Hello readers, some of you might have known that I recently graduated from a bachelor's degree in Science (Biotechnology) from the University of Malaya. Was biotechnology my first choice when I apply for an undergraduate? Honestly, I had no idea what biotechnology really was. I applied for biotechnology because my senior in foundation did so. I selected the major after being rejected from medical schools. Simply means, I had no other choice. 

I love biology, but I also did quite well in the other science subjects (Chemistry, Maths, and physics) during the foundation study. That was why I always wanted to study medicine. My accumulative grades were 1A  (Chemistry ) 3A- (Biology, Maths, and physics). The grades were good enough to study medicine but probably due to high competition, I did not get any offer. I did get one offer from a private university, but let's not count that in. That is one thing you should keep in mind when applying to a medical school. The competition is really high, you need to score above the average during your pre-med year or foundation in science. 

But I was glad that I did not end up in medical school. The problem with medical graduates these days is difficulty in looking for a permanent placement in a hospital as the number of graduates keeps increasing every year. But if you really want to do medicine, then you should set your goals early and study hard to get a place in a medical school. Also, be prepared and keep your expectations low because it is not all about being glamorous while wearing the white coat. There are responsibilities that come with everything you do. 

Choosing a major in the university can be hard, and easy for some people. It will be hard when you do not have a plan. It will be even harder when you do not have a back-up plan or when things do not go according to plan. Always choose a major that you have the confidence in and it is important to note that the major you choose will most likely determine your career path (though this does not really apply for some people with double majors). Also, choose a minor that interests you the most. My major is in biotechnology specializing in microbiology, and I minored in chemistry. 

Another tip would be to choose a major according to your foundation/A-levels/IB/matriculation grades. If you are good in mathematics, you should choose a major in mathematics or business or actuarial science. Or if you are interested in computer science, then you should possess the right qualifications to choose the major. Never choose a major when you do not have the right qualifications. Let's say you did a pre-university study in arts, but you are applying to an engineering major. Then you will most probably won't be getting the offer that you wanted because you do not have the basics of engineering. Somehow, switching from science to arts is always permissible but not the vice versa.  

Thank you for reading this Part 1 on how to choose a major in the university.

Hey guys, I am finally on Patreon.com. If you do not know what Patreon is, it is a platform where people can pledge to support your work financially. It is easy to sign up to pledge.

As a blogger who does not advertise on the blog, I find it hard to maintain the platform alive and engaging for my readers as there is no source of income. To keep the blog running, I need your support be it RM1.00 to any amount you can contribute, that will be very much appreciated. 

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Hey guys, as you probably have seen from the title, I have graduated from bachelor degree! It has been a gruesome journey but I have learned and matured a lot throughout the 4 years. I graduated with second upper honour, and 3 dean's list awards (UM dean's award is 3.70 out of 4.00 above).

Although I flunked during the start of the semester but I picked up with the pace very fast. I failed an elective which had dragged my entire CGPA down but that's okay. It served as a reminder that I can fail sometimes.

I was already starting my postgraduate studies (Masters of medical science in regenerative medicine) at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya in October 2019 before I graduated in mid October. But I had a change of heart, due to few factors I had to quit. I was initially doing research in stem cells to treat osteoarthritis. I was aware of the possible impact of my research in the scientific community but I had to leave. I will probably blog about the reasons soon.

It feels surreal to finally have a degree, but at the same time it scares me how time is flying really fast and I am adulting very soon. The pressure is real when you don't have your future planned out well. I thought I had it all planned out but I did not come up with plan B. I am doomed.

I guess I will be taking this time thinking of what I should do, probably looking for a stable job or pursuing another postgraduate studies but in different fields while figuring my next steps. God will open doors of opportunities.

My heartfelt gratitude to my amazing family and friends throughout the undergraduate journey and to Yayasan Sime Darby for the full sponsorship!

