His Perfect Plan

For my med school mates and I, exams are coming up in a week, and most of us are busy preparing for it. No one in med school wants to take the "Supps" (colloquial term for supplementary exams), let alone repeat Year 2. Everyone's basically looking forward to going to JB next year for our clinical attachment at the GH there. Let's not forget those in other courses who are also in the same predicament as well (and are often stereotyped to have a lot less to study compared to us for that matter). Anyhow, regardless of the amount of studying or books required to be read by each faculty, the feeling and aura here at Monash is mutual. Some (if not most) of the Monashians here have already felt or experienced pre-exam jitters, wrestling to keep both their private and professional personalities in check. Time management and prioritizing are of utmost importance during this critical period of the year!

Somehow, being caught up in all the hustle-&-bustle of preparing for both the written examinations and OSCEs (our practical examinations) has led many of us to abandon our usual routine of daily living. Packed lunches and dinners or ordering food into the university has been the norm for many students who stay back late into the night just to mug. In extreme cases, some have even skipped eating during their regular mealtimes or have given up on exercise temporarily. I even know of some students who haven't slept in days!!

On a more personal note, I've given up many of my usual activities just to fit in more study time into my already busy schedule... the one most worth mentioning is the spiritual aspect of it. I have to admit, lately I've been a little distant from God, giving up going for 365 for a month already, as well as not attending the occasional Prayer Meeting (PM) on some Friday evenings. I've even skipped my weekly Cell meetings a couple of times already. Don't worry or get me wrong, I'm not backsliding or anything of that sort. I still attend the Sunday services every week and do my regular Quiet Time. It's just that the pressure to do well for the finals has somewhat clouded my judgement and got the better of me at times.

For me, worshipping God has been one of the most enjoyable parts of going for spiritual meetings like 365 and PMs, but as mentioned earlier, it has not been done as often as before lately. When they say that things just somehow fall into place when you believe that God has a plan for your life, you'd better believe it! Somehow today, while studying, I felt God prompting me to attend PM. This took place when I was studying with a bunch of people in Monash. One of them was my close friend Suyin, who reminded me to put God first when she knew that I was contemplating whether to go for it or not. Despite having that internal struggle (due to what seemed like a never-ending pile of texts to read for the exams), a voice inside told me to go for it and reminded me to trust God. Thus, my mind was made up... I took that leap forward and decided to attend it tonight.

But for those who think the story ends here, it doesn't.

So, the story continues... After dinner, Yin & I headed for PM in my car. But alas, the jam at the Summit area on the way to church was a "killer". Upon seeing the long lines, and somewhat clusters, of cars, we both knew that we were going to be late for PM, and somehow predicted that worship would be over by the time we arrived in church. We were right. It took us literally 45 minutes just to get out of the massive jam there and arrive in church.

However, 2 good things came out of this during the jam.

(Always be optimistic & look on the bright side, Tim!)

The first: We got to sing along to some of our favourite worship songs in my car, from time to time. Just singing out loud in the car together reminded me of the simple truth that worshipping God didn't only mean that it had to be confined to a religious building like the church. What mattered was where our hearts were at that time, and whether we meant what we were singing.

"If you can't bring yourself to the place of worship, you bring the place of worship to you!"

The second: We both got to have this really long chat that we had not had in what seemed like eternity =) ... Sigh, blame it on exams! Talking to her had always been fun, with that occasional inside joke here and there, and this time was no different. I also appreciated her occasional opinions and insights that got me to think twice about certain things, especially when she told me that Arts students at Monash had just as much work as their Medical counterparts there with their assignments and reports.

"Thanx a bunch, Yin!" *hugs*

All in all, despite arriving late, today's PM was meaningful in more ways than one. Our senior pastor spoke on something that went something like, "If God calls you to accept 5 offers, don't just accept 1. Take them all! Be fruitful and multiply!" It was also good praying together with familiar and friendly faces during this divine appointment, praying in particular for Project Hebron & the Eagles' Dialysis Centre (EDC). In addition to this, we also got to hear a church member's testimony, who casted out a demon in the name of Jesus, a joyous occasion in the house of God which received a thunderous, resounding applause after it was shared. After PM ended, I had the opportunity to also catch up with friends from 365 whom I had not seen in a month or so.

