Rebecca Samuel

The ‘O’ Levels: How to Achieve Your Goals

Rebecca Samuel · April 6, 2023 · Leave a Comment

"Goal setting may appear to be a simple process. However, in order to be productive and effective, a goal must be specific and clear."

Achieving your goals of doing well for your O level examinations may not be as daunting as you think. There are steps you can take, and help that you can depend on. If you develop good habits and achieve consistency, there are hardly any limits to what you can achieve with your life!

Goal Setting

Take some time to sit down and really think through the goals you plan to achieve. It is often useful to start with the end in mind, e.g. planning on studying marine biology in a university overseas or getting into a JC of your choice. These are end goals that will help you to see the bigger picture, and keep you motivated. You can then set out individual goals for each of your subjects. Finally, work on the plan to attain each of these goals. It can involve reading one book a month to improve on your English or working on one question type for a particular topic every day for Math. Break down the steps to attain your bigger goals into very small, attainable goals.

Managing Expectations

Figure out which subjects you need more help for, and which ones you can handle by yourself. If you have been consistently failing or obtaining a C5/C6 in a subject, it is unrealistic to set a goal of getting an A1 by the next exam. Work your way up to a better grade slowly but surely. Remember, consistency is key.

Don’t compare yourself to others; focus on your own progress and improvement, setting realistic expectations that align with your abilities and efforts.

Honing Study Habits

Your study habits are the most important element of your exam preparation. Every student learns differently, so stick to what works for you. You might be a morning person or a night owl, someone who can only work with colour coded notes or with copious amounts of coffee. Try out any of the tips below:

Minimise or remove all distractions from your study space (this includes putting your phone on work/study mode or leaving it outside your room)
Take breaks – try out any interval that works for you e.g. 40 minutes study time with 10 minute breaks or 25 minutes study time with 5 minute breaks.
Study in a conducive space – ensure it is quiet, cool enough and distraction free.
Set a study goal for each session, and ensure that you meet it to the best of your ability. This will give you a sense of accomplishment.
Reward yourself! Rewards can be anything which give you a feeling of contentment and spur you on to keep studying!
Ask for help: Grinding away during study sessions without progress can be discouraging. Try out tuition sessions at https://curio.sg/programmes/
Study with a group of like-minded friends. You can keep each other motivated as well as help one another with more challenging topics.

Achieving your goals may seem like a daunting task, especially if there are subjects you are struggling with. Speak to your parents, teachers and tutors and get some tailor made advice. Start early and stick to a solid plan. You’ve got this.

Are Wars Still Being Fought in the World Today?

Rebecca Samuel · April 5, 2023 · Leave a Comment

"Historians believe that the reason for this war arose most likely due to conflict over resources, as these were the times in which agriculture was taking the place of hunting and gathering."

Are Wars Still Being Fought in the World Today? Sadly, the answer to that question is yes, they have been going on ever since the first recorded war between the forces of Sumer and Elam in Mesopotamia in 2700BC. Historians believe that the reason for this war arose most likely due to conflict over resources, as these were the times in which agriculture was taking the place of hunting and gathering. This brings us to an age old question. Why do wars start in the first place?

Common reasons for war:

To effect change in a nation’s government
Disagreements over territory
Disagreements over resources
Religion
Race or Culture
Revenge

There have been conflicts amongst humans ever since, well, humans existed! Throughout history, great leaders have either been lauded for being brave and skilled at the art of war or praised for being able to keep their nations peaceful and prosperous. Millions of -mostly men- have died due to war however, and not always to a noble cause. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, war is the “state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations.”

Today, in order for a war to be termed a war, some factors have to be taken into consideration:

Fatalities are from battle related deaths as well as deaths of civilians who are intentionally targeted.
It must consist of armed force between 2 or more organized armed groups, whether governmental or non-governmental.

War in Afghanistan

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan. The Taliban government lost control. From there, they have actively revolted against the U.S.-backed government in Kabul, international forces, as well as Afghan national security forces.

To date, the Taliban carries out suicide attacks in major cities. For more than four years the war has been deadlocked. The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) continue to fight but suffer heavy casualties. In 2018, 10,993 civilian casualties were recorded, with the UN documenting 3,804 deaths and 7,189 injuries. The total UN-documented civilian casualties since 2010 is now at more than 100,000.

