Life at Bellerbys College

Farewell To Bellerbys (Part 2)

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

Hello Readers!



Yes, this will be my final penning for the college as a student blogger.

As mentioned previously, I would like to thank a few other people who have made my stay in Brighton such a pleasure.

Mr Nigel Addison
Thank you for making yourself so approachable. Also, for supporting the student body, being open-minded enough to welcome feedback for the betterment of the college. Not to forget, audaciously dressing up as a clown for our annual ball. Definitely the coolest principal!

Mr Peter Corcut
I am deeply grateful for the opportunities you have given me throughout my course and for listening to my issues. It has been great dealing with you and Mr Addison as part of the May Ball’s organising committee. I have learnt quite a bit from you!

Mr Alan Beer
Thank you for the constant words of encouragement. You make me strive harder to achieve my goals. I am very thankful for all your help and advice in terms of university applications or simply about the course.

Mr Trystan James
I must thank you for being equally helpful to me despite being solely in charge of the Business Foundation students. I really appreciate your help!

Ms Kerry Hartley
You have been assisting us students so well with our university applications.I cannot express enough gratitude for all your thoughtful help in these matters Thank you so much!

Mrs Chris Arulraj
What would new students do without you? You are like the mother figure of us students, helping us deal with the most trivial matters, prioritising our satisfaction during the length of stay. We love you very much!

Supervisors Marianna, Pauline, Scott, Isaac, Toby
Thank you for all the knockings in the evening to check on me when I was 17. It gives me a sense of security. It almost seems like my parents tucking me into my bed! I will really miss all of you.

Ms Pat Peers
You are one resourceful librarian! Thank you so much for getting me amazing architecture books to read from. I would dearly miss you!

Student Services
College would not have been as lively if not for the plethora of activities organised. Also, for the services provided, catering to all our needs. We really appreciate the hospitality!

Canteen People
Thank you for the lively atmosphere in the canteen. I can’t believe you guys are so friendly! It is great meeting all of you!

Classmates and Friends
Thank you for the amazing company. You guys have been a great bunch of people to hang out with, to share my highs and lows with. We have all made! I hope these bonds will be maintained though we are going to different universities.

Room Cleaners
Every Mondays, I come back to a spotlessly clean room. Thank you so much for your service!

And finally,

Ms Louise Courtney
Thank you for this privilege in becoming the student blogger of Bellerbys Brighton. It has been an amazing experience working with you.

Not to forget,
my dear readers, I appreciate this opportunity in sharing my experiences with you. It has been a great ride.

To me, this is simply an ending just before another beginning. University life awaits for me and I cannot wait for this new chapter. I am pleased to say that I have been given the privilege to continue as a graduate blogger for the college.

Sheffield, here I come!

Until then!

Signing off for the last time as a student blogger!

Farewell To Bellerbys

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

I came to Bellerbys with no idea what to expect in my Engineering Foundation course. But throughout my stay of 8 months in the UK, the people in Bellerbys have made my life without my family much easier. They became my British family with their conviviality. With that said, now that I am officially graduating, I feel obligated to thank these people.

TUTORS

Mr. Oliver Bentham
Thank you for your extremely systematic teaching system, providing us with superb notes as well as a wholesome approach to Mechanics and Pure Maths. We really appreciate your sense of humour with us chaps! It makes your classes so captivating!

Ms Lorna Jenkins
On behalf of the Engineering class, thank you for making our English classes so enjoyable. You always manage to make us learn yet have a good time. We really appreciate your compassion and your willingness in assisting us not only for English, but other matters.

Mr Ben Kershaw
IELTS could have been such an issue and a boring occasion to prepare for, if not for your lively classes. You make us look forward to English classes, not to mention obtaining the grades we needed for IELTS.

Mr Dominic Rhys
English in Term 3 has definitely been very fun with the countless debates and lectures that we went through. Thank you for giving us a taste of university life, helping us prepare ourselves for the future. We have learnt a lot from you. Referencing is our expertise now!
 
Dr Jackie Grant
My deepest appreciation for your patience in dealing with us engineers! You always explain the subjects (Matters & Waves, Electricity & Fields) clearly to us, with extra information. Graduating from your teachings, we all learn to read and understand questions carefully before attempting them.

Mr David Jepps
It has been a pleasure learning Pure Maths from you, especially seeing that you are a Cambridge graduate. It makes me all the more inspired and motivated to be as successful as you! Thank you for your guidance.

Dr Howard Cameron
Albeit learning Mechanics for barely a month, it has been a great experience. You are such a responsible teacher who never fails to keep up with the learning schedule, keeping us on the right pace. Thank you for everything!


Dr Ken Butcher
Thank you for the sky-high pile of past year Mechanics papers. Besides the profusion of exercises you have been lavishing us with, you make great notes and taught us to understand concepts clearly.

Ms Sarah Witherby
I love IT classes with you because of your bubbly personality. You have totally injected life and energy in your classes which makes them such a pleasure. I must admit that I am hopeless in computers, but you helped me gain confidence in my computer skills. Thank you!


Mr Tim Hewson
I could not believe that I could make leaflets and web pages on my own, Thank you for all your guidance and teachings in these Microsoft applications. I am rather certain that they would come in handy in the future.

