She is from Malaysia and was impressed by the motto of Soka University and decided to enroll. She took the Japanese language program in parallel with her undergraduate English classes in the FILA and obtained her JLPT N2 while taking on the challenges of clubs and the Student Union. We asked her about her four years at FILA.
Why did you choose Soka University and FILA when you were a high school student?
I chose Soka University because my parents used to share with me about Makiguchi’s idea of humanistic education so I think that only by experiencing humanistic education myself then I will know how important and powerful it is. Also, I felt a strong impact by the motto of Soka University “Discover Your Potential” because we are the one who take ownership of our life and expand our limits so I wanted to know how much more I can do not only for myself, but for people around me and the wider community through studying at Soka University.
Since the age of 5, I received dance training as a dancer so I had a dream of being a dancer or dance choreographer that can create dance choreographies and art projects which promote world peace by conveying themes such as social issues, discrimination, and inequality when I was a high school student. To achieve that, Soka University FILA program suits me well because the interdisciplinary studies provide me a wide area of knowledge to equip myself with problem-solving skills so I can contribute to the wider community with that and the dance technical skills that I have gained since young.
How was your student life for the first year?
As an international student, my student life in my first year was challenging yet fulfilling. I challenged myself in joining Soka University Modern Dance Club which is an environment with all Japanese club members so it gave me an opportunity to polish my Japanese language skill. At the same time, getting to know the Japanese culture and their management in the club allows me to broaden my perspectives and makes me think about how I can contribute more to my club and bring in a new culture as an international student.
Besides that, I also gained multitasking skills in maintaining both club activities and my studies in FILA to ensure that I can fulfill my responsibility well as a student while finding opportunities to learn more through interacting with other people in my extracurricular activities. In addition, another challenge during my first year of university is to find accommodations by myself outside the university with my limited Japanese language skills after staying in dormitory for a year. With the support from my dormitory friends, I could successfully find an apartment and this became an experience that is part of my growth throughout these four years.
How was the Japanese Language Program?
At first, I took the Japanese Program because I want to learn and understand more about Japanese culture and this is also why I decided to study abroad in Japan. Thus, the Japanese Language Program at Soka University helped me to build up my Japanese skills so that I could use the Japanese language more fluently in my daily life and also for job hunting in the future. However, as we have to prioritize learning FILA classes and we do not really use the Japanese language in FILA classes, sometimes I might not be able to keep up with the speed of Japanese classes. Hence, I also spent a lot of time studying Japanese by myself outside of classes so that I could achieve JLPT N2 in July 2022 before graduating. In terms of learning the Japanese language, I started with learning vocabulary and grammar by studying from textbooks and reading electronic newspapers on the internet. Slowly when I start to memorize the vocabulary and grammar, I tried to remind myself to use it when speaking with others and not be afraid of making mistakes so that sometimes my friends can correct me too. To learn the Japanese language, it is interest and patience matter because learning a new language might take a long time but to learn with curiosity is important. For example, if learning Japanese is difficult, then I will try to learn by searching for something related to the field I am interested in the Japanese language on internet so my curiosity motivates me to learn more.
In what ways do you feel you have grown in FILA?
Throughout my four years in FILA, I have grown in terms of my English skills and also the way I perceive things. There is an improvement for my English skills as we learn and use that language to communicate our ideas both verbally and non-verbally. Not just that, the most important is the way I perceive things because I could feel that I am much more open-minded than I used to be. Getting to know people from different nationalities and cultures allows me to understand that we all possess the humanity that is universal despite all those differences. Overcoming cultural shock and differences is never an easy task but it is a mutual process that involves us and others to compromise and understand one another. For example, we worked differently in group projects as some people might be more flexible or strict so it trained us to have that adaptability when working with people from different cultures. With the presence of other FILA friends and their contribution in classes, we are able to learn in a multicultural environment where everyone is willing to make an effort to expand themselves and learn from one another. This kind of environment allows me to have better patience when dealing with people that are different from me because I understand that diversity is what that makes a group to achieve tasks with more creativity and new perspectives.
What is FILA like for you?
To me, FILA is like a family because we learn in an environment that promotes mutual growth instead of competing with one another. Especially during our first and second years, classes were challenging and without FILA friends, it will be difficult for us to accomplish that by ourselves. Also, FILA is a place where I find a sense of belonging and that is why I decided to become a member of the FILA Student Union in 2020 and 2021. I wanted to contribute to FILA and hoped that our FILA juniors can also feel that FILA is their home where there are people who always support them.
To me, the term “FILA Family” also indicates the eternal bond and connections between FILA members just like our family members with blood relationships. Those days challenging together with our fellow comrades in FILA will definitely become one of our treasured memories in our life. Therefore, I am grateful that I met wonderful professors and friends in FILA and determined to repay my gratitude by fully utilizing my potential to contribute to more people in the society.
Please tell us about your future career.
I would like to work in non-profit organizations or United Nations that focus on art and cultural projects which promotes world peace so that I could utilize the knowledge that I have learned here in university with my passion for arts. Many people see art as entertainment but I hope that the art projects that I work on could bring new perspectives to people who are engaged and motivate them to join us in peacebuilding activities. If art is the means to promote peace, I am the messenger that turns people’s voices into art that connects people together.
I believe that there must be a mission that only you carry and you might face a lot of challenges in the journey of finding your mission. However, it is those challenges that made you into who you are today. So, let’s polish ourselves by continuously learning from hardships and be the one that is irreplaceable no matter where we are!
Lye Ke Yeng
Year graduated from FILA: 2023
Home Country: Malaysia
Field of Study: Leadership Studies
Academic Advisor: Maria Guajardo
Favorite Quotes: Rise to the challenges that life presents you. You can’t develop genuine character and ability by sidestepping adversity and struggle. -By Daisaku Ikeda
Hobbies: Dancing, Singing, Playing Ukulele
Favorite Book: America Will Be (Author: Vincent Harding, Daisaku Ikeda)
Hashtags to introduce yourself
#Versatile Dancer #Active Person #Passionate
ページ公開日：2023/04/18 10:00
