By Revda Selver
GOMBAK, 17 August 2022: Though the COVID-19 pandemic has given challenges to students, for the Best Student (Co-Curricular) award winner, Ummi Hadijah, being able to be present in the IIUM 37th Convocation has proven that they could overcome them.
Graduated from Kulliyyah of Science (KOS), Ummi Hajidah Binti Mohammad Asri conveyed this message in her valedictorian speech in the 6th session at IIUM Cultural Centre (ICC), Gombak campus.
She shared that, when things in the future are uncertain with the COVID-19 pandemic, life appears to always take an interesting turn.
“Especially, as a student from the Kulliyyah of Science, online learning presented even more challenges as it deprived us of the practical experience we needed.”
“We needed to figure out more things on our own as we struggled to digest lectures from glitching screens and poor internet connection,” she added.
The award winner also admitted that sometimes she wanted to quit everything as it seemed like there was no way of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
However, Ummi was reminded by Surah Ash-Sharh, verse five, “So, surely with hardship comes ease. ”
She highlighted the verse is a proof that relief is always twice as powerful when graduates finally get to celebrate their achievements today after the difficulties and challenges they had endured.
She also reminded the audience that the university was not simply a place where one takes the journey to gain an academic degree but is also a place of Jihad.
“It is the place where we have gained knowledge, met people, and embarked on adventures”, she explained.
She further mentioned that life after graduation holds more challenges and uncertainties, but all graduates are strong and have been prepared enough to face them. On her final note, she urged her fellow graduates to use their knowledge and experience to make the world a better place. ***