As 2nd year Malaysian Campus students transitioning to 3rd year students in the UK campus, summer break isn’t the most relaxing of breaks, even when you’re not working or on an internship program.
Once finals are over, we empty our brains of everything we’ve learnt over the year and live like there’s no tomorrow…until we realise that our examination results will be released soon and we start panicking (well some of us).
The University of Southampton holds their supplementary examinations towards the end of the summer break, hence if we needed to re-sit a paper or papers, we would have to delay getting our visas and therefore our arrival in the UK. An average grade of 55 or above across all modules is also required to proceed to the 4th year of the Masters program.
I would like to take this time to thank everyone that helped me pass my 2nd year examinations. I am eternally grateful.
Passing our examinations allowed us to receive our CAS number from the university which was needed for the VISA application. Along with that, a medical certificate (from taking a tuberculosis test), a bank statement, an official English-translated birth certificate (if funds are in parents’ bank account), etc. were also required.
After submitting the VISA application form online, booking an appointment and attending an ‘interview’, all we can do is wait and see if our application was successful. We should probably finalise our choices for our 3rd year Individual Project in the meantime.
This brings us to my present situation. It’s been more than 15 working days since my VISA appointment and my friends have gotten their VISAs while I’m stressing out and wondering whether my application ended up in the trash.
Other than the dreadful waiting and transition preparations so far, I’ve been enjoying following the SEA Games and even watched the ice skating event live at the new National Ice Skating Stadium. I’m absolutely proud of our Malaysian athletes and I’m sure they’ll continue to deliver in the years to come. (You too, Lee Chong Wei!)
Happy 60th year of independence to Malaysia and let’s pray that I get to write my next blog post in the Halls of Residence in Southampton.
The calm before the storm