Pie Tries: Getting Fit with Spin Class

Shots of the dim room with neon lights, post-exercise selfies and the cryptic “I spin to eat” food photos, we all know that one friend on Instagram that has made spinning their personality. Known for its clubbing-like experience, spin classes have quickly gained traction in the past few years with more and more spin studios popping up in both heartlands and city centres, heralding in the grand era of Ariana’s Side To Side.

With all the hype surrounding spin, I stumbled into a spin studio (even though I am nowhere close to being one who exercises regularly) after a friend had invited me along as she didn’t want to go for her class alone. I ended up purchasing a trial pack at Sync Cycle at two rides for S$40. This is highly affordable considering that other studios were offering classes from $38 based on the sites I’ve visited and not every studio offers these trial prices as well.

We booked our first class but also panicked after reading the FAQ which stated that there is a minimum height requirement of 153cm (I was standing at 150cm), and we called in to check if there would be any issues. Turns out, if you are too short, you might not be able to adjust your bike to an optimal setting and this can affect your form and harm you in the long run (take note!) Luckily, the staff mentioned that there should be not much issues and we slowly anticipated the day of the class.

Being the worrywart I was, I researched on things to look out for when spinning for the first time, having read articles on girls getting Rhabdomyolysis after their spin class. Tons of artciles spoke on what to look out for but little really went in-depth to what it would be like for a beginner so here I am!

Before anything else, let’s talk about the outfits (I know I was stressed out about this as I did not own a lot of activewear). I contemplated wearing shorts but was told by a friend that it wan’t the most advisable due to the extra cloth that might hinder movement. As such, for bottoms it would be great if you have biker shorts or tights. I borrowed tights from my mom for my class and later got affordable tights from Lovito on Shopee during their flash sale (only S$5~). Honestly as someone who doesn’t exercise a lot, I was not ready to spend another sum on clothes just to go spin so I made do with these. For the top, I paired it with my a cotton shirt. There are also others who wear a tank or a sports bra if you want to have that in consideration as well.

Now on to the spinning, the general rule of thumb is to not overwork yourself especially if you know you’re not the fittest to begin with. Rest and sit your ass down on the saddle if you really need to. From the classes I’ve been to, no one really cares about what you’re doing as they are focused on their own workout so there is definitely no shame in taking a break if you need to. What was really helpful was signing up for a beginner class which includes things like getting on the bike, running through forms, and in general a less intensive workout catered for newcomers to spin. Do note that not all studios work the same and their beginner classes (if available) might differ, teaching styles also differ when it comes to instructors. If you go somewhere and you’re not loving it, I would recommed studio hopping a little before deciding if spin is really not your cup of tea. Another thing to help to calm the nerves will be to arrive early, making sure that you have ample time to set up the bike and get help on that.

From there, all you have to do is to listen to the instructor, follow the beats and bust those moves. As my first class was not geared towars first-timers, I found it a little difficult to keep up with the various moves and was often confused as to what exactly was happening. All I could do was follow along, mirroring the instructor but I know for sure that my form was all over the place. This is why I would really recommend starting with a beginner class especially if you’re a fitness noob like me. Nonetheless, I was able to keep up 3/4 of the time which greatly surprised me considering that it was my first time spinning. This goes to show that yes it is tough but it is not impossible if you include some breaks on the saddle to catch your breath.

One thing that I want to bring to attention is to be careful on where you place your body weight. I leaned forward too much for my first spin and fell forwards on my bike, while struggling to regain balance as my legs were still spinning. No doubt it was a traumatic experience but I was glad I had enough energy to haul myself back up. Not everyone will so do take note and always be aware!

After my first class, I was beyond exhuasted, sweating profusely and legs all jelly. Post-recovery my knees hurt for a few days (which on hindight, I realised was because I was riding at zero resistance) and this problem didn’t persist in my next class. With proper stretches before and after, aches were kept to a minimum. Overall, I always leave class feeling invigorated knowing I sweat which can be extremely refreshing after a day scrunched up in front of the computer.

Other than that, the spin class was mostly enjoyable, I thought I wouldn’t like it because I’m not the biggest fan of clubbing. Another thing I liked was that it provided an avenue for me to exercise as I usually get lazy if I have to faciliate my own exercise session. Now, what I’m excited about is working towards themed rides where the playlist can include songs from your favourite artists. But I’m still making my way, finding safe ground in beginner classes for now.