Hence, it can be concluded that today was a productive one: academically, spiritually, socially, mentally, and now physically (gonna do my work-out now).

All glory be to our Lord God Almighty, author and perfecter of our faith!!

Soli Deo Gloria,

~Tim~

Everyone's a Citizen of Procrasti-Nation! [Part 2]

I know some (or most) of you peeps are waiting earnestly for the continuation of my previous post. Over the past 7 days or so, you probably checked back here more than once a day to see if I've updated my blog, but did you realise that you were procrastinating in the process? =p Sad to say, blog-hopping and mindless Facebook-profile-stalking are just two examples of the common procrastinator's habits. =D Thus, *drum rolls*, I've prepared some strategies to help you combat your procrastination tendencies. However, before we get there, you need to know how you procrastinate... because it can be tough to tell when you are doing it. Too often, we don't even realize that we are procrastinating — until it's too late.

How do you procrastinate?

• Try to ignore the task, hoping against hope that it will go away?
• Over- or under-estimate the degree of difficulty that the task involves?
  
• Minimize the impact that your performance now may have on your future?
  
• Substitute something important for something really important? (For example, cleaning instead of studying or doing your assignment(s).)
• Let a short break become a long one, or an evening in which you do no work at all? (For example, claiming that you are going to watch TV for ½ hour, then watching it all night.)
• Focus on one part of your studies/assignment(s), at the expense of the rest?

Create a productive environment.

• Find a place to work where you have at least half a chance of actually getting some work done.
• If you have a laptop computer, try going someplace where you can't connect to the Internet (e-mail and the Web are the bane of the procrastinator's existence—as you probably already know).
• If you are a procrastinator, then chances are you are already pretty exasperated; don't risk frustrating yourself even more by trying to write in an environment that doesn't meet your needs.
  
• Consider when you will write. When are you most alert? Try to schedule writing time when you know you will be at your best.

Break it down.

• The moment you get the assignment (ideally), or shortly thereafter, break the writing assignment up into the smallest possible chunks.
• This is the concept of mind over matter i.e. the paper never has a chance to take on gargantuan proportions in your mind

Get a new attitude.

• Changing our attitude toward the task, when possible, may go a long way toward keeping us from procrastinating.
• Tell yourself that the task isn't so bad or difficult, that you either know how to do it, or that you can learn how while you're doing it.
• Start early on a particular assignment; simply starting to write can often help us feel more positive about writing.

Ask for help.

• Get an anti-procrastination coach: from the supportive people in your life. Tell someone about your writing goal and timeline, and ask them to help you determine whether or not your plan is realistic.
  
• Get an accountability buddy. See if you can find a friend to work alongside you.
• For assignments, get help with your writing if you think you are a weak writer. Ask someone (a Writing Center tutor, a current or former professor or teaching assistant, a friend) to help you improve.
  

Get unblocked.
Sometimes, we procrastinate because we feel "stuck" when studying a particular subject or when working on a particular section of an assignment. If this happens, you have 2 options:

• Write the easiest part first. You don't have to start at the beginning. Whatever section you can do, do it! If you think that's wimpy, and you would rather do the hardest part first so that you can get it out of the way, that's fine—whatever works for you. If you start writing and you get stuck, write about why you're stuck.
• Talk it out. Try tape-recording yourself speaking the ideas you want to include in the paper, and then transcribe the tape.

Get some fresh air to clear your head.

• Personally, I take occasional walks around Monash in between studying or doing assignments whenever I feel the need to; be it for the change of scenery or the fresh breeze available outside the med lab/library.
• Exercise frequently or as often as you can!
  

Leave your work out

• Keeping your work (books, notes, etc.) physically out, in full view, gives you a reminder that you are either need to study, are in the middle of an assignment, or both.
• The fact remains that you may also need to start doing work.
• Also, if you write in more than one shift, it can be helpful to leave off in the middle of a paragraph and leave your 'tools' where they are. When you return to the paper, you'll be able to "warm up" by finishing that paragraph. Starting a new section cold may be more difficult.

