35th Science and Engineering Design Exhibition and Competition (SEDEX 35) By Nesha Priya Arasu (Chemical Engineering, 1st Year/1st Semester)

35th Science and Engineering Design Exhibition and Competition (SEDEX 35)

By Nesha Priya Arasu (Chemical Engineering, 1^st Year/1^st Semester)

Chancellor Hall, 5^th-6^th July 2015 -The most anticipated event of the semester was finally here. After months of hard work, the two days long event came to realisation under the leadership of Lye Kelvin. Officiated by the Vice Chancellor of Academics, the 35th Science and Engineering Design Exhibition and Competition (SEDEX 35) showcased innovative inventions from UTP students and staff alike. School students from neighbouring schools were also given a chance to compete under the Young Inventors' Challenge category. Under the Engineering Team Project category, participants walked away with 3 gold medals, 3 silver medals and 5 bronze medals and The Open Innovation Category participants grabbed 12 medals in total. Civil Engineering FYP category participants managed to win 4 medals while those who competed under the Mechanical Engineering FYP category won 5 medals. Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department emerged as the best department and Computer and Information Sciences FYP category participants won a total of 10 medals. Postgraduate participants took home 7 medals while participants under Chemical Engineering FYP category secured 4 medals. Deputy Minister of MOSTI, YB Datuk Dr. Abu Bakar bin Mohamad Diah officiated the closing ceremony and applauded the university's efforts in cultivating inquisitive minds through programmes like these. He presented RM 10 000 worth of research grants to those who won the Best Research Award. The Project Director extended his heartiest appreciation to UTP management, his team and the sponsors for making this event a success. It was indeed an unforgettable experience for all those who were involved in SEDEX 35.

Gimmick during opening ceremony.

(Photo credits : Photographers of SEDEX 35)

YB Datuk Dr. Abu Bakar went around the exhibition.

(Photo credits : Photographers of SEDEX 35)

The VIPs and Hicom of SEDEX 35.

(Photo credits : Photographers of SEDEX 35)

A visit from a primary school.

(Photo credits : Photographers of SEDEX 35)

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HELLO BY ASHA DEVI RAGGU

 HELLO J

BY ASHA DEVI RAGGU

Well hello there! You, yes you! Whoever that is reading this, you have a beautiful face, but you know what could make it even more beautiful? Try Smiling. Now that is better. Are you thinking that you should probably leave the page and start looking up at something more useful? What could she possibly talk about “hello”? She is crazy if she thinks that I would have smiled when she told me to! Like what am I, five?  Wondering what on earth is this girl with a weird last name trying to accomplish here? Well it is stated right there in the title. I just wanted to say Hello!

We are all well informed that communication is a pretty important aspect in our lives. And of course, it is a two way activity. You can’t be communicating with yourself in public now can you? Unless you want to be known as a mentally ill person, please do carry on.  When we communicate effectively, there will be positive results. Interacting with our fellow beings will improve our self awareness, self management, personal responsibility, decision making and relationship skills. We all probably know that.

 To implant a rather simple but clear picture on what I’m trying to point out here is that people only talk when they want to get something done!!  When you have a favour to ask or because you are forced to work with them. After you get what you want, the next time you see that person, you just walk pass without even greeting one another. It is as if you have never seen that person ever before. Some might take it as an indirect way of saying “You have served your purpose and now you’re trash”. Ouch! Don’t you hate it when that happens? You certainly would  if you were on the receiving end.

Even though greeting sounds so basic, aren’t you amazed at how often people fail to do this properly, leaving you feeling ignored and poorly treated? Those who know me would know that I wouldn’t pass by without saying Hello. It doesn’t matter who the person is, the least you could give is a genuine smile or a wave of hand. We wouldn’t know how much it means to them and we definitely have no idea what people have to go through every day. For all we know, he or she might be having emotional breakdown for god knows why. If a girl is upset because her boyfriend forgot their anniversary, well then he is in for some silent treatment and a long lecture later on. But that is the least of our worries. The little things we do can make her day. Who knows she might want to get the silent treatment over a little sooner than planned? And how about the internationals? The ones who are far away from home. We can all be a little more sensitive to other people’s needs- especially their need for recognition and companionship. This is how we help them realize their tremendous values as human beings.

