On A Mission To Make Bruneians Happy
By Yulz. Saturday, 22. September 2007, 13:30:31
Bandar Seri Begawan - Twenty-one-year old Nurizyenny (Yenny) Muslim is a woman with a mission: She has in her hands 100 reasons to make young Bruneians happy.
But she feels that she has run up against a wall in trying to spread that amount of joy around. For it has fallen on her young shoulders to market 100 places in an International Study Camp programme, which the prestigious National University of Singapore (NUS) has doled out to Brunei.
The university, ranked 19th internationally, is also making similar offer to high school students, 15 years and above, from all Asian countries. The camp cost $2000 per student.
The problem that Yenny faces is how to convince Bruneian youths, parents, corporate organisations and the government to support this worthwhile effort.
This is where Yenny's mission starts: To convince Bruneian youths and their parents to let their children be a part of the project, as well as to seek support from corporate and government organisations.
The week-long Singapore University camp will start on December 18 and during this period the high school students will get a real taste of university life.
"It will certainly make life easier for those planning to enter any university," Yenny told the Weekend. "I am determined to push this programme."
She is armed with a letter of authorisation from the NUS Business Incubation of Global Organisations at the National University of Singapore (NUS Bingo). It is an official registered student society in which its vision is to develop world-class talent for global enterprise.
And why is she so keen on pushing this camp idea? To ease Bruneians against "university shock'', she said, and added: "Looking back, I remember my first semester in NUS and how terrible it was."
"If it was not for the support from family and friends, I know that I would have easily had given up. I studied Biomedicine, but I took it up only because I felt it was a good thing to do as it can lead me into a course of medicine if I decide to pursue it further. However, at age of 17, 1 was more indecisive than I am now and could not make up my mind on what course to take up in university.
"Thinking back, I remember applying for different courses ranging from Banking and Finance, Sports Science, Chemical Engineering and even Accounting. It was even tougher asking people what they thought I should take and to advice me on courses. As the more people I talked to I received very different opinions and this confused me even further. I chose Biomedicine because it felt right and I knew that my parents would like to have a doctor in the family. If I could rewind time now, I wish I had taken a business degree instead.
"Today, my best advice for those embarking on choosing a university course is to choose and listen to your own counsel.
"I was lucky to have made a correct choice in studying in NUS. Having had graduated for three months already, I have a strong feeling within myself that I will not need to apply anything I had learnt from the textbook in my everyday, working life. But studying in NUS, with all the activities I took up, I have developed a lifelong passion for learning. By going through the NUS experience, I understand that going to a university is not simply about getting a degree, but about picking up intellectual life skills that will serve me well, no matter what I do later in life.
"In July 2004, I enrolled into university at age 17, and was supported through a Singapore scholarship.
"Today, I am proud of myself to have graduated from a competitive university, but this has come with a few surprises, a lot of anxiety, sweat, sacrifice... and commitment." -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
But she feels that she has run up against a wall in trying to spread that amount of joy around. For it has fallen on her young shoulders to market 100 places in an International Study Camp programme, which the prestigious National University of Singapore (NUS) has doled out to Brunei.
The university, ranked 19th internationally, is also making similar offer to high school students, 15 years and above, from all Asian countries. The camp cost $2000 per student.
The problem that Yenny faces is how to convince Bruneian youths, parents, corporate organisations and the government to support this worthwhile effort.
This is where Yenny's mission starts: To convince Bruneian youths and their parents to let their children be a part of the project, as well as to seek support from corporate and government organisations.
The week-long Singapore University camp will start on December 18 and during this period the high school students will get a real taste of university life.
"It will certainly make life easier for those planning to enter any university," Yenny told the Weekend. "I am determined to push this programme."
She is armed with a letter of authorisation from the NUS Business Incubation of Global Organisations at the National University of Singapore (NUS Bingo). It is an official registered student society in which its vision is to develop world-class talent for global enterprise.
And why is she so keen on pushing this camp idea? To ease Bruneians against "university shock'', she said, and added: "Looking back, I remember my first semester in NUS and how terrible it was."
"If it was not for the support from family and friends, I know that I would have easily had given up. I studied Biomedicine, but I took it up only because I felt it was a good thing to do as it can lead me into a course of medicine if I decide to pursue it further. However, at age of 17, 1 was more indecisive than I am now and could not make up my mind on what course to take up in university.
"Thinking back, I remember applying for different courses ranging from Banking and Finance, Sports Science, Chemical Engineering and even Accounting. It was even tougher asking people what they thought I should take and to advice me on courses. As the more people I talked to I received very different opinions and this confused me even further. I chose Biomedicine because it felt right and I knew that my parents would like to have a doctor in the family. If I could rewind time now, I wish I had taken a business degree instead.
"Today, my best advice for those embarking on choosing a university course is to choose and listen to your own counsel.
"I was lucky to have made a correct choice in studying in NUS. Having had graduated for three months already, I have a strong feeling within myself that I will not need to apply anything I had learnt from the textbook in my everyday, working life. But studying in NUS, with all the activities I took up, I have developed a lifelong passion for learning. By going through the NUS experience, I understand that going to a university is not simply about getting a degree, but about picking up intellectual life skills that will serve me well, no matter what I do later in life.
"In July 2004, I enrolled into university at age 17, and was supported through a Singapore scholarship.
"Today, I am proud of myself to have graduated from a competitive university, but this has come with a few surprises, a lot of anxiety, sweat, sacrifice... and commitment." -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
