How to be creative or think faster?

Han chiang SG

I need help on how to be creative or think faster. This is really hindering me in my studies.

This is how it goes.

In D&T, we are given a topic and must develop ideas on that topic. The topic is "Tidiness". I struggled for a good two months before I finally decided on what to make for my artefact. And I only managed to develop some ideas with teacher's help. The minimum requirement is to have at least eight developed ideas... No matter how hard I think I just couldn't get it. Everytime I had to do my D&T work, I would just say: Next time then do. And the next time never come...

Next major problem is in Languages, Chinese and English. I just took my O Level Chinese Oral last week. I was trembling like a leaf. I don't know whether it was the air-con or I am just nervous. This feeling happened last year too when I take this O Level Chinese Oral. (Dropped from Higher Chinese). When reading the passage, I read very slow and in conversation, I took a long time to reply only some short answers... Then when everything was over, that shaky feeling was gone too! I felt like a loser man...

I also had a problem in English. When I am having my English tuition, my tutor gave me a one word composition titled "Heroes". I totally blanked out... All my friends started writing madly while I was the only one staring into space.

I tried several ways to counter this problem, like reading newspapers, be aware of whats happening around the world. But my mind will become blank when I am tasked with these assignments. I don't know if it is my 心理 problem or what...

Can any kind forumers please help me out?

Thanks alot.

Ah Chia SG

Next major problem is in Languages, Chinese and English.

So which language are you good at?

Are you good in dialect?

I tried several ways to counter this problem, like reading newspapers, be aware of whats happening around the world.

You read our state newspapers, there is no way that you will understand what is going on in the world or our country.

yiha093 SG

what i see appears to be a mental blockage.. maybe u focus too intently on ONE aspect.

draw mindmap style.

eg . hero - superman - help people- mother- help you with.. etc. etc.

sth like that, understand? o.O

wee_ws SG

Dear Han Chiang,

You learn to relax, for a relaxed mind can have a lot of potential for growth. Thanks!

Cheers,
Wen Shih

marcteng SG

with stress comes fear, with fear comes panic, with panic comes mind blank.

its a vicious cycle. so unstress yourself and breathe in and out.

Han chiang SG

I have a slight improvement. When teachers ask me some questions I can reply faster but with short answers. I think I need to think of stories to talk heh.

GHoST_18 SG

sometimes the answer comes to u when u dun think too hard...

S.H. SG

The Singaporean (and most others as well) education system doesn't exactly help cultivate creativity. You'll have to expose yourself to the world. In my case, I used to read game manuals for d20 RPGs when I was younger, even though I didn't have the game itself. I guess what I'm saying is draw inspiration from the infinite amount of things in the world.

Also, break convention; and I don't mean simply going to the other side of the spectrum and blindly following the counter-culture, nor avoiding all the aspects of our current culture. Form your own person. Look around you and think hard about things that you would otherwise ignore. Spend some time doing nothing each day, because that's when you think the most.

marcteng SG

not when you have the teachers in the current system. some teachers simply cant teach and their lessons are super boring, not to mention some are in it for the money. why is there a need for MOE to recruit so many teachers every year, simple cos alot of teachers leave after their contract has ended or found a better paying job. some found its lucrative to teach at commercial schools and flexible hours too.

S.H. SG

It's not completely their fault though. How many of us actually want to learn the things that are taught? We do it only because of the qualifications that are needed in the concrete jungle.

And of course, if one finds the system inadequate, it is only logical that he/she seeks other ways to achieve their goals, like reading outside of the syllabus. That requires a person who wants to actually learn the subject instead of just doing it for a paper.

Ever wonder why there's a need for "lifelong learning" programmes? It should be common sense that one should be learning throughout their entire life (there's an infinite amount of things to do), yet that is obviously not the case from what I can see.

Fantagf SG

There is course you can go for.

marcteng SG

creative thinking seminar.

S.H. SG

IMO those are sub-par at best, but that's mainly because I prefer to seek my own path. To each his own.

M the name SG

Music is always the best "medicine" to develop mental and creative skill. In Singapore, you can tried to listen to some of the special music from this company called Acure Brain Lab and hopely it can increase your mental and creative skill : http://www.acure-group.com/