After my experience with Soul Cycle, I resumed spinning again after a year when a studio, Lumicyle, opened up near my neighbourhood, making it crazily accessible for me (versus travelling to town or wherever else). I tried out their trial class and then signed on package when they had their National Day sales! They are also one of the more affordable studios at S$24 for a trial class and S$20 onwards for a standard class. The only downside to this place is the absence of shower and locker facilities but if you stay in the neighbourhood definitely not an issue (they are at Kovan!).

Now I try to spin at least once a week (though I haven’t gone in two weeks) and what motivates me is the money I’ve spent on it and making sure I clear my classes before they expire. Wish me luck! (The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak)

NM4401: Finishing your Honours Thesis

Before anything else, I just want to say I am proud of you! If you are here reading this, you must be contemplating doing your honours thesis (HT) or in the midst of it and either way, give yourself a pat on the back for even considering the exhausting HT or having survived so far in your HT journey! Instead of the usual module review, I’ll be throwing in some tips (and also kinda like a guide) on what worked for me on my HT journey and hopefully they will be help you in deciding if it’s really for you OR to prepare you for your own HT journey ahead!

First things first, what is NM4401? NM4401 is the module code for CNM’s honours thesis and this is what will be reflected on your transcript and edurec after you have officially signed up for it! Completing your HT awards you with 15MCs, equivalent to x3 level 4K modules. Typically, HT is a submission of a 12000-word research paper. For this post, I will be focusing on the research-based approach as that was the one I completed. However, CNM has recently introduced a second way to fulfil your HT requirements, calling it a practice-based approach. Since it is still relatively new, do look towards resources provided by CNM to decide which would be a better fit for you. Do also note that one of the pre-requisites for taking HT is to complete NM4102, you can also complete the module concurrently while you are doing your HT, though I will advise against this unless you really have no choice.

Yes, I want to write a paper instead of doing 3x 4K modules, what’s next? What’s next is materialising your research interest! What I like about CNM’s HT is that we are free to choose our topics and then find a Prof who is aligned in their research interest. What’s even better is that you don’t have to scramble to find Profs, CNM lets you do a ranking and this helps ensure that you will be guaranteed a supervising Prof! Of course, if you have crossed paths with certain Profs and want them to supervise you, you can also reach out to them prior to the application process as well to ask and let them know that you would like them to supervise you. If you already have a research interest, great! Work towards it and formulate the area of research you want to focus on. If you’re unsure, have a look at your previous work or the things around you that have piqued your interests! When I was thinking about my research topic, I was constantly looking at the things around me e.g. the use of self-deprecating humour, the widespread COVID-19 communications, the use of emojis and what it means to different people, etc. I finally settled on a topic close to heart when a celebrity I really liked passed away, prompting me to look more into parasocial relationships and our relations with the dead on social media.

From there, I read up more into the topic itself and that’s when I formulated a preliminary research topic and “question” that I wanted to answer. Accompanying this was also filling out all the paperwork, re-reading past lecture notes to figure out how to actually properly formulate the initial stages of research, and giving a thorough read through the list of professors. Around week 5 was when I got approval and was assigned my supevising prof and I reached out (or she reached out) via email to set up an appointment! The first meeting was more for sharing of ideas and feel free to voice out any concerns you might have with your prof or any expectations moving forward and what works. It is pretty much a highly self-disciplined pace of work where you set your own deadlines, for me it was up to me to decide when it was time for me to meet my Prof again to share with us updates or new directions in my research. I mostly did once every two weeks or until I had enough progress to the next stage before arranging a meeting with her. For every meeting, it helped me greatly to prepare work in progress decks just to better illustrate my thoughts and also give my Prof a clear indication on the things I was explaining.

Update slide on proposed methodology

On my end, I planned a timeline for myself (see below) or the rough dates I wanted to get portions done, this way I ensured that I was always working on my HT amidst all the other things that were going on like other modules I was enrolled in. Of course, I wasn’t super on scedule but having a rough timeline helped!

Setting of timelines for myself

The next thing to lay out after getting the research topic and methods of the way is to get into intensive literature review, sieving out the information that you might need that will further help you in crafting any reseach methods you have or inform it. This part was honestly confusing for me because you’re going through so much text every day. One thing I found really useful was to use OneNote (see below) to organise my thoughts along with all other things related like To-Dos for HT and guiding points for myself for portions of the research paper.

