Because of Twitter, sometimes we forget the joy of being alone.

Because of Twitter, we rarely completely enjoy something since we are now too busy tweeting about that.

Because of Twitter, we lose the excitement of getting to know strangers.

Because of Twitter, we speculate too much over something.

Because of Twitter, it becomes too easy for us to believe in something though we have not proven that what we read is true.

Because of Twitter, we judge people only upon what they write.

Because of Twitter, our mask gets thicker, and thicker, yet it becomes easier for us to fake ourselves.

Because of Twitter, we think we know someone too much.

Because of Twitter, we stalk people, we want to know everything about them.

Because of Twitter, sometimes we don’t respect people’s privacy anymore.

Because of Twitter, we forget that we are human who have the ability to control our behaviour and blame a social networking website instead.

                          

Thank you—for making Indonesian Youth Conference a dream that comes true.

On Friday, January 23, 2009, IYC was only an idea that I presented in front 59 other Global Changemakers from 36 countries, who participated in the Guildford Forum, which was held in Surrey, UK.

On another Friday, precisely March 13, 2009, I published a Facebook® note for my friends, asking if there are people who were interested to participate as volunteers in this project.

We spent approximately six months to develop the program concept, and one year to practically prepare the programme.

We held two pre-events.

Make Your Voice Heard! Blog Competition was held in partnership with the Jakarta Globe in August 2009 to celebrate International Youth Day–yet we also launched our website on the same day. The topic was Online All The Time: Youth & New Media – The Impact of Social Networking and the Online World on Indonesian Culture.

Road to Indonesian Youth Conference was held to promote about the event and call for provincial delegates with the theme Follow Your Passion, as we wanted to emphasise the fact that no matter what our passion is, we can make a positive contribution for Indonesia. It was held in 4 schools & universities (SMA Negeri 82 Jakarta, SMA Islam Al-Azhar 1, Prasetiya Mulya Business School and Institut Teknologi Bandung).

These events were closed by a press conference attended by 42 media offices, held in EMAX Kemang on July 15, 2010.

www.indonesianyouthconference.org was visited by 145,240 unique visitors, resulting in 3,663,507 hits until July 13, 2010. Apply IYC! sub-site alone was visited by 12,386 people; Saatnya Suara Kita Didengar! sub-site has 1,280 registered users who posted more than 500 blog entries (but only 290 published) and it has been visited by 46,358 people; Forum & Festival IYC sub-site, where people can order ticket to, was visited for 105,847 times in only one month.

A community-formed group, IYCers, has 482 members by now. This group was not formed by IYC at all, it was built on IYC supporters initiative alone.

Earlier this month—July 1 to 4, 2010, IYC had finally taken place. We brought 33 young activists from 30 provinces to attend the forum. AIESEC Indonesia, Shahnaz Haque, Gilang Ramadhan, Nina Moran (Gogirl! Magazine), Tambok Setyawati (BNI), Anies Baswedan (Universitas Paramadina), and Fajar Anugerah (British Council Indonesia) shared their knowledge and experience to these provincial delegates. We also brought 392 visitors to the festival to 16 series of seminar/talkshow sessions, in which they could attend 5 of them by only paying Rp50.000,- (approx. $5).

The themes were:

• Education (Arief Rachman & Beben Supendi Mulyana)
• Environment (Yadi Haryadi & Verena Puspawardani)
• Diplomacy (Fariz Al-Mehdawi & Dino Patti Djalal)
• Anti-Corruption (Transparency International Indonesia)
• Culture (Didiet Maulana & Ayudya Soemawinata)
• Film-Music-Photography (Mira Lesmana, Pandji Pragiwaksono & Arseto Adiputra)
• Politics (Jerry Sambuaga & Bima Arya Sugiarto – moderated by Najwa Shihab)
• Global Citizenship (Mercy Corps)
• Health (Elsar Hayer)
• Activism & Volunteering (Coin A Chance!, Satoe Indonesia, SLB Prima Bakti)
• Changemakers Corner (Guinandra Luthfan Jatikusumo, Eko Ramaditya Adikara, Dina Puspita, Hendrik Bera)
• Pluralism (Hasta Nirmaya, Pekik Nur Sasongko, Dhimas Dhifka Saputro & Lola Amaria)
• Media (Desi Anwar & Armando Siahaan)
• Economics (Rivandra Royono)
• Entrepreneurship (Yoris Sebastian, Sandiaga Uno & Goris Mustaqim)
• Music Clinic (DREW)

These sessions were closed by the performances of PROJECTHREE, L’alphalpha, Pandji Pragiwaksono (feat. LAMURU), DREW, Efek Rumah Kaca, and Saung Angklung Udjo.

