What's happening?
Friday, April 11, 2008
The days have passed quite fast these two weeks. In college we were occupied with the graduation party of the fourth stage. My cousin's party was supposed to be in the college garden and they had many activities in mind. The plans I made him confess to made me very excited to attend the ceremony.
Years ago, graduation parties used to be made in the big university stadium.. All colleges used to celebrate the event together. After the war, and because of fear of being targeted at such big numbers, each college started to celebrate alone. Now, and because of the threats the university's been receiving, most colleges don't have formal celebrations, as the case with my cousin's party. It was cancelled, and they were frustrated. They ended up making it outside the campus, and my cousin described it as a complete disaster..
****
The second term written exams start on the 20th this month, and I have two non-written exams on Sunday (Electronics and Communications lab) and Wednesday (Visual Basic lab) this week.
I had a bit of a fight with one of the engineers in the lab yesterday: PERFECT timing. The experiment discussion questions always have mistakes, and I have been getting low marks and wasn't convinced with the corrections and reasons of the low mark for the last 3 reports. I decided I am not going to hold it in this time and so I objected. We argued and argued and I ended up borrowing an Electronics book and bringing it to convince him.. and finally went to the Electronic professor who promised to talk to him himself. I must have been very angry because the prof. kept calming me down. I feel bad now and I'm afraid my relationship with this engineer might not be as "calm" as it used to be and I really used to admire him eversince he managed to give us a quiz, help us all do the experiments and rate the quiz questions all by himself while his colleagues decided to make a strike.
Other students who have written the same answer -with the only difference of bad grammar- have had 2/2 while I had 0/2, just because different people rated the reports.
****
My uncle was in England last week, he goes there occasionally to meet his PhD supervisor. He met four lecturers from my college who have gone to New Castle to study. I didn't even know they had left. They haven't given me any lectures before but they recognized my uncle immediately because they said he looked exactly like my cousin. Some of them said my mom has taught them engineering drawing when she was teaching that in the College of Electrical Engineering many years ago.. This world keeps proving it's so small!
****
Okay, I think that's it for now.. the usual routine is for me to ask you to wish me luck and pray for me.. I guess I have to stop asking you because you've gotten used to it by now :)
And that photo has nothing to do with the post.. it's the latest photo of baby Anas :)
Years ago, graduation parties used to be made in the big university stadium.. All colleges used to celebrate the event together. After the war, and because of fear of being targeted at such big numbers, each college started to celebrate alone. Now, and because of the threats the university's been receiving, most colleges don't have formal celebrations, as the case with my cousin's party. It was cancelled, and they were frustrated. They ended up making it outside the campus, and my cousin described it as a complete disaster..
****
The second term written exams start on the 20th this month, and I have two non-written exams on Sunday (Electronics and Communications lab) and Wednesday (Visual Basic lab) this week.
I had a bit of a fight with one of the engineers in the lab yesterday: PERFECT timing. The experiment discussion questions always have mistakes, and I have been getting low marks and wasn't convinced with the corrections and reasons of the low mark for the last 3 reports. I decided I am not going to hold it in this time and so I objected. We argued and argued and I ended up borrowing an Electronics book and bringing it to convince him.. and finally went to the Electronic professor who promised to talk to him himself. I must have been very angry because the prof. kept calming me down. I feel bad now and I'm afraid my relationship with this engineer might not be as "calm" as it used to be and I really used to admire him eversince he managed to give us a quiz, help us all do the experiments and rate the quiz questions all by himself while his colleagues decided to make a strike.
Other students who have written the same answer -with the only difference of bad grammar- have had 2/2 while I had 0/2, just because different people rated the reports.
****
My uncle was in England last week, he goes there occasionally to meet his PhD supervisor. He met four lecturers from my college who have gone to New Castle to study. I didn't even know they had left. They haven't given me any lectures before but they recognized my uncle immediately because they said he looked exactly like my cousin. Some of them said my mom has taught them engineering drawing when she was teaching that in the College of Electrical Engineering many years ago.. This world keeps proving it's so small!
****
Okay, I think that's it for now.. the usual routine is for me to ask you to wish me luck and pray for me.. I guess I have to stop asking you because you've gotten used to it by now :)
And that photo has nothing to do with the post.. it's the latest photo of baby Anas :)
posted by Najma at 6:33 PM, | 
14 Comments:
Sure! We will definitely pray for you!
Good luck with your studies. Thanks for keeping us posted on everything.
Good luck with your studies. Thanks for keeping us posted on everything.
Newcastle is quite near where I live.
++++++++++++
As for the engineer, I find that after a row like that, it is best if you are certain you are in the right, to apologise. You still feel good because you know you are right, and the other person feels good because you said Sorry. That ends the quarrel peacefully.
++++++++++++
As for the engineer, I find that after a row like that, it is best if you are certain you are in the right, to apologise. You still feel good because you know you are right, and the other person feels good because you said Sorry. That ends the quarrel peacefully.
I have been praying for you.
:)
:)
I pray for you always my dear.
I have to say...baby Anas is quite possibly the most beautiful child I have ever seen.
Laurie
I have to say...baby Anas is quite possibly the most beautiful child I have ever seen.
Laurie
Dear Anas,
Tell your very smart auntie that she doesn't need luck but we will be praying for her anyway!
Tell your very smart auntie that she doesn't need luck but we will be praying for her anyway!
