AARON LEOW WEN FENG
BACHELOR OF MARKETING (HONS)
August 2009

I was thinking back at the days when I first stepped into UTAR and how the 3 years have passed and how the very dynamic groups of friends, lovely housemates and brilliant classmates have influenced my life. Having all these wonderful people around me simply makes me feel settled. I always have the 3 groups of people around me throughout the majority of my time in the campus. I certainly feel that all these people have made an impact in my life. However, having the wonderful group of peers is really not enough to transform me to the person I am today - not yet successful but totally motivated, confident yet humble.

Having mentioned this, I owe my gratitude towards this institution that has provided me with the platform to grow and experience working together in a group of people in a roller-coaster ride. I am proud to say that I was a committed member of the Career Development Club. Joining this club helped me develop myself very much. In the 2 years of joining this club, I have learned a lot in terms of man management and development of soft skills. I recall the difficulties of organizing both major and minor events, handling problems within members of the club as well as being innovative in looking for solutions. Joining this club also led me to know more friends who have great attitude towards improvement.

We organized a leadership camp at the beginning of the year and I still remember the difficulties we had when we were organizing the camp. Everyone of the organizing committee made sacrifices in ensuring the smooth flow of the event, including myself and the chairman of the club, that we knew we were not liked by a certain group of people in the campus. However, the positive I got is that we succeeded with the camp and the committees were really supportive towards our actions that made us seen as a "hate figure". What I have gained were the workable solutions we were able to get and we understand that we cannot satisfy everyone else in the world for the benefit of the club. Therefore, as the leaders of the club, we had to make decisions that may look bad to others. It was through this camp that I start to overcome one of my personal weaknesses, the height phobia. I felt great after moving a step towards overcoming the fear and I am now trying to make more improvements.

I am not writing to promote the club, but I am writing to express my gratitude towards the University and to share with all the fellow students here about the priceless benefits that we can get being actively involved in co curriculum activities in the campus. I am sure we realize that there are numerous clubs and activities for the students to join. Therefore, I firmly believe that the excuse of being not interested is unacceptable as the clubs and activities available range from sports to recreational to creativity to human development.

For those who are looking for continuous learning and improvement, you can find your opportunity to develop by being actively involved in extra curricular activities. Life in the University is not just about studies, friends and entertainment; it also includes soft skills and personal development. Before I conclude this article, big thanks to the University for providing me a great foundation to improve and perform as a preparation for the working world.

As the influenza is spreading so freely, please take good care of yourselves and always stay healthy.

Good luck and all the best!