A Journey Beyond The Logical Mind

Salam to all.

Today is Kak Ida's Convocation Day! Yeay!! She is now at the Dewan Milennium, Kepala Batas to become the official Politeknik Seberang Perai's graduate.

Which reminds me of my own Graduation Day at MJSC Langkawi~ Do enjoy some of the photos of that special day.

Senate Members of MJSC Langkawi 2007.
Students of all states unite, bearing the name Infineight!!!

My teddy~ (and the flower from ....) MJSC Langkawi's Top three~ Nadia Ghazali, Adilah Amil, Manissa Sufian (so proud of you girl!)Roses dedicated by my friends. =) Thanks!Me, Eisya (my badminton buddy), Jue (Roomate+Classmate),and Aishah (Roomate).

Salam to all.

First of all, thanks to Kay ay for answering my question. (though it makes me more puzzled now... why that thing happen? why cannot be like that?? what? why? waaaaaaaaaaaa<--I am in the state of confusion.) [To kay ay: Aku dah agak dah ko akan beat aku dalam 'How many countries can you name in 5 minutes~]

Secondly, thanks to Nadzirah, for bringing all the sweet memories of Almashoor to me. (And also write a nice story about me~ wahaha<-- perasan diriku famous)

Thirdly, I am PRICELESS. That thing that says my cadaver will worth $5700 is so not true. I mean, like Manissa once said, that thing on my teeth <--braces, will definitely add up the value of my cadaver, right? RIGHT??

Okay, now we shall move on to the main point of this post.

A few days ago, these conversation took place. [It's okay if you didn't understand this]

Mummy, mimi nak bawak camera pegi sekolah boleh tak??
Kalau tak penting, tak payahla..
Tak pe, mimi jaga elok elok.
Aiyo mimi, kalau mummy reluctant nak bagi mimi bawak, baik jangan bawak... nanti hilang~
Jangan la cakap hilang!
Don't say that I didn't warn you ah???

As you can (or cannot) see, my mother (purple) is somehow not encouraging my sister to bring THE camera to school. But my sister (blue) said that she will take good care of the camera, and so, she disobeyed my mother. (btw, mine is the green one)

I am not a very good daughter, to begin with. But one thing that I strongly hold on to is the Hadith by Rasulullah which means, 'The Blessing of Allah is in the blessing of the parents' or in Arabic, 'Redhallahi fi redha alwalidain'. <--correct me if I'm wrong.

So, if my parents said No or a bit unwilling to allow me to do something, no matter how I protested, I will not dare to do it. For example: I was offered to go for a camp to represent my school, a very interesting camp indeed, but my dad said no. (his reason being, what if something happen to the bus? or what if someone drown? etc...) And so, I did not go.

What do you think will happen to the camera?

Of course, my sister was careless somehow, and now the 'high-tech digital camera worth more than a thousand ringgit' is lost~

Lesson #1 : Always, Always listen to your mom and dad.

Lesson #2: Always take good care of other people's things.

Lesson #3 : Things happen for a reason.

Lesson #4: A wise person learns from his/her mistake. A wiser person learns from other people's mistake.

Why Are You Still Single?

My Result: Don't Want To Get Hurt

Ever heard the expression, "Once bitten, twice shy?" You can probably relate to this, can't you? Your last relationship may have left you a little raw in emotions, and the memories are likely still fresh in your mind. Fresher than you can sometimes believe. With a hurt like that, you're probably not so eager to enter the drama again — and we can't say that we blame you. You may be so afraid of getting hurt that you take things to heart big-time when you're involved with someone — after all, you've been hurt before, why can't it happen again? You also may be guilty of comparing potential mates to your ex who may still constantly loom large in your mind.


But maybe, just maybe, it's time to check your baggage at the door and let a new person into your life with a clean slate. You have a lot to offer someone, but you can't do it when you have one foot firmly planted in the past.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=singleogt&c=50652

Salam to all.

Just ignore this one okay?

Salam to all.



17

Salam to all.

