Erican college is one of the college in Malaysia, located in
the center of Kuala Lumpur city, founded in 1990 by Datuk Eric Chong, with six
main programmes offered. As for me, I chose Diploma in Business Administration
because I want to pursue my career as HR executive, and eventually a college
lecturer. Perhaps being a college lecturer isn’t possible without a PHD
nowadays due to supply over demand, therefore, I will have to find another back
up plan about it.
I started my
college days on 2015 at the age of 23 with my own financial savings. Due to me
myself could not get a credit in Mathematics SPM, I opt pursue A-Level in this
college with Maths subject. However, due to the falls of ringgit Malaysia in
late 2015 and the hike of examination fees on 2016,, the semester and
examination fee hikes slightly and I was barred from the examination on my
third semester, as I short of only RM1200. Before the falls of ringgit value,
the fees alone could accommodate me for two semesters. I fell into depression
at that time, because I spend so much money on it and get barred instead. If I
were to take deferment, I will have to pay the entire tuition fees again as
there is no refund, due to me being last minute inform them that I had
financial problem at that time.
My whole world was
crumbled. I fell into despair. As for my single mother, we have fought a few
times because of me myself wanted to pursue my studies, and she always demand
for almost 60% of my income when I was working, and I only managed to save a
portion each month to finance myself for my further education. She does not want me to continue studies because of her think tertiary education is a meaningless investment, interest can't be treated as rice bowl and so on. As for me, how can a SPM grad get a job as a HR executive, or lecturer? I realized,
giving all 60% of my income wasn’t fair to myself. I found myself a job, work
for a year, and doing research on other colleges before started my third semester
in the particular college some time around 2017 .But I realize, what if the
tuition fees hike again? As I only managed to save RM4000 (I wasn’t able to
save much because my mother threatened me to get out from the house if I do not
pay half of the house rent and bills), and I can’t even withdraw my EPF to
finance my A-level fees due to the terms and condition, I really lost. I feel embarrassed
to my ex classmates. To cure myself from depression, I’ve deleted everyone I
knew in my college from my social media.
One of my colleague,
an intern from Erican College whom has done his Diploma in IT had told me that
Erican College fees is the second affordable after the college that I have
attend. The difference of the price for Diploma in Business Administration is
almost twice from the college I have attend. I tried to register my name into
the website, despite being stopped by my colleague, claiming that Erican
College wasn’t provide a good quality education.
Fortunately, I
ignored his advice, and I get into Erican College, pursuing Diploma in Business
Administration, without the requirement to get a credit in SPM Mathematics on
March 2017. As for my fees, I paid with my own saving, and partially with my
EPF withdrawal. However, there is one thing bugging my mind. My relationship
with my mother getting worst, and my prospective classmates are getting
younger. I don’t really have a topic to talk to them. On the first day of the
orientation day to the second, I was sceptical to talk to anyone. The
orientation day, to be honest wasn’t as organized as the previous college I’ve
attended. The previous college, encouraged everyone to formed in a group to do
some activities such as ice breaking, therefore encourage communication among
the students. As for Erican College, we had to make a long queue to register
again in six freaking booth. I was thinking, wasn’t I registered through my councillor?
I started my class
in the following week, the 7 weeks short sem with two MPU subject, Malaysian
Studies and Personal branding. I was disappointed at first because those two
subjects have nothing to do with the course I’ve taken. During the class time,
I always sit behind, avoid confrontation with other students, just like a
mysterious loner anime characters. However, things get worst during the
Personal Branding class, when the lecturer keep on asking the students about
their own personal issues such as my age, accomplishment, weaknesses and strength.
At first, I wanted to avoid sharing my personal information to everyone. But
since everyone knows me, I have no choice.
On the fifth week
of my course, I managed to make some friends albeit I feel uncomfortable to
talk to them at the first time. When more and more people getting to know me
deeper, after the MPU course, I was a bit disappointed because some of these
friends whom just getting along with me, had to separate from us in different
course after the final MPU examination.
During my second
semester, I was able to study those subject related to the course I have taken.
However, again I feel disappointed, because those subjects we studied, was
condensed as easy as possible. Compare to my A-level course, my time table was
packed from Monday to Friday, with 5 lecture hours and 2 tutorial hours a week
one subject, where in this diploma course during the long semester, only two
lecture hours and one tutorial hours one subject. Furthermore, those subjects
were made as easy as possible without the requirement for the students to
utilize their critical thinking skills and relate the theory they have studied
into the real life case studies, analysing it critically and provide a
solution.
During the GBL
camp, I felt so embarrassed to get myself into it. Because I am an adult whom
have met various cycle of working life, from a merely waiter in a nightclub, to
a retail worker, and admin and account officer. The camp itself is the
preparation to the students, whose going to graduate soon, to face the
challenges in their future life. I have faced it, I was thinking, the camp
itself was pointless to me after all. Anyhow, the GBL camp, is a ripped off
itself from the Christian confirmation camp that I had went eight years ago. I
was thinking, will my mom be present on the second day? My assumption was
correct. My mom was there with everyone’s parents. My mom was crying when she
sees me, probably she had listen the lecture from Datuk Eric Chong. My
relationship with my mother is getting better, albeit she still provokes me
every time we argued due to our difference in ideals and opinions from each
other.
Anyhow, my current
college life wasn’t as colourful as any other students. As an adult myself, I
feel much more comfortable to get along with someone around my age or older
than me. Like I have said, me and the other classmates, does not have common
interest. If I were grew up using my black and white Nokia phone, a classic
Samsung colour phone and Sony Ericson mobile phone, they, at such tender age as
13 already owned a sophisticated smartphone. I have being through their age
before, so I do understand how our difference in maturity affects our daily conversation.
At the same time, I feel worthless whenever I see my peers, some whom working
as an account executive, HR executive, marketing executive, doctors, nurses, fitness
instructor, shop manager, flight attendant and so on; they have such a
successful life, while I myself just a poor student at the age of career building
period. Thus, I don’t know whether to continue my degree, or get my a** off to
work. If I were to continue my degree, I would be 29 years old or 30. But if I
were to work, I’m afraid a diploma alone with my job hopped work experience
wasn’t enough to compete with ten thousand graduates produced each year. As for
now, I’ll just let the fate decide.
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