Jaslyn Ong Jia Yi
“Being a happy-go-lucky person, I rejoice in every little moment. There are definitely challenges in life, but I view them as opportunities for growth.”
Hi, my name is Jaslyn! And I am here to share with you #MySunwayStory. A little bit of my background, I came from a family of five - Mom, an elder sister, and two younger ones. Financially, I came from a slightly below-average family; unfortunately, my father had passed away on March 7, 2011, after a two-year-long battle with cancer. Because my dad had to quit his job to attend the treatment plan, my family was suddenly left without a breadwinner. My mom was also placed in a stressful situation, as now she needed to take care of her husband, be a housewife, and take care of her 4 children. Thus, to ease the financial burden at home, I started working at 14 to save up for my tuition fees. This unique challenge in my life has taught me to be grateful regardless of the situation, and I am proud that I was able to overcome these ups and downs and complete high school with flying colours.
Being a happy-go-lucky person, I rejoice in every little moment. There are definitely challenges in life, but I view them as opportunities for growth. I still vividly remember what my assistant teacher had said to my sister and me back in high school. “I am helping you both because there are so many students who need help — I could see from your excellent results that it is very sayang for the both of you if you both are not able to continue to pursue your education.” From that moment on, I realised that education and hard work are equally important.
Moving on to tertiary education, I was feeling a tad bit lost. With the uncertain state of my financial situation, I was doubtful if I could even pursue further studies. However, I had heard about the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Community Scholarship from an orphanage that helps my family, so I decided to give it a try. Frankly, I expected to continue to form 6 instead as I knew that the scholarship was extremely competitive. In hindsight, it still feels extremely surreal. Never in my wildest dream would I believe I would be able to join such a prestigious university. So, imagine how I felt when I received the email and call, congratulating me for obtaining it. Since young, my mom has always instiled in us that “Education is for your own and no one else.” People may rob you of many things but not knowledge; knowledge will forever stay and empower you.
My first scholarship was for diploma studies in business administration. If I had not been successful in this scholarship, I would have probably moved to form 6 or even joined the workforce. Fast forward to the end of my diploma, I again contemplated whether I would be able to continue to a degree. Hence, I decided to consult with Ms. Annie, from the scholarship department, about my concerns, and she encouraged me to try for another scholarship. During the scholarship interview, I explicitly remembered Professor Yuka asking me, “Why do you want to continue your studies in Sunway?” At that moment, I was inundated with countless flashbacks as I told her about my experiences back in diploma studies. The most vivid ones were when I was in my darkest moments. Having always been a top student, I was crushed when I faced my first failure in university. I began to doubt my ability and even felt undeserving of my blessings. Fortunately, a hand soon extended out of the darkness to pull me out of this deep abyss: my statistics lecturer. She listened to all my problems intently and encouraged me to not be afraid to seek help from others, such as the student counselors. Because of her, I eventually managed to climb out of the abyss triumphantly, and I will forever be grateful to her and everyone else who helped me. Then, with renewed confidence, I decided to apply for the scholarship to continue my degree at Sunway University. And I got it.
University life has taught me that it isn’t all glitz and glam, but rather a playground for us to learn, fall, fail, and grow. It’s also a place of fellowship with others as we slowly overcome our childish naivety, innocence, and weaknesses to become reliable and mature adults. Finally, it’s a place for us to struggle as we try to find a sense of belonging and purpose in our life.
The best moments in Sunway were when I crossed paths with various people through multiple clubs. Aside from that, group assignments also provided a unique learning experience for me. I actively try to pair up with different people each time because I want to become flexible enough to adapt to people’s diverse work and communication styles. Of course, the facilities in Sunway deserve their own praise as well; they were absolutely superb, especially the library with its numerous learning resources provided to the students for free. There is just something special about the ambience of the library that calms me down. And the various utilities offered such as printers, and computers is another plus point.
To my fellow juniors, life can be harsh and tough, but it’s not the end of the world. One door closed means another will definitely be open for you. So, always do your best but never be complacent and strive for better. Never compare yourself to others; just focus on defeating the you of yesterday. Remember that talent is a blessing and that hard work will always be rewarded. Be kind to not only others but also yourself. Be hungry to grow and learn at all times, dare to be participative and break out of your comfort zone, and be responsible because that builds your character. Trust me, one day, you will look back at all the things you’ve been through and laugh at them. Be passionate, and be the real you that radiates bright like the starry skies. All the best, and I wish you all the strength and love in the world for whatever you are going through. Know that you CAN and WILL get through it.
Jaslyn Ong Jia Yi
BSc (Hons) Business Management
Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Community Scholarship