When Amalina Abdul Nasir started studying at SMU, she felt awkward mixing with male students. This was because until taking her GCE A levels, she attended Al-Maarif Al-Islamiah Madrasah, which does not have male students. She also had difficulties finishing the amount of reading required at SMU. According to Amalina, after two semesters she felt more comfortable, through hard work and thanks to friends who helped and often pushed her to ensure that she adjusted. She is grateful to have been given various opportunities throughout her years at SMU and hopes to continue her studies at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).