Post-finals content will cover 4 topics spread across 4 posts (for now):
1. Review of my hall for my first year (Crescent Hall).
2. Course Review for AY18/19 Y1S2.
3. Reflections on this semester.
4. Reflections on how I can study better for next semester, my goals and my plans for this summer and Y2S1.
I might (and probably will if I remember) do a post on what I did during the summer break to serve as a hindsight.
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CRESCENT HALL REVIEW (NTU EEE Y1 AY18/19)
The following will be the content coverage:
1. Brief and Informal Background of Crescent Hall
2. Why I chose Crescent Hall
3. Features of Crescent Hall
4. Life in Crescent Hall
5. Pros of Crescent Hall
6. Cons of Crescent Hall
7. Overall thoughts
1. Brief and Informal Background of Crescent Hall
Established in 2014 as the hall for NTU's scholars, Crescent Hall is the "oldest newest" hall on campus alongside Pioneer Hall, both collectively known as Crespion. Besides housing the students on the scholars programme, the Hall also takes in the LKCMedicine students as well as regular non-scholar non-med students (aka me). It is located in the south side of NTU and has various facilities and special programmes for its residents. Its proximity to several facilities make it a relatively strategic place to stay on campus. Culture-wise, it is still developing a culture as it is relatively young compared to the rest of the halls.
2. Why I chose Crescent Hall
I got into Crescent because I got a friend to pull me in, otherwise my hall allocation as a a first year would have been random. I asked to be pulled in because I was told that there was a "mug" culture here compared to the other halls. Of course, that's not to say that people in other halls do not study; I'm sure everyone studies no matter where they stay. It might be just me, but I was drawn to Crescent because I wanted to focus on studying and other halls were said to have various other cultures such as being party halls.
3. Features of Crescent Hall
Off the bat, I would say that Crescent is different compared to the other halls (before it) because it is kind of like a HDB-style hall where the corridors and rooms remind me of those in a HDB while other halls were "flatter and wider" in the sense that they did not have so many floors and the rooms were wider. I guess you could say that Crescent is "condo-style"? Though maybe that term may be more fitting for the newer Nanyang Crescent Halls. Anyway, unlike the older halls, the majority of rooms in Crescent are single rooms, so it is easier to get a single room.
Also, I'm not sure if this is unique to Crescent (compared to the halls before it), but Crescent has its own gym (which is larger than the older halls' gyms), basketball half-court, study areas (I'll highlight this part in a bit under the pros), canteen and various other special rooms dedicated to various activities such as a Garage, dance room, jamband room, multi-purpose hall etc. There are also kitchens for a cooking module exclusive to Crespion residents only. Most of the facilities above are shared with Pioneer Hall.
I am aware that the older halls have some of these rooms too, but the reason I highlight all these rooms as features is because I don't think the older halls have all of the above mentioned rooms exclusively for their own use (I treat Crespion as one entity in this context). Basically, it feels to me that Crespion is "self-sufficient".
Crescent is opposite the first bus stop in NTU, which is shared with Hall 1 Pioneer and maybe Hall 5 residents who can walk a short distance to get back to their hall.
Also, Crescent is in close proximity to the Sports Recreation Centre, The Wave, the running track, basketball courts and soccer field, which are really convenient (elaborated in pros section). With regards to access outside campus, Crespion are the closest halls to the entrance/exit of NTU hence within walking distance (though it might take a while) to Extension and Nanyang CC.
Crescent Hall is one of the halls with an optional Residential Education component (think NUS RCs) and many educational-related activities for the residents. They send out occasional emails inviting residents to participate in a variety of activities such as cooking classes, tinkering workshops, photography classes etc. Of course, these are free of charge and non-compulsory so there is no need to feel forced to join.
4. Life in Crescent Hall
I would like to point out that this section can be very subjective so I will write it based on my own personal experience. To set the things first, my mentality for Y1S1 and Y1S2 was to focus more on studying and not so much on participating in social activities so I might be undermining what Crescent had to offer me this year.
I think that Crescent does not have a culture that is as established as the older halls given that it came into existence some 5 years ago. However, it is not to say that the place is dead. There are indeed social groups to join through CCAs, FOP etc. Also, there are semestral events and celebrations when residents would come together and socialise, such as during the CNY steamboat event. I won't forget the good food we had during the steamboat and the performances. Or maybe I'm just hungry as I type this.
