Which is why I have quite a number of cousins who scored straight As in their SPM and is now either study medicine in UK/Ireland or struggling with pre-U to get into medical school.
I remember when I didn't score straight As during SPM and I ended up studying civil engineering in Uniten, a few relatives made some comments as if to dismiss my intellectual capability. They thought that since I was a straight A student for UPSR & PMR, I will maintain my results during SPM. But you know what? I couldn't be Little Miss Perfect all the time. When I was enrolled in Uniten, they looked down on me because it was a private university and people tend to perceive that private universities are for non-performers during SPM. They also criticized my course, among the things that they said were:
- there were too many civil engineering graduates out there and I wouldn't be able to get a job.
- civil engineering is easy compared to other branches of engineering.
- I'm a girl and there's no way a girl can succeed in the construction industry.
Among these 3 things, I hate point #2 the most, especially since the comments came from those who did not study engineering and those who did not attend university at all! I remember there was once I was studying for my Geology exam. My aunt had a look at my Geology lecture notes and commented that whatever I learned in that Geology class was easy peasy and her son learned the same thing in primary school in US. In other words, whatever I study is worthless and Malaysian university syllabus is comparable to US elementary school syllabus!
I ignored what my relatives said about my field of study and did my best. Last year in April, I graduated with an excellent result which I'm very proud of. And now guess what? My aunt who used to criticize me called up and said her son is now taking up civil engineering too! Another relative who looked down on me and said that I couldn't find a job because I'm a CE graduate told me that her grandson's taking up civil engineering in Uniten! I was so surprised. Previously these people wanted their son/grandson to take up medicine. Now just look at them...haa!
These people are now asking me lots of things about CE. I told them that it's a great course and their kids/grandkids will be able to succeed. It's a big fat lie. The truth is, CE is a tough and dull course. You need a strong interest OR the brains to be able to get through it.
The moral of the story is, don't look down on people. Someday you might end up just like the people whom you have belittled before.
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