Main text on the right and the different categories I organised my Lit Revew into

Extremely crucial is to do citations as you go! Just prepare for this as you do your lit review so it doesn’t come back to haunt you. I numbered the texts I read starting from 1 to 56 and would make references to where I got the notes from by numbering the text with the corresponding text (I know this sounds confusing but see below for what I mean!)

Numbering text with (5) which corresponds to:

Citation No. 5

While doing all the lit review, it’s also time to start pondering on your research methods and it’s best to get it settled early because it will require time to get approvals with DERC and IRB dependent on what kind of research methods you’re doing. Again, lots of paperwork for this and forms to fill out. If unclear of anything, the CNM help email is always available to you (lord knows I bugged them way too many times haha). Remember to factor in the time it takes to get all these approvals, you will be unable to start on your research until you get the green light to proceed which can hinder your timeline and progress.

In the end, I went with qualitative research method (because no SPSS lol) and because it suit my research questions better. That’s when I started to collect the data and then (very painfully) analysed them. Of course, I had troubles and was even anxious going through heaps of information, resorting to a strict regime for myself. I literally recall myself doing work in 2-hour or 4-hour blocks through the day starting from 8am and ending at 12am. This was also when I revisited a focus app I was introduced to back in JC — Forest App — which I then used to clock my hours on the things I was doing. Very gruelling but very helpful and hopeful to look at the hours I clocked in for myself.

Time clocked on Forest

With all that, further analysis and organisation of points, I was ready to get started on writing! I already laid the ground doing my introduction, lit review and methodology while waiting for DERC/IRB approvals so that was almost out of the way. What was next was fleshing out my research findings and analysis. Honestly, the writing part is always the fun part for me because you kind of already have everything, you just have to string it into words! On the word count part, I don’t have much advice on this because I usually don’t have issues with going over the limit but how I manage this would be to assign how many paragraphs I want each portion to have beforehand and to have that in mind while I write.

The last step was to get the final draft up, I sent a copy to my Prof for any comments before I final edits to the paper and sealing it all in. That moment was truly a glorious one! Fixing that in, I then worked on making sure my graphs were right, appendices were in order and that citations were all in. What a ride it was right? When it was all done and dusted, I couldn’t believe all the work I had put in either. But it was all really fulfilling knowing I had been able to research into an area of interest for myself and to have somehow placed the fruits of my learning over the past 4 years to work.

If you’ve read this far and are feeling inspired, go get them! The journey is a long and tough one but I promise it will be worth it. I know I said there will be tips but it kinda just happened that they are all strewn in together to be picked up as you read, as I recounted on my own HT journey as well. Nonetheless, wishing you a lovely HT journey!

Pie’s Note: This entry took me way too long to finish. Just been sitting in my draft for almost a year and am happy I’ve completed it (bc I got a break from work). It was nostalgic to look back but also I hope the information I shared is still relevant and not too dated! Wishing everyone luck as you traverse down this road~

CL2281 Review

Translation and Interpretation

Taken in: AY21/22 Sem 1
Expected Grade: B+
Actual Grade: B

From a UE perspective, this module is a good place to spend your time because the workload is not too heavy and there are no prep work needed for tutorials as well! This is mostly a show your face for lecture and tutorial and you are good to go. As such, this is a good add if your semester workload is already super heavy or if you are just looking to SU modules. In terms of academic enrichment, this module offers a very brief and general introduction into techniques that goes into translation and interpretation with a whole lot of storytelling from the lecturer who has been a translator/interpreter for most of his life! However, the only con of this module would be the steep bell curve since it is so manageable, so yes a bit of work and thought is required to score an A.

Lectures mostly talked about techniques or different types of translation and interpretation, and really the tip of the iceberg if you are looking at career options. They mostly move slowly as the lecturer usually injects a lot of his own experiences and stories when he touches on a point. Honestly, I don’t think the lectures are super crucial, you can do without and still get through the module. But, the lectures are interesting for the experiences and stories he share and is a good break from the other modules I was taking. Oh yes! And he lectures in a mixture of English and Mandarin so it’s also a good opportunity to put your mandarin speaking and listening skills to the test. Tutorials consist of interpreting exercises where you will have to interpret a little script + listening to more of the lecturer’s stories! If you are intimidated by the mandarin-ness of everything, don’t be! Tutorials are mostly fun and low pressure, same with lectures!

