Thursday, October 9, 2014

10 things I learnt about my students


 

 
As the one in charge of student  affairs, I’m  in contact with many of them officially or unofficially. I come to learn a few things about my students  ; such as,

1)      ….perghhhh !!  -- this expression is common in FB as  status or comments. I think it means “ I don’t believe it” or “awesome”. I thought it is used in writings only, but , you know what, young people use it in their speech as well. They really speak that way……perghhh!!! I mean can you really pronounce it properly….perggghhhh!!!....so out of this world..well it is out of  my world at least….pergghhh!!!

2)      ‘poyo’ ---  sometime they use for someone who is arrogant but some other time they use it for the nerdy ones. I don’t really get it. I guess anybody they hate will be a ‘poyo’.

3)      A complex social structure --- when I get close to my students , I started to explore ‘their society’ that runs on a complex social structure. Clustered into junior-senior  thingy  and the cool things they do. You belong to one layer of the society and that’s it; loyal and respectful but never cross the line and touch the others. Eventually you will be in the next layer and the next . It’s scary sometime because an adult would not understand its existence but I guess we leave it to them to manage their own society.

4)      Value phone credit more than a plate of rice ---- if you give five ringgit to one of my students he will go running to top up his phone credit rather than filling up his stomach.

5)      Need a hug more than a good grade --- one male student came into my office with stressful face and tears in the eyes; he asked, can I hug you , Dr? . I was stunned and speechless. Is this part of my job?.....malam sikit ya !!!!

6)      Fun seekers --- all they know is to have fun, fun,fun……yeah we adults should be more thoughtful and considerate as the boys and girls just want to have fun.

7)      Everything is always alright --- if something has gone wrong, Timbalan Dekan  will be the last one to know…..students like to keep all problems to themselves. I don’t know what are they thinking but telling lecturers or any authority for help would be the last thing on their mind.

8)      Some are really poor --- we thought with PTPTN all the funding issues have been resolved but not quite. There is still a small number of students out there who live poorly; going without rice for a few days, waiting with for a dear friend to offer him dinner. The money he said came in late and when it did I would send some back home to my father to fix the motorbike or change the kitchen roof etc. I listened sadly as my heart filled with hopelessness. How come this is happening? I asked. Silence. He had no answer.

9)      Blurrrr --- most of them come into the exam hall with confused faces and sleepy eyes. Late night studying , I guess.

10)  Pull it off eventually --- but believe me majority will come back and could not wait to show off his/her business cards. Somehow they would pull it off and survived the real world with what little they have from sleeping in the classes.

 

I believe my students will be successful one way or another because they are always in my doa. Always. J

 

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