Mr David Nix
It is rather unfortunate that I could not have proper Art classes with you since I am in the Engineering Foundation. And yet, you have agreed to help me out in preparing my architecture portfolio. My time with you may have been very brief, but in that short period of time, I have learnt so much about architecture. I appreciate all the encouragement given. I really am thankful for your help.

Mr Fraser
Thank you for assisting me when Mr Nix is busy. You have certainly helped me a lot, with the editing and formatting of my pieces before they are proper enough to be sent to the universities. Would have loved be one of your actual students.

The list could go on and on. In fact, it is so long that the list would continue in the next and final penning of mine as Bellerbys student blogger.

Keep reading!

This Is It!

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

Term 3. Final term. Last 2 months in Bellerbys. This is it. Downside of this term? We got to stay through the summer holidays, just after bidding farewell to our fellow mates from A Levels and graduates from the September intake Foundation Program. 

I sighed to myself, wondering how I could survive this last two months without the usual liveliness of Bellerbys. I was horrified to picture the place I usually sit in for breakfasts, with all my friends occupying the whole row of tables reduced to a pathetic measly few. OH boy! How different would things be?

I slugged down the residence area for my first breakfast in Term 3, with a much weaker punch of enthusiasm. Then startled to sight a mob of new students, queueing up for food. They were the new Embassy students; also known as my life-savers for Term 3. Finally, a glimmer of hope that this final term would not be as lonely as I’d thought it would be.

Mrs Chris immediately introduced me to my first Sweden friend, Dennis. He is genuinely charming, not to mention a natural clown! It was admirable that he has come here all by himself to study English and stayed very optimistic about everything, albeit suffering from partial blindness. Getting to know him has made me record his name in my personal ‘People I Respect’ list. Definitely learnt a lot from him. 

Not only have I met Dennis, I soon got to meet a few more new students, most being older than me, already with a degree!

Things just kept getting better as I went to pick up the weekly activities schedule and saw a plethora of activities prepared for us for this summer. Field trips, clubbing nights, beach parties, sports like volleyball and bowling and salsa dance classes! Yes, we can officially forget about what I wrote earlier! The college has definitely catered to our needs, being as considerate as always.

2010. June to August. How can I forget the epic FIFA World Cup? Just this could occupy quite some time in my daily routine. As we all know, Spain emerged victorious. Another occasion that brought back the vivacious ambience in Bellerbys. The flags of all qualified teams were hung all around our cafeteria to get us in the mood of the prestigious event. 

And did I mention that we happened to go to the Brighton Kite Festival? It was spectacular as I never knew that kites could actually ‘dance’ besides having a stellar yet innovative outlook.

There are so many things in store for us that I have forgotten to tell you the main aspect of this term: academics. I study FES III, Mechanics II and CIT. As teachers would have to leave for their summer break as well, we have two teachers for some modules, each teaching half the course. My teachers include: Mr Dominic Rhys (FES III), Dr Cameron and Dr Butcher (Mechanics II) and Ms Sarah Witherby and Mr Tim Hewson (CIT). They were kind enough to spend part of their summer with us!

A bit more about the modules? FES III is all about preparing ourselves for university life, teaching us how to do researches without plagiarising etc. In other words, to score in this module, plain hard work is needed as we are required to submit a ‘mini-thesis’ of 1500 words. Also, we would occasionally have debates, note-making practices from listening to lectures and presentations. 

Mechanics, on the other hand, is rather nasty in my opinion. It was slightly tougher than the former module. But I shall strive through it. CIT, I would say, is a subject that complements FES III as we learn to use basic Microsoft Office programs, conduct proper research and professional presentation as well as designing our own blog/webpage.

With our term exams lurking around the corner, the annual prize giving ceremony was organised to acknowledge outstanding students in their respective fields. I was fortunate enough to bag the ‘Best Engineering Foundation Student’ award. A few of my other friends also managed to receive awards! 

Bellerbys also presents awards to most improved students so as to motivate all the other students to work as hard to our own betterment. With this ceremony over, all that is left is the term exams. I am lolling now in my room that has grown to become my home, counting down the days before I officially spread my wings from this pleasant college to university life.

Indeed, how time flies! This is really it. My final chapter in Bellerbys. It has been a great journey so far and I hope that this last run would be as terrific.

Stay tuned!

Easter Road Trip Around UK Universities! (Part 2)

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

Hello hello!

Back again here for the second part of my extensive trip during Bunny period!

Edinburgh

Perhaps the most distinguishable aspect about Edinburgh is the people there. Locals in Britain are generally amiable, but I must say that the people in Edinburgh are even more hospitable. They are extremely well-mannered, not to mention very efficient at work. (The waiters are amazing!) Edinburgh is packed with street shops, a rather nice city. We managed to drop by the castle terrace. The University of Edinburgh, on the other hand, is renowned for their  preeminent medicine degree course. Food wise, Scottish pie is not to be missed as well as their tender sirloin steak. We also had Chinese food for dinner and they sure do cook as well as the actual Chinese.