Personally for me, my everyday life throughout the teaching weeks and recess week of Y1S2 consisted of waking up, doing work/procrastinating, eating, repeat work/procrastinate, go exercise on some days, come back shower, work/procrastinate, sleep. Rinse and repeat formula for 13 weeks. I'll cover more of what I did in my post on reflections for this semester but generally, it was very mundane.
5. Pros of Crescent Hall
I think the greatest advantage of staying in Crescent would be the ultimate convenience it gives to access most places. For example, all my exams for this year were in either SRC or Wave, so I only needed to walk 15 minutes to the venue, meaning I had a lot more time to do extra last-minute revision. The short distance is also quite convenient if I want to exercise or play ball.
The bus stop at Crescent is great because it is very easy to flag the bus down especially if I'm rushing and the bus just arrived. It's the little conveniences like these which really help out the day-to-day grind throughout the semester. The walk to my classes is a bit long though because I have to walk all the way to the Hive area and then climb up the slope to reach South Spine. Also, I have to walk to Hall 4 to take the bus if I want to leave campus which can be a bit troublesome sometimes.
Secondly, the facilities in Crescent are mostly great. Starting from the toilets, they are usually kept quite clean by the cleaners who do commendable jobs. Showers have heaters and there is a hose to wash my feet only which is great for when I need to rinse my feet only. My only gripe would be the soap for one of the toilets on my floor running out halfway throughout the semester and not getting replaced which is a hassle when I need to take a shit. Also, toilet paper is readily available which to me is really a plus point (some of the toilets in NS don't have paper).
There are lifts in Crescent which makes going up and down extremely convenient especially since I live on the 2nd highest floor. There is also an sheltered carpark for those who drive.
One pro point I would like to point out would be the reading rooms available for Crespion residents. There are 2 reading rooms which are furnished with study tables and chairs and aircon and plugs... Basically everything needed for a good mug session. I spent a lot of my time in the reading rooms this semester. They are, in my opinion, way bigger than that of other halls (by other halls I mean hall 1's reading room and hall 8/9's reading room) and way more... welcoming??? I don't know, I just get that vibe. On a side note, I think Crespion's gym is way bigger and better-equipped than Hall 1's gym.
Another small detail (they matter a lot to me lol) would be the nice view of the soccer field/SRC I have from my window/wing. I would sometimes stand at the ledge and look out to relax while I was taking a break from studying. A lot of the other halls have quite lousy views (my friend's Hall 9 view was literally a tree) and I think my view is the best I've seen so far, though I won't say I've seen a lot.
Not only is Crescent convenient for me, it is also convenient for people who come to Crescent. I've ordered a lot of midnight suppers this semester and the guy always stops at Crescent as the first destination, which is good for me because I won't be at the back of the queue waiting for my food which can take an hour plus to arrive if I was staying in the last hall destination of his delivery route.
Lastly, this is not really a feature, but I found a place to hang my laundry after washing, at the stairs area opposite my room. It's not really a pro per se, but it feels nice to have an area I can use as my own personal laundry hanging area to dry my clothes and not having to worry about anything going missing.
Bonus: The stall holders at the Yong Tau Foo stall in the canteen are very friendly and the guy knows me and my fried noodle preferences. There were a few times I did not have money to pay and they told me to pay the next time I ate because according to them, “我都认识你了，不怕你不会还的啦。” 😆😆😆 Also, the drinks stall makes BOMB Ice Milo.
6. Cons of Crescent Hall
My room for these 2 semesters was the same. I would say it is not the BEST room I could have gotten because it can get really stuffy at times (read: 90% of the time) and it faces the sun directly so the sunlight would come in strongly every morning. The stuffiness is one of the reasons I spent so much time in the reading room instead of my room studying this semester.
As with almost all the other halls in NTU, Crescent is no exception to playing host to wildlife. Admittedly, we don't have boars visiting us and I do not recall seeing any snakes around (I saw many of the OTHER type of snake though LOL), but there are a huge ton of insects swarming around. Just my room and corridor alone have seen buggers like moths, grasshoppers, spiders, beetles... I don't know what to call some of the other critters I've seen. Also in Semester 1, I think my room had an ant nest somewhere because there were so many ants and I had to get those ant poison. Did not see them again that much in Semester 2.