This really exceeded our expectation. We only expected to sell less than 366 tickets, according to the capacity of the venue, Komunitas Salihara. For us, it was a huge success. Not quantity-wise, but how the visitors felt about IYC. How they shared their ideas, thoughts, and knowledge they obtained at IYC to a broader community, through Twitter and other tools. We could feel this positive, vibrant energy coming from them. From what they said, from what they have learned. It was beyond everything else. We felt ecstatically happy.

A few things that made me smile:

“I am so impressed with last week’s IYC. I am so proud of all the bright young people I met. Thanks for organizing it, Alanda. Keep the flame alive.” – Dino Patti Djalal, Presidential Spokesperson for International Affairs & core founder of Modernisator

“Glad to know that there are young Indonesians who want to be agent of change. Youngsters who give a damn. Kudos IYC.” – Armando Siahaan, reporter of The Jakarta Globe

“Bantu gue ucapkan SELAMAT kepada IYC, kemarin mereka telah menciptakan perubahan yang baik untuk bangsa.” – Pandji Pragiwaksono, presenter & musisi

“Masih sedikit sekali sumbangan yang saya lakukan untuk bangsa, dan masih sedikit sekali yang bisa saya utarakan untuk sharing. Namun, saya bahagia bisa ikut terlibat di dalamnya dan diberikan kesempatan sharing bersama generasi muda yang luar biasa.” – Beben Supendi Mulyana, Founder of Komunitas Jazz Kemayoran

“Anak-anak muda yang dateng ke IYC hebat-hebat, mereka datang dengan kesadaran untuk mencerdaskan diri sendiri dan berdiskusi. Seneng ngeliantya. There’s hope.” – Raditya Dika

IYC was also featured on more than 46 media, including:

We made into the Jakarta Globe’s front page, got another article inside, and an editorial feature. All three of them were in the same edition.

Click here for the full article published by The Jakarta Post.

We also got featured, for one full page, by the Media Indonesia on its special youth section, “MOVE”.

On January 23, 2009, back in the UK–I did not know that this would happen, but I had faith in it. I had (and still have) faith that if we believe in ourselves, we can make something happen. Even two weeks before IYC, we still did not know that this would happen. We had not been able to secure the funding, we had almost literally nothing. On July 4, 2010, we made it. IYC actually happened. Yes, it did.

It was completely, inevitably, our wildest dream that came true. Plus, with all of your responses… We could not say anything. We could not speak. But, I bet our expressions have said everything. Our smile too. All I could do was to be all-teary, thanking God, thanking everyone, thanking you. Thanking for making my dream actually comes true… to one thing that’s much even better than what I have always imagined.

Yet, these are, a few lessons I learned from IYC:

• There are always people who will tell you that you cannot do something. There are always people who will steal your ideas, concepts, or even tangible items from you. You must not let these types of people stop you from accomplishing your idea.
• Nothing forbids you to have a big dream. Doing a successful-but-small thing is much better than failing to realise a big thing. Be realistic. On the other hand, remember: everything is possible.
• Communications is the most important thing and it has to be maintained. There were a lot of miscommunications in the committee that led to unnecessary problems. Do not forget to sustain the communication system and clarify when you are not sure whether you understand something or not.
• When you want to do a good deed to make a positive impact in your society, you will be likely to achieve it. Other good things will follow you. People will support you. God is Graceful, you know? Trust me.
• For me, personally, without me realising it: it was difficult for me to get out of my comfort zone. I hope that IYC would be my turning point to be a better person. I thank Ghian for the wake-up call.
• Priority is also important. In social or voluntary work, we have to be able to allocate our time well on everything that we do or have to take care of. The lack of the ability to prioritise has been one of the most common problems among the committee. Sometimes it was difficult to hold meeting because each of us are busy with our own activities.
• The power of mind really is powerful. To be honest, I did not have a back up plan. I did not think of what I could do if IYC was not successful. It was all there. The images of the event, the talks, the ambiance… It was in my head already since I was in the UK. This led to one of the conversations I had with Abenk. His mother said that “everything happens twice”—the first one would be in our mind when we first thought about it, the second one is the realisation; if we work hard on it. So, visualise your dream. Whoops, you’re there already.

All in all, again, thank you for your unconditional support for IYC. You mean so much to us. Thank you for having faith in us. We hope that what we have done would make a positive change in the society. Amin.

PS: Dreams come true. Get it? So, dream on, pursue it.

                          

Kemarin, saya menerima komentar dari Cut Naila, tapi rasanya tidak cukup jika dijawab di Comments. Menurut saya, mungkin komentarnya mewakili banyak pemuda Indonesia, sehingga harus dijawab di sini :) Terima kasih banyak.

