1st July
So like I've mentioned before, on Sunday the 1st of July, my family send me off to INTI International University College in Nilai, or better known as INTI UC. Well, first of I'd like to tell you of my first perception when the JPA's offer letter was in my hands for the first time. I was thinking, "a PRIVATE COLLEGE?!" Like, I wanted so much to go to a good public university where, u know, people say that only the best students enter. But when I do get the chance to get to know the students around me on that special day of registration, oh how shocked I was! These students are all THE BEST from the country. Not just academically but I guessed we must have all done something right during the interview. Anyway like they kept repeating and reminding us over and over again that we're all chosen by the government of Malaysia to represent the country oversea be it in America or Australia. We're mini ambassadors. That sounds so cool doesn't it? Anyway the conclusion is that I'm actually GLAD JPA send me to INTI and there's many factors contributing to my 'change of heart' :p
On the first night, there's the usual ice breaking 'ceremony' where we're expected to mingle around with people we've only known for a few hours. The best thing about this was, there's only 207 of us JPA students either we're there for the American Degree Transfer Program (AUP) or South Australian Matriculation (SAM). So we're like so close. It's not like going to a public university where there's hundreds even for just one course. We on the other hands, with so little people, so in the period of just three hours, we've basically recognize the faces of each and every one of us. Face only, not the names :p I was in group number eleven, same as my roommate. Oh by the way her name's SOFIYA.
About her, see when we were queuing up for registration she was exactly in front of me as both of our names started with the letter S. And then we found out that we're doing the same course which is Social Science. And THEN we found out that we're roommates. What coincidence is that we end up in the same group. Oh, and also to mention that we have LOTS more in common. So anyway our facilitator for the night was the amazing Dr. Sia. She is so fun! So cool! I'll remember most of the things she said, especially "when you're here, even if you're government scholars, you should always bring yourself down with the rest." Anyway that night the first activity was the usual getting to know other in the group, coming up with a group name and a group cheer. After all that the best part started. Dr. Sia asked us all to start LIFTING each of our members! This activity is done to get you to trust people that you don't even know well of. I got to admit that was one of my coolest experiences! Kinda like body surfing in a concert but safely as Dr. Sia kept reminding us "SAFETY FIRST!" :p Oh and I got to add that the first ever activity we had to do at INTI was to mix our seats among boys and girls. You know how it is in some institutions where the boys sit at one side and the girls at the other but there in INTI they wanted us to mix it all up as they believe in equality.
2nd July
I remember that this was the day that I texted everyone important to me saying how much I LOVE INTI! I know, of course everybody's gonna say that they end up at the best institution and I'm not here to argue but all I'm saying is that INTI is the best college for ME! :) In the morning we had students presentation of their activities here in INTI as Dr. Sia kept on saying that at INTI we study hard but we play harder! So as I can recall the first presentation was of the 24 Solar Drum Club. Totally got me to fall in love all over again with drums!!! :D I think I want to join that club... So what if I'm Malay, I'm still a Malaysian and I sure can hell learn of Chinese culture :) Then there was a presentation on the sports activities which honestly I didn't give much attention to...until the soccer presentation! Three guys from Africa were doing foot tricks and then they called a few JPA students over and I'm totally blown away by the amount of talent right there in front of me! After that a few music presentations and then a presentation by this guy who had just won a national street dance hip hop competition. He's even willing to teach us some moves! Totally burned some calories in that few minutes! :p See, as I was saying, no public institution that I know of that celebrates what young adults enjoy most in life. I guess most private colleges are the same and I am so loving this scene :)
At night there were some more games which were really challenging. The first is a drinking competition, and then we had to make the longest line using whatever we had on us! Some guys took their shirts and pants off!
I just contribute my belt, shoes, shoelaces, and watch. Later we had to get all of our teammates from point A to point B by using two chairs. We're not allowed to touch the ground. It may sound easy until you do it! The last was trying to disentangle ourselves. All of these activities totally got us bonded and we were having so much fun! At times I felt like at a camp or something until I realize I have a year to totally enjoy this camp! :D
3rd July
There wasn't much going on this day. We were officially enrolled and got our schedule and then there were briefings on our respective program. Let's see, I'm taking five subject of General Studies this semester which are English, Calculus, Chemistry and Society, Computer, and Psychology. Plus classes for our SAT and TOEFL. My week is going to be packed but who cares! This is my chance! I'm not going to go in too deep about ivy leagues and stuffs as those closest to me already know of my dreams and let's just say I'm working and praying hard to get it :) Later that night was a talk by the former Head of Admissions Office (AO). It was so funny! At first we all thought it's going to be boring as the topic given to us was "Home Sweet Home" but instead we were laughing our jaws off!
