A Chemical Engineering Student's Story

What am I supposed to write? A story about a girl who has no mission in her life and just goes with a flow. No! I called it flexibility. The flexibility that brought me into engineering life from pre degree of engineering in UiTM until now. The first choice since this programme needed me only to study physic, chemistry and mathematics! No biology at all! At the same time, the Penang Matriculation College offered me in science stream. I guessed my father asked me to take Biology in that college! No way! So, as a good and innocent daughter, I chose UiTM.

The life as a student in UiTM began. Heartless. Mostly the students who took this programme from boarding school but me, I was from ordinary school. For a year, everyday is Monday for me. Except for one thing, being in here was there were only 7 girls in a class and 16 boys! I really enjoyed it. Now I know that I am totally normal. Nevertheless, my Chemistry lecturer, Dr Mikhail is really awesome! And his favourite quote is ‘I am short mat saleh’ and ‘shocked!’. A year with no feeling of engineering. Thank god! I managed to finish this programme with flying colors! At that time, I started to think, do I meant to be here? Then, I just let it be and said, who cares? As long as I got good result.

The time to choose a course in pursuing my degree had come. So, I made up of my mind to continue in Bachelor of Chemical Engineering in UiTM because of my friends all in here! What a narrow minded! Studying for degree is so hard comparing to pre degree. I feel like dying at first. Thermodynamics and Mass Transfer, what are these all about? I thought, I took a wrong course! Oh God, did I was so sinned in the past life? What I am supposed to do? Talk to my parents? No! I am not that kind of girl. I am tough and fearless. Lucky me, I have friends that always by my side whenever I need them. Friends who took this course because of passion and always drowsy in class together! Finishing an exciting experiment and copy the tutorials together. I have lecturers that always bring me to the right way even gave me a lot of assignments! But still have a pasta for lunch together at the emergency stairs (oh please don’t tell anyone).

I never realize when I started to crush to all of this but all I know, everyone in this faculty have brought me passion to study this course and become an environmental engineer someday. Sometimes, we do not know our passion because we do not know ourselves. Once you know it, you will really desire for it. The heart of engineer is mine now and forever. The excitement of surrounding by great engineers, mostly men inspired me to prove that a small size girl like me can be like them. A small girl with a big heart to engineering.

Nur Farhan Bt. Zon
Bachelor (Hons) Chemical Engineering
UiTM SHAH ALAM