Wow, your thoughts are one of a kind ! Salut, I fully appreciate it. Masalahnya, gak semua anak muda punya prestasi outstanding spt kakak yg bisa menunjang karier kedepannya.

Nah, ini mindset yang perlu diubah. Prestasi seseorang tidak diperoleh karena keberuntungan, melainkan karena keinginan, kemauan, dan kegigihan untuk mencapainya. Prestasi itu suatu hal yang bisa (dan harus) diraih. Jujur, membaca ini, hati saya merasa tidak enak — seolah-olah apa yang saya peroleh semata-mata karena “kebetulan” saya memperolehnya. Tapi, tidak seperti itu. Saya, maupun orang lain, memperoleh sesuatu karena jerih payah, karena keinginan, karena harapan.

Gak semua anak muda itu jago dlm hal-hal diluar akademis spt berorganisasi dsb.

Semua orang memiliki bakat, baik di bidang akademis maupun non-akademis. Yang tidak memiliki bakatpun bisa berprestasi apabila memiliki kemampuan. Ambil contoh, teman saya Yoris Sebastian, ia (dan saya) percaya bahwa creativity is a habit – kreativitas bisa dibangun, dan dilatih. Itu bukan sesuatu yang kita dapat dari lahir. Dari kecil, Yoris merasa tidak kreatif, tapi ia melatih dirinya karena menjadi kreatif itu penting. Di usia 26 tahun, Yoris menjadi General Manager Hard Rock Cafe, tanpa mengenyam pendidikan di bangku kuliah. Jika kreativitas saja bisa kita tumbuhkan di dalam diri kita, mengapa kemampuan berorganisasi tidak bisa? Orang sesukses Steve Jobs, ketika lahir pun ia sendirian, tidak punya atasan maupun bawahan, tidak punya partner kerja, tidak punya teman setim, sama seperti kita semua. Kemampuan akademis dan non-akademis bisa dilatih – kalau kita mau. Yang jadi masalah adalah… apakah saya, kamu, kita mau?

Gak semua orang cerdik dlm nyari kesempatan spt kk.

Kesempatan tidak harus dicari, tapi bisa diciptakan. Bruce Lee pernah berkata, “To hell with circumstances, I create opportunities.” Saya sangat setuju dengan hal itu. Jika belum bisa menciptakan kesempatan, sisihkan uang kurang-lebih Rp5000,-, pergi ke warnet… Ada alasan mengapa sebagian orang menganggap bahwa internet adalah salah satu teknologi terhebat yang pernah ditemukan. We can find almost any information we need there, including opportunities. Jauh lebih baik jika bisa dimanfaatkan untuk mencari kesempatan kan dibanding hanya cek Facebook atau Twitter?

Gak semua anak muda berkesempatan untuk memilih langkah downstream.

Kembali lagi – kesempatan selalu ada. Kesempatan untuk memilih upstream, downstream, atau bagaimanapun kamu menyebutnya. Saya kurang mengerti definisi downstream kamu ini  apa, jadi maaf jika responnya kurang jelas juga.

Gak semua anak muda punya talent luar biasa spt leadership skill dll untuk dibanggakan dan jadi modal besar.

Seperti yang sudah saya katakan: Kemampuan harus dilatih untuk menjadi ada, didukung dengan kemauan. Jika menurut kamu saya memiliki leadership skill, sejujurnya, saya merasa belum menjadi pemimpin yang baik. Tapi, saya mau belajar, supaya nanti bisa jadi pemimpin yang baik. Kita semua sedang belajar, kok. Bahkan, Richard Branson, Stephen Covey, juga pasti masih belajar.

Sehingga, banyak dari anak muda ini, termasuk aku, yang masih perlu ambil langkah mainstream spt kuliah di univ negri, milih jurusan kedokteran, ekonomi, teknik, dll,,, untuk mensupport masa depan. Belom lagi kalo ada tuntuan dari segi finansial keluarga ( contoh : anak pertama perlu biayain adik, dll).

Seperti yang sudah saya tulis di post saya, saya juga anak pertama yang harus membiayai adik, karena itu saya pilih mengambil beasiswa di universitas swasta karena jatuhnya lebih murah dibanding di universitas negeri.

Dan dlm kenyataannya, walaupun sekarang udah banyak yg mikir kalo jurusan mainstream ini oldschool bgt dan gak happenning lagi, masih banyak kok anak muda yang berminat sama jurusan2 mainstream ini.

Tentunya. Buktinya saya dari SD sampai SMA (bahkan mungkin sampai sekarang), masih terobsesi untuk kuliah di Fakultas Hukum UI. Saya sudah mencoba sebisa mungkin, I did my best, tapi tetap tidak diterima. Tapi, itu tidak berarti saya akan memiliki masa depan yang buruk, atau mengecewakan orangtua. Saya percaya, kita semua bisa “make our marks” melalui cara kita masing-masing.

