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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, we had breakfast no different to the day before and quickly left the hotel in order to make the most of the time we had left in Bali, Indonesia. We boarded the car commandeered by the driver appointed by the hotel staff and were immediately brought to a temple located atop a mountain overlooking the sea. The temple itself was located further up the mountain, a short 20 minute climb away. We were dropped off by the roadside as vehicles were not allowed to travel any further up the mountain. After paying the admission fees, we were brought to a large wooden rectangular container housing countless silk sashes with three different colours being the only options for visitors to wear - green, purple and yellow. It was compulsory for tourists to wear the sashes around their waists as a sign of respect to the locals living around the temple grounds. My family members and I had opted to go with the purple sashes and tied them around our waists. We trekked up the mountain along with a sea of other visitors, making the trip to the temple more tedious and irritating rather than peaceful and calming. We were unable to reach the temple as the pathway leading up to the temple was overflowing with tourists with the same objective in mind. Instead, my family and I were made to simply admire the view overlooking the ocean that surrounded the stairs leading up to the temple. It was majestic, with enormous stone pillars scattered throughout the horizon, and it was sufficient for us before we gave up in trying to reach the temple itself.

Pressed for time, we next headed to a souvenir shop in order to buy souvenirs fir those that were unable to join us on our trip to Bali - my mother, second sister and uncle. The place itself was no more than a 10 minute drive from the hotel we stayed in, and consisted of two separate stories, whereby the bottom floor was predominantly selling clothing and common souvenirs such as toys and key chains while the top floor housed more intricate and large-scale gifts such as statues and paintings.  We had decided to purchase t-shirts for them and key chains for our own friends as we did not know what else to get for them. Soon after, we immediately departed for the airport. We checked in our bags and luggage and prepared for our return home to Malaysia.

Upon our return to Malaysia, I had to immediately pack my things as I was to return to my dormitories that very night as well. I said my goodbyes to my twin brother whom had also decided to return to UiTM Dengkil that night, as well as to my father and sister, and returned to my life as a student in Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS) to continue what would be my final semester in Foundation In Sciences.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, we had breakfast at the hotel we spent the night in. The dining area was located next to the lobby of the hotel, at the very first floor. I had requested 'the American', a stack-of-two pancake poured over the top with a miniature jug of maple syrup, topped off with sliced up dices of strawberries and bananas, along with a glass of apple juice. After finishing breakfast, we left the hotel to our first destination for the day, an art gallery that was located 30 minutes from the hotel by car. The gallery was filled with rows upon rows of canvases filled with oil paintings perfectly epitomizing the culture of Indonesians as a whole - paintings of soft, graceful dancers proudly putting the Indonesian culture on display for the whole world to see; fierce, temperamental deities with faces consumed by rage as they seem to be on the brink of unleashing their wrath on helpless human beings; calm, hardworking groups of farmers in a paddy field exuding a sense of togetherness as they work to reap their harvest. The place has a sense of history about it, and the background music along with the natural musk of the place further emphasized the fact.

After our brief yet insightful trip to the art gallery, we headed to a steel soldering factory. The steel is soldered by hand by several workers at various work stations. There are various tasks for each individual, ranging from splitting the strips of steel into small, spherical orbs to merging the steel strips to form larger meshes of steel. The crafting of the steel was done expertly as they managed to shape a multitude of animals from the pieces of steel, from dragons and lions to turtles and frogs. Once polished and done with the finishing touches, the products are then hooked up to steel chains to form necklaces, or kept as they are in the shape of rings. Some are displayed and sold as earrings while others are also sold as piercings. The handiwork of the steel craftsmen ranged from the size of a nail to the size of one's palm and perfectly made evident the precision and history of the Indonesian culture.

Next, we embarked on a two hour trip to the top of a mountain, where streets are lined with numerous food stalls, complete exits on the other side of the front entrance leading to a balcony that allows tourists to overlook the main attraction of the mountain we drove up - the view of one of the two inactive volcanoes on the island. Tables were prepared on the balconies themselves and became a place of competition for tourists as they race each other to the limited number of seats overlooking the volcano. Fortunately, we were able to earn seats for ourselves and were able to admire the majesty of the volcanoes as we enjoyed the delicacies served to us at the restaurant on the mountainside.

Deciding to call it a day, we departed for our hotel after having dinner at a seaside restaurant where the wind at the time was too strong to permit any consumption of food by the seaside, forcing customers to dine indoors instead. We knew that we only had one midday left to enjoy our stay in Indonesia, and since we had not yet purchased any souvenirs for our family members and friends back home, we had decided to make the acquisitions the next day. After an exhausting day, I was able to experience a part of Indonesia I had not been able to experience yet at the time, and I was grateful to be able to learn and see new things, even if it was in a country I had visited on occasion before.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, I spent the day aboard a flight on the way to Bali, Indonesia. The trip was organised by my father and eldest sister. Participated by myself, my twin brother and my aforementioned eldest sister and father, we left for the airport at dawn as our flight was scheduled to depart at the stroke of 8.00 a.m.. Unfortunately, my mother and other sister were unable to accompany us along the way as my mother was still working at the time and my sister had already began her post-holiday classes. Fortunately, however, my mother was able to see us off at the airport before taking off as she was able to postpone her job for another hour, granting her time to see her children one last time before the Chinese New Year holidays came to an end.

