Tips & Procedure for Exam in UM

Hello readers!

I am back from the dead! A little update on my life, I have just recently concluded my 14-weeks long compulsory internship at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) from mid-September to end-of December. It was an awesome experience. Really loved it and thankful for the humbling opportunity. Might share about it, but then again, after writing a 8.5k-long intern report on it, I am seriously reconsidering that. Haha.

It’s the best time of year now, STUDY WEEK! Hahaha. You guys are dying, I know. Been there. So, I figured that now would be a good time to share some exam tips/procedures that yall should know. I believe this would come in handy to those who has never taken a uni exam before or is a first year student in UM or has no relatives/senior buddies to ask to. Here we go.

Note: This shall only apply to UM students and information provided is relevant to the current context (2017), any changes to the system from then onwards are not taken into account in this writing.

#1 Exam Schedule:

Where to get them?

Log in to your MYUM account > Click Examination > Click Exam Time Table > Click on each subjects to know details of the paper (When, where and what time).

Important to note that some exams are not held at the exam hall so do check. Other common places are DTC, Auditorium KPS and your respective faculties.

Timely check your siswamail and look out for exam timetable AMENDMENTS. Perubahan yang dibuat pada jadual exam. Beberapa hari sebelum exam pun boleh ada perubahan lagi so check. Double check with friends regarding time and location of exam the night before exam.

#2 Shuttle Bus:

There will be shuttle busses sending students to the exam hall. If your exam is elsewhere along the way, do inform the bus driver to stop you there (DTC, Audi KPS etc). The MPP or university will give out the bus schedule. You will be asked to enter the exam hall 10 mins before exam begins to hear the instructions/fill up forms etc. So I would advise you to be at the exam hall building at least 30 minutes before your paper. For example, if your paper is at 8.30am, take the bus 40 mins before around 7.50am. It’s better to reach early and have time to relax.

#3 Exam Procedures:

Find your hall:

At the exam building, there’s 3 halls (Dewan 1, 2 & 3). Exam hall 1 is at the Ground floor whereas Hall 2 & 3 are at Level 1 (take stairs) and you can see the halls on your right and left.

Where's the exam building?
When you enter UM from the main gate (KL Gate), on your left you will pass the Law Fac, 1st College and there will be a junction on the left. Take that left and you will see a nice big silver building on your left.

Find your position in the hall:

Near the door of your hall, there will be a paper pasted on the notice board mapping the position of each paper’s positions in the hall. For example, EGEE1234 is located near pole A2 facing towards the door. Unfortunately, I don’t have the picture of what the map looks like. But I can roughly draw it for you.

The arrows represent the seating position and which direction will the candidates be looking at. So, you could be sitting near B3 pole but looking towards A3 pole. You know what I mean?

In the map and at the area of your table, only your COURSE CODE will be written out so you need to know what it is. To double check, of course, the easiest is to see if your friends are seated around you or even better, check the question paper laid out on the table. The paper code and title will be written on it. Pick a seat and sit your ass down.

Instructions:

You will need to have your Identification Card (IC/Passport (for foreigners)) and Matric Card. Place them on the right side of the table. Fill up the attendance slip and the answer booklet with the details needed. Read the instructions on the question paper and check for missing pages. Put all your stuff (in the plastic bag given by the university) on the floor. Only put the stationaries you need on the table (table ain’t that big). Wait until instructions are finished and then begin answering.

#4 To Bring:

You will be given the UM exam plastic bag (Its basically a huge (a lil bit bigger than A4 size) zip-lock bag) to store all your stuff. Your bags will be left unattended outside of the hall, on the floor so I suggest you to bring all important stuff along into the hall. You may bring your phones and wallets as well, just put them in the plastic bag which will be placed on the floor by your side at all times.

If it’s not Ramadhan, I’d always remember to bring drinking water to just insert some oxygen into my system every half an hour of writing. Put them on the floor to not spill it all over your paper (worst nightmare ever).

I will also always place my wristwatch on the table to keep track of the time. But don’t worry, there will be a huge ass clock in the hall anyway.

#5 No Cafes

If you have direct papers, eg 8.30-10.30am then 11.30-1.30pm; don’t leave the hall. Just stay there. Bring food or snacks or whatever you need with you because there is no convenience store/food stalls/cafes anywhere nearby. Be prepared.

I also do not suggest you to leave because after a paper, the traffic at the exam hall is really bad. If you drive, it’s gonna take some time before you get to even leave the parking lot. If you’re taking the bus, you might have to wait for the next bus because it will be super full super fast.

