Tale Of A Former Drama Queen

Hey you!

Yes!

I have a story to tell.

What story?

A story of a girl who was a drama queen and now she is  a lady.  I really want you to listen to it.

Wow! Sounds interesting. Ok. So go ahead.

Once upon a time, there was a girl who was also a drama queen. Her name is Fathia. Fathia was young and sweet and only seventeen years old. She is artistic, creative, innovative, trendy, enthusiastic, and a knowledge seeker. Fathia is a dreamer and always believe in beautiful dreams. Her dreams was to become "rich and famous", and she wants to become a fashion designer and a singer just like Jennifer Lopez (J.LO). Fathia wasn't a popular kid in school. She was quiet, shy, very low profile, loves drawing and reading classic literature novels, have only few close pals, have no boyfriend and have no admirers. Fathia is an only child from a professional working class family. Her parents were in academic. Fathia's parents first disagree with her dreams and ambitions. They believe Fathia should go into social science or academic background. However, her parents are kind people. They allow Fathia to follow her dreams and learn from her mistakes (if she make mistakes).

After graduating from high school, Fathia entered an elite private university and undertook Diploma in Fashion Design. Besides her diploma, Fathia also did part time studies in performing arts. She learn piano and singing. She also tried some auditions for reality TV shows like Malaysian Idol in pursuing her dreams to become a singer and a celebrity. Unfortunately, Fathia was rejected in all auditions she went. Fathia is a shy a girl and she was suffering from a stage fright anxiety. How can a person with a stage fright anxiety becomes a performer? Fathia's voice doesn't even came out when she sang in front of the judges.  She shivered when she sang. Oh dear. She wasn't born a performer, a singer, or even a celebrity. She is only a singer in the car and shower.

During her diploma years, Fathia wasn't an ace student. Her grades weren't good. She scored mostly C's instead of As or Bs. Her least favorite subject was pattern drafting and garment construction. These two subjects involved sewing and technical works. Fathia never like sewing. Even when she was in high school, Fathia hated home science subject/Kemahiran Hidup (KH). KH has a lot of sewing projects. How can a person be a fashion designer if she doesn't like sewing and can't even sew?  Sewing and pattern drafting is a main skill to become a fashion designer. Before Fathia decided to study fashion, she thinks that designing is the main skill a fashion designer should have. Reality is that designing comes second after sewing and pattern drafting. So Fathia was wrong. Fathia also wasn't happy during diploma years. She was depressed and always a sour girl in class. Fathia did not really have friends in class. Only a few kind ones tried to understand her.

However, that doesn't demotivated Fathia. Fathia still completed her diploma and pass the course. Fathia then further her studies in England. But this time she undertook bachelor degree in Fashion Marketing. Fathia's grades improved during her bachelor degree years. This is because Fathia loves marketing more than designing. To Fathia, marketing is definitely more interesting than designing. Fathia has grown up from her high school and diploma years. She is a young adult now in her early 20s. She's no longer dream to become a fashion designer, singer, and a celebrity. However, Fathia still wished to have a career in fashion - she wants to become a fashion marketer/buyer/visual merchandiser when she graduate from England.

Two years later, Fathia returned to Malaysia with a Bachelor Degree in Fashion Marketing in  hands. She secured a job at a famous fashion designer's fashion house as a Assistant Designer Trainee. Although her position says "Assistant Designer", Fathia's role wasn't in designing. Her main task is to do beading and sewing buttons (which she hated so much), and she also multitasked in shop floor management, customer service, fashion show and photo shoot management. However, this job doesn't turn out good for Fathia. Fathia doesn't like the job. She believed she can do more than all the task given, and Fathia also doesn't like the "head assistant designer" at the fashion house. Mr Assistant Designer was a corky and annoying person. He likes to condemn Fathia but never complements her. He condemns Fathia's trade mark, creative art works. Everything about Fathia was never right to Mr Assistant Designer. Gosh! What a terrible mentor! Although Fathia was young and a bit unexperienced, Fathia still believe and have confidence in her qualities, talent, and gift from Allah S.W.T. Fathia can be outspoken when she is unhappy or unsatisfied with something. Besides that, Mr Assistant Designer also loves to compare Fathia with another assistant designer trainee, Dian. It was always like..........."Dian is the eldest child in her family. That's why she is mature and independent. While Fathia is an only child. That's why Fathia is childish and pampered" or "Dian drives her own car to work. Fathia has her father drives her to work everyday". Hey that was unfair! 

6 months pass by, Fathia left the fashion house. She now joined a Japanese Fast Fashion Retail Company as a Retail Associate. Fathia was the pioneer batch for the brand in Malaysia. The job was good for Fathia at first. Fathia learned a lot of new interesting knowledges that is related to fashion business. Fathia gained knowledges and skills. Syukur Alhamdulillah. But later, things doesn't turn out well for Fathia. Fathia face a lot of difficulties in her job. The work was always on the go - Fathia hadn't had time to rest and chill out. The work has limited time for breaks - Fathia didn't have time for her daily prayers (ini buatkan kejer x dpt berkat). The work required Fathia to stand for almost 10 hours a day - Fathia didn't have time to drink a sip of water and this made Fathia unfit and have low blood pressure problem. Fathia offend fainted and fell ill. One of Fathia's colleague has a crush on her, but Fathia doesn't like him. Unfortunately, that idiot disagree with Fathia's rejection and he sexual harassed her and made her uncomfortable. One year after working at the fast fashion store, Fathia decided to quit.

