How to be human 101

Firstly, please give me an award for writing a post early this year. I tracked my post archives and found out that the only time I wrote in January was back in 2010, lol. Anyway, my intention to write this post is actually changed in the span of three days only. I was initially planned to show off my last vacation to Romania where Bianca, Sara, Irene, and I rolled on the snow between Cavnic in Maramures to Timisoara in Banat. Yes, my second winter break in Europe also turned out to be a White Christmas, after Tromso-Bergen craziness last year.

There are at least a thousand files (pictures, videos, and boomerangs) of this magical trip on my harddisk. How can I resist to share only 0,001% of them?

However, as I told you before, the purpose of this post is not to share all those beautiful things I witness in Romania. The aim is actually to share this article I found on Facebook the other day. I wholeheartedly agree with the content written there (except #23) but instead of calling it as '25 habits that psychologists have linked with happiness', I would simply name the list as 'how to be human.' Let me share some of my favorite points below:

• Write down 3 things you're grateful for: It does work. One of my stress coping mechanism is actually looked below. Be grateful of your current state. You can't live by always looking ahead or above; these ambitions, those pressures, sometimes can drain all the happiness in your life, no?
• Get outside: Relates to my previous post, going out definitely ease your day in their unique way. An extrovert goes out to talk to someone, an introvert can also go out to enjoy the nature tranquility. Or as an ambivert, I dress up and visit such public places to observe human interactions.
• Listen to sad songs: Before, I never understand why one could feel a comfort or serenity by listening to those mellow songs (for me, it can be defined as Spotify's Deep Dark Indie kind of tracks). After reading this article, it somehow makes sense that sad music actually allows us to regulate the negative emotions and find a consolation in their melody. It is kind of healing process. And speaking of deep-dark-indie, London Grammar just released a new single a week ago.

let me drowned in the beauty of Hannah Reid's haunting vocal

• Write down your feelings: I haven't keep a diary since at least 10 years ago. However, there is a habit of mine to write what I feel in my agenda. Not a real writing though, sometimes it is just random doodle, or two short sentences, or emojis. Also, as millennials, of course, we can just thinking out loud in any social media platforms (but then, we have to deal with the so-called society).
• Spend money on others, not yourself: Maybe you want to call me out for this humble-bragging, but buying things for others indeed make you happy. I mean, I do feel happier buying a new BTS album for Zia's birthday gift (and behold her joyous/denial face when she opened the gift wrap) than buying myself a rack of clothes (sure, I am being exaggerated, but you know, we have insane winter sale here). Also, other activities I love the most: getting flowers for my friends. Living in the Netherland has its perks :) 

At last, the most essential and important mantra: smile and optimism. This may sound like that advice you get from Mario Teguh or those annoying Tumblr quotes, but yes, those two simple (but sometimes hard-to-do) things are basically a happiness spell. It doesn't mean you are forbidden to feel cynical, sad, or depressed, a human has feelings, not a feeling, a mixed of everything. But it won't hurt anybody to keep a speck of optimism and share a smile as your weapon. Especially when you can't cope with the negative energy no more omg, am I really writing this. As Dumbledore said, Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.

So, happy new year, I guess. Let's hope this year will be a great one for everybody.

XOXO *flying kiss*,
Noya

Being an Ambivert

Google says that ambivert means 'a person who has a balance of extrovert and introvert features in their personality.' I consider myself as an ambivert, which is a good thing, I suppose. Most of my friends say that I seem like a person who has a lot of friends, approachable, attentive in a conversation, smiles a lot, etc etc. They are not wrong of course, but like an introverted person, I also need the quality-me-time. Recently, the introvert side of me is dominating, maybe because all my lecture classes had ended in the last block, so now I only spend most of the day working on the reports and fangirling (over BTS, thanks to Zia and Andhani). Weird combination, but it exists lol. Anyway, my introverted side loves to work anywhere that is full of people, whether it's in a chatty area (i.e. canteen/cafe) or silent one (i.e. library), as long as they're not talking to me. (I think) I enjoy the presence of the others (read: human), but at the same time, I want to be alone. It feels different if you're really alone, physically. I tried that many times, and it is impossible to concentrate at all. Moreover, when you have an excellent wifi connection. At least, if you have many people around, you won't waste your time in youtube for 2 hours every 15 minutes (yes, it is possible). Another bit, ever since I live in the Netherlands, cycling aimlessly, strolling in the park and wandering around winkelcentrum became my habits. Those are my healing activities, going solo in public places.

Now, the extroverted side. Here goes a confession: I actually miss my classmates a lot. Like, a lot. Not missing the person (ehm), but I just get used to having them around at least 4 days a week. Bianca and I meet almost routinely at Pampalini (our favorite hanging spot), sometimes with Sara and Irene, but that's it. My Utrecht's inner circle only have 4 members in it. Otherwise, I devote my time in one of those study landscapes in Uithof and have a lunch break with Nisa, Cempaka, or sometimes mas Aan or mas Irawan. Every now and then, I spent my weekends with these lovely people above, or, other Indonesian students here /on a side note, I'm finally done with PPIU stuffs, the new board had been selected, yayness/. Also, the most important: since last month, I have a constant discussion fangirling session with Zia and Andhani who live ~50km away from me (yes, I checked it in Google). I do blame them for dragging me back to this dark infatuating world of kpop, but hey there are perks of being a fangirl. So, I stopped complaining and embracing it instead (this is 100% an excuse).

