Good news to share!

I just found out that my fellow students of KDU University College bagged themselves several outstanding awards at the Cambridge Learner Awards 2012.

Being an honour-roll student, an award recipient and a KDU University-College graduate (class of 2009) myself, I can’t express how proud I am of my juniors!

I’d like to congratulate these kids & their excellent academic success:

KDU University College’s Best Overall Student, Jolyn Tan Lay Shian (Arts)

She is a JPA-sponsored student, who garnered two awards in the June 2012 examinations, winning the Top in the World award for Accounting (A-Level) as well as winning the First Place in Malaysia – Best Across 3 A-Level Subjects award. 

After graduating from KDU, Jolyn is currently pursuing her Degree in Accounting and Finance at the University of Warwick, Coventry

KDU’s honour roll student Wong Jian Eu

He won the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award, being the Top in Malaysia for History (A-Level). 

Upon graduation, he is now living his dreams after being accepted to read History at the University of Oxford.

KDU’s honour roll students Yvonne Ng Ee Lyn, a JPA sponsored student

& Song Cai Li, a PETRONAS sponsored student

They both won the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards, being the Top in the World for Mathematics (A-Level). 

Fun facts

The A-Level programme at KDU University College is internationally recognised as the gateway to degree courses in various fields. (I can definitely vouch for that, as KDU was my gateway to a degree course in Monash University!)

KDU has long maintained an impressive track record of a high percentage of  its students scoring straight A’s, since 1983.

The most recent June 2012 Examination Session saw 40% of students scoring straight A’s in the Advanced Subsidiary exam.

For more information on the programmes and activities happening in KDU University College,

call 03-77288123 / 03 7953 6688 or log on to their official website at www.kdu.edu.my.

My heartiest congratulations goes out to the four outstanding achievers!

Continue to make KDU University College proud… and may the legacy of KDU achievers live on!

So many of my friends, family and readers alike kept telling me that I'm on a billboard and a cinema ad.

All throughout last month & this month, it was all "Jess, I saw you on the ad!" "Jessicat, saw your picture on the billboard!" "Jessica, you're on a giant ad!" "Jessie, saw you in cinema!"

And guess what?

I haven't seen ANY of them with my very own eyes. How sad 🙁

I headed up to Penang a few weeks back, but still couldn't find the time to go see those ads.

So now that I'm in Penang, I took the chance and made a point to go to Gurney Drive-Sunrise Tower cross-junction (previously a roundabout) to see those ads I was featured in. 

I jawdropped when a reader sent this to me. Wow. Thank you so much! 🙂

Being featured on a giant billboard along a busy road at a very prominent intersection left me awestruck!

Hey, it isn't everyday you get people you don't know emailing/tweeting/telling you they saw you on an ad.

This was also sent by someone else. Thank you, too!

I happened to be on on the way to attend Hennessy Artistry Penang last weekend and the people in the coach with me were like, "JESSICA! LOOK LOOK LOOK! IS THAT YOU!?" 

Heh. Yeah, it is. That's me.

So that's it for the giant billboard.

Here's a photo of the cinema advertisement sent to me too. Thanks a lot 

KDU Advertisement in Golden Screen Cinemas

Wow, I must say, she has pretty good eye and quick reaction to whip out her camera to snap this photo.

It went by pretty fast! Lots of people told me they couldn't take the photo in time to show me.

Speaking of which, I just remembered I was on their brochure advertisement too

So yeah. That's my story.

Also, many post-high school kids and teenagers got interested and personally asked me what Mass Communication in KDU was like. Right. Looks like I became a walking billboard after that as well 😛

Spent my 2.5 years of my life as a college kid here!

Here's my answer, with no biasness whatsoever. 

In all honesty, I think KDU's Mass Communication programme is a very comprehensive one and taught me all the basic skills I needed to know to tackle real world challenges. Perfect for anyone who wants a good and solid kick-start to learning the ropes of the industry, for people who want to sharpen their skills in knowing a little bit more about how things work in ALL sectors of mass communication.

I love most of my lecturers and I still keep in touch with them! How could you possibly forget the people who taught you so much? 