4th July
HAPPY AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!
The whole day was about America. Sure, as Dr. Sia said, they don't want us to pledge loyalty to the United States but to just celebrate the independence for...liberty. It was also mentioned by one of the lecturers whom happened to give us a talk from an American point of view to prospective States students about them...the Americans. He said that the 4th of July was to him his 31st August of the United States. Probably because his wife is Malaysian or just to get us more into the mood.
Anyway, early into the day we had our first campus tour. The other thing I love about INTI is that it's such a small campus. One side is the hostels and basketballs courts and so forth and the other side is just a building consisting of five blocks which is where we're going to run from one class to another. I do feel like I belong. I'm not going to be like just an ant in a big university or college.
After that was a talk on ENROLLMENT TO EMPLOYABILITY (E2E). Like, which other institution is getting their students ready and hyped for the working world on the students orientation week? We were given a brief talk on how to get around in the REAL world. Not just on how to make it but also on how to actually succeed in it. From what to wear to how we sit. Most importantly, there's no real rule about it except to just be yourself. We're not fed, we're guided. How cool is that? As at INTI their motto is WELL FOCUSED. WELL BALANCED. That means we need to be balanced inside out and outside in. Not just good at one thing but as a whole. THAT'S what employers r looking at.
After that.... PARTY!!! In the evening we had an Independence Day celebration. The ticket was supposed to cost rm5 but we got special privilege as new students and got the tix for free! We had to get our faces painted to get food and basically it was really cool! There's burgers and hotdogs, and eggs, and nuggets, canned drinks... all this for free! Sofiya and I hung around with a few more girls and one of them is my ex-tuition-mate, Naz. After that there were performances by the INTI Music, Performance, and Arts Club (IMPAC) which I plan to join. They are really good. Especially BELOW ZERO. They were an acoustic band and they played amazingly! I'm just being Syaza and was just enjoying listening to good quality music. I didn't join most of the craziness. I got to admit I don't really approve of JPA students dancing as if they're at a Rolling Stone's concert but heck, as long as I know what I'm doing, I'm safe. The best part, the lecturers and admin staffs join in the fun and played water guns with the students! We got all wet! But it was really fun though I went home early and missed the fireworks :( It was tiring dancing around :p
5th July
So today, there were more talks and briefings, a bit boring I got to admit :p I mean, about exams and the library, who actually wants to hear all that? Anyway, after all that, there was a game. An impromptu performance by the students according to their groups. My group, D'ELEVENS, had to advertise an umbrella! It was so much fun and we came up with lots of ideas! I had to do a scene where someone who's about to get raped being saved by an umbrella. Guess which part I had to play...THE RAPIST! The audience were laughing like hell! It was all my group leader's fault, Josh! He assigned me that role automatically! Good that I had to 'rape' Taufiq, a guy I'm already quite close to.
Later that night was the "Showtime!" where every group needs to perform whatever it is they wanted to perform. My group, d'elevens, we performed a sketch about how at INTI, quoting Dr. Sia, "EMBRACE DIVERSITY! "
All in all, my first week at INTI was an AMAZING one. Really, I'm not kidding! I'm totally blown away! The activities held were so much cooler than if I'd gone to a public university. The student-body government, INTIMA, was a cool bunch of people. They handled our activities damn well. The lecturers and admin staffs treated us as equals and the people is simply amazing. Sure, till now I've only hung out with JPA students mostly but I did get the chance to talk to some other seniors. I'm not crazy tho about all that. About 'chasing' who get to befriend the coolest senior and all. Again at INTI we're all equals. Seniors, juniors, scholars, lecturers, librarians, presidents, and even guards. I wont feel any more cooler if I befriend a senior nor will I feel superior over non-scholars. That's what I love it most here. I got this opportunity to, for the first time in my life, hang out with Chinese, Indians, and everyone else whether they're Malaysians or International students. I've always thought my English is perfect until I meet them. They totally pushed me to my boundaries. And I love that. Challenge. Being with Malays all my life makes me feel...safe. Now I'm out of my safe zone but I still feel happy! :) It is my chance to see the 'world' before I got 'shipped off' to a REALLY new world to me, which is AMERICA :)
-C-
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