It's been a year since I started college and all I can say is that, it is never easy doing assignments. Especially GROUP ASSIGNMENTS. I have to deal with doing assignments with a bunch of people and it can be so hard when some of your group members don't do much of their work. Even after constant pestering, most of them would still do last minute work and expect you to correct their work for them. Basically, telling you to do all the work and they will just blindly receive all the marks you've worked hard on. Sometimes we struggle to find time to do the assignment together so that we can correct our mistakes. So I'll share with you guys my know-hows in handling assignments, both group and individual.

1. Online Storage
I often use online sharing storage like Google Drive/Google Docs to do my group assignments. It's actually sort of convenient since we can see real-time editing from other members that you've invited to view/edit the document. However, if the file is big, it can sometimes become laggy.

2. Friends don't make use of friends
No matter if your group members are your friends, you should just treat them like you don't know them. Once you see them as your friends, even if they don't do their work, you'll still forgive them which is a bad thing. If they are really your friends, they won't make use of you. Friends like that are not worth it.

3. No last minute work
Please, please, PLEASE, don't do last minute work. I mean, even now, I have group members who decides to do their work a few hours before the deadline. NO! Plan all your assignment routes, finish it a few days before so that you can actually show your lecturers the drafts before handing it in.

4. Pay attention
You should actually pay attention when the lecturer is explaining the guideline for assignment. Once you miss a thing, you will most probably fuck up your assignments and you'll have to redo it. Take down notes whenever the lecturer is explaining. Ask questions if you are not clear about it.

5. It's okay to pester them
Ensure that your group members don't delay your group assignment. Pester them to finish up the assignment on time. Sooner or later, they'll find out that it's for their own good.

6. Relax
Whenever you're stuck in between the assignments and feel pressured, take some time off to chill and relax. Or else, you'll stress even more about it and it'll disrupt your eating and sleeping schedule. Currently, that's happening to me.

There's so much more to it but it's basically common sense to be honest. Happy GROUP ASSIGNMENT-ing!

Alright guys, since I have nothing to talk about, I will post some of the things I do when there's haze, which is frequently happening in Malaysia right now. Apparently, tertiary education doesn't get to have a day off when the haze is at an unhealthy level, for Penang, it's constantly around the 150+ mark. They think a we age, our lungs are more superior? PSHHHH. The reasons they say that we need to go for classes are because classes are conducted in air conditioned rooms. That doesn't really make sense to students who take public buses?? For instance, I have to take two public bus rides to reach college and two more again to reach back to my apartment. My exposure to the surrounding environment is too damn high!  So, "thanks" to college, I have to take several precautions every day:

#1 Face mask

1. Always wear a face mask when you're outside.
According to my extensive research on Google and certified websites, the white side should be attached to our face when we have the flu (color side facing outwards). So, when there's haze, the white side should face out in order to protect micro-organism from environment to come in contact with us!

#2 My water bottle :)

2. Drink a lot of water/liquid!
Due to the haze, the weather is constantly dry and duty, so drink a lot of water than usual! I would usually bring a 500ml water bottle and refill it at a nearby water filter when I'm done drinking. If you don't like drinking plain water, you can add in a few slices of lemon a day before and store it into the fridge.

3. Take in lots of vitamins!
If you're feeling  bit down from all the haze, slice some fruits and have it as a snack. Your intake of vitamins during the haze is very very important, to prevent yourself from falling ill, or to make you feel better if you're already ill.

#4 Spend more time indoors!

4. Stay indoors as much as possible
Avoid the haze as much as possible either by being in your own home or inside a building that's ventilated. I rarely go out or I straight away come back home after classes to avoid the haze.

5. No more fried food :(
I am eating a lot less fried food thanks to the haze. With the haze, my throat is easily irritated so I would avoid eating fried food. It's been a few months since I last had McDonald's. On the plus side, I feel healthier?

Before the haze~

After the haze~

So that's a few of my precautions during haze season. Make sure you're always prepared by bringing a few face masks out and a water bottle by your side 24/7. Here's to hoping that the haze season will end soon :)

When you're so busy with your college classes and the heap of assignments, a day on in the weekdays is a total bliss. I would usually spend my Tuesday doing the house chores, finishing up assignments and relax, if I actually have the time. This is a list of what I usually do on my weekdays:

Baby succulents from Cameron Highlands.

I always find time to care and tend to my baby succulents! Since I'm living in an apartment and having cats/dogs are not allowed, I chose to look after these babies. On Tuesdays,  I'll water them and change their positions for optimum/suitable sunlight. The midde one is growing strong as ever, budding out more babies!

Face maintenance.

Just bought this face wash from Watsons a few days ago. This product is made in USA, and the price was only RM15+ after discount. So I thought, why not try a new product since mine was already finished. Shall give some reviews on it after I start using it. Heard some great reviews about it from my sister who is also using this brand. I would sometimes apply face mask or take care of my body hygiene on Tuesdays. So yeah..

Cookbook research.

