For many students, being accepted into an Ivy League institution is definitely a dream as their acceptance rate is known to be slim. However, for this Malaysian, it seems like her dreams came true as she was accepted into Columbia University for her Masters!
Meet Azida, a UiTM graduate that is completing her masters in Columbia University!
In a TikTok video shared by Azida, she mentioned in her video that she has been accepted into one of the most prestigious universities in the world. In her captions she wrote,
“From Selayang to New York, this is the story of a girl who sold burgers.”
Source: Azida (TikTok)
Speaking to Wau Post, Azida shared that she didn’t come from a wealthy background and had to help out her parents at their burger stall so they could sustain their livelihoods. With that said, she understood from a young age that working hard will pay off and since then, she’s been holding on to this principle.
She revealed that back then when she was schooling, her mother would pick her up from home and send her to school every morning after she was done with work. In order for her to not be late for school, her mother does not have time to freshen up before sending her to school. While Azida didn’t mind it, she was bullied by her peers saying that she smells like burgers after hugging her mother.
“She worked really hard to ensure that I was well-fed, and I want to do my best to ensure that her sacrifices were worth it”, she said.
Source: Azida (TikTok)
Masters in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, class of 2025
Indeed, a girl with dreams and aspirations, Azida is now studying for her masters in negotiation and conflict resolution in Columbia, graduating in 2025. When asked why she picked the following course, she mentioned that conflict resolution is an important skill. As important as it seems, it’s unfortunate that Malaysia doesn’t prepare courses like these for students who are interested in the field.
Source: Azida (TikTok)
“It’s an important skill to garner especially when it comes to policy making”, she said.
Azida also shared that her goal when she comes back to Malaysia after her studies is to help expand the area of studies the schools provide now and offer a more inclusive and progressive syllabus to help elevate the level of education in Malaysia.
Onwards and upwards, for a better future
When she first found out that she was accepted into Columbia University, she was surprised as she didn’t expect to be accepted. While her parents have always given her the reassurance, she always felt like she wasn’t enough. Other than that, she also received a scholarship from the said university which will help her with her education fee.
Source: Azida (TikTok)
Ending the interview, Azida shared that she would like to see more people step out of their comfort zone and reach for their dreams. She said that she never expected for her video to go viral but hopes that it could serve as motivation or inspiration for them to never stop working for what they want.
All the best in your studies Azida, you’re doing amazing!
Watch the video below:
@gniwoem From UiTM to Columbia 😀 Worked hard to climb my way up, but even now, it still feels a bit blurry. But that’s okay, I’ll just keep going. I have always been someone who is scared of taking space, unsure if I have the capacity of building my own table. But then again, I don’t really have a choice, I have to shamelessly make room for myself in spaces where I’m not welcomed, because I have a family to take care of 🙂 My Columbia journey begins 😀 #fyp #uitm #columbiauniversity #postgraduate #studentlife
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