War in Yemen

Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when Houthi insurgents took control of Yemen’s capital, Sana’a. They demanded that fuel prices be lowered and that a new government come into power. They seized the presidential palace in January 2015, which led to the resignation of President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government. From March 2015, Saudi Arabia and various other gulf states imposed economic isolation and air strikes against the Houthi insurgents, with the support of the U.S.

The civilian casualty toll has exceeded 15,000 killed or injured. At the time of writing, twenty-two million Yemenis remain in desperate need of urgent aid, while eight million people are at risk of famine. A cholera outbreak has affected over one million people. The conflict today continues to destroy the lives of Yemeni civilians, effectively rendering Yemen as the place with the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

How to Find Your Motivation: The What and the How

Rebecca Samuel · April 5, 2023 · Leave a Comment

"Everyone is used to hearing maxims like “Stay Motivated!” or “Persevere! You can do it!” but no one tells us HOW."

Whether you have had to live through trying to motivate yourself through the ups and downs of the school year in 2020 or whether you struggle with motivation anyway, this article is for you. Everyone is used to hearing maxims like “Stay Motivated!” or “Persevere! You can do it!” but no one tells us HOW. So, we stumble along, try this and that. Truth is, there is a method to motivation, and the key to getting there is understanding the WHAT. What is Motivation?

The What

Educational psychologists espouse two main types of motivation, namely intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Ever become so engrossed in learning or doing something that you forgot to eat and didn’t even notice several hours slip by? Intrinsic motivation shows up when we have such an intense, genuine interest in the topic or subject that learning itself becomes a pleasure, and an all absorbing activity. Extrinsic motivation is when we have an external reward at the outcome of our learning. Good grades or a reward from parents for doing well are classic examples of extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation is of course, highly desired by us all, and it has been linked clearly with higher levels of academic achievement and better mental health. It’s impossible for us however, to conjure up intrinsic motivation whenever we feel like it. Calculus can’t always be done in a burst of inspiration, and neither can that history essay on World War II.

Some people use a mixture of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to push themselves. Enjoying the study of Shakespeare will be so much better with an A1 to show for it. Using a mixture of the two types of motivation is probably the best way for most students to push themselves and move forward.

The How: Intrinsic Motivation

Find a place where you study best, be it a cafe, your kitchen table or the school library, and stick to the few places where you feel both comfortable and undistracted.
Decide an order in which you will tackle your homework or study plan, whether it’s starting with the hardest bits first or the other way around, but have a plan.
Adults, nag less and praise more. praise creates intrinsic motivation when it’s heartfelt and celebrates effort (e.g. “you worked really hard,” vs. “you’re so clever”) and communicates encouragement, not pressure (e.g. “you’re doing really well, keep it up” vs. “you’re doing really well, just like I asked you to”)

The How: Extrinsic Motivation

They can be really really small rewards, but very useful. 45 minutes of studying followed by say, a bubble tea or 10 minutes of TikTok or a 15 minute power nap. Even ticking off a to-do list can provide a sense of accomplishment. Make sure it’s at least somewhat healthy or enjoyable without destroying your rhythm and focus, then get right back to studying.
Study in intervals and figure out the best combination for you. It can be 25 minutes of study followed by a 5 minute break or 75 minutes study followed by a 15 minute break. You do you.
Adults, talk to kids about their extrinsic motivations and then give them a little boost along the way, whether it’s hugs or Hawaiian pizza.

There are incredibly creative ways to keep your motivation going, and they do indeed carry on into adulthood and work life. Try different ways until you figure out what works best for you. Importantly, don’t kick yourself when you’re down. Everyone has bad days when they feel like they can’t get anything done. Move on to the next day, and try, try, try again.

How Should I Choose My Subject Combination?

Rebecca Samuel · April 5, 2023 · Leave a Comment

"Success and Happiness are choices, not destinations, and the subject combination you pick will not ultimately decide your fate."

We should play a game here. Two Lies One Truth, figure out which statement is true.

Statement 1: The subject combination I pick will determine the course of the rest of my life.

Statement 2: Following my interests will be my best bet.

Statement 3: The ‘triple science’ combination is the safest, and I can’t go wrong with it.