Kalo dipikir2 lagi, oke, indonesia masih butuh sineas2 idealis yg semoga lebih aspiratif daripada anggota dpr, indonesia masih butuh public-figure2 yg bisa bangkitin nasionalisme kita, indonesia masih butuh seniman-seniman sebagai dengan segala kritik tajamnya yang membangun bangsa,,, tapi sebagai suatu negara masih butuh ekonom yang mastiin kas negara nggak amburadul, masih butuh dokter-dokter berbakat yang bersedia mengabdi untuk sesama, masih butuh insinyur-insinyur yang bisa bikin plan-plan di semua sektor dengan sistematis dan realistis.

Setuju. Itulah mengapa, jurusan paling most wanted tetap Manajemen, Hukum, Komunikasi, Kedokteran, dan lain-lain. Ada ribuan orang yang mendaftar untuk jurusan tersebut. Kalau kamu bicara sineas, IKJ masih menjadi salah satu universitas negeri yang least wanted, karena stereotip yang orang berikan terhadap kampus tersebut. Walaupun begitu, kita lihat prestasi sineas Indonesia. Walau Indonesia cuma punya satu sekolah film yang menyediakan gelar sarjana, kita memiliki sangat banyak sineas berbakat dan film-film yang menang di festival-festival internasional. Alhamdulillah.

Personally, aku berharap banget kedua dunia downstream dan mainstream ini bisa kerja sama saling mengisi biar Indonesia lebih baik. Bidang downstream majuin bangsa dgn cara kreatifnya sendiri dan gak lupa ngasih kritiknya buat yang kerja di bidang mainstream. Bidang mainstream membangun negara dengan prefosional dan gak lupa ngedengerin input dan masukan positif dari bidang downstream, juga ngejamin ‘keberadaan’ bidang downstream ini ;) hopefully Indonesia di tangan kita, anak muda, bisa baik dengan cara seperti ini ;)

Aku sejujurnya, pingin bgt kerja di bidang journalism, fashion industry, dan creative industry. Aku juga minat bangett sama ekonomi makro mikro dan alhamdulillah baru diterima di akuntansi ui. Makanya tadi waktu baca postingan ini agak gimanaa gitu. Agak takut. Karena awalnya aku pingin bgt masuk ui bukan semata2 karena kebanggaan, karena aku pingin ngambil ilmu, memperkaya diri, di tempat dengan sumber daya (yang dinilai) terbaik di negri ini. Kayanya, ujung2nya balik ke orangnya masing-masing apakah dia bisa menemukan dirinya yang terbaik di tempat dia berada. Rite ? kalo nyaman di univ, negeri, insyaAllah kita bisa sukses. Kalo nyaman di swasta, insyaAllah kita pasti bisa sukses juga ;)

Selamat ya, diterima di Akuntansi UI! Hebat sekali. Ada banyak orang yang sudah diterima UI/ITB dan mengeluh kesulitan. Kalau sudah diterima dan kamu memilih UI, go for it. Janji pada saya dan diri kamu sendiri, kamu tidak akan pernah mengeluh maupun menyesal ya :)

Masalah “sukses”: Nggak kuliah juga bisa sukses. So, no worries.

Hopefully, we can explore ourself to the maxx and lead this country to a better future, Indonesia’s future is on OUR HAND !!! ;)

Thank you, soriii kalo ada yang berseberangan kak ;)

You’re welcome.

                          

Yes, I am guilty again, for not posting again in several weeks or even months. Sorry ;)

Now, I am back with good news, which you might have heard from my tweets (uh huh, blame Twitter for my procrastination) and Facebook account. Yep, yep, I have published my second book! *solo salsa*

There it is, Vice Versa!

Vice Versa is a compilation of 18 short stories that I have written in the past 5 years. After I published Mint Chocolate Chips, I already had several more lengthy pieces that could be a novel, but I did not have much time to revise or even “remaster” them. That’s why, I am stuck with writing shorter ones, including articles, short stories, and… hmmm, yes, tweets.

The themes vary. Most of them are still about love, seen from a variety of perspectives and angles. I think love can be interpreted in too many ways, therefore sometimes I call this book as “the book of love stories”. Unlike Mint Chocolate Chips, the stories here are a bit “heavier”, in a way. On the other hand, unlike Bunuh Diri Massal 2008, the stories have more positive moral values rather than sarcasm.

The title Vice Versa came from the title of one of the stories. I wanted to emphasise that anything can be seen through any kind of perspective. Vice Versa is not only about love, it is also about everything else.

