Finally, the much anticipated Awards Ceremony for the March batch students is here! This joyful annual Awards Ceremony is a tradition of Taylor's School of Law and Governance, honouring students from the February and April intakes for those who have excelled in each law module. It is a truly meaningful celebration of their academic accomplishments, recognising their outstanding performance!
Our masters of ceremonies, Benjamin and Jashrej, kicked off the event by extending a hearty welcome to Professor Dr Eddy Chong Siong Choy, the distinguished Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law. He started with his inaugural speech. Subsequently, our recently appointed Vice-Chancellor and President of Taylor’s University, Professor Barry Winn, gave a speech. Professor Barry delivered an unforgettable and inspiring speech in attending his first event organised by Taylor’s School of Law and Governance!
At last, the time we all have been waiting for, the distribution of book awards to the students who had received the top marks in individual modules. We started by honouring the exceptional Year 1 January and March cohorts. Firstly, Aiswariya Lakshmi Sivanesan showed her extraordinary talent by winning the title of the highest scorer in the Contract Law module. Moving on, Mohammad Azhiim Socor Balut was named the best performer in the Legal Skills & Methods module. Thannuj Sidhi Raj A/L Kumara Raj also secured the prestigious title of the highest scorer in the English Legal System module. In light of the Year 1 Cohort, Tan Yee Yin stood out among the rest, winning prizes for being the best scorer in the Law of Tort, Malaysia Legal System and English Constitutional & Administrative Law modules, and was named the Best Overall Performer in Year 1.
The spotlight shifted to the Year 2 January and March cohorts, a moment brimming with significance, as Mavis Tsu Mei Hui stood at the pinnacle of academic achievement, sweeping 2 awards for the highest scores in the Mooting and Malaysian Constitutional and Administrative Law module. Furthermore, Michelle Lee Shu Ling from the March 2022 cohort was the best performer in the Criminal Law module. Lee Qian Yi also secured the title of the highest scorer in the Public International Law module. In addition, Serafina Stacey Chong secured her place for best performer in the English Land Law module. To cap it off, she secured the Best Overall Performance in Year 2. This was truly a testament to Serafina Stacey Chong's academic excellence!
Last but not least, the spotlight shifted to the Year 3 January and March cohorts. Tian Kai Ni scored highest in the Equity and Trust module. Next, Adele Chan Kai Yin secured her place as the best performer in the Family Law module. Additionally, Landy Lua was the best performer in the Malaysian Land Law module. Finally, Kevin Perakk Sike is the best performer for the Company Law module and secured his spot as the Best Overall Performance in Year 3!
As the award ceremony came to an end, Professor Dr Eddy Chong gave a sincere thank you to the distinguished representatives from top legal firms. These sponsors have supported the book prize awards, which have been quite important! The evening was devoted to honouring and celebrating the recipients of these outstanding academic accomplishments.
In line with this event, we took the pleasure of interviewing the award recipients from each year’s cohort — Thannuj Sidhi Raj A/L Kumara Raj from Year 1, Lee Qian Yi from Year 2, and Kevin Perakk Sike from Year 3. Here are some of the questions we inquired about:
1.Could you share one of your tips for excelling in academics?
Success in academics often boils down to effective strategies and habits. For Kevin, his secret sauce involves regular repetition and revision, utilising charts for studying, and remembering cases as if they were stories. Similarly, Qian Yi enjoys revising mind maps and diving into case laws and textbooks. Thannuj also pointed out the importance of paying close attention during lectures, as the most crucial notes aren’t on the slides but are the ones mentioned during classes. He also highlights the value of deep research with textbooks, journals, and encyclopaedias to develop your unique perspective. All of them agree that being attentive during tutorials is key, as that’s where the essence of the topic really comes through!
2.Do you have any advice for your fellow law students?
Law school can be a tough journey, but perseverance is key. Always do your best and never give up. Outside of academics, Kevin encouraged peers to give mooting a try. “Doing that can help you learn the law and how it applies.” Whether it is advocacy, research, or writing skills, mooting does a lot in enriching one’s learning experience. As for Thannuj, he revealed his top tip for performing in exams – “Going beyond to answer what is asked” will help impress the examiners. This is where thorough reading and research come in to complement and extend your answer. And to echo Qian Yi’s advice, “Study isn’t everything! Do what makes you happy.”
3.How do you balance both your academics and personal life?
Being the President of Taylor’s University Student Council, Thannuj expresses that his strategy relies on early preparation, clear organisation, and effective time management. One way to achieve this is by setting clear agendas for meetings. This can help shorten the period while respecting other’s schedules. For someone as active in clubs and societies as Qian Yi, she believes that it is crucial to ensure all commitments are manageable. Don’t take on more than you can handle; maintaining this balance allows you to fulfil your responsibilities without compromising your well-being.
4.Could you share your strategy to effectively handle stress?
Each award recipient has their own stress-coping mechanism. It could be taking a day off to immerse in your hobby or hanging out with friends. Whatever it is, always allow yourself to take a break when everything gets too much. Most importantly, don’t overthink. As Kevin puts it, “Stress is stress when you think too much. Just go on with life. Trust the process, and you’ll do fine.”
Written by: Benjamin Chung & Lam Zi Wei
Edited by: Michelle Lee Shu Ling
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