Otterburn
Otterburn was an impromptu stop for lunch and it turned out to be one of the nicest meal in my opinion. It was at Otterburn Mill, catering traditional cottage food as well as handling wool by their bred sheep. It seemed like a very nice breather from visiting modern cities.

Newcastle
We arrived at Newcastle and I thought I recognised the atmosphere. It seemed very much like London, except that London is slightly busier. Plenty of shops, within walking distance. Although Newcastle is nearly identical to London, the biggest difference would be that Newcastle is the Britain city with the lowest cost of living, contrasting with London, of which has the highest. Newcastle University has consistently been ranked as one of the top universities, yet offering amazing offers to students like scholastic discounts. Students graduating from Bellerbys are even eligible for further discounts. How lucky are we!

Manchester
Glory, Glory, Man Utd. Yes, we all sidetracked from university hunt to football fever. We laid eyes on the actual Manchester Stadium. Merchandise were everywhere and boy, we were tempted! Not only that, there were prints on the brick road; names of the footballers such as David Beckham, Sir Alex Ferguson and Jimmy Delaney. Satisfied from our football fetish, we went to Manchester’s Chinatown. Its vivacious ambience could match the one in London. I felt like it was home again. Manchester, I would definitely come back here sometime soon.

Sheffield
My future. I stared at the buildings wide-eyed. This is where I would be going after graduation in Bellerbys. I just fell in love with the place. Though slightly colder than Brighton, Sheffield (the green city) is profuse in terms of lifestyle. It has the Supertram, the award winning light rail service as well as one of the biggest British shopping mall, Meadowhall. Not to mention, a very active nightlife in West Street and an eventful performing arts platform. And paramountly, Oriental food stores in abundance! 

There are two universities in Sheffield: University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam, both very prestigious campuses. University of Sheffield, in particular, has been graded with numerous first-rate courses. I could not wait to start my university life there, yet reluctant to leave Brighton.

Cardiff
Cardiff seemed more of a rustic town, having more conventional ancient buildings and greenery. Having said so, it simply means that it is an ideal place to study as one would not be easily distracted. 

The university, on the other hand, is one of the upper echelons among elite universities as well. Very highly regarded for their architecture course, they also provide numerous services within the university to attend to the students’ needs.

Bristol > Bath
Bristol is apparently a nice city. I was not too sure because I have slept through the journey when we were passing through Bristol. According to my friend, it is a very lively city, with a cornucopia of shopping malls and public vicinities. Bristol University would be famous for Law and Medical Science courses. It is situated very close to Bath, a more serene city. The University, however, is currently the top architecture school in Britain. It is one of the most beautiful campus I have ever seen with an established performing arts sector in the university.

Brighton
Finally, Brighton, the place where my post high-school life had started. I sincerely feel that Brighton is an amazing city to start off as a foreign student. It is generally a city, moderate in size with many events especially since it is a tourism hotspot, mainly due to the pebble beach. I am more than grateful to have chosen to go to the Brighton campus. It has undoubtedly become my second home. Bellerbys has only made the whole college experience even easier.

Brief Summary : 
This trip is like a hamburger of fun, knowledge; culturally and academically, mashed up together. I have learnt wonders in this road trip, from Britain’s geography, university whereabouts and ultimately, the beauty of snow! I am a snow person. On a more serious note, it gave me a very clear impression of my university choices, hence enabling me to choose more wisely.

Going to so many places in the UK made me appreciate Brighton so much more. Definitely proud to be a ‘Brighton-eer’. I LOVE BRIGHTON!

For more pictures, do have a look at my albums. Do keep up with me and my posts! 
You readers are truly an inspiration for me to write more often.

Bye!

Roadtrip Around UK Universities!

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

Hello readers!


This is probably the one entry which I have incessantly been procrastinating to write. I guess the late submission of this post is pretty self-explanatory. Why, you may wonder? Besides putting the blame on my occasional slothfulness and the upcoming exams, there was just way too many things that I have experienced during Easter. After all, I went for a road trip organised by my friend’s family around the UK. Around Britain for more than a week!

This excursion was mainly to visit all our university choices besides chilling ourselves out. A gist of the whole trip: absolutely breathtaking! I shall comment on my road trip experience chronologically.

Oxford
We stopped briefly to have a look at the Oxford University, taking pictures of ourselves with the university as our backdrop. Just standing there made me feel smarter! Did not get to do too much there.

Birmingham
Our first main stop. First impression: Scenic lively city. Birmingham is extremely vibrant, be it day or night. In the day, one is welcomed to a plethora of shopping malls notably the Bull Ring as well as tourism sights such as churches. 

The most defining trademark, in my opinion, is the Selfridges Department Store, an exemplary tour de force of organic architecture. Nightlife, on the other hand, is out of the world! 

The most popular street (Broad Street) was filled with convivial bars and clubs. Albeit the very inviting ambience, we took a detour down that street and entered a locale which greatly resembled a smaller version of Venice. Waterway, boats, lights, reflections, ducks. You get the picture. 

We dined at an Oriental Restaurant to satiate our dire longing for spicy food. During our stay, we also ate Jumbo-sized burgers and Scottish pies. Very palatable, I must say. 

