Beware of stereotypes

Out of 10 students you speak to, 8 would probably form the following stereotypes:

NTU has a ulu (away from city, quiet and unhappening) campus tucked away in the most remote part of Singapore.

NUS is probably the most established but the university produces borinng, lateral thinking students. Still, everyone goes there anyway.

SMU is the the "up and coming" university that is all 'fluff'.

How true are the myths and allegations?

Sheena: Life in NTU is rather laid back. The campus is sited at far-away Jurong and this makes travelling a real hassle. People hang out only in school or at Jurong Point nearby!

All freshmen should be prepared for the prevalent Chinese-speaking community in NTU, which has many foreign students from China!

Chuin: Visit NUS during the start of the semester and you will be pleasantly surprised by the relaxed and carefree moodt. Sure, there will be those that start mugging right from O week but in general, students take it easy during the first half of semester. It is only during the latter half of the semester that the students start mugging furiously for the exams! So do not be deceived by the chill and cool because come exams, there will not be an empty seat at the library!

Dickson: SMU students face fierce competition against each other to come up with the "next big project and next big video". Project mates are chosen strategically and each presentation is taken with utmost seriousness.

Stock up on extra enthusiasm if you are going to SMU. With all the hype surrounding their school, SMU students seem to be very proud to be there.

Food is the spice of life!

Sheena: NTU has 2 major canteens - Canteen A in North Spine and Canteen B in South Spine.

Most people hang out in Canteen A because it's near to Lee Wee Nam Library and the food in Canteen A is so much better than that of Canteen B. MacDonald's can also be found here.

If you are on the lookout for the good-looking babes, go to canteen B - Business students tend to congregate there since it is closer to their faculty.

Chuin: Despite having a canteen in every faculty in NUS, many students still choose to eat at The Deck (canteen at Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences). Arguably, the stores serve up the best canteen fare. Be warned that it is almost impossible to find a seat during lunch times.

Must-trys in NUS: Laksa from the Yong Tau Foo store at The Deck. Indonesian Peng Gang at the Engineering Canteen. Western food at the Business school Canteen.

Dickson: SMU Kopitiam and Armenian Street road side stalls are the most popular. There are also Magic Wok and Curry Flavour along Stamford Road. SMU students have lots of complaints about the prices of food in town.

Love your the module registration systems!

Sheena: The first time I used NTU's online registration system called STARS, I had to "Ctrl R, Enter, Click, Scroll every 8-10 seconds for a full 2 hours before completing my module registration.

STARS is based on a 'first come first serve' basis and does not auto-refresh. So, it is imperative to log on as soon as the system starts to ensure you get your modules! If you fail to obtain the modules you need, you should definitely appeal for them. NTU approves most appeals.

Chuin: NUS has been using the bid-system (meaning you are given a fixed amount of currency- points which you can use bid for modules you want - the more points you allocate to a module, the higher likelihood you'll be successful in registrating for that module) for years and it has been a source of frustration for many who do not have enough points to register for the modules they want. Successful appeals for modules are often based on how relevant the module is to your major. The trick is to declare your chosen major ASAP! (Even if you are unsure, just declare your major first. You can change it later!)

Dickson: SMU also adopts the bid-system. "Think auctions, you get a fixed amount of money and you bid higher for more popular classes".

Online systems always tend to be more complicated, especially when you first try it out. This is probably because it is one system catering to an entire school with so many differing faculty requirements! Do be patient - it will get easier! Having someone more experienced walk you through the process would definitely help.

Lecturers - friend or foe?!

Sheena :NTU has many foreign lecturers and the Engineering School usually gets many teachers from India or Republic of China. As much as their academic achievements is appreciated, their inability to communicate through the language barrier and cultural differences do get us local students ruffled up.

Still, it is always beneficial to get on the good side of lecturers. They can provide you with much help through your academic years, maybe even exam tips! Additionally, make it a point to consult your lecturers on papers or projects due because they will give you valuable feedback that will help improve your grade! Establishing a good working relationship with your lecturers is a two-way effort - if you make the effort chances are that they will reciprocate!

Chuin: In my own department, the lecturers are generally friendly, but still, we have a student-lecturer relationship; the line is not blurred. I do pop by the rooms of some of my lecturers to say hi and to ask how they're doing.

NUS lecturers try their best to help you in class and are often available after class for consultation. They are friendly and treat you like an adult. Yet the boundaries between lecturer and student are ever present. Be prepared for frustrations too because there are foreign lecturers who speak with a heavy foreign accent and communicating with them might be a challenge!

Dickson: Profs are like friends. You can disagree with them. They are usually very friendly; you can even have coffee and chat together.

Goodbye school uniform!

Welcome to the days of fretting over what to wear every morning. Guys, you have it easy - Jeans and t-shirts are always safe. Girls, on the other hand, have so much more to choose from - it's all about fitting in yet standing out, isn't it?

Sheena: Many NTU students live in hostels and they usually attend classes in shorts, berms, running vests, t-shirts, and flip flops.

Chuin: Students from the Business School, School of Design and Faculty or Arts and Social Sciences tend to be more adventurous.

Dickson: It is a well-known fact that SMU students dress up - in part because the school is located in the city, in part because it is in our culture.

Girls are normally seen in low tops and short skirts. Shorts are almost a no-no". During presentations in class, some students even come in business suits!