Last bits of 2017

Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

The last month of the year is here again. Year, by year, time just keeps on running. I mean, I'm not the only one who thinks this year flew by, am I? So since it is December, I've been thinking about the new year resolutions I made in January and wonder if I have actually achieved if not all, some of them. I actually have been sticking to it the whole year. I live my life everyday thinking of eating vegetables, and contemplate whether I should eat or just be on diet (bcs I wanted to lose weight 😂) and also so eager to donate blood if I have the chance to. You can read the entry of my 2017 resolutions here. Lets see how well I do this year...

1) I was hoping to blog more. Well.. I thought of blogging at least once every month but I did skip April, May, July and some others, LOL. But I definitely blogged more than I did last year, though.

2) I did khatam Al-Quran again. Sometime in July, I think.. Or August if I remember it correctly. Alhamdulillah.

3) I started 2017 wit 60kgs. Was almost 55kgs around June (Ramadan, yeah 😅) but gained back 2kgs after that. I am now 58kgs.

4) I did not get a driving license.

5) My CGPA is alright. Surviving, and maintaining still hahahah 

6) Donated blood TWICE! Mad respect for my own self. I was scared and nervous for both times, of course but did it anyway. The second donation was not a good experience, I'm telling you. I was in trauma for a good week. Right now, I still wanna do it again hehe

7) I started eating veggies already, like I already said. Now, my choice of veggies are still pretty limited. I only eat salad, kobis, kailan and kangkung depending on the dish. I don't mind sayur in my burger anymore and I started requesting lauk sayur from Mum. I guess I'm doing great, hahah.

I'll be writing and listing down my 2018 resolutions soon and I only have approximately 3 weeks to think of what I want to achieve next. As for this year's, I think I have done pretty well. Most of them are accomplished, alhamdulillah. *pats own back*

Silver lining

For every time an unfortunate event happens to me, I will always believe that it happens for a reason, and I would actually search for it. You know you don't always get see (the silver lining) or understand it, but most of the time, I kinda do (or probably just created it in my head! 😆)

So last two weeks, for the first time, I had food poisoning. It was basically because I ate reheated food from two days ago (it was clearly my fault, though). But, at that time it did not taste spoiled or bad, at all. I was so sure that it was still good. I went to bed as usual that night only to be woken up the next morning around 630 am with bad stomach ache. I thought it was just normal bowel, but it was  not..... And you know what happened next. Yep! I went back and forth the toilet the whole day.

It was Wednesday when it happened and continued until Friday. I initially supposed to go on a field trip on Friday but had to skip it because of this. Mom offered to pick me up on Friday night and so I went home. I immediately felt better. I know... I was probably just homesick! 😅 

Just from there, I can already see the silver lining. God gave me sickness so I can go back home and see my family (I didn't plan to go back home that weekend), I skipped one day of field trip that all my friends said was horrible, went to the second day of field trip and it ended up being one of the funnest day (my friends told me I'm lucky that I didn't go on the first day), I got to see my best friends for Mimi's birthday celebration (it was her birthday week). 

What I thought would be one of the most hated week of my life, turned out to be the one I'm super grateful for. I'm thankful for the food poisoning, I really do. But I would not wish it for anybody else, though. It was not a fun experience, I can assure you hahah. The point is, don't complain for what happens to you, for it is definitely the best for you. Search for the silver lining, there must be a reason why it happens. Be it as a trial, for you to be better or a blessing to you. 

This food poisoning was definitely both to me, He wants to see how sabr I can be with His trials, and it was also a great blessing for me. 

Different Route

Many of you may or may not know how close I am with my siblings. We are SO close to each other, I guess it's mainly because we are all girls. We grew up together, none of us got offered into boarding school so we basically have each other through out primary and high school. We fight, yes. A lot, actually. We are different indeed. So different that it is somehow got me thinking how come we have completely different personalities. 