Now that I've been in the industry for several years now, I still remember what I was taught at KDU Penang! The subjects were very hands-on and interactive (not just boring ol' theory); we got to learn a lot and apply them immediately. Clearly, we had a great balance of work and play in KDU's Mass Communication department.

Academically, I worked hard at what I was studying as I had the passion for this line of work and knew exactly what I wanted to do to pursue my dream. My hard work paid off and I graduated with a CGPA of 3.9 out of 4.0. Thank you for the memories and impartation of skills and knowledge. I had a ball and I'm proud to be a KDU Mass Comm-er!

If you think they paid me for this blogpost, you're severely wrong.

This is entirely a genuine opinion and recommendation for tertiary education 

Now that this blogpost evoked some good memories circa 2007, lemme share some old photos here!

Some silly fun we got up to in class

In the Recording Studio!

With 2 of my classmates on one of our fieldtrips!

Became editor of a newspaper Journalism project we did – here's my finished product! 😀

Mentored a participant for the KDU DJ Talent Search

On our photography field trip in Campbell Street

My team and I for our Radio Show themed : Viva la Las Vegas!

Thebestfriend and I in class 😀

Our Mass Communications Club activities – SPLASH!

Our version of the Thai Songkran Water Festival

Working as a team!

After 2.5 long years, graduation day! Class of 2009 🙂

So happy to have graduated with a Distinction for my Diploma in Mass Communication

So yeah, that's my testimonial of KDU College Penang's Diploma in Mass Communication course.

I strongly recommend you this 🙂 Drive your dreams! 

So one sunny (and by sunny, I mean excruciatingly hot) sweltering afternoon, I found myself away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city – on the countryside grounds of Nottingham University campus in Semenyih.

What have ye travelled so far for?

The photo speaks for itself 🙂

No, it's not my graduation ceremony… YET. 

It's someone else's moment; my buddy Pam's! 

I certainly would not miss her graduation for the world.

So upon request, I was more than willing to shoot her post-ceremony photographs of this memorable day.

You're looking at the graduate in Masters in Science : Environmental Monitoring and Management!

Yes, very long title. I think so too.

I've often contemplated the thoughts of taking my tertiary education a notch higher with a Masters! 

These days, Bachelor's Degree holders aren't a rare sight to see at all.

This is especially now true that many schools have programs that allow students to earn a Bachelor Degree online. Yep, it's really that easy.

Practically every well-educated person has pursued an undergraduate course.

Which is why it's a smart idea to set yourself a qualification apart from the pool of undergrads.

With the graduates, Iguniwari (Pam's classmate) and Pamela

Here I am holding the scroll for fun – and prolly because it's red! 😛

And another one with fellow housie Edwin!

I was wearing a blazer initially but was roasting inside due to the weather 🙁

Many a time I've watched her sit for hours on end at the computer tabulating her data and doing whatever mumbo-jumbo required to complete her thesis paper of 'Perceptions of Human-Tiger Conflict in Peninsular Malaysia'

She even made a trip to the remote areas of Terengganu in the eastern countryside to conduct her research among the villagers living in the jungle and effects of tigers.  

Also get bitten to near-death by mosquitoes LOL

Mission accomplished – finally!

My turn next, methinks? Masters of Journalism, Masters of Communications & Media Studies?

That's all just a thought for now BUT

Not sure if I want to endure months and months of research and thesis writing

I wish you all the best in your future undertakings and may you enter the voracious dog-eat-dog world of the corporate ladder with full gusto!  

You can dooooooooo it!

Heartiest congratulations again, gurlie

This is for you 

Yay finally!

I wanted to publish this blogpost earlier but decided to wait till the official photos were out by Johnnie Walker too!

And I’ve been collecting other photos that I was tagged in on Facebook by my friends too.

Sorry if this post took a while! I promise it’ll be worth the wait. Teehee. 

So yes, I arrived at the premises with my invitation

Oh and I absolutely loved how they crafted the invitations. Such a classy feel! 

It was in the form of a gold cuff/bangle in a beautiful shiny, black box.

Thanks for the photo, Minny!

They also gave a gold necklace to the ladies(which you will see me wearing) and a gold tie-pin for the gegentlemen as doorgifts.

This was the location – 32 Mansion – of which was decorated in a really elaborate manner!