In mas Irawan words, I would say that these people I mentioned above just casually become my supporting system here, in the Netherlands. Being alone independent is awesome and all (also I need it to be actually productive), but I still need a hablumminannas. By talking vis-a-vis, not only by scrolling any social media, which recently drives us crazy with all the issues back in my home country (totally in different notes).

See, I am indeed an ambivert.

Okay, quick updates. What I've been up to recently:
1) The tailor made course is going slow, I have to submit a draft report next Monday, but I have, basically, the same draft as 2 weeks ago. Hmmmmmm.
2) I am 50% officially fixed to do an internship in City Blueprint by assessing Bandung (not Seoul, whyyy). There is a glimpse of hope that I can be involved in Seoul project. Maybe.
3) Another confession: I don't think I can get through a day without talking to Zia or Andhani these days /now that I'm writing it, that sounds super creepy/ Anyway, they gave me the best birthday present, in a very dramatic way (read Zia's story here). To be fair, Zia, I also cried and had a very conflicted feeling for the whole day.
4) I will be spending the Christmas holiday in Bianca's home and a road trip from north to south (-ish) of Romania. Wish us luuuck, we have two born and raised in tropical countries ladies here).
5) Not really an update, but I feel 50% guilty 50% relieved that I am not living in Indonesia right now. All the things happened there, just mindblowing. It left me speechless, and I'm afraid to write my opinion because everybody is super judgmental rn *insert sad laugh*

Turns out it's quite a comprehensive updates lol. But anyway, let's have group huuuug!

Cheers,
Noya

Keeping up with me

Hi, you!

I am writing a post now, finally, five months after my last entry. Was I too busy to stop doing activities and write here? Hmm not really, but the facts are; last June was full of deadlines before summer holiday; July and August were spent in delightful Indonesia; September was tensed because of .. a lot of things. It is mid-October already when life is at last adjusted with Universiteit Utrecht's pace-rhythm for a moment, just before the exam period is waiting in the corner of the month. Well, my bigger problem is, finding a thesis-internship, which is not difficult but definitely not easy. I am 80% excited with all these possible developments for my near future, and the rest of it is a mixed feeling of anxiety and desperateness hahaha.

Also, still in the realm of college life, I feel like my confidence (not that I usually have enough of it) is falling free stylishly from a cliff. As everyone knows, my academic English skill is not decent at all, but I feel like it becomes worse lately than ever. I guess, the perfect combination of two comments on my research proposal that said 'your grammar is lacking' and endless days of speaking that language made me even more inferior. Last year, I realized that I got so many back-ups with group projects (there would always be a final editor before report submission) that make my shortcoming stayed off the radar. However, now, with constant individual assignments (esp. with peer review), I need the urge to proof-read my paper before clicking that send/submit button. I also signed up for premium Grammarly and new academic writing class by PPI Utrecht, all in all for my Achilles heel.

Enough with the rambling, maybe I will just spam the rest of this post with pictures. Yes, pictures always cure!

Too much pictures? Indeed! The first one is what left from the Ramadhan dinner with Utrecht Moslem group (as Andri calls it), the second is my beloved family, the 3rd and  4th pictures are typical Indonesian tourist spots, 5-6-7th are the memory of visiting amazing Disneyland and Studios!  8th is the garden of Palais Het Loo (the one full of  Late Queen Wilhemina's vibe), while the rest are just me showing off my friend and I, strutting along Hoge Veluwe  

What else can I say here? Too many stories I want to share but my limited brain capacity to write in English won't take us any further. Oh, and I am going to Schiphol today, to bid a farewell to Puti, one of my closest friend in Utrecht :'( She is finished with everything and will fly back to Indonesia for good (at least for now). I'm losing my friend one by one.

Till we meet again,

Noya

Growing up is not the problem

Forgetting is.

Some people might recognize this line along The Little Prince the movie, an animation works released last year based on the same titled novel. Truthfully, I have not read the book yet (I'll add it to my book's bucketlist) but after I watched this adaptation, and of course lurking on all those reviews, it seems that I should read one. Funny how I used to consider myself as book worm when there are just (very) few numbers of books stayed in my memory. The following post still revolves around the same theme of coping with adult life, which still take a form of big question mark that randomly pops during daydream. 

This barely new year of 2016 went well so far, at least for my movie quality time. I am now already on 18th in my movie list despite the start of school's third period a week ago. Somehow, the assignments are not killing me yet. The Little Prince is the latest movie I just watched today. As someone who didn't read the book, I enjoyed this animation that full of deep symbolism regarding one journey's to grow up. Well maybe not exactly defining the process you went through from child, teenager, then adult era; Nevertheless, toward the end of the movie, many elements of this movie just hit me hard within the reality realm, i.e. the restless and unprepared feeling to face adult-real-world. I know people get bored when I told them about this dubious theme of so called real world but today, at least, I got new input regarding this matter. One from this movie and other from my fully respected friend, Muharrom. 

