Malaysian graduate in US credits support of friends in viral video

PETALING JAYA: The support of friends helped Lisa Nur Marini Mohd Kamal overcome burnout and graduate with a geology degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she said in her now-viral speech at the university's Winter Commencement ceremony.

"In my second year in college, I suffered burnout to the point of losing motivation to finish this degree; I'd overwhelmed myself past my breaking point with things that would look good on my resume but I stopped feeling passion for anything I did or learned.

"I could not have finished college without the friends that I made here. They got me through a lot of late nights at the library," she said in her speech, a video of which has been viewed over 102,700 times since Monday (Dec 16).

The Petronas scholar then added a message for her friends in her speech before a crowd of 7,000 people, congratulating them for "making it to the final act".

"Look at where you are. Look at where you started. You made it here, you did it day after day. You made the choice to rise up and give yourself another chance to start over every single morning," she said.

The Petronas scholar added that listening to the soundtrack of the musical "Hamilton" was her coping mechanism in the junior year of her degree.

"The musical tells the story of an orphan and immigrant who became one of the founding fathers of America. I came here on a scholarship, a long way from my home in Kuala Lumpur. This opportunity to be here at the prestigious University of Wisconsin-Madison did not come easy or cost little for any of us," she said.

Lisa also said that students juggled a lot on their plates including studies and relationships with friends and family, adding that in her case, most of her family was abroad and separated by a 14-hour time difference.

"Most importantly, we work towards the promise of a great future for ourselves. While I was carrying the expectations of many, the heaviest ones were my own. When I didn't meet them, the person I disappointed the most was myself," she added.

On receiving degrees and graduating, Lisa said that "there’s everyday human experiences that give weight and substance to the certificate you are about to receive".

“Every sacrifice, every bit of energy you dragged out of you every morning, even if all you managed to do was scratch the bare minimum, you are here today, you are graduating today and I am proud of you," added Lisa.