I am Zhang YuXin from China and am currently in Semester 5 of the Pharmaceutical Chemistry programme at IMU. I graduated from Chong Hwa Independent High School at Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and took UEC to enrol in IMU. The only barrier I had after graduation from secondary school was English Language as I didn’t focus much on English during secondary school. In order to improve, I went for English tuition for half of a year and eventually managed to fulfil the English entry requirement (IELTS) of IMU. 
I had been living in Malaysia since I was young. This was because my parents did not favour the seasonal weathers in China as they were unable to withstand the cold during winter. They brought me here immediately after I was born. They chose Malaysia mainly due to the weather and harmony. During secondary school, I found out that I am interested in both chemistry and medicine thus, I looked for a course that comprised of both aspects. I discovered the Pharmaceutical Chemistry programme offered by IMU at an education fair. I chose to complete my degree in Malaysia because normally this course is to be completed in 6 years overseas but only 3 years in Malaysia. Among all other universities in Malaysia, IMU was chosen. One of the main reasons was because IMU is near to my house. In addition, my friends also recommended IMU to me as they mentioned IMU has a good reputation and complete facilities as a medical university. 
In IMU, the teaching system and study methods are totally different from what I had in secondary school. The teaching system was outcome-based and application-based. One of the most impressive evidences was the Model Industry Concept (MIC) in Pharmaceutics IV module. This MIC had provided students a very good opportunity to know more about the industry and the expectations when they are employed in a pharmaceutical industry. Other than that, the University has Problem Based Learning (PBL) which is one of the teaching systems that provoked critical thinking amongst students. 
Moreover, the timetable was flexible but could be very busy at times. This taught me that time management was very important in university life. Other than knowledge, I have learned to be more independent and confident in IMU after meeting friends and lecturers from different backgrounds. In my opinion, Malaysia is a harmonious country and provides a less competitive environment compared to other countries. As Malaysia is a multi-racial country, it offers a variety of food that catches my attention. In comparison with other countries, I can conclude that Malaysia has better quality and fascinating shopping malls especially those in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
In summary, I really enjoy my time in IMU even though it can be difficult especially during exam periods. The final semester of my course is approaching and I guess I will either further my studies overseas or be employed and meet the challenges of the real world.
