Distributing Questionnaires in Vivo City ( M.L.)

Today our research group went to Vivo City to distribute the questionnaires.

The first thing I learnt from this experience is that it is not the same as school when we go out there. I had anticipated that doing survey out of school would be harder than on campus, but it was not until six people in a row declined my request to fill out the questionnaire did I realize how difficult it is to do a survey in real society.

The four of us parted to distribute the questionnaires on different floors of Vivo, and we felt confident. My first targets were a couple of boys. I started with an introduction of “We’re doing a survey on …”, but they interrupted by waving their hands and passed by, leaving me stood there embarrassed and hurt. The following four people I asked all declined to help. Yesterday I saw students from another group distribute the questionnaires in the NUS canteens and libraries, the respondents were willing to help and cooperated well.

Perhaps the contrast shows why on campus we feel more accommodated. We have friends who are pursuing academic success just like ourselves, we have caring tutors who are always willing to offer individual attention and help during a critical stage in our life, and we have many campus stuff who keep the school going and try to provide the best learning environment for us. I really find home here in NUS, maybe partly because that I am an international student. But the world out of school may be different and we had better be prepared.

The second thing I learnt from the experience is when you come across others’ requests, step out of your busy routine to give help. You never know how much your offer can mean to that person. I do not want to complain about the high refusal rate because I understand that some of them were in a hurry and thus did not bother to fill out a stranger’s questionnaire, I want to appreciate the help offered by my first respondent, a young girl.

After six refusals, my heart began to sink. I felt insecure about myself and totally at a loss what to do next. I looked around, the A1 floor was still not crowded in the morning. I decided that I would try one more time and that I would stop if still failed. Then I saw the pretty girl coming towards me gracefully. I took a deep breath, greeted her and asked whether she could help on the survey. She smiled and answered “Sure” gently, and filled out the first questionnaire I ever handed out. I was touched. She lightened me up from my depression and I regained the confidence to go on with the survey.

I will pay attention to those who need help and those who are neglected from now on, because my experience tells me that you can help to make people around to feel better, sometimes simply by taking one minute out of your busy schedules to fill in a questionnaire.