NOVEMBER 2015 / ISSUE 1

HEIDY QUAH
Making
Differences
Every Day

Being Young
Explore New Things

Find Yourself
A Journey to Self-Discovery

Solo Travelling
Spend Time with Yourself

Editors Note
Hey there readers! It has been a fun and challenging roller coaster ride for
the team and I to have come this far. We couldnt be more excited for Beyond
magazines first ever print edition!
As youths ourselves, we feel a strong need to empower our peers and
to encourage them to step out of their comfort zone. We hope that our
magazine will inspire you to explore new horizons and take control
of your life.

LETS EXPLORE BEYOND THE

HORIZONS TOGETHER!

We believe that you only live once and our YOLO section will focus on how we
should learn to overcome our fear and not let it control us. If solo travelling is
your preference then we have a TRAVEL section just to cater to your needs.
Thats all for now. Ill let our magazine do the talking.

Editor-in-Chief,
Krishna Kumar

Writer
Bernard Ow

Writer
Darius Shu

Layout Editor
Denis Yong

Chief Sub-Editor
Clara Foong

Editor-in-Chief
Krishna Kumar

Deputy Editor
Teh Woon Ya

Public Relations major student Ju

lius Lee Boon Chai, 21

Text & Photo By: Denis Yong

Habits

I am active on various social media platforms - Facebook, Instagram,

Twitter and Snapchat. I use them to express myself whenever and
wherever I go. I love capturing moments and posting them on
social media.
THE CHALLENGES

I went to class as usual but everything felt odd to me. With so much
to say but lack of a platform for me to express myself, I got upset and
I refused to engage with anyone around me. I just wanted to remain
in my comfort zone.
Happiness was an understatement when the challenge ended. The
first thing I did when I got my phone back was of course to express
how I felt. A huge sense of relief took over me. The feeling of finally
being able to get back something thats so important to me left me
feeling satisfied.
I know its not good to depend heavily on my phone but its worse
for me to have negative emotions without it. I am happy as long as
my phone is with me.

Habits

Yoke San, 21
w
Le
a
r
d
n
Sa
t
en
d
tu
Major S
Account and Finance

For me, I am not the kind of person who uses

my phone 24 hours a day. I do not usually scroll
through social media updates as they do not concern me that much. I
use my phone mainly to contact my loved ones. Even though I do not
use my phone much for entertainment purposes, I will still hold onto
it to stay in touch with others. I think the problem for me here is that
everyone is communicating through applications like Whatsapp and
WeChat, and that requires me to be on my phone more often than I
want to.
THE CHALLENGES

I chose to do the challenge on a Saturday as the effect would be minimal.

It was alright at the beginning but it started to become inconvenient
when I had to call my parents as I was not able to do so. That was the
only time where I felt the need to use my phone but other than that
I was completely fine. I did not think that not using my phone had
interrupted my lifestyle.
If I could, I would love to carry on with my daily routine without my
phone to spend more time with myself and understand my emotions.

YOLO

24 Hours

WITHOUT
PHONE

YOLO

n
e
h
w
o
d
d
l
u
o
h
s
u
o
y
Things
g
n
u
o
y
e
r
you a

our youth
not idle while
ts
Le
!
d?
oo
th
mething new
ng adul
out and try so
eling of reachi
k
fe
ea
g
br
tin
to
un
e
da
e
Its tim
experience th
that we want.
Have you ever
ing the things
do
t
no
et
gr
d re
passes by an

arius Shu
D
:
y
B
g
n
li
ty
S
Text, Photo &

BEGIN YOUR OWN START-UP

Try partnering with like-minded friends and put
DEFINE HAPPINESS
your creative brain into action by starting your own
business. Get productive by doing your own research,
building a business blueprint and expanding your Take a moment to do some self-reflection to know
exactly what makes you happy. It could be just
connections with investors.
spending quality time with your friends and family,
or going on road trips.
P E R F E C T YO U R TA L E N T !