Yesterday, as usual, I watched E.R on Hallmark. (Oh My God! I just love Dr. Carter sooooooo much (except for the part that he is such a playboy!) Never mind that, he got nice hairstyle~ Wahaha!) Then, I changed the channel to AXN, as I wanted to continue my medical drama marathon.( E.R, House MD, House MD for three hours straight)

During one of the (long) commercials, I accidentally switched to Hallmark and spent a few moments there to see if the movie on show was interesting enough. And yes, it was interesting.

The Triumph tells the story of a young teacher, Ron Clark, his students and how he bravely took up the challenge to teach his classroom full of brats. And no, I'm not exaggerating it. His students clearly did not show the slightest respect for him, and far from acknowledging his presence in the class. Oh God, if I were to be in his shoes, I would just walk out of that classroom and straight away type my resignation letter, like all the other teachers did.

But being a very dedicated teacher, Mr. C (as what one of the students called him) did not explode. He calmed himself down. Then, he imposed rules for his students. Like

Rule #1: We are family.

Of course, the students did not bother to listen to him. To them, rules are meant to be broken~

But rules weren't the only thing that they break. There was this fateful day when Mr.C walked into his classroom to find the wall written with 'Go Home Mr. Clark', 'We are NOT your family'...etc..etc and the whole thing was as though it was hit by a tornado. My, was he shocked.

The next day however, was the students' turn to be shocked. Mr. C had transformed the 'tornado-hit classroom' into a livable classroom again, all on his own, and acted as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The students did not expect this at all.

Mr. C realised that his students are different. So, he used a different approach; instead of punishing his students for not listening to him, he punished himself if the students are actually keeping quiet during lessons. What he did was, if the students can be silent for 15 seconds straight (if I'm not mistaken) while he was teaching, he will drink a pack of chocolate milk. True to his words, he drank nearly a dozen packs and for the first time, his students were actually learning! (his students fought really hard to zip their mouth, as they couldn't resist the chance to witness their teacher puke in front of them should he drink too much milk~ Unfortunately to them, he did not puke)

He also tried to be closer to his students by joining them playing double dutch during recess. He made a deal with Shameika; he learns double dutch from Shameika and her friends and in return, they must learn something from him.

With the exam (similar to UPSR I suppose) nearing, the pressure to excel intensifies, but that pressure was only felt by him. The students still did not show enough interest in studying, let alone having the thought to do well in their exam. Again, he tried a new approach, this time it's personal. One example that really touched my heart was his visit to Shameika's home. He went there to assist Shameika with her essay, but was surprised to see her totally occupied in babysitting her three small siblings.(cooking, cleaning and all those stuff) Upon returning home, Shameika's mother was furious with Mr. C and brought the case to Principal Turner.

To cut the story short (I need to have my lunch, as I skipped breakfast today), the result of the exam was out, and the principal himself came to the class to announce it. After all their hard work, the class produced a totally unexpected result; results that are even better than the Honour's class'. And everybody was happy! Shameika was awarded Best Student in English and Mathematics for getting perfect score in the two subjects.

This movie was based on a real life story. The thing that made this movie so special was the value that it emphasised; You Should Never Give Up.

A must-watch to all. (I am looking forward to watch 'Love's Unfolding Dream' and 'Sacrifices of the Heart'). Also recommended: Gracie's Choice.

Salam to all.

TAGSTUFF :

Instructions: Remove 1 question from below, and add in your personal question, make it a total of 20 questions, then tag 8 people in your list, list them out at the end of this post. Notify them in their chat box that he/she has been tagged.

1. What are you craving now?
Sleeping under the stars.

2. What was the last movie you've watched?
Er.. White Chicks for like, the hundredth time already! Best la!

3. If you were to be stranded on a deserted island, who are the 3 blog buddies you would take with you?
Manissa: I just love talking to her!
Amii: She will create useful medicines. Note: she's a pharmacist-wannabe.
Nadzirah: My trusted advisor.

4. Where is the place that you want to go the most?
Mekah.

5. If you can have 1 dream to come true, what would it be?
(Amii wants a time machine, so I think I can just borrow it from her~haha!)
*thinking*
*still thinking*
I want to fly.