The book was launched on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at Warung Pasta Kemang - one of my favourite restaurants ever! I love the atmosphere, and the location is very strategic. Here are some pictures from the event – in case you could not come:

Some very honest words from my mother. She said that nobody can stop me from doing something that I want, but now she’s happy about it. Thank you so much, Mum. I love you, a million times, I love you… :)

Some testimonials from Mas Angga Dwimas Sasongko (yes, that famous director who brought you Hari Untuk Amanda) and Abenk (yes, that famous vocalist of the band Soulvibe). I thank you both :)

My girlfriends since junior high school! First (complete) reunion after several years… Vanda is missing though, she’s in Tokyo now :)

Even Pak Dino and Ibu Rosa came later in the afternoon. I was very surprised and felt very honoured. Thank you for the unconditional support, Pak & Ibu Dino!

I hope those pictures told more than I could ever said in words :)

So, that day we had plenty of fun. Loads of ice tea, pasta, book signing, shaking hands, and everything else. I felt happy, although at first was a bit upset because none of my extended family members were present – but I bet they sent prayers and support from their hearts!  I still believe that family is the most valuable asset that we all can have, missing them was not in my dictionary. But, well, I still had tons of fun!

Now the launching is done, I can confidently tell you that you can get my book in the nearest bookstore! If you don’t want to go anywhere, you can place your order here and have my book shipped to your house. The retail price is Rp37.000,-; but if you buy from Terrant Books, you’ll get 35% discount! Yay! Who does not like cheap books? :) If you have read my book and own a blog, please review it on your blog (read the full details here). You can get a package of Terrant Books’ best selling books. If you are too lazy to write a lengthy review, #tweetreview it! Write your #ViceVersa experience in less than 140 characters for each story, post it on Twitter (and mention me –> @AlandaKariza), I’ll give another story for you, for free (know more about it here).

That’s it for now, I guess. It’s 12.25 AM in the morning *yawn*, got a class this morning! You can read more about my book on http://viceversa.alandakariza.com.

Anyway, tonight I am going to speak at Binus International for the event “ASEAN: Challenges and Opportunities for Future Leaders”. It’s a kick-off event for the upcoming Regional Youth Leader Conference 2010, which is going to be held in June 2010. My uni works together with FreSh! for this event. You can RSVP by clicking here.

Okay, I should see you guys sometimes soon then… I really appreciate your patience. Greetings from Jakarta to everyone in the world ;)

                          

2009 was an eventful year for me. Indeed, it was. A lot of things happened, and all of them left a great impact in my life. I turned 18, and I think I grew up. I used to think that being a grown up is sad. I am a person who believes that being a child is somehow magical, and childhood is the best stage in our lives. When I was a child, I was not that happy. I had to witness the things any child would never have to see. Last year, I experienced some things that anyone would never experience. The good and the bad ones.

In 2009, I learned so much. But sometimes, when it’s too much, you can’t handle it, because the cup is full and it can’t contain.  Yet, I have always needed someone who could contain me. I had one.

Ever since university started, I have changed, into something I don’t know yet exactly. And I am not really happy about that.

For someone as Pisces as I am, it feels funny to be so rational about things. I now rarely use my feelings. Using my brain and mind would be enough, using my logical intelligence would be enough, using the rules would be enough. I keep my feelings somewhere else, for it to be save, for it to be untouchable. I don’t know when I would want to open the treasure chest again. Because  something in it is broken, and I desperately need a glue, or an ICU to make it fixed, to make it healed.

I am trying to steal my old-self back, from something I don’t really know what. Well, we all have to admit that change is the only constant thing in this world. People told me that “change is good”. I don’t feel the same.

                          

I was looking at the notes I’ve written in Facebook. I do want to write, but I am occupied with a lot of stuff, especially about Indonesian Youth Conference. I found this note, and I love it. I encourage you to write the same thing, and let me know when you’ve done it. Writing this makes us feel special, very very special. It reminds me of the fact that everybody is special. Yes, I am. Yes, you are. Yes, we are.

I was tagged by Cassey to write this. This is not about showing off. This is about loving yourself. And…

I am an amazing person because:

