Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019

Finally got our Bachelor's degree🎓🎓🎓

Thank you Dutch Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia

A lot has happened in the past year. A few things I had intended on and made happen which has made such incredible differences in my life. Usually this time of year I spend some time reflecting on the year gone and the year to come and what my intentions are for next year.

Over the past year I have been through so many life changes. It has taken its toll on me physically, mentally, and above all, emotionally. But the crazy thing about all that negative stuff happening is that there is so much positivity that surrounds it if we choose to look at it through that lens.

Here are some highlights of my year 2018:

January

I started to write my final research and I chose Linguistic. My research is about gradation analysis of language difficulty level used in a Dutch comic. Well, I don’t want to write it too much about my research because it’ll be so fucking boring to talk to.

February and March

Marketing Research at AEON Jakarta Garden City, Jakarta

From February until March, I had a chance to be an LO for students of Tohoku University, Japan. It was my first time to engage with Japanese students and it turned out that it was a valuable experience for me that I learnt much from them. Before I met them, I never knew about Sendai. I only know Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and another famous city. I heard everything about Sendai from them. And because of it, I do really want to visit Sendai when I visit Japan someday (hopefully this year I can make it). The time that we spent together was so precious to me, as well as for the other buddies and the students. We stayed in a good hotel went to various places in Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang, and Bekasi and laughing over stupid and funny things. Read the full part if u still curious about the story Precious Moment with Tohoku University Friends.

April

I joined the UI Creates program for the first time in April. That was UI Creates special term (only 1 university which participate) and it was with Coventry University from the United Kingdom.

Cultural Visit with Coventry University students at Saung Mang Udjo, Bandung

May

It was Ramadhan when Kyunghee University students from South Korea came to Indonesia to do UI Creates program. They are so awesome and speak English really well. It was nice to have them and spend time together. It so nice to talk with them about everything especially about Korean cultures, since we (the buddies) only know the cultures from drama or variety show we watch.

with Kyunghee University students at National Museum, Jakarta

Cultural Visit at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta
with Wibi, Jae-ho Lee, and Chita

June

 I do an internship at the International Office UI. Even though it was only for one month, I learned many things from the staff. I learn new skills like individual working and team working, coordinating the people in the workgroup and so on. I do really thank you to them. Terima Kasih IO!

July

There are two programs that I joined in July, International Volunteering for Better Inclusivity (INVENT) and UI Creates term 5. INVENT is a volunteering program and  UI Creates term 5, one big event held by the International Office of Universitas Indonesia offering 4 short courses for 104 students in total from 5 countries (Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, China and Australia). It was really hectic at that time, but I really enjoyed every moment. Imagine that you can share anything related about your country to other students. That was so amazing for me. UI Creates term 5 is so special for me because I got so many bestfriends from those countries, specially from South Korea and Australia.

Cultural Visit at Saung Mang Udjo, Bandung

It was really great for me to meet Ajou University students again when I visited Korea two months ago. They were really nice. I made many good memories with students from the University of Sydney, too. They were so crazy! And I love them. It was my first time having friends from Australia. And I feel so lucky to know these jerks! hahaha

Closing Ceremony UI Creates term 5 at Balai Apung, Universitas Indonesia, Depok

 August

Archery Venue Team, Gelora Bung Karno Stadium Area, Jakarta

So many good things happened in August. The best two are do volunteering at Asian Games and my graduation ceremony. Do a volunteering at Asian Games 2018 is one of the greatest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. I have a chance to meet many athletes from Asian countries and meet my favorite athletes. Watch live the matches. Eventhough it was really tiring, because I have to commute from Depok to Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (located in South Jakarta) everyday, I'm happy. It doesn’t matter to me. I got so many good experience. Happy to be able to meet new people and make new friends, and more of it I’m happy to be a part of Asian Games history.

My Loves 💗

At the end of the month, I'm officially graduated from my beloved university, Universitas Indonesia. I finally got my bachelor’s degree! It has certainly been a rollercoaster journey. I was happy and sad at the same time. I never thought that day would actually come. Not because I’m a bad student or anything, but after what I’ve been through these past four years.  I was very proud of myself because it was such a rare chance to be able to study in the best university in Indonesia. I was fortunate enough to attend a good university here.

Finally, I officially graduated!

Kanhoemers! minus Tomi and Renanda😞

September

After the graduation ceremony, I decided to take a break for a month. I need to give a reward to myself for studying and working hard for the past 4 years. I watch movies and Korean dramas as many as I could. I went to the university’s library and read many books. I met my friends and talk about everything. We laughed so hard without carrying about adult shit that we will face it soon.

