Done reading? Now let's begin!

This post will be split into 3 parts!

The write up is part of the application form as it enables the school to know why did you select their course and will then shortlist people accordingly for the interview segment! 

Now, here's a tricky part. You only have 600 characters. Meaning? Your punctuation marks, spaces are all counted as part of the 600. 

Good news!! This year for EAE they have a new part where you have 1000 characters to write about your talents and achievements.
(But the 600 characters write up for the courses still remains!)

It may sound scary, but that's the magic of it.

That 600 will either impress the school, or it will just be seen as another write up about things that are not relevant enough! 

I will include a sample - which was the one I wrote last year as well but here are some general guidelines to follow! 

If you have no CCA/joined any competition, talk about what are the things you do outside of school, for instance working as a photographer for events or even making your own youtube videos etc. If it is related, JUST MENTION! 

Here is what I wrote last year and I used up all characters! 

So after the application is closed, they will actually call you or email you regarding your interview! And here are some tips on what to prepare in advance, and the don'ts during the interview. 

Portfolio! 

Here are some of the don'ts to do during the interview!

Try to get permission to leave school earlier so that you don't have to rush for your interview. Just be calm, be YOURSELF and you will do well for the interview! 

Here are some of the questions that the interviewer asked me - this is just a guide, they may not ask you as it is according to what you wrote in your application form! 

1. How can you contribute to this course?
2. Why did you put MCM as first choice and Law & Management as second? (I had a second choice which was not relevant to MCM at all hence the question was posed)
3. Why do you want to be in MCM?
4. Have you considered about practising media law instead? 

DPA was kicked off by a 3D2N camp where we will meet our VERY FIRST group of friends!! I was in group one - derful and I met really great friends! One of the DPA alumni who's also my CUL in camp had a quote; DPA Friends are like four leaf clover, hard to find but lucky to have. 

Reason being, your DPA friends can be the most "real" people you will ever know through out your polytechnic life. 

Those fake people you often hear about? Yes, they exist. 

Yay to the kick off! 

That 3D2N was one of the most memorable camps I had! It was definitely a good way to kick off DPA. 

Many people have the misconception that during DPA, we take modules earlier and be ahead of the JPSAE and JAE people, truth is NO!

We take IS (Interdisciplinary Studies) modules like Mindworks and Sports and wellness along with service learning during the DPA period. 

Mindworks is like psychology while S&W is just like Poly PE and Service Learning is just like VIA/CIP in secondary school with the only difference that we are the ones who plan and execute! 

IS is compulsory in NP as it allows us to go beyond our courses, e.g. Business to arts or engineering to media. 

The next group of people that I met were my S&W mates! 

It was such a "fun" session if I could ever go back to those days where all our body and muscles ached from the Chinese New Year work out, Poker cards workout etc. Burpees X10? HELL.... no. And how fun was it to play with the TRX straps and medicine balls.  

I chose Gym because I wanted to learn more in depth regarding the equipments and work outs that I can do. My instructor/lecturer was a very nice guy as well. We also had the privilege to use the gym even earlier than other DPA students! 

Lovely class, couldn't ask for more! 

Then finally the last group of people I met in DPA, my tutorial mates who were all from FMS (my faculty) with 3 of my APR/VFX school mates who were in another tutorial group :( But other than that all FSV and MCM students were together!

And yup, we were called shadow warriors! 

One thing about the tutorial mates you meet in DPA is that, they will and are the nicest bunch of people you can ever know in school. So, cherish them!

For the kids, and people who are not married, more angpows! 

For the adults.... more $$$ to give out. 

Anyway! Chinese new year is less than 3 weeks way! Another 16 more days to the eve! So here are some tips (from me!) that may or may not aid you in your buying of new year goodies or so! But just tips for you to get the best deals and what NOT to do at a certain TIME. 

#Tip 1: Cut/dye/perm/rebond your hair 1-2 weeks before CNY!

Well, ever heard of the "Cny surcharge"? Is actually a so called extra fees when you cut your hair and so! For example, the usual price is 20$ for hair cut, 40$ for hair dye, and Maybe 

another 35$ for perming; totaling up to 95$, but.. during the "cny period" it Can actually be 150$ because it is the cny season. Irony right when things are supposed to be cheaper.. I have asked around and did my research, the increase is taking place on the 11th of Febuary for most salons. However, some already started. So hurry go to your nearest salon and get a hair cut! Especially guys who just want a simple hairdo. From 10$ maybe end up 25$ for just cutting like 1 or 2 inches of hair.

(I strongly recommend snip avenue toa payoh! Or their other outlets)

So, cut after cny or do it by this weekend! #dontsayineverwarnyou

#Tip 2: Go for pedicures/medicures 2-3 weeks before CNY!