1. I make new friends easily. Maybe that’s because I am a very talkative person! I can’t stand sitting next to/in front someone without any kind of conversation. It turns out to be a very good thing because I think networking is one of the main keys of success. Never hesitate to say hi to anyone around you – give the to-die-for smile, people!
2. I am expressive. I can express my feelings verbally or even non-verbally. What’s even better is, I am expressive in positive things. I tend to keep my bad mood for myself, or only for the people that I am very closed to.
3. I am a good listener when it comes to other people’s problems. I am always welcome to listen to their problems, and when they ask for my advice, I am willing to share my experiences. Because, I am not a teacher or parents who can tell you to do things, I am only a friend.
4. Quoting Mr Dino, I am a proud nationalist and a passionate internationalist. I love reading things about Indonesia and telling them to other people so they can be in love with Indonesia as well. I am also open to other cultures. I can spend hours listening to Changemakers about their countries. I event spent one hour talking with Elsabe about Indonesia and Namibia, how do the houses look like, what do we eat for breakfast. You can start loving this country by reading Good News From Indonesia. Let’s fall in love!
5. I am curious. I love learning new things and I can absorb lessons easily. My IQ is not that great, maybe can only be labeled as “superior”. But I can learn any kind of lessons and can memorize it. I love you God.
6. I am a very optimistic person! A lot of people inspire me, from Bruce Lee to Andy Warhol, from Che Guevara to Walt Disney. All of them said that we all can make our dreams come true. So, why worry?
7. I rarely forget saying the three magical words: maaf, tolong, terima kasih. This is not that special but there are a lot of people who keep forgetting this kind of stuff. For me, it is very important.
8. I have always wanted to be different. Being different… some people might call us weird, but we always have the excuse to call ourselves “special”.
9. I am innovative and creative. Maybe it’s related to #8, I want to do something great and new, I want to do things in a different, creative way, whenever I can.
10. I am a loving person. I love my parents and even sisters so much, I love my boyfriend, I love my big family, I love my bestfriends, I love my schoolmates and especially classmates, I love my teman sebangkus (yes, I love you Sheila Citra Ervicaninda!), I love my colleagues… Though not all of them love me back. I don’t really care about that. Quoting Cassey, they are the ones who make me an amazing person.

So, if you read this, please do the same thing. At least for yourself. Let me know. Well… I know you guys are amazing already. I’ll just crosscheck the list you made with mine. Are we thinking about the same things?

                          

I am back on my own now: writing with my own fingers, seeing the world with my own eyes, listening to things with my own ears. Just me, and only me, and I think I’ll be fine. I have changed a lot. I used to be a hopeless romantic… hell, yes. But, now? Not anymore. I think it’s about time to start being realistic about everything in life, because life is not a fairytale, it’s not even a book. Let God writes the story–I think God is much better in us in terms of everything, including writing. And God writes real things, and I have to adapt with that.

I always have a hard time of letting something be. I have these dreams, these goals, that I really want to achieve. When I know that I can achieve it, I have to achieve it, no matter what. With one person, I already had those dreams. They are gone now. I have to let them be. And don’t ask why, because I did not want this either, but I have to let it be.

Maybe you have read the story… but well, if you are curious, my life is not that beautiful, and my life is not that good. I am just a human, like you. I am trying to make a difference, I am trying to make a betterment, in myself, in my surroundings, in my world. I want to be inspired, and I want to inspire others. Which is why, I have to be seen as a strong, wonder girl. I have to be seen as an inspiring person. I want to have an impact in the society, no matter how small it is, but I want it to be a good and remarkable one.

Emotionally, yes, I have lost something–one of the things that I used to admire the most. It left… with a reason that I personally could not explain, and still can’t.

I magically believe that God has a great reason of why this is happening, and God has a cool plan for me. I will just have to sit back, relax, enjoy life… right? I am back on track already. I am living my life to the fullest… without the goggles for a while. :)

                          

Something terrible just happened to me, and there are a lot of things I would like to share with you. I have learned a lot more about life now, about love, about relationship with others, about friendship, about relationship to myself, and even about relationship to God. I want to share. Really, I do. But maybe, I need some time alone, a quality time for myself. I’ll write soon. I promise.

Don’t forget to press play… well if your life is now paused.

And one more thing, my friend just said this to me:

“The Almighty One only has 3 answers for your prayer: “Yes / Not now / There’s a better option”. Keep that in mind.” :)

Hope all is well.

                          

“Alanda, where do you go to college?” is the question that I avoid the most.

One month ago, I had to face a difficult situation. At the same time, I become the only person who has ever received a full scholarship from Bina Nusantara International University. I also received admission fee reduction from Universitas Multimedia Nusantara and I got accepted in University of Indonesia to study Criminology. How lucky, right?

I had the yellow jacket in my hands already. My parents were incredibly happy that I got accepted into that uni, so were my family and friends. They were proud, they congratulated me. Everyone thought that I must be smart that I have succeeded in getting into that uni. But hey, I got accepted because the major I chose were not as popular as Management or Communications. I once thought, “If I were meant to study in UI, I’ll get it on SNMPTN.” And apparently, Alhamdulillah, it did happen.

I have spent my days in UI for a couple of weeks when I felt like there was something really, really wrong and I don’t know what that is. I met the most brilliant and opinionated people from all across the archipelago, I had a very big campus! I was going to study in the campus that is desired by everyone, with pride. Why can there be anything wrong? Moreover, I chose the major because I was interested in the courses. My plan: in 2010, I am going to go for another round of SNMPTN. I’ll get into FHUI.