There were a lot of construction and drilling works going on in the area this semester (S2). It was extremely noisy and there were numerous times I was woken up from my sleep because of the noise. They said they would be done early but then the thing dragged on and on and eventually I had to accept that it would not end on schedule. I really do not understand why they wanted to re-tile the hall's flooring. To me it just seemed like a waste of money changing the tiles when there was nothing wrong with them.
Lastly, this is not really a con but I think the neighbours you get determine a big part of your hall life. I got a China national who moved in this semester and he was really loud. He would play his online games at night and kept screaming and screeching like a fucking seal in the wee hours of the night (1am, 2am). There was once I wrote a note in chinese to tell him to keep it down nicely and slotted it in front of his door. Apparently that did not work because he continued being a nuisance throughout the semester. There was also another time I shouted at him because I was about to fall asleep and his noise jolted me awake. He kept quiet for the rest of the night after that but obviously did not get the message that people around did not appreciate him being so inconsiderate because the next night he back at it again. I seriously hope he leaves after this semester and doesn't come back (assuming I come back to Crescent for Y2). I really don't want to deal with him and his noise pollution anymore. If he becomes my neighbour again, I'll knock on his door or escalate it up to the hall office.
7. Overall thoughts
Generally, I would say that I made the right choice in picking Crescent Hall as my freshman hall. Despite the inconveniences that crop up once in a while, I find it rewarding to stay in Crescent. I made a few friends, maybe one or two closer friends, so I'm quite happy with that.
Given a choice, I would want to stay in Crescent for Y2. I've already gotten used to my little stuffy room and in the words of Jackson Pollock, the "happy little" quirks such as the insects, morning sunlight and even to some extent the drilling and construction noise (fuck the China man though). I have opted for the same room for next year so here's hoping that I can get it back to stay in Crescent for another year!
P.S. I even opted to be in the Crescent Freshman Camp for the coming AY but that shall be for a separate post after the camp provided that I can remember haha.
P.P.S. I forgot to mention about the SUniG season games. Basically it is a period when the sports teams from the local universities will compete in various sporting events. Not sure if it happens every year, but this year's games were held at the soccer field near Crescent. As a result, it was quite noisy and not conducive for studying. It was held after Semester 1 if I recall, and carried on into Semester 2. Also, the canteen at Crespion will always be very crowded after their games which can be quite inconvenient especially if I'm rushing for time and need a quick meal.
The following will be the content coverage:
1. Brief and Informal Background of Crescent Hall
2. Why I chose Crescent Hall
3. Features of Crescent Hall
4. Life in Crescent Hall
5. Pros of Crescent Hall
6. Cons of Crescent Hall
7. Overall thoughts
1. Brief and Informal Background of Crescent Hall
Established in 2014 as the hall for NTU's scholars, Crescent Hall is the "oldest newest" hall on campus alongside Pioneer Hall, both collectively known as Crespion. Besides housing the students on the scholars programme, the Hall also takes in the LKCMedicine students as well as regular non-scholar non-med students (aka me). It is located in the south side of NTU and has various facilities and special programmes for its residents. Its proximity to several facilities make it a relatively strategic place to stay on campus. Culture-wise, it is still developing a culture as it is relatively young compared to the rest of the halls.
2. Why I chose Crescent Hall
I got into Crescent because I got a friend to pull me in, otherwise my hall allocation as a a first year would have been random. I asked to be pulled in because I was told that there was a "mug" culture here compared to the other halls. Of course, that's not to say that people in other halls do not study; I'm sure everyone studies no matter where they stay. It might be just me, but I was drawn to Crescent because I wanted to focus on studying and other halls were said to have various other cultures such as being party halls.
3. Features of Crescent Hall
Off the bat, I would say that Crescent is different compared to the other halls (before it) because it is kind of like a HDB-style hall where the corridors and rooms remind me of those in a HDB while other halls were "flatter and wider" in the sense that they did not have so many floors and the rooms were wider. I guess you could say that Crescent is "condo-style"? Though maybe that term may be more fitting for the newer Nanyang Crescent Halls. Anyway, unlike the older halls, the majority of rooms in Crescent are single rooms, so it is easier to get a single room.