6. Do you believe in seeing a rainbow after the rain?
Of course. Though it doesn't happen everytime.

7. What are you afraid to lose the most now?
My faith.

8.Where are you off to after this?
Kitchen. To grab a snack.

9. If you meet someone that you love, would you confess to him/her?
Oh God, I've came across this question already. And my answer remains the same: NEVER! (Because the thing is, I tend to fall easily for nice guys with nice hairstyle. Wahahaha!)

10. List out 3 good points of the person who tagged you.
I've been tagged by three persons, mind you!
Manissa: Caring, Active, Reliable.
Amiirah : Bubbly, Focused, Trustworthy.
Qyairil: Responsible, Dedicated, Cool.

11. What are the requirements that you wish from your other half?
I don't REQUIRE anything. I just accept him for who he is, whoever he may be~
(As long as he is a devoted Muslim, and err.. have nice hairstyle?<---is that a requirement? Hmmmm.. I guess it is.. Wahaha!)

12. Which type of person do you hate the most?
Same as Amii; backstabber.

13. What is your ambition?
I want to die as a Muslimah Neurosurgeon. (Note: It takes a very very loooooong time to become a neurosurgeon. Am I really ready for this? Oh God!)

14. If you have fault, would you rather the people around you point out to you or would you rather they keep quiet?
Do point it out in a nice way,please? Thank you!

15. What do you think is the most important thing in your life?
Money?
*not really, though being a billionaire does make me happy in a few ways, haha!*
Friends?
*nods head*
Family?
*without doubt*
Islam?
*absolutely*

16. Are you a shopaholic or not?
For clothes, yes! But I'm very picky with my choice of clothes..

17. Find a word to describe the person who tagged you.
Manissa: Sweet. Get me?
Amiirah: Panda. Don't get me? Ask Kay Ay.
Kay Ay: Lalala~ (Waahahaha! Me and my evil laugh)

18. What will you do when someone faints in front of you?
Call 999.

19. What makes you different?
Nobody has the same DNA as I am?

20.Why are you doing this tag?
Three persons tagged me already, so I must do it. I looooove doing tagging thingy!

Now, this tag goes to:

Sis Yazmine

Nadzirah

Syazana Omar

Wawa

Farah Hanisah

Najah

Iqbal

Fikri.

Happy tagging!

Salam to all!

Yeay! After sooooooooo long, Nadzirah finally made herself her own little site in the blogosphere.

Congratulations Nadzirah! You deserve a standing ovation!

Some infos about Nadzirah:

1. Ex-Student of KISAS (formerly known as Kolej Islam Klang).
2. Ex-Student of AIGS (Almashoor Islamic Girls School of Penang).
3. My best friend!!!!!!
4. My closest competitor in exams during our schooling years in AIGS (Form 1 - early Form 4).
5. Will never have a boyfriend because her dad is as strict as my dad. (Sorry you guys, wahaha!)

Note: The Internet is a very fun place to learn and get to know other people. But don't forget to keep personal details to ourselves. It's a wild world out there and not all people are nice~ (A note to myself and all my friends!)

*What Can We Learn Today*

CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheet.

CSS Tutorial and More!

Enjoy!

Salam to all.

Okay, from now on, my posts will include a new segment called *What Can We Learn Today?* (If I am in the mood of doing so~). Why am I doing this? Well, just so that my dad won't describe my blog as *useless~* and *just a big waste of time*, in addition to *boring*.

FYI, Dr. Fadzillah Kamsah said that through his research, he found out that if a child resembles his or her father, that child is more sensitive towards his or her father's action and words.

And I couldn't agree more. (Note: According to many people, my face is like my dad's.)

Does this makes any sense at all? Yes, if you ask me.

*Finish rubbish-talking*.

What Can We Learn Today? (No.1)

Morocco's capital is Rabat.

Answers.com's List of Capitals by Country

Salam to all.

I can't help but feel very very silly lately. I have done tonnes of things that seems to be right at the moment I was doing it, but after thinking about it later, what I did was sooooo foolish.

Life is back to normal.

