GEORGE TOWN - The desire to seek knowledge has driven Miss Malaysia Kimberley Ann Estrop-Leggett to enrol in university while preparing for the Miss Universe 2012 international pageant later this year.

The 18-year-old Penangite admits that getting back to class has been a little tricky as she had not been in school for the past year.

"I am also rather new to Kuala Lumpur and getting used to the traffic to get to class in time has been challenging," she said in an interview during a weekend break back home in Tanjung Bungah here.

The amiable lass is currently pursuing an American Degree Transfer Programme majoring in Business Studies at Taylor's University in Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Kimberly said although it's a 2+2 programme with two years in Taylor's here and two years in an overseas university, she hopes to do a year's study here and later transfer credits to complete the programme, possibly in the United States.

She said spending time on preparations for the pageant as well as on her studies is "manageable" for now, but she expects it to get tougher as the beauty pageant draws closer.

After the interview, she got her mother Jillian Estrop to sign up for The Star's ePaper bundle promotional package.

"With the ePaper, you get to read all of the regional editions of Star Metro.

"For example, if my photo shoot or a news report about me appears in a regional edition, I no longer need to get an extra copy for my mother in Penang, as she can have access to it via the ePaper," she said.