So, are you ready to party with Johnnie Walker?

I sure am! 

At the entrance

Camwhored  for a bit before stepping inside the Black Circuit

Oh and you can see the gold necklace rather clearly in this piccie!

The moment I entered the mansion, I was in awe.

They’ve transformed the insides into something so magnificent!

Was served Johnnie Walker cocktails the very moment I entered

Decided to give ALL the cocktails a taste!

The ones in the front row: Gold Rush | 2nd row: Black 75 | final row was my favourite, Black Circuit!

There were booths available for the whiskey tasting! 

Guests were taught the RIGHT way of savouring it 

And no, the trick is not to gulp it straight down….

Teehee.

The bar where mixologists were doing their thang!

I never miss an opportunity against the photowall 😀 😀

Thanks for the photo, Jun Fook!

There were a couple of booths for guests to ‘check-in’ our location to Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare too

After I was done mingling and drinking at the foyer, I explored further around the mansion

And found my table!

Thank you Johnnie Walker, for giving me a table and having it strategically right smack in the middle of the dance floor, facing the DJ console too! 

They made my day even before the party started! 🙂 🙂

Before we knew it, emcees of the night Hanson and Hannah kick-started the event.

Lights, camera, action!

They gave us a very warm welcome and introduced the 1st DJ of the evening.

Hey homeboy DJ Reeve, do your thang & spin that shizz on the decks for us tonight! 😉

DJ Reeve from Malaysia!

My close knitted homies came soon after. Was so glad to see them again!

As I spend most of my days in KL, I always look forward to our hang outs everytime I come back to Penang

There’s more of us, but they’re laaaaate! 🙂

You’ll see them in a bit

My babes and I.  Loves! 

Apart from my very own homies & other bloggers, I bumped into friends from the industry too

Throughout the event guests were served not only free-flow of Johnnie Walker Black Label, but also a torrent of delightful chocolates! A delicious assortment of white, dark and milk chocolates kept coming at me as though beckoning me to have more.

And you all know how much of a sucker I am for chocolates. Simply couldn’t resist!

Say whaaaaaad? 😛

Oh yeah. Chocolates galore. A generous amount was served to us!

I was made a very happy girl yet again.

Yes, chocolates make me happy, if you must know 🙂

Apart from all those awesome-pawsome things about the party so far, was the fact that I got to rekindle with some of my childhood and high school bunch of tfriends all over again.

Heck, I’ve not seen some of them ever since we left school!

Penang gurls in the haus!

Girl Guides of the same patrol back in 2005!

Classmates in primary school and squash mates in high school!

Convent girls of 2006/2007 all grown up 

More of my fellow Penang peeps!

Wootwoot

I was psyched how the Black Circuit party brought together so many familiar faces; especially ones whom I’ve lost touch with. I was practically fluttering around to many different tables and coincidentally bumping into more and more old friends!

And Johnnie Walker was perfect as our toast to friendship! 

Oh and ya know what’s also great during the event?

The fact that polaroids were given out to remember the night. Absolute WIN!  

I’ve mentioned numerous times before; a party is never complete without a photo souvenir for keeps

That makes all the difference; compared to the usual digital photos uploaded online

We kept downing our drinks; but never fail to stay within limits. 

As we keep in mind to drink responsibly – as advocated by Johnnie Walker!

The emcees took to the dance floor again to “check” on us and how we were doing! 😀 😀

Also, the next DJ was announced. DJ FM from our neighbouring country, Singapore

It’s your turn to crank up the volume, deejay! 

From the window, to the wall

This party’s jumpin’ till tomorrow!

We drink the whole bottle but it ain’t over!

Errrbody’s jumping 😀

Day-O, me say Day-O

Daylight come and we don’t wanna go home 😀

We were the 1st ones to hit the dance floor, babeh!

Josiah and I 🙂

Geez duuuude, your complexion is way better than mine haha! *jealous*

With buddy Calvin

With my babe, Minny! 

Oh yes, another family photo of my homies!

(Still incomplete LOL)

Ren and I!

Let’s let’s let’s get it started in here! 

Flanked by Eric and Jun Fook

Emcees were back on the dancefloor!

