Orientation Programme at Lanai Kijang (Day 3)! =)

Continue from the previous post, I will write everything about the final day of the orientation programme at Lanai (which was yesterday)! The final day, in my opinion, was the most enjoyable yet challenging day! Although there was none of the bank staffs invited to share their experiences like the days before, but I've learnt quite a lot from the activities conducted yesterday. I woke up relatively late compared to the previous day in the morning (7.30am), so I sort of rushed through everything and went to dining hall to have had breakfast.

Again, the cakes were always there in every meal! =p 

After the breakfast, interesting things happened. We had discussed about a project on the day before yesterday (Saturday), and we were supposed to give presentation based on our own character given. The case scenario was this: In 30 minutes, a passing comet will destroy all human life on Earth and resulting in a period of cold and darkness for the next 3 months, or maybe even longer. Fortunately there is a small special bunker which can only fit in 5 people. There are 10 characters given and you are one of them, so to the best of your knowledge, please decide among yourselves of whom should go into the bunker and survive, and who should be marooned to perish.

So me and my group members had decided those who are going to enter the bunker or left outside to die. There were 7 groups in total, so 4 groups remain seated in the MPH hall to follow Dr. M.Santhiru, whilst the other 3 groups followed Omar to one of the meeting rooms. I was in one of the groups following Omar. I don't really think I had prepared enough for the presentation, since yesterday I was tired (the discussion was carried out at 5.45 - 6.15pm) and I had my soulless body seated in the hall. Yeah pretty much dreaming la! =p So I had to pay the price! My group was the first group to present, starting from those who failed to enter the bunker. 

I really think that the character given to me (Mau, an Irish female cook) don't really deserve a place in the bunker since she has nothing much to contribute to the reconstruction of human civilisation after the calamity. But everyone was supposed to defend him/her own character, insisting that he/she should be the one surviving. I had only one point in my mind, in such a way that since Mau is well liked by everyone, she would be able to please people and give happiness to people by cheering people up and supporting the optimistic mindset among the survivors. 

I didn't know why, when it was my turn to speak (in front of 3 groups of scholars), my heartbeat increased exponentially (maybe not? =p) and I got too nervous to the extent of saying too much 'ermmm'!!! Omar (the facilitator) even calculated the number of me saying 'errmmm' (or did he? Perhaps he just randomly picked a number more than 10) and criticised me in front of 3 group of scholars (including juniors)!!! What the fish??? I know la I was very very nervous! I just couldn't speak a proper sentence in front of so many people (just 30+). =( The psychological effect turned on automatically that I hardly could complete a sentence without a number times of 'errm'!!!! What's wrong? I don't know. Perhaps I was too shy. I know I'm an introvert. Perhaps the girl that I had a crush on during the first semester of college was there in the same meeting room! So embarrassing and frustrating! (keep reading, eventually I figured out the solution for this from other activity later!) =) 

Omar openly criticised me but it was okay! Without critics and challenges, I would have stayed in my comfort zone forever and refuse to improve myself, my confidence level during public speaking. For that I instead have to thank him! (but I didn't, so if you happened to read this, Omar, by whatever mean, thank you!) It was the embarrassment and frustration that ignited my determination to change this weakness! Not that I couldn't talk or communicate well with people around me, but when it comes to public speaking, I get nervous very fast. Adrenaline and blood rush through my veins (SPM essay phrase. -_-), and my face gets red! I will talk more about this later. 

After that presentation by all group members (heck most of them did quite well and I think I was the only one having that problem), we all went back to the MPH hall and proceed to the next activity. We were required to do a homework on our vision and everything related in future. Each member of a group should speak out and tell others on his/her own vision. From this activity that I finally found my solution to the public speaking problem. I don't know whether it works in that circumstances, but given that 9 other members were staring at me, I suppose it works too and I hope it does. So how to overcome the nervous feeling when speaking in front of people? Dharrnesha (my Economics classmate) was in my group, and when I was trying to speak out my vision and everything, I noticed that she was listening attentively to me too! So I fixed my eyes on her with occasional glance at random members while speaking out my vision and all. Surprisingly it worked! =))) I spoke quite eloquently conveying my vision to all other members. 

See how it works? I will write this again in a general circumstance. If you are an introvert or facing problem just like me, the one who couldn't speak well in front of the audiences, I will recommend you to fix your eyes on someone familiar to you, someone close to you! Your best friend, your classmate, your parent, soul mate, or whatever mate you have! Try to give your public speaking in the condition of fixing your eyes on someone you find comfortable speaking with! It worked miraculously well for me. Try it and let me know! =p 

Next, we had a few other topics like challenges faced in the process of achieving the vision, confident level, self confidence and time management. Speaking of self confidence, there are a few ways that you might find interesting. Firstly, you should make eye contact with the person speaking to you. I find this quite true cause without eye contact, you can't actually communicate well confidently. Secondly, you should always smile when you're speaking! Smile can build your self confidence, effectively in fact! Try it! Third one was quite interesting, you should walk 25% faster. Walking at a faster speed can build self confidence too! =p I think I fit all these 3 criterion pretty well, just that sometimes I get emotional and hardly can smile at all. =( For me, eyes contact can only be made if I feel comfortable talking to the person. Walking faster... I walk very fast usually, and that's my normal pace! =p 

At MPH hall, during the seminar! =) 

Activity for Time Management (Important vs. Urgent)! =) 

Then we had the last tea break! Here are a few pictures captured during the tea break (credit to Gracey, again! =p), enjoy! =) 

The last tea break! =) Awesome chocolate cakes and bun filled with chocolate cream! Yummy! =p  

View from outside MPH hall, where scholars were having tea break! =) 

After the last tea break session, we went back to the MPH hall to carry out the last group activity. One by one, each of us was given compliments (or anything good) by all other group members as well as challenges/weaknesses to improve. What most other group members thought of me, was surprisingly not bad although not very very accurate. These are what my group members thought of me: Determined, passionate, realistic, attentive, friendly, versatile, awesome and cool! Challenges given to me, were not surprising though and you could probably guess it by now: Let loose (relax), enjoy life (I know I'm lifeless. Zzz...), be more confident (less tense up) during public speaking and presentations, be more organised (what? I think I'm quite organised. =p) and lastly, minimise my time spent on Facebook (from someone who has been knowing me since last year but from KTJ). So that's it! Here is my group picture! *Credit to Charmaine =)

Group 1!!! Awesome people! =) 

Me with other group's members! =p 

Overall, I think the orientation programme was quite inspiring and fun! I met lots of new friends (be they seniors or juniors), new information, new thoughts and inspirations! Really hope to stay at Lanai Kijang again with all of them, and the next time probably would be pre-departure programme! =p Can't wait for that! =)

Awesome Taylor's bus! =) 

All the best people in your exams, future endeavours, and working life (for seniors who have joined the Bank)! I can't wait to be one of them now to be their colleague, who can make the Bank proud for having made the right investment on me! =)

That's all for now! =) Ciao~

The Final group photo of all BNM scholars! =)  All the best people!