And normal means: at home all day, watching tv when appropriate, eat whenever possible, solat when the time comes, running to the bathroom when nature calls, sleep when forced to, playing computer in between those activities, replying text messages, calling Manissa or Amiirah or Faiz when in seriously boring mood, annoy my lil brother, get 'fired' by my sister, talking to mom and dad, and complimenting lunch.

My dad commented that I have such a BORING blog.

Dad, I wouldn't be having such a BORING (no people, I'm not exaggerating this word by spelling it with capital letters, it is just that my dad emphasised on this word when he describes my blog) blog if I have an abnormal day, say, working, go out with my friends, or learning how to drive maybe?

You know what?

I've been to Selangor twice in the last 30 days and I haven't got the chance to meet up with my friends (except saying hi to Manissa, Marni, Fitri and Kay Ay last Wednesday. And it's just a hi. No time to talk talk and eat eat...)

Yes, Dad, I think my posts are rather boring too~

Salam to all.

It was so beautiful, for a city that is. The traffic was not as congested as I expected. I was admiring the beauty of Kuala Lumpur, from the window of level 9, UniKL.

My name was called.

'Panel 14 ye.'
'Hmm. Okay, terima kasih'

I walked down the hall. Nervous? Of course!

I knocked the wooden door that stood in front of me.

'Okay, masuk..'
'Assalamualaikum'

....

(These were the conversation that took place between me and the two interviewers. They are not 100% accurate as I just wrote what I remembered)

'Awak dari mana?'
'Penang'
'Oh, Penang ye? Sekolah mana?'
'MRSM Langkawi'
'Oh, kenal tak sorang budak yang dari Langkawi jugak tu?'
'Err.. Rahael ker?'
'Rahael? Ye la kot..'

'So, was your result consistent?'
'Yes.' (Perasan~)
'Siapa lagi hebat? Awak ke Rahael?' (Oh my God! At this time, I was like.. Huh???)
'Err..'
'Ke sama saja?'
'Ya, sama saja~'

'Hmm.. Why do you want to do medic?'
'I want to do medic because I have passion in medic... bla..bla..bla.'
'Do you like business?' (The question is somewhat like this)
'Of course I do. I joined the PUM.... bla..bla.. My PUM represents MRSM in the National PUM Convention 2007.. '
'Who won the National PUM Convention?' (Oh my God! Man, I totally forgot!! I was like cursing in my heart~)
'Err.. I kinda forgot because everything is mixed up inside my head.. And I got confused between the 2007 convention and the 2008 convention~'
'Awak ni macam tak ambil kisah saja?'
'Err..'
'Company mana yang jadi your mentor?' (Mentor??? PUM kitorang mana ada mentor?? Kay Ay, syarikat kita ada mentor ke?????? Aku tak tau pon!)
'Er.. Kami tak dak mentor..'
'Mana boleh tak dak? Ada penasihat kan?'
'Memang kami tak ada mentor. Penasihat ada. Selama ini, kami hanya minta pandangan Guru Penasihat dengan senior kami sahaja, sebab diorang lagi hebat~'
'Tell me what is your position in the PUM'
'I am in the Management team. We were responsible for grouping... bla..bla..'

'Where do you see yourself in 10 years?'
'After finishing my three-year service for the government, I plan to specialise in Neurology....'
'Why Neurology?'
'I find the brain very fascinating... bla..bla..'

'Sekarang ni penyakit apa yang paling banyak kat Malaysia?'
I don't know what I was thinking, but suddently, I just blurted 'Cancer?'
'Then why are you not specialising in Oncology instead?' (Oh God!)
'Er.. because many people are doing Oncology already????'
(Giler la~ I've never felt so stupid in my life!!!! However, this is just the start of more stupid answers~ Just wait and see)
The interviewer shook her head, and I'm feeling lower and lower with each passing minute.

'Have you ever heard of the Prader-Willi Syndrome?'
(This is the funny part. I don't think the interviewer expected me to know this~ I guess this is the 'Killer Question'. But you know what? I was not killed by this,I was killed by something everybody would find easy instead)
'Yes. It has something to do with your Hypothalamus...'
'Yes, have you ever seen one?'
'No, actually I saw it on CSI~'
'Oh. I've seen one in Malaysia. It is very rare actually, one in a few hundred thousand maybe...'

