The Open Day That Showed Me My Future in Architecture

{{ vm.tagsGroup }}

01 Jul 2026

6 Min Read

Muhammad Danial Haqeemy (Unibuddy Ambassador), Nellie Chan (Editor)
IN THIS ARTICLE
Unibuddy Ambassador Haqeemy shares how Taylor’s Open Day eased his doubts about studying architecture and gave him the confidence to begin his journey.

When I was 17, I felt like I was caught between two very different worlds. In one world, I was still an IGCSE student, focused on revision, mocks, and the reality of sitting for six subjects in the May/June exams. In the other, my mind was already somewhere ahead, thinking about college, architecture, and a future I hadn’t stepped into yet. It was around this time, March 2023, that I attended Taylor’s Open Day. I had just received my mock results, and somehow that made everything a whole lot more real.

 

And I was excited. Like, genuinely excited. I had just spent Year 11 being homeschooled, away from classmates, classrooms, assemblies, all of it. It was something I had missed more than I realised. And I think that excitement says something about me, too. I’ve always been the type of person who enjoys new people, new places, and new experiences. So even if college felt like a big shift, I was ready for it (or at least ready for something new), even though I wasn’t quite sure what that ‘new’ would look like.

A First Glimpse Into My Future

I ended up going to the Open Day with my twin brother and my mum, who’d been super supportive throughout the whole process. The campus was all the way in Subang Jaya, pretty far from where we were in Kuala Lumpur, so even getting there turned it into a bit of a big deal, not just a normal visit. It felt like we were heading somewhere important—somewhere that could actually become part of my future.

 

Truth be told, I’d considered a few other colleges as well. But architecture was always where my heart was, and Taylor’s already had a name for it. What also helped was learning more about the programme and the pathway it mapped out, taking me from foundation to degree and eventually into a career. That made Taylor’s an even clearer choice, because at 17, you may know where you want to get to, but not always how to get there.

 

One vivid memory from that day was sitting in LT21 and LT22, watching Dr Wong, the Head of School, speak at the session. I remember my mum turning to us and saying something like, ‘Let’s just walk up and talk to her after this.’ At that moment, I could feel the panic starting to set in. I mean, I’m generally outgoing, but going up to someone like her and asking questions that suddenly seemed so small in comparison? That was honestly a little intimidating.

 

But we did anyway. What surprised me, though, was how welcoming Dr Wong was. She really took the time to hear us out and talk things through with us. It didn’t feel like we were just another family asking the same questions she’d heard a hundred times before—it felt like she truly understood where we were coming from. And that, in many ways, really shaped how I saw Taylor’s. I remember thinking, ‘Everyone here just seems so genuine.’

My Worry of Not Being Good Enough

One of my biggest worries back then was drawing. I’d always assumed that if you wanted to study architecture, you had to be good at it. Whenever I saw the sketches, models, and designs other students were working on, I’d find myself thinking, ‘There’s no way I can do that.’ It made me quietly question if I was ready to start, or worse, if I’d be starting a few steps behind everyone else.

 

So Dr Wong referred us to Ms Iffa, a senior lecturer in the foundation programme, and what she said really stayed with me. She reassured me that drawing is just like any other skill—something you can improve over time with practice. It may sound simple, but at that point, it was exactly what I needed to hear. She also walked us through the structure of the programme, which helped me see more clearly how everything would come together.

 

For the first time, this journey into architecture felt less daunting and more like something I could begin to step into. I still had my doubts, of course—whether I’d fit in, whether I’d fall behind, and whether I might end up regretting the decision. But even with all of that, I still found myself drawn to this direction.

Picturing Myself Here

Afterwards, we joined the campus tour. The campus was large, but not in a way that felt overwhelming, as everything seemed to flow naturally from one space to another. We passed lecture theatres, walked around the grounds, and took in the lake at the centre. It all felt very different from high school—a good kind of different. Somewhere along the tour, it hit me: ‘Wow, this is really college.’

 

The architecture studios, in particular, stood out to me. They felt airy and full of creative possibility. Even though I wasn’t a student yet, I could already picture myself there—second-guessing my designs, stressing over drawings, staying late to finish models, and somehow enjoying the messiness of it all. It felt like a place where I would be challenged, but also discover what I was capable of.

 

From there, the tour led us to the library, which caught my attention. I didn’t realise at the time that it would later become one of my favourite places on campus. I spent much of my first year there—going through reference books, working on assignments (or sometimes just pretending to), or simply sitting between classes with nowhere else to be. It was there that I slowly started to feel like I belonged.

Looking Back as an Architecture Student

Today, I’m studying for a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture at Taylor’s University, and I’m really glad I decided to begin my journey with a Foundation in Natural and Built Environments at Taylor’s College. Looking back, that Open Day was the first time my future felt visible—not fully clear, not yet fully in focus, but finally within sight. I walked in as a nervous 17-year-old and walked out with a little more confidence, feeling like maybe, just maybe, I could do this.

 

If I could give one piece of advice to prospective students attending Open Day for the first time, it would be this: ask the questions that are on your mind, even if they seem small or a little silly. Ask about the curriculum, the assessments, and the programme requirements. Ask what you might struggle with, what you might come to enjoy, and what might make it all worthwhile. Because sometimes, one honest conversation can change the way you see everything—and the way you see yourself.

Like Haqeemy, you might worry about whether you’re ‘good enough’ for architecture. Open Day lets you explore the studios, speak with lecturers, and understand how students grow into the discipline step by step, helping you see how a future in architecture could begin. Join our upcoming Open Day and take that first step—just as he did.
BACK TO NEWS & ARTICLES
YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED
{{ item.articleDate ? vm.formatDate(item.articleDate) : '' }}
{{ item.readTime }} Min Read