Aston University is a renowned for its top notch business faculty. Apparently, global business conferences are often held there. It comprises two main blocks, both with approximately 15 floors, conjoined by a pair of lifts.

These cities seem rather similar, though Blackpool was the coldest. The coolest thing I remembered from these short stops was the sight of multiple motorcyclists clad in funky rabbit outfits (One was sporting Scooby Doo!) to celebrate Easter. British people are just so fun. Before further digressions, Blackpool appeared to have a profusion of theme parks. We stayed at Premier Inn that night. In short, it was a comfortable stay.

Windermere > Carlisle > Glasgow
These towns are much chillier than the previous ones. I walked around, quivering despite countless layers of clothing. It was supposed to be spring!  Again, the weather was such a wet blanket. It rained the whole day. By the end of the day, it was snowing badly, to the extent that we could not do much in the town. Etap Hotel was where we bunked in. Premier Inn was better.

Loch Fyne
A vast boundless white sight. That summed up the scenic view on the way to Loch Fyne. The hills were all still blanketed by an avalanche of snow. It was my first time seeing that much snow, as if I was in an actual‘Ice Age’ scene! So, why stop at Loch Dyne? 

Loch Fyne is a prominent seafood restaurant, most well known for their oysters where even my Prime Minister had allegedly dropped by to try them. And they certainly did not disappoint. I never liked oysters, but I hypocritically finished at least a dozen of oysters and mussels. The quick serving speed undoubtedly augmented the whole dining experience.

Oban
A town by the seaside. Imagine the tranquility, with the sounds of the gentle lapping waves and the seagulls. Still enthralled with the epic seafood experience, we ate at Ee-usk, another well-known seafood restaurant within Oban. It was simply delectable, though not as epic as Loch Fyne’s. We spent the night at Regent’s Hotel. Despite the grander name, it was lacklustre in terms of accommodation satisfaction. The next morning, we managed to check out the Oban Distillery, displaying an array of wines of the best quality.

Tyndrum
On the way to Tyndrum, we were fortunate enough to sight a drove of sheep being herded across the road by a man with his dog. It was a rather fleeting experience, though that occurrence would not just be an ephemeral one for me. At Tyndrum, we ate at the Green Welly Stop. It was meant to serve home-cooked food. Would have felt even homelier if they serve peppery Chinese Food. We crashed in Travelodge that night; a rather pleasant stay.

St Andrews
We stopped by the small town to visit the university. University of St Andrews, most notable for their medicine degree, was exquisite. The building layout was very user-friendly. I would have loved to study there if I were to take up medicine. An ideal university if one prefers a nice, quiet town. 

We dined at this Japanese-Thai restaurant called Nahm-Jin. It was amazing, despite the very long wait. 

Also, we stopped by the famous St Andrews’ Swilcan Bridge. The surprisingly petite bridge was in the middle of a golf course. I was lucky enough to take a shot of the bridge before being shooed by golfers. 

We had a detour to St Andrews’ Castle before leaving: it was ‘architecturally enriching’. After these innumerable strings of words, I have merely covered half of this wonderful trip. More to come in the second part of this entry.

Toodle-oo!

How I Was 'Architected'

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

Hello dear readers!

Some people know precisely what they would want to pursue since childhood. Unfortunately, I was not one of them. I personally found it really tough in determining the course I would like to pursue. If you have been reading my previous posts, you would know how easily enthusiastic I could be in everything. This attribute of mine (which I feel grateful to have) actually backfired during this period of time. Since I enjoy doing a lot of things, I was not able to identify what I enjoy doing the most, or which one of them I have the most talent in. 


Accordingly, this post would be all about how I determined my course in hopes of sharing my experience in literally shaping my future with you readers especially those who might face the same dilemma as me.

So why architecture? I used to immediately reject the thought of becoming an architect every time it was suggested. I was all over the place, considering from psychology to food science, business to fashion designing and even teaching or medicine. I then started to envision what I see myself doing in the future, not professionally, but what I expect to literally do. I initially confirmed that I would pursue something related to art yet with a bit of science, then progressed to envisage the frequent practice of leadership, teamwork and presentations. With these little aspects that I foresee and the help of my education agency, I finally settled down with architecture. I should not have made presumptions about architecture as my inceptive idea about the field was so different from what architects actually do, after listening to my agent’s elaboration of the esteemed profession.

Seeing that it was such a late realisation, I came to Bellerbys, devoid of any knowledge about architecture. I have tried my hardest to do researches, but I just did not know where to start. “Do you have a portfolio?” Mr Beer, my programme manager asked me on my first day. I stood still, dumbfounded, flatly saying no. Thankfully, Mr Beer was kind enough to explain what I was supposed to do. I was told to draw random portraits of buildings while he arranged art classes for me.

Feeling extremely unprepared, I tried my best to make up for my lack of self initiative by starting to sketch buildings in Brighton. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew that I needed to put something together for my art teacher to evaluate. Using purely my instinct as I have never drawn buildings before, I meticulously sketched out the photographs I have taken. 

Surprisingly, it turned out not too bad! Encouraged, I started drawing more and more.

