Yee Siow

Summer Ball 2022

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

Having been in Imperial for four years, I’ve never previously attended Summer Ball before. It doesn’t help that the event had to be cancelled two years in a row due to the pandemic. Back in my first year, I decided not to attend Summer Ball as ticket prices were quite high, and being a fresher, I was more conscious about my expenses and decided that I have many more years to head to the ball if I were to change my mind. As I was living right opposite the college, I distinctly remember seeing a bunch of people with suits and dresses strolling across Exhibition Road, ready for a night to celebrate the end of the academic year.

First In Person STEM Ambassador Workshop

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

During the start of the pandemic, I like most other students, started going about finding new hobbies and new events to keep myself occupied while being confined in my own room. Some people decided to join new clubs and societies, while some decide to pick up a new skill. I found an advertisement from the college regarding joining their Recruitment and Outreach Student Ambassador team. This stuck out for me as part of the job scope focused on working with students from ages 6-18 to capture their interest and help develop their passion for studying STEM. As I have previously tutored peers and students back when I was studying for my A-Levels, I always enjoyed finding different methods to break down complex topics into fun and engaging ways to help people understand them better.

How To Enjoy West End Musicals With A Budget

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

One of the biggest highlights in London is its abundance of musicals and shows in the West End. From classics such as The Phantom of the Opera to new musicals such as Dear Evan Hansen, everyone is certain to find something that they can enjoy. However, musical tickets can get pretty pricey too, and as a student on a budget, it can sometimes be hard to enjoy these privileges. I hope to use this blog to show some tricks and insights on how to get cheaper show tickets!

  1. Buy tickets for preview shows Preview periods often last between a week and a month depending on the size of the production.

What I’ve Learned In My Four Years in Mechanical Engineering

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

My perception of Mechanical Engineering has changed so much from before entering University, and after finishing my final paper of the course. A huge part of my inspiration to study Mechanical Engineering came from my father, who works in the manufacturing industry producing and delivering boiler plants. However, coming to Imperial has opened up my mind to so much more, regardless of it being content within my course, or experiences gained elsewhere.

What did I learn in the course? 

Some expectations were aligned with what I thought University life would be like. Lectures are still mostly delivered in lecture theatres, and we definitely have more group work and assignments compared to A-Levels.

Exam study Tunes Recommendations

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

Easter break is always a conflicting time for most students. On one hand, we finally get to take some time off and catch up on lectures and worksheets, while enjoying the change of weather. On the other hand, this signifies the arrival of our end of year exams and the endless amount of revision associated with it. I’m someone who always needs to have my headphones on in order to focus on my work. I love the feeling of sitting in a coffee shop while putting on a pair of ANC headphones and listening to my tunes. Even if there are people rushing about around me, a good tune will allow me to focus on my work easily.

Catching Some Waves

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

Easter break is a huge blessing for Imperial students, allowing us to take a big sigh after submitting a series of weekly coursework. With the weather getting warmer and the flowers blooming again, many students tend to use this opportunity to enjoy the pleasant weather, even if it means just revising for their exams while basking under the sun in Hyde Park. This year, we are blessed with a few weeks of sunny days in London throughout the week of April. With this, I felt recharged to not just catch up on my studies but felt my adventurous spirit take hold again too.

What I Do as a Final Year Mechanical Engineering Student

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

A final year research project is one of the main focuses in a Master’s year for many courses. As a Mechanical Engineer, I was spoiled with the privilege of being able to choose from a range of projects from diverse modules and topics. This is largely due to the fact that a large range of modules are introduced in our course, ranging from solid mechanics to fluid mechanics, or even mechatronics. Students are then able to specialize in specific fields upon their third year of studies. Therefore, it’s really interesting to see how widely my project differs compared to some of my coursemates who might be working on projects related to Machine Learning or even Design and Manufacturing.

Busking in Covent Garden

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

Central London is very well-known for its diverse street performances ranging from street mimes, dance performances, all the way to opera singing. Watching these street performances was definitely one of the memories that stuck with me most during my first strolls around Covent Garden. Looking at the professionalism and creativity of every performer, it has never occurred to me to consider any possibilities of potentially busking around Central London.

If you’ve read some of my blogs, you would have probably heard me rave about my experiences being involved with Imperial A Cappella society. After a series of lockdowns and preparation for competitions, we finally got the chance to spare a weekend to head out to busk at Covent Garden!

Major Event – Imperial Singapore Society

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

Having been highly involved with Imperial College’s Malaysian Society in my first two years at Imperial has led to a deep appreciation for the purpose and goals of cultural societies. Imperial College is one of the most diverse universities in the UK. With more than 50% of its students coming from out of the UK, it is no surprise that cultural societies play a big part in helping students settle into this new environment. Besides organising events to help students settle into London, many cultural societies also put on an annual performance to showcase their culture to anyone who wishes to appreciate it.

The ICCAs 2022

Yee Tong Siow

MEng Mechanical Engineering

As someone who is involved in the A Cappella community, The ICCAs (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella) is one of the most exciting events in the year for collegiate A Cappella groups around the UK and US. For those who are wondering what exactly is the ICCAs, it is a competition for collegiate groups to showcase a 10 minute set of A Cappella music. This allows the groups to unleash their creativity in creating diverse arrangements and wicked choreography, allowing the audience and judges to appreciate a night of constant surprises. In other words, it is basically the competition seen in the movie Pitch Perfect.

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