By Naeemah Munirah Abdullah
Being a final year student got me into a mix of feelings. When you are reaching the end of your 3rd year, 2nd semester, you would get so excited to be the most senior undergraduate (UG), that is a 4th and a final year student. To see the digit ‘4’ stated in your student portal account makes you really proud. I remember I ‘screenshot’ it and sent the photo to my dad. Without any caption, that photo reflects “At last, I am in my final year.”
When you get to know someone new, and of course it’s a basic question to ask “Are you working or still studying?” and my answer would return the exclamation of “Wow, you are going to graduate soon.” If you are in a situation where nothing is wrong with your study at the moment, you would feel happy and motivated to hear that. But if at that time you are struggling between course works and other commitments, you would just smile in response to such exclamation. Deep inside your heart, you wish you will never bump into that person if you are still there in campus the following year.
As for me, I get to have that kind of feeling repeatedly once I entered the final semester of the very final year. It is no longer exciting. Instead, it is worrying and scary. Having so many subjects that are all 4th level requires a constant will to study. Once the spirit gets weak, I feel like I am so dead. My sleepless nights would either be trying hard to stay awake and work or trying hard to stop thinking of the negative possibilities and to not get carried away with the thoughts which made it hard for me to fall asleep. That is why it is best to finish as many subjects as you can before entering final year. For first semester of first year, perhaps you want to be familiar with the concept and learning environment so it is okay to take only five subjects if you are in the Kulliyyah of Human Sciences (HS). For other kuliyyah, it is certain they already have fixed schedule for each semester.
Starting the second semester of 1st year or first semester of 2nd year, I suggest HS students to take 18 credit hours. If you take 15 and you manage to pass all subjects every semester, your fourth year final semester will not be that packed, perhaps only two to three subjects left. Just to be safe, if you take 18 credit hours since the beginning of your UG studies, you still have space later if it happens that you need to repeat any subject. You will not end up having to take 18 or more credit hours during your very final semester even if you are repeating several subjects. It is advisable to make Plan A and Plan B of your study plan. Arrange all subjects accordingly in each semester to ensure you will graduate in time. You may want to consult your department’s academic advisor as well.
Trust me, you don’t want to know how it’s like carrying the burden of many subjects during your final semester. Subjects get tougher as you go to a higher level. Taking six 1st or 2nd year subjects is way different from six 4th year subjects. The course works are heavier in terms of how you are expected to carry it out. The way you make analysis, the terms you use for your writing and many others are of a different level.
Now that it is finally coming towards the end of my study here in this university since classes have ended and the final examination mode is turned on, the excitement came back. But it is more towards hope to myself to keep the motivation so I don’t give up until the UG journey really ends. In too many cases I have experienced, I know I just can’t function without His will. Those times when you are really in trouble, nobody can help you. You rely totally on God to give you the strength to get up and accomplish the commitments.***