Madam Mumtazah's Advices

Salam.




Dear friends,

Do you still remember our beloved Essential English Grammar (EEG) lecturer? Who else if not our sweet and lovely Mdm. Mumtazah Darajat. Well, I just want to say that I miss her a lot. She taught me so many things about English. She made me truly in love with this language. She did many things to gain my spirit, to learn more about the beauty of English. She worked very hard in order to give us full understanding about English grammar and she wanted us to pass Grammar paper because she told us many of her previous students failed the paper due to their lack of understanding toward the course. Things went differently to me. Alhamdulillah. I passed the exam and I admit that it wasn't merely because of my effort alone. Without madam's help, I wouldn't be able to succeed.

During our first day of lecture, in EEG class and before Mdm. Mum started our first lesson, she gave us her most valuable advices and I could still remember those precious words coming out from her mouth until today, as I wrote them in a piece of A4 paper and I keep it with me safely. Whenever I miss her, I will read her words and revising them. These are what Mdm. Mum wanted us to set our minds before we put our whole heart into that course:




"I know what I get myself into."

(Madam shared with us her experience when she didn't want to take English course when she was about our age. She said she totally hated this course, especially when she specialized in Linguistics. It was like she was forced to take Linguistics, although her heart wouldn't allow her to. Soon after, with Allah's blessings, she was able to proceed her studies in this field without any difficulties because she said she knew what she got herself into. That's why she studied hard and gave her best effort in order to make herself more succeed than others.)

"People hire me by loaning the way I speak because of the title 'English'."

(Madam also told us about the importance of mastering English language in today's life. Nowadays, people would hire us if we are not just good but excellent in English speaking. Many employments will not offer us a job if we don't have the ability to speak English very well. This is because English has become the second most spoken language in our country, especially when we want to become a lecturer (English lecturer, of course). That's why, if we talk to the English people using their language, they will high-respect toward you because not all Malaysians can speak English well.)

"If we have a problem, we will have two choices; to get ourselves out of it or we make the best out of it."

(I'm sure that everyone has their own personal philosophy and so do I. One of my philosophies goes like this, "In this life, we are given only two choices (options) in whatever we do. We can choose to be a good person or a bad person. We can choose to succeed or to fail. We can choose to become a doctor or a teacher. We will always be given with two options." Based on what madam told us, if we are facing a problem, by that time, we'll realize that there are only two choices, waiting for us and we know that we must use our whole power to choose either one. Either to run away from it or to try our best to solve it. However, only the brilliants would decide to stay on his/her position and think about the solutions of it and only the cowards would decide to leave it as it is. Let's think about it.)

"Everything happens for a good reason."

(Madam Mum also reminded us that don't be too disappointed if we fail in something and don't be too excited when we succeed in something because everything happens for a good reason and only He knows the reasons behind it.)

"Always look for something."

(We must always look for something in this life. Don't just simply let the time leave us before we contribute something in our life. There are so many things that Allah provides us in this world and it's our job to look for it before somebody else grabs it before us.)

"Never take the course for granted."

(And whatever courses that we take, madam told us not to take it for granted. Always do our best and put our heart into it. Insya Allah, we'll be able to succeed.)


I will always remember all Mdm. Mumtazah's advices and keep it in my heart forever.
Thank you madam for all your precious advices.
I will be the best because I dream to be as successful as you.

p/s: Allah, please bless my madam Mumtazah:)


With love,
Qamar Purnama