Now this is ridiculous, but I always cried whenever I met anyone from FHUI. They ate my heart, my dreams. I tended to daydream whenever I passed FHUI. I felt so stupid. That was why I made my pledge. I had to get into FHUI, whatever it takes.

Suddenly, another thing ate more of me. I found out that even if I got into FHUI in 2010, I would not be able to change my major and transfer my grades. I will need to pay another 20 million, another OBM, another OSPEK, I will have to start from scratch. But, what for? My family is not that wealthy. I have little sisters who still need to obtain their basic education. I might seem “okay” financially for you, but to be honest, I still cannot pay my tuition fees by myself. If next year I still have to pay another 20 million to reach my dreams, well it’s an investation. But, I know my capacity. If we can’t, I don’t think we have to force ourselves, especially when it’s related to other people.
I finally realised that there will be no turning back. If I pay UI tuition fees, I will have to study there. Four years. Graduated from Criminology. Work in the criminology field.

Thus, where shall I put my dreams? Should I wash them away?

I missed my dreams. I missed my old activities. Everything was too campus-centered and I could not help it. There were department gathering, faculty gathering, batch gathering, alumni gathering, OBM, and courses. It was worse than high school. Yet there, you’re nothing but a number. UI people won’t know you. You will graduate and enter another jungle.

I somehow became afraid that I won’t be able to grow there. There is this fright I cannot explain. I was afraid that I would lose my activities. I was scared that I was going to lose the things I have built for years. I was scared that UI will take one piece of my UNO Stacko and destroy it. Only for OBM and OSPEK, I had lost a lot of opportunities, the opportunities that would mean a lot for my life. Do you think they would know what you do and achieve? No.

So, that day, on the first day of OSPEK, I went to UI with my dad. I already wore the white-and-white uniform and the leaf nametag, saying that “I have to do this”. I turned back at the Psychology Roundabout. You know what I did next? I WENT HOME. Someone told me to go home. It was not a devil. It was my heart. Somehow.

I tried to cool my head when I got home. I assessed both uni for multiple times. I talked to successful people I know, from Sitta Karina, Yorgi Gusman, Fajar Anugerah, and my friend Ghian, to seek a path. Where should I go, actually? They know me well and they are successful in their own ways.

I prayed too. I asked God, what should I choose? My heart has chosen the international university, actually. Though I actually wanted God to say “UI” so I could make my parents proud, see me graduate in Balairung from UI… God said Binus too. Or maybe, God only said what rings in my heart. So, I did tell my mother that I wanted to go to Binus International, in tears. My mother said yes, though she was pretty disappointed – she graduated from UI after all. But I also promised her that I am going to be a successful person, and I will send my sisters to school.

So, what’s with Binus International? Here are the list to encounter your negative comments:

1. I got scholarship there. Financially, UI is more expensive than Binus International. I want my sisters to get a better education than I did, and I will not let my parents pay too much for my education and abandon them. My sisters are going to be successful people. They are much smarter than me, I suppose.
2. BI has international curriculum. So, if I got into Harvard or Oxford (yeah, right), it will be easier to transfer my grades with the same curriculum.
3. Every lectures are delivered in English and some of the lecturers are expatriates.
4. I’m going to learn International Business there, become a social and creative entrepreneur, create jobs, and build a school. That’s luxurious enough in my opinion!
5. By studying in BI, I would be able to choose: study for 1 year in Cologne Business School to get double degrees, or study in UNSW (one of Australia’s ‘The Big 8’), Solbridge (South Korea) or University of Wollongong (Dubai). To be frank, I am more interested to study there instead of UI. So I can bring heaps of things home, so I can have different skills than the ones who studied in UI, UNPAD or ITB. Remember, UI has millions of graduates. Who knows that I might be able provide different perspectives and solutions from them? Indonesia needs diversity and dynamics.
6. They got Masters Track Program, so I will hopefully to finish both Bachelor and Masters Degree in 9 semesters. Amen.
7. BI appreciates what I do and they are very supportive, both morally and materially. They give students to space to grow academically and non-academically.
8. I can still continue my activities outside the campus because the lectures schedule are more flexible and there are no unimportant gatherings. Well, at least, not too much.
9. Seniors don’t have seniority, not at all. Just like in the US, they don’t want us to call ‘Kak’. One campus, one BI. No one labels us by “sok pintar” when we express our aspirations. Because in that campus, they do.
10. One batch only has 300ish students. Lecturers are close to you. Lecturers know you. Even the executive dean knows you. All lecturers know that I established The Cure For Tomorrow, for God’s sake!
11. 90% BI graduates last year have been accepted in companies before they had their graduation ceremony. Two of them got $2,500 as their first salary. Some of them got into Stern and Stewart accounting firm in Singapore, and there was even a graduate who now works in Google. The key? Personal recommendations. No, they don’t let you use Binus Career. They recommend you to companies.
12. We are taught to think and work like Western people, but we are also taught to act like Eastern people. Beautiful.

