Post Mortem : Doing Master's Degree

Assalamualaikum,

Catatan hari ini, adalah untuk renungan aku sendiri.  Mungkin satu hari nanti di masa akan datang, di kala aku mungkin dah berjaya mencapai cita-cita menjadi seorang pendidik, aku boleh imbau kembali jerih perjalanan aku menggenggam segulung ijazah Sarjana.dan yang penting,kesilapan-kesilapan yg pernah aku buat masa master,akan dijadikan benchmark utk tidak diulangi utk phd & perjalanan akan dtg.

*dah kenapa ayat skema tak hengat...! saje la..,mood tengah ala-ala puitis gitu.. Tolong layan je... Hihihihi..*

So..., back to the story. I started my master's study in IIUM back then in 2010, June to be specific. In Mechatronics Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering. I enrolled a mixed mode program (coursework + research).

From June 2010 - April 2011, I completed my 20 credit hours = 7 subjects coursework. Well, I would say, studying for courses and a mother at the same time, is not an easy task to do. Masa bujang trang tang tang dulu, you can study (doing assignment/completing minor project/preparing for quizzes/preparing for exams and etc) anytime you like. Pagi? Malam? Tengahari buta? Asalkan free and ada will to do so, duduk je kat meja study, bukak buku, and study.

When you're a mother, on the other hand, that privilege is taken dengan serta-merta.. Kena setelkan anak dulu, then baru boleh fikir utk study. Sometimes, baru je bukak buku 5minit, si kecik dah bunyi.. So, terpaksa tinggal dulu and entertain anak. Oh itu kalau si kecil sihat walafiat lah. Tiba pulak time dia demam or tak sihat, level manja @ mengada meningkat ke tahap tertinggi, maka memang tak akan sempat lah sang mama sentuh buku. Bukan setakat buku, nak bawak pencil case keluar dari beg pun belum tentu sempat! So, TIME MANAGEMENT is super important!

LESSON LEARNT #1: Manage your time super efficiently. DON'T PROCRASTINATE!

LESSON LEARNT #2: Allocate a 2hours everyday for studies.completing assignment,study for quizzes,exam etc.last minute study is no longer suitable for a mother.

Then,after 2 semesters doing courseworks,i registered for research.my biggest mistake back then was not looking for supervisor n research title earlier (sem 2 or even sem 1).i seriously started looking for supervisor & title only after I was done with courseworks.well,i lost a lot of time for it.

Then the title.i sucks big time in this part.first,i chose research area that is too virgin in my university.my sv wanted to explore the area,but belum ada foundation.scope of research terlalu general and luas!so I had a hard time narrowing my scope n choosing the method.and I spent a looootttt of time in this stage.scope n methodology.once that was confirmed,then only I started on the implementation.

LESSON LEARNT #4: it is safer n time saving to find a research conducted by a group of student.at least the scope of ur part is known and u can just focus on methodology n analysis.

LESSON LEARNT #5: Choose sv who is really expert in ur chosen research area.so they can advise anytime u need it n feedback on ur work that u has done.

LESSON LEARNT #6: set your consultation time with supervisor (if ur sv doesn't do that) and make sure to strictly stick to the schedule.this is to motivate u to do something for u to report for that meeting.jadi tidaklah leka berjimba sana sini kerja tak buat.huhuhuhu

I started writing my thesis,while doing the research.thanks to some friends who suggested that.it rili helpful.kalau tak,tah jaman bila baru siap...ditambah pula masa tu I pregnant kan faris.agak tergendala gak le,tp I rasa the baby inside my womb ms tu was one of the motivation utk habiskan writing and submit asap.reason being,i tak mau menghadap thesis selepas beranak 2nd child.confirm akan lebih tertekan..

#macam dah panjang sgt.nanti sambung lain post lah.hahahaha

Loads of love, * Farah Jasni*