Since we would only spend three days in Bali, my twin brother and I had decided to cram the  clothings we had decided to bring along in one shared backpack in order to reduce the number of bags that we would have to bring along during the trip. We would take turns bearing the load on our shoulders throughout our time there. We arrived at the airport at half past six in the morning and met our father at the airport before checking into our flight. Soon after, we boarded the Malaysia Airlines- bearing plane and began our journey to the land of Indonesia. The flight was approximated to last three hours. With that in mind, I decided to let myself fall asleep as I had spent the night before sleepless, opting instead to indulge in the enjoyment of playing with the Play Station 4 with my twin brother. However, the uncomfortable, cramped organization of the economy class seats and the inability of the seats to recline past a 75 degree angle, I found myself waking up in 15-20 minutes intervals, and often to a sore neck, shoulder or arm.

However, due to the forbidding weather in Bali, the plane was made to land in Surabaya, which is approximately an hour's flight away from Bali International Airport. The weather was so terrible that the subsequent flight to Bali had to be postponed for a length of two hours. Fortunately, in-flight entertainment was provided in the form of miniature personal television sets at the back of every seat. I was able to watch a number of films to pass the time whilst awaiting our departure to Bali. Once we arrived in Bali, it was already late in the evening, and we were all far too exhausted to go sightseeing for the remainder of the day. Instead, we decided to call it a day and spent the night at a hotel next to the beach.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today myself and my family visited the graves of my late grandparents whom were the parents to my mother. They were both buried at the same place, at an Islamic burial ground located about 20 minutes from my house in Puchong.

My grandmother was the first of the two to pass away. She had passed away when I was 11 years of age, and to be completely honest, I did not feel a loss as large as when I lost my grandfather as I did not know my grandmother that well, though my sisters were very close to her due to their seniority and thus more ample time to know her more closely. Regardless, I still shed tears upon knowing that she was gone since it was the first time someone close to me, and someone I see frequently had passed away. It came as a shock, and I was also there during her burial, when I cried silently seeing her wrapped in the white fabric that all Muslims are wrapped in before being buried. It was something very scary to me and made me realise that death was a very real thing and is something that one should always be prepared for regardless of their age. That night, I had dreamt about my grandmother, though she was simply standing in an open space smiling at me with my family around me at the same time. That was the first and last time I dreamt of her.

The loss of my grandfather, on the other hand, was one that I won't soon forget. My parents divorced when I was 9 years of age, and at the time, my mother was in a depressed state, and was almost always in a bad state of mind, which is understandable. As a single mother, raising four children was a herculean task that demanded help no matter how prepared she was. Thus, she opted for the aid of the people who raised her herself, her parents; my grandparents. Throughout my childhood, my grandparents, more specifically my grandfather, raised me and taught me things that have made me the way I am today. He was a friendly, cheerful family man that knew how to face problems like a man and never once complained about predicaments that befell him. He was smart as well as streetwise, and remained humble throughout the time spent raising me. When my parents divorced, the relationship amongst my family members fractured as a result, and I was rarely able to see my own father except for certain days of the week. My grandfather, on the other hand, made sure that a father figure would not be lacking in my life. When my own father was not around, my grandfather was always there to make sure I knew what it meant to become the 'man of the house'. He became my role model and until his sudden death in the end of my first year in Secondary School, he remained a person I could always count on to help me and be there to listen to my problems when there was no one else I could turn to.

I love my grandparents dearly as it was them whom had spent their lives raising my own mother. After their passing and after visiting their graves and offering prayers to them, it was only then I realised that I was never able to thank them for being there for me during my childhood. Many things in my life had been lined up perfectly by Allah SWT in order to make me the man that I am today. And them being there despite having a broken family myself was one of them. I will always remember them for that, and I pray that I will one day be able to meet them again in Jannah, insyaAllah.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, I went shopping at the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) with my eldest sister, my twin and my mother. I was able to buy new clothes as well as have lunch with my family, despite the incredibly crowded food court of the world-famous structure. We spent around five hours there looking for things my brother and I may have wanted, such as new clothes, watches, tie clips and shoes. We returned home rather late that night, exhausted and craving nothing but sleep once our feet tread the soft carpets of the house.

Anyway, back to the continuation of yesterday's story. My first night was spent feeling optimistic for my future as Sekolah Dato' Abdul Razak (SDAR) was filled with incredibly talented individuals in fields ranging from academics to sports and extracurricular activities. The seniors were people I looked up to, and had immense respect for. One doesn't even have to be in boarding school to know what SDAR is, which is a testament to how famous nationwide the school is in honing the talents of the future leaders of the country. Their fame is not unwarranted, however, as the students there are known as some of the best when it comes to balance between academics and co-curriculum. They are feared in various fields, such as English debate, football, wind orchestra and the sport they are most renowned in, rugby, where they produce some of the best teams and players in the nation on a yearly basis.

Admittedly, I was probably unprepared physically and, more importantly, mentally for my brand new life in SDAR. I was unaware of the grueling life that awaited me further down the line. I personally do not wish to unveil what had taken place during my time there as personally now that I think about it, life there was not as difficult as I made it out to be, and it was merely my immaturity and over reliance on my family and my twin brother in particular when it came to solving my problems that made me unable to cope with the demands placed on myself during my time there. What I faced was what became the norm for juniors, particularly the new Form 1 students who had gathered the courage to enter boarding schools for the first time around the country. We would be shouted at for the slightest of faults, requested to do ridiculous tasks such as blow at fans until they began to spin or stand at an open space for a certain period of time doing nothing but greeting everyone passing by, and become the personal helpers of the seniors that knew us closely in particular. They have given their reasons as to why they felt the need to treat their juniors in such a way, disciplining their juniors in order to become more respectful towards those senior to them in the future being a prime example.