That's all I'll leave with you folks for now. Rest assured that if requested by popular demand, I will write Part 3. =) Till then... tata & take care!

p.s. All the best to those sitting for their exams in the next few weeks!! It is a critical period of the year for all Monashians especially, so STOP procrastinating people!! Finish all those dreaded assignments and study to da max!!

~Tim~

Everyone's a Citizen of Procrasti-Nation! [Part 1]

Everyone procrastinates. We put things off because we don't want to do them, or because we have too many other "more important" things on our minds. Putting things off—big or small—is part of being human. Some of us love the rush of adrenaline we get when we finish an assignment 10 minutes before it's due. Still, there are those of us who love staying up late into the night with the intention of finishing that major report due at the end of the week, but we never really got started on it. Truth be told, you (and your body) are getting tired of pulling all-nighters. You feel okay about procrastinating while in college and university, but you worry that this habit will follow you into your working life.

You can tell whether or not you need to do something about your procrastination by examining its consequences. Procrastination can have external consequences (you get a zero on the paper because you never turned it in) or internal consequences (you feel anxious much of the time, even when you are doing something that you enjoy). If you put off washing the dishes, but the dishes don't bother you, who cares? When your procrastination leaves you feeling discouraged and overburdened, however, it is time to take action.

If you think you are a hopeless procrastinator, take heart! No one is beyond help. Procrastination is a habit that has some specific origin, and it is a habit that you can overcome. However, there are no quick fixes... you aren't going to wake up tomorrow and never procrastinate again. But you might wake up tomorrow and do one or two simple things that will help you finish that draft a little earlier or with less stress.

You may not be surprised to learn that procrastinators tend to be self-critical. So, as you consider your procrastination and struggle to develop different work habits, try to be gentle with yourself. Punishing yourself every time you realize you have put something off WILL NOT help you change. Rewarding yourself when you make progress WILL.

Taking the time to learn about why you procrastinate may help you avoid the cycle whereby you promise yourself that you will never procrastinate again, only to find that the next time you have a paper due, you are up until 3 a.m. trying to complete the first (and only) draft—without knowing why or how you got there. Some of the reasons that people procrastinate include the following:

Because we are afraid.

• Fear of failure: If you are scared that a particular piece of writing isn't going to turn out well, then you may avoid working on it in order to avoid feeling the fear.
  
  
• Fear of success: Some procrastinators fear that if they start working at their full capacity, they will turn into workaholics. Since we procrastinate compulsively, we assume that we will also write compulsively; we envision ourselves locked in a library or personal workstation, hunched over the computer, barely eating and sleeping and never seeing friends or going out. The procrastinator who fears success may also assume that if they work too hard, they will become mean and cold to the people around them, thus losing their capacity to be friendly and to have fun. Finally, this type of procrastinator may think that if they stop procrastinating, then they will start writing better, which will increase other people's expectations, thus ultimately increasing the amount of pressure they experience.
  
  
• Fear of losing autonomy: Some people delay writing projects as a way of maintaining their independence. When they receive a writing assignment, they procrastinate as a way of saying, "You can't make me do this... I am my own person." Procrastinating helps them feel more in control of situations in which they believe that other people have authority.
  
  
• Fear of being alone: Other writers procrastinate because they want to feel constantly connected to other people. For instance, you may procrastinate until you are in such a bind that someone has to come and rescue you. Procrastination therefore ensures that other people will be involved in your life. You may also put off writing because you don't want to be alone, and doing written assignments is often a solitary activity. In its worst form, procrastination itself can become a companion, constantly reminding you of all that you have to do.
  
  
• Fear of attachment: Rather than fearing separation, some people procrastinate in order to create a barrier between themselves and others. They may delay in order to create chaos in their lives, believing that the chaos will keep other people away.