02

S e arch d e e p w it h in yours elf.

Ta ke t i me to pu rsu e you r

dre ams, t ap onto t hat one t a le nt and

p e r fe c t it . It may b e photog raphy, pl ay ing t he g u it ar, d anc ing or sing ing! The
b est p ar t is t hat a l l t he s e a l lows you to
ma ke go o d us e of you r f re e t ime and

PERFECT YOUR
TALENT
Search deep within yourself. Take time
to pursue your dreams, tap onto that one
talent and perfect it. It may be photography,
playing the guitar, dancing or singing! The best
part is that all these allows you to relax and
make good use of your free time.

Enhance Physical
appearance
Change a new hairstyle or begin a 3-month
body transformation programme. Change
the way you look and people might see you
in a different light. This could help you
to develop the confidence that youve
always wanted.

Text & Photo By: Denis Yo

ng

YOU

YOLO

FACE THE FEAR INSIDE

BROADCASTING MAJOR student FONG WUEI TZE, 21

I feel uncomfortable every time Im being put in situations

where I need to speak only in English. It makes me feel insecure.
Due to my poor proficiency in English language, Im worried that people would
look down at me. I have confidence in myself and the things that I do. However,
when it comes to communicating with others in English, I always lack the confidence
as Im not able to fully express myself and this in turn, makes me anxious. I didnt
want others to have a bad impression on me due to my limited grasp of the language.
I understand how important English is and how beneficial it is for students. I have been watching a lot of
English movies and dramas in hopes of improving my English. I may not be able to speak as fluent as others
but I have the desire to learn and to overcome my fear. I know there are others who have the same fear as
me but the difference between us is that they are not willing to improve themselves. They didnt want to
embarrass themselves and they would just continue speaking in their mother tongue, which is Mandarin.
I believe that when a person remains in their comfort zone, they can never learn and grow further.
Although Im still not confident in speaking English, I try to do so whenever I have the chance. At least, I
took the effort to tackle my fear. If I didnt take the initiative to face my fear, it will only haunt me forever.
Rome isnt built in one day and so is my English. I took the first step and I believe that I will get there, one day.

I have the fear of experiencing failure. To be more specific, it is the fear of failing
in doing something that I enjoy, which is drawing. I was afraid of taking Art
Courses even though its my interest because many said that you wouldnt
be able earn much money if you were to venture into it. No one around me
talked about passion and it scared me.
To secure my future financial planning, I made the decision to pursue an
Accounting and Finance Degree instead. At the start, I was worried if I
made the wrong choice in life. There is a saying, Its either you do what
you love or you love what you do. I may not love what Im doing now
but I know I will eventually come to love it in the future. After all,
when you have earned enough money, you can pursue your passion.
However, I was never happy until my second year of Degree where I
met like-minded friends in Toastmasters Club. My perception changed
and it made me realised that life is not just about making money.
There are still many searching for their dreams and striving to do what
they love most. I know nothing is too late when you have the heart to
do something you want. If there is a
ent Teoh Wen Qi, 21
ud
st
OR
AJ
chance, I want to have the courage to
M
e
nc
na
Fi
d
an
counting
do what I enjoy without having any fear. Ac

CAREER

START RIGHT

IN THE

WORKING WORLD

We are often fed with the idea that the way to build a successful career is to be enrolled in a
prestigious institution and that receiving formal education is the ticket to a brilliant future.
The question is, are students prepared to face the workforce?

Enhance Your Resume

This will also help them to hone the skills that

are needed to understand the nature of the job

To improve students chances of securing a job

that they want, students should be involved
in extracurricular activities, and if possible,
hold a position in the clubs that they joined in
their university.

Manager of Career Services Centre Raja

Edriana Baizura said, To improve their
resume, students should at least have some
form of work experience outside of their study
life. This is because work experiences will give
interviewees the extra advantage.
This will also help them to hone the skills that
are needed to understand the nature of the job,
she said.