Of course not everyone react the same way when you greet them. There are various types people that you may or may not have met. First of all are those kind of people who keep staring back at you. Maybe they mistook you for having a staring competition or something. I’m sorry for having naturally big eyes,bro! I think if I stood there any longer, his eyeballs would pop right out of the sockets. I believe those are the special cases of people who have social anxiety. Then, there are the ones who look at you like you are some sort of alien for saying “Hi” to them in public. Some get surprised that a stranger actually greeted them and also not to forget the group of people who make it even more awkward. A long moment of silence. Yeapp.Nevertheless, thank the almighty God these are only the minority people that I’ve encountered so far. UTP is actually filled with lots of jovial people! The ones who actually greet and smile back at you. And you end up having a small friendly conversation. Those are my kind of people, the kind who makes my smile grow even wider.

What I find rather interesting is the fact that we see them physically, we don’t know how they are mentally and spiritually. We know their name, not their story. We might have heard what they’ve done, not what they’ve been through. So, why don’t we stop judging and make this habit as a norm in today’s society? Actually, this isn’t something new to apply in our lives. It is something that we have forgotten to inherit from our ancestors. Ask yourself, when was the last time you made the first move to greet someone? Nobody is too high profiled to say Hi! In fact, it makes you an even better person. It might seem like a light matter to be discussing about, but it isn’t. A ‘Hello’ is the shortest distance between two people no matter where they are. Add in a little smile and that is the most beautiful expression in this world. Start saying Hello and you will see what I see.

 

 

.

 

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Enactus Is Here : Let’s Rock Cancer Concert By Nesha Priya Arasu (Chemical Engineering, 1st Year/1st Semester)

Enactus Is Here : Let’s Rock Cancer Concert

By Nesha Priya Arasu (Chemical Engineering, 1^st Year/1^st Semester)

Chancellor Hall, 31^st July 2015 -The Chancellor Hall was buzzing with  excitement during the 'Let’s Rock Cancer Concert' featuring local Malay rock bands. The old school Emmett and Gang, Drama Band, Tonawarna, Azroy the Dashingmen and UTP's very own Last Resort entertained about a thousand guests for 4 hours. Hosted for the second time in UTP, the event was organized by Enactus UTP in collaboration with Yayasan Kanser Malaysia (YKM) and Yayasan UTP (YUTP). Aimed to raise funds for all three organisers, this concert was also a part of YKM's Cancer Awareness Tour. ‘Food Festival’ was also held prior to the concert officiated by Madam Nor Adela Dinyati, Director of YUTP. YKM's chairman, Mr. Mohd Royzilee Mustaffa shared his experience battling cancer and also talked about YKM's mission to instill cancer awareness among Malaysians. The highlight of the event was a special performance by a blind cancer survivor, Mr Razman. Wan Khairul Hazmi, the concert's Project Director commented that the response from the students was great and he thanked all those who worked hard to make the event a success. Needless to say, the audience had an enjoyable Friday night.

The audience just couldn’t contain their excitement.

Photo credits : Syahmi Jajuli (Mechanical Engineering, 3^rd Year/1^st Semester)

Awe-inspiring talent.

Photo credits : Syahmi Jajuli (Mechanical Engineering, 3^rd Year/1^st Semester)

Last performance of the night by Emmett and Gang.

Photo credits : Syahmi Jajuli (Mechanical Engineering, 3^rd Year/1^st Semester)

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Stress is not always an enemy: It can be a friend

Stress is not always an enemy: It can be a friend

What comes to your mind when the word stress is mentioned?  Probably a beating heart, sweaty person, incapacity of holding up in the situation you are. You might think of all bad and unhealthy situations, heart diseases, anxiety and depression. And therefore, you conclude that stress is an enemy. You are right! Apparently most of the workers and students imagine the same thing. But, is there another way to perceive stress? As a motive to work, a boost to our brain power or a resilience. Yes, there is a way to make stress an ally or a friend.

