Hello there! I’m Shar-Lyn and I will be the tour guide to the past two decades of my life. I hail from the tiny, multi-cultural country of Malaysia, which is located in South East Asia. I came to New York City in December of 2005, and have been living here ever since.

            Living in one of the largest and busiest cities in the world has not fazed me much. Even in Malaysia I lived in a city – the capital, Kuala Lumpur – during my teenage years and have had to be independent for most of my life. My early childhood was spent in a small town where everybody knew each other. Popular pastimes included racing bicycles and discovering new hideouts. Whether I was getting injured riding bicycles or trying to navigate my way through a busy city, I have always had two passions – reading and writing. While my friends in school gravitated towards science and mathematics, I adored English lessons and looked forward to them.

I was excited when I finally started my first semester at LaGuardia; I was ready to take on any assignment or project the professor handed me. I chose media studies as a major because I thought it would work as a great prerequisite if I wanted to branch out into journalism later on. I have enjoyed all of my media and English classes so far. In fact, there are a couple of classes that I would gladly take again in a heartbeat. My steadfast interest in these subjects helped me focus and turn in assignments that were well written and properly researched. As a result, I managed to get good grades in most of my classes.

As a budding writer, I am sure to come across all sorts of people and personalities. Thus, I am glad for my previous retail and volunteer experience. Dealing with customers of all types gives you the ability to do a quick evaluation of his/her needs and fulfill it quickly. My retail job in a furniture store taught me patience and how to be courteous to your customers. Volunteering at a hospital taught me how to be quick on my feet and how to react in emergencies. I see all my previous jobs as a learning experience that has benefited me, helping me acquire the kind of skills that employers looks for in potential employees.

When I graduate from LaGuardia next year, I definitely plan on transferring to a four-year college. I plan on going as far as I can with my education as I believe you never stop acquiring knowledge in life, even if you have reached the top echelon in your profession. Being able to achieve a stellar career in journalism – be it print, broadcast, or even online journalism – would be a lifelong dream come true. I believe I have the persistence and writing skills necessary to excel in this profession. A good place to start would be a journalism internship that hopefully leads into established contacts and experience in the industry.

I hope this tiny glimpse into my life makes you more familiar with my goals and aspirations.