Alumni Takeover: From KTJ to Berkeley

KTJ Almni Daniel shared an update via linkedin  on his expereines in his first month at university. 

So it has been a month since I started my tertiary education in University of California, Berkeley! Everything is passing through so fast these past few weeks with all the activities and assignments I've been flooded with, hence I’m writing this post to take a step back and celebrate all the small victories I have gained so far.

After miraculously getting 3A*1A for my A Levels result, my journey to the states was set in stone. Landing at SFO, the first thing I realized is how sunny and not hot the Bay Area was. It quickly became my favorite thing about Berkeley, the amazing Californian weather. Walking through Sproul Hall during Calapalooza Day (Clubs Day) was such an overwhelming yet exciting experience. The amount of consulting/tech/finance clubs giving out flyers was bizarre to say the least. Succumbing to the prestige of consulting clubs here in Berkeley, I decided to apply to one. I soon realized how long the process was to apply to one, with numerous coffee chats and info sessions to attend, rounds of Mckinsey-esque case interviews and a social round at the end. With sheer willpower (mostly luck) I finally got into 180 Degrees Consulting! Last weekend, we had our first retreat at Yosemite National Park and I can justifiably say it WAS worth it.

Classes are going well, it feels weirdly inspiring walking down the same halls where former and current Nobel Laureates used to spark conversations and exchange knowledge. Honestly, I’m still adapting to the American system of quizzes and assignments where everything is graded into your GPA. Midterm season is coming and I’m slowly but surely getting into the hang of it.

All of this would not have been possible without the efforts and guidance of everyone I’ve shrugged shoulders with for the last two years in Kolej Tuanku Ja'afar (KTJ). The support given to me from the G.O.A.T- Ms Susan was nothing short of outstanding! From the essay reviews all the way to the simplest acts of motivation (she gave us candy everytime we had a meeting with her!). Secondly, I would also like to thank my sponsorship body, PETRONAS, for giving me the opportunity to study abroad and fulfill my childhood dreams of exploring the world. My 12 year old self would not have imagined that I’d be studying Chemical Engineering in the same university that discovered 16 elements in the periodic table!

Last and certainly not least, I would like to thank my parents for being my number one supporter since the very beginning. They inspired me to chase my goals no matter what stands in between, to push past my limits and to one day think back and say to yourself “I did it all”. If you’re reading this, I love you both.

To my juniors in KTJ, all the best for your university applications, you got this! To my peers, congratulations and welcome to the next chapter of your life! Here’s to another great year everyone.