ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB UiTMCPP E-LINGO APRIL 2023 ISSUE 1 / 202 3 Kampus Bertam OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER
Tableof Contents Articles by Students Poems by Aspiring Poets 01 03 02 04 Club Reports Films & Song Reviews by Students Section - Table of Contents English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 05 Forewords Page 1 - 3 Page 4 - 35 Page 36 - 56 Page 57 - 61 Page 62 - 68
Lead Directors Editorial Board Associate Professor Ts.Dr.BasharudinAbdul Hadi Deputy Rector of Student Affairs Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang Language Editors Dr. Norhaslinda bt. Hassan Head of Learning Centre Academy of Language Studies Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang Mr. Noor Azli bin Affendy Lee Mr. Muhammad Aiman bin Abdul Halim Dr. NurIlianis binti Adnan Dr. Nur Husna binti Serip Mohamad Pn. Nazima Versay Kudus Chief Editor Erika Clarissa Anak Edwin Assistant Editors Sherlynna Edelweiss Sylverius Nur Alya Batrisyia binti Zukmi
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 1 Promoting mental health and emotional wellbeing in youths is vitally important so that this target group can lead to a fulfilled and productive lives. As a mother to an infant with the career of a lecturer, I personally understand the difficulty in playing multiple roles with society’s expectations which could bring a range of emotions at some point. However, I am very much lucky to be surrounded with supportive family members and friends, who constantly connected with me, in making sure that I can successfully adapt to this difficult stage. I realised that it was just a phase which is permissible to go through, and can be faced with the support of others. MEET THE CLUB ADVISOR DR. NUR HUSNA My POV Mental health and wellbeing can be affected by the surrounding community, work related manner and educational opportunities, family, social life or personal experiences. No doubt that most people are able to manage life experiences and overcome the challenges that are part of all of our lives but this is not the case for some people. FOREWORD Having a strong, vibrant communities with the skills and capacity to support and listen to each other’s need without expectation is very important. Through such communities, young generations especially the youths can feel supported through strong relationships, sense of belongingness and community citizenship. Our issue is dedicated to mental health wellbeing to acknowledge the youths’ feelings and difficult phases that they are currently facing or previously experienced in their life. Understanding these feelings will give the society a much better idea of the key priorities and responsibilities in tackling this concerning issue. Section - Forewords English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 MEET THE CLUB PRESIDENT The term “Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing” has been published and advocated many times across the media, news, and talks. Yet when the role is experienced by an individuality to take action as a helping hand to their peers, family, orfriends. Many voices reaching out left unheard. This newsletteris an approach that offers accessible platform for UiTM students to share their thoughts, ways, and ideas to tackle this difficulty that puts a lot of people in a tight spot. Through organizer’s hard work and effort, we are able to share our unique personal worldviews and experiences by virtue of creativity and innovation. “What keeps life fascinating is the constant creativity of the soul” – Deepak Chopra, a quote from an Indian-American author that precisely emphasis the need for continuous presence of creativity andwild spirit. The pages within have been filled with the work that originated from imaginative minds of potential youths that introduces a prospect surpassing past generation in terms of freedom in self-expression. Optimistically through this endeavour, more untapped potential of UiTM youths may be harnessed and honed parallel with the vision of UiTM in becoming a world class university. FOREWORD ZAWAWI PAGE 2 Section - Forewords English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
About me: Greetings,readers!Welcometothe1stissueofe-LINGO2023. Thisyear,IamgrantedthepositionofchiefeditorfortheofficialnewsletteroftheEnglish LanguageClub.Similartothepreviousissue,e-LingoIssue1/2023coversalloftheclub'sactivities duringtheprevioussemester.However,inthecurrentissue,thisnewsletterpresentedan exhilaratingtheme,MentalHealth&EmotionalWell-Being.AtopicIbelieveeveryonecan associatewith. Therefore,Iamverythrilledandmostimportantly,gratefultobegrantedthis positiontoeditthenewsletter. Thisbi-annualprojectprovidedthepurposeofencouragingstudentstounleashtheirliterary talentintheformofcreativewriting,consequentlyimprovingtheirEnglishlanguageefficiency andincreasingtheirengagementinvariousEnglish-spokenactivitiesinthefuture. Youwillfindcaptivatingcreativewritingwrittenbystudents. Forinstances,articles, poems, filmandsongreviews.Thesecreativewritingmaterialsrecordedthepersonalexperienceandraw emotionofstudentsasawaytoexpresstheirthoughtsonmentalhealth.Theyaretruly fascinating. Nottoforgetanimportantmessageofgratitudetowardsourpatrons,AssociateProfessorTs. Dr.BasharudinAbdulHadi,theDeputyRectorofStudentsAffairsinUiTMPulauPinang,Dr. Norhaslindabt.Hassan,theDepartmentHeadofAcademyofLanguageStudies; andofcourse ourclubadvisors-Mr.NoorAzliAffendyLee,Dr.NurIlianisAdnan,NurHusnabintiSerip Mohamad,Mr.MuhammadAimanAbdulHalimandPn.NazimabintiVersayKudus-whohad guidedusthroughouttheprocessofcompletingthenewsletter,andourclubpresident,Zawawi binMohdAzharuddin. Well,thatisaboutitforthechiefeditor’sforeword.Ihopeyouhaveafunreadaheadandsatisfy withourpreciouswork.Itwouldbegreatlyappreciatedbytheentirecrewifyouhelpusspreadthe messagetomorepeoplebysharingthisnewsletterwithyourbelovedfriendsandfamily. MEET THE CHIEF EDITOR FOREWORD ERIKA CLARISSA English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Section - Forewords APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 3
ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB E-NEWSLETTER 2023 - ISSUE 1 Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 4
Article 1: PUTTING YOURSELF FIRST Ambition and goals are something which every student needs. It is the main driving force of humans as a whole. Even from an early age, we are pushed into thinking that our studies are the most important thing in our life, and in this day and age, it certainly is true. Almost every job requires some sort of certification and oftentimes it determines your ranking and job position. A highschool diploma can only get you limited positions, a degree is required for many higher-paying jobs, and if you want a more stable, long term job, a master degree is a must. The competition is tough in this era. It is sensible to understand the utmostreasons in furthering education. Such priority and goals can be observed everywhere in today’s world, especially in social media settings and real life, where everyone is pushing for the go-getter attitude. Many students are challenging themselves to their limits and sacrificing their leisure time to achieve the desired goals. It does not help that no matter what course we enrolled into, either science, business or arts, the workload for each of them is anything but light. FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE: PRE-DIPLOMA IN SCIENCE NURNABILA YASMIN BINTI ZAINAL ASMADY The only thing that has been fed to us is that the students just need to push themselves a bit more, and sacrifice their time. If ambition is the foundation, then hard work and dedication are the pillars to our success. Sacrifices must be made to achieve our goal, and we cannot give nothing or expect something in return. This includes sacrificing mental health to achieve the desired goal. Unfortunately, it is regarded as a common thing to achieve success. English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Section - Articles by Students APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 5
