapore.  Although I spent three to four hours travelling each day, I strive to go to work with a positive attitude.  As I start each day, I would tell myself I would learn something new today and benefit from today’s work. 

When you go for a work attachment, try to show initiative.  For example when my supervisor asked me to generate documents for more than a hundred types of equipment, I took it upon myself to use equipment tags to classify the information.  This helps my supervisor to finish her work faster and more efficiently.  Hence, it’s important to show great initiative, have a positive attitude and a willingness to learn.

Sharon: For first years, do remember you need to give yourself time to adjust to poly life. The transition won't happen automatically, and it's perfectly normal to feel slightly intimidated or out of place for some time. For example, it took me one semester before I got used to the style of weekly e-quizzes, since I came from a system which only had exams in the middle and at the end of each semester.

Even if you know friends from secondary school, you should not stick to cliques. Get to know more people

You may also find that poly life is more lively than secondary school’s. There are many more CCAs to choose from, definitely a wider range of food available, and a greater emphasis on independent learning. I think first-years should participate actively in CCAs, even though CCAs are not compulsory in the poly.  This will enable you to meet more people, make more friends, and develop an interest or a talent outside of the classroom. Also, CCA participation fosters leadership and people skills, so that it makes one a better team player. Even if you know friends from secondary school within you course, you should not stick to pre-established cliques. Instead, try to make the effort to reach out and get to know more people.

Ziyou: Attending orientation will definitely help to smoothen out the initial 'kinks' in this transition from secondary school to a polytechnic. As for tips on "surviving" campus life, I would encourage you to make full use of school facilities. Go to the library to get reference materials and to the cafe for a cuppa when your mind needs just that extra boost.  Make use of the various sports facilities to de-stress and get your mind off school work. Not only will you get to create wonderful memories with friends, you also keep the balance between work and play.

Zhangmin: Firstly, you need to know what you really want to achieve after you graduate. This is because poly’s grading system is based on an accumulation of grades over 3 years.  So if you want to further your studies, you need to know the cut-off points of university courses you are interested in (you can check this out from universities’ websites or your lecturers). If the cut-off GPA is 3.5, for example, always ensure that your grades are above the cut off points.
 
For those who plan to work after graduation, good communication and presentation skills will also help you to get a job faster, and help you advance faster and further than others.

Jun Hao: I took quite some time to adjust to polytechnic life.  The first thing I learnt is that you need to have self-discipline as in the polytechnic; most lecturers won’t force you to study or do your work as they believe we are young adults.   So self-discipline is important.  I also suggest making more friends by joining CCAs or class activities. I believe that if you are enjoying CCAs and other activities, you will feel more like studying.  And the best tip I can give is simple: just be yourself.

Faith: There will be culture shocks.  When I first started my DMD course, for instance, I realised there were no exams or no textbooks in the beginning; only tons of drawings to be done. Likewise, you need tons of "passion" to stay afloat. Stay optimistic.  Even if your first assignment looks really bad, keep going. If you believe you can do it, you WILL do it. Don't give up the race before it begins.

Sharon: You will need to form - and learn to trust and rely on - a strong support network. I was very fortunate to have met a bunch of great friends who would help me catch up with lessons.  Given that I had to skip many classes to go for training, their help was extremely important.  My friends are also there for me when I got too stressed. They were encouraging and  always managed to see the funny side of everything. This helped to boost my self beliefs and my morale during the really tough moments. Aside from course and team mates, I've found many NYP lecturers to be friendly, approachable, and more than willing to lend a listening ear.   So you can always ask them for advice. My family has also been a great help, as they always have my welfare at heart - this is probably true for most other students out there too.

You will need to form a strong support network of friends.

At the end of the day, I think it's very important to remember that, in the words of Lance Armstrong, “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

The tunnel may seem very long, and very dark, but there is always a light at the end, and there are always people around to help you to find it.

Zhangmin: Be positive and always be grateful with what we have. If you think you really hit the rock bottom, then there is only one direction you can go – up.

Qing Qing: Finding people whom you trust will help a lot in coping the challenges as you can confide your difficulties with them. Also, remain optimistic of the future outlook. This will definitely help in the long run.

Faith: I am a Christian, so I guess for my case, prayers help a lot. And generally, support from friends and family is extremely important. My lecturers have been very helpful in helping me. So don't hesitate to talk to them when you need help.

If things aren't going your way in your assignments, finish what you have to do and just go on for the next task. Nothing, including difficulties, lasts forever

Faith: Oh ya, a very important thing: please get enough sleep.  I have friends who did not sleep in order to rush their work.  They ended up losing concentration during lessons and were also very, very tired all day long. That is counter-effective. We need our brains to work creatively, so please let the brains have ample rest.

A lot of people asked me how I excel in my studies. Seriously, I don't exactly know. But I do know that I enjoy my studies and enjoy doing homework. I also enjoy analysing and experimenting. I guess that makes a difference. The bottom line: enjoy what you are doing, and chances are, you will do well.