Today was a whirlwind of new experiences, balancing the excitement of starting
a new chapter with my SkillsFuture funded course and diving into a fascinating
research experiment at SMU.
Morning: Orientation for My Skills Future Course
This morning, I attended the orientation for my SkillsFuture funded course, marking the countdown to a major life shift.
I can’t believe I’m just one week away from leaving my job to return to full-time study after over a decade.
It feels surreal to step back into the classroom, and the orientation gave me a taste of what’s to come.
The class is huge—48 participants, all aged 40 and above, bringing a refreshing mix of maturity and professionalism.
You can already spot the different personalities emerging.
There are the “kiasu” types, eagerly flipping through course materials before the official start, determined to get a head start.
Others exude confidence, and I can tell this group will be full of outspoken, extroverted voices.
It’s exciting but a bit daunting, as I’m already bracing for lively debates and dynamic discussions.
One small annoyance? The teaching assistant shares my name, which is incredibly rare.
It’s going to be so confusing hearing my name called out constantly. 😖
I’m already imagining mix-ups during group work or emails going to the wrong person.
Still, it’s a minor hiccup in an otherwise thrilling start to this journey.
Morning: Orientation for My Skills Future Course
This morning, I attended the orientation for my SkillsFuture funded course, marking the countdown to a major life shift.
I can’t believe I’m just one week away from leaving my job to return to full-time study after over a decade.
It feels surreal to step back into the classroom, and the orientation gave me a taste of what’s to come.
The class is huge—48 participants, all aged 40 and above, bringing a refreshing mix of maturity and professionalism.
You can already spot the different personalities emerging.
There are the “kiasu” types, eagerly flipping through course materials before the official start, determined to get a head start.
Others exude confidence, and I can tell this group will be full of outspoken, extroverted voices.
It’s exciting but a bit daunting, as I’m already bracing for lively debates and dynamic discussions.
One small annoyance? The teaching assistant shares my name, which is incredibly rare.
It’s going to be so confusing hearing my name called out constantly. 😖
I’m already imagining mix-ups during group work or emails going to the wrong person.
Still, it’s a minor hiccup in an otherwise thrilling start to this journey.
Afternoon: Research Experiment at SMU
In the afternoon, I headed to SMU to participate in a research experiment titled Investigating People’s Attitudes and Behavioral Responses towards Project Wolbachia-Singapore.
The project piqued my interest, not just because of its innovative approach to tackling dengue but also because it involved testing an AI bot developed by the researchers.
I suspect they’re aiming to secure government funding for this tech, and I was curious to see how it performed.
The experiment was engaging and surprisingly educational. For about 20 minutes, I interacted with the AI bot, asking questions related to Project Wolbachia-Singapore. The bot was designed to provide insights into the project.
Afterward, I completed a survey evaluating the bot’s usefulness—could it replace a human in answering research questions?
I found it fairly intuitive, though it lacked the nuance a human might bring to complex queries. Still, it was a fun and thought-provoking experience.
Learning about the science behind Project Wolbachia—essentially using male mosquitoes to outcompete and reduce the female Aedes population—felt a bit like science fiction, but it’s a practical and necessary strategy for public health.
Oh I will also received $20 (paynow) for the participation.