This attitude can be observed in social media where people are demonstrating their lack of sleeping hours due to the workload, or students bragging on meals they have missed in orderto focus on their studies. In fact, I have personally done those things myself. I spent nights downing multiple cans of coffee to stay up and finish the assignments. I have skipped meals and bailed out on hanging with my friends and family. We have normalized sacrificing so much in the name of our education and that those who don’t do it are perceived as lazy. On the other hand, those who are laid back are perceived negatively by their surroundings. Students are drilled to put their education first instead of themselves to a terrifying degree. To put it into perspective, one of the highest leading causes of suicide rates in the world is related to academic reasons including stress or failures. In Malaysia, it is said that academic-related suicides have increased in 2019 with an estimation of 5 cases per day. This is driven by academic pressure and stress due to the workload and peers expectations. Along the way, students tend to develop severe mental illnesses such as increased anxiety and clinical depression. Many students even turn to substance misuse as a way to forget about their academic achievements and as a source of escapism. Although there are contradicting perspectives on studies and achieving one’s goal, strive for the right balance of work and play in your life so you don’t overwork yourself norruin your education. Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 6
Also remember, that no matter how important education is, your health comes first. If you are feeling mentally drained or exhausted, take a break and focus on improving yourself. Those who think this is ridiculous, just remember, if you are feeling sick or coming down with a flu, you would have taken a day off from class or work. Well, this same concept should be applied to our mental wellbeing as well. If you are feeling too overwhelmed, it’s good to talk to someone you trust or a counselor about your problems. To make use of an allegory I heard, in an event of a plane crash, we should always put the mask on ourselves first before others who need assistance such as babies or the elderly because if we prioritize them first we are only putting both of us at risk. However, if we use this as an allegory for mental health it completely falls apart because we should not wait for a mental health breakdown before we start prioritizing ourselves. We should never wait until the very last minute to prioritize something as important as our health because by that time, it is too late. In conclusion, putting yourself first should never be a negative or something to be ashamed of. We, students and adults alike, should strive to unlearn the mentality where education or our work is above our physical and mental wellbeing. Give time to yourself to relax and give yourself some credit for the work you have accomplished. Thankfully, more and more people are becoming aware of this problem and are making an effort to better themselves and passing a healthier work-study mentality to the younger generations in hopes to break the cycle. Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 7
Article 2: Mental health awareness By Nurul Syahirah Binti Azhar - Faculty Of Hotel And Tourism Management Our mental health is affected by various factors including our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It impacts our thoughts, emotions, and actions, as well as our ability to handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is crucial at every stage of life, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood. If you experience mental health problems, yourthoughts, mood, and behaviour may be affected for a long time. Various factors can contribute to mental health issues, such as biological factors like genetics and brain chemistry, and life experiences such as trauma, abuse, or a family history of mental health problems. Help is always available Mental health problems are common, but help is available. This means that individuals struggling with mental illnesses can recover and lead better lives. However, if mental health conditions are not addressed by trained professionals, they can worsen and have more detrimental effects on a person's life. The stigma Individuals who experience mental health problems are often stigmatized by society because of a lack of understanding. One example of mental health stigma in society is the use of harsh languages, such as “crazy” or “insane” to judge or label individuals with mental health conditions. As a result of this stigma, they may choose to isolate themselves and avoid socialising with others, including loved ones. This is because they may feel that others do not care or do not comprehend what it's like to live with mental health conditions. Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 8
The indicators of Mental Health Early indicators of mental health issues include feelings of hopelessness, isolation, and difficulty thinking, feeling, or behaving normally. Identifying which mental illness is responsible for these symptoms can be challenging. However, seeking an accurate diagnosis from a doctor or mental health professional is essential to determine the appropriate treatment. These professionals can help address mental health concerns through check-ups, appointments, sharing sessions, and other methods. It's important to remember that you are not alone, and there's no need to be fearful. If you experience early signs or symptoms of mental health problems, don't hesitate to seek help from a doctor or mental health professional. As university students, were are going through numerous experiences that could cause high anxiety and depression. Sometimes, our environment and the people around us could be very toxic and affects our mental well-being. If the students in this position do not find solutions and address the issue quickly, it could affect their mental health. Students that are unable to cope with all these could experience mental health issues, which in turn disrupts their studies. Some of them are distressed by the problems they face, and some even decided to give up and quit their studies. Mental health in students Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 9
This act of talking about our experiences can lead to better mental health and greater resilience as we navigate the challenges of university life. There are other ways to maintain good mental health. These include seeking professional help when needed, building connections with others, maintaining a positive outlook, engaging in physical activity, assisting others, participating in charitable initiatives, and ensuring adequate sleep. People with sound mental health are able to reach their full potential while effectively managing life's challenges. They are also able to work productively and make meaningful contributions to their communities. Thus, one way to deal with this and improve our mental health is by sharing our problems with someone that we trust, such as parents, family or friends. As another option, we can also approach trusted people such as counsellors or psychologists. When we tell stories and share about the problems we face, we will most likely feel less stressed than before. Sharing problems ease our minds and reminds us of the fact that we are not alone and there are people around who are willing to help us. Not just that, we might get valuable advice and solutions on how to overcome the problems that we are facing. In summary, it's important to avoid carrying harmful thoughts and emotions within ourselves. We all deserve to experience happiness and should not allow mental health problems to limit our potential and future. It's essential to recognize that every challenge has a solution, and we're not alone in our struggles. There will always be someone to support us, no matter what happens. Ways to improve our mental health Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 10
ME TOO Don't Worry, Have you ever had those days where you are just filled with unknown sorrows and depression like it was going to consume you whole? Have you ever felt so worthless, and at the lowest state you have ever been? Have you everlaid in bed all day doing nothing not because you are lazy but you are way too unmotivated to do anything? Have you ever felt so empty and emotionless and nothing makes you happy anymore? How about the difficulty in breathing from a sudden panic attack that you don’t know what triggers it? Have you ever had suicidal thoughts and even thought of harming yourself with those blades and scissors resting on yourtable? Don’t worry, me too. NURUL AFIQAH BINTI MOHD SUKRI I am not writing this to compare you to me. I am not here to belittle your feelings. I am not here to say that ‘Someone had it worse than you’. I am not here to say that your way of dealing with depression is invalid. I am not here to ever say that you don’t deserve to be called mentally ill. I understand you. Even if what you felt was so little and small, or you are not ‘severely ill enough’ to be considered mentally ill. There are levels of depression, sure. But even if you felt the slightest of it, you deserve to seek help. You deserve to be acknowledged. You deserve to feel what you felt. Your feelings are valid. You have every right to feel what you felt. And I am here to say, Don’t worry, me too. FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES I've got your back ARTICLE 3: Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 11