Four month after Fathia quits her job, she continued her studies in Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with a major in Marketing. Syukur Alhamdulillah, everything turn out well for Fathia. Her grades improved a lot from her bachelor degree and diploma. Fathia makes a lot of new friends during her MBA years. All her new friends are good people who help her grow spiritually. Fathia also have good lecturers who motivates and acknowledges her. Fathia really enjoyed her MBA years. During her MBA studies, Fathia also realized that she loves marketing more than fashion. Marketing makes Fathia becomes a knowledgeable and intelligent person. It is because the subject requires Fathia to read and be up-to-date with all general issues. During her MBA years, Fathia decided that she doesn't need to have her career in fashion line. She can always venture into other industry that also suits her interest, knowledge, and skills. So she did her internship at a publishing company which is totally different than fashion. Fathia takes this as her first step to move out of her comfort zone.

Time moves on, Fathia graduated and achieved her MBA. Fathia was happy and grateful that she now has an MBA. She hoped to be solid when she returns to the work force. But, Fathia face 8 month challenge as a grape farm owner (menganggur/jobless).  Fathia didn't gave up on job hunting. She applied and send her resume to many organizations in different kinds of industries and attended interviews. Fathia wasn't an idle person during her unemployed 8 months. Besides job hunting, Fathia traveled to interesting places and experienced 3 different seasons during her adventures - winter in South Korea, spring in Shanghai, and autumn in Perth. Wow!!!!!!! That's an awesome package before starting a new career. Syukur Alhamdulillah. Fathia was also active in blogging, and love reading novels. These were all the activities Fathia enjoyed during her 8 months holiday.

After 8 months being a grape farm owner, Fathia finally secured a job in a government organization as a contract civil servant. Wow!!!!!!!! This is totally different from all her past jobs. It was Fathia's first experience serving the government. At first, Fathia was a bit stress trying to blend in with the organization's culture especially when it comes to dress code and protocols. Fathia is a bit different than other Malays. Well, i'm not saying that Fathia is superior than other Malay. Is just that she have different taste and thinking. Fathia was also a "Harajuku Punkster". Yep, she was a fan and a follower of Harajuku style and fashion, and she loved dressing the harajuku style.  As a harajuku punkster girl, it was quite a struggle for Fathia to change her fashion. Fathia hardly wear baju kurungs, business suits, any formal office wear, and even formal shoes before she became a civil servant. She felt weird and uncomfortable that she have to dress like that every week days. Even some of her colleagues make fun of her fashion - they said her taste was weird and some even give Fathia bad comments such as "ko prasan ko nie artist ker?".

However, Fathia make it trough. She is happy serving the government. To Fathia working in government organization is the best career ever for her. As a civil servant, Fathia experienced and learned valuable knowledges. She also attended and participated seminars and workshops overseas and local. She was also given the chances to lead some projects and events. Most of her immediate bosses and superiors are kind to her. Besides work, Fathia's social life also improves. Fathia makes a lot of friends at work. Some of them becomes her BFF. Unlike most people she knows during her MBA years, Fathia's friends at work also helps her grow spiritually. That makes Fathia happy. Fathia smiles and laugh more - she becomes pretty. What motivates Fathia to be happy and enjoy her work is that she has her BFF, Nusra by her side. Fathia and Nursa are BFF since 7 years old. They grow up together and are almost like a family now. Syukur Alhamdulillah mereka dpt rezeki kejer kat tempat same. Fathia's fashion sense has also change since she becomes a civil servant. She is no longer a harajuku punkster. Her style is more towards casual elegance look just like Korean actress, Song Hye Kyo. Hehehe.

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!! What an interesting story. So is this Fathia happy ending?

Well, as a person, Fathia still face ups and downs in life. However, Fathia is being strong and except all her downs as a life challenge. Fathia is also a strong believer in Allah S.W.T. She believes that if Allah S.W.T put her in it, it means that Allah S.W.T will put her trough it. This makes Fathia a strong person.

Fathia is grateful with her life so far. She has grown up and change a lot. From a teenage drama queen to a fine young lady. Her life experiences makes her strong, brave, bold, firm, and more confident of herself. She is now in her early 30s. Last time, Fathia always dream to become rich and famous, but now Fathia realize that money, fame, glamour, and having fans and admirers doesn't mean anything in life. Semua tu permainan dunia jer. Now Fathia's dream is to become a knowledgable and competence person. She is not giving up on it. Four years being a contract civil servant makes Fathia falls in love with the civil service. She wish and is also working hard  to become a permanent civil servant. She won't give up on it. Insya'Allah semoga apa yg dihajati Fathia tercapai. Besides work, Fathia still enjoys writing and blogging, drawing illustration, travel, photography, shopping, having girls day out with her girls, doing fitness workouts, cycling, and also reading. Fathia has been reading a lot. She reads articles, books - academic books, novels, comics, and even children's story books. Reading makes Fathia gain knowledges, enhance her imaginative and creativity, and improve her language. Fathia is also learning French and Korean language. She wants to master these two languages. Besides learning foreign languages, Fathia also plans to learn public speaking and debate. So far, Fathia has a concur a bit of her stage fright fear. She learns how to be calm on stage and public. Insya'Allah in the future Fathia will be ok and have no stage fright problem.

What more i'm gonna tell you about Fathia? Well, that's all for now. Fathia is an ordinary lady and not a fairy tale princess. As an ordinary lady, Fathia have her adventures continue and continue instead of a happy ending.

And a new journey begins for Fathia......................


"YOU ARE BRAVER THAN YOU BELIEVE, STRONGER THAN YOU SEEMS AND SMARTER THAN YOU THINK"