Throwback: Ta'aruf Week IIUM

Assalamualaikum :)

So its the 3rd June already, and most of the 1996-ians are heading to their respective colleges for the first time. Wherever colleges you are placed, congratulations for securing yourself for it! It required a lot of efforts and it paid off at last (really understand that well, been there before hihi). And I'm guessing you would be as nervous as I was, especially when one had never lived off from their families, but guess what, you're stepping ahead towards the freedom you've been dreaming all these while! Lulz I'm kidding. But seriously, ketahuilah bahawasanya anda sudah pun cukup dewasa untuk pergi jauh. This time I mean it.

I'm expecting fellow juniors who will be registering at the Center for Foundation Studies, IIUM to wonder how their life will look like throughout their study days (because I felt pretty much the same too, back then). Worry no more because I am here to answer your questions, people! (probably not that much but hopefully, it helps)

CFS IIUM PJ :)

I'll be focusing more on Economics and Management Sciences (ECONS) because that is exactly what I was doing :)

Ta'aruf Week (Orientation Week) 
(Center For Foundation Studies, Petaling Jaya, Selangor)
No matter whatever college you are registering, orientation week are often made compulsory. And to your worst nightmare, most people would associate orientation days with torturing hell created by evil seniors muahahahaha but trust me, it's waaaaaaaay different here in IIUM. *whispering* Trust me.

Partial view of CFS IIUM PJ taken from Level 9 KC. Visible here are the mosque, UKC, and the AMF Hall.

Basically, on the first day, you went through those counters at Al Malik Faisal Hall, handing off those required documents and let the committees make em done, collect your Taaruf Kit and room key, photography session for your matric card and proceed to your room and unpack your stuffs and that's just it. And there'd be some briefings made by the committees but usually won't take that long and go back to your room and continue your sleep.

Khadijah College (KC) was my temporary residential before being transferred to UIA Gombak

(It is advisable for sisters (read: female students) to siap-siap pakai tudung putih as you are required to wear white scarf for the photography session. You wouldn't want to end up nampak selekeh dalam gambar matric card because you have to put on you crumpled, tudung putih Taaruf, no? ;D )

On the second day, there'd be usually held the tests required before we proceed with our daily classes. They would be the English Placement Test (EPT), Arabic Placement Test (APT), Fardhu Ain, and Quranic Test. Memang banyak, but they are all equally important as it will determine how long your study duration would be, and also the subjects need to be taken for the compulsory co-curriculum.

Depending on your study course, the duration of study will vary to one another according to your EPT and APT results. As for ECONS students, students will be exempted from Arabic and English classes if you scored more than Level 6 and Level 2 for both English and Arabic, respectively. Thus, the study duration would be one year (2 long semesters)

While students scoring Level 6 and Level 5 for EPT and Level 1 APT will be required to attend the English and Arabic classes, and would take up 1 1/2 years (3 long semesters) to complete their Foundation studies. In the end of the semester, there'd be held another EPT and APT tests for which to determine whether you still need to attend the classes or getting exemption.

The lowest score that students often end up will be Level 1 APT and Level 4 EPT which usually requires them to complete their program in 2 years (4 long semesters). Feeling pressured? Having no Arabic basic? No worries, you can always leave the first APT paper blank. Besides, it's the incoming EPT and APT that actually matters the most (unless you are targeting to complete your studies in merely one year and got Arabic basic, then prepare yourself well for the first EPT and APT)

Walau bagaimanapun, saya menyeru adik-adik sekalian untuk buat betul-betul dalam EPT, APT dan segala tests masa memula tu, toksah dok layan sangat rasa malas hangpa, satgi sendiri merana. Ramai dah dok komplen camtu huhu.

Meanwhile, the Fardhu Ain and Quranic Tests will determine the subjects you need to take as part of the co-curriculum activities. Say, if you passed the Quranic tests, you'll need to attend the Study Circle (it's like an usrah, but with exams hihi). If you didn't make it, you'll need to attend the Quranic classes. Never feel inferior if you failed to pass any of it, IIUM is called 'The Garden of Knowledge and Virtue' for reasons. Plus, it's good to learn more :)

Then, some other briefings will take place.

Highlights of the remaining days would be more briefings, practicing the CFS song, campus tour and the final one, the Bai'ah (oath) Ceremony. We're done.

Post-Bai'ah-Ceremony photo with some of the fellow schoolmates.
Notice how the word CFS was formed on the building.

On the forth (or fifth, I can't precisely recall) day, ECONS students will be transferred to Gombak campus. Classes should begin in week two.

But there's no doubt I love UIA Gombak even moreeee hihi. I'll tell you why :)

I'll tell you more on life in Gombak Campus in the following post. Till then! xx :)

(Psssst, not enough information? Head over here to get more information on Taaruf Week and CFS IIUM: Facebook CFS IIUM 14/15)