I will not be surprised to hear that most of you can’t figure out the truth because you have been told over and over again, that there is a set way of doing things, a ‘safe’ way, a way to ‘not make a mistake’.

Newsflash: Statement 1 and 3 are false, and anyone who tells you, a 14 year old, that it’s possible to not ‘go wrong’ in life, is the biggest liar of all. Let’s get one fact out of the way, and the gentle truth is, you are going to make mistakes. Big ones and small ones. Some of you will make more mistakes than others, and some of you (like me) will trace a bit of the confusion in your life back to the point where you picked your subject combination at the end of Secondary Two. What is important to understand, is that life can get both weird and wonderful, promising and perplexing all at once, and that learning how to deal with it all is the real secret to success, and certainly not determined by the ‘perfect’ subject combination.

Let’s take a look at Statement 1 for instance. “The subject combination I pick will determine the course of the rest of my life.” It is possible that not taking all the sciences might lead to you not obtaining a compulsory course, a requirement or prerequisite for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmaceutical or Forensic Science and so on. The first question to ask yourself here then, is whether your heart already knows where it’s going. Not your mom’s or dad’s or grandma’s heart, but yours. Have you been dreaming about a career in medicine since you were in diapers? Are you genuinely interested in branches of medicine? Will the ability to heal others give you a sense of fulfillment? Do your grades also reflect this interest? Grades aren’t everything but let’s face it, if you’ve spent many nights losing hair and struggling to bond with the elements, you don’t really see yourself getting to know them even better over the next two years do you. The fact of the matter is, if you already know beyond the shadow of a doubt where you’re headed, one bad grade or nay saying teacher will not stop you, you will find a way to meet your destiny come hell or high water.

Let’s take a look at the vast majority of students however. You don’t know what you want, and you have no idea who or what you’re going to be when you grow up. Heck you barely know who you are right now. You should not then allow this decision to plague your life. Go with the subjects that you find more interesting, or at the very least, that you find easier to score in. Don’t refer to just your final grade, but your entire journey with the subject so far. Did you really enjoy that Shakespeare group presentation you had to do way back in Term 1? Did the transfer of sound energy through vibrations cause a reverberation in your mind? Are quadratic equations actually – secretly – kind of… fun?

Remember that life is a continuous journey of growth and exploration. Know that whatever decision you make right now is not the end of the world. You are going to go on to graduate secondary school, further your education in whichever field you see fit, go out into the working world and then see that there are even more possibilities out there for you, and that ultimately, you determine your own path.

Steve Jobs told the world to “have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.” I will leave that here for you.

How to Cope with Exam Anxiety and Perform at Your Best

Rebecca Samuel · April 5, 2023 · Leave a Comment

"As a student, you can take several steps yourself to prevent a build-up of stress. Stress is like an invisible load that gets heavier if you ignore it or choose not to deal with it."

Read the statements below. Does one or more of them apply to you?

“I often worry that it will be difficult for me to take a test.”
“I worry I will get poor grades at school.”
“I feel very anxious even if I am well prepared for a test.”
“I get very tense when I study for a test.”
“I get nervous when I do not know how to solve a task at school!”

These were the questions posed to 5,825 Singaporean students in a study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2017. The response was disturbing: 76% of students reported feeling extremely anxious for a test, even if they were well prepared for it, and the results overall revealed high levels of stress and distress when it comes to academic performance.

This isn’t news to any of us. Students in Singapore have been exhibiting and complaining about stress for many years. The Ministry of Education takes a serious view of it and has taken and continues to take measures to combat this issue on many levels, especially before it takes a turn for the worse.

One reason for this level of stress probably just goes back to our culture. Our predominantly Asian population retains an intense focus on the value and importance of education. Images of our grand and great grandparents spanking our ancestors and forcing them to study with candlelight over many hours comes to mind. Culturally, being only the very best at one’s educational pursuits has often been viewed as the only path to success.

Some steps you can take are:

Pay attention to your sleep. Having regular hours of sleep is more important to your performance than studying late into the night, and being exhausted throughout the school day.
Drink plenty of water. Water is brain juice, it helps to clear your mind and refresh your body.
Eat your fruits and vegetables! Bubble tea and fried snacks are yummy, but don’t forget to eat your fruits and vegetables regularly, as they are crucial for your well-being and overall health.
Communicate with a loved one about your problems, be it a family member or a good friend. Talking it out will help ease your mind and heart.
Set realistic goals. Don’t stuff your timetable with so much work that your mind becomes too exhausted to continue.
Have a plan! Planning out your revision will help you focus on your weaker subjects without neglecting your stronger ones.
Believe in yourself! Write out goals and notes of encouragement to yourself and stick it up on your laptop or even your bedroom walls! (You can get friends and family to write them too, the more the merrier!)

