Calling all USM students! Please introduce yourself by stating your campus, course, academic year, hostel/dorm, what's hot and what's not!

Let me begin with myself...

I'm from the School of Housing, Building and Planning (HBP) of the main campus, and will be a Year 2 Architecture student come this July. I'll be staying in RESTU, same as my 1st year.

This post has been edited by europology: Jun 19 2008, 11:49 PM

CAMPUSES:

USM Main Campus --- http://www.usm.my
USM Health Campus --- http://www.kck.usm.my
USM Engineering Campus --- http://www.eng.usm.my

STUDENT FACILITIES:

USM Healthy Campus Portal --- http://healthycampus.usm.my
USM Student Webmail --- http://stud.usm.my
USM Library (Krisalis) --- http://www.lib.usm.my

VIRTUAL TOUR:

http://e-learning.cs.usm.my/mod/resource/view.php?id=2897

This post has been edited by europology: Jun 18 2008, 10:55 PM

Photos of USM Main Campus, Minden, Penang:


RST Hostels Complex which is located on a small hill outside the main campus walls across one busy street. (R = Restu, S = Saujana, T = Tekun)


View of the busy street from the flyover that links RST with the main campus.


The road that leads to one of USM's 3 entrances/exits, with RST in the background.


View of RST from Palapes (where RST students wait for their buses to fetch them).


Shady lane with the Dewan Budaya on the left.


Pusat Bahasa & Terjemahan, where you guys attend your compulsory English/BM courses as well as foreign languages (with a choice of Chinese, Tamil, Thai, Korean, Japanese, French, Spanish, German, Arabic).


The drum of School of Housing, Building and Planning (HBP), the most unique building of the faculty. Taken during the 20th Architectural Workshop which just ended last week.


The Padang Kelapa hill slope beside HBP.


Views of Penang's multi-million dollar twin-towers condominium and the Penang Bridge from Padang Kelapa. Supposedly the best view you can get in all of USM. All HBP students have been showered with this blessing!


Another Penang sea view from Padang Kelapa.

This post has been edited by europology: Jun 19 2008, 03:48 PM

There are 2 degrees offered by USM, i.e. Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 is the first 3 years, while Part 2 encompasses the 4th and 5th. However, in order to be accepted into Part 2, you have to maintain a consistent quality in your studio works (which bears the most units among all subjects offered, and any little rise/drop in your grade will affect your CGPA by a big margin) during your first 3 years, with the 3rd year being the most crucial one. Not everyone gets to enter into Part 2, so do your very best in all your studio works.

As for things to bring, may I know where you're from? If you're staying in Penang or Kedah, you don't need to bring much as you can gradually move your items there on a weekly basis since your home is near to the campus (provided you have extra time to go home during the weekend). If you're from elsewhere, please bring those important things like basic necessities, clothes etc. Junk food and all, you get to buy from the convenience stores found around the hostels.

BUT...

For orientation week, please prepare at least 2 formal wears (collared long-sleeve shirts, pants and black shoes for guys; office wear for girls) as there will be a lot of talks going on during that week. Schedule will be hectic and tight so be well prepared. Don't bring any valuables like laptop and portable CD player during that week as you'll not be staying in your room for most of the time. Bring some books to read instead though you'll most probably end up being exhausted after one whole day of talks, seminars and walking. Ah yes, you'll need to walk a lot! Depending on your locale, walking under the hot sun is torturing, esp when you're clad in a formal dress! You are advised to bring an umbrella or sun protection gears as well as a pair of comfortable shoe for that. Bring an extra pair of sandals to be used in bathrooms too. Also, do bring a few pairs of sports wear too as there'll be an aerobics/team-cheering event being held at the Minden Field.

BTW, don't forget your original certs and their photocopies! If you're applying for PTPTN loan, heed my advice, get your photocopied documents verified/signed in BLACK INK.

This post has been edited by europology: Jun 19 2008, 02:29 PM

I don't know about the Kelantan campus though, but I think it's almost the same.

Medical checkup is to be done when you're in USM (there's a clinic in USM). Don't worry about that.

Well, I have to say, USM's Orientation Week is the most lenient (thus boring) among all public Us in Malaysia. No tortures, no pranks etc. Just talks, walks, talks, walks. You get the drift.

USM has free WiFi. But before that, you'll need to register your MAP address at USM's Computer Centre or you can set it up yourself provided you know how. Some hostels may not get WiFi signals (some, like me, only occasionally get it during midnights) but you can get it in the respective canteens. There are tonnes of Internet cafes outside the walls of USM, so not a problem actually. And some faculties have ICT rooms for this purpose. In the School of HBP (lucky you), we have a resource centre that sells cup noodles, carbonated drinks, hot drinks, cakes for the convenience of students. There are 2 PCs there for online purpose and you can bring your lappie there for this purpose too. There's also an ICT room in HBP.

