Alicia, Megan, Kerrie

Discover SIM GE From left to right: Mummy Tay, Alicia, Megan, Kerrie and Daddy Tay. It is the joy of every parent to watch their child step onto the stage to receive their degree certificate at a graduation ceremony. For the Tay family, the joy was tripled when siblings Megan, Alicia and Kerrie graduated from SIM-University at Buffalo (SIM-UB) on the same day. The occasion was made more special as it was a celebration of the strong bond that the sisters formed during their journey at SIM-UB. While both Alicia and Kerrie, were from the same BSc (Business Administration) programme. Megan, the oldest of the siblings, studied the BA (International Trade) programme. “While applying for university, I was keen to further my studies in humanities. Hence, I was drawn to UB’s International Trade programme after reading the brochure and seeing that it had a greater focus on geography modules. Additionally, after hearing about the positive experiences of my younger sisters at SIM - UB, I decided to apply and was subsequently accepted,” says Megan. Although the sisters have studied at the same school in the earlier stages of their education, this is the first time that the sisters studied in the same class as peers. “It has always been interesting to be in the same school and class as my sisters. Studying becomes more fruitful and learning becomes more interactive and fun, quips Kerrie, who is the youngest. “I think the funniest experience was probably when we had a discussion in class about current events and were so engrossed in the topic that we brought it home to debate with our parents. It was funny yet fascinating at the same time because we realise how much studying together built stronger bonds among us. We grew together and pushed each other to reach greater heights.” Sticking together since young. Can you tell who’s who in the picture? During the course of their study, the sisters were also faced with obstacles of their own. For Alicia, it was having to juggle work and study during her internship. “I was interning, working part-time and studying at the same time. I had school and interned on weekdays while I had to work on weekends. It was a tough period in my university life but I had to be more efficient and disciplined in handling the work load to ensure that I could stay on top of everything,” Alicia says. Having supportive sisters helped along the way. The sisters traded their notes and study tips with each other. A throwback: The girls with their graduation pictures from kindergarten, where they first studied together. “The three of us have different subjects that we are strong in. What we often do is allocate chapters and take charge of making notes for that particular chapter. We combine all our notes and go through them together in case we do not understand some things,” Kerrie shares. Megan adds, “Kerrie is strong with math and it was through her tutoring that I was able to understand my MTH115 classes. Alicia, on the other hand, is really good with design and I learned a lot on how to make visually appealing presentations from her.” Alicia currently works as a marketing executive while Megan and Kerrie hope to land jobs that they’re passionate about to excel. When asked if they have any advice for current students, Alicia shares,” My dad always says that university is the last step in your education, enjoy it, enjoy studying and making friends whom you will grow with. This is your last chance to do so before you enter the workforce.” Posted online, 24 August 2018