MCKL Alumna Shares How Her Mental Health Struggles Transformed Her A Level Study Experience and Life
- Luna was a Cambridge A Level student with Methodist College Kuala Lumpur but she struggled with her mental health.
- MCKL supported Luna’s wish to continue her study by giving the necessary help through usage of its campus facilities and resources.
- Luna was awarded High Achievement in the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award (OCLA) for her A Level Literature In English and was subsequently accepted into University of Edinburgh.
In many ways, being able to study pre-university in a college is akin to opening a new chapter stepping into adulthood. However, to Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL) alumna Luna Freyja binti Ahmad Nazir, being able to graduate from her Cambridge A Level, achieving the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award (OCLA) during the process and receiving admittance into the prestigious University of Edinburgh are symbols of change and achievements she has created in her own life.
Cambridge A Level is one of the most prominent pre-university programmes worldwide. A Cambridge education prepares students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning.
The 24-year-old has been battling mental health issues since the age of 13, and was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, ADHD, and borderline personality disorder (BPD). On why she had enrolled with MCKL for the Cambridge A Level programme in 2017, she explained that breadth of subjects offered in humanities under the A Level syllabus in MCKL had appealed to her.
“I selected the subjects I wished to enrol, and the combinations seemed like an opportunity that was unmatched anywhere else. The lecturers also nurtured my love for the humanities in a way that I did not experience in secondary school. There were multiple opportunities for active learning, creative and critical engagements, and interactions! They would direct me to resources that I could further research on my interests for my personal knowledge,” she said.
In 2018, Luna had to defer her studies to seek treatment for her ongoing mental health struggles. However, she was still determined to continue her passion in literary studies, and in 2020, decided to continue and persevere her A Level in MCKL.
“I transformed and channelled my energy into my study of the subjects I’m passionate about. While I found meaning in my studies in a way that isn’t measured in grades alone, I’m certainly more likely to accomplish my goals when that motivation comes from a place of love.”
“My lecturers in MCKL are my support pillars! I received lots of help from them and the administrators too. They understood and accommodated my need to have my access arrangements made on time, and the little things they did to help me stay grounded during exams (such as putting an alarm clock on the desk and 30-minute reminders) made a huge difference. Such little things really do matter.”
After her second attempt, Luna was awarded OCLA High Achievement in Literature in English. Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award (OCLA) is issued by the Cambridge Assessment International Education, who recognised exceptional learner achievement in Cambridge exams worldwide.
Other than being a recognised college that offers Cambridge A Level programme, MCKL is also a registered Cambridge International Centre – this meant that Luna could easily register to sit for her Oxford entrance exams without going to another place. Her application to UK universities was also made easier with the help of MCKL’s University Placement and Exams Unit. Her referee had supported and helped her to organise her academic reference in this case.
Luna has been accepted into the prestigious University of Edinburgh to read English Literature and Classics. She looks forward to its diverse programme structure and impressive faculty and believes that her love and passion for literature will come to life in Edinburgh city.
On words of encouragement to students who are facing similar situations like her, Luna wants them to know that ‘it often really is darkest before the dawn’.
“I may not have all the answers, but I urge you to find your courage and have faith that the dark place we find ourselves in may prove transformative if we hang in there – against all odds, it has for me. Our struggles may preclude the road ahead being a smooth or easy one, yet it may just to be our advantage in the long run!” she encouraged.
MCKL is one of the earliest tertiary institutions in Malaysia to offer the Cambridge A Level programme as an education pathway for school leavers to further their studies globally. MCKL’s A Level programme is one of the most affordable and internationally recognised in Malaysia.
To-date, MCKL has produced 132 OCLA recipients since 2013, and 100% average pass rate for eight consecutive years for its Cambridge A Level programme. Its students have been awarded Top in the World, Top in Malaysia, and High Achievements for various subjects, granting students entry to top universities locally and globally.
MCKL also recently launched its Penang Pykett Campus, allowing Northern region students better access to affordable, quality education.
The Cambridge A Level programme offered by MCKL is now open for July 2022 enrolment. For further information, visit www.mckl.edu.my. To contact MCKL KL Campus, email to admission@mckl.edu.my, or call +603-2300 0998. For Pykett Campus Penang, email to admission.pg@mckl.edu.my, or call +604-217 5088.
Follow MCKL on its official social media channels on Facebook and Instagram @MethodistCollegeKL.