Priorities & Group Work

I'm entrenched in the same situation I encountered in secondary school now. Shucks, but anyway I expected it. With my uncontrollable mouth that hardly says "No" if someone wants me to do something, I get myself into almost everything. Problem is, I got to get my priorities right. It boils down to commitments - am I more committed to my studies or CCAs?

In terms of studies, my diploma course (Diploma in Music & Audio Technology or DMAT), despite having fewer modules than most other courses (7 in all currently), requires that I commit a huge amount of time. You must realise that assignments alone take up most of my time, but this large amount of time is not just for assignments but for other musical necessities as well, my course being both an Arts and Science course.

In artistic terms, I have to brush up my music theory (workbooksin preparation for Grade 5 next year, regain my electone organ performance skills for Electone Grade 6 exam (then there's my private music lessons I hope to resume sometime soon), attend concerts around once a month (to broaden my perspective and musical knowledge), listen to wide genres of music CDs, and of course, be at endless rehearsals (for upcoming Performance events - graded as part of one of our modules). In scientific terms, I've chosen to read library books on specific issues on related audio technology regularly and browse through manuals on software that I use (in order to get better acquainted with them).

As for CCAs, I'm fairly active in both the Info-Communications Technology (ICT) Club and Campus Crusade for Christ. I'm also part of the Singapore Polytechnic (SP) Ambassadors. Currently, I've the 2006/2007 Freshman Orientation Programme in store for me in ICT Club. For Campus Crusade, there are activities almost every day, but I can only attend so much because I've either got assignments or something else on. (Sorry you guys, I can't be actively involved, you'll start fussing over why I don't put God first but then - what about my studies? Isn't that honoring God too? I can't be very involved, my diploma course just doesn't "allow" the time for it.) For SP Ambassadors, I have to promote my course during the upcoming Courses & Careers Fair and any other open houses.

Think that's all of it? There's still a MAJOR concert coming up that I'm co-planning. It's a concert for our course to promote our course (propaganda!), and my role as the Publicity Committee Head means that the bulk of the work is on me now. Those of you who have planned a concert (I do mean a FULL-SCALE concert) know how I feel (probably). The point is, all this publicity planning takes up another portion of my time.

You certainly don't understand the extent of my situation. EVERY DAY is a mad day occupied with the things listed above. I already don't (even if I wanted to, but I don't) YAK on the phone (don't even have a handphone anyway), LAZE on the couch watching TV/anime (waste of time), or get HOOKED on computer games like perpetually almost all teens are involved in now (whether Maple, RO, DOTA, Warcraft or whatever, you are senselessly wasting your life away). But the amount of work listed above still deprives me of sleep (I'm a useless person myself - need 9 hours of sleep at least every night to function well). Can I NEVER get my priorities right?!

Another thing that I hate to rant about: GROUP WORK. Sorry if I offend anyone by what I blog but I just got to say it 'cos I'm darn sick of it. Can you all PLEASE listen and complete whatever tasks are expected of you? I've already taken the trouble to delegate all our jobs equally but you must realise that if one member is not responsible towards his job, the pressure is piled on to the rest, it's not FAIR! And then when the grading comes, who's going to suffer? ME, OF COURSE... everything's always PUSHED to me - even if it's not I have to START things or it'll never get done! If the whole group gets high grades it's not fair that I got the same as those of you who slacked; if we get low grades then all my efforts are wasted! If you were to be more serious in doing your job, then all would be fine; everyone's happy. So please be COOPERATIVE OK? Don't make me chase you for the stuff you have to hand up. TAKE INITIATIVE. I hate to FORCE you but sometimes I have no choice. PLEASE contribute well as a team member OK...

I'm quite moody these few days, but it's just that I want to get things DONE and NOT WASTE TIME. I really hate slacking... learnt my lesson from secondary school, especially the "holiday" period between the end of 'O' Levels to the start of Polytechnic. There's a lot I have to catch up and improve in terms of music; I can't afford to waste any more time. Call me a nerd if you want to, I don't care - at the end of the day, we'll see who gets where.