'Have you ever joined first aid society?'
'Yes, I joined the PBSM'
'Oh, so can you perform first aid then?'
'Yes' (Yakin giler, haha~ Padahal tahu bubuh plaster jer)

'Why Ireland?'
'Because Ireland is the best.. bla..'
'Of course! Awak tanya budak medic kat Russia pun dia akan cakap macam tu.. '
'Tapi..' (I was pronounced 1/4 dead)

'Awak boleh bagi contoh doktor yang graduate dari Ireland kat saya? Dr. Sheikh Muzafar tu dari Manipal. Dr. Jamilah yang MERCY tu dari Malaysia.. Dari Ireland siapa?'
'Er.. jiran saya sedang belajar medic di Ireland...' (I am half dead)
Sheet.
'Budak Ireland tak nak balik~'
'Diorang tak patut buat macam tu...'
'Janji-janji manis mu~'

'Kenapa Ireland? Budak medic kat India boleh pegang cadaver sorang satu. Budak Russia blajar setahun je dah boleh bedah mayat.. '
'I agree. But I still want Ireland.'
'Lagipun India, diorang kata diorang good in dealing with tropical diseases, which is more relevant to us.. Awak ada nak cakap apa-apa?'
She asked that because at that time, I was so speachless. I've done my homework but I guess it's not enough. My head was just as blank as a sheet.

Tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuutttttttttttttt. I am so dead. But that is not the end.

'Apa latest issue about Medic?'
'Erm.. there was the Autism Awareness Week... bla.. it was actually not understood by many.. bla.. bla..'
'Yes, Autism.. Anything else,besides Autism??'
'Errr.. Aedes?'
'Yang tu dah lama dah..'
'Tapi, sekarang kes ni dah meningkat balik..'

'Apa lagi latest issue?'
And I was toasted in a hot oven like a toasted bread. (???)

And I can't remember in detail what happens next. Next thing I knew, I was leaving the interview room with another Salam~

Oh God! I just leave everything to You right now. I've done my (not so) very best, and I am hoping for the best thing that could ever happen to me. Oh Allah, I put my trust in You....

Salam to all.

This is why.

Robert Graves, William Stokes, Dominic Corrigan and Sir Peter Freyer of Galway stand out among an impressive number of distinguished Irish Medical Scientists of the 19th century.

The name of Graves is associated with overactivity of the thyroid gland, Graves disease;

William Stokes and his colleague, John Cheyne, described Cheyne-Stokes respiration associated with terminal illness;

Stokes and Robert Adams described an abnormality of the heart known worldwide as Stokes-Adams syndrome, and Corrigan's pulse is associated with disease of one of the heart valves.

Peter Freyer, physician to the Nawab of Rampur, brought into common use the operation of Suprapubic Prostatectomy.

Perhaps the most important contribution however of these world renowned figures to Irish Medicine was, for its time, a revolutionary new form of medical education whereby students were instructed at the bedside of the patient. This type of practical bedside teaching is carried on today in modern well-equipped hospitals and academic departments where it is combined with thorough instruction in the structure and function of the human body and in the scientific basis of disease. It is this combination of medical science and clinical expertise that makes Irish University Medical education a world leader.

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Salam.

So, the JPA students can celebrate and enjoy the rest of the err.. holiday?

MARA's will have to struggle this week.

To all of you guys *and girls of course*, all the best!

Just be confident!

*Man, it sure is easier said than done. I'm sooooooooooooooooo *gulp* unprepared la weyh!!!*

To make matters worse, I watched ER just now.

And er.. (I hope the interviewer are not reading this, whoever he or she may be~)

I'm scared!

Salam to all.

Wondering why I'm not writing for so long?

Well, I've been busy~

For future doctors-to-be,

Click Here!

Salam to all.

This post is gonna be both informative and boring. It's up to you to make the call.

First, no, my interview is not on the 9th of April 2007. Apparently, my brain takes a while to register that we are now in 2008 and no longer in 2007. Sorry for any inconvenience caused (I bet most of you didn't even notice it, right? Haha!).