Raja Edriana added, When students excel in

hands-on projects, this in turn, gives them a
sense of satisfaction and the drive to push on
despite challenges.

More Than Just Your

Academic Results
The next step upon graduation is to search
for a job. New graduates are typically anxious
to put into practice what they have learnt
in university. Life outside the walls of our
university is relatively different and adjusting
to a new environment can be daunting and
challenging at times.
Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC),
Human Resource Consultant Latchumy
Prabha said, A students priority should be
achieving good academic results and putting
in maximum effort in everything that they do.
However, a students self-motivation in
improving his or her skills can also affect their
future chances of employment.

According
to
President
of
a
non-governmental organisation Telugu
Association of Malaysia Datuk Dr
Achaiah Kumar Rao, he said social
media such as Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram is a valuable tool for the
current generation.
With the knowledge of social media,
they can use it positively and gain
important information. People use the
internet to find more information about
the field that they prefer and to research
on their assignments or projects, Dr
Achaiah said.

Dr Achaiah mentioned however that at

the end of the day, students should use
social media effectively because without
having any knowledge on current affairs,
students will not be able to compete with
others in the competitive workforce.

Text & Photo By : Krishna Kumar

Having a
Business Card

CAREER

Success does not

come and find you,
you have to go out
and get it

Social Media

Expand Your Network

Students are encouraged to broaden their
network to open up doors of opportunities for
themselves to meet different types of people.
It is advisable for students to network with
individuals out of their field because these
connections may come in handy in the future.
Opportunities come when you least expect and
regardless of the circumstances, it is good to be
prepared because success does not come and find
you, you have to go out and get it.

Creating network with others within

your field is an effective approach in
making association with potential
bosses. However, it is not viable to give
out your resume to each individual you
meet. Students are encouraged to have a
business card with them at all times. This
allows them to market themselves easily
to future employers.
Having a name card helps to create
a professional self-image as it reflects
who you are. Write what you do best
and represent yourself correctly and
this will guide you on the right path,
Dr Achaiah said.

Having a name card helps to create a professional

self-image as it reflects who you are

 IN

PROFILE

todays society, where we are

constantly reminded to build a better career
and future for ourselves, Heidy Quah Gaik
Li devoted most of her time to run an
non-governmental organisation (NGO) called
Refuge For The Refugees (RFTR).
A compassionate 21-year-old business student,
Quah co-founded RFTR three years ago
when she was just 18. RFTR is a registered
NGO that provides free education for the
Myanmar refugee children.
The journey of volunteering in RFTR is
challenging and sometimes a lonely road.
Sometimes, I look at my friends and I realised
that they have so much more time to do the
things they like, Quah said.
However, despite countless thoughts of quitting;
one thing that keeps me going is seeing the kids
grow over the years, she said.

Life Values Learnt From

the Community
Quah said that the journey of volunteering has
changed her life dramatically.
Being a part of RFTR has taught me a lot of life
values which I could not learn in universities,
shesaid.

When I first started teaching, I met a little girl for

the first time. I noticed she is wearing beautiful
bracelets and I complimented her for that. She
looked at me and her bracelets for a while and
then she picked the best looking bracelet and
gave it to me, Quah said.