Assessment-wise, there are 2 major components, a translating test and a presentation on an interpretation experience. There is also class participation but if I recall correctly, you can secure it as long as you are present for all your tutorials! To really score in this class, I think you have to set yourself apart in the presentation (I think that’s where I went wrong). He is looking for a unique interpretation experience VS maybe an everyday experience. Tips I can offer is that if you’re presenting in the later week, you can use earlier presentations as a reference point of what to include. But here are some things he might be looking out for: interesting reenactments, comparison of word-use, revelation of cultural differences that comes with interpretation (e.g. with food). He will share more about his requirements so do listen out for that as well! As for the test, you will be able to do well in it if you study! He will announce the topic beforehand so you can prepare for it. For my semester, it was on National Day Rally speech!

Overall, I don’t have much complaints about this module except for the steep bell curve. It was definitely enriching to be taking a Chinese module, like attending mother tongue lessons again so it is really a breath of fresh air. So yes as a low commitment UE but no if you need an A to pull your CAP up (unless you are really confident in the assessments).

JS2216 Review

Postwar Japanese Film and Anime

Taken in: AY20/21 Sem 2
Expected Grade: B
Actual Grade: B- (SUed)

Yes, just take this module if you like anime, it is worth a shot (and will be fun and chill if you have SUs)! Though, do be prepared because this module doesn’t just cover anime but films as well (it’s a half-half). In short, this is like a film class but with focus on postwar Japanese film and anime — as the title suggests, so there will be the use of film terms and techniques along the way but more importantly the themes of each movie and how they related to the postwar period.

Each lecture focuses on one anime/film with the very first lecture setting the stage and context on timelines and important dates to note that will help us understand the setting of each film better! There are also a couple of readings to do that will help you understand the themes (e.g. symbolism of Tokyo Tower, Japanese narrative of WWII, urbanisation and folklore, etc.) of each film but I did struggle with some of the readings as they were a little hard to understand. It would be helpful to watch the anime/film before the lecture and the titles chosen are mostly interesting (comedies are included!) so just treat it as a break from studying. Not much need to take notes during the show as the lecture will help to breakdown the show for you.

Assessment-wise, there were 2 critical reviews, one group project, class participation during tutorials and weekly lecture quizzes! We were supposed to critically review 2 of the assigned lecture readings and form an argument based on this. I butchered both because I was confused as to what to do and since I found some readings hard to understand. I do not have much advice to give but to consult your TA or the Prof where appropriate. Same with class participation, I was mostly at a loss if readings were being discussed. Nonetheless, it is still enjoyable knowing that others in the tutorial share similar interests with you just stressful when it came to discussion time (for me). The group project was more of a ‘fun’ project where we can choose a film and decide on the medium to present the film in a way that would entice others to watch it. It can be quite some work since it is a creative group project (e.g. video, IG account, travel guide) but it can be enjoyable if your group mates are fun and take it seriously (again, the quality depends on your group mates, pick wisely!).

Beyond the academic urge to do well and score well, I would really recommend this module for anyone interested in Japanese culture and history in general! Learning about it through films is arguably one of the easiest ways to ease into it in my opinion. If you’re looking to get an easy A, I don’t think this module is an easy A and you will have to work for it.

Here are the films / anime we watched:
1. University of Laughs, Dir: Hoshi Mamoru 2004
2. Rhapsody in August, Dir: Kurosawa Akira 1991
3. Sunset on Third Street 1, Dir: Yamazaki Takashi 2005
4. Sunset on Third Street Sequel, Dir: Yamazaki Takashi 2007
5. Welcome Back, Mr McDonald, Dir: Mitani Koki 1997
6. Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko, Dir: Takahata Isao 1994
7. Spirited Away, Dir: Miyazaki Hayao 2001
8. A Letter to Momo, Dir: Okiura Hiroyuki 2011 (my favourite!)
9. Your Name, Dir: Shinkai Makoto 2016

NM4249 Review

Media and Audiences

Taken in: AY20/21 Sem 2
Expected Grade: B+
Actual Grade: A

I loved this module for the topics taught! Very interesting look into media and portrayal of subjects that has once again sharpened my critical thinking (FASS selling point!!). Would recommend this class if you really enjoy or hold some opinions about the local media landscape because the module offers a dive into this. It is more of an academia module so expect the heavy readings that comes with a 4K module and the usual lead discussion for a selected reading as part of assessments.

