Salam and good morning,
Sweet November.. Another remarkable note this month (perhaps
this year!) is that Mama finally completed her 7.5 year of doing doctorate in
MassComm. I kinda forgotten her title but that doesn't matter; I'll blog about
the convocation later. It was truly heartwarming to know that my good friend
Dr. Zuhaina Zakaria and her team have made an effort to commemorate the accolade
for doctorate students by organizing an occasion namely as "Hooding Ceremony".
As the graduates were around 20+ people, the prestige function took place at a
prominent hotel in Shah Alam; Grand Blue Wave Hotel. Due to Baba's health
condition and Mama's best friend state too, I took the day off and accompanied
them to Mama's hooding day. Besides, I prefer their presence on this day rather
than having them seating for hours during the big day itself.
I'll blog about the 2 days function later, today I'm leaning
more towards on my fickle state of mind. I graduated from UiTM Shah Alam
majoring in Electrical Engineering in Nov 2008. It has been 5 years since I
last step inside UiTM and to be surrounded by intellectual people. You see,
during my varsity years, I was one of those students who was highly active with
faculty's events, societies and student's affair. No, I'm not a former MPP (Majlis
Perwakilan Pelajar), I held the leading post of IEEE UiTM Student Branch for 2
years and being active in other activities.
My point here; when you are one of the so called leaders
among students and lecturers, you have this privilege to meet the Dean and
other faculty heads quite often. You are exposed to top management vicinity led
by intellectual professors and doctors whom instill leadership skills in you. I
know some people (or most people) are not bothered by them but I do. I grew up
looking at my father who is an Ir. Prof. Dr. himself. I am in awe but their
articulate mind, critical thinking and poise stature. I love mingling with them
as you gained a lot of constructive perspective especially in academics. I was
highly motivated to further pursue my studies and be like them one day; to be a
noble highly respected academician like my father. Somehow or rather, I lost
touch with this sentiment ever since I started to work.
The hooding ceremony gathers all the PhD graduates along
with their respective supervisor & co-supervisor. Graduates will walk on
stage with their supervisor and be hooded with a standing ovation from the
floor. It may sound petty to some but please watch your tongue; it is a big
deal for others. So the ballroom was filled with noble academicians and highly respected doctorate
graduates. And there I was sitting with my father and Mama's best friend. To be
seated among these great people has totally walked me down the memory lane. I
felt goosebumps being in the same atmosphere with them. What happen? Why did I
stop pursuing my dreams? Do I want to be an executive forever? Coordinating
engineering projects perennially? I know there is a thing called managerial
ladder but you fathom me right? And there it came; the same question that
bothered me some time ago: to be or not to be?
Suddenly I feel like dropping everything and return to
school. Return to learning and be an academician. I refer them as noble because
they are gifted people who has the ability to absorb 1million formulas and
derived their own dissertation. They educate people, they form students to be knowledgeable
human being, they cascade wisdom, instill strength and most of all they are the
ones who realizes every parents wish to come true; to see their child graduate
with honors. Isn't that what parents want? To see their child successful in education? None of us would be here if it wasn't for our teachers & professors.. Now I want that....
Okay I'm confused; should I or not continue my studies...? Hmmmm.....
If I could be a Dr. one day, I will call myself Dr. Dora Dori because it sounds cool....
And look like this in class...
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With my hijab...and non formfitting attire... or maybe not... *sigh
salam sis!
ReplyDeletecouldn't agree more with you! i come from a family which consists of both educated & non-educated. not that i'm looking down on those who aren't highly educated, but being around smart people comforts me. like automatically you know what to borak about even bual-bual kosong because you're academically on par. and yes, smart people tak cakap merapu & of course ada point
one of my cousins is a teacher with 5 kids & yet she's still furthering her studies. know what one of our relatives said? "*laughs* Cik __ tua2 pun sambung belajar lagi?"
sigh!
Salam to you to little mek,
DeleteIm glad someone understands..the industry that im currently involved is totally the opposite of my parents background. Even though im happy with my current job, but learning and teaching have been deep rooted in my family..
And yesssss I hate it when people questioned my mother's motive for pursuing a doctorate... The thing is people dont understand what she went through, the sacrifices that she made by giving up her dream to raise us and her deprivation to embrace higher education. People say that a lot to her "dah tua watpe belajar? baik belajar agama... dok umah jaga suami".... hoi! what makes you think she gave up all that??? Org ader phd nih tak ngaji ke? tak jaga suami ke?
Eeeeyh.... emo pulak... glad we are on the same page little mek... high five!
congrats aunty!! Dora..just go with your dreams..there's nothing wrong to be always learning :)
ReplyDeletethank you mama iman / amsyar! tuh laaaa.... being in such vicinity tend to maneuver my state in a different direction... betol2 rasa nak amek masters now....
Deletepastu mula laaa goyang; nk tambah anak, keje, my part-time keje.... hhhhhmm...