Second, Amiirah gave me this VERY VERY USEFUL link last night. It is about a person's experience of the MARA interview. Seriously, after reading that particular post, I felt sooooooooo unprepared, which is the last thing I would ever want to be, knowing that my interview is next Wednesday.. Next Wednesday?????? Waaaaaa! mau pengsan ooo!!! This is the link. Leokid's Interview 101

Third, I want to share what I've got. I stumbled upon this site,Interview-Oxford University Student Union. Useful, it sure is. But it's kinda long and there are some infos that are not directly related to us. That is why, I'm presenting the summary of that gainful article.

(Note: You refers to readers and me)

Okay, let us start from the beginning, shall we? Why are we interviewed in the first place?

The interview process is designed to assess your academic potential, giving the tutors a valuable opportunity to meet you in person, discover how you think and decide whether or not they’d enjoy teaching you over the coming years.

Note that the word used is Academic POTENTIAL. They are not looking for Academic 'High Acheivers' or a 'Know-It-All'. The interviewers are searching for that fiery spirit in you, your deepest interest, your extreme thirst for knowledge, and your willingness to study both hard and smart. They wanted to see whether or not, money is well spent on you.

Although you might think that your past exam results would somehow influence their judgement (let us say that your result is just barely above average), I believe that if you are given an interview, that means they have seen the potential in you. The interview is just to prove whether they are right or wrong. And of course, if you wanted to get that scholarship so badly (like in my case), you will definitely have to PROVE THAT THEY ARE RIGHT! My views is supported by this statement.

Oxford tutors want students who display enthusiasm for their subject, along with a natural flair and ability. They’re not looking for applicants with an encyclopaedic knowledge of all the textbooks they’ve read, nor people who won’t be any fun to teach.

See?

Moving on to how to prepare for the Interview.

One of the best ways to prepare for an interview, and demonstrate an interest in your subject, is to read widely from lots of sources.

There you have it. The key word here is Interest. Once you have it, you would do everything for it. A doctor-wannabe, I am ultimately psyched when I am watching a medical television program (eg. ER, House MD, 3lb), reading articles on common diseases (provided that the article is not too boring), and when I am on my way to see a doctor. But interest alone is not enough. Yes, I watch almost all episodes of House Season 3, but still, it would be rather useless if I didn't take some time to do a little bit of research about the illness highlighted, right? You get what I'm saying? (This is extremely a no-no phrase during an interview)

This is especially important if you are applying for a course not normally studied at school or college so that you can show a little bit of background knowledge (you won’t be expected to have a detailed understanding of specific or technical topics). It’s good practice to take a critical view of the ideas and arguments you encounter, not just when reading, but also in school, college and the media.

Before we all go for the Interview, it would be neccessary to practice first.

This gives you some experience in talking about yourself and your work, and constructing arguments in an unfamiliar setting. Good people to ask include a teacher or someone else familiar with your subject, but preferably not someone with whom you’re very friendly.

It would be valuable if we could get the feedback from others so that we could improve our performance during the real thing. Ask them to be frank and sincere with their comments, although it will be a good idea for them not to use harsh words as it could kill that little confidence we have.. And pretend like you don't know each other... If you're alone, you can always practice with your reflection in the mirror..

One thing to keep in mind is:

If you submitted any written work as part of your application, re-read it, thinking about how you could expand upon what you wrote. Look over your personal statement again. Both of these may be discussed in your interviews, and you’ll do a lot better if you can remember what you originally said.

The interviewers would find that you're not serious with your application should you give a totally different answer during the interview right?

Finally, think about obvious questions that are often asked at the beginning of an interview to help you settle, and how you might answer them.

The question that they will DEFINITELY ask includes:

1. Tell us about yourself.
2. Why MARA and not JPA?
3. Why medic and not biotech?
4. Why Ireland and not Australia?
5. Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
6. How would you contribute to MARA?
7. Are you single? (soalan ini selalu ditanya Ucop di Group GPSM dan saya yakin seyakin yakinnya soalan ini takkan ditanya~)

Tick, tock, tick, tock and the interview is nearing. What to wear????