It’s only when stress becomes chronic, or when we feel we’re no longer in control of a situation, that it negatively affects our health and wellbeing. Some people might think that the level of stress is measured by how many problems someone has: that’s partially true. Stress is a person’s adaptive response to a stimulus that places excessive psychological or physical demands on that person. This response has three stages: Alarm, Resistance and exhaustion. It is only at the last stage that your body resistance will be very low.

Some stress lead to positive events; it’s called Eustress. And others lead to negative events; it’s called Distress. Obviously, we are looking for the first one (Eustress). Your thoughts of a problem matters in order to classify the problem as a stressor or an opportunity for you. Managing stress is all about taking charge: of your thoughts, emotions, schedule, and the way you deal with problems. If you can put away negative thoughts and control your emotions; you don’t only become a steel shield against stress, but you make it work for you.

And if it happens that stress went out control; don’t worry! There are plenty of coping strategies that allows you to reconquer stress and dominate it. Some are more effective than others depending on the nature of the stressful situation and the person who is employing them. Therefore, the first most important step is to identify the sources of stress in your environment or life. Because we are in academic milieu or habitat, the major stress sources of students are the studies

Since everyone has different source of stress, there isn’t a single definitive solution for that; since “one size doesn’t fit all”. Different stress management strategies might be adopted.

Strategy 1: Get yourself moving

Physical exercises are proven to be the best stress reliever. Exercise releases endorphins which boost your mood and make you feel good and it can also serve as a valuable distraction to your daily worries. Well, there is no better place for fitness and physical activities than UTP.

•Big fields for football, plenty of different sports courts (futsal, badminton, tennis, volley ball…);

•A beautiful Oval park for Frisbees, walking or jogging

•jog or cycle around the campus;

•workout in the gym

•put some music and dance around (in the Dancing Room, Block B)

Strategy 2: Avoid unnecessary stress or alter the situation

Learn to say “no” to some stressors and avoid people who stress you out. If you can’t avoid the situation, then try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Manage your time, reframe problems, adjusts your standards and focus on the positive.

Strategy 3: Make time for fun and relaxation

Humor and laughter are always a powerful remedy for stress and depression. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. It is a priceless medicine that is fun and easy to use.

Yoga is also a very useful relaxation technique for stress management. It decreases stress and tension; increases strength, balance and flexibility. Plus, it lowers blood pressure and reduce cortisol level.

Ultimately, in conclusion, stress itself does not impact or affect your health; it is the way you react that matters. Life can be challenging sometimes and stress is virtually unavoidable. The person then should take a defensive action in order to adapt and cope with stress.

A bit of stress is always needed to push ourselves to accomplish our objectives and expand our limits: That’s the useful stress.it should be of a little amount and not chronic:
’’ too much of salt spoils the sauce”.

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Tronoh’s Food War By Afiq Shahril

Tronoh’s Food War

By Afiq Shahril

               Every town offers varieties of food. It’s the same thing here in Tronoh. Tronoh was just a mere rural area before the existence of Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Teknologi Petronas. After the booming development, you could start seeing blocks of buildings all over Tronoh. Restaurants were opened to attract the new students. These restaurants have been competing with each other to grab the attention of Tronohans. I have listed the best three restaurants you can find here. Say what you want, but each restaurant offers different specialties and has their own regular fanatic fans.

               Lanz Café became one of the strongest contenders among the restaurants in Tronoh. The signature dish of Lanz Café is definitely Nasi Goreng Lanz Special or Special Lanz Fried Rice. With its large portion, it is definitely mouth-watering among the students. This fried rice is considered special because it has two sausages, fried egg and meat with spicy gravy as the side dishes. With the price of RM 6.50, this dish is worth every penny. Lanz Café also offers a relaxing environment to the customers with the theme of warung style. Not to forget, this café provides fruit juices at a very affordable price of RM 1.50. With its large sized glasses, you will not want to miss it!

               If you think Lanz Café is the only restaurant that offers such large portions of fried rice, then you definitely haven’t heard of NGCC. Some students call this restaurant, Mak Su Restaurant while some just call it NGCC. NGCC or Nasi Goreng Chicken Chop is one of their signature dishes. Of course, the chicken is not as large as the normal chicken chop but with the price of RM3.50, you’ll be content with the serving. Besides Nasi Goreng Chicken Chop, Mak Su also offers another signature dish called Nasi Lemak Special. This extraordinary nasi lemak is served with Keropok Lekor and Cucur Ayam. NGCC or Mak Su is well renowned for its cheap price compared to any other restaurant in Tronoh. Another fact that makes Mak Su so famous among the students, is the fruit juice on offer. Every night, Mak Su will offer a certain fruit juice at a very low price of RM1.00. As a student, this might be the place you want to hang out every night.