When I had to see Mr Nix (my art teacher), I remembered him advising me to start seeing things as an architect, besides telling me the outline of the architecture degree programme. Being an Engineering Foundation student, I only had limited time with him. Realising so, I attempted to make full use of the time by preparing questions to ask him before I see him. Eventually, I was only able rendezvous with him as the term became busier. As instructed, I started initiating my own projects for my portfolio, seeking his advice only when necessary. I found this process quite strenuous, yet again due to my lack of knowledge and self confidence in my judgment. Nevertheless, this independent style of learning really made me grow so much as an aspiring architect, not to mention embracing myself for university life.

I pushed my own boundaries, endeavouring to experiment with a plethora of art techniques. I tried the typical sketching and detailing with different mediums; pencils, pens, chalk and photography work, steadily progressing into carvery, collage and the study of motion. I had to do figure drawing too. Yes, drawing nude people standing right in front of me.

Speak about awkwardness! Albeit being a conservative Malaysian, I ultimately got used to the idea. (Going to the gym really helped reduce the awkwardness level!) I also conducted researches on architecture for some self development before university life. When I was finally endowed with adequate confidence, I mustered up my courage to attempt some self designing, initially creating a dog kennel based on an apple, tiger and the colour black. In due course, I have designed toilets, stadiums and museums.

In the past term, I have been so engrossed with architecture that I even found orange peels architecturally enthralling! Finishing my portfolio elated me, literally having a huge part of my burden banished. It has been such a fun experience and I have started to believe that architecture is the right choice for me. All in all, I just have to say that a course should be chosen after a lot of individual researches on the field and whether it is what one would be most passionate about, rather than what is most financially rewarding. It is going to be something we deal with for a lifetime.

 I really hope this could help some of you troubled pre-college students as I fully comprehend how it was like, having been in the same position once.

A big shout-out to Mr Nix before I end my penning: Thank you so much for being such an amazing teacher. You have made me develop wonders in my architectural skills. I appreciate your effort in making me think independently and learn to trust my instinct. Thank you for the occasional words of encouragement as well as the timely laughters. You are a VERY FUNNY teacher! Also, my deepest apologies for bugging you almost 24/7. I am just naturally compelled to see your face! :)

Thank you for reading!


More of David’s coming soon! Stay tuned!

Of Big Hair, Bright Colours and a Clown Suit PLUS a Dash of Quirkiness - The Bellerbys Brighton May Ball 2010

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

Hi readers!

It was the time of the year again. Everyone, in the past week, has been caught scurrying all over Churchill Square and street shops in Brighton to hunt for their perfect ‘outfit’. Yes, the Bellerbys students were anticipating the annual May Ball. I, myself, am not afraid to confess that I was one of them. Being a person deeply riveted to the wonders of fashion, I could not help but ensure that I appear fashionably decent.

I was so excited to the extent that I got dressed up one and a half hours prior to the event. The boys in my circle of friends then assembled at my room in dire need for some fashion assistance and hairdo service. It’s funny how metrosexuality has become crucial to all men. 

Anyways, we still did not take as long as the girls. The wait was worthwhile though, as they looked stunning with their make-up and exquisite dresses. It was a nice transition compared to my daily view of them with the typical ‘going to college’ outfit.

 Having been greeted by a ‘ring of fire’ entrance, I was shocked to see that the college was already packed with people. People here do really stick to the punctuality concept. Back in Malaysia, we were often teased for our tendency to be ‘fashionably late’. Of course, we were all scouting around to see what people were donning. I must say, they were generally audacious, sporting very bold outfits. 

The most eye-catching costume has to be this male duo, sporting a loud afro wig and tight bright suits. Girls, on the other hand, generally played with face paintings and long dresses as well as adorable short puffy dresses. Nonetheless, I had to give my props to the teachers. In my opinion, they were much more committed to the dress code! I caught bold lipstick shades, pink wigs, bright suits, a handmade dress and a CLOWN SUIT (plus a complete face paint)! I actually thought he was a hired clown. Paradoxically, it turned out to be Mr Addison. What a truly sporty and jaunty principal! How cool was that?

Settling down amongst the crowd, I could not help but notice the elaborate decorations around the campus. I felt immensely proud of the Art Department. It was just weeks ago when they ambitiously presented their envisaged ideas to the committee. 

I must say that they have definitely lived up to their expectations. I do not think anyone would have missed the prodigious legs protruding conspicuously from the library ceiling and the billions of quirky figurines hung around the building. 

Furthermore, photo stands were creatively mounted in various places. I especially liked the exhibited art and photography work related to the theme. Being able to make use of this social event to practise and develop your artistic skills, not to mention gaining leadership and teamwork experience while doing so, the Art Foundation must have had a great time!

Guilt-injecting finger food were waiting for me in the far corner opposite the exam hall. Sushi, bruschetta, crisps and many more were spread out near the receptionist desk. It was so tough for me to actually move away from that spot. So what could possibly drag me away from my sushi addiction? More food, in the cafeteria! I entered the cafeteria, sighting a smorgasbord of palatable temptations: a tower of cupcakes, a grandiose array of assorted fruits as well as typical edibles found in circuses. The revamped cafeteria (with table cloths and balloons) totally looked the part of a sophisticated dining experience and as I found my seat, I spotted the chocolate fountain. Plus, the BBQ stand lurking outside the cafeteria. Desserts? Popcorn and ice cream near the library. The catering team has definitely outdone themselves.