Remember I've mentioned something about going to Japan in my previous 2018 review blogpost? It was like a dream come true for me and I was so thankful for the experience. Some friends thought that I was pursuing my masters degree, while some thought that I was on a vacation (which I wish I could) but I was there for a short exchange program called the Sakura Exchange Program in Science. This exchange program was started in 2014 and fully sponsored by Japan Science and Technology (JST) agency and the host institute was International Centre of Biotechnology (ICBiotech) Osaka University.

Upon my arrival in Osaka, I was greeted by a bad news that my baggage were left in Kuala Lumpur and it was 6 degree Celsius outside. I was wearing only a layer of knitted shirt. I braved the winter to Kansai airport to wait for the other participants to arrive. I was freezing but luckily a participant from Brunei (Rashmina) and Indonesia (Bhismo) borrowed me their clothing. I was so grateful for that. My begs then arrived at the 3rd day of my stay and Malaysia Airlines never really compensated me for that. Thank you Malaysia Airlines.

During our stay in Japan, we managed to visit few research labs and well-known companies such as Shimadzu and Hakutsuru sake brewing. I was very impressed by the technology that they have and how advanced their were in everything. It almost feels like a heaven for scientists and researchers. Japan is a very developed country with developed people unlike few other developed countries but with a very backward mindset. Their work ethics is something that I learned; they are not on-time but they are early. I was passing by a store in Dotonbori and there were only few people passing by that area, even when no one was there the storekeeper kept holding the banner with full enthusiasm (as if there were people passing by). We also required to attend classes in ICBiotech and the lecturers were always 15 mins earlier to arrive.

I did not take much photos because my Iphone Xs was having some issues before I departed to Japan. Most of the pictures and videos were taken using the other participants' phone. I was literally begging for their phones, lol! Each of the participant was also asked to present something on fermented food technology from our home country so I had the chance to present about Tapai (the fermented rice wine) in front of the ICBiotech director, Professor Kazuhito Fujiyama. It was such a big honor to me to be able to introduce this East Malaysia's indigenous alcoholic drink in front of them.

We were also managed to meet some of the masters-PhD students in ICBiotech and each of them was so passionate about what they are doing. They are coming from a very diverse background and culture and seeing how they overcome difficulties while studying in Japan just amazed me. They have to learn Japanese and pass certain grade (one of the students told me it was 90/100).

We were having a welcome party together with some students in ICBiotech, Osaka University.

 Overall, it was such a great experience and I had my first winter experience in Japan! It snowed on my very last day in Japan and I thought what a beautiful way to end the program. Will visit Japan again in the near future, hopefully! I've shared some photos taken in Japan on my instagram (@aaronnavit) feel free to like them and follow me :)

Are you a fan superfood, or perhaps you are on your diet to achieve that body goals you’ve always dreamed of? This week I had the chance to try The Fish Bowl located in The Gardens Mall and it was such a cool eating experience for me from ordering the food to finishing every last bite of it. The Fish Bowl is located at the lower ground near the intersection between Mid Valley and The Gardens Mall. And it was introduced to me by a dear friend, and I went there with her.




The Fish Bowl offers you plethora of customisable healthy food and it is so easy to order! Get a form provided on the side of the walls, follow the steps, and customize to your preferences. Lastly, present the form at the counter and make your payment. It is that easy. The service is excellent and the food preparation only takes only 5 minutes! It can take a little bit longer during lunch hour but no worries the seats are always available! Did I also mention that the workers are super friendly too? Yes, you heard that right.

If you are not sure what to get, then you can try their signatures. This option is also available in the form. Oh, the food is a little bit on the pricey side especially if you request to add in more sides like raw salmon etc but it is worth it. The menu is as in the photos below! The average price for one bowl is RM20.90 without any drinks. It is affordable if you're not a cheapskate person. Overall, it is a really healthy place to eat and if you have any foreign friends that you would like to impress, bring them over to The Fish Bowl! They will surely love it.