POST MORTEM as of Nov 2006

It has been about 2 months since classes started, and about 2 months left before the end of semester. As such then now is around the mid-semester. I have been through 1 exam in Semiconductor, 1 exam in COCO and 2 exam in Analog. All the exams were not up to the standard expected and a long due report is expected. Starting with COCO, it is supposed to be an easy subject but without thorough READING of the textbook i failed to grasp the basics. I realized that I have not read the book thoroughly, understanding each concept presented but rather flip through all the pages thinking that oh they are all easy. Guess I was wrong when they discussed the exam in the lecture. All that was asked in the quiz was the basic stuffs that we should all know in order to progress in the course smoothly. My resolve is to read the book again with all the free time i have. The only problem i have is discipline on myself. I tend to waste time doing things i shouldnt do. I spend too much time in front of the monitor looking at things not beneficial to me. So unless i can refrain myself from doing things that waste all my time, I should go out and work! Work not in the case of earning money but to work in terms of studying, revising and reflecting. But too much reflecting and no action does not do anything. I must be strong inside out. Hopefully by writing I have let out the thinking in my mind that deserve to be heard and to be seen.

Analog exam - 1st exam was a disaster. I never really read the textbook. The textbook in fact is very good at explaining materials we covered in class. Little that I know but when i try reading, i am beginning to understand the gist that was explained in the lecture. My 2nd exam was nothing to be proud of. The preparation was better than previous but i think i screw up while doing the test. To imagine that i used more than half an hour just to answer one small part of the section that only worth 5 marks makes me feel dumb. It is obvious that i am not efficient. Next morning after a fine good sleep i realize what i can do when facing with the situation when i am blank and stuck in answering circuit related problem:
1) take a deep breathe
2) open my eyes widely to see if there was any trick in the question
3) look for parts in the circuits which can neglected as an open or short circuit
4) move on first if nothing seems to work
5) the longest time i should spend when in blank state in 5 MIN.
6) now after doing every possible questions go back to the unanswered and repeat step 1)