 October

with ASEAN University Network participants, at Faculty of Economic and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok

Two weeks before I went to South Korea, I was grateful to get involved in the program called ASEAN University Network. It was held by Universitas Indonesia. The participants were from 11 universities in 6 countries; Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, The Philippines, and China).

 November

If I should choose the best month I’ve ever had in this year, November will be my answer. In November I had a chance to go to one of the countries I really want to visit, South Korea. Korea is really amazing, and it’s a great country. Really. Seriously. I’m not lie.  Still couldn’t believe? Read the full story of my experience while I stayed in South Korea here The Best Two Weeks in My Life.

 December

Selamat Ulang Tahun Asu🐶

I love them so fucking much!!
with Anton, Caelan, Chloe, Lukman, Dery
and Tomi (who's taking this picture)

I’m happy to spend the last month of 2018 with my beloved friends. I celebrated my birthday with Australian friends from the University of Sydney; Caelan, Chloe, and Anton. They even brought a birthday cake for me and invited me to have dinner together. I have to admit that I’m so fucking love them!!! I celebrated with my bestfriends, too. I got so many presents from them and even from International Office UI staff (thanks to ka Lady, ka Ismi, and Lukman). And the most important thing, I spent the last day of 2018 with my bestfriends, Kanhoemers!!! Tomi, Bagus, Wildan, Ery, Enrile, plus Irwan. Unfortunately, Tama and Renanda couldn’t join us. I hope that all of us can gather again this year. Although something bad happened to me, they always support and help me to get out of the dark. I feel so blessed and always thankful that I have them in my life.

We're senior!!!

That is the best moment that happened in my life this year. Moreover, I’m really happy to be a part of International Office Universitas Indonesia as an LO (kind of buddy for International students who do some short courses at our university). Because of it, I met a lot of friends from other countries, sharing our thoughts, and of course learning their languages and cultures, etc.

It’s good how grateful I have actually been for the year that has past. It has been a truly wonderful year, I think. Most of the 365 days have been pretty joyful and content. And that is what I have strived for in my life.  The intention that is made every year, to feel Joy and Content with my life as it is and not how I wished it to be.

I learned a lot about looking after myself, and  how that affects the way I look after others and how I am in the world. I learnt to say no when I needed to. I learnt to like myself, and feel proud of all that I have achieved instead of always comparing myself to other people and feeling inadequate. It is a good feeling to acknowledge that I’m pretty good at what I do and it moves people. 

I read many books, most of them are novels, in English and Bahasa this year. I read One Piece comic in Japanese, as well as I read Webtoon in Korean. It really opened some closed doors in my mind and in my heart.  Learning that as much as I want to. My dad once told me a good thing when I was in college, “Learn as much as you can while you’re young, since life becomes to busy later”. It’s definitely true af.

My greatest accomplishment for the past year was keeping a positive mind every day, no matter how bad things happened. That feels like if I don’t do it, it’s a bit like going out without brushing my teeth. I would regard myself as a positive person. But for someone as positive as me, this past year has challenged my perspective and overall outlook on life. I have bad days. End of the year I had some really bad days. But if I take a step back, I can see that there is so much good going on in my life and there is so much to be thankful for. I have people looking out for me and helping me become the person that I know I can become.

I know I said I’m positive, and not everyone has a similar character with me. But that doesn’t mean I am denying the fact that going through struggles really sucks. I realized that God’s plan is so much better than our plan, his timing is better than our timing, and our thoughts about how our life should go are nowhere near as amazing as God’s plan for us. I need to be reminded of that all the time, that’s basically why I’m writing this! Whatever you’re going through, try to step back and look at it objectively. I don’t know why some of the things happen to us, but I know that if we take a step back, we can look at the situation from an unbiased perspective and see that what we see as negative might end up being the best thing that ever happened to us. Even more importantly, try to step back and see the good that is going on in your life. If you do, I bet you will find so much of it, and I bet when you’re thinking of it there will be a big smile on your face!

with Tomi, Caelan, Gil, Anton at Margonda Resident, Depok

(not in frame Chloe and Harry 😜)

Kanhoemers! After Ery's thesis defense!

Ciwi-ciwiku tercintaaaah 👧💕Ik hou van jullie

I am so grateful for the year that has passed, and all it has taught me. It has literally been life changing. You would not notice on the outside but I can feel the shifts and changes that have happened and it feels good.

For those who read my story(ies), thank you for being part of 2018 and my life. Thank you for all my friends who help me throughout the year and supporting all that I do, and making me happy to get up and do what I do. I know it’s too late, but Happy New Year everyone! I wish all of us much success in both personal as well as professional life.

Xoxo

Deb:)