You don’t need to wear smart clothes to interview, and there’s no advantage to wearing a suit. The best clothes are ones you feel comfortable in – after all, you’re being judged on your mind, not your fashion sense!

I couldn't agree more. Comfort is what makes you feel good with yourself. If that new baju kurung makes you feel itchy here and there, no matter how good it looks, throw it away (not literally of course!). The same goes for shoes. If that Crocodile high heels that you just bought makes you unstable (With a high possibility to make you fall flat on your face), don't wear it. Simplicity is THE concept to adhere to. Keep your tudung styles simple and neat, no need to lilit lilit your tudung~~ It is not advisable to try something that you're not familiar with, no matter how tempting it seems.

It's normal to feel nervous, cuak, gabra and other words similar to those three. I mean, we're humans right? What makes us human, if not our emotions? The key is to be prepared, mentally, physically, and of course Spiritually.It's easier said than done, I know. To make it less stressful, try:

1. To make a trip to your place of interview, so that you can plan which route to take, take note of any landmark so that you're not lost on that fateful day, know the nearest restaurant for you to eat (because I guess all of us might not have the appetite to eat before the Interview right? At least, I didn't, on the day the SPM result is announced, haha~ And after that, I am as hungry as a wolf. Thank Allah, Fitri, Kay Ay and Skud are excellent chefs~)
2. Know what to wear and do a full dress rehearsal. Don't forget to iron them.
3. Keep rehearsing your answers (provided that you have done your research and all). Make sure that your points are not contradicting each other.
4. Take deep breaths.
5. Solat hajat. NEVER underestimate the power of prayers!
6. Call a friend, have a chat to ease the tense.
7. Be nice to your parents.

Jeng,jeng,jeng! The interview is today! Waaaaaaaaa!

Tutors will want you to be yourself and demonstrate your skills and abilities during the interview.

If that is what they want, let's show them what we've got! Yeah!! Zikir 'Ya Jabbar' as much as you can, InsyaAllah, it will help to ease the Interview.

They’re not trying to trick you or catch you out, but rather to see if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your course (this is largely for your own good, as three years of hard work on a course you don't enjoy can be a miserable experience).

That's a total relief right? To know that they are not there to eat us or doing something much worse. Haha~

They’ll ask you questions about your subject and questions that will help them assess you as a candidate.

Remember, they want to prove whether they are right or wrong in seeing the potential in you earlier in the episode. Let us all show that we DO have THE POTENTIAL, alright?

In science subjects, you could be asked factual questions. The tutors will tend to want to stretch your knowledge, and may focus on topics of which you have no experience to see how you respond to new ideas.

SOALAN MAUT!! What to do?? I suggest you read the post by Leokid, to get an idea of how to tackle deathly questions. I'm sooooo impressed by the way he did that!

You probably won’t know the answer to everything you’re asked. If your mind draws a blank, allow the tutors to guide you if necessary.

It could be that you didn't understand the question or whatever, it's okay to ask the interviewer to repeat it. Be POLITE. (Note to self!)

There are rarely simple 'right' or 'wrong' answers; instead the questions are designed to encourage you to think for yourself and develop an argument.

See? They want you to ARGUE with them! Argueing can be fun, but again, be POLITE in stating your views. Keep in mind that your manners are being scrutinized every single second. If they don't like you, you're in trouble~

Remember to be yourself and ask for help if you need it.

Key word: Be Yourself. Be polite at all times, especially when asking for their assistance. NEVER say 'Haaaa??'. Say, 'I beg your pardon' instead. (Note to self, lol!)

The tutors are assessing your ability to learn in an Oxford environment. Teaching in Oxford is centred around small classes and tutorials, and tutors will want to make sure you respond effectively to this style of learning.

The key word is respond effectively. Effectively doesn't mean quickly. Take your time to figure out the best and unique answer, but don't take too long~ Make each answer show your good qualities, but be careful not to exaggerate.

Clarity, along with concise and relevant arguments, is all-important in these situations, as is listening carefully to tutors’ questions.