The cupboards are quite faulty and sucky (some can't even be locked!) in those hostels provided to you during Orientation week. So you better keep it well if you've decided to bring it there.

In HBP, we have another Orientation Week just for HBP kids.

Read the above for more info on orientation week.

You have to do very well in your studio and overall achievement during exams if you wanna switch. I have a friend who've managed to switch to Architecture and will be joining the new batch this coming July. FYI, she gets a CGPA of 3.65 and 3.67 respectively in the 2 semesters of her 1st year. Getting the Dean List (CGPA 3.5 and above) is applaudable, but in HBP, it's quite tough to get 3.6 and above especially for Design students (Architecture, Interior Design, Urban Planning) due to the strict markings on studio works. So getting 3.6 and above is quite a feat actually. Other schools like Management, getting 3.6 above is a norm.

This post has been edited by europology: Jun 19 2008, 03:36 PM

NEW PIX ADDED! Scroll up!

Where did they offer you in your student exchange programme?

I thought it's on the UPU site where you checked your application results?

IIANM, you'd have to do it there. Private hospitals/clinics are not recognised by USM.

Walk can burn calories lol! Don't worry, there are always people who'd want to be friends with u.

1. June 30th I suppose.
2. Your registration day marks the start of the orientation week.
3. Think so.
4. If being clad in formal wear under a hot burning sun is not enuff for u, then drag along your lappy! XD

Have you received your letter? You'll receive a letter informing you about the tentative programme. If you're from East Malaysia, there'll be leniency regarding registration. For others, the hostel registration date is the same as the day of registration. Orientation starts from the moment you arrive on the day of registration.

You can if you know the way.

No more break cos your semester starts right away.

Compulsory to stay for 1st yr students as your fees will be counted in. However, you can opt to go home on your own but you couldn't opt out from the compulsory hostel stay.

As long as you know ways to escape and preventing them from noticing you.

You can't drive without a sticker and security is particularly strict during the Orientation Week. But there's always a loose hole somewhere somehow.

Nah I dunno.

Yup... BTW, your student matrix. card will act as your atm card as well. If you've been given an atm card in bank islam, then you won't be able to use your student card for that very purpose.

You can try. For course changing, it will open to students at a certain period when semester 2 is drawing close to an end. As for new students, no harm trying. I suggest you go find the dean and work things out. It's better than waiting here doing nothing. [dress code while doing official business with dean: collared shirts for guys, strictly no jeans, no sandals]

This I'm not so sure lol... You can, but must have valid reason I suppose.

For 1st yr 1st sem, all syllabus are the same. In the 2nd sem, only studio differs. Starting from 2nd yr, all students will delve into their own specializations.

Being nervous + excited is normal lol. Yes you can go home after orientation, but only during weekends. But if you're staying in Penang, you can go home anytime when there're no classes.

This post has been edited by europology: Jun 20 2008, 02:51 PM

They'll send you a book which covers all the rules and details as well as the Lampiran that you'll need.

Yes, it's covered. However, the 1k sum before the start of your first semester must be cleared. They'll send you a cheque of 1.5k (pre-loan) which you can use this amount to clear the sum. For the subsequent semesters, your fees will be automatically deducted from your PTPTN loan when they're issuing you the next lum of loan.

Unless you're the gamen, you don't have to mind it.

It depends on how well you manage your time. Most HBP students are last-minute guys, so don't be surprised when you find yourself spending the whole night doing studio assignments till the next morning without any sleep at all and str8 away go and submit your works b4 noon. If you're the one who can't even stay awake the whole night, then you better beware!

No problem. Next yr you're gonna play the same role here as me lol.

Read below.

You guys will receive a cheque amounting RM1500 in your mail these days. If you've decided to use it, the same amount will be deducted from your first PTPTN loan.



NOTE: I dunno whether you guys wanna follow this or not, I gave my Lampiran to them on the spot when I was gonna register for my course. During the orientation week, those who still haven't sent their Lampiran will be asked to do so when doing registration. If you think this method is unsecured for you, then you have to stick to the traditional snail mail method.

This post has been edited by europology: Jun 20 2008, 09:00 PM

It's up to you... Do the way which you think is the safest.

Compulsory for 1st yr. However, you may opt to go home but you still have to pay for the hostel rentals.

Spotchecks are very rare. It also depends on your luck. Those banned items like electrical kettles must be stored properly when you're not using it.

Reshuffling or not, it's all written in your letter.

The Sungai Dua entrance gate will be closed upon 12 midnight. However, the gateway opposite the RST complex remains open for 24 hrs.