As I've stated prior, life as a boarding school student was not the hardest thing in the world to do, and as I've stated before, it was my mental weakness that became my downfall in the end. Having to deal with seniors that seemed to actively seek out any faults with which they would be able to exploit, feeling lonely and homesick due to my inability to adequately socialize, as well as the difficulty faced in having to balance academics and co-curricular activities played a big part in my choice of leaving SDAR and opting to enter Sekolah Kebangsaan King George V (KGV) in the end, despite having already spent seven months in the school. I have my regrets in forcing my departure from such a prestigious school, though I am grateful that things unfolded as they did as I know that it was a big part in making me the man that I am today.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today was rather uneventful, so I have decided to talk about my life in Lower Secondary School, particularly my entrance into Form 1, the first year of the five-year Secondary School, taking place at a time when I was 13 years of age.

By the time graduates of Primary School were given the opportunity to apply to further their educations at institutions of higher levels of education, my twin brother and I had already received the results of the first major examination of our lives in school, the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR). The both of us have been able to achieve straight As in the examination, presenting us with a brighter opportunity to pursue the schools that attracted us the most. I had decided to apply to two schools - MRSM Gemencheh and Sekolah Dato' Abdul Razak (SDAR), with my twin brother instead merely applying, and succeeding in earning a spot in MRSM Tun Abdul Razak, Pekan, Pahang.

For the entrance into MRSM Gemencheh, an exam had to be passed as the school had only recently begun the Ulul Albab Program, which promoted the memorization of the Holy Quran from a very young age, when memorization is the strongest, and taught the students who have memorized the verses to apply them in daily life. For the exam, I was given a page of the Quran and was given a period of time to memorize the verses printed upon the sheet of paper. Unfortunately, my memory is rather poor, and my performance in the recitation was rather poor. Next, I was instructed to write out a vow in Jawi, which is the writing used in Arabic alphabet to write in various languages of the Southeastern regions of Asia. In the end, however, I had failed to follow in the footsteps of my sister who had managed to spend five years completing her education there.

Later on, I was invited to an interview in SDAR. The interview was carried out in full English and was the first real interview I had ever been a part of. Regardless, the interview went rather smoothly as I did not feel out of place speaking in English, since it is something I do everyday at home anyway. The fact that I was a part of the team that was placed second nationally in the 2009 Boria National Competition helped ensure that I at least had something to talk about when it came to extracurricular activities. I had also been learning to play the guitar at the time, and was another topic outside of education that became the topic of conversation of my interviewers. Not long after the interview, I became the recipient of a letter inviting me to register at the school, earning plaudits from my parents and siblings in the process.

Upon registration, I was faced with multiple seniors who were in the last years of their time in the school and chauffeured me and my family to what would be the first of many dormitories I had expected to spend the next five years of my life in, D6. My parents had helped me to unpack my things and clear my mattress and locker from dust. There were six bunk beds in total, and I was given the top portion of the bed situated next to the windows overseeing the compound where parents would go to meet their children during the weekends. I introduced myself to some of my dorm mates and was welcomed with warm smiles and firm handshakes. I bid goodbye to my parents that evening, though in my heart I had begun to miss them already.

This story is rather long, particularly during my first few months in SDAR. Hence, I have decided to post this story as a continued series of blogs for the next few days.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, I spent the day with my family as well as became part of the group that was tasked with sending my sister to the airport. My sister came home for the weekends only in order to visit our dear mother and spend time with her siblings as well. We parted in the evening as my sister's flight was scheduled to be at around 8 p.m.. We said our goodbyes and hugged each other, cherishing our final moments together as we knew that we would not meet again for another 3 weeks. On our drive back to our home, I peered out my window to see planes landing and taking off from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), with planes bearing the brands of Air Asia and Malaysia Airlines on their bodies occupying the sky just above the airport.

As a person whose father is a relatively wealthy man, I have been privileged with the financial capability to be able to go on trips to numerous different countries on numerous different occasions, though they have begun to recede in number as of late due to the graduations of me and my siblings to higher levels of education, and thus varying schedules for public holidays. At the time of writing this, I have been able to visit countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, England, France, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United States of America and Italy, with some places, such as Australia and Indonesia, more than once.

The process of boarding the plane itself can be an extremely tedious process, especially planes destined for emigration. The hassle faced when having to remove your belt after causing the beep on metal detectors before being allowed to enter the gates for departure, as well as the waiting for the plane itself to arrive can become tiresome to many, especially those used to travelling by plane. Having to queue up only to have your things inspected via x-ray and being ordered to either finish or dispose of any foodstuffs or liquid exceeding a certain volume will also undoubtedly cause some to become irritated.

Regardless, for first-timers, boarding planes will be a wonderful experience. Handing over your passport for the first time to the clerks at the counters to be stamped with a seal unique to your destination would feel like the first of many. Over time, collecting them would be almost like a rich man's version of stamp collecting. Marveling at the gradually filling passport with several seals from several different countries would fill any person with a rush of adrenaline as they seek for even more. The feeling is only trumped by the feeling of the plane taking off for flight after boarding. No amount of flying will remove the rush one gets when the plane continually accelerates past the runway, eventually cocking upwards and achieving liftoff. The majestic views of the mountains and cities beneath the clouds in the daytime or the soothing sight of beacons of light emitted by the countless cars, windows and street lights of the city below at night is an experience only those that have had the privilege of flying would be able to describe.

