It has been two years since I took my A-levels. I remember the euphoria as a fresh survivor of that academic milestone, and also that it dies out soon enough as one gets lost in the befuddling maze we call university applications.
“Who am I?” “What is my purpose?” Questions like these may keep you awake at night during the admissions season. Given that it is that time of the year again, I am going to dedicate this post to help potential REP (Renaissance Engineering Programme) applicants figure out whether REP is the course for them.
Here is my take on the five phrases in a day of an REP student:
a) What’s your poison? Personally, I don’t think anyone can get by university or REP without an occasional shot of caffeine. Even if you are a “teetotaller”, after a few all-nighters, you’ll soon enough become a convert. But not to worry – with a Starbucks on campus and many cafés and retail stores to supplement your urge, you will never run out of choices for a quick fix at NTU.
b) When life gives you lemons… Different people have different endings to this adage, but as long as yours doesn’t say “OMG, what am I gonna do now?!”, you are good to go. Basically, unexpected challenges are a regular feature at REP, and it is important to have a personal coping mechanism. I know this might sound arduous, but thanks to an awesome group of seniors and the ever enthusiastic REP faculty and support staff, help, hope and happiness are always around the corner.
c) First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity. Curiosity is a virtue that will always come in handy in REP, just like in love. Self-learning is a key aspect of REP and with the plethora of concepts you’ll be handling at the same time, Google and Wikipedia soon become dear friends. It is important to never stop questioning, to venture beyond the curriculum and to seek new depths every day. Also, given that you’ll have a dedicated team of REP fellows (professors) to guide you as you quench your thirst for knowledge, you’ll never have a reason to complain.
d) Families are like fudge – mostly sweet with a few nuts. Just like any other family, the REP family is a congregation of highly diverse individuals with distinctive qualities and quirks. Individuality is not just accepted but always encouraged. Finding your place can be slightly overwhelming initially, but remember the one and only rule is that “everyone’s welcome!”. So, when you walk into class on your first day, don’t forget to bring a wide smile, an open heart and, of course, a big box of chocolates never hurts.
e) Life is either a great adventure or nothing. A love for adventure and a willingness to embrace uncertainty are the final pieces in the puzzle. REP is a young programme and the REP family is paving a new path here with a new style of learning and curriculum. Just like any adventure, REP has its days of ambiguity and bewilderment, but how fun would life be if everything were written out in stone? So as you set out on this new journey, just bring patience, courage and resilience with you. As for company – well, what are we here for? 🙂
I hope this post has offered some insights into REP. To all prospective students, all the best for your university applications, and stay tuned for further updates from me. See you soon!
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