Inside the Exam Hall, there were performances by winners of our recent BE Factor. Unfortunately, my glutton got the best of me, causing me to miss their performances.

Thankfully, I did make it in time for dancing. With the blaring music, I danced my heart out with my friends, to the extent that my kidneys were on the verge of popping out! (Dancing really helped me digest the massive gob of food that I have consumed.) Somewhere in the middle of the night, an avalanche of balloons rained down on us.

By 11.30pm, guests were all ushered out. It was a rather tedious task as everyone was still in the mood of partying, though the chore was certainly ameliorated with the set alcohol restriction to prevent any excessive drinking, hence no drunken guests! A very thoughtful committee, I must say!

I recalled chattering with my friends about this event just a few weeks ago and could hardly believe that it is over. Definitely one of the best costume balls that I have been to. Bellerbys has made the students feel very appreciated, graciously taking into account our suggestions for the event and prioritise student satisfaction as the ultimate goal of the event. 

 I am extremely proud to have been able to work as a committee member and am looking forward for more of these opportunities. I just revere the whole committee; be it the Student Services, Student Council, Art Department, Catering Team and the principals, for making such an amazing night possible in this college. It is definitely not just any ephemeral nights.

That’s all for now!

For more pictures, do visit the Bellerbys Flickr page, or simply visit my Facebook page. My albums are all public. :)

Enjoy!


Thank you once again for reading.

Signing off.

Voluntary Work at the Brian Eno Exhibition, Brighton Festival

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

Selamat pagi/tengah hari/petang/malam, readers! That means good morning/afternoon/evening/night in my national language, the Malay language, since I probably do not know when exactly you readers will be reading my blog.

I sat down one day, idly wondering what I could do during my leisure times instead of repetitive revisions or drawings.  We cannot possibly study 24/7.  In fact, we should not.  We should have a balance in everything we do.

Well, the A-level exams are drawing nigh, which means it would be unlikely to sight A-level students free enough to entertain me and my incessant energy.  Foundation students seemed occupied enough with their own work, which left me thinking about volunteer working. 

What with my extremely pathetic web surfing skills, I magically stumbled upon a volunteer opportunity in the upcoming Brighton Festival.  It read “Art Exhibition at Malborough House by Brian Eno.”

Brian Eno?  I have to be honest.  I was oblivious as regards to who he was; absolutely clueless.  I just thought to myself how cool it would be to meet an actual artist.  Having been totally new in voluntary working, I was excited yet dubious of what I might have gotten myself into.  You see, I have trust issues with the Internet, earlier being convinced that all offers made on the Internet are somewhat scams and plans devised to kidnap you.  I am a paranoid child! 

Nevertheless, I sought advice from Mrs Chris and was approved by her that it was safe for me to proceed.  Gleefully, I leapt onto my laptop, typing out an email to apply for my first volunteer job.

Briefings during the induction gave me a clear view of what I needed to do.  We work in two different exhibition places: Fabrica Art Gallery and Malborough House.  Fabrica contained the ’77 Million Paintings’  where Brian played with sets of 4 different sized screens comprising of various motives overlapping in time.  Along the entrance walkway, activities like colour tone-based Sudoku and naming colours kept some visitors occupied.

Malborough House, on the other hand, was a slightly different environment, housing 5 rooms distinctively defined with Rick Holland’s poem.  Based on the different poems, Brian cleverly brought out the ambience of the room by manipulating his installation of his self-designed speaker flowers, prompting the visitors to imagine to the fullest. 

The most interesting room for me had to be the one where he used disco balls as reflectors shone through a white light between his ‘flowers’, exuding a biological imprint on the walls of the dark room; resembling haemoglobin in our body cells as mentioned in Rick’s poem.

Working for Brian Eno for the past few weeks had been amazing.  Seeing that Bellerbys is a college only meant for foreign students (besides the local teachers of course), it is gratifying to actually have the opportunity to interact with the locals in Brighton.  

I have met so many different kinds of people from all walks of life.  There were kids who were completely engrossed with the Sudoku and questioned the artwork in a surprisingly innocent yet innovative manner. The funniest encounter had to be in Malborough’s house when a man asked us volunteers if we were real people. (How random is that?) 

There was also a sentimental moment when a lady creatively named a colour after the date of her son’s birth.  She elaborated how she felt during his birth and sent her prayers that all will be well with him in the future. 

Speaking with the British people has dramatically spurred my confidence in speaking, which I am certain, would be of a paramount asset when I enter my university.  It was certainly the icing on the cake that this experience could potentially be the ‘sugar and spice’ in my college reference, giving my reference an extra punch of something outside of school than plain academic reports.

Not only that, throughout the entire period, I have met similar art enthusiasts working for the event as well. They were not all students, but experienced art pursuers too.  Having met them enabled me to learn a bit more about the perception of art.  Some volunteered to improve their grasp of the English language or simply to show their mettle in dealing with public speaking.  Did I just hear a way to improve one’s IELTS speaking test? 

