Now, did I get your attention to read more? Excellent click-bait, was it not?

One semester in, I have noticed there are a few types of students when it comes to TMA results.

  1. I shall not check my scores, I shall only check at the end of the module to avoid disappointment and depression
  2. I shall only check my score but not the comments (again to avoid depression)
  3. I shall check both my score and the lecturer’s comments

Take a guess, I would not be writing this if I was student number 3. Indeed, I am student number 2 and let me explain why he is not a good student to emulate.

For the first three TMAs, I did decently well (65-70 range). By no means, a star student but I was keeping pace for that 3.5 GPA target. I did not check the lecturer’s comments because I foolishly assumed that, if I was getting 65+ on average, my writing SHOULD be on track. Yes, increased emphasis on SHOULD.

Come the next TMA results, I was greeted with a rude awakening of 45 marks. I had the unwelcome honor of having the lowest score in my class. “Tio stunned” would be the Singlish equivalent of what I felt then.

Only then, did I learn how to download the lecturer’s comments on a separate file and I learnt a whole lot. My flow of content was off, but most importantly was this comment “Aaron, you were told in TMA1 that headers are not to be used – why do you persist in employing them??”

Now you are probably judging me now and saying, “If this guy had checked his previous assignment comments, he would have learnt not to continue in that style of writing or organizing.”

Even if your results disappoint and depress, you have your classmates to count upon! So please, be student number 2.