Practical: To do or not to do?

The first time I heard that latihan industri a.k.a practical is optional for my course, I was very happy. Yeah, I know. For a hyperlazy person like me, this was indeed a good news. But little do I realize that practical is the thing that differentiate you from other graduates. Employers of course prefer graduates who had experience to none. Yes, I was somewhat motivated to do a practical after I had a conversation with Mel, a friend and a coursemate of mine, told me and my friend, Hawa, that she was thinking of doing a practical during the next year semester's break. Hawa was interested too, and since I think it is a good way to spend your holiday than lazing around in the house, my interest somewhat outshine my laziness, so I was thinking of "Why not?" Since we are all from the same course, well, I guess this was the best right?

But there's one thing that been bugging me. First, what kind of job should I do my practical for? With my major and minor right now, I am into something journalism, but back in my hometown, the only prominent newspaper company was the Borneo Post. But for both my friends who are living in Kuching, the job varieties will be more of course if compared to Sibu. So I was thinking, should I do my practical back in my hometown or here in Penang? I really wanted to be at my hometown for that two-months holiday! But the usual job that my mother would suggest me is to become a substitute teacher. I could imagine her saying "Oh, practical to gain work experience? Why not become a substitute teacher? You can even get salary." Yes, I know that was a good idea, and attractive one indeed, especially the salary part. With my last salary as a substitute teacher, I had purchased my own laptop and treated my family to eat at urm, heheh, the stall upstairs of Sibu Central Market, and after all that expenses, I still had balance from my salary to keep for my university expenses. With about two-months salary, which might be around RM1000++ for STPM graduate, I could buy, urm, much more new clothes and shoes? Heheh? Ya, ya, I know, not to forget of treating friends and family. But thinking it from a different perspective, if I were to apply for a journalist job in the future, would they think that the working experience as a teacher is relevant to the job that I am going to apply? Uggh~!! Thinking, thinking mode. Besides, I never wrote an article for any magazine, none, nada, even for the school magazine back in my high school. So what portfolio do I have to put in my resume?

Okay, so this blog is the only proof of the existence of my writing besides my written essays in the A4 paper. Imagine me telling the future prospective employer, "Urm, I never write an article before but you can log on to lameleftygirl2.blogspot.com to view my writing," which contains a lot of rojak language by the way. How funny and immature would that sound?

So during this semester's holiday (Christmas is coming, hohohoho~!!), I had to do a little homework, do a little discussion with my mentors --> (the professional way to refer my parents) and make a good decision on where and what practical should I do. I could already imagine Mentor Mom voting for becoming a substitute teacher as the practical while Mentor Dad may also follow suit.

I wish working at KFC and McDonald is considered as a practical, for experience in public relation service, we could call it.