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There was Something Very Nostalgic About My Visit to the USA
The USA has never really been on my list of countries-to-visit, for several reasons. Firstly, I have had the absolute honour of having been born in Southeast Asia—a region that offers the best variety of culinary delights one could ask for (and I stand by that). I have had the luxury of spending four years…
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How I Prepared for a Solo Travel to the USA
As I’m writing this post, six weeks have passed since I returned from Butler, Pennsylvania. It took me a while to really sit down and process my thoughts and emotions of such a significant trip, and I finally feel ready to write about my experience and have it documented here. If you’ve read my PhD…
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After Submitting My PhD Thesis, I Fought Morgott the Omen King
There is a period of around three to four months (or more, depending on your luck) after you submit your thesis where you just…wait for your viva date. The only left to do is to prepare for it, but let’s be real: nobody takes three to four months to prepare for a 20-minute presentation (at…
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My PhD Viva Was One of the Saddest Days of My Life
Before I launch into the story of my viva, I first need to tell you the story of a young, socially awkward girl; the story of who I was about twenty years ago. Three days after completing my primary school UPSR exams, at the age of twelve, my family and I boarded a flight to…
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After 59 Months, I Finally Submitted My PhD Thesis
When I received the final completed questionnaire in October 2022, I thought, this is it. I’ll just analyze the data, spend a few weeks writing the rest of my thesis, and submit before my baby was due in July 2023. Delusional, I know. I did not realize just how much WORK goes into the writeup…
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I Waited 6 Months To Get My PhD Respondents—And That’s Normal
In January 2022, I found myself at Langkawi for the Vice Chancellor’s Office Special Project (VCOSP) workshop, following the Professorial Lecture project with UiTM’s VC at the end of 2021. My colleague and I were roped into another project, this time to “book-ify” (I’m trademarking this term) her “Coffee Talk with Rozie” monthly engagement sessions….
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From Spine Fracture to Changing My PhD Main Supervisor
When my application for unpaid study leave was rejected on 11 June 2021, I decided to throw myself into a bit of…housekeeping work. We had been staying in our new-to-us (rented) home for about 10 months now, but it was a house that needed serious upkeep. For starters, we had moved from a three-bedroom apartment…
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Because of PhD, I Got Help Through NLP Coaching
On 5th August, 2020, six weeks after failing my PhD proposal defense and two weeks before re-defending it, I reached out to NaviGO NLP Centre to ask if they had an NLP Coach program coming up. I was first introduced to NaviGO, under Carsten and Anna, in 2015 when I obtained my Licensed Practitioner in…
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I Failed My PhD Proposal Defense – Here’s Why
By the time I had completed and submitted my PhD proposal, I was already nine months into the PhD programme and registered as a full-time student. In my university, full-time PhD students are required to pass the defense of the research proposal (DRP) within the first year of their study, so I was on the…
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How COVID-19 Saved My PhD
I first heard about the “coronavirus” in early January of 2020. I had already booked a quick getaway to Genting Highlands and was debating whether or not to go, knowing that our trip would coincide with Chinese New Year. I was concerned with the crowds that would inevitably be there. I remember staying up at…