They say that change is necessary, and without
change, one can’t possibly survive
Humans are after all creatures of habit that
feel safe and secure by the presence of consistency
and predictability
All changes, even the most longed for, have
their melancholy
By Kamelia Shamsuddin
French Poet and Writer, Anatole France once said, “All
changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy;
for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must
die to one life before we can enter another”.
I first felt that this was true the moment I first stepped
into University life. For all of my life before that, I
lived in a comfort zone of sorts. There was routine, there
was order. As a secondary school student, all one had to
do was wake up in the wee hours of the morning, go to school,
attempt to be a good student by staying still in class,
return home, attempt at doing homework, and get a good night’s
sleep. There was routine, there was order, there was comfort
in it.
University life was chaos and full of surprises. Assignments
can be given without a moment’s notice, and deadlines were
short. Meal times were irregular, and so was sleep. From
the time University life began, Change had kick-started
a chain of events that has affected my life in a drastic
manner, one by one piecing the pieces together, making my
life what it is today.
They say that change is necessary, and without change, one
can’t possibly survive. Although this is true, change remains
to be hard for most. Habits die hard, and most of us go
to extremes to resist change in order to keep the same habits.
Humans are after all creatures of habit that feel safe and
secure by the presence of consistency and predictability.
In the short two years I have been part of the UCSI University
family, Change has played its part. Every day I meet students,
who are just becoming accustomed to life after high school,
meeting new friends, and getting used to calling a lecturer
“sir” or “madam” instead of the customary “teacher”, a refrain
I hear from most students who go through this transition.
(Foundation in Arts student, Leanne can tell you more about
this here)
The agent of change has also played its part in the infrastructure.
I saw a University College grow into a University literally
overnight. Plans are abound for the new campus in Negeri
Sembilan, and our Kuala Lumpur campus is due to be expanded
to include a tower with thankfully, more parking space to
accommodate the growing number of students and staff.
Eight years ago, I decided that I would let someone into
my heart, not knowing whether it was the right thing to
do. Two weeks from the day I am writing this article, I
will be married to him, certain that he is the One. But
even the most welcome of change comes with that tinge of
sadness, of the life you’re leaving behind. No, it’s no
cold feet, I promise you, but no one can help but entertain
the idea of “what if?” What if I was better in science?
What if I was thinner? What if I wasn’t getting married?
While the better part of me is looking forward to the next
chapter in my life, there is still that small part of me
who wants to be a little girl again, and have slumber parties
over at my room with my single bed. I think it is the case
for most people still.
Coping with change is a challenge, and involves one to reframe
their thinking, while attaching positive meaning to change.
While I can certainly imagine the great possibilities of
being married to my best friend, coping with change may
not come as easily for some people. Sometimes a new superior
may change the way you work, and upset your daily routine.
A new colleague may join your ranks, and upset the group
dynamics, or your computer gets upgraded, and the new Microsoft
2007 software is simply too complicated after years of being
used to the Windows XP.
I’ve always told myself that there is no use in dwelling
over the negative side of things, and one should always
have a positive outlook in life and learn to adapt to change.
This is easier said than done of course, but like anything
else, coping with change is a skill that is learned, and
must be practiced in order to be mastered. Very often, it
is up to each of us to make the adjustment. After all, you
can’t avoid change.