I feel you. I get you. I understand what you felt, even if you have no idea what caused your depression. I am here to say that all your breakdowns are completely normal, that you are not alone in this fight. Do not fret or worry, we are all in this together. We must, or at least try to fight it. Defeat it, and conquer it. Once you get a hold of what makes you depressed in the first place, you can overcome even more and destroy it completely. But of course, fighting is exhausting. Especially if you are alone, and nobody understands you. Sometimes, your parents may invalidate your feelings, and you need to hide your mental health issues from those around you. You felt like seeking help is impossible. There are times when you just don’t have any energy to do anything. You cannot fight it, you let it engulf you. You let yourself swim in a pool of tears, from the sadness that took over you countless times for God knows whatreason. Don’t worry, me too. Don't bottle things up Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 12
It never goes away, but you can still heal in the process. And it takes a long, long time to heal. To recover from your past traumas, to escape the constant cycle of intrusive and suicidal thoughts. So, it is okay to feel like you are not making progress at first. It’s okay. You are not alone. Don’t worry, me too. It’s okay, it’s completely okay to take little steps when recovering. It is okay to move slowly as long as there is progress. And it is also completely okay if your progress is little to none, too. Take your time. Forcing will only hurt you more. And sometimes, just willpower is not enough. You have to seek medication in orderfor you to recover. Don’t worry, me too. I used to be like that too. But after conquering the suicidal thoughts that I used to frequently had, I am finally, slowly healing. Recently, I have hit my first 100 days milestone of being clean from self-harm !! I was so proud of myself. And I believe you can do it too. I had those times too. PAGE 13 I’ve gone to the psychiatric clinic and have been on medication for almost 2 years now. It was hard persuading my parents to let me get checked about my mental health at first, but they gave in eventually. Don’t be afraid to seek help. Don’t be afraid to speak up. If your parents are really against you in this matter, you can try to talk to counselors or Befrienders. You can also find a friend to help you in this fight. I am on medication as strong as 500mg a day. I have had countless changes of the medication I took in order to find a suitable antidepressant for me. Escitalopram, Clonazepam, Aripiprazole, Mirtazapine, Desvenlafaxine, Seroquel IR. I’ve taken them all. It was hellish to find the one that helps me the most, and the doctors kept on increasing the doses. But in the end, I am still depressed. The thing about Major Depressive Disorder is; usually, it never goes away. Ever. You’ll continue to live with this disorder for the rest of your life. That is why, even if you are on medication, you sometimes feel like it isn’treally working. You feel horrible and useless. You feel like a burden and an embarrassment. You seek help but are still the same at the end of the day. You still had those suicidal thoughts. You felt like all of what you did is to no avail. Don’t worry, me too. Source: Malaysian Mental Health Association / mmha.org.my Psychiatric visit. Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 Befrienders 03-76272929
Self-harming might be extreme to others, but to us who are mentally ill, it is quite a common reaction. At first, I see the scars on me as ugly marks I’ve made because of my disorder. Something I would be so ashamed of if people noticed these scars on me. Now, I don’t really care anymore. They are my battle scars from all those depression episodes I fought and defeated. I am not proud of them, but I am extremely proud that I had conquered these self-destructive urges that used to be a daily occurrence in my life. I can, and you can, too. Find your own effective way of fighting these urges. Eat a very sour lemon. Snap rubber bands on your wrist. Hold an ice cube. Throw out blades and keep the scissors away. Take a shower when you feel the urge to selfharm. Are your limbs covered in self-harm scars? Are you hiding your arms on purpose to cover those scars? Do you sometimes have to lie about those bruises on your knuckles are from accidents, when you actually punched the walls because you just couldn’t hold it in anymore? Don’t worry, me too. But, there are times when you just couldn’t hold back. You relapsed and you felt terrible immediately after. All those days being clean and you lost the streak, you thought to yourself. You felt useless, worthless even. Don’t worry, me too. Did you know, relapsing is actually a part of recovery ? It is actually a sign that you are recovering. So, do not worry if you relapsed. What’s important is that you break free of the relapse episode. As I have said before, find the source, defeat it, and conquer it. Life may be hard sometimes, the future is uncertain, but it gets better. I promise. Even when everything feels like it’s going downhill, remember : hurting yourself is not worth it. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You deserve love, you deserve help, you deserve to live happily. You are not worthless, you are not alone. You matter. You are loved. You are worth way more than what you thought of yourself. Lastly, stay safe and stay hydrated !! Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 14
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 15 Do you know that cats bring many benefits to humans? Do you know that cats do not just sit around eating, sleeping, even catching cockroaches and delivering them to us? Apparently, cats proved to carry many positive impacts. There are many effects of social interactions between cats and their owners which are cats can: Promote calmness Make us happier while keeping negative emotions at bay Reducing emotional tension during a pandemic, Improving cats’ positive behaviors, increasing total interaction time, Fulfil each other's preferences to interact, Provides beneficial health effects for the owner Improved executive functions. https://www.zerochan.net/2321543 https://www.zerochan.net/2321543
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 16 Firstly, cats can promote calmness. This might be the reason for the popularity of cat cafes nowadays. Spark (2018), cited in Cohut, (2018) quoted that cats will settle down and be serene, with a serenity that passes all understanding. She also said the fact that a cat’s presence affects one’s concentration is mysterious yet remarkable. According to Spark, a cat's calmness slowly affects its owner by giving the owner's mind back the self-command it has lost. Then, cats can make us happier while keeping negative emotions at bay. Promote calmness Although cat videos could increase someone’s procrastination, it can prepare the person’s emotions to take on tough tasks (Myrick, 2015, cited in Cohut, 2018). Moreover, Cats Protection, 2011, cited in Cohut., 2018 found that people felt at ease when they were with cats. Among those cat owners, 87% believed that their well-being improved when having a cat. 76% felt that they can cope better with daily stress thanks to their cats. A soothing massage for the soul is by sitting with a purring cat at the end of the day (Cats Protection & Skillings, 2011, cited in Cohut, 2018). Cohut (2018) used optimistic tone, he wrote this topic positively even though he used complicated words that make it hard to digest. He added, target readership is the general audience, especially those who want to adopt pets. Prepare your emotions https://www.zerochan.net/2321543