Do not let age and the lack

of resources limit you; you
are never too young to make
adifference.
She added, These people, they do not have much, but
they are willing to give you their best.
The second life value Quah has learnt is the spirit of
thankfulness. She confessed that when she was in
high school, she did not value education even though
there were good facilities and dedicated teachers in
her school.
Quah said, However, when I am teaching the
refugee kids, I see the hunger of education in
them. She said despite the poorly equipped
study environment for the refugee children,
they are happy when they get to attend classes.
They are very happy when you give them homework.
They clap and cheer for you whenever you walk
into classes, because they rather study than have
no teachers to teach them, Quah said. Every
time after teaching in the community, she would
end up leaving with the spirit of thankfulness
for
the abundance of blessings in her life.
Volunteering in RFTR has also helped Quah to
discover her identity and self-worth. When you go
into the community and teach, you will find a lot of
yourself in the kids. It helps you understand that even
if Im only a 21-years-old-student, there are a lot of
things that I can do for other people, Quah said.
Once you understand your worth and the weight of
your opinions and thoughts, there is a lot you can do
by having a voice. Just being the voice to the voiceless.
People normally think that we have to be rich and
educated to be able to volunteer and make a difference,
but Quah has a different view on it. Its not about the
art, its about the heart. You only need to have a heart
willing to offer something for the refugees. When you
have the heart, the art will follow, Quah said.
She added, The more that you are convinced that
you need to help, the more you will find ways to
help the person out. Do not let age and the lack of
resources limit you; you are never too young to make
a difference.

Text, Photo & Styling By: Bernard Ow

PROFILE

Heidy
Quah

ITS NOT ABOUT THE ART,

ITS ABOUT THE HEART
9

FINANCE

Invest Now,
Reward Later

OUR EXPERTS

AIA Berhad Assistant Unit Manager Tracy Cheong Yee Chi

Bursa Malaysia Vice President of Investor Education Warren Mak Chin Kow
Kenanga Investors Berhad Group Manager Edmund Lim Wai Sheong
Matrix Communications Director Doris Lim Swee Lian

BENEFITS OF STARTING YOUNG

Risk and money

management are critical skills
that investors should learn

CHEONG : There is an increasing number

of young adults getting into heavy debts in
our modern era. Investing early with a small
sum may provide them with the experience of
managing their own portfolio.

before investing

SWEE LIAN : Students should utilise their

money wisely by investing rather than
spending it on entertainment, outings,
technology and other unnecessary items.
MAK : The rule of compounding is one of the
most critical success factors for investment. The
earlier you start investing, the more you are
able to generate returns from your capital.

AREAS OF INVESTMENT

WAI SHEONG : I suggest university students

to make use of low risk investment vehicles such
as unit trust, Private Retirement Scheme and
Real Estate Investment Trust. If they intend to
invest in shares, start small and get some advice
from external advisors like the Bursa Young
Investor Club.

SWEE LIAN : University students can start an

investment club with their friends, whereby the
funds will be collected together. Students can
make better investment choices when there
are more resources.

10

WAI SHEONG : Students need to do survey

thoroughly to avoid pyramid schemes, frauds or
scams. This can be done by checking websites
like Central Bank of Malaysia or Bursa Malaysia.
Seek advices from financial advisors and experts
before making any investment decision.
MAK : Investment choices should be based on a
students risk profile, knowledge and capital. Risk
and money management are critical skills that
investors should learn before investing.
SWEE LIAN : Read more about the company
in terms of its financial statements, financial
ratio and prospect. Attend financial investing
programmes organised by Bursa Malaysia and
other non-governmental organisations to gain a
better understanding.

Model: Cheong Sin Hwa

MAK : Students may start investing with exchange

traded bonds, blue chips stocks, bond funds and
other lower risk unit trusts and products.

WAYS TO INVEST SECURELY

Text, Photo & Styling By: Teh Woon Ya

CHEONG : Students can start with the basics, such

as investment link accounts offered by insurance
companies. It helps students to subsidise medical
expenses that might burn a hole in their current or
future portfolio.

At first I only did DIY out of interest but as

time goes by, I realised that I saved a lot of
money by designing items myself. I will look
at YouTube videos or other websites to learn
how I can turn an unused item into something
useful, like making a selfie stick.

