SINTOK: Social media fame has captivated youth, but for Universiti Utara Malaysia's (UUM) Royal Education Award recipient Emina Kulasic Bong Ei Min, academic pursuit should always take priority.
Kulasic, 24, a graduate in International Affairs and Management with 59,200 TikTok followers, today attributed her online following to chance rather than ambition, emphasising that social media should remain a "plan B."
"My advice is not to make becoming an influencer your goal. I never aimed for it myself.
"One day, I woke up to find so many followers. So, I'd advise everyone to have a plan A and a plan B.
"Education should be the primary focus. With education, we can achieve more, inspire others and share knowledge. That is always the first step."
She said this after receiving her award at the 37th UUM convocation here.
Employed at a private firm, Kulasic said she treats her social media work as a side project, aiming to inspire the next generation about the importance of education.
"It's crucial for influencers. The word 'influencer' means people will follow and listen to you.
'So, if you strive to improve yourself through higher education, others will aspire to do the same," said Kulasic, who, having lost her parents, was raised by her aunt in Sarikei, Sarawak.
Kulasic, who achieved first-class honours, said having a resilient mind and studying a subject that one prefers is the best way to achieve success and balance in university.
"During my time here, I lived independently and had to be self-reliant. I shed a few tears before the ceremony (today) began, watching friends with their parents by their side.
"But I must stay strong, and today, I have friends walking on stage with me to receive our degrees and awards."
Muhammad Shuib Rosli, another Royal Education Award recipient, said learning time management is key for students to succeed in academics, especially while balancing other aspects of student life.
"I joined extra-curricular activities and spent leisure time with my friends here.
"I believe it's important to enjoy student life and have a holistic experience," said Shuib, who achieved a 3.94 cumulative grade point average in Bachelor of Philosophy, Law and Business.
Shuib, from Kulim, added that managing time was crucial, especially during distance-learning classes amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
An avid reader, Shuib works as a freelance book translator while awaiting a stable career offer and plans to pursue postgraduate studies.
At today's (Nov 10) ceremony, Sultan of Kedah Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah graced the first session of the five-day convocation, where 6,742 graduates from the class of 2024 will receive their degrees.
UUM Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Foad Sakdan said of the total, 5,539 are undergraduates and 1,126 are postgraduates.
Out of the 5,539 undergraduates, 1,681 achieved first-class honours, with 84 graduates receiving academic excellence awards and medals.