               What would a town be without the famous ‘Mamak’ restaurants? Lucky for Tronoh, as we have Farouk Restaurant. Located near Mak Su, Farouk offers typical ‘Mamak’ dishes such as roti canai and nasi kandar. What is so special about it then? Well, Farouk’s nasi lemak can be considered one of the best in town. Its nasi lemak is served with scrumptious reddish fried chicken. Farouk takes its nasi lemak to a whole new level. Farouk also provides typical relaxing environment for the students to hang out and release stress. However, during World Cup or Euro Cup seasons, it is going to be very tough to find seats here as there will be a lot of students enjoying its finest Teh Tarik while watching the matches.

               These restaurants have turned Tronoh into a place where we students can settle down in. With their exceptional affordable prices, students are craving for their tasty dishes. If you are a new student, it is a must for you try these three amazing restaurants. You will not regret it and you might just find a new place for you to hang out and be rid of your hunger after a tiring day. 

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The Art of Sealing a Deal: Securing Sponsors By Thenmalar Rajoo (Petroleum Geoscience, 2nd/1st)

The Art of Sealing a Deal: Securing Sponsors

By Thenmalar Rajoo (Petroleum Geoscience, 2^nd/1^st)

Undercroft, 8^th July 2015 – The Department of Management and Humanities in collaboration with Village 3 Student Representatives, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS have successfully organized a workshop called The Art of Sealing a Deal: Securing Sponsors. This workshop was offered to members of clubs and societies, especially from Sponsorship department. This programme was really helpful as students become members of this department with insufficient knowledge or experience in handling a demanding role. This workshop was organized to achieve objectives like explaining the role of a sponsorship committee, instilling the importance of having fund raising goals, showing persuasive methods and to enhance soft skill strategies when communicating with prospects. UTP’s Million Dollar Lady, Puan Fairus Neeza Mohd Fauzi, UTP Head of Financial Accounting Services was invited to share a wealth of experience through the funds she raised for YUTP, Tapestry of Colours, UTP Mobility Assistance, UTP Capital Expenditure (CAPEX), UTP Operational Expenditure (OPEX) and ESTCON. She emphasised on teamwork and encouraged students to treat their events like a business and to secure long-term commitments with potential sponsors. Our speaker also shared some invaluable tips on how to conduct contributor research and to strategize a sale and also mentioned the reasons on why some proposals fail in securing a good deal.

Puan Fairus Neeza Mohd Fauzi, UTP Head of Financial Accounting Services

 The speaker sharing her experiences and knowledge on securing sponsorship

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International Iftar Night 2015 By Shine Htet Lin (Petroleum Engineering, 1st/1st)

International Iftar Night 2015

By Shine Htet Lin (Petroleum Engineering, 1^st/1^st)

Seminar Room 6, 7 and 8, 10th July 2015- The International Iftar is an annual event organized by International Affairs Department of SRCUTP. The purpose of organizing this event is to introduce delicious delicacies and the amazing cultures of various countries to the students.  Besides, this Iftar session helped to create a very good bonding among students from different backgrounds. The event kicked off at 6 pm and the Deputy Vice Chancellor Tuan Haji Noor Rosli bin Baharom was present there accompanied by Tuan Haji Talhah, Senior Manager, Student Support Services Department (SSSD), Tuan Haji Jalil, Counselor, Student Support Services Department (SSSD) and Mr Wan Tarmizi Ismail, Manager, Residential Village. The next agenda of the day was a lucky draw session and the event came to an end at about 8 pm. The students and invited guests had a great time feasting a succulent meal sponsored by the international students in UTP from countries like Mozambique, Pakistan, Thailand, Yemen, Turkmenistan, Sudan and Myanmar. A huge appreciation to Mr.Ammar Fahmi, Project Director of International Iftar 2015 and not forgetting the organising committees for such a wonderful event.