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 17 Besides, there is a possibility of reducing emotional tension during a pandemic by having cats. The majority of respondents experienced those benefits. Stammbach and Turner, 1999, cited in Jezierski, et al (2021) found that human social support and owner attachment to the cat were interrelated. Their results indicated that cats can substitute other humans in their social network. Cats also appear to be an additional source of emotional support. https://www.zerochan.net/2321543 Next, cats’ positive behaviors could have been influenced by the presence of the owners in the house. A study shows that cats establish close relationships with their owners and expect commitment and attention from them. However, the behavior of cats may be due to their peculiar personality and upbringing. For instance, the owner can be an introvert while the cats can be super-outgoing. The amount of handling also affects a cat’s attachment to its owner (Turner, 2017, cited in Jezierski, et al, 2021). A study done back in 1984 (Jezierski, et al, 2021) where cats which have been handled for 40 minutes a day stayed significantly longer than cats handled for only 15 minutes a day. It is also possible that due to the longer time the owners spent at home, there was a higher probability for them to observe their cats for any changes in their behaviors. The COVID-19 pandemic did not create many difficulties for cat owners in regard to cat care and did not impact cats’ behavior, as reported by their owners. Mostly positive behavioral changes were reported. Jezierski (2021) used a formal tone because the explanation stated in a calculated and scientific way. Reduce emotionaltension Acat's behaviour
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 18 Eventually, the total interaction time between the owner and the cat will be greater (Turner, 2021). Especially when cats initiate the contact first when both of them are present in the house. However, there are owners that let their cats roam free outdoors because they are perceived to be less sociable, thinking that this action could solve the issue. Another problem may arise where the cat might get used to outdoor social interaction. By restricting the cat's access to the outdoors, for a day or two might cause stress to them. This could lead to the amount of contact initiation by the cat. Then, both parties are willing to fulfil each other's preferences to interact. This could be proven whether the owner frequently complies or not with the cat’s approaches and vocalizations. The interaction between the owner and the cat In a real life situation, men sometimes complain that cats prefer to interact with women. To trigger a change in a cat, the author has often suggested that men feed the cats several days in a row and/or to move down to the level of the animals when interacting. According to Mertens (1991), cited in Turner (2021), women have been found to have done those two activities. These have never been tested but show promise for improving the men’s relationships. Turner (2021) tone is chatty and complex because the author wrote this in an informal and conversational way plus a lot of different points being mentioned in one effect. The target’s readership is the owners who want to know how to interact differently between outdoors and indoors cats. https://www.zerochan.net/2321543 https://www.zerochan.net/2321543
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 19 In my case, whenever I feel stressed out over life problems and need to calm myself down, I will play with them. Next, owning a cat provides beneficial health effects for the owner. According to Nagasawa et al.(2020), cat ownership has been linked to a reduced risk for minor health problems, such as headaches and hay fever. Petting a cat can decrease blood pressure and heart rate. Cat ownership is associated with a decreased risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. Cats can be sources of emotional support for their owners and reduce negative emotions. Beneficial health effects Illustration by Jiro @ jiro_rincho, Twitter https://twitter.com/jiro__rincho?lang=en Improve executive functions Finally, recent studies have shown an association between owning pets and improved executive functions. It is proven that cats’ behaviours and reactions influenced the human’s physiology and psychology. For example, a viral video of a cat hugging a teddy bear. Its reaction after the bear was taken away had amused the public. The cat’s behaviour can improve the working memory controlled by the brain's prefrontal cortex (PFC).
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 20 The PFC can be activated by petting or hearing a cat. Moreover, owning a cat could help improve nonverbal communication skills of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The tone used by Nagasawa et. al (2020) is objective because it is written without discrimination, impersonal and based on facts. The targets are those who are researching the effects of cat’s behaviour towards human’s body. The purpose is to highlight cats' positive effects on their owners’ physiological and psychological health. In conclusion, having a cat can bring benefits to its owner such as improving concentration, relieving stress, promoting calm, happiness and comfort. The cat owners did not encounter many difficulties with cat care during COVID-19 pandemic and it did not impact cats’ behaviour, instead positive changes were reported. A prolonged exposure to pandemic might change human-animal interaction and the welfare of pet animals. Other than that, contact initiation between both parties have resulted in many significant effects. Also, any type of interaction between a cat and its owner like daily interaction with a cat can initiate a person’s PFC. Conclusion
EXPERIENCES OF VOLUNTEERISM HABITS By: Nurul Hikmah Binti Mujaddid & Fatin Liyana Binti Ahmad Syaarani Faculty of Hotel & Tourism Management Volunteer habits can be defined as a form of help in which individuals actively seek out opportunities to assist those in need, make substantial and continuing commitments to assist, and sustain these commitments for extended periods. In contrast to obligatory aids that occur within the context of ongoing relationships, volunteers frequently do not know the persons they will be aiding beforehand and have no prior ties of obligation to them. Volunteering has a lot of physical and mental advantages. According to experts, focusing on someone other than yourself lessens stress since it interrupts your typical tension-producing behaviours. Our own experience with volunteering has taught us the importance of expressing gratitude for what we have. For instance, the fact that we still have a home to live in or even food to eat is reason enough to express gratitude for the present situation. Through our voluntary working experiences, we get the opportunity to observe a lot of people living in poverty who are having a hard time providing food for their children or even for themselves. They put in many hours of labour to earn just a few pennies, which they then use to purchase the loaf of bread that is both the cheapest and in the worst condition possible. When we put forth the effort to provide them with free food and other basic needs of everyday life, we are blessed with the joy and gratitude that we see reflected in their eyes. This image alone is enough to stir emotion in us and provide the motivation we need to continue our work in the field of volunteering. We have personally witnessed many individuals living in terrible conditions in rural areas, and it broke our hearts to see this kind of scenario. They have no access to clean water or electricity, and they have almost nothing to eat, so their lives are hardly bearable. Even their home is in terrible shape. It was extremely disheartening to see walls riddled with holes all over and the roof with only a sheet wrapped over it. When volunteers come to their house to help them construct a more comfortable home, offer them basic necessities, and clean their home, they feel eternal gratitude to us. Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 21
