Delaying my Master's & Fear of Falling

There are a number of reasons why I chose to delay my Master's degree. Amongst them are applying for better universities and degrees, searching out my passion/talents at work, and building my experience and analytic skills.

But a huge reason is my fear of being substandard in my religion and personality. I fear the return of my previous bad habits, like hours wasted daily on entertainment and not having much taqwa. I also feel I lacked in good habits too: almost never did tahajjud, had a minimal connection to quran, and didn't follow daily/weekly routines regularly. It's not unlikely that Allah will be quite displeased with my throwing away my potential if I continue like that.

Now in Indonesia, having just left ramadhan and with my parents around, I remember Allah a lot more. I constantly lower my eyes, waste little time on entertainment, and regularly (somewhat) read and memorize the Quran. My daily routine has become much more regular, and I've returned to frequently watching Islamic videos.

A major reason I'm staying in Indonesia is to solidify these improvements. I believe maintaining such habits for a year will make them easier to follow in harsher environments like liberal Western countries. But while these habits are still soft and new, home sweet home is better for nurturing them.

Of course, this means i should really strive to better myself this year. It may seem like I'm taking the easy option this year, staying with and being lavished by mommy and daddy. But really, this is a year of silent striving; to ensure I remain upright when I venture out alone again.