The best part, however, would be the disembarking. Being exposed to new places, new people, new atmospheres is simply indescribable. To this day, I still remember my first breath of the fresh air of Australia, my first viewing of the vast United States of America, my first hearing of the noisy ambiance of China, my first taste of French delicacies and the musk, damp smell of rainy England. Every new place has its own unique charm, and to discover them is an adventure on its own. It has become my personal dream to go travelling around the world with that special someone in my life. It may not be easy, as being a medical professional, more so a doctor, would ask a lot of my time and energy. Nonetheless, I will make myself time along with my partner, and travel the world with what we can, when we can, wherever we can.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, my sisters and I have decided to spend time together at IOI City Mall in Putrajaya after fetching my twin brother from his new institution of education, UiTM Dengkil. My eldest sister had volunteered to drive us there, my other sister sitting in the passenger's seat and myself alone at the rear seats of my twin brother's new car.

On the way there, I began feeling drowsy, which came as no surprise to myself since I slept rather late the night before. As a result, I began to doze off in the car, my body spread out across the length of the rear seats of the car.

I was jolted awake by the sound of my second oldest sister screaming out at my eldest sister and the car moving rather erratically. At first, I thought that my sister had merely made a wrong turn and that she would then have to make a U-turn somewhere ahead. With that thought, I contemplated returning to my slumber, until I heard my sister ask the driver to 'wake up'. Immediately, I sat up to see that my eldest sister had become unconscious and my second sister bent over, controlling the steering wheel from the passenger's seat whilst simultaneously trying to scream my eldest sister awake.

Having just woken up, I was confused with what was unfolding before me. Not knowing what to do, I held my eldest sister by the shoulders and tried to wake her up as well, while my other sister tried to reach for the brakes of the car. I volunteered to commandeer the steering wheel from the back seat while my sister reached for the brakes. After retracting the driver's seat to allow more room to reach the brake pedal, my sister turned the hazard lights of the car on and reached for the brakes to no avail. Fortunately, my eldest sister's foot was no longer rested on the accelerator, allowing the car to eventually sloe down. The road at the time was also relatively empty, with the nearest car being several meters away from us.

Eventually, the car was steered to the roadside, finally coming to a rest. After what had transpired, my sister and I breathed sighs of relief. We had never been thrust into such situations before, and throughout the ordeal, I was praying that we would be okay. I looked at my sister. I knew she had a problem with seizures since she was a child, but I never expected such a thing to happen whilst she was at the helm of a vehicle. She is currently under medications to reduce the frequency of her undergoing such events again, but it was clear that she had not taken her medications for the day.

Suddenly, she began to jolt and jerk back and forth, like a person beating their heads to the beat of music. She was unconscious and began to sigh uncontrollably with her arms and hands bent inwards like a person suffering from stroke, a clear symptom of tonic-clonic seizure. My sister simply held her like a mother would hold her crying child, whilst stroking the top of my eldest sister's head, and told her to 'be patient' and that 'it will all be over in a while'.

After about a minute, my sister finally calmed down and merely lay there, exhausted and unaware of what had just happened during the ordeal. I pulled her to the back seat and allowed her to rest on my shoulder as my other sister took over the wheel. We continued to my brother's university and cancelled our plans to go out together, postponing it for another day. Of course, we informed our mother and brother before my eldest sister got reprimanded by my mother for not heeding the medications given to her despite being a doctor herself.

By the time my sister regained consciousness, she was oblivious to what had transpired and said that she was 'really tired and sleepy'. Honestly, I was just glad that nothing bad happened to us at the time, and that my sister was alert enough to realise that my sister had gone unconscious during the drive. It is something that had me fear for my life and I am grateful for the fact that me and my two sisters are well and uninjured.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, I spent the day with my mother and two sisters. My eldest sister is an alumni of my current institution of education, Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS), and is currently awaiting a call-up for an interview within the next month for her first job as a fresh medical school graduate. My other sister, two years younger than her at 22, is currently in her fourth year as a medical student at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). My family is filled with pursuers of the medical field, except for my twin brother, who has decided to pursue a future in Engineering instead - my mother is a specialist in ophthalmology, my father is a specialist in orthopedics, my eldest sister is currently a medical school graduate, the second is a medical student and myself currently a Foundation in Science (FIS) student in CUCMS.

Now, it is perhaps because of my family background in medicine that some may wonder if it is because of my family that I have decided to pursue medicine as my choice of career field. Whilst it will undoubtedly influence my choice, I have chosen medicine on my own free will. My parents have given me full permission to select whatever field of study I wished to pursue so long as I worked hard at it after successfully completing my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations. They promised to fully support me and that what I chose would not matter, as long as I took care of myself and made myself happy with nothing to regret in the future.

So, what was it that made me so adamant on my choice of pursuing medicine as opposed to other fields I have spent time flirting with in the past, such as Astrophysics, Particle Physics and teaching?

I have always been interested in science. For as long as I can remember, science was always a big part of my life, and reading books, retaining information and recalling facts always came easily and naturally to me. I never had trouble understanding complex scientific concepts and was always able to understand what I was reading or watching on the television. This carried on to my Secondary School years, where I was able to be named the best student of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and English for Science and Technology (EST) on numerous occasions. I always felt that my calling was in the field of science, and my keen interest confirmed it.

I have also been taught that aiding others is a noble cause even in Islam. "The best among you is he who gives benefit to others," said Prophet Muhammad SAW once, 1400 years ago. It is a phrase that has never left me after reading it for the very first time. The Prophet is the best of mankind, and to be called the best of his descendants by him would truly be an honor. Every man wants to emulate him, and to follow his sunnah of helping those in need selflessly is one of the ways I can get myself closer to my Creator and him in the process.