#6 Washroom & Surau (Musolla)

Main washroom is on the right as you enter the exam hall from the main door but there are also another one on the ground floor. On the first floor, you can only access the washrooms during exam time where there will be a door from inside of the hall leading you to the 1^st floor washroom. Otherwise, that washroom is inaccessible.

The musolla is at the 1^st floor, but it is only accessible when it is prayer time (1.30pm onwards if I’m not mistaken). There’s a washroom beside it as well. I suggest you to bring your own telekung because the ones provided is in a bad condition or is not sufficient.

#7 To Wear:

Well, in UM, there is no strict attire code. You can wear anything (except for shorts, sleeveless, slippers). But the hall is gonna be cold (some halls are colder than others), if you're like me you might be freezing 30 minutes after exam starts so bring a sweater with you. Usually students would bring their varsity jackets but it's really up to you.

#8 Other Reminders:

You are not allowed to leave 30 minutes after exam begun and 30 minutes before exam ends. So I suggest that you use all the time given to answer the paper. Do not leave early unless you have an emergency. You studied the whole freaking semester for this, you should at least spend the 2-3 hours to prove yourself.

If you wear niqab (purdah), you MIGHT be asked to remove it while sitting for the exam. It happened to my classmate a couple of times. So, I suggest you to sit far at the back so that you can be a little bit more hidden from your friends in the case that they require you to take off your niqab. But sometimes, they will just ask to see your face to compare with your matric card and then you can continue wearing it throughout the paper. It depends on the lecturer checking you at the time.

Oh and fyi, your lecturer for that subject will be the one handling the exam so feel free to ask them anything regarding the paper if you find some troubles. They might be really nice and give you a good hint for the answer ;) *ask at your own risk :p

I would like to stress this, ASK if you need anything. Anything at all. More paper, calculator, if you feel a little bit sick, if you’re super sleepy and need them to wake you up after 15 mins nap, anything at all. Just ask the pengawas peperiksaan, they will help you. This is a crucial time for you, do not be shy. This is your future we’re talking about.

That’s it for now from me. Best of luck!

Pic from first year when we were innocent babies.

P/s Towards the end of this write-up, I realized that I wrote in English. It's a bit too late to shift to Bahasa so yeahhh... Sorry~

Tips Penyusunan Jadual Kelas UM

Merhaba! Hi semua, fuh lama tak blogging dah berhabuk dah ni. Maaf sebab tak update, sis baru je balik beberapa hari lepas dari Global Volunteer Program di Turkey selama 2 bulan. Sekarang baru habis jet-lag dan mampu ber-blogging semula.

Okay, entri kali ni, harapnya belum terlambat la tapi sis nak bagi tips tentang penyusunan jadual kelas khusus untuk pelajar Universiti Malaya dan mungkin lebih khusus lagi untuk pelajar ekonomi. Seperti yang anda tahu (atau mungkin tak tahu), jadual kelas bukan lagi diberi oleh pensyarah atau siapa-siapa. Anda perlu susun sendiri jadual anda. And this might be very tricky especially for first-timers.

#1 DETIK PEPERANGAN BESAR

Gais, serious talk, setiap kali hari daftar subjek tepat pukul 9 pagi the war is ON! Semua akan duduk depan laptop/computer/smartphone masing-masing bersedia untuk mula mendaftar. Jadi pastikan anda salah seorang yang melekat depan skrin anda jugak sekurang-kurangnya setengah jam sebelum waktu mendaftar.

#2 COME PREPARED!

Untuk berperang, silalah bersedia dengan senjata anda. What do I mean by this? Pastikan anda dah pun melihat senarai kursus/subjek yang ditawarkan untuk semester tersebut. Susun jadual anda siap-siap di dalam Excel atau bertulis. Apa yang anda perlu fikirkan:

1.       Tarikh peperiksaan untuk subjek tersebut.

Pastikan tidak bertindih dengan subjek lain sebab kalau bertindih anda hanya boleh daftar salah satu sahaja dan kalau terlalu rapat pula (contoh Subjek X exam 3/1 pukul 8.30 pagi, subjek Y exam 3/1 pukul 11.30 pagi) takut anda tak larat. Exam bukan mudah adik-adik sekalian. Nak perah otak tu, at least kena ada gap masa lepas satu paper untuk anda bernafas or if you’re like me I need to nap to refresh my brain.

