Chapter 1: Learning to Walk

Chapter 1: Learning to Walk is a deeply personal story about taking those first steps into an unfamiliar world. Leaving Malaysia to pursue studies at Imperial College London was more than an academic journey—it was a journey of learning to stand on her own feet, facing uncertainty, loneliness, mistakes, and unexpected challenges along the way. What makes this story meaningful is its honesty. She got lost, struggled with a broken suitcase and faced with accommodation problems, became overwhelmed, and finally reached out to her mother when being independent became too challenging to handle. Yet, each challenge taught her something about resilience and finding a way forward. Behind every achievement is the people who quietly give us strength. The farewell with her family, her mother's prayers, and her father's simple words, “I’m so proud of you”, remind us that no journey is truly taken alone. This is not simply a story about becoming a scientist. It is a story about learning to find one's feet, accepting that it is alright to stumble, and have the courage to take the next step. Because before we learn to run, we must first learn to walk.