So when we got to know that my youngest sister, Dyna got offered into UTM, we went 'oooohhhh... so Johor?' I remember vividly the day Dyna applied for UPU, I clearly told her not to put UTM as her first choice, because I cannot imagine not having her around. Sounds dramatic, but I did beg. She listened anyway. But fate is fate, she's destined to be enrolled in UTM. 

She was also the first to get offered for a university that is not UiTM. So it was something different for us too, to adapt. People laughed and told us Johor isn't far and I know they might think we were overreacting. But believe me, we weren't. Kakak studied in Ipoh and we felt the same emptiness when we sent her off but I was too young (I was in form 1) to feel emotional plus we have 5 years age gap. With Dyna, it's different. She's basically my twin that I do everything with.

We all sent her off two weeks ago. She hasn't come back home yet ever since, but we speak on the phone every two days. She seems happy so I guess a change can be good. She'll come back probably next week, this will be the longest I go without seeing her. 

#tips

Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

I have been absence for 2 solid months and I've missed blogging a lot. I know I promised to myself to blog more and skipping 2 months is not how it's done but I don't want to be posting something that is cincai. Please understand 😜

Anyways, I am done with first year of degree and is currently enjoying semester break. I have been at home for 3 weeks now and I LOVE it so far however I have started to feel excited for 2nd year and I want the semester to start ASAP. I'm always like this whenever I'm on semester break, sheesh. Half of me thinks that it is a good feeling to have as that energy keeps me motivated to study but the other half of me just enjoy being lazy at home and not be productive AT ALL. 

My past entry I did on Dengkil got a lot of views and I know most of the readers are students who got enrolled there. I'm happy if I helped anybody out there to get a little information on Uitm Dengkil. I was the first batch so a lot of things have improved by now, that entry might not be relevant anymore huhu. I also know a lot of you guys out there will be enrolled for degree in September, some will start a new semester, also for uitm diploma students; your very long holiday will end soon! 

Therefore, in conjunction to that, I would like to share you some tips on how to be (and stay) organized the whole semester. These helped me A LOT, and made my first year of degree (also a year of foundation!) a lot easier. I'm not an excellent student in any way but it did helped me get my work done on time, be mindful of the deadlines, and get me prepared for tests & quizzes.

1# Write

It is very important for you to jot down notes and important dates. Block those dates immediately so you can budget your time to get the assignments done, or to be prepared for tests & quizzes. Lecturers usually will give you the course contents and lesson plan so you will be informed beforehand on the weeks that you will have to submit assignments, test 1, test 2, quizzes etc etc. 

2# Plan

Plan, plan, plan. For anything, plan! How much to spend each day, what time to take the bus to class, which work to do first, everything. I love to plan and write it down. I usually plan my week and also my study schedule for final exams. I cannot function well if I don't have proper planning on what should I do that day, what should be done and what to revise that day. I'm super particular about it.

For example here, I write down weekly plan (week 7 of lecture) so I'll know what should I do and plan my time accordingly. Trust me this will be helpful because degree is no joke and you'll be screwed if you don't manage your time properly. 

I also plan my final exam study schedule so I can cover up everything before the paper.
'Sampai muntah' because I'm extra hahaha. I highlighted the day of the exam just in case I forget LOL  

3# Organize your notes
You'll have 5-8 (sometimes more) subjects per semester so it could be a struggle to keep in track all of your handouts and notes. My advise is to sort them by subjects. I know this is basic but I have friends who would dump everything in one file and ended up losing them. These notes might not matter much to you now but you will need them when final comes. Cuak okay kalau hilang notes during finals.




4# Do a checklist
Always make a checklist to make sure you don't miss out on anything. This is SO helpful during packing! You'll pack for degree, won't you? Since I am someone who's love to write and jot down every single thing, I love listing down too. I'm quite of a forgetful person so this helped me a lot.

This one mcm lebih kurang sama dengan yang weekly plan tu but this is a list of what to do that particular week. I leave this at my study table while the planner is for me to bring everywhere. 