Because we expect ourselves to be perfect [this one applies to me =)]

Procrastination and perfectionism often go hand in hand. Perfectionists tend to procrastinate because they expect so much of themselves, and they are scared about whether or not they can meet those high standards. Perfectionists sometimes think that it is better to give a half-hearted effort and maintain the belief that they could have written a great paper, than to give a full effort and risk writing a mediocre paper. Procrastinating guarantees failure, but it helps perfectionists maintain their belief that they could have excelled if they had tried harder. Another pitfall for perfectionists is that they tend to ignore progress toward a goal. As long as the writing project is incomplete, they feel as though they aren't getting anywhere, rather than recognizing that each paragraph moves them closer to a finished product.

Because we don't like our writing.

You may procrastinate on writing because you don't like to re-read what you have written; you hate writing a first draft and then being forced to evaluate it, in all its imperfection. By procrastinating, you ensure that you don't have time to read over your work, thus avoiding that uncomfortable moment.

Because we're too busy.

Practical concerns. No elaboration required here.

Because it works.

Unfortunately, procrastination helps reinforce itself. When we avoid doing something we dread (like writing) by doing something we enjoy (such as watching a movie, hanging out with friends, etc.), we escape the dreaded task. Given such a choice, it's no wonder that many of us choose to procrastinate. When we write a paper at the last minute and still manage to get a good grade, we feel all the more compelled to procrastinate next time around.

In my next post, I will write more about procrastination and what you can do (and should do) about your procrastination tendencies, which can be applicable now and in the future. Hopefully, I will not procrastinate and delay the process myself! =p

p.s. Btw, check out the "Procrastination Flow Chart" that I "extracted" from my fellow med school mate that I posted on Facebook here! Enjoy!!

~Tim~

Phantom Bonds

Science can explain how a glass filled with solid ice only can just dissolve into water when left out in the open. At the same time, that same glass of ice will remain in the same physical state when it is placed in a freezer. The outcomes in both scenarios are all dependent on one thing, the environment. Those fortunate enough to be bestowed with scientifically-inclined minds would know that this physical phenomena, the alteration of physical states between matter, is merely a change in molecular bonding because of the change in the surrounding temperature. This example is just based on a combination of basic fundamental science and applied common sense, and I emphasize BASIC here.

The truth is, human bonds, a much more COMPLEX entity altogether, is derived out of love for another human being. It is seemingly harder to grasp, and some say that it's hard to comprehend the full extent of what they call the greatest feeling of all. Yet at the same time, it's funny how relationships and friendships built over months and years can just change in a matter of days and weeks. In the blink of an eye, the human affection between two individuals can just change and disappear forever. In a heartbeat, all the sweet, uncountable memories shared between friends, lovers, and even family members, can be erased by the bitterness of frail and tense misunderstandings. When that happens, most people would 'suddenly' develop inflated egos and live in denial by saying that it wasn't their fault and that they did nothing to jeopardize the relationship or friendship.

However, if you were to experience the situation above, you should be asking yourself the following question instead, "Is this bond between you and this other person worth saving?"

~Tim~

FEATURE: Fat Theology

And God populated the earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow vegetable of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

And Satan created McDonald's. And McDonald's brought forth the 99-cent double-cheeseburger. And Satan said to Man, "You want fries with that?"

And Man said, "Super size them." And Man gained pounds.

And God created the healthful yogurt, that woman might keep her figure that man found so fair.

And Satan brought forth chocolate. And woman gained pounds.

And God said, "Try my crispy fresh salad."

And Satan brought forth ice cream. And woman gained pounds.

And God said, "I have sent your heart healthy vegetables and olive oil with which to cook them."

And Satan brought forth chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter.

And Man gained pounds and his bad cholesterol went through the roof.

And God brought forth running shoes and Man resolved to lose those extra pounds.

And Satan brought forth cable TV with remote control so Man would not have to toil to change channels between ESPN and ESPN2.

And Man gained pounds.

And God said, "You're running up the score, Devil."

And God brought forth the potato, a vegetable naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition.

And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fat fried them. And he created sour cream dip also.

And Man clutched his remote control and ate the potato chips swaddled in cholesterol.

And Satan saw and said, "It is good."

And Man went into cardiac arrest.

And God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

And Satan created HMOs.

p.s. Btw, check out the updated jokes section in the column on the right for more laughs! =D