You can find inspiration anywhere. It’s more than just using that inspiration to create or do things; it can also help you figure out your next steps.
For Xin Lyn Lai from Malaysia, her inspiration to pursue a commerce degree came from the American drama television series “Emily in Paris.”
Most might think that watching the show would inspire, perhaps, a fashion, marketing, or international business degree, but not for Lai.
“I know it’s just a show, but I was impressed by how Emily turned problems into opportunities,” says Lai.
So while she had initial plans to pursue a psychology degree, she quickly realised that there was a way to apply psychology to everyday life outside of just looking at the subject from a clinical perspective.
And after seeking advice from her elders, she found a common thread: success often begins with a challenge and flourishes through strategy and creativity.
“So at that point, I started thinking: should I pursue psychology exclusively or branch into marketing?”
Luckily, the University of Melbourne’s (UniMelb) breadth track offered the perfect solution.
Growing up with western media made it easier for Lai to adapt to Australian culture. Source: Xin Lyn Lai
Business, psychology, and everything in between
The “breadth track” is a series of subjects that allows UniMelb students to explore something new, while still earning credits toward their degree.
“I was doing a commerce degree, so I was learning things like finance, accounting, management, and marketing,” says Lai.
“But through the breadth track, I got to take subjects like biological psychology and others in the psychology field.”
That mix of business and psychology helped her develop a different way of thinking — something Lai found a particular enjoyment for.
“You’re always presented with a challenge and how you solve it depends on your background,” she says. “If you’re in finance, then it’ll be more mathematical. But I lean more towards creative strategies because I was doing marketing and management.”
Lai was also a student ambassador for the Faculty of Business and Economics. Source: Xin Lyn Lai
Opportunities you can get with a commerce degree
A commerce degree has taught Lai about key business areas and would lead to jobs in financial planning, property development, business technology, and more.
But beyond it, the degree, and her decision to study abroad, has also opened up various opportunities that might not have been possible otherwise.
This includes:
1. Being a Student Ambassador at Scape Australia
Scape Australia, a student accommodation brand, was a big part of Lai’s university life.
“The people there were really helpful,” she says, “But what I loved most were the events. I’m really into sports, and Scape organised things like volleyball games and charity runs with Red Bull for spinal cord research.”
There were free food days and student-exclusive discounts too. Students could go skydiving and even visit Phillip Island and the hot springs at reduced rates.
So when Scape announced they were looking for new student ambassadors, Lai was in.
“I would give the credit to my previous roommate. She was a Scape student ambassador and was excellent at it, to the point where she was one often referred to by the managers,” she says. “She was my role model, and when she referred me to the manager and I passed the interview, I was thrilled!”
2. Working as a Project Intern with MEDWING in Germany
Among the many experiences that shaped Lai’s commerce degree journey, one stands out above the rest: the Global Management Consulting winter course. Through it, Lai was able to visit Berlin, Germany, to work on a real consulting project.
The course is highly competitive, selecting just 16 commerce students from various majors and nationalities. Lai’s team included another Malaysian, an Indonesian, and an Australian student. Together, they were led by a German-Australian professor.
3. Working as a Marketing Intern at L’Oréal in Malaysia
At the end of her commerce degree, Lai faced a familiar dilemma shared by many international graduates: to stay abroad or return home. It wasn’t an easy call, but in the end, she chose Malaysia.
“A big reason was the growth happening in Asia,” she explains. “I spoke to career advisors and people in the industry, and they told me there are more opportunities in Malaysia right now, especially in marketing. A lot of international brands are entering the region, so I thought — why not start here with an MNC and see where it takes me?”
Still, saying goodbye to Melbourne wasn’t easy. She had to say goodbye to her friends and passed up some amazing opportunities in Australia, but she trusted that her future was in Malaysia.
Her first stepping stone? A six-month internship at the French multinational personal care corporation and the world’s largest cosmetics company, L’Oréal.
“This internship has given me great exposure to branding, digital marketing, e-commerce, sales & negotiation, and trade marketing,” writes Lai on a LinkedIn post.
Lai beat homesickness with help from great friends and housemates. Source: Xin Lyn Lai
It’s undeniable that Lai’s time abroad and commerce degree gave her an advantage over others.
“During my internship at L’Oréal, I saw how valuable it was to understand different demographics and marketing approaches around the world,” she says. “Many of the ideas I had, whether for promotional materials, social media graphics, or even small things like sticker designs, were inspired by what I’d seen and experienced while travelling.”
Throughout her studies, Lai experienced three different work cultures, each with its own expectations, pace, and communication style.
In Australia, while people expect you to be on time, there is some leeway. But in Germany, if the meeting started at 10, you had to be there by 9:59. “Otherwise, the Germans would panic,” shares Lai. “But you couldn’t be too early either, which was very confusing.”
Work-wise, Lai also picked up that in Australia, what really made a difference was how you carried yourself. “Being friendly, outgoing, and easy to talk to can be a huge advantage,” she says.
Another major benefit of having studied abroad? Learning about the preferences of other cultures.
“Our German Australian professor also told us our slides were way too colourful,” laughs Lai. “Germans prefer to keep things simple, like two-tone slides that really focus more on the content than the design.“
The learning didn’t stop when she returned home too. Lai credits the team at L’Oréal for their friendliness and their unwavering help.
“If I was stuck on an Excel sheet, someone (even if they were from a different department) would just jump in and walk me through it,” she shares. “They also never shut down your ideas and would work with you to fine-tune them to match the brand’s identity.”
With her commerce degree and internship completed, Lai’s taking some time off to travel before diving into graduate programmes at MNCs. Source: Xin Lyn Lai
‘Why not give it my all?’
Lai’s connection to “Emily in Paris” doesn’t just stop at her decision to pursue a commerce degree — it extends into sports too.
In Season 4 of the show, Emily attended a tennis tournament with her job on the line. Lai’s tennis experience was less dramatic than that.
“I got started because my parents played tennis, just recreationally,” she says. “When I was six, my dad asked if I wanted to try. I said no, but he brought me anyway. That’s how it began.”
By 10, Lai was competing regularly. At 12, she played in her first national tournament, representing the state of Kedah.
“Back then, I got to skip school for training and competitions, and then you’d go back to school with a medal. So as a kid, that was really nice,” laughs Lai.
But the real reason she stuck with the sport wasn’t the medals. “I had my school friends, but I also had this tennis circle,” she shares. “Some were from my school, others from different ones. We grew up together on those courts.”
The sport also gave her the mental strength she needed to keep pushing herself further. “Running until I was about to collapse, then realising I could still keep going and be okay — it just means I’m pushing my limits,” says Lai.
That same mindset helps her today.
“I’m the kind of person who always wonders if I’m doing enough. But when friends say they believe in me, I think back to those tennis days and say, ‘Okay, why not give it my all?'”
