Monday, August 11, 2008

1st Day of Class...

Today is my first day of class. My first lecture is on Basic Organic Chemistry. Well, to tell you the truth, it is exactly like my Form 6 syllabus. It is just a little bit deeper because you need to ask why this is like that etc. It's like refreshing my memories on what I studied last year (mind you, I never touch book for almost a year). It was a bit hard especially when I went through the lecture notes last night because my mind was blank. It is not so bad today when I went to the lecture. My lecturer is a Chinese (come from China I think because of the way he speaks his English) and he is a bit funny lar... So, not that bad because won't have boring lectures (his joke is just enough to make it a little interesting).

After my lecture. I went for lunch and later went to library to study a little. Well, to my amazement, NUS has big library (for my faculty, not to include many other libraries for different faculties). When I am in there, I was actually quite blur because I don't know the procedures. However, I managed to find the book I wan entitled Organic Chemistry by John Mcmurry (my textbook which costs around S$50). I read it up a bit and did a little touch up for my lecture notes. Now, I am looking for second hand book preferably as it is cheaper and I only use for 1 semester I think unless I take up more advance Organic Chemistry.

After my library session, I went to this place called Raffle's Museum, just few floor below the library and just to take a look. It is actually a museum of biological specimens they collected over the past years. I took quite some pictures of it.

Here is some rat specimen below. They are very big you know. I think at least 40 cm. Haha I never measure lar...Then, they got jellyfish specimens.
Next, butterflies and insects. Reminds me of my Form 6 biology projects. I so want back the butterflies specimen we collected. Very nice.
Next, got me and a shark's skull (as a proof I am really here) and also, a little baby shark. A turtle's specimen is here as well.

After that, we got ancient shell (it looks like stone to me, but according to the description, someone donated this specimen which means it is real?), big shell and small shells. Different kind of it.


Oh, we also have preserved leopard cat (which apparent was ran down by a car and gotten it's head crushed. Poor guy, you may not see it from here but its head is actually deformed) and also the famous king cobra (which was beaten up to death). I don't like snake for your information but then, how often can you see a preserved king cobra? Its length is actually 4.3 metre. That is big!

Last but not least, a dugong skull pictures (was extracted from dead dugong they found) and a picture of me with an asian elephant skull. Saw the bone on top of my head? That is actually a femur bone of an elephant. This elephant is not that big, perhaps a young elephant.
So, here is the end of my museum exploration. Though it's not really big but it is filled with different kind of specimens which amazes you. You don't get this kind of exhibition in Malaysia. So, it's really good to actually able to see this collection upclose.

2 comments:

akatsukiotoko said...

loved the specimens!!!

Mun Lok said...

loved them ?nid or nt?i u ever drop by here, bring go visit lor