Flipping Through the Pages of Moments: Farah’s University Journey

IMU Psychology Club

I have always believed university encompasses more than academics. Hence, I started by joining the IMU Psychology Club to enrich my university experience. Serving as both the Social Media Manager and President of the Club in subsequent years has instilled in me resilience and adaptability, especially as I navigated the transition from online to offline events over the past two years. I am immensely thankful to all the main committee members for their unwavering guidance and support throughout our tenure.

Gala night

This special event marked my first big event organisation as the President of IMU Psychology club. Together with an intern from IMU Psychology & Counselling Learning Centre (PCLC), we united students from the Psychology Programme as well as lecturers from Psychology Department for a memorable evening of reunion in Espira Kinrara after the prolonged pandemic hiatus. It was unforgettable how we watched the performance by the students as well as exchanged heartwarming stories and laughs with the lecturers.

Minda Sihat Programme

In June 2022, IMU Cares coordinated the Minda Sihat Programme in collaboration with IMU Psychology Department. This initiative aimed to raise awareness about mental health within the B40 Community through a variety of activities such as Hanoi Tower, Mandala Drawing, Biofeedback, and mirror tracing exercises.

As the President of the IMU Psychology Club at the time, I was approached by IMU Cares and IMU Psychology Department to assist in disseminating information and recruiting participants from the IMU Psychology programme. I vividly recall the enthusiasm exhibited by visitors to our booths, their keen interest in mental health matters, and the overarching message conveyed throughout the programme regarding the significance of mental well-being, on par with physical health.

3 Minutes Thesis Competition

During Psychology Day in 2023, IMU Psychology Club organised various activities, including the highly anticipated 3 Minutes Thesis Competition. As I was no longer the main committee member, I was eager to join the event held by the new main committee members. Encouraged by my thesis supervisor, Dr Joshua Ng Joo Hou, I decided to participate despite my lack of experience in presenting a thesis proposal within such a brief timeframe. I managed to achieve the first place, an achievement for which I am immensely grateful. This experience underscored the importance of seizing opportunities and receiving mentorship, both of which I found invaluable.

Internship

I served my internship in IMU Psychology & Counselling Learning Centre (IMU PCLC), where my tasks involved in assisting the administrators in liaising between trainee counsellors and clients as well as handling details pertaining to the therapy sessions. Here are some notable highlights from my internship experience.

University of Newcastle Students’ Visit to IMU University

On the day IMU University hosted University of Newcastle students in an exchange programme, I was delighted to have an opportunity to guide them through our facilities and explain about our Psychology programme. It was enlightening to discuss the differences between psychology programmes in Australia and Malaysia, mental health stigma as well as exchanging cultural anecdotes!

Malaysia Psychology Students Assembly (MAPSA 2023)

MAPSA 2023, a national-scale conference uniting students from universities across Malaysia, serves as a forum for research exchange and academic discourse. With encouragement from my thesis supervisor, Dr Joshua Ng Joo Hou, I submitted my abstract and was thrilled to have it accepted under the Educational Psychology category.

On the event day, I immersed myself in diverse research presentations and engaging discussions. Alongside oral presentations, poster presentations offered insights into various areas of psychology as well.  Networking with peers from various universities in Malaysia enriched my understanding of psychology in Malaysia and sparked vibrant conversations about our research and university experiences.

Hospital Bahagia Visit

Another compelling aspect of my internship was the visit to Hospital Bahagia in Tanjung Rambutan, Perak. I appreciated the opportunity to gain deeper insights into the lives of patients and the daily routines of healthcare professionals at this hospital. This experience provided me with valuable exposure to mental health disorders, which aligns closely with my academic interest in clinical psychology, a field I plan to pursue in my future studies.

Witnessing firsthand how healthcare providers compassionately cared for patients, including moments like celebrating a patient’s birthday, was particularly poignant and heartwarming. Additionally, visiting the museum filled with hospital tools dating back a century ago was an unforgettable highlight of our visit.

Psychology & Counselling Research Symposium

As part of my internship experience, Dr Serena In tasked me with organising the “Psychology & Counselling Research Symposium” in IMU University which was open to all students. The aim from this symposium was to explore further on contemporary topics in psychology which are relevant to our lives.

Despite juggling tasks in IMU PCLC and completing my thesis, I saw it as an opportunity to enhance my multitasking skills. Collaborating with Dr Serena In, Dr Shamala Ramasamy and Nurul Atiah, I managed the logistics, event layout, liaised with speakers, and adapted to last-minute changes. I was grateful to the lecturers from IMU Psychology Department and IMU Alumni from Psychology programme who agreed to serve as speakers for this symposium.

Overall, it was a very insightful experience!