Today, I am an Engineer

It felt like it was just yesterday that I was crying during my first call back home. I almost left UTM on my first day of orientation.

I did not see it coming, the culture shock, the language barrier, the less decent dormitories, showers without shower heads, stained toilet tiles, and flies infested cafeterias. Four years later, those little factors became the reasons to my perseverance and strength today.

From young, I’ve always dreamed of studying abroad but it was never fulfilled. Two months ago, I completed my summer school at the University of Cambridge. Knowledge and experience, these were the best graduation gift my parents and sister could ever give me.

True enough, studying in a public university is not as glamorous as the rest of other friends who are graduates from the UK and Australia. I then asked myself. Given a choice, would I still spend my four years in UTM? Repeatedly, my answer is yes, with absolutely no regrets.

While every other Chinese in my course graduated with a first class honours, I did not. Deep down inside, I knew if I did, I would not have been able to join competitions and meeting people whom I once call team mates and now becoming friends I’d want to keep for a lifetime, to commit time and effort into student organisations and clubs I’ve enjoyed being part of, and devoting myself into a research project which gave me an overwhelming sense of satisfaction as I witness the end result for myself.

Four years passed in a glimpse of an eye but when I looked back, I see countless of memories and experiences I made.

It wasn’t easy, I have to admit. Imagine juggling a full time job and a full time degree all at the same time. I did one of the arguably hardest pre-university course which is the sixth form. My teachers back then promised me that university would be a breeze. I proved them wrong. If I manage to sneak 6 hours sleep a day, I consider myself lucky. If I get to nap, I consider that a bonus. From a weekly routine, meetings became my daily routines. Everyday, a long to-do list awaits me but to have them all ticked at the end of the day, I gain a huge sense of satisfaction and contentment and I would do it all over again.

I used to metaphorize my homecoming as coming out of the jungle. As opposed to Kuala Lumpur, life was pretty much simple in Skudai for me, just the way I like it. Ask anyone and they can easily name you my favourite restaurant and bakery. I became loyal like that. I learned to appreciate the vast collection of books the library has. It made me so happy when sometimes I could find hidden gems among the rack of books. Occasionally, I would drive up to the newly built library, do my work there in complete peace and tranquillity. I loved my evening jogs and weekend swims a lot. I look forward to them most of the time. I particularly liked how strangers would simply smile at me as we jogged past each other. Life wasn’t happening with parties every other day. I stopped attending large gatherings. Instead, I love the regular meet ups with some close friends where we could talk about our future, plans, inspirations or even random projects (we ended up having our grocery delivery business) all night long over a glass of teh tarik. Sometimes when I miss home, a good bowl of mee hun kueh or a call from the parents is good enough to make my day.

I’m sure everybody’s university chapter in life comes with a cheesy love story. Falling in and out of love in university is almost inevitable. Eventually, it becomes one of the stories people would brush off as a silly mistake they make when they’re young. For me, it taught me a life lesson. I learned how to love. I learned that if you love the person, you don’t have to own that person. Falling out of love was easily the toughest time of my university life because it took away my value, happiness. Today when I looked back, I understood why fate made that twist and put me into that test of strength. And I’m glad it happened that way. =)

In UTM, I had a family. During my convocation, I went back to visit the academic officers and staffs who have selflessly helped me through the four years. They teared and couldn’t be any prouder of who I’ve become today. They were the epitome of what 1Malaysia is all about, how the amount of melanin we have and the difference in beliefs did not matter.

6 years ago, I dreamed to be an actuary. Today, I graduated with a chemical engineering degree and it’s one of the best things that happened in life 

Back in university, it was all about finding directions in life and shaping the person I want to become. Today, it’s no longer about me alone. It’s about contributing what I’ve taken from my nation and building a better Malaysia.