Each seminar is packed with information and later seminars were filled with presentations from classmates about the readings as well. However, there were some issues with covering the intended topics on time due to the amount of content and there was quite a bit of rushing leading up to the mid-terms to ensure that we have the necessary information needed to write our mid-term paper. Plus points for this class is that the lecturer is very understanding of the difficulties and anxieties that come with class part and allows participation in the Zoom chat box (or from what I recall).

Assessment-wise, there are four major components: (1) lead discussion, (2) mid-term writing test, (3) term paper, (4) group project. The lead discussion is straight forward, present the main points and arguments of the readings and localise it with examples from Singapore, this is done in groups of two or three. The mid-terms requires us to analyse a media text (in our case, a video) and to decode it based on Stuart Hall’s three positions of reading (don’t worry too much about this, it will be taught in seminar). The term paper is a discussion paper centred on an issue brought up in seminar (e.g. I did my paper on prodused content, a new term coined for audiences who are now making their own content, think influencers, Tiktokers, YouTubers). It can be a fun paper to work on if you are passionate about a particular issue brought up in seminar. However, I did struggle a little with this as I wasn’t sure if the topic I chose aligned with what was taught in class. Of course, when in doubt, try to arrange for a consultation with the lecturer! Finally, there is a group project where we had to pick a local media text (be it film, drama or advertisement) and conduct a focus group interview with those who had watched it, to understand how it illustrates certain issues that were surrounding the film. I didn’t have the best experience with my group so it really always boils down to you have to choose your group mates well! If you are not in a position to choose, just make sure that roles are allocated well and everyone is in agreement during meetings before starting on work.

Overall, this module is still pretty manageable to me, in the sense that you don’t have to pay super close attention in lectures (nor do all the readings) to fully understand what’s going on. The only thing that eats into your time are the assessments so you just have to plan well for that. If not, you can let the seminar sit and go about your other tasks if you’re really packed on classes or assignments. Nonetheless, if your interests lie in media texts this is definitely a good module to take!

NM4248 Review

Lifestyle Writing

Taken in: AY20/21 Sem 2
Expected Grade: B+
Actual Grade: B+

I enjoy writing but I do not see myself as a good writer. Therefore, this was one of the most intimidating (to me at least) modules I ever took from selecting it till final submission. Already felt like I would be in for a ride when I read the module description and for once, the description accurately describes what you would be in for. So yes, whatever you have read on lumiNUS is what you can fully expect so if you feel even an inkling of “Can I really do this?” and are now looking elsewhere for other sources to help make your decision, you are at the right place.

On content covered, I felt that seminar content was well planned! Fundamentals in writing like techniques, grammar notes, and style were taught, which would greatly help in cleaning up your writing. The seminars were also planned in a way where as the weeks progressed, content would also align with your submission dates so if you follow through every lesson well and make the appropriate preparations, you will not fall too far behind. Beyond writing, this module also teaches you about pitching your story, so you will learn to understand and identify for yourself what would make a story interesting. There were also breakout rooms throughout the seminar where you would have to discuss what could be done better from a sample text, helping you to learn by example.

All these would culminate into the three writing assignments that would make up the bulk of the your grades – a review, a profile story and a feature story. From the initial stages of planning, sourcing for interviewees and finally doing the writing, the assignments really allows you to put on a hat of a lifestyle writer. But three stories in one semester? I thought it would be tough too but the class all managed to pull through. When it came to grading, the lecturer is strict in marking but he offers good feedback in every work submitted which I feel really helps in identifying the areas you would need to work on.

All in all, amidst the stress of worrying about sentence structures and grammar mistakes in my writing, I still thoroughly enjoyed this module through the new things I have explored thanks to the assignments. Ultimately, if you’re like me and unsure if your writing is good enough, this module would be a good place for you to practice or to discover if writing is for you. If you’re already good at writing and want to build on your writing samples, the assignments are a good way to boost on your current writing portfolio!

HY2253 Review

Christianity in World History

Taken in: AY20/21 Sem 1
Expected Grade: B+
Actual Grade: B

If you’ve ever been curious about the place of Christianity in world history or interested in like olden / medieval times history, this is truly the mod that will place you at a starting point for all of that, offering you a glimpse of world history across a very broad timeline from BC to the 2000s today! Ultimately, it is a starting point because only so much content about each time period can be covered in 13 weeks but I think the Prof does a good job in sieving out the important events.

