Assalamualaikum dear future U students! For the SPM leavers of 2009, it’s time for all of us (including ‘moi’), to find a suitable place to continue our future study! Oh yeah! Of course, it is hard indeed to find that perfect place that suits our needs. But, the search must go on! No more playing around! It’s time to shine! Tadaaaa…

I know some of you are applying for scholarships and some other universities that required you to go for an interview. From my delicate experience, I’ve been through several interviews including NILAM and EduQuest Camp. To be honest, it’s not that hard la. Very easy like ABC (Haha, blagak gler!). But it’s extremely true! All you need is to believe in yourself. A little bit of faith, trust and pixie dust (For sure there’s no such thing as pixie dust. Cut that off!). Whatever the interviewer ask, just answer with calm and style. InsyaAllah! You will thrive!

I would like to tell you a tale, A tale about a tubby young lady (me…duh!) who when for EduQuest Camp for UTP on 15 & 16 April 2010. It all began when I found out I was called for the interview through the internet (It is bloody crucial for you to check the results often; they will by no means call you! BEWARE!). I was tremendously happy! When I found out, I started jumping and blaring like a hyena! I was over the moon! Did you know it’s so hard to even get the interview? There were 11,000 applicants for UTP and not more than 1,500 are selected for the interview. Very ‘susah’ you know!

IMPORTANT: IF YOU’RE SELECTED FOR THE EDUQUEST INTERVIEW, YOU MUST STUDY BACK ALL YOUR SCIENCE SUBJECTS (minus bio), ADD MATHS AND MODERN MATHS (remember yeah geng? There will be test about it).

Okay, so we arrived at Tronoh, Perak exactly on 8.30 am. I registered myself and took my room key from the facilitator. This is when we got separated with our parents. Parents are required to go to the Canselor Hall, whereas the students when to our hostels. We had to travel on a bus then the bus driver sends us there. The hostels were ‘Oklah’. Pleasant and homey. You can’t criticism so much about it.

After that, we rode the bus again and the bus driver sends us to the Canselor Hall. The building was magnificent! Somehow, it looked like KLIA (I wished the hostels were like that too). Canselor Hall was huge! The most stunning hall I’ve ever seen. We took a seat and the ceremony began. There were all this talking, babbling, video presentations and other stuff that I didn’t care much. I just sat there and started yawning all the time. I was worn out!

Later that afternoon, we said goodbye to our parents. There were a lot of kissing, hugging, “nasihating” and even scolding too! I remember what my baba told me, “You can do it ila! Show them what you are made of!” (When he said “Show them what you are made of!” I wondered do I really have to tell them what I am truly made of. In scene of I made from lots and lots of cells, bones, blood and so on??? Baba! What are you trying to say here???).

The first day of the camp was not awfully overwrought at all. But there were a lot of walking. After lunch, we finished all our documents’ registration and off for a tour around the campus. At night, we listened to another inspirational talk from a lecturer there.

Now, we move on to the second day!

We woke up at 6 in morning; my whole body was in serious pain! Do you why my friends? I slept on the hard concrete floor that night! I sort of slept in my friend’s room due to the absent of my roommate. I was positively not going to sleep alone in my room (FYI, I’m frightened to sleep alone. The place was a little spine-chilling! Plus, I’m not use to sleep alone. I’m a craven you know!). We had our breakfast and moved on to the waiting room.

We were given our code number for the interview. My number was A-06-04; “A” gives a meaning of group A which is the first group to be interviewed. “06” means panel 6 and “04” means the fourth person to be interviewed.

We went into a room occupied with round tables with number of panels set for us. Each of us was needed to be seated according to our panel number. Each panel had 5 members. The members of the panel are the people you’ll be doing interview with. So, it’s better for you if you get to know them first.

Then, the challenge began! We were given a topic of “Drug Addiction”. Every one of us was also been provided with a recommendation that was needed to be presented during the interview. They gave us 20 minutes to prepare and add more points to our topic discussion.

After 20 minutes, they escorted us to petite room filled with chairs. We waited there for a while until they called our names. The room was extraordinarily hushed, I guess, we were exceedingly terrified!

After one person to another been called for interview and some of them took more than 10 minutes for the interview.

Then, it was my turn! When I went inside the interview room, there were two judges waiting for me. Both were man. Five chairs were placed in front of them (for the group discussion!). I sat down and introduced myself. Later on, I continue with my points. As I talked out all my points, the interviewers didn’t say a single word. They listen and nodded. I tried so hard to attract their attention so that they didn’t get bored (So guys! Better make your interview session as interesting as possible!). After I finished strengthen my points, they asked me a couple of questions. But do not fear my dear cronies, they only asked about myself and slight on my parents. That’s all!

The last part of the daunting interview, the group session, all of us went back inside the interview room. We had to discuss the topic based on the recommendation given and we must also come up with a conclusion (the best recommendation). As I bear in mind, there were several rebates from the members and a tiny fight as the climax of the discussion. Finally, they had chosen my recommendation! GO ME! That’s the end of the interview session. Not that hard la… But! You must have confident in presenting your points! Very crucial!

Later that evening, after we took our lunch and when for our prayers, we went for the tests. First test was English test. More like SPM objectives test. 50 questions for one hour, not so hard la… kacang goreng! Hahaha

After the English test, we were given 10 minutes break. Then, the lion part of all, science and mathematics test. 30 questions for one hour! The entire physic, chemistry, addmath and maths objective questions in one paper. I manage to answer the mathematic questions without fail! However for the science questions, I forgot most of it! I didn’t study entirely for the science question so I ‘hentam sajalah!’. Huu

So guys, better revise back your sciences subject before the interview yeah? That’s all what I can share today!