PhD Dilemma

Assalamualaikum..

Happy weekends u'ols!! Hoping that you guys are enjoying your weekend so far.. 

Now that I've finished my master's degree *Alhamdulillah!*, I need to find institution for my next degree, PhD *Permanent Head Damage??*.. Enthusiastic? Naahh..., not rili.. Thing is I am only given 6 months from endorsement date to find places for my PhD. To be submitted to MSD *or more familiar as HR in other places* for approval.

Honestly..., looking for the institution je dah pening.. Macam-macam benda nak kena consider. Macam-macam orang nak kena pikir.. Tu lah urs truly tengah dilema ni..

Kehendak university, to get a high rank institution. Kalau dapat MIT, lagi gempak! Harvard, Cambridge, Stanford.. Uni yang aku baru bukak website je dah tegak bulu roma.. Belum nak hantar email dekat potential supervisor lagi...

Kehendak Head Of Department, to get a place in US institution. Yeah I heard, US PhD graduates memang berkualiti.. Research wise and teaching wise.. Tapi, kena ingat, 'NO PAIN, NO GAIN'.. Honestly, aku seghiau dengan 'excessive PAIN' that I might need to go through to GAIN the quality.. Master di dalam negara sahaja pun dah hampir mengeringkan my duct of tears. Ini pula nak buat PhD dekat US institution yang memang known as tough and extra challenging! Plus, I sendiri tak yakin boleh lepas GRE exam *Graduate Record Examination = qualification exam to be accepted as post-grad students in US institution*

Kehendak enche suami, kalau boleh dalam negara aje.. I can understand his concern, sapa nak look after our asset *wahh, gaya macam asset juta-juta kau nyahhh, padahal rumah cenonet seketul je & kereta myvi sebijik! Nyampah! Hihi*. And mungkin dia sayang nak tinggalkan kerja & students yang tersayang kat Malaysia nih.. *Hmmmmmmm.....*

Kehendak ayah bonda, to get an institution over the seas but not so far from Malaysia. Hahahaha... Of course their concern is it's too far away, then it will be difficult for them to visit their grandchildren.. Australia is their preferable choice.. Sebab masih dalam range mampu pergi visit naik AirAsia.. Hehehe..

Kehendak hati sebagai bakal PhD student, I just want my PhD journey to be smooth and exciting. A few criteria that I have set in mind for my PhD. Since it is a research based study, so choice of supervisor is SUPER IMPORTANT! I wish I can get a SV that can closely monitor my progress. Guide me at least on the direction to sail. Second, since I'm in engineering field, of course I'm hoping the institution that I want to go is fully equipped with the facilities that I need to use for my research. Third, the research work that I want to do, it would be better if it is in larger group kind of project. Meaning, my research would be small part of larger project conducted in the institution. The advantage of this is, usually the project is more organized, well-planned and funded. Plus, it is easier to discuss with a group of people who understands the project since they are doing the same thing but maybe different part. So kalau blur or stuck, boleh bertanya dan dapatkan advice dengan cepat.

And penipu besar lah kalau I cakap, tak teringin nak cuba belajar luar negara. Get new experience, new adventure, new environment.. Get to know other part of the world culture and living style. Peluang datang sekali seumur hidup. Bukan semua orang dapat peluang gi belajar & duduk luar negara free kan? So why not? Hehehehe..    

Kehendak hati sebagai seorang ibu kepada anak-anak yang sedang membesar, I nak carik tempat yang bagi advantage pada growth anak-anak. US terlalu 'free', japan, korea & germany, english bukan the mother tongue, nanti susah anak-anak nak bergaul, di sana and bila dah balik Malaysia. Nak tempat yang senang carik babysitter or nursery/playschool. So well being anak-anak terjaga dan tak terabai bila Mama sibuk belajar..

In conclusion, too many aspects need to be considered.. Dan macamlah semua tempat dapat offer. Subject to the institution acceptance gak.. And subject to MSD & KPT punya approval lagi.. Haihhh.. Challenging.., challenging... Huhuhuhu... Camano ni? Lom start pon laie..,baru carik tompek, ekau dah kato challenging.. Sok tah bapo gelen pulak air mato nak buang ni.. 

Ya Allah, tunjukkan aku jalan yang terbaik. Permudahkanlah... Amin...

Loads of love, 

* Farah Jasni*