Whenever I receive money from my parttime jobs or my parents, I will save 40% of the
total amount in the bank and record my daily
expenses. I will only bring a certain amount of
money, usually RM30, for each outing. I dont
own credit cards to prevent overspending.
- Medicine, Surgery and Art of Obstetrics major student
Lok Jia Wen, 22

I get to earn extra money and help those with

tight financial budget by selling unused items.
There is an increasing number of online platforms
like ShoppingKaki and mobile applications like
HappySale that allows the public to sell their
unwanted belongings. So, why not turn your
unwanted items into cash?
- Business Administration major student
Ler Sin Thong, 21

I have been taught to invest since secondary school

and hence already allocated a sum of money in
investment link accounts offered by Great Eastern.
My friends and I have collected an investment
fund and also invested in Real Estate Investment
Trust with shares of reputable companies. I gained
dividends continuously and my money multiplied.
- Actuarial Science major student
Kuek Sze Jiun, 21

Text & Styling By: Teh Woon Ya

Photo By: Bernard Ow

Model: Tan Hui-Xin

- Biological Science major student

Yap Jia Xin, 21

FINANCE

l
p
e
m
i
S
S
a
v
r
i
n
o
f
g
s
p
i
T

11

PERSONAL

Journey
to
Self-Discovery
Text By: Clara Foong

Photo & Styling

Learn to Appreciate the Little Things in Life Embrace Discovery of the Self in Solitude
When were feeling down, our minds tend to focus
on all the negative things that are happening in our
lives. Regardless of how sad or miserable we may be
feeling, there is always something that we can find
endless joy in and look forward to in a new day.

The road to self-discovery is a solo mission that you

need to embark on your own. There is no one to
rely on but your determination and courage. This is
perhaps the hardest part of the process but thats the
whole purpose of the journey doing it alone.

Public Relations and Event Management major

student Leong Xin Lei, 23, said, I love smiling at
random kids because of how adorable and endearing
they are when they smile shyly back at me.

Embrace the solitary by learning to love yourself, to

trust and to listen to yourself. Start treating yourself
right by indulging in your favourite pastime or
spending quality time with your loved ones.

It never fails to brighten up my day to see the smile

on their faces. I dont know why but it just gives me
a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

To be content with who you are, you need to learn

to be at peace with your own company. By doing so,
you will unravel things about yourself that you never
knew before.

The little things in life are what we will remember

and cherish most when we reflect on the days that
have gone by. It can be something as simple like
learning something new or receiving a hug
from somebody that you care about.

12

Psychology major student Remitra Shamuganathan,

21, said, I think all of us should be best friends with
ourselves. No one is going to accept and love you for
who you are if you dont do it yourself.

PERSONAL

We all hit rock bottom in our lives before

but whats most important is how you
recover from the fall and move forward
from there. Here are some ways on how
you can begin your road to self-discovery:

By: Teh Woon Ya

Model: Chan Wei Xi

Go On a Life-Planning Retreat

Do Thing(s) That You Always Wanted to Do

Embracing change can be challenging but a getaway

to concentrate on building the life that you want can
work wonders. Exploring new horizons can give you
the outlook on where you are and where you could
be headed in life.

The list of things that you dreamt about trying but

never had the courage to do so yet because you
always have doubted yourself?

Travelling and meeting different types of people who Besides keeping a journal or picking up a new sport,
can impart valuable life lessons to you are helpful why not try doing things that youve had on your
bucket list for a long time?
ways of rediscovering yourself.

Business and Finance major student Pearl Hoo

Ching Xin, 21, explained, Ive always wanted to try
Psychologist Joan Borysenko said, To get clarity of rock climbing but was afraid of heights. I tried it one
day after much encouragement from my friend and
vision on your life, you have to get away from it.
I loved it since then!
Gazing at the ocean, feeling the desert sun or
watching the birds can actually help your ideas and It doesnt matter if the thing youve wanted to do is
something small because the little step that youve
dreams become richer, Borysenko said.
taken could possibly change your life forever.
She explained that we shouldnt hinder the wildly Discover the courage inside you and let yourself be
intuitive and free-associating right brained ideas free. You might be amazed with what you find
within yourself.
that can embark us on a new path to happiness.