2.       Tempat peperiksaan.

Jangan main sedap je daftar subjek time rapat-rapat then terlupa yang tempat exam mungkin jauh. Biasanya kalau subjek yang ramai pelajar ambil, exam akan berlangsung di Dewan Peperiksaan tapi kalau subjek elektif yang tak dapat sambutan sangat biasanya exam akan diadakan di fakulti masing-masing. Jadi, just be prepared. Senang cerita kalau tak terdesak tak perlu la ambil subjek hari sama masa dekat-dekat. Dari Exam Hall nak keluar pergi fakulti tu jem dia ya rabbi. Tak sempat nanti dik. Tempat peperiksaan tidak ditulis awal-awal di dalam senarai penawaran kursus. So keep this in mind.

3.       Hari dan masa kuliah.

Semak masa dan hari kuliah untuk subjek tersebut. Kalau bertindih memang tak boleh ambil. Susun ikut keselesaan. Ada sesetengah orang suka letak semua rapat-rapat then ada hari yang tiada kelas langsung supaya boleh berehat. Tapi ada juga yang lebih suka jarak-jarakkan kelas supaya tak terlalu padat boleh meletup kepala.

4.       Tempat kuliah.

Okay ini pun satu hal lagi. Untuk subjek kursus anda masing-masing, kebiasaannya kelas di fakulti masing-masing. Jadi tiada masalah. Cuma berbeza Dewan Kuliah sahaja. Tapi, yang jadi masalahnya ialah subjek wajib universiti. Contoh macam Hubungan Etnik, APK, TITAS, KOK, English dan lain-lain. Disebabkan semua pelajar tidak kira kursus diwajibkan mengambil kursus-kursus universiti, kelas akan diadakan di beberapa lokasi (biasanya fakulti yang ada dewan besar). Dan yang menarik semasa anda daftar, lokasi kelas hanya akan ditulis di dalam bentuk shortform.

Ni rupa dia. Tengok juga pre-requisite conditions sebelum daftar (the description in red)

So, Mora shall come to the rescue!

FSSS – Fakulti Sastera & Sains Sosial

FEP – Fakulti Ekonomi & Pentadbiran

FPP – Fakulti Perniagaan & Perakaunan

FSKTM – Fakulti Sains Komputer & Teknologi Maklumat

APM – Akademi Pengajian Melayu

API – Akademi Pengajian Islam

FBL – Fakulti Bahasa & Linguistik

EDU / PEND – Fakuti Pendidikan

FAB – Fakulti Alam Bina

LAW – Fakulti Undang-Undang

SKET / CITRA – Centre for Initiation of Talent and Industrial Training (sebelah fakulti edu)

KPS – Kompleks Perdana Siswa

Gazebo – A place at KPS (masa MHS mesti pernah pergi)

Sooooooo, pandai-pandai la pilih. Sebab satu subjek tu dia akan tawarkan pelbagai hari, masa dan tempat. So kalau anda dari fakulti perakaunan, jangan la pilih kelas yang terlalu jauh, pilih fakulti anda sendiri atau fakulti yang berdekatan contoh edu, econs or fsss.

5.       Pensyarah Subjek

Okay, ni yang selalunya pelajar buat. Bukannya tengok subjek tapi tengok pensyarah. Pilih subjek berdasarkan pensyarah mana yang tak strict dan senang bagi A. This is a very shameful attitude. Pilihlah subjek yang anda rasa anda berminat nak belajar dan tahu lebih mendalam dan yang akan membantu anda di alam pekerjaan nanti. There’s no shortcut to success okay. ‘A’ berderet pun tapi suruh bagi pendapat tentang sesuatu topik pun tak boleh, acaner tu?

#3 WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOSE IN THE WAR?

Kalau anda kurang bernasib baik dan tak dapat nak daftar kursus yang anda dah plan tu, anda boleh cuba pergi sendiri ke kelas tu untuk slow-talk dengan pensyarah mana tau boleh masuk atauuuu tunggu je lah sem depan. Pelajar tahun 1, 2, 3 dan akhir tarikh daftar kursus adalah berbeza. Pelajar tahun akhir dapat daftar kursus jauh lebih awal sebab nak bagi keutamaan la dkt hakak-hakak dan abam-abam yang nak grad ni kan. Takkan nak extend sem sebab tak dapat ambil TITAS kan? HAHA XD Jadi biasalah tu kalau first year banyak subjek yang penuh, don’t worry cuba lagi next sem.