Also, I'm not sure if this is unique to Crescent (compared to the halls before it), but Crescent has its own gym (which is larger than the older halls' gyms), basketball half-court, study areas (I'll highlight this part in a bit under the pros), canteen and various other special rooms dedicated to various activities such as a Garage, dance room, jamband room, multi-purpose hall etc. There are also kitchens for a cooking module exclusive to Crespion residents only. Most of the facilities above are shared with Pioneer Hall.
I am aware that the older halls have some of these rooms too, but the reason I highlight all these rooms as features is because I don't think the older halls have all of the above mentioned rooms exclusively for their own use (I treat Crespion as one entity in this context). Basically, it feels to me that Crespion is "self-sufficient".
Crescent is opposite the first bus stop in NTU, which is shared with Hall 1 Pioneer and maybe Hall 5 residents who can walk a short distance to get back to their hall.
Also, Crescent is in close proximity to the Sports Recreation Centre, The Wave, the running track, basketball courts and soccer field, which are really convenient (elaborated in pros section). With regards to access outside campus, Crespion are the closest halls to the entrance/exit of NTU hence within walking distance (though it might take a while) to Extension and Nanyang CC.
Crescent Hall is one of the halls with an optional Residential Education component (think NUS RCs) and many educational-related activities for the residents. They send out occasional emails inviting residents to participate in a variety of activities such as cooking classes, tinkering workshops, photography classes etc. Of course, these are free of charge and non-compulsory so there is no need to feel forced to join.
4. Life in Crescent Hall
I would like to point out that this section can be very subjective so I will write it based on my own personal experience. To set the things first, my mentality for Y1S1 and Y1S2 was to focus more on studying and not so much on participating in social activities so I might be undermining what Crescent had to offer me this year.
I think that Crescent does not have a culture that is as established as the older halls given that it came into existence some 5 years ago. However, it is not to say that the place is dead. There are indeed social groups to join through CCAs, FOP etc. Also, there are semestral events and celebrations when residents would come together and socialise, such as during the CNY steamboat event. I won't forget the good food we had during the steamboat and the performances. Or maybe I'm just hungry as I type this.
Personally for me, my everyday life throughout the teaching weeks and recess week of Y1S2 consisted of waking up, doing work/procrastinating, eating, repeat work/procrastinate, go exercise on some days, come back shower, work/procrastinate, sleep. Rinse and repeat formula for 13 weeks. I'll cover more of what I did in my post on reflections for this semester but generally, it was very mundane.
5. Pros of Crescent Hall
I think the greatest advantage of staying in Crescent would be the ultimate convenience it gives to access most places. For example, all my exams for this year were in either SRC or Wave, so I only needed to walk 15 minutes to the venue, meaning I had a lot more time to do extra last-minute revision. The short distance is also quite convenient if I want to exercise or play ball.
The bus stop at Crescent is great because it is very easy to flag the bus down especially if I'm rushing and the bus just arrived. It's the little conveniences like these which really help out the day-to-day grind throughout the semester. The walk to my classes is a bit long though because I have to walk all the way to the Hive area and then climb up the slope to reach South Spine. Also, I have to walk to Hall 4 to take the bus if I want to leave campus which can be a bit troublesome sometimes.
Secondly, the facilities in Crescent are mostly great. Starting from the toilets, they are usually kept quite clean by the cleaners who do commendable jobs. Showers have heaters and there is a hose to wash my feet only which is great for when I need to rinse my feet only. My only gripe would be the soap for one of the toilets on my floor running out halfway throughout the semester and not getting replaced which is a hassle when I need to take a shit. Also, toilet paper is readily available which to me is really a plus point (some of the toilets in NS don't have paper).
There are lifts in Crescent which makes going up and down extremely convenient especially since I live on the 2nd highest floor. There is also an sheltered carpark for those who drive.
One pro point I would like to point out would be the reading rooms available for Crespion residents. There are 2 reading rooms which are furnished with study tables and chairs and aircon and plugs... Basically everything needed for a good mug session. I spent a lot of my time in the reading rooms this semester. They are, in my opinion, way bigger than that of other halls (by other halls I mean hall 1's reading room and hall 8/9's reading room) and way more... welcoming??? I don't know, I just get that vibe. On a side note, I think Crespion's gym is way bigger and better-equipped than Hall 1's gym.
