MY FIRST WEEK IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA

 My First Week In The University Of Malaya

As a newbie, you still need to learn few things about the institution and so, I tried to learn fast. You know Nigerians are fast learner, we learn very fast so that we can navigate our ways when no one is there to help us. This week, I was still coming from where I lodged at SUNWAY PADANA with a good Samaritan that we met in Lagos International Airport and Thailand during our break before we started talking about Malaysia. He has been in Malaysia for five years before we met at the airport.

During this week, I was fed by them (Edo guys), I met three Yoruba brothers in their room too and they took me as their brothers and, also guide me about things in that area and what I need to guide against and the kind of friends to mingle about with. We spoke in Yoruba throughout and they shared their experiences and mistakes they made while coming to Malaysia for the first time. One even told me, he fell into the hands of the Yahoo Yahoo guys and they tricked him and he joined them because he was not having any money again and no one to help else he had to do it for few months and after that he refused to do it and later learned some computer programming skills that helped him to survived in Malaysia.

The three of them told me different stories about their neighbors and the kind of businesses they do and I should be very careful and apart from that they see in me that I am a bit older enough and a good Christian not to involved in such a silly work that people do here to raise money. 

Having equipped with their admonitions, we parted ways and I usually go to school in the morning and returned later in the evening. 

When I came to UM, they are in the 7th weeks of resumption, I missed some courses like Bahasa Malayu (Malaysian Language) and Research Methodology (RM). However, my supervisor was the one teaching the course (RM) so I used the opportunity to learn from her and attend all the remaining classes so as to join my own group the following semester.

In the same first week, I did my Medical Check up, I paid for it (RM160.78) N16, 078 naira equivalent, I filled the necessary forms that I need to fill, i moved from one place to another, I was going to PPUM and walk and walk and walk because the hospital is very big like UCH or more in Ibadan, Nigeria. I did some tests (blood test, urine, HIV, drug test etc) and I was told come back in a day or two for result and so I did all those. It is a very big institution hospital. I was transferred to PPUM for further check up. Sometimes, I will be walking from one edge to the other, I will have to get some water to drink in order to continue the journey because it is a very big hospital. 

The University of Malaya housed PPUM (general hospital) and MCSC (Medical Center Students Clinic). The student health clinic was established in 1962 under the University and College Act, Act XIV. It was revised on July 30 1977 and, also revised again in 2002. The Clinic provides consultation and examination for students, treatment of any kind of sicknesses, electrocardiogram examination, X-ray, reference and admission to the ward in government hospitals and other medical centers. They carried out medical check-up for students and for the purpose of scholarship and other physical activities for students, they give medical reports and, also carry out blood screening and vaccination.      

One thing I noticed here was that your details are linked electronically. Right from the entering point of the country (immigration) to the clinic to the bursar and faculty to the University and where you lodged. Everything is linked together. You cannot hide from not doing one stage, else the second stage or next stage will not be activated. Their systems works like magic, I think we can learn from this in Nigeria.

In short the first week was eventful, moving from one place to the other and also attending few free reference manager workshops that was scheduled that week in the faculty.

I equally filled some forms to help me participate in some university programmes and electronic mail information that is shared by the university every day (It is known as siswamail). As a student, you need this email in order for you to know what is going on in the university community and to participate freely in them. It is mail that will tell you what you need to know about library, faculty, some free computer and database programming courses such as SPSS, SEM PLS, AMOS, NVIVO, MATLAB etc. that later helped me in my studies while at the university.

The first week was a great week for me and I am blessed it defines my ending.