I. Have. Finally. Graduated. After. 4. Years. of. Undergrad. Studies!

The relief is surreal, I swear I was dreaming until they emailed me my completion of studies letter. I finally came to reality and accepted it with a blessed feeling. However, please don’t think I'm a bright student with a high CGPA. I'm completely average with a knack for procrastination and burning the midnight oil. 

Nevertheless, here are 5 things that my part-time undergrad course taught me:

1. You’re completely on your own.

Believe that, please. You might have classes in the beginning semesters but as you progress, there are chances classes will reduce and you rely on virtual tutoring or well, yourself. I mean, that’s how it was for me. As I entered late Year 2 and so on, I scarcely had classes and even if I do, they were only 3 or 4 times per semester (and that is to cover almost 10 topics of the module, plus assignment discussions!). Hence, the other times, I rely on online tutors through the university’s portal but to be honest, sometimes they aren't that good. In the end, I rely on myself, YouTube, Google, and my one and only coursemate/friend.

Advice: Just be independent or at least try to. Do not depend on anyone, BUT help others whenever possible because one good deed returns another.

2. Your failure does not determine anything!

When you listen about people doing part-time studies for 5 or 8 years because they failed multiple times, you wonder about their capability and tenacity. Let’s be honest, 8 years for a degree, plus being a working citizen? That is pure perseverance on the student’s end. I mean, failure does not happen in part-time studies only, even full-time students do experience that but I guess there might be a higher margin on the former.

I almost failed a subject but managed to obtain a conditional pass, meaning a D+ on one subject and that dragged my CGPA all the way down the drain (I'm sure all students can relate to this). I mulled over that for the whole year, explicitly for the first 3 months and internally for the remaining months. I questioned myself, self-blame, ashamed to even think about the subject. I wonder and wonder what went wrong with all the what-ifs (what if I studied a bit more, put in more effort, participated in online discussions, did more research, etc.). In the end, I just chose to move forward by doing well for the rest of my semesters, promising myself to get a minimum of a pass and never less. I did it and my pointer increased, excruciatingly slow (ugh *cue rolling eyes*)

Advice: Just move on, repeat the paper (if you failed) or if you want to repeat even though you didn’t exactly fail, go ahead. It’s entirely your choice.

3. Find friends, at least one.

Trust me on this when I say, having friends as a part-timer is not as easy as a full-timer because if not all, almost the majority are working individuals with countless commitments in life and have no time to blossom new friendships for long (it may differ according to individuals ya).

When I entered my first semester, all of my classmates for the first class (MPU) were way older than me and mostly married with kids. I felt completely out of place and being an introvert, naturally, I didn’t make many conversations. I had to call them sis and bros when they were almost my parents' age, or older! I would have easily called them aunties and uncles in any other given situation. I thank God for that one ‘sister’ I made friends with from that first class right until I graduated. Throughout everything in my studies (registration of new semesters, discussion of assignments and final exams, results, post-exams tea/breakfast, quizzes), we were always there for each other and it definitely made me feel so much better.  However, since she deferred a semester, she hasn’t graduated yet, but I'm sure she will. Being a working mother, I am truly in awe of her determination to graduate.

Advice: Find that one true friend (or, friends) that’ll help you in your course, and keep them close (even after graduating).

4. A voice will tell you to give up...

I don’t know if this would apply to you but I experienced this. Countless times throughout the 4 years plus, I fell down many times emotionally. I never shared it with my parents nor my coursemates, or working colleagues. But some people know, the struggles I went through each and every semester.

Juggling work and studies is definitely no joke. Every time the deadline approaches for assignments, I break down. I lose sleep even though I have a full day of work the next day. I'd appear at work looking like a wreck (raccoon eyes, throbbing headache, and a flask of coffee). My colleagues would feel sorry for me but there isn’t much to do. I still have to work and do my assignments. After submission, it would be the dreaded wait for assignment results (in which I overthink of failing). Finally, the final exams, another breakdown. I have to cover 10 topics in a week or sometimes a few days. Again, losing sleep, coffee, tears, raccoon eyes, and a strong urge to give up. Then post-exam stress of results. I pass. The cycle repeats as I register for a new semester.

Advice: Surround yourself with your family and friends. They will love you, comfort you, push you, and believe in you, even when you lose hope in yourself.

5. Worth it? YES!

I will never forget the look on my parent's faces when I told them I graduated. My mom was cooking in the kitchen. I squealed and ran from my room to her. I couldn’t stop smiling and she asked me what happened.

“Mi, your daughter is a graduate.”

Her face broke into a huge smile. We hugged tightly. We cried. She kissed my forehead and wished me all the best. After that, she kept asking me to tell my relatives and friends that I had graduated. I didn’t want to overdo it, but I could see the pride in her eyes. People who know me well would understand why I did part-time rather than full-time. My mom carried that guilt but on that day, it dissolved and subconsciously, mine too. My dad woke up after sleep and was on the porch. My mom broke the news to him. He isn’t one who shows emotions but at that moment, he hugged me, long. He wished me congratulations. Then he asked me about pursuing a Master's (HAHAHA, that’s very my dad btw). But, he was proud too.

Advice: Nothing much actually - just that it was truly worth every effort, tears, breakdown, raccoon eyes, and deathly coffee intake. 

And there you have it! For those pursuing your part-time (or even full-time) diplomas, degrees, Masters, and PhDs, I wish you all the best! Juggle your work, studies, and personal life but most importantly your happiness and mental health. It may seem easier said than done, but hey, I did it!

And so will you!

Vinothini is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!

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