Hey Najma, baby Anas looks really cute! I think he looks a bit like Michael J. Fox. :)
Good luck with your exams later this month. It sounds like there is a problem with the grading our your reports. I guess the different graders need to get together with the professor and work it out. I remember a class called Environmental Chemistry Lab. The grad. student teacher gave me a failing grade on the first few reports. Finally, I figured out what he wanted and I gave it to him. After that I was getting 100 percents. The guy was a real moron, so picky about such trivial things. I hated him and the class, but I finished it and got an "A". It was a required class, but not in my area of interest. Sometimes school is just an exercise in obedience. Fortunately, I liked most of my other classes in the engineering school.
Good luck with your exams later this month. It sounds like there is a problem with the grading our your reports. I guess the different graders need to get together with the professor and work it out. I remember a class called Environmental Chemistry Lab. The grad. student teacher gave me a failing grade on the first few reports. Finally, I figured out what he wanted and I gave it to him. After that I was getting 100 percents. The guy was a real moron, so picky about such trivial things. I hated him and the class, but I finished it and got an "A". It was a required class, but not in my area of interest. Sometimes school is just an exercise in obedience. Fortunately, I liked most of my other classes in the engineering school.
Hello Najma,
Mashallah mashallah the babies of your family are really cute.
Am crossing my fingers for you :)
Marsho
Mashallah mashallah the babies of your family are really cute.
Am crossing my fingers for you :)
Marsho
That is one of the most beautiful babies i have ever seen.
Steve,
My friends say I'm too scary when I teach them.. If they don't get it fast, I'm likely to get too angry. So if I were to teach anywhere I am sure the students will hate me!
A classmate came to ask a question the other day, stood one meter away and made me promise not to shout at him before he asked.. he was joking but "there's no smoke without fire" as they say.
Tootie,
Thank you dear..
Don,
I am not sure how he's feeling about it.. my friend who was with me said that I got very angry but I didn't shout or do anything disrespectful. I am just trying to act normally like nothing's happened, he doesn't seem to have changed. I don't want to go apologize without knowing that it's worth it.
Bookish,
:D
Laurie,
Thanks a lot.. they say he looks like me.. Yipee ;)
John,
So that's what he was trying to tell me when he was frustrated and crying today!! :)
David,
We'll see how he looks like when he grows up.. I have high hopes for him :)
Grad student teachers.. So THAT's what you call them :)
The grad student teachers at the lab are very nice.. but when it comes to grading you just can't know what they want from you, especially that the English in the experiment question isn't usually correct.. and when it comes to doing the experiment everyone wants something different and you end up praying that the one who supervises you isn't so picky, the one I mentioned in the post is usually the best :(
Marsho,
Thanks a lot :) Exam is on Sunday and I'm having a rest.. things are going smoothly, maybe too smooth for my taste!
va purchase,
thanks :)
My friends say I'm too scary when I teach them.. If they don't get it fast, I'm likely to get too angry. So if I were to teach anywhere I am sure the students will hate me!
A classmate came to ask a question the other day, stood one meter away and made me promise not to shout at him before he asked.. he was joking but "there's no smoke without fire" as they say.
Tootie,
Thank you dear..
Don,
I am not sure how he's feeling about it.. my friend who was with me said that I got very angry but I didn't shout or do anything disrespectful. I am just trying to act normally like nothing's happened, he doesn't seem to have changed. I don't want to go apologize without knowing that it's worth it.
Bookish,
:D
Laurie,
Thanks a lot.. they say he looks like me.. Yipee ;)
John,
So that's what he was trying to tell me when he was frustrated and crying today!! :)
David,
We'll see how he looks like when he grows up.. I have high hopes for him :)
Grad student teachers.. So THAT's what you call them :)
The grad student teachers at the lab are very nice.. but when it comes to grading you just can't know what they want from you, especially that the English in the experiment question isn't usually correct.. and when it comes to doing the experiment everyone wants something different and you end up praying that the one who supervises you isn't so picky, the one I mentioned in the post is usually the best :(
Marsho,
Thanks a lot :) Exam is on Sunday and I'm having a rest.. things are going smoothly, maybe too smooth for my taste!
va purchase,
thanks :)
Hello! I am a reader from the Philippines. I found your site very interesting. It is worth the visit.
Please, please, continue writing. I'm a female reader from Switzerland, Europe & I really enjoy reading your blog.
Good luck at your exams!
Good luck at your exams!
Hi Najma, great reading your blog of the hardship to get good results even if you think you're right. It reminds me of my college..
Najma, do you know Maas? She's friend of your sister. She hasn't written since September 12 2007. Do you know anything?
Take care
Najma, do you know Maas? She's friend of your sister. She hasn't written since September 12 2007. Do you know anything?
Take care
Wangbu,
I just can't help but wonder why I see this very same comment in other blogs I read. Is it a part of a project to encourage blogging or what?
Anyway, thanks for passing! :)
Denise,
I'm glad you enjoy reading my blog.. I try to write as often as I can.
Jan,
Maas is now a freshman studying Medicine in the university of Mosul.. She's fine don't worry, she's just busy with life. I don't think she's going blog anytime soon though.
I just can't help but wonder why I see this very same comment in other blogs I read. Is it a part of a project to encourage blogging or what?
Anyway, thanks for passing! :)
Denise,
I'm glad you enjoy reading my blog.. I try to write as often as I can.
Jan,
Maas is now a freshman studying Medicine in the university of Mosul.. She's fine don't worry, she's just busy with life. I don't think she's going blog anytime soon though.
Do you have any interest in teaching either in Iraq or, for example, England?