Student from various countries during International Iftar 2015

Prayer before breaking fast.

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Rage of Washing Machine By Afiq Shahril

Rage of Washing Machine

By Afiq Shahril

                From RM2.50 to RM3.00.  The increase of RM0.50 was enacted recently to all washing machines services in UTP.  According to the representative from Residential College Support Unit (RCSU), the reason of the increment was the increase in capacity from 7kg to 9kg and for the maintenance.  First of all, we would like to thank RCSU for the response. UTP is well-renowned for its achievements in the academic field and similarly, care and concern on the hostel and facilities of its students should be attended.  Not that we are trying to put the blame on anyone, but something needs to be done.

               The washing machine service is one of the most important facility in university considering the packed time-table as well as the waiting assignments. We barely have time to wash our clothes manually. Therefore, we rely on the machine most of the time.  However, the common problem that we are facing is that the machines are always not working.  There are times when the machines work perfectly since the management bought new  washing machines replacing the old ones.  However, when one problem gets solved, up crops another! I am referring to the dryers, which top all the washing machine problems we have in UTP.

www.extremetech.com

               Mischievous  students have found a way to manipulate the coin system of the washing machines for a free wash by using cotton buds.  Even if they have excuses behind this mischief, excuses are still excuses and this need to be stopped. The security cameras installed near the washing machine should be fully utilized to prevent this from happening. We are aware that sometimes it can be very irritating for the machines to undergo maintenance frequently, but isn’t that the mantainence crew’s job?  It is bad considering we have only one decent dryer in each block, and they do not function properly. I’ve experienced losing my 50 cents many times. Even if the machine works, the clothes end up still damp and wet.

               We know that it’s tough to attend to every single problems students may have. We hope that the management will consider conducting regular maintenance on these important pieces of machinery. Put up notices if the machines are not functioning. We cannot afford to lose a lot of 50 cents all the time. To the students who have been practicing in using the cotton buds, please have some empathy. Put yourself in others’ shoes. If you find that it is troublesome to collect the 50 cents, what about the underprivileged students who have to save their lunch money just to get their clothes to be all dry and cozy? We appreciate every single effort that has been put into making the students’ life easier and more comfortable.

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Geoscience Exhibition and Competition - GEnC 2015 By Naviin Balasubramaniam (Petroleum Engineering, 2nd Year/1st Semester)

Geoscience Exhibition and Competition- GEnC 2015

By Naviin Balasubramaniam (Petroleum Engineering, 2nd Year/1st  Semester)

Chancellor Complex, 8^th & 9^th July 2015- Geoscience Exhibition and Competition (GEnC) 2015 is an event organized by American Association of Petroleum Geologist UTP Student Chapter (AAPG-UTP-SC) for the very first time which united geology and geoscience students from different universities around Malaysia to participate in this competition. This event was officiated by Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Mohd Shahir Liew, Dean of Faculty of Geoscience and Petroleum Engineering accompanied by Project Director of GEnC 2015, Lee Ming Xing at Seminar Room 7. GEnC 2015 was organized to enhance the geology understanding of students, prepare the students to face the challenges that might be encountered in the industry, to promote AAPG and to strengthen the bond among Geosciences students in Malaysia. Besides that, another objective of the event is to inculcate students with creative and innovative skills, to become a better geoscientist in the future. Students from four different universities apart from UTP, namely Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Universiti Malaya (UM) and Curtin University forming 18 teams all together including nine teams from UTP, actively participated in the Outcrop Description presentation, Outcrop and Poster Display. There were also two other main events which was Geoscience- related talks and exhibition by the Gold sponsor, Shell , Silver sponsor, LHOIST, Schlumberger, IHS Inc, JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation and lastly, the grand dinner where the winners of respective categories were announced and awarded.

CHAMPION 

Holocene (UM) - RM1, 000 cash + One Trophy + Certificates

1st RUNNER UP

The Crockers (UMS) - RM800 cash + One Trophy + Certificates

2nd RUNNER UP

Geoninjas (UTP) - RM700 cash + One Trophy + Certificates

Best Presentation Award for Outcrop Presentation

Holocene (UM) - Trophy + Certificates

Best Poster for Outcrop Exhibition

Gondwana (UMK) - Trophy + Certificates

Best Booth for Outcrop Exhibition

The Crockers (UMS) - Trophy + Certificates

Amethyst group from UTP during the Outcrop Exhibition.