13

TRAVEL

TRIP IDEAS

for

Solo Travellers

If you are a photography enthusiast; this is the perfect

opportunity to take beautiful landscape photos. If you
happen to visit the place after it rains, the mist will cloud
the jungle which makes you feel like youre in Narnia.
Before you leave, be sure to visit the Lords Caf which
serves what allegedly are Cameron Highlands best
scones alongside a variety of teas and wide selection of
magazine and book choices.

14
14

Photo & Styling By: Bernard Ow, Darius Shu & Teh Woon Ya

The most extensive hill station in Malaysia, a place

filled with beautiful peaks, green humps, and vast tea
plantations that stretch from one end to another end of
the mountain. With an altitude of more than 1300m, the
temperature stays at around 10C; which is cool enough
to make you forget youre in Malaysia.

Text By: Bernard Ow

Cameron Highlands, Pahang

Kek Lok Si is one of the biggest and most beautiful

temple complexes in Southeast Asia. It is built in
1891 and situated in the Penang Island.

TRAVEL

Kek Lok Si, Penang

You can find magnificent images of the Buddha
statues as well as meaningful carvings, sculptures
and murals in both the interior and the exterior of
the temple halls.
It is part of the unique heritage treasures that
blends Mahayana Buddhism and traditional
Chinese rituals into a harmonious whole. These
elements are present in the temples architecture
and daily activities of the worshippers.
There is much to see at the temple, with prayer
halls, pagodas, bell towers and a tortoise pond
topping the list. The best time to visit is during the
Chinese New Year celebrations, when the temple
is adorned with thousands of bright lanterns.

Klebang Beach, Malacca

Located near Tanjung Klang Malacca with an endless

stretch of bare land, obvious tyre track prints, and hills
after hills of sand it looks as if youre vacationing in the
Sahara desert.
If you are feeling thirsty, come quench your thirst with
the allegedly famous Klebang Coconut Milkshake from
the stall right outside the entrance of Klebang.
Pantai Klebang even has a unique hotel nearby called
Bustel located at Dataran 1 Malaysia. Made from used
buses in Malacca and turned into a room, you can rent
a night there for as cheap as RM80.

15
15

TRAVEL

Hea ds Up
Ca meraS Down!
Text & Photo By: Darius Shu

If youre on a vacation without taking any photos of yourself, does that

mean your trip never existed?
Vacation is the time where we should be disconnected from
the virtual world and start enjoying our surroundings. Yes,
you may still take photos but it is best to do so depending on
the situation. We can take photos for our own remembrance
but we should not overdo it to the extent of turning our trip
into one that only focuses on how good we look on camera.

ents from your trip by

Dont miss out any mom
s.
taking too many picture

We can at times get a little obsessive when taking

pictures. Although it is nice that these photos are kept
for the memory lane, I dont think youve explored and
experienced the trip to the full extent if you say that your
favourite part of it was taking photographs. When we are
too obsessed in capturing the moment, it might prevent
us from actually experiencing whats in front of us.

When you are watching a dolphin show or going on a tour, we

often get caught up in whipping out our cameras and looking
through the viewfinder. We spend countless minutes trying
to find the best angle for that perfect shot. Instead of getting
the subject of interest in the picture, why not live the moment
with our loved ones?
We often evaluate the quality of the pictures taken and our
mind is often set into snapping more. If only you would put your
camera down, you will start to realise that you get to observe
more, engage in more interactions and live for the moment.
There is no wrong in taking pictures during our vacation as it
varies for different people. Some may find sharing vacation
pictures to be pleasurable while some may want it to be kept
as just for memory sake. However, for the rest of us, are we just
following the norm of uploading pictures onto social media? Its
definitely good to reflect upon ourselves and think before we hit
that snap button.

16

nce
trip and experie
Enjoying your
re
es makes it mo
ey
n
w
o
r
u
yo
h
it wit
memorable.