Every lecture is like an interesting and long storytelling session, I would say the Prof is pretty engaging so its easy to follow the lectures! The topics we engaged were always interesting so I dutifully attended all the lectures even though they were recorded. Although, I did feel a bit of disconnect between lecture material, tutorials and the assessments, in the sense that I did not know how to connect learning points and channel them into my assessments.

However, the problem for me came when it was time for tutorials and the continual assessments. For tutorial, there would be a reading to do and some questions you would have to prepare for. It is important to prep for the questions so that you can engage in class part! At the beginning, the tutorials were still alright and pretty fun but gradually the sources became harder and harder, and I struggled quite a bit with it in terms of understanding what it was trying to do or say (but of course it could just be me…).

As for assessments, owing to COVID-19 there were no finals but instead 3 take home assignments across the span of the semester with the very last assignment being like a final paper. The first assignment was to imagine yourself as a character from a time in history and write an essay based on the character. Different scenarios and characters were provided for you to choose from! This was fun because it was more of a creative piece of work. The second assignment was a reaction piece, like a critical review, on one of the readings from the module. As mentioned, I struggled with some of the readings so I struggled with this but word of advice is to consult the Prof or TA and try to clear your doubts with them and making sure you are on the right track. The final assignment are the typical statement argument essays and I hustled hard for this essay but finished it in confusion. I am unsure how to advice but I would say pick a statement you have strong opinions about so that it helps when you frame your argument!

At this point, if you’re intimidated, please keep in mind I am not a history major which could explain why I’m a little out of it with this mod. Resources were definitely robust and the teaching team were always enthusiastic to offer consultation sessions as well so you will not be alone in the journey. For me, content alone makes this module a good selling point (especially as a UE) if you have always been interested in religion and in particular Christianity (and you can always keep your SUs for this)!

NM4228 Review

Crisis Communications

Taken in: AY20/21 Sem 1
Expected Grade: B+
Actual Grade: B+

Another one of the more practical job-related-ish module that CNM offers giving you a look into crisis communications which is one of the facet of public relations. Managing crises is pretty important considering each organisation is likely to face a crises of some sort in their operations (e.g. COVID-19), and the handling of crises is important to manage reputation and stakeholders. As such, I would say this mod is a good module to take on as part of the PR track.

Lectures were sharing of theoretical concepts and case studies of crisis management, the Prof was someone who had many years of experience in the industry so it was also good to hear from her about her experiences. So think like NM2219 but more in depth into crisis communications itself. There were also breakout room sessions throughout the seminar where we had to discuss certain issues that were brought up in lecture e.g. how should the organisation have done certain things better. All these being said, the Prof that taught this module was a guest lecturer so there could be a chance that other Profs take up this module and do something a little different instead.

Assessment-wise, there were 2 individual assignments, 2 group components consisting of writing a media address as a group and a group project where we had to formulate a crisis communications plan. Additionally, as with all 4K modules, there is also class participation where answering questions asked during the seminar would score you points. The workload of each assignment wasn’t too much, I would say they are pretty manageable and able to be finished in a few days (or even in a day if you really sit down and focus) but you have to plan your time well considering that these assignments and group projects are spread evenly throughout the semester.

Overall, if you have taken other PR mods like NM2219 or NM3219, this module definitely builds on what you have learnt there, reinforcing practice on writing press releases and formulating communications plans. Through the group project, it also adds something for you to talk about if you are seeking work/internship in crisis communications but do not have real-life experience (I think la, but it’s also about faking it till you make it sometimes right). Additionally, if you don’t want to overload yourself with too many CNM academia mods, this is a good accompaniment because less readings and easier to understand vis-à-vis the communication theories in other NM mods as well!

NM4102 Review

Advanced Communications and New Media Research

Taken in: AY20/21 Sem 1
Expected Grade: B+
Actual Grade: A

This is a research module just like NM2103 and NM2104, so be prepared to do a research project with a group. It used to be one of the graduation requirements for all CNM students but (ding ding ding!) it is no longer compulsory for everyone but only for those who are intending to take Honors Thesis. So yay! If you are still pondering over Honors Thesis, this will be a good refresher and a good (but small) exposure to what working on a thesis will be like. Of course, for it to act as a refresher, I do recommend for you to take it a semester before you apply for your thesis (as in like in Y3S2 because you apply for your thesis in Y4S1) to make a more informed choice on whether thesis is really going to be for you.

