Quran 14:7

"If you are grateful, I will give you more..."

- Quran; Surah Ibrahim (14), verse 7

#OMGFinallyGraduated

Hello there! So it took me two months to update a blog post about my convocation day. For those who already knew, thank you for the wishes. The hashtag of #OMGFinallyGraduated was mine and you can search for it on Instagram and I believe that you could view some of my graduation photos there.

Some of you might asked, "Why on Earth you took six freakin' years to finish your degree? What course are you taking? Medic? Or maybe you failed so many subjects that you had to retake everything?"

Alright, let me tell you. 

Doing bachelor degree in information technology (IT) isn't as easy as you think it is. Programming should be essential. Coding should be in your brain. Your fingers should code not just faster but have to be accurate on what some of things should do. If you take IT, you would know what I am saying. Those functions used in different programming languages. C++, HTML, XML, CSS, MATLAB, Java, Java3D and ahh yes, those networking subjects. That one assignment that requires you to build an entire university network and you only will pass the exam if you can ping to others and they can ping you back.

Fun times. Lewlz.

I went through some sh*tty moments, like I had to retake some of papers (I repeat, some. Not all. LOL!). I aced my calculus paper and believe it or not, I really love maths and formulas and calculations but I pretty loathed programming subjects. I had to retake and withdraw and withdraw again because I wasn't sure if I had the guts to take the subject or I can pass the whole semester if I sit for the exam. So there goes my programming when I put it on hold for about two or three trimesters. Then there were pre-requisite subjects. More hate. And then classes were full most of the time. More hate.

That took me awhile to realize that I was actually left too far behind. One by one, my friends were about to graduate. Trimester by trimester I was struggling so hard to finish subjects. I was hoping just to pass it instead of to ace it. I had to juggle other responsibilities too. I had to attend appointments and meetings as I was managing my parents' new home's project. I travelled back and fourth, college to new home. I had to train my brain to adapt or die.

I came to this point where I couldn't cope with my studies anymore that I had to take LOA (Leave of Absence), applied from my university, for a year. I just need to be away from all of that and just be with my family. I was alone in Malaysia and I had no family to turn to. Of course there were Skype and calls and texts but to actually be with family is what I need. I went to Doha for a year, performed my umrah visit to Makkah and Madinah while I was there (Alhamdulillah) back in 2010 and I was hoping for a fresh start when I am back in Malaysia to continue my studies.

Back in Malaysia after a year of LOA, and I strived to do my best this time. Alhamdulillah, that one-year break brought such an impact in my life. I leave my "unwelcome" old friends and start with new ones. So many shoddy dramas before and I came back as a new person. Kind of. LOL!

I even took some of subjects in other campus instead of mine because I wanted to finish everything on time. Then I went for my internship for three months and Alhamdulillah I aced it. I should be graduated last year in September 2015 but the university told me that it was too late because I need at least a trimester to finish everything before I could apply for graduation. I had to wait another year.

Plus-minus; one year of being lost as a student, a year of LOA & epiphany and a year of waiting for the next convocation. Three freakin' years of being... Dull-witted, vacuous, inane, brainless act. But hey, I finally graduated.

So I should be finishing everything within three years, normal years like anybody else (but note to you readers, IT students in my university never actually finish everything on time because our subjects are freakin' hard and our standards are thissss high, so yeah, you go try it yourself, then you'll know).

Despite of all six years of well, being a bachelor degree in IT student, I am here. Graduated. Got the chance to wore that robe and 2016 mortarboard and had the chance to throw it too! LOL!

Massive thanks to my parents and my sister for having to listen to my rants and cries almost every night of how hard it is for me to stay focus and try not to give up on my studies. Thanks to not-my-friends-now. You guys taught me that I couldn't give my trust so easily to other people and you guys also taught me on how to differentiate between good and bad guys. I now know when and from whom I should stay away based on experience you gave me. So thank you. Thanks too, to my roomates and housemates, classmates and groupmates. You guys have been amazing. Couldn't be here (or graduated) without your annoyance and guidance. Alhamdulillah, thank you Allah for helping me get through some sh*tty stuff and also for putting and building so much perserverance in me. Thank you. Like Daddy always tells me, "Never give up on good things", I didn't and here I am today.

x,

Malina Azman

Class of 2016

Bachelor Degree (Honours) in Information Technology

Majoring in Multimedia Systems

My Convocation Day