Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
Have you been swept away by the American Dream of university? The party, culture and FUN! If you are a big fan of Legally Blonde (2001), getting revenge on your ex-boyfriend in style or Pitch Perfect (2012), finding a place you fit in, finding love and lots of drama, there is a 99.9% chance of you building your expectations and hopes on the fun and exciting university life.
Crack. crack. crack.
Hear that expectations and hopes of wall cracking and tumbling down? University isn’t legally blonde or maybe just the amount of books she has to read, that is the only thing that is accurately portrayed in the movie.
According to experienced university students, welcome to hell:
1. Lecturers
“In uni, lecturers are a 50/50; excellent and bad lecturers,” and sorry to rain on your parade but unlike how it is portrayed in the media, “university can be very tiring and challenging, from the multiple assignments, credit hours and high expectations from lecturers,” said Orion, a 20-year-old law student studying at International Islamic University, Malaysia.
One of the interesting things pointed out by Haikal a 20-year-old ACCA student at Sunway University was when he said, “I prefer university lecturers more as I only know them for a short time therefore there is less discrimination or condemnation of my behaviour or attitude,”
This paints a very unfortunate picture of the Malaysian education system whether it is high school or university, students who are supposed to rely upon and seek guidance from lecturers are being discriminated against and condemned.
2. Management
It is known that big companies always portray themselves as the best and most caring toward their customers, but that is not true most of the time.
“There are a lot of issues (in university) such as lousy internet and the cleanliness of toilets,” said Orion. She added that she had to “delete her TikTok to protect the image of the university”
She also questioned the un-smart moves made by the university during the pandemic such as “pushing for face to face despite high cases to protect the university image, even though they have online classes.” The most frustrating thing is the fact that “students that contracted covid cannot attend classes because there is no option for an online class for them.”
In the interview with Hajjar, a 20-year-old ACCA student at Sunway University highlighted that they have a “very hectic timetable to the extent that multiple students have quit the course. For example, 4 hours classes straight a week, sometimes we have classes 6 days a week. It’s quite tough and draining. We also only have 1 to 3 weeks of break throughout the intense course because we are under high pressure from the scholarship.”
3. Mental Health
Here’s the rock bottom for most of us, or at least me, regarding mental health in university.
To describe the monstrosity it would be best quoted by Orion, “sumpah tiring” and she is labelled as a “working machine” by her loved ones. As deadlines always overlap each other and she has to rush to keep up with classes and assignments. he even has classes on Saturday.
4. Financial
Urm, are we still in 1990? Because some universities are sure left behind! In Orion’s university, law courses do not have online textbooks and they have to buy textbooks that cost at least tickets for 2 into a luxury buffet, a whooping cost of RM100 to RM260++. If she has 5 different lecturers in one sem that is a minimum of RM500 per semester, and let’s not start with being environmentally friendly.
5. University Organisation
Source: The Star
“The Malaysian standard for universities cares about image and ranking more than justice,” said Orion
All interviewees agreed that universities are profit and student-oriented businesses. University courses are extremely expensive but the university accommodates some of the student’s needs and wants such as water filters, electric scooters, libraries and many more.
In addition, Hajjar said that “There is a lot of prejudice in terms of wealth status. For example, it is common that those of more privileged families would not like to mingle with fewer privileged families.” The university organizations do not try to reduce the issue but it is accepted as a common thing, The most familiar scandal recently is the Mara Scandal. Here are some of the interviewee’s takes on the Mara Scandal:
6. Bonus: The Mara Scandal
“A decent human being should not say such things or act sombong as everything you have are pinjaman from tuhan (loan from god). Furthermore, as a lecturer, they should know what to say or do. Insensitive lecturers are everywhere but are ignored by the instituted for the image,” said Orion, a 20-year-old law student studying at International Islamic University, Malaysia.
So what should a lecturer know what to say or do?
“Lecturers should not condemn the students, they should be more understanding,” says Haikal
Sounds so simple yet many lecturers can’t seem to execute it.
In every field of life, there will always be the good and bad. It depends on how you want to focus on life. This article only covers the bad sides of universities but there are also such as financial help, the freedom to dress towards your liking and others. Here’s a little motivation for all the university students going through university currently:
“Regardless of mental health, we can all agree, that we might cry at least once about the university and you are not alone. We should all remember why we are getting this degree, time management is important,” said Orion.
For more stories like this, read: Is This Malaysian Private University Keeping The International Students’ Passports Against Their Will? and 5 Malaysians Talk About The Worst Lecturers They Had In Uni
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