Grey November

Things have been pretty busy for me of late. Final semester work is fast piling up; Final Year Project, Civil Management Project, Marine Energy Thesis, Maritime Mini Project (Integrated Coastal Zone Management), Chemical & Biological Processes Mini Project so on so forth.

One particular matter I never expected to materialize was this.

I was interviewed by Shell Malaysia! Thank You God!

All I did was to forward my resume to UKM and the next thing I knew they gave me a call. My results are nothing to shout about but still I made it through to the Shortlisted Interview this afternoon in Damansara Heights after a screening interview in UKM a week ago. If I make it through this time round, I will be subjected to an 8-hour Shell Recruitment Day some time soon.

As promised Eng King, this post isn’t a food related.

Life’s been tough in UKM. Being pushed around like a headless chicken is taxing and the light at the end of the tunnel is fast fading.

The Dean green lights us to change the previous unwanted courses to elective status, only if the Head of Department will issue a official statement. The problem here is he just won’t. Talk about being a prick.

0 kg! Record le!

Sometimes I just wish that I had these off my shoulder.

You see, UKM has an undergraduate guidebook for every faculty and we refer to this guideline for courses that we are supposed to take in the following semesters. One thing good about being in the Engineering Faculty is that we undergraduates do not have to go through the hassle of registering courses on our own as they are automatically registered according the each undergraduate’s discipline. All we need to do is to monitor the system and alter the necessary if their is the necessity too.

This are the courses that I’m supposed to sign up for in my final few semesters in UKM.

My major being Environmental Engineering limits me to only 2 electives which I have already chosen Maritime Engineering and Solid Waste Management. Now, the faculty took the initiative to drop us of our KW3213 Principle of Chemical & Biological Processes, a subject that preceeds a latter subject, Bioreactor System for a structural engineering course, KH3243 Road Engineering. Reason being that the course was deemed redundant by the industry and the Germany bound undergraduates had to take Road Engineering to qualify for the Germany twinning program.

Last semester, KH4133 Civil Engineering Management was replaced by a similar compulsory made course by the department, KH4193 Project Management for some odd reason.

This is the outcome.

Suddenly the department makes a 180 degree turn. After several board meetings, they have decided that both Civil Engineering Management and Principles of Chemical & Biological Processes are compulsory courses that must be taken to fulfill graduate requirements.

As a result, both Road Engineering and the Project Management courses have been automatically upgraded to electives for all Environmental Engineering undergraduates. As I am only allowed to take 2 electives, the chances for me to drop both maritime engineering and solid waste engineering is worrisome. These 2 courses are my choice and it differentiates me from the Structural Engineers, thus making me hanging on the neck as I’m neither a Structural nor Environmental Engineer.

Alas, my rebellious nature will continue taking the courses of my choice, Civil Maritime Engineering and Solid Waste Management even if I have to exclude them from my overall grading point system and presenting my neck on a silver platter since I have to take a massive 21 credit hours in my final semester.

21 UNITS.

WTF.

Yea, I’m freaking cheesed off.

Finally, I’m in my final semester in Civil & Environmental Engineering in UKM, looking forward getting out of the local institution to work in the real world. Emo posts are not my thing so this will be as short as possible.

Solid Waste Management and Civil Maritime Engineering are electives of my choice for this semester, taking me to a total of 15 credit hours for my final semester, which I can handle despite heavy projects and thesis works up lying ahead. Alas, UKM has knack of screwing its engineer undergraduates and they have a done it again.

Apparently in the previous semester, Civil Project Management (more on feasibility studies) was an optional course that we were conned into taking as a compulsory faculty course. This semester, the Engineering Department required us to take Civil Project Management (more on contract laws) again, stating that it’s our fault for not noticing that the previous one was an optional course meant for 3rd Year Undergrads instead of us 4th Year Undergrads.

This means that I am now taking extra 3 credit hours in my final semester whether I like it or not. 18 CREDIT HOURS IN MY FINAL SEMESTER.

Suicidal at best.

I’m seriously putting thought into auditing one of my courses to avoid affecting my overall grades.

Yes, I still have exams.

31-10-07 Pengurusan Projek I

05-11-07 Pengurusan Projek

14-11-07 Kejuruteraan Bekalan Air & Sistem Pembentungan

19-11-07 Sistem Bioreaktor