Since I started working as a kitchen helper in a cafe back in Ipoh last time, I've become more interested in cooking. Although I rarely cook here in Penang, I'm a food adventurer here, so I actually get to try out tonnes of food available. I would sometimes spend my Tuesdays looking through recipe books and finding more online, for both the aesthetic and to find out more about various food.

Book club alone.

Besides that, I would grab a book from my shelf and make myself a cup of green tea to enjoy some light reading. I barely have time to read nowadays since I'm always buried under assignment workloads and being tired from classes on Mondays. So, being able to read a book on my day offs are so rare.

I will be making reviews about the face wash soon and also going to start talking/blogging about my every day discoveries.

I went out for lunch with a bunch of my college friends during our 2 hour lunch break last Friday. We couldn't decide where to go, so we went to one of our friend's friend's restaurant, Eld's 22 Pasta & Grill located at Gurney Paragon. The place was nice and cozy with great services. The waiters and waitresses were attending to all our needs. The price was reasonable for the food they are serving. I went with the Grilled Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce. I ordered it in the 4 course lunch set which comes with a drink, soup of the day, main course and ice cream with homemade chocolate fudge at only RM 15.

Soup of the day

Fruit punch

Grilled Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

The main course!

There's always room for desserts! :)

Today, I feel like introducing a movie which can help people around. No matter how powerful and strong you are, you can have flaws and weaknesses. Even King George VI had one, he stammers when he gives speeches. Yes, you heard me. THE FREAKING KING. In this movie, The King's Speech, it will tell you the true story about how the King faced his problem with the help of his wife, the Queen and speech therapist/friend, Lionel Logue. The movie taught me to trust your loved ones and make some effort to fix your weaknesses. Even if I give my presentations in class, I seldom stammer as much as I did back in high school and primary.

-

Colin Firth as Prince Albert/King George VI

Bertie and Lionel

King George VI who, to cope with a stammer, sees Lionel Logue, an Australian speech and language therapist, introduced by his wife, Elizabeth. The men become friends as they work together, and after his brother abdicates the throne, the new king relies on Logue to help him make his first wartime radio broadcast on Britain's declaration of war on Germany, to millions of people in 1939.

Since I was a wee little girl, I always dreamed about travelling around the world. All I wanted to do was to absorb the culture, enjoy the environment and learn everything about the country. But that dream was crushed long time ago when I found out that travelling costs a lot and it would be a lot of burden on my family since I'm still a college student. I'm always Malaysia bound because I've never traveled overseas before, hence no passport.  I'm constantly juggling with assignments and exams with my college course, so it's actually quite impossible for me to get a part time job. Even when I'm on my semester break which is at most, 3 weeks, people wouldn't hire me cause of the short duration. All I could think of is asking people to fund me or selling my artwork which is not really a good idea, since I'm not at that level of selling art yet. And the other bad news is, GoFundMe is not available in Malaysia... So I'm left with nothing in the end. 

photo credits: ybkim1002@tumblr

Since I'm using Samsung, I'm a member of Samsung Galaxy Life. I saw an offer whereby we can get 2 cans of Eureka Popcorn for RM 10. And since I was going to watch a movie with my sister, it was a really good offer. So we got two, one Tomato flavored and another Kim-chi flavored. All I got to say is, both of them were delicious! Nice to snack on during movies, or writing a blog post. The packaging was pretty, like those potato chip cans. The popcorn was up to the brim so it was worth the price.

Exterior of the popcorn.

Exactly like potato chips.

Tomato flavored popcorn.

All popcorn gone now.

Eureka outlet I went to was Gurney Plaza. The staffs were friendly. They gave us samples before buying so that we know which one to get. next tim, maybe I'll try the caramel and cheese. Drop by to get some popcorn goodness! Located at Gurney Plaza Lower Ground Floor. 

Had an advanced birthday celebration for my friend at Chicago Rib House in Gurney Plaza yesterday. We went there after our morning classes and we took the public bus there. The place was homey and some of the staffs were friendly.

Interior of the rib house.

My view from the seat.

Beer Battered Fried Pork Chop with Coleslaw and  Beer Battered Fries.

Thick juicy pork chop!

Soup of the day for starters.

The starter was soup of the day. I think it was a vegetable soup? Cause there were a lot of veges and there was soup. But the amount of seasoning in this soup is crazy lot. Maybe lessen the amount of seasoning and more veges for taste. After the starters, we had our main dish later. I ordered Beer Battered Fried Pork Chop which was sort of the recommended dish there. The chop was big enough for one person (bear in mind, I have a big appetite). The chop was thick and juicy, could have been a bit more tender if you ask me. You can change your side dishes to anyone you liked. I changed mine to coleslaw and beer battered fries. The fries was big and crispy meanwhile the coleslaw was perfect after all the fried food. After finishing off my food, had bread pudding as dessert. I was already quite full after the main dish, so it was quite hard to finish off the desert. Nonetheless, t was baked perfectly, crispy golden brown on top and mushy on the inside. The whole lunch set was only for RM 16.90 (tax not included).  The tax was so so high! If not mistaken it was 16%? Like what's up with that?

All in all, it was a nice place to be celebrating an occasion. If I were to spend my lunchtime here every time, I'd go broke. Hah. Just for special occasions.