Make sure that your voice is just nice, not too soft and not to loud. Don't let your nervousness make you speak faster or slower than usual. Just, be yourself! A person once said 'If you are not being yourself, then who would?'.

Tutors are looking to see whether you can explain what you do know, and whether you can work your way through new problems or argue your position.

Be firm with your stand. The interviewers are DEFINITELY trying to belittle your judgement. Whatever it is, don't bow to them!! Be mentally prepared to be bombarded with various tactics to make you question your own judgement. They have a reason for doing it. They wanted to see how you can hold on to your beliefs, with all these pressure pressing hard on you. It is a way to simulate how you would have reacted in a similar situation when you go overseas. They want to send students who are mentally strong, able to fight negative influences and able to stand up to values they believe in. Eg. Islamic values.

Tutors may be interested in how you currently balance your studies and other activities.

Be different in stating your answer. Focus on your strength and find ways to manipulate your weakness into your strength. Sometimes, even if you just did a small part in something, the unique and engaging way of you explaining your involvement will make it look like something big. Trust me.

Blue: refers to the article.

Black: It's me talking to myself.

Keywords:

• Be Prepared.
• Be Early.
• Be Polite.
• Be Yourself. (note that Be Polite is above Be Yourself.)
• Believe in Yourself.

I think that is all for now. FYI, I've been doing this since 8.30 in the morning and now its nearing 1.20.. (But I stopped once in a while to check on Friendster.. They're having this competition.. The person with the highest post count will win~ Whateverla!)

Note: D.O.A. = Dead On Arrival.

Salam to all.

Alhamdulillah, I am given the chance to go for MARA's interview.

Date: 9th April 2007.
Place: UniKL, Kuala Lumpur.
Time: 1000 hours.

As far as I know, Manissa, Qyairil, Fitri, Aizat, Aina, Marni, Neenai, Skud, and Shef get that too!

All the best you guys!

Anyway, getting that interview means LOTS and LOTS of work to do.

List of things to prepare for the interview:

1. Resume *must update*
2. Rearrange certificates.. *Aiyo, dah lupa la susunan dia macamana.. Help!*
3. Baju Kurung.. and a matching tudung.. *Nak pakai colour apa ya?*
4. Shoe, must polish *high-heeled! OhmyGod! Harap-harap tak terjatuh.. That is why I'm not a model...(except masa Hari Kerjaya tu! Hehehe!!)*
5. Solat Hajat marathon. *okay, okay so it's not a marathon.. Cuma solat hajat everytime after solat fardhu (except Subuh and Asar)*
6. Do a self-check. *identify strength and weakness, find solutions to weakness, know my own principles*
7. Complete the form *don't worry, form tu belum sampai lagi*
8. Do whatever MARA ask to do. *photostate certs, take photos, etc...*

And the MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL:

Find more and more information about:

1. IB and A-Level. *I prefer IB. Why IB and not A-Level? Hmmmm.. must do advance research!*
2. MARA's organisation. Their objectives, the Board Members, the Pengerusi, the Pengarah so on and so forth...
3. Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, UK, India, Indonesia, Poland, Czech Republic. *sebab MARA sponsor student medic ke sana. MARA will definitely ask 'Why do you prefer this country over that?'. So, need to prepare! And get the basic idea of each country like: The Capital, the currency, the exchange rate, the population, the language spoken, universities offering Medic that is accredited by JPA and MARA, the cost of living, the life there, what's so special about it, where is that country on the globe... etc..
4. The current advancements in Medic, both in Malaysia and the World. For example, the latest surgery technique or latest invention... Must at least know about IJN (Institut Jantung Negara), Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia..
5. Current issues in Malaysia and Worldwide. *ni yang paling masalah skali, isk, isk* Apapun, kalau dah malas sangat nak baca paper, boleh check out www.tv3.com.my Ada arkib Buletin Utama yang lepas-lepas.. Boleh dengar dan tak payah baca paper.. Haha!!

Do check out my blog from time to time yeah? InsyaAllah I will post something useful now that I have this big project coming next Wednesday.. I'm so psyched!