HBP Freshman Orientation

On 23-25 July 2010, the HBP 10/11 Freshman Orientation is held on. On the first day, we are divided into 16 groups and I am the group no. 3. We discuss together about our group name, logo, cheer and trademark. Our group’s name is Orange which mean fresh. On the same day night, we started our presentation on our product of discussion.

group presentation on 23rd July night.

Second day, one of the activities we carry out is campus walk. We are bring by the seniors to walk from our school of HBP back to the same place. The places that we pass through include school of arts, school of chemistry, school of physic, USM International and so on. We are told to snap a picture of monument along the road we take. What I have been snap is the product done by art students which located at the back of school of arts. Every product have their own meaning and background story. Although I do not know what the meaning but I know that is the hard work for them.

Last day is our GETTHO Dinner. Our group have performance on title 'together'. We decided to have an act on short drama. I have been practice with my group members but unfortunately I fall sick on that night. Therefore I fell very sorry to my group that I can't take part with them. However I still gave 100 percent support to my group! We are always together!

Man-Made Structure

On 23rd July, I have undergo a new experience which never been done before in my life. I get assignment that day to make a bamboo sound tool (BST). I just can remember that I have been use a saw when secondary school in kemahiran hidup class. However, it not so tough because only involve small piece of wood. This time, I have chance to do such a hard work with my friend.

First, we borrow saw from our HBP bengkel then we walk until the road side near the tasik to cut the bamboo. Based on my physic knowledge, I decided to make a music instrument which play on different water level. I cut the bamboo into different height then tie it together with string. An opening is left for each bamboo parts to fill water. Therefore, different height of water level we get different pitch of sound.

Below is what my BST looks like:

Video recorded from my BST:




After finished work, we need to sketch out our BST and write about it.

Below is my final product:

At the end, I learn more by experience it and do it myself rather than study from book.

Bamboo Sense

On 23rd of July, we have been given a task to describe what you 'see' , what you 'heard' and what you 'smelled' from given pictures in RUS101 studio. We need to made lists of sense words regarding the form, space, light, color and texture.

Below is wordle that I made:

Natural Structure of Bamboo

On 19th July, we gather at the Taman Rekreasi USM just near my hostel (Restu) to have a practice on rapid sketches. From this activity, I realize that I still need more practices because I cant finish the sketching within the time given. After that, we need to find out the bamboo and to sketch it as our assignment. The main aim is to study the structure of bamboo. We are in six person form a group to find out the bamboo. However, we try very hard and spent lot of time to search it. We still successfully to finish our sketches.

Below is the final product that I have been done:

What I Heard

Before getting started, I briefly introduced myself, my name, Saw Wan Ting, taking course architecture in University Sains Malaysia (USM), Pulau Pinang. I come from Taiping, Perak.

Yesterday, 12/07/2010, Monday, I have my first lesson (course RUS 101) in my first semester. Started from 9.00am, we have been in E48B, our studio. Mr. Wan Burhanuddin has been given us a talk which mainly contain 2 parts. First we discuss about the APEX University and then, the concept of 3P.

Before this, a very interesting question has been asked is why we choose USM? There are quite many reasons that why I choose USM. It is because it near my hometown, save the transport cost, pursuit my study to a higher level. The most important of course is the USM is an APEX University. It is also the top 1 university in Malaysia.

What is APEX University? APEX which called Accelerated Programme for Excellence actually is the status just gives by Ministry of Higher Education to USM. Started from 2009, USM has been run this programme with a concept entitled “Transforming Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow ”. We hope that a transformation can make from the existing state not only to good, better, best but the excellence on year 2012. This is a rapid, fast programme to produce a generation which have a high understanding in certain expect and together with soft skill. USM try to achieve a top 100 and above among the university in the world.

To be success, we need to have intention. For example, to have intention to study, to have intention to get a better future, to be excellence and so on. We cannot do something without a purpose. For me, I do intend to be an APEX student and become pro people in my study field. Next, we must act. If we just have a plan but without an action, it forever will stays as a dream and wouldn’t become a truth. It is useless. After we work hard, spent time on what we want, then we will have a product. This is the seed what we get from our hard work. Beside, the person or people who have done all 3 components above is called actor. Actor plays important role also. Every condition or situation must base on the rule. As a good actor, we follow the rule. In addition, we must have a right place also. A world cup player wouldn’t get a best performance if they are place at the school field. That is the meaning.

To achieve an APEX University, therefore, we can conclude that we must have an APEX intention, APEX act, APEX production, APEX actor, APEX rule and APEX place. To be summarized, we make it into 3P ( People, Place, Principle ). The 3 main requirement we need to have to gain our goal.

Beside, here we have follow a hierarchy which are student, studiomasters, USM community, Penangites, et al. There are 15 studiomasters in our School of Housing, Building and Planning which included Mr. Mohd Najib, Mr. Ilias Said, Mr. Mazran Ismail and others. They have give some advise to us. The main idea are the same which is to work hard, enjoy your university life but at the same time put effort on study also. This is because as a student, we must take our responsibility.

Last, I set a target to myself to become an APEX student in USM, based on this, I promise that I will follow the rule of university and work very hard to achieve my goal in my life.