The two pictures above were taken during my recent visit another one of the top 5 universities (that mine is also currently in) in Indonesia, Universitas Indonesia. Well, the library to be precise. That was my second time to go to the university while accompanying my aunt as she’s a Psychology lecturer there. So I filled my stomach for breakfast at their Starbucks, yes, that’s right and I was quite amazed at its existence in the university’s grounds as well as the architecture. There were students enjoying beverages while immersing themselves in good-natured conversations and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. Compared to my university’s (Universitas Gadjah Mada) architecture, ours are definitely not as…I really don’t like to say this word but it’s somewhat true; fancy as theirs especially since my university are still undergoing constructions (just like the new walkway in front of my faculty, pictured below). However, what matters is the value of education that we’re getting everyday right? Nevertheless, visiting Universities Indonesia and starting my 6th semester in Yogyakarta is definitely spurring me on for my future.
When I graduate with my literature degree, I’m going ahead with pursuing a master’s on a scholarship, in my dream country, the United Kingdom. After consulting with one of my lecturers, I’m deciding to major in Comparative Literature that’s apparently quite new in the literary world and absolutely new in Indonesia. This excites me because I just don’t aspire to be just any kind of English literature lecturer, I really want to excel myself in a field that has a lot of potential and could spark adversity within literature curriculums in Indonesian universities. With studying Comparative Literature, we are able to see its place within different cultures and histories, so I absolutely expect exciting research. Furthermore, we are also comparing literature to other arts like music, art, film and other disciplines as well like literature and psychology to even the environment that sparked a hot trend called Eco-criticism. Just how amazing is all of that? I’m all about open-mindedness and being knowledgeable about other cultures not for the acquirement of knowledge itself but appreciating and respecting other cultures. Because when you really think about it, most problems or conflicts arise because of the failure to listen and understand.
Now, that dream won’t come easily unless I work hard for it so that’s what I’m going to do for the last 10 months of my life as an undergraduate student. Wish me luck!