(Video: TheSmartLocal)
Video to show Temasek Polytechnic food outlets.
Hello fellow freshmen! Are you excited for the next phase of your academic journey? You are not alone, your peers are certainly feeling overwhelmed and apprehensive too.
One of the best memories you will have will be living the polytechnic life: stressing over submissions, eating cheap and delicious polytechnic food, embarking on exciting adventures with new friends, and, of course, learning various new things everyday. However, the starting of your journey may leave you feeling confused and lost, thus here are five pointers that every freshman should know:
1. Laptops are absolutely necessary
Forgot to bring your lecture notes or textbook? No problem! A laptop allows you to access any lesson’s content. In tertiary education, most of your school work will be done online. A laptop is convenient for doing projects with your group mates, and for storing downloaded lectures and tutorials that you can refer to. You can access your grades, study from home, and submit your assignment online! It is essential to own a laptop. You should also take the time to familiarise yourself with your laptop, so that you can be more attentive and save time during lectures or tutorials.
Tip #1: Polytechnics have an IT roadshow where they sell laptops at affordable prices.
Tip #2: Check which laptop is most suitable for your course on our Temasek Polytechnic (TP) website! https://www.tp.edu.sg/student-life/an-elifestyle/byod#tab2
2. Familiarise yourself with your timetable
Unlike secondary school, your school days will now start and end at different timings. Some of you might even end as late as 6 pm! Your new timetable may be confusing as your classroom venue constantly changes with every class.
It is extremely important to familiarise yourself with your timetable as you would not want to be late for classes. Some teachers may strongly emphasise on punctuality, and even a minute past your designated class time may result in your teacher marking you late. Thus, you should be aware of where your designated classroom is and how long it takes for you to walk there.
Tip #1: Set your timetable as your phone wallpaper.
Tip #2: Most polytechnics have an app where you can access your timetable from your mobile device. (E.g. TP has an app ‘TP Student’ which has the One Service feature. This app allows students to check their timetable, report campus facilities, check their grades, and other various school services)
3. Try not to pile up your work
Assignments and projects contribute to your grade point average (GPA), so it is important to never pile up your work. You should never leave your work to the last minute and rush to meet the submission deadline. Not only will it put an enormous amount of pressure on you, but it will also affect the quality of your work. Furthermore, if you are working in a group, it may also affect your groupmates’ results! Once you are assigned a new project or assignment, plan and set aside time to meet each and every one of the project specifications.
Tip #1: Laptops have a sticky note feature. Make use of this and note down your submission deadlines or things to do.
4. Visit other school canteens
It is lunchtime, and you are starving. But wait! Instead of going to your usual lunch place, why not switch it up? Take a five-minute walk to another canteen. Know that you do not necessarily have to stick to the same food from the same canteen; switching it up from time to time makes breaks a more enjoyable affair. Especially for students with long breaks between your classes, this may be your chance to try out food that may not be sold at your school!
For example, TP offers 12 food outlets, including four food courts, three F&B outlets, three cafés and one restaurant. That is a lot of food to choose from! Besides, it may be a good chance to burn a few calories at the same time.
Do try your best to check out the many canteens within TP once the circuit breaker is lifted. It will be guaranteed to put you in high spirits and fuel you up for class!
Tip #1: You can choose to forgo using cash, opting for cashless payment options such as Paylah! and so on! However, it is always a good idea to keep a few dollars in your wallet in case of unforeseen circumstances.
5. Dress fashionably
Coming to polytechnic after the circuit breaker is lifted means that you are free to dress yourself up however nicely you like. Your dressing will give others a glimpse of your personality, and might possibly attract those who have a similar fashion sense as you. Go with styles that make you feel the most comfortable and confident in. During your polytechnic journey, take time to explore new styles that you might be interested in! However, ensure that you dress appropriately, not just for yourself but also for others around you! Your attire should be presentable for lectures and tutorials. You can refer to the visual below as a guideline.
Tip #1: You can plan your outfit the night before so that you can get a few more minutes of sleep!
By: Lim Lek Suen & Dylan Tan