Checklist for registration day (documents)

Checklist for registration day (Things/needs)

5# Print out/have a calendar 
I print out monthly calendar and pin it to the board at my hostel. Every hostel should have one cork board for each student. The calendar is useful as a more broad review of the month. I would write down everything I have that month, be it curricular activities, extra classes, tests, quizzes, submissions or even a day out with friends. I have thrown mine however here is a similar example of what I did.

Picture courtesy from Pinterest. 

6# Review academic plan

I do this every semester, sometimes a few times each semester just to look forward to what I will have the next semester. During semester breaks, I would review it again just to be mentally prepared for it and have an early target of how well (or not) you can do the next semester. Think of strategies to tackle killer subjects and look forward to your favourite subjects.



7# Have some fun
Last but not least, have fun while you're at it. Make friends, a little or a lot of them, it doesn't matter. Don't stress yourself out and don't push yourself too hard. You'll do great.

p/s: congratulations to those who got Bachelor in Science (Hons) Biology! Welcome aboard 😄

Of best friends and laughter.

Us four and bad lighting.

It's kind of a tradition or more like a norm where me and my friends would go for berbuka every Ramadan. This year, it was yesterday. Unfortunately,  not everyone can make it so it was only Sarah, Aween, Aleen and I together with Asna, Nani and her friend. We went for Korean food this time around. It was nice. We got to celebrate Sarah's birthday as well as it falls today (current time; 3rd June). The "surprise" was nearly failed and it was quite a struggle to keep it a secret from her! She's the curious type of person if you know her, hehe.

We went to McD afterwards to meet Mimi and Mia as they can't join us for berbuka. We had so much fun, laughed a lot, way more than four of us did at the Korean restaurant. I suddenly had a moment.. watching them laughing and giggling, making fun of each other just reminded me of how much grateful I am to have them in my life. Man.. look at us now! I said to myself while still looking at them, full of love. How did we ended up here? 7 years later and we're still here, probably laughing at the same thing. Same lame jokes.

I'm even smiling typing this, I kid you not. How many things can change but some other things remain the same. And that thing is us. How Mimi and Aleen have that eye contact thingy to communicate and they can actually understand each other. How they read each other's mind is honestly incredible. How they would burst into laughter afterwards and all of us knew what's going on. They communicated through eye-contact 👀 Also how Sarah is always the last one to understand jokes and would be the last one to laugh. Aiyer so lambat this girl but that's how we get to laugh again. At her, this time around. Mia and her badan kecik but perut so besar. She's always the one who would finish up our food and time tengah makan, time tu lah nak cakap 😑 And also Aween, the sweetest of all. Sometimes so soft, some other time so loud. Very 'tak kisah' kind of person. Qis was not there because she can't make it. I know we rarely meet and you have the life of your own now but do know I still love you the same. I care and I still value you as much as I value them. To me you were never gone 💖

We have gone through a lot as one. We fought, of course we did. We cried, we laughed a lot, probably laughed too much until we cried 😂 we shared joy and sadness. The good and the bad, you name it. We had issues, every normal friendship would go through this but we grow through all of that. I'm utterly glad we did.

For 7 years...I am still able to see the same smiles, to hear the same laughter. God know how much I love you girls, I'd do anything I could for you. The good and the bad, I'd cherish it all and keep them with me forever. I'd brush unnecessary fights off as I love our friendship more than just petty issues. We are more than just best friends, we are sisters ❤

Here I attach together our pictures form the past 7 years. Most of the pictures taken along the way cannot be posted as all/most of us have yet to cover up at that moment of time.

I don't even remember what year it was.. HAHA I guess it was 2012

PMR results day

School carnival, I guess.. 😅 2012/2013

SPM results day

2016

Horrific form 1 faces 😂 2010

Mimi's birthday 2015

Sister's solemnization 2015

2015

Salam restu for SPM. A few days before the big day!

