Every student wishes to further his or her education. They would opt for colleges or universities that are located in their state.
However, for some students, continuing their education in another state is also a practical option. This is the fate of some Sarawakian students who attend UPSI.
UPSI was Malaysia’s very first educational institution. The campus is located in Tanjung Malim, Perak.
Clara Entry, 23, is a fourth-year student from Miri, Sarawak, who is majoring in Malay Language Education (with honours) and is one of the students studying at UPSI.
She expressed her sentiments when she was invited to continue her study outside of Sarawak.
She realised she’d have to adjust to a new environment and be separated from her family.
“The journey to begin life as a migrant child is challenging,” she said.
This is due to the fact that various documents and materials must be prepared before being assembled.
Clara’s first travel out of Sarawak went smoothly because she was accompanied by both of her parents.
She also said that the university has a Sarawak Children’s Association, which has made it easier for her to meet more Sarawak students.
While there, she faced a variety of challenges, including a broken laptop; having to adapt to a new learning environment that is very different from the atmosphere she experienced when she was in form 6; online lectures during the previous Covid season that required them to be locked in their respective rooms to comply with the university’s order, which wants its students to always avoid the outbreak; and other challenges also included the difficulty of answering exam questions face-to-face compared to virtually.
She said she had wonderful experiences at college despite the many obstacles and issues she faced.
Her great moments include friends who are always entertaining; the university view, which is always mesmerising by the majesty of the Titiwangsa range; the local people here who are just so kind; and the Saturday night market, which offers cuisine that will empty your wallet.
“Being here is full of joy and sorrow, smiles and tears, and I’m having the best time of my life,” she added.
Clara didn’t feel out of place in that environment. The university is located in town, and it is not isolated from the community.
She enjoys her surroundings because they are not overcrowded or overdeveloped.
She also said that continuing her studies within or outside of Sarawak had no negative impact on her. The only major drawback is being separated from family.
This, however, taught her to be more self-sufficient, to carry herself better, and to walk more maturely.
Clara believes that getting out of one’s comfort zone is difficult, but learning to be open to other culture, socialise, and be willing to get familiar with a new environment is how she adjusts to the surroundings.
Emily Danny, 22, and Priscella Samai Inting, 22, from Sri Aman and Kuching, Sarawak, respectively, are third-year students majoring in Bachelor of Malay Language Education (with honours).
Emily was saddened when she was offered the opportunity to continue her studies because she would have to be away from her family, but she was also happy because she saw this as a new adventure for her because she had never set foot in the peninsular state and saw this as a golden opportunity for her to explore the culture or way of life of the people in peninsular Malaysia.
Her journey while studying there was fantastic because she gained so many new experiences.
“In my opinion, studying outside of Sarawak is a terrific experience, especially for Sarawakian youth, because there are many things that may be learned, such as the language and culture of the people,” she said.
Even if the journey looks to be joyful, it is common for a student to feel the agony of life’s twists and turns, as well as the countless obstacles that must be overcome.
Emily said that she has difficulties speaking the language because most of her friends adopt their own accents or slang when speaking Malay.
Furthermore, she had difficulty getting to class, thus she paid about RM20 to RM30 a day to use the “Prebet” service because she was in a hurry to get to class due to the restricted bus transportation available and confined by the given time only.
Priscella also faced challenges as a student, such as having to be away from her family, especially when she was sick, and having to make new friendships because she lacked peers from the same school.
Despite the numerous challenges that Clara, Emily and Priscella faced while at UPSI, they had a good time.
The three of them were able to socialise with many people of all origins and races.
• This article was written by a student from the Strategic Communication Programme at the Faculty of Language and Communication, UNIMAS.