Anyways, with Malborough House coincidentally being one of Brighton’s architectural masterpiece in Brighton, I was lucky enough to be able to first-handedly witness the structurally rich building.  By the way, previously mentioning that I did not know much about Brian Eno, I was completely infatuated with his work.  Getting to meet him really was like meeting the artsy version of Sara Bareilles.  (I am a die hard fan of Sara Bareilles.)

A big shoutout to Tila and Tasha (the volunteer managers): Thank you so much for the warm hospitality with all the frequent provision of snacks and drinks.  Not to mention, treating us volunteers with such consideration, allowing us to switch places so that we could also experience different aspects of Brian’s work while working. 

I was also amazed by how you both could effortlessly remember all of our names.  There were so many of us and yet it seemed like you have known us for ages.  It certainly made us feel appreciated.  It has been such an experience under your leadership skills.  Not to forget, being meticulous enough to brief us on different ways to handle certain scenarios.  Now, I certainly know how to get myself out from someone who has been talking to me for ages, hindering my work. One thing though, can we keep the volunteer shirt? *laughs*  Most importantly, a gigantic TERIMA KASIH (thank you in my national language) for instilling good work ethics in me.

Dear readers, voluntary working has initially started as something merely to fill up my days.  Instead, I ended my experience, with a profusion of accomplishments from vocational experience, communication skills, social networking, discipline, more architecture, and town exploration!  It was definitely a worthwhile experience, which I reckon that everyone should give it a go.  I am definitely grabbing the next opportunity that comes, anticipating for more exposure in this second home country of mine.

Thank you once again for reading.
Au revoir!

Breaking Out

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

“Basketball tomorrow?" my friend asked me perkily.  Whilst trying to maintain a calm demeanour, I frantically searched for a polite excuse to get myself out of the invitation.

I was never keen on sports.  I mean, I do enjoy watching sports, especially tennis.

In fact, I am an ardent Federer fan and supportive towards the return of the two Belgium former No.1’s, Clijsters and Henin. Despite so, I usually hesitate in playing sports myself. I would much rather hit the gym than indulge in ball or racquet games. You see, I was the typical chubby kid during my childhood.  I resented moving to such an extent that I would cry when I was told to run for Sports Days (No kidding!  But that was when I was really young).

Growing up, certain sports did spark my interest, but as much as I wanted to try them, my low self esteem kept me questioned: “I absolutely have neither the talent or any experience compared to the others. I would just make a fool out of myself.” It certainly did not help that I have once smacked my badminton doubles partner right in the face while charging my racquet towards the shuttlecock (Yes, I am that bad).

This perception of mine went on and I eventually concluded that I was too old, to pick up a sport.

Yet somehow, I blurted out an affirmative reply (I was actually going to say that I sprained my toes.  Joking!). Surprisingly, I was not praying desperately for the next day to never arrive.  I dismissed all my pessimistic thoughts and told myself that it was just going to be quality time with my friends.

The day arrived.  My friends and I casually divided ourselves in teams, while being filled in with basic rules simultaneously.  Soon, the game officially commenced.  Initially, it was tough for me to get out of my shell. 

I constantly reminded myself to refrain from unnecessary clumsiness and awkward movements, most importantly not to injure any of my friends.  Obviously, my dire attempt failed miserably and my friends started teasing me playfully for my ‘dancing’ movements.  A clarification : I could not help it!  Dancing is the only experience I have in terms of movement and body coordination.  I subconsciously applied it.  (I partly blame my influence from the Glee cast who played rugby while dancing to Beyonce’s Single Ladies tune.)  Albeit my extremely sensitive self consciousness, I just laughed at myself, with my friends.

“This ain’t so bad!” I thought.  Why not just embrace my flaws and eccentricity?  Realising so, I let loose completely, hence immersing myself into the game.  I dribbled and passed the ball to the best of my ability, trying to minimise the occasional blunders and panic attacks when I have the ball. 

And guess what?  Halfway through the game, I actually scored a point for my team!  Although it was just a petty accomplishment, it meant so much to me.  I know clearly that I am an easily excited person, but I could tell that this is not a mere exhilaration.  It made me realise how wrong I was to think that I do not deserve to play sports.  

It is never too late to learn something and definitely does not require talent. Passion is the key as well as the simple desire to have fun!

From then on, we have made basketball a weekly routine and I could see myself learning new aspects of playing sports (we sometimes venture into football), thus improving slowly but steadily.  Besides, it can be a much better exercise compared to working out all by myself in the gym.  I must thank my dear friends for the words of encouragement and simply for being a part of this little enlightenment.  I feel so grateful to have made such great friends here in Bellerbys.  They are such genial and supportive people, despite their difference in cultural backgrounds.

I hope that this confession may inspire some of you readers to get out of your comfort zones and challenge yourselves to do things you never thought you could do.  Not just sports, but anything at all.  And if you think you’re too dorky, clumsy or a plain oddball, I totally feel the same.  So, just build up the self esteem and do not bail on yourself before even trying.  To those who have absolutely no problem with these kinds of matter, thank you for your time reading my doodling.