5 Ways to Take Better Notes in Class

Rebecca Samuel · April 4, 2023 · Leave a Comment

"Note-taking could happen on plain, boring pieces of foolscap paper too, with pages and pages of scribbled ballpoint pen inked notes, sometimes organized, sometimes wildly illegible to anyone except yourself."

Note-taking for students generally conjures up cute little notebooks, pages inked with a rainbow of colours – and more. Notes are also covered with doodles because that’s the time when you have to make it seem like you’re listening to the teacher and writing things down, when in reality, you’re kind of bored or tired and have lost track of your teacher’s voice already, forcing you to take a doodle break before getting back into the mix.

Note-taking could happen on plain, boring pieces of foolscap paper too, with pages and pages of scribbled ballpoint pen inked notes, sometimes organized, sometimes wildly illegible to anyone except yourself. For me, this form of note-taking often occurs when I am truly in the zone, capturing the essence of almost everything the teacher is saying. No doodles adorn these pages – there isn’t time – and these notes are often handed around to lazier, sleepier fellow classmates, to copy or digest as they see fit.

Few students know it at the time, but note-taking is actually therapeutic. You are producing your understanding of what your teacher is imparting, creating a little bit of art out of it and using colours to create something aesthetically pleasing. Research into colour therapy has even resulted in recommended colours for note-taking. Try using yellow when you know you’re taking down something that needs to be remembered and memorized, and use blue to draw your focus to something.

As the therapeutic nature of note-taking intertwines with technological advancements, students can now enhance their academic pursuits by utilizing a variety of innovative apps designed to optimize their note-taking experience. Technology has made headway into the world of note-taking, and some tools are just absolute must-haves for the trendy student. Here are 5 great apps that will help you to ace note-taking.

Goodnotes

Goodnotes is great for writing as smoothly and colouring as quickly as you would on paper, but the truly fantastic bit to me, is the search function, which allows you to hunt down a handwritten note! Also, you no longer have to print out notes uploaded into SLS by your teacher. Import it into Goodnotes and go ahead and annotate virtually right on the document itself! Get rid of your bulky files and random loose notes from who knows when, Goodnotes folders keeps them all organized.

Ginger Labs

As a serial doodler, Notability is a ton of fun for me. Being able to add in photos is a cute function as well. Try using it for group projects as a collaboration tool, and if you’re lazy to type in comments, you can use the audio tool to verbally convey your thoughts and ideas.

Inspiration Maps

This one is for the mind mappers. Some people think and work better with maps and Inspiration Maps’ beautiful interface is the perfect app for them. Concept maps, cause and effect diagrams, process flows, family trees and just about any kind of mind map is possible. What I find enticing is that unlike paper, where a mistake involves scribbling out or starting over, with Inspiration Maps I can simply drag and drop to organize and categorize concepts and ideas as many times as I want.

OneNote

OneNote is a great note taking tool that allows for easy revision with highlighting and ink notations. Organization is made straightforward across notebooks, sections and pages while coloured tags are available for reminders or for categorizing your notes. You can also record voice notes and upload videos. Sharing notes with desperate friends the night before the exam is made easy with this app.

LiquidText

LiquidText is a phenomenal app that has already created waves in the medical, legal and business worlds. While it has all the usual features which allow you to take notes, annotate and organize, it also draws relationships between notes and ideas, so that you will not forget, say, a foundational concept while learning a new one. A little pinch on the screen shows up connections with everything else the idea could possibly be connected to. It almost – I daresay – works like (some of) our brains!

Technology is here to help, but for many of us, a hybrid of note-taking on paper and on an app might be the solution. While keeping our notes organized is an invaluable function of note-taking apps, there is a deep sense of satisfaction to be derived from handwritten notes as well. Check out hand-written note-taking instagrammers like @studyfel, @studyrella and @studyscript for inspiration! Meanwhile, you do you.