Dear YF,
It will be a bit scary to see a loooooong reply in English. Well.... try, and also write, later you will be pretty good in English -- This answer your first question: what should you do during the bridging course.
I am glad to hear from you and very happy that you have thought a lot. Good questions. keep this habit all the time. The university is welcome students who like ask questions.
Do a little ad here: The best place to get a looooot of help is at www.huasing.org
, 新生专版is just for you to post questions, discuss various issue and interact with seniors. I have post your questions there. So in addition of my answers, you can get other seniors' answers as well. Check the website then. We also have your briefing and airpost photos upload.
My answers are below in your E-mail.
Cheers and Merry X'mas and Happy New Year in Singapore!
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Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:08:45 +0800
From: ***
Subject: 向学姐请教了
To: ***
姐姐：
你好！
我是今年刚过来的sm3同学。这几天住在eton hall，MOE的文件已经交上去了，同时体检也完成了，现在基本就是等预科开学了。观察周围的同学，除少数在学习从国内带来的英语教材外，其余的基本在 休闲娱乐——诸如上网、搞运动、打桌球一类。在以前上学时，往往这种时间越多，以后的日子更“难过”，也有听学长说国大是上课紧张，放假轻松，那么，现 在，在这一周，以及接下来的六七个月中，该准备些什么呢？并且如果我想读好USP，又有哪些额外的事要做呢？
Relax relax... don't need to be too stress up with study but never give up study. Borrow some interesting English story books, Harry Potter or your field of interest and read them. Tell yourself you must finish at least 10 books during your bridging course. And I am sure you will not have time to ENJOY reading after get into university. You need to read a lot in university study, but mainly text books. Get ready with your English.
* Maybe some good movies without subtitles? "Alvin and the Chipmunks" is great for X'mas!
* You can keep writing English diary from now on.
* For USP, go to their website and read. A lot of information. Don't just wait your seniors come to explain to you in Chinese. Read the original and first hand information yourself.
http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/
* USP has a lot of global programs. Some highlight here:
http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/curr_studn/joint_deg/intro.html
准备什么？这是一个比较大的问题，我看来，得分成几个方面来讨论。
首先，就是思想准备。新加坡的大学和中国国内的有着巨大的区别，国大内部更加自由，学生基本就是一个个个体，没有班级、寝室之类的硬性组织，而且硬性条件也特别好，因此很容易滋生好逸恶劳的思想；同时，新加坡又是一个更加“开放”的国家，多元宗教并存，貌似民主的一党专政，以及狭小的地域匹配较大的影响，十分容易从思想上冲击我们同学，由此看来，这个思想准备就很复杂了，就好比我们游泳，即要不沉下去，又要游到彼岸。
I agree you have a lot of freedom. BUt you must see yourself as an adult (although you are less than 21 at this time) An adult know what is wrong and what is right. The openness is the need of getting into an international environment. Adapt it and also keep your core value. Make some more foreign friends: Singaporeans, Indians, and all other people you will meet soon.
其次，便是学习上的准备了，所谓：“逆水行舟，不进则退”，据我了解，国大在以cap的方式计算成绩，只有前10%的同学才能的A/A+，那么，跻身前10%虽不是太大的难题，但是在最后能保持4.5+的总成绩便不那么容易了，加之学校活动多如牛毛，现在也是在难以确认这当中的取舍。为了能在大学中取得一个比较理想的成绩，为了能够在4年半以后能问心无愧，我觉得现在应该学点什么，那么应该进行那些科目的预习，培养哪些有利的学习习惯呢？
The best preparation is -- ENGLISH! That is all you need to do now! You have to know that the year one courses are usually quite simple in the content but difficult for Chinese students beause of the language. Why is it has to be simple? You got your fellow Singaporean friends who spend almost two years' time in army and almost foget everything in their JC! The introduction course in year 1 will help you to pick up all the stuff -- that you don't need to worry-- but the tool is ENGLISH!
再者，便是人际关系得准备了。成晨姐在给我们做讲座的时候表达了对我们建立良好人际关系的希望，并告诉我们有好“pen”友可以使大学生活更加丰富多彩，以国大目前的教学模式来看，没有班级、寝室等单位，那么，国大理结交朋友的途径又有哪些呢？呃…这个问题问得不好，我也不知道该如何表达此方面的疑惑，见谅。
For PRC friends, www.huasing.org.
You are more than welcome to join our managment committee（华新工作组）instead just been a normal internet sufer. But never constrain yourself in the Chinese. Meet your befrienders more often and become good friends with them.
Later in the university, you will make a lot of friends from all over the world. Both universities have quite some international exchange students coming every year, and you also have chances to go oversea study for a semester or two -- the wonderful exchange program bring you to a new vision of life.
Another website I went to get some part time job: www.nineo.com
You can find me there. (By the way, you might not have legal right to do part time job now because you are NOT university student.)
www.facebook.com
a famous website. Find your friends and seniors there. Yon can also find me there. (We have a Huasing group there too!)
最后，就是生活方面的准备。我们现在已经有befrienders带领，卖过一次东西，基本的生活用品已基本齐全，卫生球、面巾纸、转换器等已经到位，台灯也买了一盏，进入大学后还需要准备些什么呢？比如电子设备，打印机需要买么？初到新加坡，虽然觉得这里的天气还不错，但是毕竟强龙不压地头蛇，和本地的学生在环境的适应上面肯定有差别，生活也当注意，不然应该容易得病，你说呢？还有，能请你推荐几项适合在新加坡进行的锻炼吗？
You do have a computer, don't you? That is the most important thing you need to have. You cannot live without a computer in the univesity. Printer might be useful only when you start your university life. But that is not the first priority to buy.
Sprots? Do whatever you like! You can find some facilities in Eton Hall, don't you? I like swimming and that is free for NUS students in the NUS swimming pool. YOu need to show the student card.
Geting a bike might be good idea so that you can bike all around Singapore! I am thinking of that for quite some time but never do. You can rent bikes in East coast park, and also roll skating boots. A good place to have BBQ parites and fun in East coast park.
Jogging is also popular. With an MP3 player, running at the garden city Singapore at a nice evening is really enjoyable.
今天就想到这些，还想请姐姐赐教，回复起来很麻烦的话就请直说，我觉得上述很多问题还得自己解决，但是有朋友指引能少走弯路，不太占用你的时间就好。此致
敬礼
Huasing Association 1999 - 2013