Sunday, April 12, 2009

Drum rolls... the Finale


Week 1 Class: 19/01/09

I am half an hour late for ES2007S class. My very first class in my final semester and I can already imagine the disappointed, judging look on my professor. There goes "first impression" down the drain.

I did have a reasonable excuse for being late (thanks to my first graded final year project presentation and having to take a 15 minute bus ride from Central Library to Science Faculty) however, it would still sound lame especially when a student is late for the first class.

I paused outside the door mentally preparing myself for the looks and reactions from my teacher and classmates when I walk in late. However, what I hadn't prepared for was what happened when I opened the door and stepped in.

"Come inside Priya" said the Professor. (Oh well something like that.)
This completely took me by surprise. It was the first time out of the four years in my whole undergraduate life that a Professor knew my name and on the very FIRST class and I thought to myself that I had already began to enjoy this class.

Week 13 Class: 13/04/09
Since the beginning to the very end this course has always had a very supportive and friendly atmosphere where both my teacher and classmates have helped me to improve myself as a whole.

Moving onto the blog post for this week, I believe that my first blog had missed the essential point of why effective communication is important to me. However, the revised version of my post includes an answer to this question. After reviewing this post now I believe that my understanding of effective communication has been further improved extending from understanding other people to being understood by other people. Additionally, I haven't given much focus to written based communication, that is, communication through letters, emails and expressing ones self through writings. I would also say that I have realised the importance of effective communication.

Overall, this module has definitely improved my communication skills and the knowledge of this has boosted my self confidence. For instance, the blogging activity has given me an opportunity to offer ways of resolving conflicts either in a hypothetical or real life situation. The in-class lesson on reading and explaining the article to Roy has taught me quite a few tricks of how to keep the listener's attention as well as it also has taught me that it is also equally the listener's responsibility to stay attentive to the speaker. Furthermore, the non verbal cues that I have picked up through out this course will help me in my daily conversations and interactions with other people, during presentations and even during interviews. Apart from the speaking and listening activities, the 7C's has also been equally important. It has enhanced my written skills enabling a better expression of my views through my writing. Most importantly the multicultural background of my class mates has made it possible to perceive certain things from their point of view.

Unlike the other courses I feel that the bond I have created among my classmates would not be a friendship that just lasts till the end of this semester but a friendship that will continue even after my graduation from NUS. The interviews conducted by fellow mates, the support and the feedback I gained for the weekly assignments, the tiring project and even the good luck messages for the upcoming presentation has brought me closer to my class mates.

Overall this course not only has equipped me with better communication skills it also has helped in my personal development.

I would definitely like to thank each of my class mates and Brad in this post but I would rather do them a favor by keeping it simple and short... THANK YOU!

edited April 14, 2009

13 comments:

  1. Thank you, Priya. I really like the way you recount the various skills you have refined in this post, and I especially appreciate how you make this "reflection" down-to-earth by initiating it with the story of your first day coming into the lesson. Hey, that's another skill that you have refined during ES2007S: communicating with a story!

    I've thoroughly enjoyed working with you this term, for many reasons, from my learning more about Sri Lanka to you sharing your knowledge, insights and experiences with me and the rest of the class. You have been a very active participant, and I truly value that.

    All the best as you continue your studies, and as you return to Sri Lanka in the not-too-distant future!

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  2. Hey Priya!

    It was great learning more about Sri Lanka.

    I agree that this module has taught us many things. They're things that help us maintain good relationships with others. So what if someone is a scholar or a genius? With the wrong attitude and low EQ, they would not be able to gain respect from others.

    It is important to have good relationships with others, especially with our family. We need to support one another in life! Good communication skills equal good relationships!

    Stay connected on facebook!

    (=

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  3. Hello Priya,

    I am grateful to knowing you and have learned lots from you. It was an enjoyable experience learning new things all together. I like you have learned alot from this module and how I wish it could be longer. Oh well, every good thing has to come to an end, hope we can maintain contact with each other.And most importantly use what we have learned throughout this course! Thank you!

    Cheers,
    Keldren

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  4. Hello Priya!

    I like the way you start by recollecting the very first class scenario. I agreed with you totally. Brad took me by surprise too when he said out your name, and a few others when they entered the class. He really put in extra effort to make us feel welcomed. =)

    I enjoy listening and learning from you. Your different perspective on issues brought many lively discussions. Like I told Keldren, I enjoy reading your blog posts too, though I don't always comment.

    Yeah! Hi 5! I believe our friendship and together with the rest of our classmates will go beyond the four walls! Take good care of yourself when you travel back and keep in touch! =)

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  5. Hey Priya,

    Your way of starting the blog post is very interesting. It reminds me of your guilty look as you entered the class when you were late. hmmmm....

    It was great knowing you and being in the same group as you. I have really learnt alot from the experiences you have shared with us. Like I have mentioned before, you never fail to entertain me with all your interesting experiences.

    I am glad that we all have learnt so much from the class and hope we can all work hard together to improve further. Hope we can continue to keep in contact:)

    Water wally!! Priya once said she loves NEWater. HAHA!

