Well, I've been officially working full-time at Monash for one week now... although I really can't say 'officially' coz' those HR people haven't even gotten my darn contract out yet. Apparently coz' the lecturer in charge of allocating the classes to us lab demonstrators had trouble with allocating for a first year biology class since students were still coming in. And coz' of that, I, as well as that of a few other lab demo-ers's involved, probably won't get our contracts til next year, knowing the efficiency of the HR people. *Sigh* God, please give me that Singapore Zoo job soon so I can get out of this place!!!
Anyway, while lab demonstrating isn't much of a challenge coz' all I have to do is help the freshies figure out how to handle the lab equipment and act smart when they ask me questions (or in the eloquent words of a student, I get paid to walk around the lab!), I also have to do some tutoring for first year chemistry. That, of course, is more of a challenge coz' I got to prepare beforehand and understand my subject pretty darn well. And considering I haven't looked at my chem book for 3 years, it's not all that simple. Last week, if anyone asked me anything about Quantum Theory and Atomic Structure, I'd probably give them a blank stare for five seconds before running off screaming. After a few days of running through the text book, I finally got it down (sort of) and was prepared for my first tutorial, which was today!
I think most people in my position would've been freaking out at the prospect of standing in front of a bunch of people I don't know for the first time and trying to act like I know a lot about a subject I actually just studied a few days ago. But I think many years of performances have helped a lot in calming the nerves, so I was actually wasn't freaking out at all. But it was kinda funny to walk into a classful of freshie students, dressed and looking like I was a student myself! Some of them already knew me as a demonstrator for their biology class, but I think most of them were probably thinking I could be sitting right there with them and they wouldn't think it odd. Haha! Good thing about this job is at least I don't have to wear those stifling work clothes. Bleh. Anyway, as expected, they were all superbly quiet while I stood there and blabbered away. I tried to ask them the questions instead of just giving them the answers for the tutes, but most I usually got was the faint murmurs. *Sigh* Oh well, I was in their shoes before, so I know what to expect. Anyway, I think the class went pretty well, expect for the occasional spacing out on my part every now and then, when halfway through explaining the answers I'd be thinking "Uh....am I saying the right thing or what?"
Yeah well, I got another tute tomorrow morning which means I gotta wake up early for, and you know how it is with me and mornings. They don't mix. Off to bed I go!
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