You-Want's Life

Projek Amanat Negara (PAN) is one of the four flagship events by United Kingdom and Eire (Ireland) Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC) which is a conference-based event promoting intellectual discourse and scholarly discussions among students in the UK. I was part of the Curriculum team for the 17th edition of PAN, which took place at Cardiff University in February 2020. Our team started working months prior to the event and I was given the chance to design the topics discussed at the event alongside my teammates.  Themed 'Malaysia and Malaysians, Transcending Boundaries', the event brought everyone's attention to  a range of important topics across Malaysia's economic potential among South East Asian countries and Malaysian youths' potential in grabbing available opportunities. Our sessions that day named 'Malaysia Beyond ASEAN', 'A Palm Oil Based Economy: The Harsh Realities Contended' and 'Speak Out, Youth'. I was extremely privilege...

It's funny how it has been a week since I arrived at Sunway Pyramid Hotel- time really does fly. Many might detest the lack of social interaction at a quarantine centre, but for me, as an introvert who usually spends more than half a day in my room, I have somehow immensely enjoyed this time of isolation.   Like many who returned from a foreign country with a time difference, I spent the first few days adjusting my sleep schedule. I ended up waking up before dawn, way much in time to watch sunrises, and took naps at noon even though I consumed coffee earlier that morning. This is my first time returning from the UK, I wonder if other first timers go through a similar experience.   I remember mentioning in my previous blog post that the food I received was slightly insufficient. Good news is, there have been an increase in the amount of food they give us. I can't tell for sure if anyone made a complaint, but I am extremely grateful for the change as the meals nowadays ar...

I had (well, still have) really huge plans coming up this Summer, but looking at the Covid-19 situation now, my plans are made really uncertain. I have always wanted to remain in the UK for the entirety of my first year at university for various reasons, including my summer plans and my wish to experience working on the service line at a local outlet. Despite the developing pandemic, cancellations of my university's remaining terms and a lockdown in the UK, I still wanted to stay back. My main concerns of returning to Malaysia were the risks of contracting the virus on my way home, and potentially bringing it back to my family members. There was also no adequate quarantine space at home, thus a safer option for me was to remain in the UK. However, as the pandemic worsened, my family and I decided that I should return to Malaysia before all flights entering the country were banned. The decision was made after much contemplation. On the 5th of April, the day before my flight, the n...