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Some great experience in volunteering is when we joined a nonprofit organisation in Pulau Pinang, which is known as Persatuan Pembimbing Belia Islam Pulau Mutiara (PEMBIMBING). One of the programmes held by PEMBIMBING was Perkampungan Menara Gading. This programme focused on giving basic knowledge and preparation to youths before they enter their campus life. The target participants were STPM, SPM, and STAM leavers. Some of the sessions conducted were on time management, communication skills, financial management, and other social skills. All of these skills are necessary to guide school leavers through university life. Volunteerism or community service needs sacrifice, whether by giving our time, money, and knowledge that we have. Therefore, not everyone is willing to jump into voluntary work. As we stepped into our college life, we have been through various types of voluntary work such as managing youth programmes, feeding the needy, helping flood victims, advocating for mental illness, and distributing basic foods for Covid-19 victims. Being a student and doing voluntary work at the same time need courage and commitment. Every person is born with a good soul and heart that automatically brings empathy when seeing people in difficulties. We recalled the memories of being pressured with the preparation for that programme while preparing for the final exams during our university study week. It took us great courage and sacrifice, but, in the end, we realised that helping people gives us ease. For us, education and knowledge are worth it if we can contribute something to our nation and community. Education and knowledge will help our community to be better people, have freedom of mind, and would be great agents of change. Therefore, giving our knowledge and skills is also one way of doing voluntary work and it will surely not just benefit for yourself but also the whole nation. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 22
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Besides that, audiences also were exposed to whom they need to reach if they need help related to mental health problems. The programme also educated people about discrimination and the stigma of mental illness. Many people were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and suffered from lost sources of income, high divorce cases, depression, and so on. Therefore, advocating for mental health awareness is one way to help other people for us to survive together in this world. Through this voluntary programme, we learned that giving psychological support is another way to help other people. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we also had great experience as the organising committee of the “Bantuan Makanan Asas Covid-19” programme. At that time, in order to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases in the country, our former Prime Minister abstained people from going anywhere with the Movement Control Order (MCO). Many people suffered from hunger because of losing their jobs due to the pandemic. Some lost their source of income due to being fired by their company. Under Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) Sabah, a nonprofit organisation in collaboration with Majlis Belia Sabah, we helped distribute basic foods such as flour, eggs, rice, instant noodles, canned food, and oil to those who were affected by the MCO and pandemic. We visited many areas, especially in areas where people had not received any support from the government such as people who had no identity card or passport that had been stranded in our state. Through this voluntary work, we learned that helping people does not need any requirement because everyone deserves to receive aid. During the recent pandemic, we had also volunteered in advocating a Mental Health Awareness programme that was conducted by Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM) Sabah in collaboration with Mental Illness Awareness and Support Association (MIASA). The programme invited panels who are counsellors and those with psychology studies backgrounds for a forum session. Through this, participants got to know how to handle certain emotional situations and manage their mental health better through guidelines provided by the expert panels. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 23
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 In conclusion, volunteering and volunteerism habits must be instilled among our community, especially youths nowadays. Many societies nowadays are heading towards individualistic lifestyles with a moral deficit and this causes concern to the future of our country and community. While others suffer and are oppressed physically and mentally, there are those who only care about themselves. Hence, we have to encourage more people to do voluntary work to gain back our love towards developing and caring for the community. Studies showed that people who join voluntary work have high prosocial behaviour and show concern about their surroundings such as by sharing, helping, donating, and cooperating together in order to improve their surroundings. Finally, volunteerism habits also offered many social skills needed throughout ourlife. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 24
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 SCHIZOPHRENIA AWARENESS By, Intan Syamimi Binti Ahmad - Faculty of Health Sciences Nowadays, mental health issue is in the spotlight and has become a hot conversation among the community. According to World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well, work well and contribute to their community. However, it is not easy for some people with mental health disorders to adapt with the problems that come along. The signs of Schizophrenia The signs and symptoms of schizophrenia vary, but they usually involve delusions, hallucinations, disorganised speech and reflect a reduced ability to function. What is Schizophrenia? One of the serious mental disorders is schizophrenia, in which people have an abnormal interpretation of reality. Schizophrenia can cause hallucinations, delusions and extremely disordered thinking and behaviour that interferes with daily functioning and can be disabling. To add to the challenge, schizophrenia patients must undergo treatment for the rest of their lives. The good news is that treatment helps, as early treatment may control symptoms before serious complications develop, improving the long-term outlook. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 25
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 The fifth symptom would be the lack of ability to function normally in life. For example, the individual may neglect personal hygiene or appear emotionless by avoiding eye contact, does not change facial expressions or speaks monotonously. In addition, the person may lose interest in everyday activities, withdraw socially orlose the ability to experience pleasure. 2. Hallucinations The second symptom is hallucinations, which cause people with schizophrenia to see or hear things that don't exist. For example, they could hear someone calling their name or see someone waving at them. 3. Disorganized thinking Another symptom is disorganized thinking, as they are unable to think properly before saying something or doing any task. So, when they speak, their speech becomes unclear and unintelligible by normal people. 4. Abnormal motor behaviour 5. Unable to function normally in life The fourth symptom is abnormal motor behaviour. This can manifest itself in a variety of ways, ranging from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation. Resistance to instructions, inappropriate or bizarre posture, a complete lack of response, or unnecessary and excessive movement are all examples of such behaviour. The most common symptom of schizophrenia is delusion, which means untrue beliefs about something that is not based on reality. For example, they believe they are being harmed or harassed, certain gestures or comments are directed at them or another person is in love with them. 1. Delusion APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 26
The exact causes of schizophrenia are still unknown to this day. However, there are several factors that may contribute to the development of this condition, including genetics, brain development, neurotransmitters, triggers, and stress. What causes Schizophrenia? Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Genetic factors can increase the likelihood of developing schizophrenia, as different combinations of genes may make individuals more vulnerable to the condition. For example, if one of a twin develops schizophrenia, another twin has a high risk of schizophrenia too. Apart from this, brain development may also play a role, as individuals with schizophrenia may not experience normal brain development as they grow. Additionally, neurotransmitters–which are chemicals that transmit messages between brain cells–have also been linked to schizophrenia, as drugs that alter neurotransmitter levels have been shown to alleviate some symptoms of the condition. Triggers such as past traumatic events, and stress, caused by life events like job loss, divorce, or abuse, may also contribute to the development of schizophrenia. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 27
Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 28 To sum up, schizophrenia is a mental disorder that results in disturbances in thinking, perception, emotional responses, and social interactions. While the severity and duration of schizophrenia can vary among individuals, it is generally a chronic and debilitating condition. Therefore, it is important for all involved parties to collaborate in caring for individuals with schizophrenia, to enable them to live fulfilling lives and improve their chances ofrecovery. How do we treat it? Schizophrenia is typically treated with a combination of talking therapy and medication that is tailored to the individual. Community mental health teams (CMHTs) typically provide care for most people with schizophrenia. However, those experiencing serious psychotic symptoms as a result of an acute schizophrenic episode may require a higher level of care than what a CMHT can provide. In such cases, admission to a psychiatric ward at a hospital or clinic may be necessary. Conclusion
Over the past few decades, there has been a lot of research done on burnout. A number of measures, a variety of theoretical models, and research studies from numerous nations have all helped in advancing our knowledge of the causes and effects of this occupationally-specific dysphoria. The majority of such research had concentrated on jobs in the human services sector, particularly in the medical field. Some experts attempt to redefine burnout as nothing more than exhaustion, and the relative lack of evaluative research on potential interventions to treat and prevent burnout are current issues of particular relevance. However, there are connections between burnout and mental illness. Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 29 GENERAL CAUSES OF BURNOUT AIRIL HISHAM LEE BIN MOHD IZWAN LEE AAINAA SYAMIMI BINTI SALLEH NURUL NASYWA BINTI RIZAL Faculty of Hotel & Tourism Management Burnout has been acknowledged as an occupational hazard for many years in human services, education, and other people-oriented fields like healthcare. Such providers must maintain ongoing, intense levels of personal, emotional contact with recipients in order to develop therapeutic or service relationships with them. These relationships can be interesting and fulfilling, but they can also be very stressful. Burnout is a psychological syndrome that develops as a protracted reaction to ongoing interpersonal stressors at work. The three main components of this response are extreme exhaustion, a sense of cynicism and detachment from the work, and a feeling of inefficiency and lack of accomplishment. This threedimensional model is significant because it explicitly situates a person's experience of stress within a social context and takes into account their conceptions of both themselves and others.
Burnout is a result of work overload because it reduces a person's ability to handle the demands of their position. There are few opportunities for rest, recovery, and balance restoration when this type of overload is a chronic work condition. In contrast, a manageable and sustainable workload gives people the chance to develop new skills as well as use and improve their current ones. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 30 Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 The ability ofreinforcements to change behaviouris referred to as the reward area. People are more susceptible to burnout because of inadequate recognition and reward whether monetary, institutional, or social, which devalues both the work and the workers and is closely related to feelings of inefficacy. In contrast, there are opportunities for both material rewards and intrinsic satisfaction when there is consistency in the reward dimension between the employee and the job. Burnout and a lack of control have been found to have a clearrelationship. Employees are more likely to feel engaged at work when they perceive they have the power to shape decisions that will affect their work, the freedom to practise professional autonomy, and access to the tools they need to do their jobs well.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 31 Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Burnout sufferers can negatively affect their coworkers by escalating interpersonal conflict and interfering with work tasks. Therefore, burnout can spread through workplace social interactions and continue to exist. These physiological correlations are similar to those discovered with other long-term stress indices. There have been numerous intervention strategies suggested as a result of the personal and organisational costs of burnout. Others concentrate on how to prevent burnout by encouraging engagement, while some attempt to treat burnout once it has already occurred. Burnout has been linked to a number of negative reactions and job withdrawal in terms of outcomes, including turnover, job dissatisfaction, low organizational commitment, absenteeism, and other similar behaviours. Studies show that burnout increases in work environments characterised by interpersonal aggression highlight the critical importance of social relationships for burnout. Stress symptoms like headaches, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, muscle tension, hypertension, cold/flu episodes, and sleep disturbances are frequently linked to exhaustion.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 32 Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Another recommendation is to have psychiatrists regularly assess their workload to make sure they are not increasing their risk of burnout. A related suggestion is that psychiatrists should adopt a more adaptable lifestyle, in which they diversify their work such as by taking on a part-time teaching position, doing some writing, or expanding their clientele, and/or partake in extracurricular activities (such as hobbies and other personal interests). Numerous of these personal coping mechanisms have been modified from earlier research on stress, coping, and health. The most frequently suggested changes to work habits have been to work fewer hours, take more breaks, avoid working overtime, and balance work and personal obligations. In addition, developing coping skills such as cognitive restructuring, conflict resolution and also time management are some of the recommendations in the list. Obtaining social support from both colleagues and family can be very important because sometimes when you are alone they will be there to help us to regain our spirit and it also helps us in developing a better version of ourselves.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 33 Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Burnout has literally saved our lives by guiding us through the darkest points of our life and depositing us, at last, in a world where we discover more room, more time, more balance, and eventually greater perspective. Although burnout is unpleasant and upsetting, it can also make our lives much happier. Burning out can literally save ourlives by preventing more serious orfatal illnesses from developing. It functions similarly to a circuit breakerto prevent the entire system from blowing. On another level, burnout saves our lives by revealing how and when they lost their original meaning and by compelling us to take action. We need to change our lives in order to recover from burnout, but we instinctively know that these changes are necessary. We rediscover a joy in living that we had thought had been lost in our lives once those changes have been made, whether intentionally orjust because we can no longer carry on as we have. Maintain balance in life
One of the main ways in which cat shelters help students is by providing a space for them to relax and de-stress. The act of petting a cat has been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate, which can help students feel calm and relaxed. Additionally, the presence of cats in a shelter setting can provide a sense of comfort and security, helping students feel more at ease FELINE THERAPY : HOW VOLUNTEERING AT A CAT SHELTER CAN IMPROVE STUDENTS’ MENTAL HEALTH "cat are connoisseurs of comfort." - James Harriot Cats have long been known for their therapeutic benefits, and it is no surprise that cat shelters are now being recognised for their role in improving the mental health of students. Studies have shown that interacting with animals, particularly cats, can decrease stress levels, improve mood, and even boost cognitive function. Another way in which cat shelters can help students is by providing a sense of purpose and responsibility. Many students feel overwhelmed by the sdemands of school, and the opportunity to volunteer at a cat shelter can provide a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. By caring for the cats, students can develop a sense of empathy and compassion, which can help them better understand and relate to their peers and the world around them. The social aspect of cat shelters is also important. Many students feel isolated and alone, and cat shelters can provide a sense of community and belonging. By interacting with other volunteers and staff at the shelter, students can form connections and friendships that can help alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation. Cat shelters can also provide a sense of responsibility and accountability, which can be beneficial for students. By taking care of cats, students learn on the importance of regular feeding, grooming, and cleaning, which can help them to develop a sense of responsibility and accountability. They also learn about the importance of being reliable and dependable, which can help them develop better time management skills and be more organized. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 34 Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 BY MUHAMMAD HAZIQ REZZUAN BIN KHAIRUL HAZMAN FACULTY OF HOTEL AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT
Moreover, cat shelters can help students improve their communication skills. By interacting with other volunteers and staff, students learn how to express themselves effectively, how to listen to others, and how to resolve conflicts. They also learn how to read nonverbal cues, which can be beneficial in a variety of settings. In conclusion, cat shelters play an important role in improving the mental health of students. By providing a space for relaxation, a sense of purpose and responsibility, a sense of community and belonging, and opportunities for social interaction and communication, cat shelters can help students reduce stress, improve mood, and develop important life skills. It is important that cat shelters are recognised as valuable resources for students and given the support they need to continue their important work. -H. Rezzuan STAY PAW-SITIVE!! APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 35 Section - Articles by Students English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1
ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB E-NEWSLETTER 2023 - ISSUE 1 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 36 Recent club activities held by the UiTMCPP English Club
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 37 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 OPEN MIC PROGRAMME CLUB REPORT On the 10th of November, 5th and 15th of December 2022, the English Language Club of UiTM Penang branch organised an ‘open mic’ programme at He&She Cafe. This programme was open to all Uitm Penang students. The objective of the programme is to help students to overcome theirfear of performing in public as well as to build their confidence in a comfortable, welcoming environment. BY THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLUB NURALIA QISTINA BINTI MOHD FADZLUL AZIM School of MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Many have participated to showcase their talents in singing, poem recitation, stand-up comedies and others. We had a total of 32 participants from all three dates ranging from pre-diploma up to degree students.
Through this programme, everyone gets to meet and know each other while enjoying the performances. It is also a good approach in promoting mental health awareness and allows students to take a break from studying, completing assignments or other academic activities. Overall, the programme has successfully achieved its objectives. It gained lots of attention and students were able to socialise while expressing themselves creatively. It is our hope that the English Language Club will be able to conduct more activities and programmes like this in the future. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 38
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 39 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 The 7th of January marks a very special day for me as I hosted and managed my final program, the Youth Convention Programme 2023. The event was dedicated to help young people and final year students get valuable exposure from the stories of outstanding individuals in their respective industries. It's an event that I have been very passionate about over the years to empower young people as I believe they are the key change makers to sustain the future. Preparing for the event was definitely a challenge and I did encounter some moments of hardship however with perseverance and patience, it turned out very well in the end. YOUTH CONVENTION PROGAMME2023 By Syed Amir Haikal bin Syed Hisham Alwi & Muhammad Haziq Fitrie bin Ainuddin Nazlee School of Mechanical Engineering Preparing for this event took about 3 months (from October 2022 to December 2022) to figure out how the event would be executed. There were a couple of changes that had to be made to adapt to the situation. Originally, we planned to make the event physical where it would be more interactive and interesting where both the speakers and students meet. However, due to the logistics issues, we had to alternatively change it to make it virtual to comprise what we had.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 40 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 In addition to that, initially there were supposed to be 5 speakers at the event but were cut to 3 speakers as the other 2 speakers couldn’t make it due to their tight schedule. Not only that, there was a change of time for the event. The plan was to start from 9AM to 4PM on a Saturday. The team believed that it wasn’t suitable as it might have a low student turnout as most students would enjoy their weekends sleeping in the morning. We then shifted towards 2PM till 6PM to increase the probability of getting more students to participate. The event was published on our YouTube channel and we used StreamYard as the software to upload the live broadcasting. For each session that was conducted I was the host and I gave a chance to Nuralia Qistina, the new president of the English Language Club, to show her potential as a remarkable MC. There were 3 amazing speakers who participated, Arinah Najwa, Charrisa Ong Ty and Zack Shah. Each one of them discussed about life after college with different perspectives and personally for me, the message delivered was pretty clear and impactful. These were the main challenges that were faced upon the build to the program and were quite tough as we had to be dynamic and adapt to the situation. It's a vital component in project management. It was quite stressful as some things that we couldn’t control but with the help of my team and the guidance of the programme advisors, Dr Ilianis and Dr Husna, made the process more manageable to handle.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 41 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Each sharing lasted for 1 hour where 45 minutes was given to discuss on the topic they were given and the remaining 15 minutes were to answer any QnA from the live audienec in the chat box. I chose these speakers because on a personal level I have met them and definitely know how valuable their life stories and experiences. These were the episodes that was discussed by each speaker: Session 1: “Youth Empowerment in The Workforce: The Importance of Young People Towards Nation Building” with Ms Arinah Najwa Session 2: “The Journey of Following Your Passion” with Ms Charissa Ong Ty
