JULY 27 — If someone had asked me during my first year at Universiti Malaya what my greatest ambition was, I would have said “getting a good CGPA”.
That was it. That was my entire world. Every decision, every thought, every effort, all anchored on the pursuit of academic excellence.
And don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But looking back, I realise how narrow my perspective was.
I only realised that studies are not everything when I was at the end of my third year, and for someone in a four-year programme like mine, that was already very late.
Three years, six semesters had already gone by, just like that. I had only one year left.
By then, I had spent enough time watching others grow beyond lecture halls, winning competitions, leading organisations, and travelling the world, while I was still buried in books.
It hit me hard, and I asked myself, “Is this all that university is meant to be?” That was my wake-up call.
But still, I told myself: nothing is ever too late, and everything starts from the first step. And so, I took that step. And then another. And another.
One thing I learned is that you will only know your true talents and where you actually excel by involving yourself in diverse pathways. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri
I started small, with an innovation pitching competition. It wasn’t something I had planned months ahead for.
In fact, we registered just a few days before the event at the Engineering Faculty of Universiti Malaya.
I still remember how rushed everything felt. But somehow, our idea landed us as the First Runners Up.
I remember thinking, “Wow, is entrepreneurship this easy?” (Spoiler alert: it’s not.) That experience was my spark.
It gave me the confidence to explore further. I soon realised that winning second place was only the first stepping stone, not the finish line.
In just four months, I pushed myself beyond what I thought were my limits.
I travelled to six different countries, which were France, the United States of America, Turkey, Indonesia, Singapore, and Vietnam, representing Malaysia in international forums, debating ideas with future diplomats in Washington, sharing my thoughts on youth leadership in Bali, and standing in Paris as a National Champion in the L’Oréal Brandstorm Challenge. Sometimes, I still can’t believe it.
But let me tell you one thing I’ll never forget.
During the L’Oréal Brandstorm finals, we were sitting there, hearts pounding, waiting for the results.
My hands and feet were sweating like crazy. The only thing running in my head at that moment was, “Please God, just bring us into the top 6.”
And then they announced our country’s name, “Malaysia”. I literally dropped to the ground in pure disbelief and joy.
We had done it. From UM to Paris. From just-another-student to Top 6 out of 80,000+ teams from 42 countries.
But beyond the passports stamped and awards won, what truly changed me was the way I saw the world and the role I wanted to play in it.
At Universiti Malaya, I wore many hats: Secretary of Rakan Muda UM, Information Officer of MIYC Lembah Pantai, co-founder of startups like JIIVI & CO and The Beardsmiths, cultural performer, athlete, and a statistical analyst intern at Maxis. It sounds like a list, doesn’t it? But each role taught me something different about myself.
One thing I learned is that you will only know your true talents and where you actually excel by involving yourself in diverse pathways.
It’s not about showing off or trying to impress others, but for you, yourself. Because at the end of the day, no one else can discover your talents except you.
And for me, I found mine through entrepreneurship and business pitching. I realised I had a knack for coordinating teams, structuring ideas, and delivering pitches that resonate.
That discovery didn’t just stay on campus. It brought us all the way to represent Malaysia in the international finals in Paris, where we stood proudly as the Top 6 team out of nearly 80,000+ teams from 42 different countries.
When I was coordinating food distributions during Ramadan, I learned the humility of service. When I stood before global leaders speaking on sustainability, I understood the power of voice and representation.
When we launched JIIVI & CO, a smart compost bin startup, I faced failure, doubt, and rejection, but also learned resilience and hard work.
And when I competed in sports, danced on stage, or led logistics for major events, I discovered teamwork, discipline, and the beauty of diverse talents.
What I didn’t expect to find in all these experiences was purpose. A purpose that goes beyond personal success. A purpose to empower others, to be a bridge between communities, and to always ask: how can I contribute?
To those of you reading this, especially if you feel like you’ve “missed the boat” or that it’s “too late to start”, I want you to know, it’s not.
I was in my third year when I decided to truly live my university life. And look where it brought me.
It’s never too late to start, but you do need to start. You just need to take that very first step.
And me? My journey doesn’t end here. It continues, with every step forward, every challenge embraced, and every person inspired along the way. Because, as I’ve come to believe, we are all just one decision away from changing our lives.
* Daniswaran Seenivasan is a final year student of BSc Statistics from the Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
