Aqilah's 1st Year in NYP

By Nur Aqilah Bte Suhaimi, Year 2, Diploma in Business Management

Time flies when you have good company in school, and that is why my first year as a Business Management student in NYP was so enjoyable.

My name is Aqilah and I was sixteen when I received my O level results. Compared to most secondary school graduates who were torn between similar courses offered in different polytechnics, I had an easier time.  I selected a polytechnic in Ang Mo Kio because my secondary school was from the area, and I like the assurance of familiar places.  Another most important factor to me was transportation. I dislike the morning rush at train stations so NYP was a good choice for me as it's only a 10-minute walk from Yio Chu Kang MRT. and In fact, there's no need to worry about rainy days as the walkway to school is sheltered.

So I thought, “Why not NYP?” ☺

Another reason why students choose polytechnic life is to have more freedom in dressing.  It's exciting to know that you can finally dress up for school everyday. Like everyone else, I was excited by the thought as well. To prevent dressing up from becoming a chore, I'd recommend stocking up on basic tops and bottoms for school. If you get cold easily, it'll be great if you invest in a few cardigans/jackets as it may get cold during classes. (If you want more tips, check out MisStyle’s article here!)

Freshmen Orientation was a refreshing start to poly life, thanks to all the fun activities. The orientation allows us to bond with our new classmates through ice breakers and whatnot. It's also interesting to find out that some of our classmates are mutual friends of our previous school mates.

Even though the orientation I attended last year was short, I realised that I've made a few good friends in NYP thanks to it. Of course, the organizers of the orientation will not let you leave empty handed. Here is a photo of last year's Freshmen Orientation t-shirt ☺

School officially started a few days after the orientation. I have to say that I found poly life different compared to secondary school. The lectures and tutorials of different modules are often held in different rooms. It gave me a headache trying to figure out which class I had to attend then as it was a challenge for me to remember my timetable. And I admit I still have problems remembering all my class venues. Here's an example of a typical timetable in NYP:

Furthermore, it will take some time to get used to the attendance system. Before school officially starts, all freshmen will be asked to collect their admin card. This card is as important as your IC in NYP because everyone needs it to tap for lecture attendance. Studying for modules will not be a problem as we've all been studying for almost half of our lives. Of course getting a good GPA is crucial in poly, but it might take some time for you to cope. Personally, I took around one semester to get used to poly life. I'm glad that I've been enjoying it since then ☺

Let's get down to serious business – food. There are four canteens in NYP: South Canteen, North Canteen, Koufu, and Fast Food Canteen.  Check these out:

Takoyaki Balls@ South Canteen

 Regular-sized Original Frozen Yogurt
@ Grinning Gecko (Fast Food Canteen)

 And if you're lucky, you might even get a stack of pancakes or McNuggets for your birthday!
♥

My friends suprised me with a birthday stack of pancakes during my 1st year!

To return the favour to my nugget-loving friend, we created a birthday nugget mountain.

Apart from all these, there are many cheap food options around NYP. I'll leave it to you to explore the canteens and their wonders yourself. However, all four canteens are crowded during lunch hours. But fret not, you can always takeaway your lunch and eat somewhere else with your friends.

Typing this entry has made me realize that my days as a freshman are coming to an end soon. And I'll miss it dearly. In one year, I've learnt to open up to people more than I used to by signing up for camps in school and joining CCAs. I'm also thankful that my group of friends in NYP has been a very competitive yet fun bunch. I think my freshmen year was great thanks to them.

To all incoming freshmen, welcome to NYP!

Don't worry, you'll learn to enjoy and love your stay here like I did ☺

Aqilah is a second year Business Management student with a passion for baking and writing. She aspires to be a journalist one day and her other hobbies include reading books, blogging, and eating.

For a girl her size, she eats a lot and is currently in search of the best food places in Singapore!