#4 SEDIAKAN BACK-UP PLAN

Maksimum jam kredit yang anda perlu daftar ialah 22 (kalau tak silap). Jadi sediakan back-up plan. Contohnya kalau tak dapat ambil TITAS, cuba ambil HE. Prepare masa dan hari apa yang anda free. Cadangan sis, awal-awal ni penuhkan jam kredit. Ambil biar cukup 22 CH (credit hours). Kalau sis dulu, setiap sem sis ambil penuh 22 CH. Jadi tahun akhir kurang la beban tu, sem last tu tinggal 15 CH je lagi haha kelas Isnin sampai Rabu je. Bukan apa, in case anda ada paper yang kena repeat kan, ada la ruang nak sumbat. Takda la kena extend sem. Tapi ikut suka anda la kalau nak seimbangkan 3 tahun tu ambil 19 atau 20 CH je up to you.

#5 SETIAP FAKULTI ADA CARA SENDIRI

Semua yang sis cerita ni adalah berdasarkan pengalaman. Jadi zaman mungkin berubah. Dan kursus yang berbeza mungkin ada cara sendiri. Macam roommate sis, diorang dah diberikan jadual yang tetap untuk kursus diorang dan semua kelas tersebut cukup-cukup untuk semua pelajar. Tapi kalau kursus ekonomi, kita diberi pilihan untuk subjek elektif mengikut pengkhususan yang kita pilih (ni tahun kedua baru pilih so chilllllll). Tapi kelas macam Makroekonomi dan Mikroekonomi tu kena rebut-rebut la kalau ramai yang nak ambil Makro sem ni, cepat la penuh kelas tu dan yang lain-lain terpaksa ambil Mikro (subjek sama je cuma yang berebut tu sebab pensyarah lain-lain setiap sem walaupun subjek sama). Bukan apa, yang pilih pensyarah tu kadang-kadang sebab ada sesetengah pensyarah yang tak okay dari segi tak well-organized, mungkin selalu datang lewat atau cancel kelas atau cara mengajar yang tak efektif. Untuk dapatkan nasihat tentang pensyarah silalah tanya Buddy or your seniors ;)

#6 NAH LINKS & REFERENCES:

https://register.um.edu.my/
Special for econs students batch 17/18: Prospectus (click here)

Okay you guys boleh tengok kursus yang ditawarkan untuk sem tersebut at the "View Offers Courses" link. Boleh jugak tengok KOK courses yang ditawarkan. KOK ni kokurikulum (jangan blur sangat ;p)

Untuk daftar, klik online  registration. Kena masukkan username dgn password anda (sama dengan siswamail, myum segala tu).

This is how it looks like. Letak kod kursus dalam ruangan bawah tu (bersedia awal-awal apa kod kursus jangan baru nak mencari memang tak sempat la). Klik Add Course. Then ikut arahan seterusnya yang keluar. Ni contoh sis punya kursus last sem. Make sure semua tukar jadi warna biru dan tulis "registered" dekat tepi tu. Kalau warna kuning tu belum daftar cuma dah reserved. Kalau just reserved je, nanti tamat tempoh mendaftar dia akan consider tak register.

#7 OTHER TIPS

Tak semua subjek anda boleh ambil. Perhatikan syarat subjek tersebut (contoh pelajar kemasukan sekian tahun sahaja yang boleh daftar, atau kena lulus subjek lain dulu baru boleh ambil kursus tersebut dan lain-lain).

Pastikan daftar subjek universiti dulu sebab yang tu yang selalu penuh. Masa MHS dan boleh start usha dah subjek yang ditawarkan. Sis dulu blur je, lepas tu kelas semua penuh.

Staff di fakulti akan tolong anda daftar untuk sem 1 tahun 1 tapi still, tak cukup tangan diorang nak bantu satu-satu so take initiative okay. Don't rely too much on them. They might not be able to attend to each one of you.

Jangan obses untuk sama kelas dengan kawan. Be independent, buat apa yang anda nak. Rajin-rajinkan diri untuk bertanya kalau tak tahu.

This is what my schedule looks like. Don't forget to spare some space untuk TUTORIALS. Masa dan hari tutorial hanya akan diberitahu oleh pensyarah di dalam kelas semasa minggu add/drop (minggu pertama kuliah). Dalam minggu add/drop ni anda bebas untuk add dan drop subjek ikut situasi anda. Tutorial biasanya sejam dan ada banyak pilihan kelas akan disediakan oleh pensyarah. Kalau semua anda tak free, terpaksalah drop subjek tersebut (cuba slow-talk dengan lecturer dulu).

Okay then, good luck piranhas ;)

P/s This entry topic was suggested by one of my dear reader. Shoutout to Kzshrh :)

If any of you guys have any suggestions or some things that you wish to know do hit me up!