1st year review

Pergh.. Lama gila tak update.. Macam2 jadi kebelakangan ni tapi takdan nak update.. Kepada yang ziarah, maaf lar sebab tinggal blog lama tanpa meninggalkan 'pesan'..

Hari ni kira penting gak lar dalam sejarah hidup sebagai pelajar di bumi Scot nii.. Jam 11.30 pagi tadi, dengan langkah penuh 'gabra' masuk bilik Prof. Richard J. Abbott. Prof. Abbott is such a great man! Aku rasa malu plak bila dia minta jeket aku untuk disangkutkan di tempat sangkut jeket tuu.. Mana biasa.. Kat M'sia, takde nyer buat or diajar mende2 camni.. Dan lagi - PROFESOR tuu.. Sementara tunggu Dr. Iain Mathews mai, sempat ler berkenal-kenalan. Pas Dr. Iain masuk, bermula ler the first review meeting yang akan menentukan aku ni layak ker dinaik taraf ke 'calon PhD' dari 'general research student!' Aku lalui 45 minit dengan penuh debar; menjawab soalan2 depa tu dengan gaya dan lenggok Amarican Manglish aku yang tak seberapa tuu.. Alhamdulillah.. At the end depa kata, "You did well. You understand your subject very well and we are proud! bla bla bla.." (lebih kurang camtu ler..). Oh Tuhan! Terima kasih.. Lega sangat..

Walaupun selsema dan batuk2 yang menemani aku ni takmau hilang, aku berjaya mengharungi first year reivew.. Dengan ayat akhir depa tu, aku balik lab, pi jumpa supervisor. Story morry la plak kat supervisor aku for another 30 mins.., and she said, "Congratulation, I know you can do it!" Pergh.. Lega..

[Serius, aku risau gila dengan first review meeting nii.. Mana tak nyer.., kalau kantoi, bye bye ler PhD.. Depa downgrade to MPhil. jer.. Dari perabih and dapat Mphil., baik aku balik M'sia tanam padi.. Hehehe.. Lucky, dapat study sedikit sebanyak.. Boleh ler defend.. Semalam, dok mengadu nasib kat isteri, tapi takde nyer dia nak simpati, nak cakap manja2.. Huh! Anyway, Thank you dear, for the inspiration.. I know you pray a lot for my success.. Hehe..]

12 months from now, I'll meet them again and the second review meeting is something but not as tough as first review meeting since this one is just to make sure all plans are worked out well and to check the performance and progress of research jer.. But, nothing can be taken lightly.. I promise to do well..

Just to let you know, at University of St Andrews (at least at the School of Biology -- as far as I understand), we have a 'monitoring committee' comprise of a tutor (in my case Prof. Richard) and an internal examiner (Dr. Iain). Tutor acting as an independent 'advisor' - in case your 'relationship' with your supervisor turn sour, tutor will mediating the whole process until completion of PhD research. One interestring fact is, the candidate know who is their 'internal examiner' -- the one who will check and mark the thesis, and has no limitation for student to see their 'internal examiner' for advice, or other help. Both of them -- in case the student has no 'second supervisor' will monitor the progress of each student throughout their PhD years through 4-month review meeting (I skip this one!), first (year) review meeting, second review meeting and final meeting which is the viva. Interesting, isn't it? Well.. At least for me!