On to the specifics of the module, lecture content was on research methods and ways of collecting data which is similar to NM2103 and NM2104, even the textbook used is the same as NM2103’s textbook so from this you can probably tell the overlap in content. What makes this module more advanced is really the three research papers assigned each week for us to read and to submit questions on as preparation for possible class participation for the lead discussion which will be done in pair work. There were also mini exercises along the way to help us understand the different data collection and analysis process better. So it really is a refresher course and a necessary one because most people have forgotten about what we have learnt in NM2103 and 2104. Especially crucial is refreshing your knowledge on SPSS if you intend to do qualitative analysis for your thesis so do pay attention to lectures on those! (Zoom uni wise, it was extremely difficult to follow through the SPSS lessons so I referred to my old notes from NM2103 quite a bit as well)

For assessments, there were mid-terms, a lead discussion presentation, group research project and presentation, along with class participation which included in-class exercises. The most challenging one was definitely the group research project from formulating a topic to the whole execution and writing itself. Thankfully, I had really great group mates who were super on the ball so there was a lot of fun and laughter while we slogged through the project. Constant check ins with the Prof are definitely useful to make sure that you are on the right track and not straying so that would be my advice into writing up a coherent research report. The other components are relatively easy to score in if you prepare for it well and put effort and thought into it.

Overall, I really have not much complaints for this module because I did thoroughly enjoy it and it gave me the confidence to take on Honors Thesis too (though now that I’m preparing for HT… ughhh). Yes take it if HT is in your consideration but if not just steer clear and take on another 4K mod of your interest because that will be more worth it!

Pie Tries: Making Lunch for a Week

Work has started for me and I’m growing a little tired of the food options around my work area. So I figured why not I just prep my own lunches and bring them to work (yeah by a week I really mean 5 working days)! This way, I can save on time spent going out to takeaway and effectively save a little bit more time of my lunch hour to idle about.

This is a fun and big deal for me because I enjoy cooking (even though my recipe range is limited) but I also love sleeping (I would have to get up earlier to prepare my meals). So I’ll be logging down the whole process and my thoughts throughout (just like a wannabe cosmopolitan article about trying something; that I love reading) from the planning to the buying of groceries down to the cooking and eating!

Sat myself down and started thinking to write down the different meals I will be having for the next week along with the ingredients I would need. Pre-planning what exactly you want to cook is probably helpful because I feel there simply isn’t time on the day itself to think about what you really want as you might not even have what you want to cook stocked up at home and there just isn’t time to run out to grab it. This prep phase has actually made me more excited about the foods I will get to it in the upcoming week (so check 1: mood lifter).

After buying the groceries I needed, I went back to portion everything, cutting the meats and vegetables beforehand so I didn’t have to do it when it was time to cook. Also marinated the meats I wanted to marinate and stocked them all in the fridge! I didn’t manage to get everything I wanted in the end because there were some meats out of stock at the supermarket so I might end up only making 4 meals in the week. We’ll see.

Sunday Night

Made a conscious effort to have an earlier night instead of my usual doing god knows what so that I’ll be energised in the morning!

Monday

Alarm started to ring and I was already regretting this a little. But okay, got myself up from my bed and headed to the kitchen to start prepping my meal! I was making pasta salad today so it was just some boiling of the pasta together with an egg, pan frying chicken breast, topping it off with cherry tomatoes and then putting everything together. In that one hour of preparation, it really brought me out of my sleepy daze and made me more awake (check 2: it gets me ready for the day by perking me up!).

I was also super excited for lunch time to eat my own food! Poured in roasted sesame sauce to go with all the ingredients and it was pretty filling (check 3: I also had more time to idle instead of wasting time travelling out to eat). One of the downside is that I have to eat cold food (no microwave at the office), I do prefer hot foods more so this is one thing that gets to me.

Pasta salad with roasted sesame sauce and leftover tofu

Tuesday

Ended up not cooking today because I was going to work at another location and thought it would be nice to try the food there. But it ended up raining so we ordered in anyway. Guess this would make up for the lack of groceries I have to make 5 days of lunches!