Photo credits: Thulashi Subramaniam (PG, 2^nd Year/1^st Semester).

CSI group from UTP during the Grand Dinner.

Photo credits: Dharmika Mardhene (PG, 2^nd Year/1^st Semester).

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Grand Iftar 2015 By Nesha Priya Arasu (Chemical Engineering, 1st Year/1st Semester)

Grand Iftar 2015

By Nesha Priya Arasu (Chemical Engineering, 1^st Year/1^st Semester)

V5 Café, 1^st July 2015- At about 6.30 p.m., students clad in Baju Melayu and Baju Kurung flocked to the left wing of V5 cafe to be part of the Grand Iftar. Held to strengthen the bond (Ukhuwah) among Muslims who reside in UTP, especially those living in V5, this break-fast session was organised by the V5 Student Residential Unit (RCSU). Mats were spread on the floor for students to sit on while having their food creating a warm ambience, making the event more exciting. The 2-hour long event was officiated by Mr Wan Tarmizi Bin Wan Hashim, Senior Manager of the Residential Village Unit who gave a short speech thanking everyone who was present. The students had a great time feasting a succulent meal deliberately sponsored by Raayah Cafe and Aishah Food and Catering. To acknowledge their contributions, owners of the cafes were given certificates of appreciation. One of the RCSU Committee members, Muhammad Aizat Hakim Bin Suhaimi commented that he was thrilled to be a part of such an event but hopes to accommodate a bigger crowd next year. He believes that Iftar sessions to come can promote social inclusion among UTPians. The students left with a full stomach and a contented heart.

Students eagerly waiting to enjoy their food with friends.

Faces plastered with smiles.

Owner of Aishah Food and Catering posing with his newly-earned certificate.

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Raudhah Ramadhan 2015 By Nabilah Hassanudin (Business Information Systems, 2nd Year /2nd Semester)

Raudhah Ramadhan 2015

By Nabilah Hassanudin (Business Information Systems, 2^nd Year /2^nd Semester)

UTP, 27^th June – Raudhah Ramadhan 2015 was a charity program conducted by MAKNA and  Big Ideas Group. This program was held with the presence of 20 orphanages like Rumah Nur Kasih Bestari, Rumah Sabinatul Najjah. The kids are ranging from 5 to 10 years old. This program started at 2:30pm at Undercroft UTP after their arrival at chancellor complex. Assistant Project Manager gave welcoming speech and followed by an ice breaking session. From 3:00pm till 6:30pm, the orphans toured around UTP academic complex, An-Nur Mosque and lastly oval park. The facilitators and the orphans grabbed their opportunities to iftar together at Tudung Saji café, at block K. The objectives of this charity program are to introduce Universiti Teknologi Petronas as well as providing space to iftar with the orphans besides giving donation to them. This program ended after the souvenir giving session and wrap up session by the Project Manager. After performing maghrib prayer and tarawih prayer at An-Nur Mosque, the orphans were sent off at 10:00pm.

Iftar at Tudung Saji café.

Welcoming speech by Assistant Project Manager.

Gathering at oval park.

Playing games with the orphans.

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What does your CGPA mean? by Harriniya Sonal

What does your CGPA mean?

Google doesn’t care about your CGPA or at least, Laszlo Bock doesn’t. Laszlo is Google’s Senior Vice President in People Operations. He quoted,“One of the things we’ve seen from all our data crunching is that G.P.A.’s are worthless as criteria for hiring, and test scores are worthless. After two or three years, your ability to perform at Google is completely unrelated to how you performed when you were in school, because the skills you required in college are very different”. He distinctly states that CGPA isn’t everything and you definitely wouldn’t be leading a melancholy life simply because you didn’t score a decent pointer in college. Some go to college just for the sole sake of obtaining a degree and being a graduate while some are genuinely in learning and hope to be revolutionary.

