As of writing this, I am in my final year of university, pursuing a BSc in Computing and Law at SMU. As to how I decided on my current course, it was simply due to interest. It may sound foolhardy and risky to make a rather important decision based solely on interest, but this was significant to me. Up to that point, many of the decisions that I made were rooted in pragmatism, or were simply the conventional choice. My choice of subject combination in JC, PCME, was not because I had a particular goal that I wanted to pursue, but because I thought that it opened me up to a wider range of future possibilities. I remember looking through the various courses available to me after receiving my A level results, and initially weighing my options based on which course would make me the most employable. And it was at that point where I came across my current course, which really intrigued me. I don’t think I had ever felt so interested in pursuing something before.

At the time of my application, the course was quite new, with no prior batches of students. There was nobody I could talk to and learn from their experience. Compared to other established courses that had already been running for quite some time, enrolling into Computing and Law was a less conventional path, and could be said to carry more risk. But what better risk to take than to bet on yourself?

Looking back, the choice I made was undoubtedly the right one. Throughout my years in university, I had the privilege of being taught by extremely knowledgeable professors and interacting with like-minded peers, which further honed my interest in this field. More importantly, I am doing something that I am passionate about, and I am excited about what the future holds.

Your campus experiences and have you decided on your desired career(s)?

Life in university can be stressful, yet enriching. Class participation is emphasised in SMU, and since I am not a really outspoken individual, this took some time to get used to. Admittedly, I still do not participate as much as I would have liked, but I'm making progress. Earlier this year, I took part in a panel discussion as a panellist, and this was something that I would have immediately declined many years ago. University has also provided me with ample opportunities to interact with people from diverse backgrounds with different passions, which really allowed me to learn from them and expand my perspective on things.

As for my desired career, I am currently undecided between 3 paths: (1) Technological risk and compliance, (2) Academia focusing on law and technology, and (3) Legal technology. I am still in the process of exploring these 3 options, and hopefully I will be able to make a decision soon.

What extracurricular activities have you done to explore your interests?

In the course of my studies, I found that I like to code, and so I took part in various hackathons. In these events, my team and I had to come up with a solution that addresses a given problem statement, usually within the span of a few days. I found such events to be a meaningful way to practice my coding skills. At the same time, since these hackathons are conducted by organisations from a wide range of industries, it served as a source of valuable insights into the respective industries. I also found hackathons to be a great place to meet like-minded peers, and it is always interesting to see how people can have different approaches or methods to solve the same problem.

Share some tips to help juniors prepare for university life?

Taking some time to prepare before university can go a long way. I knew that my course would involve coding, and I took some time before university started to learn how to code. I found this to be extremely useful, and eased my transition into university, especially after a long hiatus from studying.

Do take part in orientation events organised by the university for freshmen. These events are great ways to meet new people who may not be taking the same course as yourself. In the same vein, take the chance to practice networking as well, as this will be an important skill for the future. Put yourself out there and be open to meeting people from different backgrounds and interests.

Word of advice for your juniors?

The world is constantly changing, but there will always be problems that require solving. Apart from learning the substantive content being taught in university, focus on honing your reasoning and problem-solving skills as well. 

Take some time and enjoy your school breaks and holidays. School holidays have always felt like a given to me, but now that it is reaching an end, I am starting to miss the freedom that comes with it. Take the time to work on projects that you are passionate about. Organise meetups/activities with your friends. Travel with your family. Once we start working, I believe that it will become harder to find a common time to do things together with friends/family due to the differences in schedules and commitments.