We Are Young

On the last weekend of October, I went to Snowdonia, a region in the northwest of Wales for a hike. Well, after hiking Bukit Jambul in Penang and Trans-Ili Alatau Mountain in Kazakhstan, hiking seems like a thing for me now, huh? hehehe

Alhamdulillah after almost 4 hours walking up the 7 kilometres Llanberis path, we finally made it to the top of Mount Snowdon! It was 1085 metres high (that's 3560 feet guys), and as far as I can remember it was -12 degree Celcius at the peak on the day we went there... (On that note, as someone who can easily get (perpetually) cold, I should be utmostly grateful that I did make it to the peak and hike back down to the foot of the mountain again alive though)

Some pictures of Snowdon cause I don't have much to tell but masya Allah, the views are so stunning that I wish I could be there again! (my apology for the low quality pictures, and I didn't really take a lot of them since I was freezing to death huhu)

Passed by a lake before we arrived at the foot of the mountain to begin our hike

Around an hour after the sun rised :) 

A quick shot after more than halfway through the journey! 

Almost there! Can you see the white patch of snow? It's getting cold up here huhu

Finally! View taken from the top of the mountain at 11.56 am GST+0

This hike is one of the Charity Week 2018 events, a huge applause to Izzatul and the gang for organising (handling, managing etc) this hike! I would like to take the chance here to thank everyone who has donated for my Charity Week donation page too :) May Allah bless you and reward you for your support ❤️

Oh wait, did I tell you guys the story while I was hiking Bukit Jambul last summer?

(I definitely didn't, since I was too emotionally carried away with my PPAG experience hoho so excuse my silly question *tepuk dahi*)

So last July, I went to hike Bukit Jambul in Penang. I went there alone because my roommate Fara was busy studying for her exam (or was she preparing for her FYP - final year project? I can't remember lol)

I started hiking the hill and actually stopped quite a few times, because... I am not that fit. At my first stop, I was having a conversation with a Chinese uncle. I guess he was in his 50s; he told me he has retired from working. He was asking me if I am a student, so I said yes and added the fact that I was currently doing my internship in USM at that particular time.

A line of his that has somehow managed to stay in my head sounds like this:

"Oh bagus bagus. Kena rajin belajar. Zaman sekarang kena belajar tinggi. Semua pakai elektronik. Kalau tak belajar tinggi susah cari makan."

I was only capable to give him a smile. Then he went on asking me if I was hiking alone etc. He was telling me how he used to be actively involved in hiking, but that was before he retired from his work.

"You young lagi, kuat lagi. Nanti kalau dah 50, tak larat dah."

I smiled again. We ended our chat not long after that and started hiking individually again. That uncle actually reached the top before I did hahaha what a shame Hamizah.

"Kalau tak belajar tinggi susah cari makan"

"You young lagi"

Those phrases echoed in my mind. Now when I think about it again, I tend to forget to appreciate the fact that I am in my young adult years, and it's like the 'golden time' to explore about a lot of things. It didn't even (or maybe quite rarely) hit me all this while; the fact that 'one day I would be too old to do a lot of stuffs hence I need to make use of my 'young days' to thrive'.

Here, I note some things to bear in our mind as the young generation of the world (bak kata orang future leaders gitu)

First, make good use of our energy and health

If you're into sports, and extreme sports, this is the time to get the most out of it. Go for a hike, learn martial arts, go to the gym, or even train yourself for a marathon!

If you're into travelling, explore the world! There's so much things to see and learn when you travel overseas or even in your own country.

If you're into community work, go for volunteering! Gaining new experience and making new friends are always great and exciting.

It's not that you can't do any of this in your later days, but 'fitness' will be a prominent excuse by then hehehe

Second, make good use of our time

When you have free time, explore the world! Read tonnes of books, or learn new languages, or maybe improve your IT skills (since it's now becoming a thing in employment so yeah)

Sounds so nerdy? Hahahaha, well then play games, watch movies, learn to play musical instrument XD

I swear university life can be too overwhelming, maybe daunting, and at some point, stressful. But that is one of the chances to make the most out of our lives though. Of course when you're in uni, no one has the same type of priorities. We pursue different courses, aim for different goals, chasing different dreams. So I spend quite a lot of time this past few weeks asking myself, what do I think is necessary for me? I only have 24 hours in a day and of course, I can't do everything. So how do we make the best out of this gift of 24 hours that has been given from Him?

a) Spiritual commitment

I used to attend a school where we were always reminded to put spiritual commitment above all things (in other words, religious commitment). The concept of 'barakah' or blessings plays a huge part here. And..maybe sometimes we need a reminder on what 'istidraj' is.

Rasullulah (SAW) said :"When you see Allah (SWT) gives good fortunes to his slaves who are always committing sins (disobedient), know that the person is being given istidraj by Allah (SWT)." 

(At-Tabrani, Ahmad and Al-Baihaqi)

b) Social commitment

Keep in touch with your family and close friends. They are the most wonderful support system you can ever ask on Earth <3

c) Academic commitment

This need no further explanation, I suppose? hehehe

Knowledge is power, and as students, who can deny the fact that academic is one of the top priorities?

d) 'Human being' commitment

Come on guys, we are not robots. Never forget to take care of your hygiene and your health; eat well, sleep well, live well :D (should be saying this more to myself tbh huhu)

AND. Don't you ever forget about your MENTAL HEALTH. That should come first over almost everything, okay?

e) Additional commitment

I would like to wish best of luck to everyone who is actively involved with societies and volunteering work in universities. You got this, man! Don't forget to find the joy in everything you do :)

f) F for finally, and financial commitment

...which brings me to my last point of this post:

Third, make good use of our money

(Though I have only been using Ringgit Malaysia and GB Pound Sterling most of the time (with the exception of Kazakh Tenge that I used for 3 weeks), somehow it's the dollar sign $$$ that come to my mind whenever I hear the word money hahaha eh random pulak)

So since for now, we have relatively smaller commitment for expenses, it would be very useful to save some of our monthly pocket money and allowance (especially yang sponsored students tu kan 😏 huehue). Financial management doesn't start only once you have earned your own wage. It starts now, when we already have money in our own hands and having the need to seriously consider our wants and necessities (and maybe not only to our own self, but for charity and people who are in need...)

This is not about getting rich, it's about life skills management for a future that is so uncertain (ceh tetibe)

Life is full of risk, am I right, future actuaries?? hehehe

Meanwhile, I first read this excerpt while I was reading A Study in Scarlet (one of Holmes' novel) many, many years ago (I think it was when I just about to start high school or at the end of my primary school). I just somehow remember it so well until now though :)

"I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose... the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order."

So choose wisely what you want to spend your early (and later) days with, and what you want to have in mind!

Cause we all know too well, that we can never turn back time ;)