Another small detail (they matter a lot to me lol) would be the nice view of the soccer field/SRC I have from my window/wing. I would sometimes stand at the ledge and look out to relax while I was taking a break from studying. A lot of the other halls have quite lousy views (my friend's Hall 9 view was literally a tree) and I think my view is the best I've seen so far, though I won't say I've seen a lot.
Not only is Crescent convenient for me, it is also convenient for people who come to Crescent. I've ordered a lot of midnight suppers this semester and the guy always stops at Crescent as the first destination, which is good for me because I won't be at the back of the queue waiting for my food which can take an hour plus to arrive if I was staying in the last hall destination of his delivery route.
Lastly, this is not really a feature, but I found a place to hang my laundry after washing, at the stairs area opposite my room. It's not really a pro per se, but it feels nice to have an area I can use as my own personal laundry hanging area to dry my clothes and not having to worry about anything going missing.
Bonus: The stall holders at the Yong Tau Foo stall in the canteen are very friendly and the guy knows me and my fried noodle preferences. There were a few times I did not have money to pay and they told me to pay the next time I ate because according to them, “我都认识你了，不怕你不会还的啦。” 😆😆😆 Also, the drinks stall makes BOMB Ice Milo.
6. Cons of Crescent Hall
My room for these 2 semesters was the same. I would say it is not the BEST room I could have gotten because it can get really stuffy at times (read: 90% of the time) and it faces the sun directly so the sunlight would come in strongly every morning. The stuffiness is one of the reasons I spent so much time in the reading room instead of my room studying this semester.
As with almost all the other halls in NTU, Crescent is no exception to playing host to wildlife. Admittedly, we don't have boars visiting us and I do not recall seeing any snakes around (I saw many of the OTHER type of snake though LOL), but there are a huge ton of insects swarming around. Just my room and corridor alone have seen buggers like moths, grasshoppers, spiders, beetles... I don't know what to call some of the other critters I've seen. Also in Semester 1, I think my room had an ant nest somewhere because there were so many ants and I had to get those ant poison. Did not see them again that much in Semester 2.
There were a lot of construction and drilling works going on in the area this semester (S2). It was extremely noisy and there were numerous times I was woken up from my sleep because of the noise. They said they would be done early but then the thing dragged on and on and eventually I had to accept that it would not end on schedule. I really do not understand why they wanted to re-tile the hall's flooring. To me it just seemed like a waste of money changing the tiles when there was nothing wrong with them.
Lastly, this is not really a con but I think the neighbours you get determine a big part of your hall life. I got a China national who moved in this semester and he was really loud. He would play his online games at night and kept screaming and screeching like a fucking seal in the wee hours of the night (1am, 2am). There was once I wrote a note in chinese to tell him to keep it down nicely and slotted it in front of his door. Apparently that did not work because he continued being a nuisance throughout the semester. There was also another time I shouted at him because I was about to fall asleep and his noise jolted me awake. He kept quiet for the rest of the night after that but obviously did not get the message that people around did not appreciate him being so inconsiderate because the next night he back at it again. I seriously hope he leaves after this semester and doesn't come back (assuming I come back to Crescent for Y2). I really don't want to deal with him and his noise pollution anymore. If he becomes my neighbour again, I'll knock on his door or escalate it up to the hall office.
7. Overall thoughts
Generally, I would say that I made the right choice in picking Crescent Hall as my freshman hall. Despite the inconveniences that crop up once in a while, I find it rewarding to stay in Crescent. I made a few friends, maybe one or two closer friends, so I'm quite happy with that.
Given a choice, I would want to stay in Crescent for Y2. I've already gotten used to my little stuffy room and in the words of Jackson Pollock, the "happy little" quirks such as the insects, morning sunlight and even to some extent the drilling and construction noise (fuck the China man though). I have opted for the same room for next year so here's hoping that I can get it back to stay in Crescent for another year!
P.S. I even opted to be in the Crescent Freshman Camp for the coming AY but that shall be for a separate post after the camp provided that I can remember haha.
P.P.S. I forgot to mention about the SUniG season games. Basically it is a period when the sports teams from the local universities will compete in various sporting events. Not sure if it happens every year, but this year's games were held at the soccer field near Crescent. As a result, it was quite noisy and not conducive for studying. It was held after Semester 1 if I recall, and carried on into Semester 2. Also, the canteen at Crespion will always be very crowded after their games which can be quite inconvenient especially if I'm rushing for time and need a quick meal.
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