The perseverance of a flight attendant who works and earns two university degrees simultaneously.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Abby Ooi used to be a flight attendant for Singapore Airlines. However, during her time working there, she still managed to earn two university degrees.

At 18, she went abroad to live independently with $230.

At age 18, Abby Ooi moved from Malaysia to Singapore with only $230 in her pocket and a career plan. She wanted to become a flight attendant, a profession she had loved since childhood.

Abby Ooi as a flight attendant (Photo: BI).

Abby grew up in a family with three siblings, she being the youngest daughter. Her mother single-handedly raised three children in difficult economic circumstances. Her mother could only afford to meet their basic needs. Abby and her siblings had never traveled, so Abby dreamed of becoming a flight attendant so she could go to many places.

During her first three years in Singapore, Abby worked as a sales assistant and pursued a bachelor's degree in liberal arts. At age 21, Abby was hired as a flight attendant for Singapore Airlines. Abby was thrilled with this job opportunity.

However, by her second year of work, Abby began to feel exhausted due to the considerable pressure. Every day, she had to present herself perfectly and behave politely and courteously towards everyone. In addition, she had to balance work and study to earn her first bachelor's degree.

Abby was a full-time employee, so her work schedule was quite demanding. At one point, Abby felt mentally exhausted and decided to see a therapist. After several months of treatment, Abby's condition improved. At this point, the therapist asked Abby if she had ever considered becoming a psychologist herself.

The expert shared that she noticed Abby had very keen observation skills and a sharp perspective. The expert's suggestions helped Abby see a new direction for herself.

Being a flight attendant has allowed Abby Ooi to travel to many places and broaden her horizons (Photo: BI).

In her third year as a flight attendant, she decided to try a six-month course to obtain a counseling certification. The short-term training helped Abby realize she was well-suited to the field, so she decided to pursue a bachelor's degree at Monash University (Australia).

The total tuition was approximately $45,500. For Abby, this was a significant amount of money. Therefore, she was even more determined to work hard while studying. The program was designed for working professionals and involved approximately 12 hours of study per week.

As a flight attendant, Abby averages around 120 flight hours per month. Her flight schedule is also constantly changing. However, since all her classes are conducted online, Abby still manages to balance her studies and her flight schedule.

To achieve a goal, sacrifices must be accepted.

Abby admits that balancing work and study isn't easy. She has to make sacrifices to achieve her goals. There are times when, after finishing a flight and arriving at the hotel, Abby has to sit down at her desk to do her homework, preparing for the next class. While her colleagues take advantage of the time between flights to go sightseeing and have fun, Abby has to use the time between flights to study.

Abby Ooi admits that balancing studying and working isn't easy (Photo: BI).

Even when she wasn't busy with classes or assignments, Abby couldn't go out with her colleagues for sensitive reasons. She knew her colleagues had planned to dine at a fancy restaurant, and she knew she couldn't afford such outings, as she needed to save money for tuition.

Abby had to politely decline her colleagues' invitations to visit the museum alone. Because she frequently declined to participate in social gatherings with her colleagues, many people considered Abby to be eccentric and unapproachable.

While studying and working simultaneously, Abby also avoided using social media to prevent distractions and wasted time. Sometimes, she felt lonely and tired, but she tried to think about her future direction and the bigger picture of her life to overcome those down moments.

The training program required Abby to complete 250 hours of internship at clinics that provide psychological treatment services. Therefore, on days when she didn't have flights, Abby would go to her internship.

In 2023, Abby completed her studies and earned a bachelor's degree in counseling psychology. After working for Singapore Airlines for six years, she decided to resign in February of this year to move to Sydney, Australia, to continue her education.

Previously, Abby had applied to the University of Sydney, where she was pursuing a major in social work. Abby was accepted and also received a scholarship.

Abby Ooi is studying in Australia, striving to earn her third bachelor's degree (Photo: BI).

Looking back on her work-study journey, Abby feels proud. She knows she made the best use of her resources to build a better future.

Now, at 28, Abby feels she has come a long way since she arrived in Singapore with just $230. She has fulfilled her dreams of traveling, broadened her horizons in her youth, and pursued her education, discovering new passions and career paths.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/nghi-luc-cua-nu-tiep-vien-hang-khong-vua-di-lam-vua-co-them-2-bang-dai-hoc-20241105225606805.htm