All students would have gone through the suspense and pressure of finding out the exam results. Eventually, most of us would feel that acknowledging one’s results would be a scarier effort compared to sitting for the paper itself. Putting in those long sleepless night and gruelling hours just so to be able to satisfy the passing grade or a full A for all of the subjects does feel good when indeed the results are good. We study hard to get great results to help enter great universities and great universities lead to great job openings and a great job is great money and that is a definite great life. Who does not want a lavish and luxurious life and who doesn’t want to achieve it was early as possible as a fresh graduate? Grades and results are simply admissions to gain opportunities and knowledge that coincidentally make you successful.

A student’s success throughout college years isn’t potentially correlated to their success in the future. Truth be told, maintaining a good CGPA is indeed important to secure a decent job for any student. It is a reflection of the student’s academic potential and their eligibility to contribute to the company they’re bound to be working for. When sitting for an interview, an excellent transcript and a high CGPA does no harm but not forgetting professional skills, practical knowledge, communication skills and problem solving skills are primal conditions as well. When applying for a scholarship, a decent CGPA does have a paramount importance because one of the biggest hitches in a student’s life is the tuition money itself and making sure they have a secured job with them when they graduate.

There are many successful millionaires and billionaires today who never graduated college and some even high school. Everyone knows Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Daniel Ek of Spotify, Bill Gates of Microsoft and Steve Jobs of Apple who all dropped out of college to pursue their own dreams and are successful prominent entrepreneurs today. If they are so successful now whilst dropping out of college, why can’t we do the same? Why can’t we have a change of mind halfway through our studies to drop everything and move on to something else? We can. At least some of us, if they have the right knowledge and gateway to start anew. Your results certainly doesn’t dignify and acknowledge you as a person. You can’t determine how successful a person can be based on their results in college. As they say, a student with a 4 pointer might not perform as well as a student who scored a 3.5 or lesser. The latter might have attained more soft and practical skills compared to the former during their studying days.

I can’t say that getting a good CGPA is pointless or that getting a bad CGPA helps claim yourself to be an outstanding person in other aspects. It’s a conflicting issue, depending on an individual and it is up to you to decide what you want to do with what you’ve learned. Like they say, you probably wouldn’t be able to remember what you scored during high school and how those results were pivotal to determine which college you would be entering. Likewise, in the future, your CGPA will end up losing its clout and it’s up to you to how big of an impression you would want to create before losing it or making it last forever.

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UTP DUATHLON CHALLENGE – 2015 By Suhail Mohammed Gubari (Petroleum Engineering, 2nd Year / 1st Semester)

UTP DUATHLON CHALLENGE – 2015

By Suhail Mohammed Gubari (Petroleum Engineering, 2^nd Year / 1^st Semester)

                                                                                                           

Kayak House, 13^th June – UTP Duathlon Challenge 2015 is a one-day event, organised by Kelab Kembara & Rekreasi (KEMBARA) UTP in collaboration with UTP Kayak Team. The project manager is Mohamed Hakam Husairi Bin Ismail. The main concept of this event is to establish a running and canoe event, also to integrate unity among the participants from various races and nationalities, through health fitness. This challenge is divided into two categories, land and water recreations. After warming up session, the flag-off was at 7:50AM. Twenty teams with two members registered ran for a distance about 6.5km starting from chancellor complex and followed by 1.5km of kayaking. With the arrival of Mr. Ahmad Pg Abdullah, Manager Co Q Unit UTP and Mr. Azrizal Hashri, Sport Executives Co-Q unit UTP, closing ceremony and prize giving were held.

CHAMPION

Sharull Shafik bin Jon Rahmat & Muhammad Syazza bin Md Isa (42.51 minutes)
- Medal and RM70.00

1^st RUNNER UP
Muhammad Arif bin Nasrudin & Mohd Haziq bin Hasnan (45.20 minutes)

- Medal and RM50.00

2^nd RUNNER UP

Ahmad Hassanii bin Ab Star & Cerryvina Ovey Peter Baga (46.32 minutes)

- Medal and RM30.00

Kayaking @UTP Duathlon Challenge FBpage

Group picture of participants and organising committee members

Warming-up session @UTP Duathlon Challenge FBpage

Prizes received by champion from En Ahmad and En Azrizal.

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