Everything Is Awesome - Comfort Zone

Running track of Selangor Matriculation College.

Recently there is an animated movie showing in cinemas named 'The Lego Movie'. It is an awesomely inspiring movie with an interesting storyline which is beyond my expectation as I never watched animation in cinema before. For those who have watched the movie would understand better what I am going to say in this post. For those who have not watched it, go and get a ticket! It's totally worth!

The story begins with a normal guy worked as a construction worker named Emmet in the world which was under the authority of Lord Business who wanted to make the Lego world in order. Everyone toed the line and carried out their life according to the manual given. They were happy with their life as everything went smoothly as usual. Lord Business had a super weapon called 'Kragle' which a wizard named 'Vitruvius' wanted to prevent him from using it. And Emmet became the 'Special' in Vitruvius's prophecy who owned the 'Piece of Resistance' which could stop the 'Kragle' from functioning.  

For most of us, when we were children, we never thought about which direction should we go as we grew up. We were just like anyone else, being sent into a primary school for six years, then secondary school for five years, after that either one or two years of pre-university course before going into the university studying the course of our parents expectation. This happened to me, although not completely applicable. I went into SJK(C) Sin Hwa in Parit Buntar for one year, then spent my following primary education in SJK(C) Pai Teik (just like my father). After I got 7As in UPSR (a national examination for primary school students), I went into SMJK Jit Sin, one of the renowned secondary school in Bukit Mertajam for another five years. Throughout the eleven years, I barely made a tough decision. Everything went well as if it should go that way. I was always expected to get a flying-coloured results and be a good student who followed all the rules, and I did (but I did broke them sometimes, rarely).

With God's blessing I got into Selangor Matriculation College in Banting, Selangor (which made me get out of my hometown for the very first time). Many people in Malaysia prefer to go into matriculation (during my time it opens for 10% of non-bumiputera students) instead of form six as it is said that it would be easier to get into public university through matriculation. I successfully followed the trend and completed my matriculation and now I am in University Putra Malaysia, Serdang. The only twist in my student life was my choice of course for tertiary study. I had wanted to take Zoology since I was in high school but this decision was banned as it seemed unrealistic to survive with that degree in Malaysia. So I put veterinarian into consideration as I would be close to animals too. However, I was pulled back by the thought of cutting into the animals' body. I could not even dissect a mouse in the laboratory. Giving up the option, I found another one which interested me. Environmental Science. It sounds like a combination of Nature with all the animals and plants in it and human's influence on the surrounding. Bingo! That is what I want!

I was still discouraged by my family and friends who wanted me to choose something more 'professional' such as medicine, pharmacy, engineering and so on. But I insisted. After so many years of 'following-what-life-gave-me', I made my first decision on my own. I really appreciate those who gave me advices and encouraged me in pursuing my dreams (I knew most of the people from Facebook). Studying in university is generally the ultimate target of a regular student. And I made it. When I look back, I found that completing the 'trend' is not equivalent to being successful! Somehow I feel lost. Many of my friends who did not live as others did (some of them did not get really good grades in high school) are currently in Singapore, Australia, UK, Germany, France and so on, furthering their study there. Of course, family background matters too, but it is about getting out of the COMFORT ZONE which could be really uncomfortable at the beginning.

'Everything is Awesome' was the most popular song in the Lego world where people found that their ordinary life was great and enjoyable. That's the danger of comfort zone. We do not want to make a change. We just stick to the so-called 'normal' way of life. We follow what we are asked to do without giving a doubt. For examples, we hand in the assignments requested by the lecturer although we do not know what we had done actually; we study to pass the exam, not for the knowledge; we do not care what happens around the world as long as it does not affect me etc. I admit that I still live in this comfort zone. What would happen next if I do so? It's really difficult to come out of it after so many years living the orderly-arranged life. I have been trying to get out, although I failed several times that I went back to the original lifestyle. 

This time, I will try again. 

This photo was taken during my first semester in UPM. (credit goes to Erika)

P/S: I was inspired by Professor Kannan, my Chemistry lecturer in UPM to write this post. Thanks for encouraging us. =)