Oh I love this picture.. 2016

High school's graduation day 2014

Still have Aween around even when we're far ❤ 2014

Eid 2015

2017

2017

Fancy-schmancy

I have always loved weddings, especially wedding dinner. I know most people don't agree with wedding dinner because you'll need a bigger venue since usually it is a one time sit-down dinner and not the usual wedding where you have guesses come and go. And also you'll need your invitees to RSVP which they did confirm for only +1 but ended up with extra baggage. Not just that, when you attend the wedding you need to wait for other guesses to come, the bride and the groom, then you'll need to watch them salam restu or some would still be doing merenjis. All that traditions before you get to the important part; the dinner itself. You'll be starving by then. I totally get it.  But that does not wither my love towards wedding dinner.

If I were to get married one day (which is not gonna be ANY soon), I would definitely go for wedding dinner for all the pros, not the cons that I have mentioned. If you want it, you have to go through the hassles. Dad wants it that way too, Mum wouldn't mind. I think for the most part, it benefits the bridegroom's family. You wouldn't need to rush for any prayer time, it only lasted for maximum two and a half hours (4 to 5 hours for normal wedding), it's not gonna make your armpits wet that much, you'll get to gather only the closest to you and not some aunty that you don't even know of, less work required as you don't need door gift girls because it's already set on the table. The list goes on and on. 

Last few nights, for the first time, I did not enjoy wedding dinner as much as I usually do. I had to accompany mummy to a wedding last Saturday. I was thrilled. I know it's gonna be a beautiful wedding, and it certainly was. Only that, they had the royalties and ministers coming over too! Mannn, the protocol was on another level, or maybe it was just me not used to all that. Unluckily (or luckily, I'm not sure), our table was facing the meja beradab where the bridegroom and the royalties sat at. To make it worst, we shared table with Mum's bosses and they don't talk that much. Still in boss mode even outside workplace, sigh. Even the rice was being scooped for you, tell me how do I eat normally? I had to be SUPER proper. That cut off my appetite, honestly. They had so much food but I just couldn't eat. People would stare at you for eating so much and who knows the royalties too!

It was a fancy wedding. Everyone dressed so beautifully, and all of them looked like Datin and Datuk. They probably are. For a moment I was all jakun and secretly wish my wedding would be somewhat like that. Minus the protocols because I'm pretty sure there ain't no Prince gonna marry me, HAHA.

Very sentimental

A lot of you guys I'm sure have been using cellphones for quite some time, haven't you? I have, too. I have been given the authority to own a cellphone since I was 10 years old. I know some have gotten it a little bit earlier but most of us; people my age, got their first phone around 9-12 year-old. Since then, I have been using the same number. EVER SINCE. That number is so old and ancient that it can only perform 3G internet data. No 4G, what more LTE. So lopek. But I love it just the way it is.

Today, I changed to a brand new number. From a whole different carrier. I have been living in denial all these while and wanting to serve Maxis a little longer but it does not do me any good anymore. I no longer have interest in continuing using that telco so I decided to change to another. I know you might say that I can still keep the old number even when  I shift to another telco but in my case, it's a lot difficult and complicated than you think. Easier to say that I did my best to keep that number, however, I can't. 

To some, this might be petty. Tukar number je kot, emonya. That was my first number, I have gone through a lot, I grew up with that number. I received good news and bad news with that number, fought and love with the medium of that number. All of my acquaintances and my friends since I was 10 years old have that number. They could just call and it would still be me who picks up. I always tell people that they can trace me even after years because I would still be using the same number.

I am bad with numbers but I know that number by heart and I only remember two phone numbers by heart; mine and Mum's. God knows I'm not good with numbers. Even my friends know that number by heart. I worry I can't even remember my new number! Hahaha. Even if I were to tell you how special that number is to me, none of you would understand. Sucks to be this sentimental to a freakin phone number. I know, you would probably think that I'm ridiculous but that's okay. Nobody could really understand, unless they step into my shoe.