I honestly couldn’t remember what they were saying cos I was having too much fun at the time.

But I jolly well knew when they welcomed the 3rd and final DJ of the night!

Let’s take it to the skies, DJ Teemaree!!! 

Read about my interview with her: here

Had a chance to sit down for 15 minutes for a short but enlightening interview 😀 Check it out yo

Another family photo with the homies with DJ Teemaree spinning in the background!

Bumped into EVEN MORE friends that night!

Eric who pimps my Blackberry!

With Chia Li!

OMG I DID NOT JUST DO THE ASIAN “5” POSE. What’s wrong with me?! -__-” argh!

DJ keep it movin!

I raved so hard when she played the electro-house tracks. 

Hell to the yeah! 

Boss Selva and I

Ahhh…. Back in the days when I was the photographer for the Mois!

Smile for the camera! 🙂

Two very tired (and slightly tipsy) bloggers

THE PARTY WAS STILL ON FULL SWING TILL THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING!

Now that’s what I call a flippin’ awesome party.

No party shall end before midnight, in my books! 

And most definitely not a night like Johnnie Walker Black Circuit parties!

My highlight of the night: I rubbed my eyes twice/thrice when I saw my best friend Joyce in front of me

She was supposed to be my plus one for the party; something came up so she had to pull a raincheck on me

Imagine my surprise when I saw her – with her invitation that I saved for her? Geez. How did she get it?

Found out that one of my homies took out her invitation from my box and passed it to her outside!

Apparently I did not notice while I was partying the skies down and my cellphone battery died on me

So, finally, FAMILY PHOTO COMPLETE!

(Except a few who weren’t at the party)

GUESS WHAT!!?

Also found out it was DJ Teemaree’s birthday! 

So we’ve come to the end of this lengthy post. I hope it was worth the read!

Seriously, what’s there not to love about this party but it’s entirety? I’ve said all I needed to say and….

I give it a 5 star rating; very apt with its 5 star standard! 

I went home with memories of arguably the most fantastic party of my life ever since I returned from Australia

Thank you once again, Johnnie Walker for bringing us an amazing night. 

The Black Circuit Penang night was stellar; more than honoured to be your guest! See you around at the next party!

Keep Walking, you sexy beast of a Striding Man 😉

 Much love, TheJessicat

To be extremely honest, I’ve never seen/taste/smell/ate Vegemite in my entire life.

Until I came to Australia.

Bardha, Cleefy and I in the kitchen on the night of the challenge

This is how it all began.

One fine day, Konzy and Cleefy decided to ask me a million dollar question.

“Have you tried Vegemite before?”

My answer was an obvious “no”.

However, I’ve heard some pretty horrid stuff about it; that it tasted vile, disgusting and nasty on your tastebuds. Then again, Cleefy insisted I had some, regardless of what I’ve heard.

Allow me to quote him “you haven’t experienced Australia if you leave without Vegemite”.

Looks like a creepy Vegemite ad, no? 😛

He proposed I eat it in front of the camera so that I could always remember the “Australian goodness of Vegemite”. Fair enough. So I decided to take up the challenge of the infamous yucky Vegemite.

Let the camera roll!

One night before we headed out clubbing, Cleefy brought me a jar of Vegemite

& had it wrapped in a cute blue ribbon too! 

I was extremely hesitant after unwrapping it but my mates were pretty persistent.

Fine fine fine. I’ll do it! 

Here’s the short video I made. Enjoy it!

Hahaha. Hope you liked it! So there, my 1st moments with Vegemite, added with laughter, nasty facial contortions and friendship encapsulated in a 6 minute video 🙂

Now, everytime I think of Australia or crave for Vegemite, this video will do the trick!

Ahoy mateys! Arrrr. Vegemite has arrived.

How am I ever gonna forget that?

The next time ANY of you come to Malaysia, I’ll do the exact same thing for yall – not with Vegemite, but with Durians instead. *evil laughter*

Thank you Cleefy bear!

Now that I’ve finished blogging this entire post and editing the VLOG, I’m totally up for some. Only thing that’s stopping me is…. I can’t seem to find my Vegemite.

Who has stolen my jar from me!?  Identify yourself!!