Hi there! In today’s blog, I would like to share about the story on how I got into MCKL and how I ended up transferring to UPMKB afterwards.
Before I jump right into it, I’d like to mention something. My long time ambition is to be a veterinarian in the future, but in Malaysia, it is very hard to pursue your studies in veterinary medicine as there are only two local universities offering that course which is University Putra Malaysia (UPM) and University Malaysia Kelantan (UMK). To enter a local university, there are a few routes that can be taken,
=> Getting into matriculation, enrolling in STPM, applying for Asasi (foundation) or applying for diploma courses at the Uni itself.
I was not accepted into matriculation nor Asasi in UPM when I signed up for them through the UPU system. Hence, I decided to further my studies in MCKL (Methodist College Kuala Lumpur) like I mentioned before in my introductory post . Before I decided which programme I wanted, I did countless research and surveys on multiple programmes. Initially, I wanted to opt for AUSMAT or even SAM (South Australian Matriculation) but in the end, I settled with A levels as I prefer A level’s programme style much more than the other two. AUSMAT and SAM were more project and assignment based and I figured that I’m NOT the type that can keep up with countless of assignments HAHAHA
17/04/2019 was the start of my MCKL journey. Travelling back and forth from my house to KL was not easy. If I were to travel there by car, It would take me about an hour or even more during the weekdays, so I travelled back and forth using the LRT instead. Although my classes start at 8am, I’d still have to wake up at 6 to start preparing. This day to day routine lasted for 2 months and 9 days before I accepted UPM’s offer letter.
Before I further elaborate on that, let’s talk about MCKL for abit. MCKL was never really a school I paid attention to when I was surveying schools to pursue my studies in after my SPM. But, just like most of the students studying there, their scholarship offers were really attractive because even though I didn’t get very good grades, I was still eligible to a scholarship. Their tuition fees were also lower than the ones at renown universities like Taylor’s University, Sunway University or even UTAR. That was another reason that I ended up choosing MCKL as my pre-university school.
At first, going to MCKL gave me some concerns (now I realized those concerns are NOTHING LOL) one of it was the clothing system. Yes I’m not sure if any of you have heard of it but MCKL does have a dress code. Students are not allowed to wear shorts or skirts above their knee and ripped jeans are also not allowed. Sleeveless shirts are also a Nono UNLESS you keep a jacket on throughout the day HAHAHA (BUT thankfully T-SHIRTS ARE ALLOWED!)
Studying in MCKL was fun and the environment was also very suitable to study in. Students that end up studying in MCKL are mostly very smart (except me HAHA) but my point is you will be surrounded by people who are not bad in their studies, so you will most probably be pushed to work harder and keep up with the pace of your classmates and lecturers. Your peers there would be more than happy to offer you help if you need any. Well I only speak for my batch cause I can’t guarantee you’ll meet good classmates like mine HAHAHA
MCKL is not as big as UPMKB (obviously) but it has sufficient place for your study dates -with your friends- and their cafeteria can fit all of you so don’t worry. HAHA the library is also fully airconditioned and the facilities there are not bad even though the school looks abit small from the outside.
The school compound is very simple and I think that’s a plus point because you don’t have to walk for 15 minutes just to get to class :D You’ll most probably get used to where everything is eg: the lecturer’s office/ the cafeteria/ the classrooms and even the toilets.
OH and a very important info. The food there is wayyyyyyy better than the ones here in UPMKB. I used to think that eating the zapfan (mixed rice) there is getting boring but damn I wish the zapfan exist here in bintulu. There’s so much more varieties and the price I paid for my food there(MCKL) was almost the same as what I have to pay for here(UPMKB) but the difference is I get better food in MCKL HAHAHA
OK lets go back to the offer letter thing.
As I mentioned before, I did not get accepted to any of the programmes I’ve signed up in the UPU system for the first round, but I did rayuan UPU right after.
On the 26th of June (result day for rayuan UPU), 4:50 pm, during my bio class in MCKL, I decided to log into the UPU system to check if I got accepted to any programmes, and I DID. When I saw the acceptance info, I had mixed feelings although I got accepted to a programme that I wanted which was DKHP (Diploma in Animal Health and Production). I don’t remember if I was happy that I got accepted because there were so much going through my head at that moment, I can’t even put it into words.
It took me awhile before I gathered my thoughts and begin to consider the pros and the cons if I accepted this offer. I remember the cons list being longer than my pros list which made me reluctant to accept the offer straight away. I thought about it for some time (a day only actually HAHA) and decided to accept the offer because I remembered how much I prayed to get into Asasi or this course because I wanted to pursue my studies in Veterinary Medicine. Now that I’ve got it, it’s not logical for me to reject the offer. (aaannnd I’m pretty sure one of the reasons I accepted this offer so quickly was because my mom kept pestering me to ‘faster make a decision’ already HAHAH because I can’t think forever right) HAHAH
So I clicked the accept button, and damnnnn I was leaving in 3 DAYS. I needed to report myself on the 1st of July and I had so many documents that I needed to prepare before I go. I remember that the next few days were full of rushing here and there, getting documents done, shopping shopping and more shopping. You may think that I get to shop so what’s the problem? HAHAHA let me tell you, I’ve never ever seen so many collar t-shirts in my wardrobe throughout my life until now.
