When I was assigned my Final Year Project (FYP) in poly, or more precisely, slung and shut in a ‘cell’ to get it done (at least what I think happened), I was perplexed. It was beyond me how I could ever solve such an intimidating problem. I stared at the paper, trying to comprehend first, if it was even English. Then once I overcame that, whether when the words strung together, it made any sense at all. And third, well I just kept staring. A while later, the supervisors came into the room and briefed their students/teams individually and one by one, all my classmates’ horrified faces turned to realisation. But mine stayed put.

In less than a week since my FYP started, my table had a dent the size of my head. Every time I didn’t understand a thing, which was most of it, I’d be banging my head on the table, hoping and praying that the mentor in the room would pity me enough that she’d let me out so I could just go home and cry. Sadly, my only options were either I do my work, or get handcuffed to my seat. Not much of a difference so I figured I’d try. And surprise surprise, what a difference it made.

So today, when the graduating batch of Business and Information Technology (BIT) students presented their Major Projects, I could literally feel their relief, their pride and their excitement. Dressed in smart suits amongst beaming parents, industry guests and project mates, they looked every inch geniuses. And their glamorous, sleek-looking prototypes proved it all. Even the brightest of us would never have guessed that they probably went through the same ordeal as described above, upon analysing their projects. It was thoroughly thought through, excruciatingly executed, and so energetically presented – with a skit and a game show!

Mobile applications that track your fitness record or medical history, apps that let you know the best promotions and events in town were just some of the impressive projects on show. And with each team vying for the most votes from guests, you could tell almost immediately the sheer effort that went into each little detail of their work, right up to the final showcase – a summary of their three years at TP.

It may be their last day at TP; their last day of polytechnic life, but from the looks of the showcase, the TP spirit and knowledge gained during their time here will stay with them for a long time more.

You can see more photos of the BIT Project show at our Meeting Young Minds Flickr gallery.