Medicine is a field that is not for the faint of heart. Blood, sweat and tears being a prerequisite, along with high moral values and a resolute mental strength to cope with the ever increasing demands of the field, I know that what I have chosen for myself is something that will ask a lot of myself. Regardless, I know that it is something that I have the capabilities to overcome, as Allah SWT has said before in Surah al-Baqarah:

"Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned." [2:286]

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, I find myself returning home for the second time since I began writing daily updates of my life and giving my Fundamental English 3 educator permission to view them as part of an assignment for my final semester as a Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS) student. This time, however, I return home with a 1-week hiatus due to the Chinese New Year holidays. within a few days, I will be joining my father and siblings on a trip to Bali, where we will spend two days in total.

As a person who prefers to seclude himself from others, I am personally unconcerned when it comes to festivals or celebrations that involves a large crowd of people, especially strangers. I don't harbor any disdain toward people celebrating them or even the celebrations themselves; I simply dislike being around a large number of people when I know that there are other things that I could be doing instead, such as reading, or playing games, maybe even studying. That is not to say I dislike people in general as I love meeting new people. It enriches one's life and allows one to treasure those close to him or her even more. I simply would prefer to avoid noisy festivals or particularly busy places such as marketplaces. Regardless, it is nice to see the people who celebrate them as opposed to the seeing the celebrations themselves. Seeing broad, cheerful smiles occupying the faces of individuals who would otherwise be surrounded by gloom and depression is something to behold.

Sometimes, shows are held during festivals to attract others to join in the celebrations. While the festivals themselves, with all the incessant noise and bustling crowds, may seem appalling to me, it is these shows that manage to grab my attention most of the time. Particularly during the Chinese New Year celebrations, people gather to witness bright, attention-grabbing shows put on by large groups of individuals, be it paid or not. My first witnessing of such a show came during Chinese New Year as well. I was able to marvel upon the renowned Dragon Dance, held at night when I was about six years old. The fact that the dragon was lit up a beautiful bright red and held up powerfully like a lion ready to pounce on its helpless prey against the clear, blue-black starry night sky made my first viewing of the spectacle all the more mesmerizing. The dragon was moved elegantly and swiftly across the compound as the crowd remained silent throughout the show, surely as awed as I was at the time. As a child, reality had not sunk in just yet and imagination was allowed to roam freely, beckoning me to enter its world and forget about my own. As a child, the dragon seemed all too real and it seemed as though the people surrounding the dragon were attempting to scare it into a small circle in order to capture it, and not applaud it. The dragon that at the time was merely expertly choreographed by a number of men underneath seemed to be able to fly at any given moment, choosing instead to glide around the compound  in order to build up the momentum to eventually achieve lift off. I remember feeling fear as well as awe as I witnessed what I thought at the time was a real, live dragon before my very eyes.

As a person I personally believe to be rather socially awkward, going to festivals is something I try to avoid. Nonetheless, having the pleasure of witnessing my first and, probably to this day, best Dragon Dance has left room in my heart for festivals in general, reminding me that festivals are much, much more than mere noisy celebrations and gatherings of immense groups of people.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, there was only one class for the day, which was Mathematics. My classmates and I were to sit for the second test this semester for the subject as the tests for Mathematics 2 were given out in the form of topical analyses. For example, for today. the topic was Data Description, where we were asked to determine the mean, mode, median, range and standard deviation of a set of data. The questions were relatively straightforward and made answering them rather simple. In school, despite my institution being a boarding school focusing on the field of science, I was never truly fond of the two Mathematics'based subjects in my syllabus, which were Modern Mathematics and Additional Mathematics.

Of the two, it is actually more preferable on my part to answer Additional Mathematics question as opposed to Modern Mathematics. This is the case due to the fact that Additional Mathematics is actually the subject that the vast majority of Secondary School students would fear the most, alongside Biology, leading to stories being created in order to scare their younger siblings of the horrors that would await them in the not-too-distant future. "It's not Additional Mathematics if you don't fail at least once," is a famous quote used to scare Primary School students, placing doubt into their hearts before even setting their eyes on the basics of the subject. Now, as to why I would prefer to answer Additional Mathematics questions as opposed to its more student-friendly variant is that since it is relatively more difficult to answer, and also due to its reputation as being one of the most difficult subjects to master in Secondary School, it becomes all the more satisfying to be able to excel in such a revered subject, earning the tag of 'genius' and 'prodigy' from peers and educators alike along the way. The questions were made more complex via the introduction of High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) implemented by the government to promote critical thinking and application when faced with complex questions. These questions are normally rarely scored on and to be able to achieve high marks in those types of questions beckoned even more praise from those around me.

Modern Mathematics, on the other hand, was always relatively simple and straightforward for me, even with HOTS questions factoring in, in an attempt to make the questions more difficult. What made Modern Mathematics so easy was the fact that the method to answering questions were no more challenging than simply memorizing the methods on how one should approach certain types of questions depending on the topic. This made answering the questions ultimately much easier than Additional Mathematics, that instead opted to force students to think outside the box when answering questions. Regardless, I found myself often disliking, though only to a certain extent, answering questions related to Mathematics when I would prefer to expand my knowledge in science instead, though since one of my favorite teachers in Secondary School was my Additional Mathematics teacher, it will always have a place in my heart when all is said and done.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, I received my results for the Biology test I sat for the day before, and as expected, it was below satisfactory. I have my regrets, but at the same time, it eases me to know that even if I had stayed up the night before studying nothing but Biology, if Allah SWT wills it so that I were to receive relatively low marks for my test, the outcome would still be no different. Maybe He is merely reminding me that hard work is always a prerequisite for success even if one had prepared himself beforehand. Being a  student whom has had to face countless written tests, some being major and some being relatively minor, I have always had bittersweet memories of having to sit for such examinations. I've had my fair share of excellent results, earning the praise of my educators and peers in the process. Especially in my Secondary School years, particularly my final two years as a school goer, I excelled in my examinations to such an extent that I was constantly clustered amongst the top ten students in my school.

