MY Survival

sur‧viv‧al 
1 . the act or fact of surviving, esp. under adverse or unusual circumstances
2. a person or thing that survives or endures, esp. an ancient custom, observance, belief, or the like.
3. Anthropology. (no longer in technical use) the persistence of a cultural trait, practice, or the like long after it has lost its original meaning or usefulness.

My acts of survival through out my twenty-one years of life were basically like these:

1. Before 7 years old - For not getting what I want, I went riot, slammed things (usually doors), merajuk, mogok lapar and what else that always works than cried (on top of my lungs).The first day in kindergarten, I was scared and lonely, immediately I met a cute girl and we became best friend (Nadira).I felt the need to have best friend and freaked out on thoughts if I never had one.

2. Primary school years – Found strangers studying together in class 1 Cempaka, immediately find a best friend and found it (Shida). Stick with her until something was up then we were not best friend anymore. Then formed an alliance with four other friends – APM (consist of Ezati,Azah,Syarafina and Fairuz-only us knew what APM stands for: P).Later found new best friend (Fairuz) as we shared lots of girly interest together.Yes, my personal rule of having best friends is a MUST is very true.

3. Secondary school years – Again stuck in an alien world-a co-ed SBP.Repeat the same strategy-immediately find a best friend and found her(Shaleq).During form 2, met Mok,Vinci and Syamott whom then became my new alliance –the Vigilance.(I mean, who don’t even notice us anyway?We went to classes,preps,outings, -basically everything together.Yep, this friendship is too ideal it last until now, and who knows we became classmates during form 4 and 5!Until now we make gatherings occasionally to update each others on gossips,family,love ones and other stuffs.Again, my personal rule proves itself.My life was happier with a bunch of best friends.

4. UTP-First and second year– This is undoubtedly the toughest one. I did not applied for any oversea courses as I refused to have to adapt with another round of orientation and (another)totally alient surroundings. Initially had one schoolmate here in UTP who became my roommate, then she went to UK.Found new roommate soon who then became my roommate until 4th year.Life here was too complicated to have one best friend, so I just stick with many and many friends.I tried to get along with all sort of people. In this stage I realized it is not compulsory to have best friend or alliance that I always had – we can just move on with our life. Here I learnt to walk to class, buy food, go here and there ALONE (if necessary, yet I still went with the same crowds in normal occasions)– which is very weird for me in the first place, but I succeed in getting through with it.The most unforgettable phrase I heard from my LASS lecturer-Ms Chong Su Li – “What’s so wrong with eating alone in café, anyway??”-Her words will always fresh in my mind.

5. UTP-Third and fourth year – I kept myself busy with university’s events and handled big programs and occasions, so I met a lot of new people every day. Seniors, juniors and people from different batch- I strive hard to knew each and every of them and keep the friendship bond. It became very handy ahead especially when I want to seek information and past year’s exam papers and notes from the seniors.Then when I held my own position in Convofair and later student body, I have to work with juniors.It was hard in the beginning, but then I treated them as friends (not juniors) and I actually enjoyed working with them.See, I kept reminding myself the whole adaptation thing to a new environment is not so hard after all, provided we must be strong and determine in living life.

6. Practical life – Welcome to the real world. I never want to work in this multi-national company in Penang at first place, but this is what people call destined. However I still got a bunch of friends with me here, so my life is much easier and happier. Instead, I don’t even think I will be what I am now if I went to KL as I planned earlier. My weapons here are just positive attitude and endless prayers. Then I met several tough circumstances and made tough decisions, the only way to survive was just to believe in Allah and yourself. My other usual practice is to contact any people when needed- seniors to ask for opinions, lecturers to help on some academic stuffs, boss and co-workers to accomplish tasks, and of course the most needed colleagues for everything that need to be discussed.My `malu tak bertempat’ attitude was kept aside, and perhaps will be deleted forever in me.Well, you will badly need the connections to all the people you knew later, I assure you. Nonetheless, different people have different methods of survival, that’s just fact of life.

To end all this, I left you with a touching survival video.The most important thing is to be strong, believe what you believe, be positive and always pray to your Most Superior.All the best - may you and me survive in life here, and life hereafter..Wallahua’alam.