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I hadn’t always known that I would be striving to be an environmental engineer one day. During my secondary school years, if you had asked me “What would you envision yourself doing in the future”, I would have definitely said “No idea”. Though I was generally interested in the sciences, I faced quite a vague path after SPM.
Should I be a <insert childhood dream job>, as I had wanted to when I was young?
But, are the future prospects of such a job even good?
Should I take A Levels with my friends, or go for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) alone instead?
Now, I’m sure that there are many who have faced (or will be facing) a similar moment. Personally, it was quite disconcerting. How do I choose between A Levels and IBDP, when I don’t even know the university or major that I would apply for in the future? With that, I owe my decision of going for IBDP to two main reasons. Firstly, I had obtained the KPM Bursary (for students with 9A+ in their SPM results), which was extremely helpful in covering the higher costs of IBDP. Secondly, my parents provided tremendous support and help with my decision, with my mother saying that IBDP would better suit my wide interests. In fact, throughout my IBDP journey, I realized that I enjoyed being able to learn a diverse array of subjects, without having to immediately limit my future choices for university. This was definitely one of the advantages of IBDP over A Levels. For example, I was not only limited to science-related subjects like Physics and Chemistry, but was also able to dabble in subjects like Psychology and French. It was this freedom in choice of subjects that became a stepping stone for my eventual decision to study environmental engineering. Nonetheless, IBDP is quite rigorous in terms of its assignments, whereby you have at least one project for each of your six subjects, with two more general components to fulfill too. Regardless, IBDP was undeniably a memorable and eventful period in my education journey due to the amazing friends I have made along the way.
When the time came for us to begin applying for universities, I faced two vital questions just like any other student. What major should I study, and where should I go? For the former, my choice was definitely shaped by my experiences in IBDP. One of the main IBDP assignments involves a 4000-word Extended Essay (EE), which was basically a research project based on one of the subjects I am studying. I chose to do a Chemistry-related project, which focused on cleaning up the Klang River. It was during this project when I realized of how interested I was in the field of environmental science. I found myself fascinated by the thought of applying scientific knowledge and technologies towards solving real-world environmental issues, which was something I had never considered before. Additionally, this field is multi-disciplinary in nature, as it encompasses not only the sciences, but also social aspects like laws and economics too. This really complemented my desire to diversify my interests and knowledge in multiple disciplines. Nevertheless, this thought didn’t come to me instantaneously. Rather, my IBDP Chemistry teacher, Mr Josh, provided me with the idea. He had commented that my EE seemed more related to Environmental Science than Chemistry, which made me realize that my interests were in the former all along. After some research, I learnt of a similar field called environmental engineering, which focused on applying technologies towards issues like wastewater treatment and air pollution. Given this newfound passion for environmental issues and parental support, I eventually decided on environmental engineering as my major.
Moving on, I had initially focused on applying for universities in the U.K., such as the Imperial College London. For one, many of my friends were also applying to U.K. universities. As such, it seemed like a straightforward choice for me to do so as well. Simultaneously, I had also applied to universities in Singapore like the National University of Singapore (NUS), as it was relatively nearer to Malaysia. Later on, I got offers from some of these universities, and I set my eyes on ICL. Nevertheless, things didn’t go the way I had planned. After some policy changes with the KPM Bursary (i.e. not applicable to universities outside of Malaysia now), I had a really difficult time deciding my future university. While studying at NUS would be cheaper than ICL, I was unwilling to let go of the opportunity to study at ICL. In fact, I had a friend who also faced the same dilemma with me. After some discussion, he had set his mind on going to ICL. Though I was naturally tempted to go for ICL, I chose NUS instead. It would have placed less of a strain on my family’s finances, and I would still be able to visit them frequently. Though it would have been nice to study in the U.K. where most of my friends are, I realized that I can’t always make my decisions based on the choices of others.
Needless to say, I really felt unsettled about my choice. For one, the term starts in August, meaning that I was rushing to finalize my registration and accommodation at NUS mere weeks before the term started. Additionally, the thought of being alone in the university, away from my friends and family, was nerve-wracking. Two years later, I am in my third year of my environmental engineering degree in NUS, and I can wholeheartedly say that I am satisfied with my decision. Personally, my current subjects are extremely interesting. In fact, the structure of the university modules is rather similar to that of IBDP, in terms of the amount of assignments you have to complete within a semester. Additionally, there are many opportunities for me to expand my horizons. They range from academic-related activities like design competitions and quizzes, to others like my weekly Latin dance classes and aerobics sessions. For example, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several overseas community service projects in Cambodia and Vietnam, where I was able to apply my environmental engineering knowledge in providing clean water to some of the locals. Lastly, I’ve also made another group of fantastic friends, who have definitely helped with my homesickness. Overall, your university years are undoubtedly one of the better moments when you have plenty of opportunities for personal growth, so make the most of it!
Looking back, I am extremely grateful that I could be where I am today, due in no small part to the support and advice from my parents, teachers and friends. More importantly, I realized that I had to spend time to really understand my priorities and interests, before I could make the best possible situation. Thus, it really helped that I tried a variety of co-curricular activities during my secondary school and college years. From the various leadership positions and community service trips, along with activities like marathons and external academic competitions, they provided me the opportunity to learn a lot more about myself. If we don’t explore a wide range of interests and activities, how would we know where our interests and strengths lie?
Hence, for those who are still finding their way, don’t worry too much about not having a clear plan after secondary school. Plans change, and you’ll never know where you’ll end up at. Even as you go along in life, you will encounter numerous experiences that will provide you with better insight about yourself, which surely helps in the decision-making process. Personally, one thing that I hoped to have realized prior to choosing my major is that our future careers aren’t necessarily dictated by these decisions anymore. Given how fast the world is changing around us, we’ll need to constantly update ourselves with the latest knowledge and skills, so that we’ll remain relevant in the workforce. Thus, don’t be afraid that you’ll go down a path that you’ll dislike in the future, for you can always choose a different path later on. As long as you’re aware of your priorities and interests, willing to go the distance, you’ll certainly end up where you want to be.
Chong Zhiwei
Currently in third year, majoring in Environmental Engineering at NUS, Singapore.