Nevertheless, I have also experienced my fair share of heartache as well when it comes to tests. I have experienced the feeling of putting immense effort into wanting to achieve something, and fail to do so despite expectations from those around me pressuring me to do otherwise. I know what it's like to work hard at something and know that there is nobody else that put in the same amount of effort as you did and still be beaten by that very same person to your goal. I know how painful and annoying it is to know that all those nights spent burning the midnight oil only served to feel in vain because of the lack of fruits of the immense labour put into trying to reach that goal. Such obstacles are but the part and parcel of life, and it is something that every single person in this world will have felt at some point in their lives. I have felt it, and felt that it was unfair as well at the time. It was until I broadened my Islamic knowledge that I came to realise that all of those feelings, that discontentment was merely a test from Allah SWT and is merely to give us a reason to return to Him. After all, it is from His own words in Surah Ar-Ra'd :

"Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured." [13:28]

He is telling us that no matter how unsettled we may feel in life, it is only as a means for Him to call out to us and remind us to return to Him instead, as only by returning to Him will the discontentment and discomfort be removed from our lives. That particular verse had truly opened my eyes to His messages, and now, instead of finding things to blame whenever I find myself in a problem, I remember that He is merely trying to remind me of His presence and that He is always with me no matter what happens to me or those around me. He knows how painful it is to be in any situation and He wants to remind me that only by returning to Him will the pain go away.

And thus, I have learned to accept failure as a means of success instead of outright failure, because I know that as long as I work hard and remain patient, Allah SWT will always be with me and success will never bee too far out of reach.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualakium and salutations.

Today, I sat for the first tests for Biology 2 and Physics 2 for the third and final semester as a Foundation In Science (FIS) student here in Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS). The Biology test consisted of 45 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) which contained questions regarding the first three chapters learned throughout the semester thus far: Homeostasis, Histology, and the Digestive System. The Physics test, however, consisted of 10 MCQs and 2 Subjectively Answered Questions (SAQs) which consisted of the first two chapters of the Physics 2 syllabus for our final semester: Wave and Vibrations being the first, and Sound being the second.

Since the students of Class 11A were the first to answer the Physics test, rumors began to spread that the test was extremely difficult and that even the particularly brilliant students, such as Rafie' and Ashtar, struggled to answer the questions. The test was difficult as expected, but alhamdulillah, I was able to answer every question. Later that day, we sat for the Biology test in the evening. My own class, 11B and 11A sat for the test at the same time. The test was difficult as well. Needless to say, I felt that I was severely unprepared for the tests, and served as a slap to the face for me to work harder for any tests in the future. Perhaps the few tests that had passed before have found myself overconfident of obtaining satisfactory marks in them and the fact that I struggled to answer the tests is a welcome wake up call for me to remember that no matter how prepared one is for any situation, overconfidence and arrogance will always be the source of his or her downfall.

Nonetheless, 'good experiences are blessings, bad experiences are lessons', and I try to live my life as such. I know that there will always be a reason for everything that happens to myself and those around me, be it good or bad. I know that whatever happens is from Allah SWT and I take comfort in knowing that experiences are merely things He wants me to feel or learn from in order to grow as a person. There is something I would like to express, but I will have to delay that for another post, as I have already reached the end of my update for today.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, I spent the entire day studying Biology and Physics, as tomorrow I would have tests in both of these subjects. Biology 2 and Physics 2 are considerably more difficult than Biology 1 and Physics 1 respectively. Especially Biology 2, whereby the sheer quantity of facts that are asked of us as students to memorize seemed to have increased tenfold. With facts having to be memorized regarding minute details, from the brain; its meninges, lobes, and accessory structures as well as their functions, to the tongue, with its multiple taste buds and the three pairs of salivary glands within its proximity. Physics has become a greater challenge to completely comprehend as well, as more complex systems such as sound waves, the Doppler Effect and electricity become the new topics that will be asked of us to master in order to successfully excel in our tests and examinations in our final semester in Foundation In Science here in Cyberjaya University College Sciences (CUCMS).

One topic I would like to bring forth is the topic of role models. For myself, being young and exposed to multiple individuals throughout my lifetime, be it through History, whereby I became exposed to individuals that have contributed largely to modern society, or through living my daily life, such as my father and grandfather, having a role model is crucial to someone in order to shape their character and mannerisms. The availability of incredible individuals were especially prevalent during the Islamic Golden Age, also known as the Abbassid Caliphate. One such individual whom has all the qualities desired in a role model is Abū ʿAlī al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Sīnā, or known simple as Ibn Sina (Avicenna in Western territories). Being a firm believer in Islam, a bright, humble genius, as well as being a prime contributor to the field of medicine, having a man renowned throughout the Muslim world as one of the greatest medical researchers in history as a role model is especially important for myself, given that I am pursuing a similar field. Discovering the surgical thread, as well as being the discoverer of a multitude of new diseases, Ibn Sina has even published a book, the Kanun Fi Ttib (Book of Medicine), which is still used as a reference today. So renowned is he that a college in Hungary bears his name as well, which is the Avicenna College. Despite his genius and unparalleled intelligence which was ahead of his time, he remained humble and placed his immense ability squarely upon Allah SWT. Managing to memorize the entire Holy Quran at the tender age of 12, it was apparent even at a young age that he knew how important religion was in developing oneself, blossoming into the man and leaving the legacy that he did as a reminder to all that character is what determines one's outcome in life.

