CHIOW YI HAN: [Politeknik] Never Try Never Know

After SPM (the Malaysian Certificate of Education) results released, I continued sixth form in my alma mater. I was not provided with my desired course even though I have appealed to the authority. I was so upset and depressed that I could not focus on my study. I was thinking to escape from the school all the times.

After struggling of two weeks, I received an offer from Politeknik Seberang Perai to further study in Diploma. I was given my first choice - Logistics and Supply Chain Management. I was on my first day of school holidays when I received the offer. I was given a month to prepare before admitting to polytechnic, but I was very excited that I submitted withdrawal letter to my school authority before the school reopened again. I was not really know about polytechnic, all I knew about it was I wanted to get a Diploma in my favourite course and further my study in local university.

My three years of polytechnic life has developed me to a better person. The main idea is "If you never try, you'll never know what you are capable of".

In this post, I would to share happy moments for being a polytechnic student.

#1: Make friends with people of other races.
#2: The Eating-with-Bare-Hand Challenge
#3: Join different societies and activities.

#4: Attend seminar, workshop or activities that not related to academic.

#5: Interview the industry.

#6: Struggle for business research and build trust on a team.

#7: Make the impossible possible.

#8: Achievement

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#1: Make friends with people of other races.

I have been surrounded exclusively by friends of my own race for 18 years before entering polytechnic. In polytechnic, I could not stay in a homogeneous racial group because I was the only Chinese for my course in that batch. However, we don't see each other so much like 'you are black, and I am yellow'. If you like the same thing I like, then that's all that matters. Most of times, we have forgotten that we were different in ethnicities. In other words, we have became colour blind.

'Gotong-Royong' Day of the first semester.

My classmates.

#2: The Eating-with-Bare-Hand Challenge

I use chopsticks, a fork and a spoon or a knife as utensils when eating for my whole life.
Other races like Malay and Indian are eating with bare hands. It sounds rare and uncommon for me.
It was awkward to eat with fork and spoon when other friends were eating with their bare hands and the restaurant did not supply any utensils. I took the eating-with-bare-hand challenge up when attending a camp dominated by other races.

#3: Join different societies and activities.

There are many societies and activities in polytechnic. The societies and activities in polytechnic works almost the same like university. Most of them are funded by the government agency and therefore usually it takes zero cost to join. I took the opportunity to travel Northern Malaysia while learning something different from the campus.

#4: Attend seminar, workshop or activities that not related to academic.

If you aren't sure whether or not you should get involved in extracurricular activities, you definitely need to consider all the benefits that come along with these activities.
The nature of teenage brain development means that teenagers are likely to seek out new experience. Some of us might having self-concious, learning to control and express emotions in a grown-up way. These things are not taught in class. We have to discover by joining activities not related to academic.

#5: Interview the industry.

Honestly, gain knowledge in classroom is bored. The best way to learn is visiting the industry and do interview because the sharing by industry is practical.

#6: Struggle for business research and build trust on a team.

Business research is the most struggling assignment for students from Commerce Department because we have to conduct our own research from A-Z.

It was also the time to examine friendship and trust on a team.

#6: Volunteer to help the authority.

On March 2015, PSP was assessed against the seven Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC) accreditation criteria – Governance and Management; Teaching and Learning; Faculty and Staff; Research and Development; Extension, Consultancy, and Linkages; Resources, and Support to Students. The assigned APACC team had CPSC Faculty Consultant Dr. Hazrat Hussain as the Team Leader. He was accompanied by Polytechnic University of the Philippines, College of Science Dean Dr. Theresita Atienza, APACC Officer Mr. Bryan Noel Lazaro, and Local Translator Ms. Nabil Yaacob. My friends and I have volunteered ourselves to help the polytechnic authority in entertaining the guests.