Deciding to study in UPMKB also means that I must give up my beloved t-shirts and be committed to wearing collar shirts every-single-day.
I had to get my medical check up done, X-ray done and had to apply for dokumen perjalanan terhad, DPT (which I did not managed to HAHA)
Anywaysss my parents booked the flight tickets right away and we left KL on Sunday. The day I had to leave Honey and Cooper was sad but weird. I’ve never been apart from them for more than a week but now I am leaving them and I would only get to see them once in a few months. I thought I’d be balling my eyes out the day I left but surprisingly I didn’t. (Maybe it’s because I’ve basically decided to treat my 3 years long diploma as a very very very long camp) HAHA
Oh, and yes, my diploma course is a 3 years long program where we get to study subjects like animal anatomy and physiology. I’ll further elaborate my studies in another blog HAHAH. Of course studying in local school means you will encounter subjects like kenegaraan, hubungan etnik and maybe even TITAS (Tamadun Islam smtg HAHAHA). OK continuing..
My family and I stayed at a hotel nearby the university and we rented a car to tour around Bintulu and the areas nearby school to see the environment I’d be spending my diploma years at. The campus was quite big and uhm, Green. HAHA UPMKB strives to be a green campus so there’s basically trees, trees and more trees. (there’s cows too)
On the first of July, we drove to the university to register. There were quite a lot of second intake students and most of them were also registering for DKHP course. A lot of documents and fees had to be settled on the day, so renting the car was a right decision. The pentadbiran office is so far from the KSR office, if you were to walk there, guarantee you’ll be sweating like a dog when you reach there. Transporting the luggage to the dorm will already be an issue if you don’t have a car. But boys’ dorms are closer to the KSR office so…ok
When I got my room key, I was praying that I’d get a roommate that is at least OK cause I’ll be spending most of my time with them. When I reached my room, it was empty. That actually made me even nervous because whenever I see someone with a luggage, I start wondering if she will be my roommate HAHAH. Well I got there first so I got to choose which bed I wanted, which side of the SMALL table I wanted and which locker I wanted. So that’s fine with me HAHAHA
Waiting for the roommate is legit the most exhilarating thing on the first day I would say HAHAH I had to settle some documents so I had to go back to the KSR office. My eyes automatically scanned everyone registering there to see if anyone looked like my potential roommate. When I was handing in some documents to the office lady, a Chinese girl with short hair was also turning in her documents next to me. I heard her voice and was quite surprised because her voice was quite high pitched and child- like HAHAH and they way she walked with her slouched back and handkerchief stuck behind her collar was kinda funny. I wondered if she will be my roommate and was already imagining her personality HAHAHA my dad saw her and noticed that she was a girl that we saw at the airport the day we landed.
No boys were allowed to enter the girl’s dorms so my dad stayed outside observing every person that walks into my dorm building and constantly updating me about the people who walks in HAHAH so when he saw the handkerchief girl walk to my building, he was wondering if she would my roommate but she went to open another room’s door instead. After some time, the girl was suddenly accompanied by a KSR officer as she popped her head in front of my door and was nodding ok ok to the officer. HAHAHHA yes she became my roommate. She was supposed to be situated at another room but the room was already full and she claimed it was very messy so she requested to change rooms and she got mine HAHAH
We exchanged numbers and in the afternoon, she messaged me telling me that she heard we have a new roommate. We were both quite confused because we were told that only two people will share a room. After lunch, I went to buy some necessities and went back to our dorm to find another girl inside with her father putting on her bedsheets. So that is how I ended up having three roommates (odd number but PLS I don’t want nor need another)
My mom helped me unpack some of the stuff and took a luggage back with her. That day passed by real quick and my parents (and my sister) had to catch their flight in the afternoon and after settling everything they had to bid farewell. Our farewell was not exactly like the ones you’ll see in dramas where they hug each other and cry and cry and stand from afar and wave until you walk away HAHAH We just said our goodbyes and they told me to behave HAHA
I entered my dorm building again, but this time, alone.
My university life started there and then and thankfully I made a lot of new friends that are helping me cope with life here and also did not make me regret coming to Sarawak. (well at least for now) HAHAHAH
Here’s some pictures of me with handkerchief girl (YT) and the other roommate (QJ) HAHAH
Yes We had a lot of empty bottles to be recycled.
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