I was fortunate to have grown up educated and exposed to many blessed figures throughout history that are worthy to be idolized and made an example of. In large part, the person I am today is due to these very figures; Prophet Muhammad SAW, Sultan Muhammad al-Fath and Ibn Sina. Making them role models have allowed me to trace their footsteps and provided a benchmark for how I should behave and pursue knowledge. They have contributed immensely to society as well as their religion. Whilst I may not have the sheer brilliance nor the piety of the individuals I had listed, it goes without saying that such role models are truly worthy of being idolized and truly deserve to be renowned for their contributions for without them, the world would truly be a different place today. Pondering such influential people having lived all those years ago, it sometimes makes me wonder, ' Isn't it amazing how the actions of one man centuries ago has the power and impact to influence individuals centuries later?' It is a rhetorical question I frequently find myself asking, and it acts as a reminder for myself that no matter how accomplished one becomes in any filed, there will always be someone else whom has achieved similar amounts of success, if not even more.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, I bid goodbye to my home as I prepared to return to the dormitories supplied by the Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS) higher ups known as the Varsity Lodge. The past nine months were spent by my peers and myself in these dormitories, where we spent numerous nights discussing the tutorials given out by our lecturers, as well as staying up through the nights sharing stories and experiences, filling the wee hours of the morning with sudden bursts of laughter. Despite my relatively short time spent here, I have countless happy memories of the sixteen-story building; peeling corn cobs at midnight for the Bio Trip the next day, spending entire nights not sleeping in order to study or prepare for a test the next day, meeting individuals who mean a lot to me for the very first time outside of class, and hanging out with my classmates at their houses and spending the night there. Needless to say, countless memories were made, and it is my personal hope that countless more will be made in due time.

I spent the night finalizing the Biology lab report that involved animal histology with my classmate, Azwa. He had been independent enough to begin the report without me, and was already almost complete, leaving the finishing touches to be done by myself. It goes without saying that I was fortunate to have a hardworking partner like Azwa and his endeavors has made light of my work, giving myself ample time to study for the test that will be held in two days' time. At the moment, I find myself ill-prepared for the Biology and Physics tests that will be taken a few hours apart from each other. Hence, I have decided to spend my night studying Biology and Physics as preparation. After all, tests will contribute to my final grade in each subject and excelling in each test and examinations is of utmost importance.

Nonetheless, gaining knowledge should never be because of one's objective to obtain high marks in examinations. Instead, one should always seek knowledge for two reasons: for the sake of gaining knowledge and distinguishing himself from the uneducated, and to obtain the mercy of Allah SWT. Knowledge is an extremely valuable asset that has the capacity to shape entire civilizations and their destinies. One prime example is the Arabic civilization circa 1400 years ago. A primitive, underpopulated, savage species, the Arabs were endowed with Islamic knowledge from Allah SWT through His messenger, Prophet Muhammad SAW, and rapidly expanded into one of the greatest civilizations in human history. An even greater feat was achieved not by the race of Arabs, but by the religion of Islam, which managed to spread to two thirds of the globe, further emphasizing the importance of knowledge in a society. What was once a primitive, underpopulated and savage society rapidly grew into a sophisticated, abundant and honorable civilization, merely through the introduction and implementation of knowledge.

Thus, knowledge is a crucial element that has the capability to make or break a society, and as a seeker of knowledge, it is imperative that such knowledge be implemented as well as built upon to build better character in oneself, and thus contribute to the society at large, by the will of Allah SWT.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, I spent my day playing with the Play Station 4 together with my twin brother, Hafizi. My twin brother and I have spent most of our childhood together. Being in the same preschool, Tadika Seri Kasih, and spent our Primary School years together in St. Paul's Institution, Seremban. However, upon reaching our first years in Secondary School, my brother decided to enroll into MRSM Pekan, Pahang, a choice differing to my own as I had received a the opportunity to continue my studies in Sekolah Dato' Abdul Razak (SDAR) instead. Thus, we were made to separate for the first time. At first, I was unfamiliar with the situation of not having my twin brother by my side. I became socially awkward, avoiding any and all form of contact with anyone else as my twin brother was always the one to engage in conversation with strangers. After a few months in boarding school, and still lacking having individuals I could truly refer to as friends, it apparent to me that I was over reliant on my twin brother when it came to social contact. I was unable to forge normal conversations with others and most conversations I had with others would regularly fall flat and become awkward. In the end, I would find myself begging my mother to allow me to enter a daily school instead. At the time, I was unable to cope with life in boarding school, and I felt that what I needed was a fresh start in a new school. My mother granted my wish, and I ended up in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan King George V, Seremban (KGV). My twin brother, however, was able to thrive in boarding school whereas I myself faltered, leading to comparisons between the two of us from our uncles, aunts and cousins. Being twins, comparisons were always going to be inevitable and it was something the two of us have grown accustomed to, although we never wanted it. By the time I was in Form 3, I just barely earned straight As in my Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examinations and earned myself a spot in one of the most prestigious boarding schools in Malaysia, Sekolah Menengah Sains Tuanku Munawir, Seremban (SASER). It  was there that I truly began to appreciate and treasure knowledge I gain from my educators and peers, leading me to become relatively successful in my academics as well as represent my school in rugby. Needless to say, enrolling into SASER was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and my time spent maturing mentally and physically in KGV was a huge factor as to why I was finally ready to take the next step into a boarding school, where I learned the value of togetherness, hard work, and humility.