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  6. Hi Priya!

    Everytime I read your posts, I feel like I'm getting new facts added into my little brain! Thank you for always sharing your experiences from back home! It is true that we have learnt not only to communicate from person to person better, but also on our written communication which we so often sideline.

    Also, I'm glad that you have enjoyed this module and of the friendships made, because I have too! Just wanted to say thank you also for being so willing to offer help when I needed it!

    Keep in touch!

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  7. Hi Priya,

    It was great to know you in the first place and I remembered the times when we strike conversations on the lift/hallway on the way the class. I thought you were an essential member of the class, having shared cultures and practices from Sri Lanka and that’s when I got to learn something apart from what I have already known. I initially thought you were a quiet person, until how I saw you interacting with your team mates, Qiying and Keldren. Best of luck in your final year studies.

    (Anyway Brad, thanks for taking the effort to get to know our names first hand =)) . It took me by surprise too.

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  8. Hi Priya,

    I have to admit that you did make an entrance when you entered the class, because I think you were the last one who entered the class, and I'm glad you entered.

    You shared cultures in Sri Lanka that I was not aware of. Thank you=) It really feels great when your teacher is able to remember your name because hardly any teacher in NUS really does. Brad did that well, and made his classes more interactive by doing so.

    It was great to have you in class, and I'm sure all of us will be able to bring back fond memories about ES2007S.

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  9. Hey Priya,

    Great post! Thank you for sharing so much of the Sri Lankan culture with us (I used to be so ignorant. Haha). As you embark on your life after graduation, I wish you all the best and I thank you for being such a great blogging buddy and for the warmth and sincerity you exude in communicating with others.

    Cheers!

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  10. Hi guys,

    First of all thank you for the comments :)

    Brad: Looking over the past posts I think I've got hooked onto conveying my opinion through a story but now I will break free of this pattern and try a different style.

    Sze Hui: I have somehow missed EQ but Im glad that you included it in your comments with an example to illustrate. Before this class I would have been clueless about EQ and rely on my friend the "Google".

    Keldren: Every end has a new beginning. Thus, let's make use of this end to continue our blogs atleast!

    Grace: Yep, Brad sure has a good memory. In fact, I wish he'd forget faces especially when I walk in late to classes :P
    I do hope my different views has not offended anyone.

    Qi Ying: Haha Im sure the next time someone says "NEWater" you'll remember me! I'm glad that you liked the way I had started this post. I wanted deviate from the usual.

    Jane: I am glad that my posts havent been completely useless but I sure hope whatever facts you gained from these are accurate and not misleading!

    Nadiah: I have always got that comment that I appear silent until after they have seen me on an unfortunate day when I go boncus! hehe
    I definitely have enjoyed our mini conversations! Even lifts and hallways are good places to master our communication skills ;)

    Hui Xia: No doubt about it. I was the last one to come in on a first class! I am glad that you were able to get some knowledge about SriLanka. However, keep your mind open for different views.

    Once again, thank you all for the comments and I hope we can stay in touch!

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  11. Hi Priya,

    I have always enjoyed listening to the way you talk. It has a very calming air to it, perhaps because of the nice, gentle pace =)

    I agree with the point that you brought up about the fact that this course has not only improved our professional communication but also our personal development! Ever since I take this course, I have been making the extra effort to make sure I am using the right preposition in my daily conversation, the right tense and grammar.

    Last but definitely not least, I really enjoy your presence in the class, Priya!

    Cheers!

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  12. Hi Priya!

    great depiction of what happened on the first day! As I only transferred to this class after the first lesson, your 're-enactment' clued me in on what happened on the first day!

    I understand what you mean when you said you were taken back by surprise. In NUS, at least in the modules I have taken so far, even when it is towards at the end of the semester, the tutor is still unable to get everybody's name. Therefore, I think it shows the effort that Brad puts in by remembering most our names within the first few lessons! It really made us feel that we were important in our class and we are not 'just a student in one semester'.

    Thank you for always sharing your experiences and knowledge! I still remember on the second lesson when you said you felt weird seeing Indian guys holding hands in Singapore as it is not a common thing to do in your country. I didn't realize this so after you made the comment, I actually looked out to see if I could find two Indian guys holding hands!

    By the way, it was always very nice to see you in Coop where we are both queuing to print the notes!! Thanks for lending me your cashcard at times! :)

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  13. Roy: My blogging buddy! You were the first person I spoke to and your friendliness so helped me to get back to earth from complete nervousness! I am glad that I have shared my culture with you but I do hope I didnt share any inaccurate information :)

    Shujuan: *Priya hides her face in guilt* Im glad to have given u a 5min intro of our first class between 10:25-10:30am! :P
    You just reflected my feelings in just a sentence "It really made us feel that we were important in our class and we are not 'just a student in one semester"
    Hey you should check out at mrts those are the places that I have often seen this. Haha! I am so going to miss our chats at the COOP!!!

    Thank you guys for the comments!!!

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