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Briefly introduce yourself and how are you related to STK.
After getting 5A result in UPSR, I went to STK to receive my secondary education from the year 2016-2020. Throughout my high school years, I have actively participated in various activities such as representing the school in competitions held locally an internationally as well as being appointed as the Head Prefect during my final year back in 2020.
Describe your experience studying in STK.
I would say that studying in STK is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my entire life. I was able to foster good relationship with my teachers and friends, which helped me a lot in my studies back then. Not only that, I got to learn a lot of things in terms of academic and also about life that taught me some lessons that I would never forget. Overall, I would say that STK played a huge role in my life, shaping me into who I am today by helping me to explore myself better and contributes to my self-development.
Describe your THREE BEST/STRONGEST QUALITIES.
Passionate : Whenever I am working on something, I am driven to pursue my goals with enthusiasm and determination while making sure that I am enjoying the process. I would say that my passion is contagious as it does not also affect me, but also inspires others to do their best as well especially during teamwork.
Flexible : I can adapt to new situations and challenges quickly while being open to try new things. This quality also allows me to consider multiple perspectives to come up with creative solutions in solving problems.
Optimistic : I have a positive outlook in life and able to see the good things in every situation. As the saying goes “There would be rainbow after the storm”, I believe that good things would come at the end of the day no matter how tough things will be, as long as we work hard enough on it.
Describe ONE best moment you had in school.
Every moment I had in school was memorable to me but I think I would miss Hari Raya Celebration the most. I mean, what could be a better day than a day of having no classes, eating good food, donning a newly bought dashing baju raya and hanging out with friends throughout the whole day, right?
Describe what you are currently doing (what, where, why).
I am currently at Seoul National University Language Education Institute doing my preparation course before going into degree. Here, I have to attend intensive Korean language classes up to level 6. As of December 2022, I am two months away from my graduation/completion ceremony which is expected to be in early February 2023. I have applied to a few universities for undergraduate admission and Alhamdulillah I got accepted to all of them. I will be continuing my studies in the Computer Science major at Yonsei University which will start around March 2023.
Describe your experiences studying abroad.
Inspired by my own elder sister, studying abroad had always been my dream and realising that it finally comes true feels surreal to me. Having the chance to learn a new language is a truly valuable opportunity. The journey was definitely not easy but driven by my goal to be able to watch my favourite K-drama shows without subtitle really motivates me to work hard on improving my Korean skills hahaha. Not only that, studying in Korea also allows me to learn deeper about its culture that manages to change my perspective on the world. By immersing myself in these cultures, I have gained a greater understanding on the way the people here live while adapting some good culture in my daily life as well. As a developed country, Korea is well-known for its 빨리 빨리 문화 (palli palli culture) which emphasizes on doing work really fast. For example, I can receive my parcel that I just ordered, within the next day before 7.00 a.m. or having my exam results appear on the website in the evening even when I just finished the exam in the afternoon. This kind of culture could be seem to be romanticizing overwork and overly busy lifestyle but on the good side, the dedication that the Koreans are putting on their work is something that we can look up to and learn from.
Describe the challenges you face there.
Studying abroad is not always sunshine and rainbows as it seems to be. Living in a non English-speaking country is definitely not easy due to the language barrier that I have to deal with. Most of my classes are conducted in Korean Language including Mathematics and IT classes. At first, it was tough but as time goes by, I manage to get the hang of it. Not only that, as someone who has never been far apart from family, I do feel homesick sometimes. The first few months here was definitely the toughest, having to step out of my comfort zone, shifting into a life that forced me to become independent and learn to manage myself by my own without the help of my family.
Share the tips on how you cope with the challenges.
I think the only way for me to cope with the language barrier problem is to study really hard to improve my skills. There are times, where I feel stagnant, not making any progress and feel not good enough. During times like that, I would take some break and get some fresh air to disconnect myself from the problems that I am having and get back to it after recharging myself. Besides, I do contact my family and close friends in Malaysia quite often to get myself some words of affirmation and courage to keep me going. I also ask for guidance from the seniors here whenever I am having any crisis.
Describe the path that you took that gets you where you are.
I was a science stream student during high school. After getting 8A+ and 1A for my SPM, I applied for the scholarship under JPA JKPJ programme to Korea for Science and Technology course. There were some interviews that I had to undergo before being accepted as a Malaysian Government scholar. After that, I studied at Intec Education College for around 6 months to undergo Korean Preparatory programme before flying to Seoul, Korea in February 2022.
What advice would you give to the current STK students?
Believe in yourself and you should never compare yourself with the others. Everyone has their own pace and instead of struggling to keep up with the others, you should embrace your own unique journey and work on your own personal growth and development. Remember, comparison is the thief of joy.
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