A TRUE STORY: COMMUTING ACROSS THREE PROVINCES EVERY DAY AND THE LIMPING STUDENT WHO BECAME A CAMPUS CELEBRITY

 

 

By: WARSITO, SH., M.Kn.

Formulator of Official Documents for the DPD RI (Regional Representative Council)

Ranked 1st Legal Act Analyst at the Expertise Body of the DPR RI in 2016

Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Jayabaya University, Jakarta

Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Ibnu Chaldun University, Jakarta

On September 2, 2006, when covering my graduation at Universitas Indonesia (UI), Harian Pos Kota—a famous capital city newspaper—published a story about me commuting across three provinces just to attend college. Reading that headline made me realize that for two years, I had indeed been traveling through three provinces every single day to study at UI. It was completely true: my house was in Karawaci, Tangerang (Banten Province); my daily work activities were at the Senayan "round building" in Jakarta (DKI Jakarta); and in the evening, I commuted to the UI campus in Depok (West Java). That was what Pos Kota meant by me studying across three provinces.

Studying at UI: Hard to Get In, Hard to Get Out

Have we ever heard the saying that studying at UI means "it's hard to get in, and hard to get out"? Getting admitted takes a great deal of effort, but graduating or getting out is even harder. It feels as though the lecturers have been indoctrinated to show no mercy to students regarding grades. It depends entirely on whether the student can answer the exam questions or not; there is not the slightest policy to help students with grading.

Many students get dropped out (DO) because they still fail to pass after a two-semester extension. A friend of mine, who was actually a UI employee, got dropped out simply because they stuck on the Civil Inheritance Law course and failed to pass for two semesters. The lecturer even said that even if they closed their eyes, the grade wouldn't change, reasoning that it would be a pity if the student went out into society unable to calculate inheritance. Masya Allah (My Goodness)... I heard that ruthless lecturer with my own ears because I accompanied my friend to ask for leniency to pass that Civil Inheritance course.

However, now that I am a lecturer at a private university (PTS), I certainly cannot be that rigid when grading students. I have to be wise and consider various aspects. Some students in private universities attend the employee classes on Fridays and Saturdays, and most of them work. As a professional educator, wherever I teach, according to Islam—the religion I adhere to—and the applicable positive law, I am obligated to tell my students to attend classes diligently. It is for their own good; it would be a waste of the expensive tuition fees if they rarely attend and gain no knowledge. Unless there is an emergency or they have to work overtime, they are welcome to miss class as long as they notify me or request permission.

Wherever I teach, I always advise students not to just chase a diploma without ever attending class. A diploma is indeed very important as authentic proof that we deserve the Bachelor of Laws (SH) degree, but it must be accompanied by actual knowledge. I encountered many cases when I was still serving at the Senayan Round Building; many colleagues who already held degrees and positions would avoid or run away when asked to give a presentation or briefing on their Main Duties and Functions (Tupoksi). I also met some who, when asked for legal advice or reasoning, refused to show up, giving excuses like a stomach ache. In reality, I knew it was because they were unprepared and lacked mastery of the material—perhaps because they rarely attended classes back in college.

Studying at UI is Like a Crucible (Kawah Candradimuka)

My experience studying at UI felt like entering a crucible (kawah candradimuka); you truly have to study hard. The lecturers are completely impartial—they don't care "who you are." They don't look at how handsome or beautiful you are, whether you are rich or poor, drive a luxury car or walk, or whether you are a commoner or an official. The only thing that matters is whether the student can answer the exam questions or not. In truth, studying at a state university (PTN) or a private university (PTS) is just the same; what matters is studying earnestly.

The horror among UI students is that if you still fail to pass during the two-semester extension, you will definitely be dropped out. This is the most feared phantom, so there is no other way but to study hard. UI lecturers are indoctrinated to be beyond lobbying or bribery; they won't even entertain students visiting their homes. Once, a student came to a lecturer's house bringing gifts, but the lecturer ordered them to take the gifts back home. That is how strict it is.

However, the good and positive side of studying at UI is that it is sporting, honest, and fair. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, an official or a commoner; the sole metric is whether you can keep up with the course material or not. Studying at UI leaves you with no choice but to study diligently—that is non-negotiable. Some students even end up with "four stars" on their exam cards. These four stars do not indicate the rank of a top general in the military (TNI) or police (Polri), but rather a sign that the student has failed the exam four times.

Studying at UI was indeed very heavy for me. At that time, I was simultaneously a head of the family, a neighborhood unit (RW) board member, and a civil servant (PNS) fulfilling state duties. Coincidentally, the session agendas at the MPR (People's Consultative Assembly) were extremely packed, while my university assignments were piling up. At first, many of my grades plummeted, which shocked me deeply. I even told my wife that I wanted to drop out of UI because I couldn't handle the coursework and the strictness of the system. My wife told me to keep going because we had already spent a lot of money.

With a firm determination to continue, I changed my study habits and came up with a precise strategy. I kept many books in my vehicle so I could read them during red lights. Even at the swimming pool, while waiting for my family to swim, I would sit and read. Masya Allah, that was just how grueling it was for me to study at Universitas Indonesia. After I changed my study patterns, it finally yielded maximum results: out of the 10 courses I took, I passed 9 and failed only one. To make a long story short, I was ultimately able to graduate on time. Out of 175 students, I was among the 75 who graduated on time, allowing me to join the graduation ceremony on September 2, 2006. This shocked all my friends—how could I possibly catch up on so many missed courses if not by the grace of Allah SWT?

Not stop there, my study technique also involved making summaries of the courses and pasting them on my bedroom walls. Every time I entered the room, I would automatically study, and that trick was highly effective. There is a common adage about studying at UI that is an open secret: "hard to get in, hard to get out." That was fully proven. However, if you are truly willing to study and carefully observe the types or characters of the lecturers who teach, Insya Allah (God willing), we can graduate on time and keep up with all the lecture materials.

The Limping Campus Celebrity

Who becomes the celebrity of the class when studying at UI? The celebrity in class is not the beautiful woman, nor the handsome man, nor the rich person who can constantly switch luxury cars, and not even an official can become a celebrity. The one who became the celebrity in my UI class was a student with a limp who used a cane, but who was academically brilliant and sharp. They were constantly chased by classmates who needed study materials from them. This was because smart people like them would even record the lecturers while they taught, then create a resume or conclusion out of it. It was the results of these summaries—distributed to friends as study materials for midterms (UTS) and finals (UAS)—that turned them into a celebrity.

The key if you want to study at UI is simply to focus on studying and attend classes diligently, because there are lecturers who will never pass a student if their attendance is lacking. Also, maximize group study; through group study, we can quickly grasp the material of the courses we are taking. Group study is highly effective, especially when paired with writing while learning—that makes it even more powerful.

To all students, whether at state (PTN) or private (PTS) universities wherever you are, my advice is to keep studying hard, accompanied by prayers to Allah SWT. Effort will never betray the results.

Hope this is useful.