Data analysis

Tomorrow, will be closing my surveys. I have enough respondents I think... 

Yesterday, met with my SV for data analysis and next week, there will be another meeting. I feel OK even though I suspect some results will not go as I expect (that's kind of normal, right? You just have to play with the data and provide the proper interpretation)....

We are also busy tying up loose ends. I can't believe we are almost saying goodbye to the place we have called our second home for the last five years. It's been bitter sweet; I've met unhelpful and rude people, but I have also met sweet and kind people along the way. It's been a learning experience and I don't regret any of it. I might have done a few things differently but... 

Hence, this chapter is almost ending. And I am feeling sad, but also excited... It's time to settle this and embark on another journey.

First semester: a review

The first semester is over, and I think it went OK! I am a perfectionist, so this is hard for me to say! :-P He he he he. I got 3As... one of it is an A minus. I think for that subject I did not speak much (comparatively) and my proposal was not too good (OK, it kind of sucked!), hence the slightly below par results. I am taking a new subject with the same instructor next semester so I am determined to go one step up!

Anyway, it's good to know where my weaknesses are so I can improve on them. I do need to get involved more and I do need to speak up more. There were instances where I missed some sessions organized by the grad student association (i.e. other people's thesis defense) so I need to improve my time management so I can attend these sessions as they are rather useful.

This semester I feel was more of an adjusting semester; to get to know the instructors and my classmates as well as to get a feel of what's coming, and to judge where I am. I am glad that my classmates turn out to be a very helpful and self-less bunch! I am told this is a bit out of the ordinary, (it doesn't happen in all graduate schools) and I am indeed fortunate. :-) Or maybe I lucked out a bit in picking the grad school? Its very important to pick out a grad school that has the right environment for you. I knew early on that I did not want to go for an Ivy league (bukan layak pun he he he he) but wanted one that was small and not intimidating, but yet could give me the right guidance and right amount of competition. I think I picked the right grad school for me. :-)

On the whole, it's been a pretty good first semester; my education in Malaysia might have been slightly different but the four years in IIU served me well, and I think it did help me! Hope that next semester will be just as good, if not even better. Semester will commence on the second week of January, so at the mean time, I'm going to enjoy my winter break!