Wednesday

Woke up with full force again to prep my meal. (Check 4: It lifts my mood tremendously just by getting to make food). Today’s meal was more fun because I was making tomato-based pasta. Something I tried out previously (instead of using the standard Prego sauce) and super loved! Sizzled the tomatoes with some garlic and blended them together in a blender to make the tomato base and threw in some chopped tomatoes on its own to add to the texture of the sauce. Pan fried some bacon to go along with the pasta along with a hard-boiled egg (that I tried to slice nicely but failed).

Preparation of my own food makes me more excited than usual for lunch time! Heated up the sauce in one of those mini plug-in pots that was available at the office for a warmed up lunch (yay!) Thoughts so far is that I really love that own personal space I get when I eat my own prepped lunch as opposed to having to interact with people (albeit limited interacting of ordering food) and deciding what to eat for the day.

Tomato-based pasta with bacon and egg

Thursday

After hump day, the fatigue of the week just gets to you. Snoozed my early alarm today and decided to give today’s meal prep a miss… (I know, I hate myself too)

Friday

After yesterday’s defeat, told myself this shouldn’t happen again. So I managed to spring myself out of bed and also because it’s friyay! Cooking my marinated meats today so not much prep on my end, just gotta pop things into the oven and air fryer. So I baked my marinated drumlets and air fried sliced up potatoes and bacon for a western-style ish kinda lunch to celebrate Friday. Topped it off with cherry tomatoes for that extra bit of health amidst the fried foods.

But, when lunch time rolls around, I realised that it probably wasn’t good idea to prepare fried food because my food has become soggy after being kept in the lunchbox for some hours. It still smelt great so it was enjoyable but not as enjoyable as fresh out of the oven/air fryer taste (yes I tried some in the morning because the smell made me hungry and it was super crispy then).

In the end, I only managed to make lunch on 3 out of the 5 days. Overall, it does feel nice to prep your own food because it makes me feel like I have some control and fun in the mundane and typical 9 – 6 job. Some might feel that it is a hassle to prepare food on top of having to work (I mean yes for me on some days) but on that 3 days I prepared food, it was a lot of fun for me!

However, it is quite tough to plan meals to eat if you like eating different variety of foods. For me, I don’t usually mind so I planned it around the same foods so it makes grocery buying easier as well. You would have noticed my ingredients are pretty similar each day – mostly cherry tomatoes/tomatoes, hard boiled egg, chicken for meat and the consistent use of fusilli for my pasta option and some switch ups here and there.

On an additional note, I do have some uncooked food leftover and to try to finish cooking whatever I bought, I will be trying to get to my fourth meal for another work day!

Honey drumettes with fries

A random work day

After a few more mornings of not being able to get my lazy ass to cook away my leftover ingredients, I finally got down to it one fine morning. Baked some salmon and paired it with non-spicy aglio olio (I don’t know if I can even call it this) which consisted of pasta cooked with cherry tomatoes, red and green bell peppers and garlic. I was pretty excited to make this one because it’s actually the first time I’m trying it and it was pretty successful!

When lunch time rolled around, I really enjoyed my food a lot because this is the first time I have cooked dry pasta that isn’t overly dry without sauce. But, my salmon was a little on the dry side (probably overcooked it a little in the oven). Feelings of productivity and fulfillment of being able to get up and cook really makes the day feels different.

Aglio olio with salmon

Bonus sharing

Also just wanted to use this post to share about my latest favourite drink. Okay so backstory: I seldom drink coffee but when I do I usually order it black or with soy milk because I don’t like the taste of milk. So mostly it’s black coffee or I would choose not to drink it since black coffee can be bitter too.

But, I visited this quaint little cafe, back in Hsinchu and they actually had Yuzu Americano on the menu! Ordered it and absolutely loved it because the yuzu really complimented the black coffee well (okay just a disclaimer I know nothing about coffee and the knowledge behind it).

So I tried to replicate it by mixing those yuzu concentrate that comes in jars at the supermarket with an instant kopi-o kosong (black coffee with no sugar) pack and I was so happy that it tasted good and like the one I had in Hsinchu! I now make this drink when I need a little pick me up in the morning (yay to new creations!). So, just wanted to share this here so anyone interested in the taste can try it out too!

Instant black coffee with yuzu

Mostly just wanted to share about my cooking life because it’s really something I enjoy quite a lot hehe. Thank you for tuning in! (this has been in my drafts since JUNE)