TWO DECADES

Two, zero. IM 20 GUYS!!! Honestly I dont know what to feel. Should I be excited, scared, worried, happy? My feelings are all mixed up I might cry out of overwhelmed-ness. Being 20 is hugeee, my age does not carry the word teen no more. I feel like a real adult. I am an adult now, aint I? For the past few months whenever I think of my birthday, and that I'll be turning 20 this year, I started to think of the responsibilities and the countless things I want to achieve. 

It's really different this time, you know. It's not just another birthday. This date carry a truckload of things I need to start taking seriously. I started to seriously map out my life, what I want, what I hope to avoid, what do I prioritize and what to not prioritize. At this age, I don't want to go around wasting my time anymore. I started to think, is this how it feels turning 20? I'm anxious, to be really frank. I'm scared that I'm not ready to face life with me having the full responsibility for what will happen. Whether the outcome will be good or bad, whether I'll be happy or otherwise, or whether I'll be successful in this path or not. It's up to me. I get to decide things, and that scares me. I can't blame anyone but myself if I ended up in the place I never want to be in. 

Turning 20 also makes me realize that it's okay to lose some friends. People grow, we find our own paths, we get to decide to stay or to move on. Nothing really lasts. Sometimes people grow fonder to each other, and some other times they grow apart. And that's life. Nothing is permanent and we can't help it but to go with the flow. We get sad, yes, but there will always be new friends that you'll meet along the way. I know I will.

Looking back, I learned a lot. Life's really interesting and it's wonderful how our lives work. I wouldn't want to change anything even if I got the chance to. This life molded me to be who I am today and it's preparing me for the future. I'm excited to know what the future has in stock for me. I have a lot of hopes and dreams that I wish will come true one day. As for now, I'll just have to try as hard as I can to achieve them bit by bit. In the end, it's all up to Him. I can plan out my life, but His plans are ultimate. The best of plans. 

I'll pray that He'll give me enough time in this world for me to repay all of my parents' kindness, love, care and sacrifices. Above all, I'm grateful to be given the chance to celebrate another birthday, with the presence of the people I love. Thank you Ya Allah, for all the blessings you have showered upon me for the past 20 years even when I don't deserve them.

365 again

Assalamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Here goes my very first entry of 2017. 5 years of blogging, woots! This place is very close to my heart and very personal to me, I don't think I will ever give up blogging. My blog is more like a public diary where I write my life in here and I let you guys in. I'm pretty much an open book and I'm not ashamed of that. I know some people can be sooo secretive of their life but maaann, I'm the exact opposite of secretive. Initially, I never thought I would be having readers because I write for me to have a place that I can go back to and look how my life/perspective have changed, how I have improved my way of writings & language. Honestly I'm glad I'm still persistent in blogging. 

It's nice to read past entries when I was over the moon, when I was anxious, heartbroken, and all other emotions I put in an entry and think of how I managed to go through every single one of them. I let you guys in my life and what you read is all of me. I am very transparent when it comes to writing because somehow I feel like I am more expressive in writings more than I am verbally. I tend to pour everything out in the form of writings instead of voicing it out.. Probably a side of me that even my best friends do not notice.

For 2017, I have a long list of resolutions and I really hope I stay consistent in making it happen, hahah. So here it goes;

- hope to blog more hehe

- I need to khatam Al-Quran again. 

- gotta lose weight (please please please)

- I NEED to get a driving license by the end of the year or else I would never have one.

- Maintain good pointer (degree is no joke guys)

- Donate blood at least once (i'm a scaredy cat when it comes to needles!)

- I gotta start eating veggies cause I'm a grown up 20-year-old woman lol!

Semoga tercapai semuanya amiinn. I know this is a lot to achieve but hey, I have 12 months, 365 days, 365 opportunities to make them true. I believe in myself and you should too. What's yours? Have a good year ahead! If life brings you down at one point, get back up again but stronger.

Happy New Year!

p/s: A lil update, since it is almost Feb now, I started eating veggies a lil bit now and I am proud!