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.
You know how the grass always seemed greener on the other side?
See, I’ve only ever furthered my studies at Public Universities, so I’ve always had this notion that my friends who go to Private Universities truly have it better.
But as I talk to my friends from private universities, we all realise how much we’ve taken our experiences in universities for granted.
So I decided to compile all their experiences and here’s what I found!
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The (Lack Thereof) Facilities in Private Universities
Aisyah goes to a private university. She complains that her University lacks the facilities that she can find in other public universities.
“You guys (public university students) have klinik kesihatan. Your libraries have more books. Some government universities even have swimming pools and squash courts. My university… I want to park also need to pay.”
Aisyah even shares her belief that private universities like the one that she attends are only interested in making money. (I mean, have you seen their fees?)
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Another friend, Lidiya, shares that driving to class can be an issue if you’re late cause then all the parking spaces are taken up and you’d need to park really far.
“Honestly, I wish there was a buggy service for students.”
Remembering my own experience in university (back before online learning took over our lives), I realise how blessed I was to have gone to universities that provide buses for us to ride to class. Even then, I never actually rode them…
I brought my car to college, illegally as first-years weren’t allowed to bring their own cars. I would face the risk of being fined RM50. Still, parking was never a problem as there weren’t many students who brought their cars. Best part? I never got fined either.
But parking matters aside, one public university student; Rasyid, had brought up the fact that his university’s website servers are the worst to deal with.
“The mornings when students need to book their classes… I would LOATHE the website so much.
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Senior/Junior Bullsh*t
If there’s anything I hate most in life, it’s the whole hierarchy cr*p that goes on in public universities (specifically the bumiputera one).
Adiva, who studies at a private university, has observed how private universities are divided in how they handle the ‘senior/junior’ relationship.
“I realise, public universities kind of force that relationship. But some private universities would simply encourage their students to have a good relationship with their seniors. They would push them in the direction of working together with their seniors but it wouldn’t feel forced. However, my university goes the other route, where it completely ignores that relationship and lets you do what you want.”
God, I wish that was me.
Workload So Heavy… How To Join College Activities?
Another gripe I have with public universities is the fact that we’ve had to sit for classes that I personally felt like I could’ve done without and it’s always these classes that give us the most work to bring back to our dorms. Due to this, I never felt like I had the mental capacity to join college activities and university events that could have benefitted me when I start looking for work.
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A friend of mine, Dayana, agrees and even shares that she had to take kenegaraan (nationhood) three times in her life!
“It’s not like I’m going to be extra patriotic from all these classes,” she adds.
For my Private University friends, this does not bother them as much.
Aisyah shares how she joins her University’s Netball Team and generally has the time to relax between classes during her semesters. She found that subjects such as Ethnic and Culture, History and others do not take up much of her time studying. If anything, she enjoys them as they give her a break from her engineering studies.
However, Adriana agrees with my argument and presents an opinion that she believes could be a bit controversial;
“For me, it’s the Islamic civilisation subject. Sure, it was great to acquire new knowledge but it’s really irrelevant to what I majored in and what I’m doing now as a career.”
Even so, she feels that the workload was fine. She even had the time to really enjoy being a college kid (fun outside college) and to participate in co-curricular activities without compromising her studies.
Funny enough – despite how different our university experiences are – we also found that there are some similarities in what we see around us. From students’ fashion sense to the competency of others in group assignments, Public and Private Universities have the same stories.
Open & Distant Learning (AKA Being As Far Away From The Computer For Online Classes)
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Lidiya offers her opinion about having mostly online classes and the problem with that is how sleepy she would get 10 minutes in.
“When lecturers try to have students participate in class discussions, I would volunteer to answer just to make it seem like I’m paying attention but I’m actually not focusing,” says Lidiya.
I used to do the same as I believed that if you’re active in answering for the first few weeks, the lecturers will get bored of listening to your voice and you wouldn’t be the target of their questions for the rest of the semester.
Unfortunately, this also does not work 100% of the time and sometimes the lecturers end up targeting you because you’re the only one answering.
Rasyid points out that it is expected with online learning to have lectures that feel one-sided as only one or two students would actively participate in google meet. The other students? Probably sleeping.
Group Assignments… Do We Hate It, Or Do We Hate It?
“I hate group assignments with a passion, and I will not elaborate!” says Lidiya.
In Lidiya’s experience, those who don’t contribute are the clueless and quiet ones. It doesn’t matter if they’re international or local students.
Aisyah admits, “if anything, I do find it harder to work with smarter students because it’s hard to come to an agreement with them most times.”
In Aisyah’s experience, there will always be people who don’t even study and people who do. She even prefers to work with those who don’t pull their weight in group assignments sometimes – but when they receive the same good grades she does, it admittedly boils her blood.
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“My experience being in a private uni (compared to the public uni that I went to for my diploma), they took studying less seriously and cared more about enjoying their youth which is understandable because they have the money to do so. I feel like there was less of a “push factor” for them to change their fate, to get a good job after graduating as money was never a big problem for them. They would care less about assignments and projects. I assume because they’re used to things being handed to them without having to work hard for something,” says Adriana.
Adriana finds that students in private universities have it easy (or easier) than public students as their admissions aren’t based on merit, just their ability to pay expensive tuition fees.
On the other hand, Dayana has only good things to say about the group work etiquette she experiences in her public university.
“I’m a lone wolf kind of person in my class because I hate emotional attachment to random people, but group wise, I think all of my classmates are amazing at doing divided work.”
Walk, Walk. Fashion, Baby.
Sure, some dress in the same sweater + sweatpants combo and call it comfy core. But the ones who truly dress up for classes would have you wondering if it’s fashion week in Milan.
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Lidiya believes that it’s a myth that international students tend to be fashionable when going to classes.
“I honestly feel like public university students are the ones who are more likely to overdress (but in a good way), especially the Malay girls! As someone whose wardrobe is filled with sweatshirts, I envy them.”
Aisyah says simply, “I’m doing Engineering, man. The students don’t really care much for fashion.”
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Honestly, it was fun to have this discussion with my friends and it has made me realise that no matter where you are, there will always be something to complain about.
Each university provides a unique experience, regardless of being a private or public university. I think the best we can do in any situation is to try our best (so we can leave and find somewhere better where there’s finally nothing to complain about.)
Do you know anyone with an interesting story to share? Drop us an email at hello@inreallife.my and we may feature the story.
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