Kota Kinabalu: 24-year-old Soo Jit Yee could not believe she was awarded the Royal Education Award in the non-Bumiputera category for the 27th University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Convocation Ceremony.
"When I received the phone call from UMS, I thought it was a scam at first.
Advertisement "Only now, after receiving the award and holding it in my own two hands, I'm convinced it is real," she said when met for an interview after the ceremony on Friday.
One of the challenges the Negeri Sembilan-born faced while studying here was the lack of transport, which made her daily routines more demanding. Being away from home meant that she felt homesick, and in the beginning, faced some difficulty fitting into a new environment.
"Coming to Sabah alone from Negeri Sembilan meant starting fresh - I had to form new friendships entirely from scratch," she said.
When asked why she chose to study at UMS, Soo explained that she wanted to step out of her comfort zone, intentionally choosing the furthest option at the time, which so happened to be this institution.
Advertisement "I've always loved the sea, so learning that the university was close to it made me feel confident in my decision," she said.
The Masters grad from the Faculty of Science and Technology advised students who are still pursuing their studies to believe in themselves, trust in their own capabilities and keep moving forward.
Advertisement "Every student's journey will continue until they achieve success," she said.
Meanwhile, Martina Suginism, who graduated with a Masters in Counselling Psychology expressed that one of her biggest challenge in her academic journey was the limitation of time.
"Because I am not a full-time student, my schedule is very tight. After returning from work, I have to give my full focus once again to my studies," she said.
The 47-year-old advised students to practice disciplined time management and maintain strong commitment, particularly for those intending to pursue higher studies.
"Time management is crucial. If you lack discipline, maintaining focus on your studies will be difficult," she said.
Despite the difficulties, she expressed her gratitude for successfully completing her degree, giving special appreciation for her supervisor Dr Azhar. His support was crucial, especially in supervising her practicum and internship.
"Without his monitoring and guidance, I would not have achieved good results," she emphasised.
Martina is also a sign language interpreter with 15 years of experience, currently working in the special education unit for hearing impairment at SMK Datuk Peter Mojuntin.
Her main motivation to pursue a degree in this department is that she desires to reach out to the deaf community, not to mention acting as a mediator through her expertise in counselling and sign language skills.
"Although there may already be counsellors who are fluent in sign language, the number is still limited.
"Therefore, I feel motivated to be one of those who can provide support and guidance to those in need," she said.