Same as the above! Well, classic nails may just be 60$+ but during the cny season, it's gonna be around 80$! I know of a salon that has already up their prices already, like last week! They added 5$ to their services and the owner told me that the price will go up further by week and even more during the cny period! However, I do have a salon to recommend as well! I did my nails there last week at a discounted price of only 28$ for their gel nails. Yes, I know in bugis it's like cheaper like 20$ but I went to bugis last Saturday and their prices increased already (the third floor salons) so, for neighborhood salon it is really cheap and the service is really good, location wise also! Some photos!

Well, I like gel nails more compared to the more fanciful ones!




My glittery blue nails done by them! It's actually more nicer in real life hehe!
28$ for shaping, cutting, soaking and the gel polish!


They have many other designs as well! Even the classic ones, you all may visit their fb page for more info! They haven't up their prices yet, but they plan to do so on the 11th. So hurry and get your nails done if you want to!

(ps: this is not an ad)

Yup so that's all for nails!

#Tip 3: Visit outlets with promotions instead!


While the nail salons and hair salons are increasing their prices, there are still stores that offers great prices and promotions! For instance; clothing stores, having massive sales, or up to 70% off, buy one get one free etc. Who doesn't like cheap stuffs? And oh, some salons do offer promotional prices 2 weeks before cny :)

#Tip 4: Check out outlets that has extra points for make-up, daily essentials!


I'm sure you guys know that stores like Sasa, Watsons, Etude House they do have point systems! So when you buy a certain item you will either get more discount or more points! Which can act as a cash rebate. And they often have 20%-50% storewide sales! So if you are a member of them DO sign up for their SMSs to get the latest update on their sales!

#Tip 5: Visit branded shoe stores when buying shoes!


Shoe shops tend to clear their stocks before cny, and that's when they will offer the massive 50%-60% sale. And I can share with you, Nex's Charles and Keith is one of them. However if you're a big foot person like me, I wear from size 39-40 you may have lesser chances cos usually they have more stocks on the smaller sizes. Like in bugis street there are lots of shoes store like plain jane or some italy store having 9.90$ heels or 10$-15$ creepers but the sizes are really limited. So you may try these stores first!

#Tip 6: Do not buy hawker food in the first few days of Cny!


Well.. Just a few days, and the reason why is because stalls that are opened on the first day of cny, or even eve, they tend to up their prices a few dollars more. I mean 7$ for a plate of chicken rice? But there are some who only up by 50cents or so. Still affordable. There was once, last year my papa bought 4 packs of duck rice (normal serving) from a market in north bridge, it was midnight after the eve, so technically it was the first day of cny, the bill came to 24$ because it was day 1 of cny! So.. I suggest you guys to either eat at home (yes for hot pot!) or eat fast food, mcdelivery is even cheaper LOL.

#Tip 7: Get free angpows from F&B stores/banks or outlets!


Since you are putting money inside the angpows already, you might as well not spend the extra money to buy! Just get it for free! There are promotions on like sushi chains whereby when you spend 38$ or so there will be free angpows given, and the designs are special and cute. Good enough! Or even make up stores like etude house. Perfect for the nieces and cousins! After all angpows are pretty cheap but why not save the money?

#Tip 8: Get your cny goodies at the last min of new year's eve!


Because it is CHEAPER A LOT!! There was once, I bought my tin of love letters, pineapple tarts at only A DOLLAR. It was so cheap that many people cleared the shop within the last hour of cny and there were a lot of remains for the not so popular goodies. Cny snacks you can just get on the eve since people only visit on day 1? And stall owners wouldn't want to keep the goodies till after cny cos basically no one buys them anymore. The best place to get is actually Chinatown! Or you guys (those driving) can head to KL and buy! Those in the pic were bought in KL at really cheap prices, less than 20RM per bottle. Some even less than 10RM.

#Tip 9: Visit clothing stores on weekdays instead!


Do not chiong your shopping of clothes during the weekends.. Because the queue for fitting room is WAY TOO LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG . Likewise, the queue for paying is even longer.. So visit the stores during weekdays, early morning (since students are in school, most working adults are working) there will be lesser people. And you can try all you want! Stores like H&M and Cotton On + Top Shop/ F21 has way too much queue. And it is really squeezy during the weekends, you can't even grab the clothes you want sometimes! Even in bugis as well, you need to squeeze with so many people. Not good!

#Tip 10: Go on a two & half days leave for a long weekend!


I'm sure all of you know, since CNY eve is on the 18th, it will be half day, which is a wednesday! So you can actually take two & half days of leave to have a week off! Since thurs & fri are PH! Including the sat and sun from the prev week, you guys have 9 days of off day. Can go holiday already lah! Might as well go thailand buy clothes then come back singapore to celebrate? ^____^

Yeap and that's it my top 10 tips for a great and savvy chinese new year!

This year my zodiac does not fan tai sui (offend the gods) so I'm pretty happy. I definitely want to have more angpows!!


Meanwhile I hope everyone will have a great week ahead and an advance Happy Chinese New Year to all of you! huat ah!