Nur Azlin Nazera Binti Mohd Azman (MIC180030)

GIG1005 SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Reflective Writing

Nur Azlin Nazera Binti Mohd Azman (MIC180030)                             Date: 9 April 2020

           

            Before the second semester of second year started, I already heard about Social Engagement from seniors and friends and with all honesty, I was not that thrilled about it. At that time, all I knew about the course was that students will be required to volunteer in community projects and from what I had heard, most of those community projects took place at orphanages, food distribution centres and Perkampungan Orang Asli. Same old, same old. I also found out that we had to collaborate with the first years for this project which worried me because of possible clashing that might happen between two big groups. So, I thought that the course would be boring and something that I had to force myself to go through, but I was wrong.

            During the first week of the semester, we had our first meeting with our coordinator Dr Puah, explaining about what the course is about, what project we would be doing and the tasks that were expected of us to complete. Basically, our project involved teaching secondary school students science related subject through demonstrations of simple experiments in which the students can also participate in. The modules conducted were related to the studies of DNA and microbiology which have been taught to secondary school students but only at the surface level. Those two topics were notorious among students for being topics that are heavy and dry. Therefore, with this project, it is hoped that such stigma regarding those two fields of study would be cleared and students would be more interested in learning them. Besides, this project was also a good opportunity to give early exposure to the students regarding what the biomedical science programme is all about.

            When I heard that we would be teaching those modules secondary school students, I got excited as it was different from what I had expected. I thought that it would be fun to demonstrate those experiments and teach the students while learning more about the topics myself. During the same week, on Wednesday which was prior to the day when the module would be conducted, we had to attend an internal workshop in order to understand about the topic and to familiarise ourselves with the experiment procedures before explaining and demonstrating them to the students. Unfortunately, I could not attend the internal workshop due to other subject’s commitment. I did, however, compensate my absence by joining the second internal workshop along with the first years.

            On 28^th February, which was on Friday, we went to SMK (P) Sri Aman at noon to conduct the activity. It felt weird setting foot into the school while not wearing a school uniform. It made me feel out of place especially when we received curious stares from the students. However, it did not make me feel bad or unsettled at all, but I was rather nostalgic about all of it and was reminded how much I have grown since secondary school. I bet my younger self would not expect me to be in schools teaching other kids. After all the facilitators and participants arrived, our activity for the day started with the introduction to the biomedical science programme and the topic we would be teaching which was DNA. The facilitators in charge did their best to explain the basic concepts of our topic so that the students would better appreciate the experiments later. 

            Before the demonstration of the experiments started, the students were divided into smaller groups and each group had several facilitators guiding them. I had volunteered to be my group’s cameraman to capture photos and videos instead of demonstrating the experiments. Through the lens of my phone camera, I found myself going down the memory lane. Seeing the students did the experiments together, with bright smiles and joyful laughter, made me miss my years in school when things were much simpler. During the activity, the facilitators had a short chit chat session with the students. We asked them how they were doing with their studies and what do they want to do in the future. Some answered with confidence and seemed definite with their plans while some were still thinking about it. For those who were still uncertain, I imagined myself in their shoes and did my best to give my advice based on my own experience. I told them that it is okay to not know what you want to do in the future right now because you can always explore the options even after you graduate from school.  Perhaps what I told them that day was what I hoped to hear when I was younger. 

            Even during the heated quiz session, I was feeling sentimental. They were all so eager to answer the questions. I could see their youthful eyes sparkle with such enthusiasm which really strike a chord in me and made me think. When was the last time I was this passionate in doing anything? I wonder at what moment in my short lifetime that my thirst for knowledge left me. Such questions ran through my head as I watched the students compete to raise their hands the fastest just so they could answer the quiz.

            If I could describe my whole experience with one word, it would be emotional. Being a second-year degree student, a fast-paced life is inevitable. We are occupied by our present as we rush through our days completing assignments and studying for tests while worrying for the future, not knowing what it holds. Those stressful days make it easy for us to forget of how we started. Meeting those girls in SMK (P) Sri Aman really reminded me of how I was in my first year and how I still should be now; ambitious, curious, passionate and eager to gain knowledge. Therefore, I am very grateful for the opportunity to be part of this project and now I can definitely say that Social Engagement is not a dreadful course after all.

(993 words)