I dare to say that I don’t regret this decision. Not at all. Yes, I tried my best to get into UI. Right. But, I know, whenever I got into college, I can be a successful person if I want to. I am sure that in this place, I would be able to grow. I will be something special instead of being drowned in the ocean of people, or unnecessary “nongkrong-nongkrong” just like what high-schools had.

Maybe you will spit on this decision. But this is,

My choice. My world. You only read the story.

                          

Indonesia berduka.

Itu yang saya tangkap pagi ini, ketika saya tiba di kantor dan mendengar bahwa dua hotel internasional di kawasan Kuningan, yakni Ritz-Carlton dan JW Marriott, menjadi sasaran pengeboman oleh oknum yang tidak bertanggungjawab. Saya panik ketika itu. Mengapa? Bagaimana kepercayaan dunia internasional terhadap Indonesia? Saya, sebagai salah satu orang Indonesia yang berkesempatan untuk berinteraksi langsung dengan masyarakat internasional, mendengar langsung pandangan dari orang-orang di negara lain terhadap Indonesia yang semakin ke sini, semakin membaik. Kita telah bersusah-payah bertahun-tahun mengembalikan gambaran baik mengenai Indonesia kepada dunia internasional yang sempat punah, dan dengan beberapa ledakan, gambaran tersebut harus kembali rusak. Entah berapa lama waktu yang kita butuhkan untuk memperbaiki hal ini.

Pagi ini pula, saya login di Twitter dan menemukan ‘Jakarta’ dan ‘Ritz-Carlton’ menjadi dua dari trending topics yang ada Twitter.

Malam ini semuanya berubah. #indonesiaunite menjadi trending topic di peringkat teratas, mengalahkan pemutaran perdana Harry Potter, pembicaraan tentang Michael Jackson, dan bahkan #iranelection. Hari ini kita membuktikan pada dunia bahwa teroris tidak mengguncang Indonesia. Manchester United boleh jadi batal ke sini, begitu juga dengan beberapa band yang dijadwalkan untuk menyelenggarakan konser di Bulan Agustus, tapi warga Indonesia – khususnya pengguna Twitter – justru melakukan sesuatu bersama-sama, menunjukkan bahwa Indonesia tetap kuat dengan mengupdate banyak informasi berhubungan dengan #indonesiaunite dan mengganti avatar Twitter dengan warna merah-putih.

Hari ini, ada banyak pesan nasionalis yang muncul melalui status di Twitter. Pada awalnya, semua status di Twitter menunjukkan kebencian terhadap teroris, main tuding kepada capres-cawapres yang tidak menang dalam versi Quick Count, sampai mengutuk teroris hanya karena MU dan band-band favorit mereka batal datang ke Jakarta. Namun, semua itu berubah, menjadi kebanggaan sebagai orang Indonesia, menjadi keinginan agar Bangsa Indonesia bersatupadu melawan ancaman teroris.

Prestasi ini membawa kebahagiaan tersendiri untuk saya. Mengapa? Saya merasa bahwa nasionalisme masyarakat Indonesia sudah meningkat secara drastis. Pada peristiwa-peristiwa pengeboman sebelumnya, Indonesia hanya bisa berduka. Tapi hari ini, kita melakukan sesuatu. Sesuatu yang kecil, tetapi ternyata sangat berarti, dan membawa impact emosional yang besar.

Ada seseorang yang mengirimkan tweet:

Hal ini menyadarkan saya, bahwa mungkin hikmah dari kejadian ini adalah bersatupadunya pemuda-pemudi Indonesia untuk membuktikan pada dunia bahwa Indonesia akan berusaha semaksimal mungkin melawan terorisme. Hal ini juga menyadarkan saya bahwa nasionalisme belum mati. Bangsa Indonesia tidak mengutuk terorisme karena batal melihat Ryan Giggs secara langsung, mereka mengutuk terorisme yang telah merusak nama bangsa di mata dunia.

Mengutip Arsalan Iftikhar, international human rights lawyer dan pendiri TheMuslimGuy.com: As the 240 million wonderful people of Indonesia mourn this terrorist attack on their soil this evening; we want the people of Jakarta to know that the rest of the world mourns alongside with you.

Semoga nasionalisme Bangsa Indonesia tidak berhenti sampai di sini.