Till we meet again! :)

Looking Forward

Posted by David, studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton

‘I’ve got your mail!' My college mate from Hong Kong said to me while handing me a violet shaded envelope stamped with a Malaysian mark.  I immediately recognised the penmanship, by the written address.  With a nod of gratitude, I took it and went straight to class.  Seeing that I had 5 minutes prior to starting the class, I wanted to peep what was inside.  Despite my agitation in viewing the content, I tried my best to open it without damaging the letter cover.  I discreetly peeked inside and saw, ‘Happy Birthday, from Mum & Daddy, your brothers’ just as my teacher asked whether it was my birthday.  Biting my lips to hold back my emotions, I told her that it was an early wish and that my birthday was a fortnight later.  Classes went on for the day.

I came back to my room and inspected the greeting card closely, reading every single word in the card.  It was rather simple, I must say. They wrote nothing, except that it was from them. Other birthday texts were printed alongside with the design. Devoid of actual words from my family, the card spoke a million sentences to me.  I just held this little gift, beaming with a recharge of strength and motivation.

It is indeed something extremely courageous to do: to study in a foreign country all by yourself.  A whole new experience, I must say.  At times, I do feel lonely, especially when I come back to my quiet room.  (Don’t get me wrong, I still do LOVE my room!).   I used to anticipate coming back from high school, returning to my vibrant home where my brothers would frequently tease and tempt me to play with them instead of doing work and my mum, shouting our names to get us down for dinner.  I also missed waiting for my dad to come home, picking up his office bag while he asked about my day in school.  Not to forget, my maid, who has been with me since birth, exuberantly offering me desserts which she never hesitated in making.

Of course, I was overcome with acute nostalgia in so many other aspects:

My Country (obviously)
Malaysia, my home country, a banana-shaped protrusion of the Asian region, directly under Thailand.  Well, that is just Peninsular Malaysia.  The other half of Malaysia is right beside the first half, comprising Sabah and Sarawak.  In general, my country is best known for the multicultural diversity and the Petronas Twin Towers, one of the tallest buildings in the world.  Besides that, who would not know that the Formula 1 racing championships take place in our very own Sepang Circuit.

Holidays, Festivals and Multiple Languages
Due to our rich cultural background, Malaysians are easily bilingual, having to speak at least the national language, which is Malay, and English. If we are not of the predominant race, we would be able to converse in an extra language (of our native tongue). Evidently, multicultural diversity also means more holidays! Due to countless cultural festivals, Malaysians are able to enjoy holidays from time to time. Contrasting with the limited but lengthy holiday periods in the UK, the holidays in Malaysia are quite brief, notwithstanding the higher frequency.        

Food
The aspect I find most wistful is the spicy Malaysian food!  You have no idea how much I crave for cuisines like nasi lemak, char kuay teow, jawa mee, roti canai, rendang, tandoori etc.  The list will never really stop.  I should have eaten more back home.  My tongue desperately needs some stimulation from the Malaysian spices.  It has been hibernating for too long.  

But, THANKFULLY, there are Oriental restaurants around Brighton which do serve some of these dishes.  They obviously could not match the orthodox taste produced in Malaysia, but they really are quite sufficient in appeasing my palate.  Moreover, some of the waiters are Malaysians, which is nice to know.  It makes me feel homely every time I visit these restaurants.

Weather?
No, I do not miss Malaysia’s weather at all.  At least not yet.  Maybe I did, during the frigid winter.  But, I am LOVING spring.  Sun and wind: altogether, it is the perfect weather combination.  I am really getting used to Britain’s weather compared to my hot and humid country.  If I were to go back there now, I could potentially melt from excessive perspiration.  Funny thing though, it is usually pleasant to enter a mall back in Malaysia because they are usually air-conditioned, therefore colder than the outside.  It is directly the opposite here in the UK.  I would rather stay outside of the mall.  Should I need to go shopping, I would have just sported a sweatshirt with bermudas.

Friends
The people who had gone through childhood and adolescence with me, shared great memories and dilemma with me, and most importantly, become such a vital part of my life.  They are the toughest for me to leave, besides my family.  Nevertheless, it is pleasant that I am creating new bonds here, most of which have become quite dear to me too.  Thanks to the wonders of Twitter, Facebook and Skype,  I was able to keep in touch with my friends, albeit not as often.  They may be physically absent, but just hearing their voices or browsing through their pictures is adequate to keep me going.

At last,

I am finally growing up.

That is the conclusion which I have come up with, after much pondering about this occasional surge of emotions. It is the harsh reality.  There will be times when we would need to part from our loved ones, and mine is this very moment, right now.  I know that I have parted from my family and friends for good reasons and I have to make it worthwhile.  And the only way to make it worthy is to excel in all that I have committed myself into, more importantly to do my best.  To get accepted into prestigious universities.  To obtain top honours in my degree.  To make them feel proud of me instead of being let down.

Looking at the bright side, it is definitely a new beginning.  And I can foresee a good one, right here in Bellerbys.  Glad to have started my British experience in this college.

Thank you for reading!

Signing off!

Find out more about studying Engineering Foundation at Bellerbys Brighton.