In short, my twin brother was always there with me through everything whilst we were younger, and I paid the price for not learning to survive on my own. Entering KGV made me more independent and allowed me to mature mentally, physically and emotionally. Once I was ready, I made the choice of entering the best educational institution in Malaysia, and was finally able to thrive on my own. Although I needed my twin brother when I was younger, it was the separation from him in my later school years that made me the person I am today. And, although I'll always love my twin brother, I would never have had things gone any other way, if I were to know that the person I am today would be the outcome. And for that, I am grateful to Allah SWT for His plans for me.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, my classmates and I had Islamic Studies between 9 a.m. and 12 noon. The subject has been incorporated into our syllabus in the form of general studies as a method to not only improve Islamic knowledge, but to also promote critical thinking within the minds of the doctors-to-be. Islamic knowledge is not only important to allow one to always keep calm when under immense pressure, knowing that Allah SWT is always with us and is always watching us, but also keeps us leveled and prevents grief whenever we have failed to successfully help a patient, especially when a life is on the line. Allah controls the destinies of each and every one us. And the best we can ever do as humans is simply to do the best we can in order to aid those in need. In the end, fate lies in His hands, and He knows best. The Holy Quran also emphasizes calmness and promotes telling our Lord about our problems instead of sighing and complaining, in Surah Ash-Sharh:

"So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship]. And to your Lord direct [your] longing." [94:7-8]

Everyone has times where they are under immense pressure. In this world, nothing is made to keep us happy all the time, for eternal happiness only lies in Jannah. Henceforth, Allah SWT has urged us via the Quran to always remember that He is merely testing us and that any problems we face, simply tell Him about it. With him lie the root of the problem (for He created it), and with Him lie the key to solving it. As future medical professionals, physical and mental stress is a definite prerequisite. Thus, handling such stress is key to becoming a successful professional in any field. Islamic knowledge supports that, and prepares the minds of everyone for what is to come.

I returned home that night as I had not seen my mother in a few weeks, and also as she had asked me to come home a few times now. At home, I try to help out around the house, though in the end, my mother seems to beat me to every chore, saying that "I'm home and I should relax instead." I spend a lot of time with my twin brother and sister whenever I'm at home as they are able to relate more with my struggles in college life, since they are or were going through the same things too. My family may be broken due to the divorce between my parents a decade ago, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today, my classmates and I were given the opportunity to visit the dissection hall situated at the basement level of the college. We were introduced to the storage of cadavers that have undergone embalming in order to preserve the specimens for research purposes. The cadavers that were stored were kept in two distinct states: dry, or plastinized, and wet.

The dry cadavers were kept dry via silicon injections, thus preventing them from moistening. The dry cadavers were kept as such to allow direct contact even without sanitary gloves, allowing close up inspections, thus allowing students to cross reference the physical specimen with their Biology or Anatomy notes.

On the other hand, the wet cadavers were only allowed access to with the usage of masks and sanitary gloves to protect the nose and hands from direct contact with the embalming solutions that the cadavers were submerged in. The firmness of the muscles was there to be felt as the submerged cadavers kept their natural textures unlike the dry cadavers, which have been hardened by the silicon injections. The sharp, pungent odour made a few of my classmate's eyes water as well as made some of them unable to stand too close to the freezers containing the cadavers. The freezers were used as the low temperatures prevented the decomposition of the tissues of the cadavers.

Later that day, the results of the previous semester were pinned onto the notice boards of the Examination Unit. Alhamdulillah, the results that I obtained were able to get me one step closer to earning myself a chance to chase my dreams to become a doctor. Although my results could have been better, that will only serve to motivate myself to improve for the third and final semester. One positive that I could take from the results I earned was that I managed to obtain an A for Fundamental English after managing to obtain only an A- for the previous semester. But, as my parents always say, "Just take it one step at a time."

All in all, a very eventful day had just passed and the topic that I was planning the day before to discuss in my update for today has become redundant as a result, which is no problem whatsoever with me.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.

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Assalamualaikum and salutations.

Today marks the first day I was tasked with preparing such a post regarding my day to day endeavors as a student of the medical institution known as Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS). This task was assigned to myself along with my 25 classmates as part of our continuous assessment for the subject Fundamental English 3.

Since I honestly have no other topic to discuss at present, I have decided to start at the beginning. CUCMS is a private college that has become the institution of future doctors, pharmacists, psychologists and the like for over a decade now. Home to numerous experienced, hardworking lecturers and professors, individuals seeking to get one step closer to their ambitions will find a tremendous platform from which they will be able to gain the knowledge required of their desired fields. Despite the high demand for medical and scientific understanding, the higher ups of the institution have not forgotten their Creator, shown by the emphasis on the graduates to not only master their desired fields, but also to have a respectable grip on their religions as well. As a firm believer in the need of humans to hold onto religion as well as worldly knowledge, I personally am excited to spend the next few years of my college life not only expanding my knowledge in the medical fields, but also to bring myself closer to Allah SWT in the process, for as humans, no matter how prepared we are to aid any patients, in the end, fate lies in His hands.

As a closing statement, this is my introduction for my task, and I will do my best to post on a daily basis.

Thank you and assalamualaikum.