Was ich in den letzten Tagen gemacht hab (What I have been doing the last few days)

With 3 papers this week, there is a need to feel anxious and study. If this was NUS I think I'd have started the mugging about a month ago, but I realised that my studying stamina has dropped a lot since I came here. Mugging in the library used to be my speciality in NUS and I felt just like that these few days. As I mentioned, the period which I sat down to seriously do some work over the weekend was definitely longer than all the cumulative time spent over the past 4 months on my work.

But I do like the library here. Apart from the fact that occassionally you shift your attention away from your desk and ogle at some German chick walking past, I think its much better than NUS, in terms of facilities and comfort. As you can see below, for every table there is a table lamp, as well as a socket and a lan point (the 2 silver "squares" next to the lamp. the first one is the switch of course). As well a metal fixture for us to lock our laptops. Very ergonomically designed indeed. And the chairs are those office designed chairs which are comfortable and yet you won't get backaches after sitting there for a while. Where did Uni Mannheim get all the money to engage in such things? Well, it seems that this Uni is the top Uni in Germany in receiving donations from the private companies, big firms and individuals, which probably explains why their endowment is so much. Definitely it does not come from the student fees, for previously university education is free in Germany and now it costs 500€ per Semester, (which is still lesser than NUS), which makes me think that discounting the exchange rate which drives up the cost of living to around 2 times or slightly higher, it can be quite attractive to study here....

Also, there's a media library in Mannheim in which you are free to walk in and watch any DVD you want, and the collection is awesome. They even have Wong Kar Wai's Happy Together which I tried to hard to find in Singapore but could not!

And finally I am so addicted to this song after listening it on the German radio. The lyrics are a little cheesy though.

Ich weiß nicht mal, wo du grad bist,
ich weiß nur zwischen uns das ist vorbei.
Du bist mir einerlei, denn ich bin endlich frei.
Naja, kann sein, ich liebte Dich,
doch heut tut's mir schon lange nicht mehr weh.
Aber manchmal bei Vollmond, da schlaf ich nicht ein und fühl mich verlassen, verloren und allein.

Dann hör ich deine Stimme in der Nacht.
Du sagst: Irgendwann wirst du wieder bei mir sein.
Dann schließ ich meine Augen, und würd' so gerne glauben,
es gibt ein zweites Leben für uns zwei.

Das Glück, es war nicht lang mit dir, doch du hast mich so tief berührt, so tief.
Ich weis nicht wie es kam, doch dann ging alles schief,
Ich glaube ich lieb Dich nicht mehr sehr,
ich lebe noch, doch vielleicht nicht mehr so ganz.
Doch immer will ich mit dir eins sein beim Tanz
Dann bet' ich, dass du wieder herkommen kannst.

Dann hör ich deine Stimme in der Nacht.
Du sagst: Irgendwann wirst du wieder bei mir sein.
Dann schließ ich meine Augen, und würd' so gerne glauben,
es gibt ein zweites Leben für uns zwei