I can still recall the time I received my GCE ‘O’ Level results. My results were good enough to enter a decent Junior College but at that time, I knew for certain that I did not want to sit for the dreaded and intense GCE ‘A’ levels. Choosing the polytechnic path hence seemed like a natural choice to me and I enrolled myself in a business school. I was looking forward to the fun-filled campus life school brochures often promised but my first year of polytechnic was not as smooth-sailing as I expected.
The polytechnic lifestyle for one is very different from the formal education in primary and secondary school and some people might experience culture shock. After all, you are allowed to wear whatever proper attire to class, enjoy your food from multiple food outlets and food courts over (and out of) the campus, and there is a lot more freedom granted to you. Sounds like a paradise for extroverts but not quite. While you might have heard of horror stories of group mates not doing work in polytechnic and the endless number of presentations required, it is actually possible for introverts (yes, you students with the “I”s in your MBTI profiles like myself) or quieter students to survive and of course thrive in poly.
Back then I wished that someone would share with me their real-life experiences but there weren’t many non-academics posts about it so I thought that it might be helpful to share with you my experiences and tips to find your place in polytechnic.
TIP 1: Coming to Class Prepared is Important!
This feels more like a necessity than a tip actually. In poly, no one will chase after you for your assignments and tutorials; the responsibility to learn is on you so it is crucial that you do your tutorials, find out the areas you are unclear/weak in and clarify them.
For my diploma, we have to do tutorial presentations every week for all modules and this was an intimidating experience in my first year. But as time went by, I naturally got the hang of presenting and I always found that presentations aren’t that tough if you know your content well. Not to forget, most modules have a class participation component. For introverts, this may sound like a daunting experience but don’t worry as much as your instructors can easily tell if you have done your work or are just reading off someone else’s work, based on the way you present your answers.
For those who don’t like to ask your questions during class sessions, you can always ask your lecturers and tutors after classes. I do that all the time and I’m thankful to meet very friendly and helpful teachers who were always happy to answer your questions.
Also, most if not all your instructors who have accumulated vast working experiences in the industry. Engaging your lecturers after class one way helps you to first, clarify your questions, and second to learn more about their experience in the workforce, what they enjoyed in their career. Personally, my lecturers were very helpful during my internship applications and gave me constructive feedback. Even during internship, my lecturers remained approachable to helping us navigate the workplace. Also, forging these bonds can possibly make you feel less intimidating when it comes to class discussions, and your lecturers can also help you for your job/internship/university referrals!
TIP 2: Be Open-minded
A polytechnic life is really beyond just your grades! I entered polytechnic because I didn’t want a curriculum as intense as the Junior College and I’m thankful the content in my course isn’t as heavy. This gave me plenty of time to join CCAs, go on overseas trips and volunteer in my free time.
In my first semester, I didn’t participate in any CCAs as I wanted to focus on my grades and because I couldn’t really find close friends to join a CCA with. But when I started my second semester in freshman year, I realised that I can’t always wait for others to join an activity and neither can I force myself to join something just to fit in. If there is something I want, I need to work hard and be brave in my journey.
In my case, I wanted an enriching, memorable and fun learning polytechnic experience. I told myself to be open-minded and in that same semester, I joined the Economics Club and helped to create cartoon learning materials for our lecturers. The following year, I was chosen for the TFI-SCALE leadership and cultural exchange programme where I spent 2 weeks learning in Chiangmai University. I accepted the offer even though I didn’t know anyone in my group but I’m glad I took the first step as that trip turned out to be the most enjoyable and enriching learning experience for me. Years after the trip, I actually still keep close contacts with my overseas friends. In fact, this trip was just one of the 6 overseas trips I experienced in my polytechnic.
As an introvert, the journey can look tough and gloomy. From not knowing many people to preferring alone time, I don’t guarantee that it will be smooth-sailing but I guarantee that you will never know what the experience is like if you never tried it. In fact, I joined almost all of my non-academic related activities alone and was lucky enough to find and make new friends there. Worse comes to worst, if you don’t enjoy the activity then look at the bright side, you learnt something new about yourself! And this brings me to my next point.
TIP 3: Join Activities that YOU Like
Life is all about figuring yourself but it is not a competition. It is impossible to find out everything about yourself in an instance but it is possible to start early.
In my final year, I took a chance to be a secretary of a community service club and it wasn’t an easy decision to be honest as I had a final-year project and internship applications to worry about. Nonetheless, I genuinely enjoyed serving the beneficiaries on my weekends and I was more than happy to mentor my subcommittee members who went on to take on other various leadership positions. It was also through my CCA where I forge my closest friends whom I still rely on for advice today.
Besides the fun, there were definitely those down moments where I questioned myself. Why am I spending time serving when I can sleep in? Why am I liaising with other organisations when someone else can do it? I even spent my vacation in Phuket for community service where I painted houses under the hot sun when I could have stayed in my bed in Singapore watching Netflix. These questions do accumulate but instead of focusing on these “why”, I started to be optimistic and treat these obstacles as a way to figure myself out. For instance, in my final academic semester, I led my team in a final-year project and projects from other modules. I discovered that I possess leadership skills and particularly, the ability to set targets and envision outcomes. Also, I noted that I need to be less risk averse as that meant missing out on great opportunities.
In poly, I felt that joining CCAs and other activities were not just a good way to take a break from studies, but an avenue to meet people from other courses and levels. For the quieter and more introverted ones, CCAs might sound like a big no-no and you might be very tempted to join the N.C.C. (No CCA Club). But please do take the time and figure out which CCA fits your interest be it dance, sports or even special interest clubs like cultural clubs, board games clubs and astronomy. If you can’t find anything interesting in school, you can always create yours or join external organizations!
TIP 4: Start Planning Early
A simple tip but alas it gets forgotten easily and only remembered when in the last year. Please don’t do that. Instead, start thinking if you are pursuing further studies or entering the workforce and plan from there.
Throughout your time at poly, there must be some activities that you have passion in and some you just want to avoid. It is perfectly fine to feel that way and it is only part of your self-discovery process. I was fortunate enough to know that I wanted to pursue business or a social sciences degree and I studied hard to ensure my grades were satisfactory. While I understood the subjects I liked and disliked, I didn’t really understand what my soft skills were. “What exactly is teamwork? What is the difference between analytical thinking and critical thinking?” These were the questions I kept asking (and Googling) as I filled up university application forms and I’m pretty sure some of you are facing similar frustrations as well.
Thankfully for you prospective students, my team and I have developed something to help you navigate this process FREE OF CHARGE (that’s right). Here at Skilio, we look beyond your academic achievements; we look at what makes you and fortunately, that could be anything you have experienced.
Enjoy dancing to the latest Korean moves and creating your own choreographies? Jot it down in our Skilio soft skills portfolio and you will be surprised to know how your Willingness To Learn can be showcased on your portfolio. Want to find out how you can differentiate yourself against other applicants for your dream university? Make use of your Personalisation Report to find out how you can stand out with your soft skill insights and experiences to ace your applications, from your resume, personal statement, to your interview.
Remember that grades in polytechnic are cumulative and a B- from that really tough statistics course can affect your final GPA — so plan early!
Final Parting Advice?
These tips are based on my experiences and they may not resemble your current or future experiences but that’s good because it is your own journey to forge. Looking back, my happiest moments in polytechnic were the overseas trips I participated in, my CCA and not forgetting the satisfaction of finally accomplishing yet a presentation and report with my team. These experiences shaped me to the person I am today — still an introvert but with clearer goals — and it would be impossible if I followed others and blended in with the crowd.