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 42 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Session 3 “How UiTM Instill Valuable Working Skills to Their Graduates” with UiTM alumni, Mr. Zack Shah The theme for the Youth Convention Progamme 2023 centered around “Life After College” thus each session was to help create a paradigm shift for students in UiTM Penang and the public on understanding general trend of the current state of the world for young people in the workforce, exposing them with real life success experiences and acknowledging how UiTM prepares students for the world beyond college. The event was filled with fruitful discussion and a lot of food for thought. We were introduced to a lot of ideas, data and analysis and open ended discussions to help us give an informative insight to help with our decision making in the future. At the end, the main objectives for this program is to leave a mark and empower students to help create better choices. The end result was pleasing as it exceeded expectations as we gained 450 views after the live broadcast and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 43 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 At the end, the main objectives for this program is to leave a mark and empower students to help create better choices. The end result was pleasing as it exceeded expectations as we gained 450 views afterthe live broadcast and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. To host a show requires a lot of mental strength to put on a good performance. As someone who is quite experienced in show hosting and podcasting I still find it difficult to keep a positive outlook whenever I am the one moderating. Usually a lot of thought spirals into my mind during the moderating session. I am usually conscious of my interaction with the guest, the questions I ask and the way I am moderating the entire session. Those are the main concerns wheneverI am hosting. I do believe that some shows I hosted didn’t meet my expectations and I do beat myself inside because I know I could have done better. It's frustrating and knowing that you cannot change for what has been done adds more stress to me. My end goal for every session I host is to create a memorable experience for the audience and leave some sort of impact. One of the core skills in moderating/hosting is that it is required to be ready on your feet socially to integrate the scenario of the situation. Sometimes you have to be impromptu and read the situation of the room. The process of going through is tough but it surely pays off once you start to understand the psychological way of social interaction. I managed to go through and thanks for the support from many people. Reflecting back on how far I have gone through my journey as a host, I definitely believe that success comes from the support of those who help you build yourself up.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 44 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Hosting my last show for the club was definitely an experience that I would cherish forever. It helped me to build myself as a person. I definitely hope that my last event has made an impact on those who watched and be empowered to make the best decision for their future. I would like to express my thanks to all my colleagues in the English Language Club, ad-hoc for this programme and the guidance from the club advisors. You have made the Youth Convention Programme a success and I am happy that we managed to do it together. I hope that this event could be continued and passed down as a legacy for the club. But expressing your worries to others can help relieve the tension and help you evaluate yourself constructively to do better in the future. You may find it hard at first but it gets easier once you actually start doing it.
MUHAMMAD ABDUH BIN CHE SOH, MUHAMMAD HARIZ HIMI RIDZA, ILLYSIA ISOBEL MIRIAM M. NOOR School of Civil Engineering & Faculty of Hotel & Tourism Management Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 45 On 9 December 2022, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Pulau Pinang (UiTMCPP), with the support and sponsorship from Digi, one of the biggest communications conglomerate and mobile service provider in Malaysia, hosted a public speaking programme “Show Your Voice” at the Laman Perdana, UiTMCPP Permatang Pauh Campus. The programme ran from 8.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and was conducted by students from the Public Speaking II course (HPD221) with Pre-Diploma students as the participants. The 4- hour event included several activities such as "Random Song Game" and the "Spell-it-right Challenge". The programme aimed to provide students exposure to various career-related skills such as soft skills, public speaking, work skills and many more. The activities were conducted through two-way communication between the facilitators and students. The competition started with the Master-of-Ceremony (MC) announcing a random word and the representatives of each team eagerly waited for their chance to answer. The chance was in the form of an item, which was placed on the stage for the representatives to grab. The first representative to grab the item would be the first to answer. The representatives were all eager to grab the chance and answer the word correctly. However, the representative who failed to grab the item would have to line up behind the first representative, waiting for another chance to answer. The round continued until one of the representatives was able to correctly spell the word. The major highlight of the event was the first challenge which was the Spell It Right competition. Participants were divided into groups. Each group was asked to send a representative to participate in the competition.
APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 46 Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1 Finally, the last game was the random song challenge. For this game, the MC would say one word and every group had around five minutes to think of songs in which their lyrics consisted of the word that was stated by the MC. They were given five minutes to get as many songs as possible. Next, for every song they chose, they needed to write the lyrics down on a big piece of paper. Each group then had to sing the song that they had chosen. Points were given based on creativity and how well they sang the song. All in all, the games were very fun and educational for the students. The second round began with a different representative from each group. The competition continued in this manner, with different representatives participating in each round until the fifth round was completed. The representative who was able to correctly spell the word in the shortest amount of time was awarded one point for their team. As the competition progressed, some of the representatives were unable to correctly spell the words and were asked to line up behind the others. Despite the pressure and the difficulty of the words, the representatives continued to do their best, eager to earn points for their teams. At the end of the competition, the team with the most points was declared the winner. The Spell It Right competition was a thrilling and exciting event that tested the spelling skills of the representatives and showcased their determination to succeed. The representatives, as well as the audience, had a great time participating and witnessing the event The second game challenge was charades using an educational theme, for example, nouns and verbs for the action. For this game, one representative from each group received a word from the facilitator and he or she had to act it out. It is an open-to-all challenge, hence whoever raises their hand up first gets to guess the correct word. If that person answers incorrectly, the next person who has raised his or her hand will be given a chance to answer. For this game, there were 5 different actions for each group. The project manager kept track and wrote down every point received by each group.
In conclusion, this public speaking programme at UiTMCPP was a great opportunity for students to enhance their skills and become better prepared for their future careers. The activities were conducted in a fun and interactive way to make the program engaging and memorable for all participants. Also, UiTMCPP and the organising committee of “Show Your Voice” would like to express our gratitude to our sponsor, Digi, for their continuous support and partnership in this event. We believed that this sponsorship would bring mutual benefits and we look forward to working togetherin the future. At the same time, the programme provided an outlet for students to express themselves creatively, which had a mood-boosting effect on the mind. Furthermore, the programme raised awareness in the community about public speaking and imbue leadership among the community. It also positively enhanced an individual's level of thinking. All in all, the programme was designed to have a positive impact on all participants and helped develop important skills fortheirfuture careers. APRIL ✽ 2023 ISSUE 1 PAGE 47 The program had a positive impact on the students, the university, the community, and society. It increased students' confidence in public speaking and fostered teamwork and camaraderie among students. Additionally, the university will be able to produce future leaders and motivated students via such a programme. Moreover, the programme also encouraged a sense of teamwork and collaboration among the students, which had been proven to have positive effects on mental health. Working together towards a common goal, such as winning the competition, helps to reduce anxiety and depression, and improves overall well-being. Section - Club Reports English Language Club e-Newsletter 2023 - Issue 1