(spoiler alert). At a brief moment after finishing the movie, people might be reminded of how tough adult life can be, as people get this idea from the movie that adult is created (or shaped) in a certain way which made them forget everything precious from childhood memories. Not to mention The Mother character who seemed a bit pushover with her perfect planning. I also agree with this opinion, because myself indeed having hard time accepting grown up's life path. But then I texted Muha, it was not 100% random because yesterday we dwelt upon our college life whatsoever (maybe because we were both feel so old and tired and sudden reminiscence afloat). I always believe him to give me advice, read: serious advice for life, hence I told that I just saw The Little Prince. Of course he had watched it and of course he had different idea on perceiving the movie. Instead, he adores The Little Girl and The Mother during their perfect and tight scheduled days.

Cool, mature, independent, problem solver, neat, never give up.. everything great about that little girl but those all ruined when she meets the neighbor grandpa, I was sad 

Creativity, dream, hobby, curiosity.. can stay as the child fragments of you but be like an adult when you have to be autonomous, rational, responsible.. 

I really don't know if I translate this in a right way, sorry Muha! Unsurprisingly, it is on our nature to continue a movie talk to a 'future' kind of conversation. Both of us (or maybe just me, actually) are go-with-the-flow-people which he said it made us slower than others to embrace the life learning. He then managed to continuously stabbed me with his thoughts (in a good way), like why can't I state a concrete purpose for my future; or successfully made me aware of an urgent need for a mentor I never have. Always a mind and heart opener, talking with him hahaha *empty laugh.

In the end, we came to the conclusion that I am indeed an effortlessly happy person who life her days without expectation, target, and evaluation *again empty laugh. Believe me, I am working on this attitude though. Well again, let us all pray to be useful creatures in our own way. I hate to always close a post with such cliche but what can I do, I have a cliche life ;) 

Warm hug (still in this cold windy weather),

Noya

P.S. I should really searching for a mentor

Tidbits of studying abroad (preface)

Around this time last year, I was bustling with preparation of my master study includes admission to the dream university (ok wait) and the most wanted scholarship (self proclaimed).

Firstly, let me apologize to my future self i.e tomorrow self: maybe you're gonna regret writing this things up in your most productive hours instead of studying for exam.

Back to the admission things. If studying abroad (w/o having financial breakdown) is one of your dream then NOW is the time to take real action and make dream comes true. Why? Because admission period for new academic year (August/fall semester) usually close on March/April of the same year. After gathering your soul and spirit, this maybe the first question that pop in your mind (a lot of my friends and acquaintances asked this one): Which one you apply first, scholarship or university; and how? My personal answer of the first question would be: up to you. I did my applications simultaneously both for scholarship and university, mostly because it was basically the same procedure. For the second questions: the mighty answer is GOOGLE IT! You have to diligently visit those websites containing information of your desired scholarship and study program. This list below is what my browser history full of a year ago:

1. http://www.lpdp.depkeu.go.id/

2. http://www.beasiswa.lpdp.kemenkeu.go.id/

3. http://www.mastersportal.eu/countries/1/netherlands.html

4. http://www.uu.nl/masters/en/water-science-and-management/admission-and-application/non-eu/ndu#quicklinks

5. http://www.ets.org/toefl

6. http://www.ielts.org/

Besides official websites of institutions those offer scholarship fund and study programs, you also need to get ready for english proficiency test. TOEFL iBT and IELTS are two of the most familiar test which you can use to enter thousands of university around the world. Afaik, TOEFL is more common if you want to study in USA/Australia while IELTS is more customary in Europe (side notes: even I applied to universities in Netherlands, I chose to take TOEFL iBT because American English is somehow more comfortable for me -oh and the test was cheaper!- just make sure what kind of the test accepted on your destined institutions). After that, you only need to focus on the struggle. Doing your best and pray! What is/are the most difficult part(s)? Personally, preparation for TOEFL iBT was so damn hard and tiring; my english is a mess (is, not was, because it is still a clusterfudge) but at least I managed to pass the limit for acceptable grade. I didn't join any TOEFL-preparation class whatsoever because of financial recces lol yet I used this illegal copy of Barron's TOEFL iBT 12th Edition. It really help much! You can always ask me if you want a copy. Another points which I found quite hard was.. writing essays and motivation letter, those are not my things, apparently. After all, if you put every efforts unto, it should paid off :)

For building the hype, maybe this time is perfect to introduce the magnificent "Sahita Sahwahita" all glorious PK-28 LPDP. PK (Persiapan Keberangkatan) is the reason why LPDP is kinda different with any other scholarship. It may sounds as formality and seems uninteresting at first but it turns out the best thing happens for you in a while (yes it was definitely tiring but all those experiences you can't buy with money were worth it). Lurk it yourself in our video below!

I am not really a person who can make such post full of motivation and clear steps of doing something right but I do hope that very-short explanation means something to help any of you. 

Lotta love,

Noya

Weekend at Sofy's

Holla!
It's October already! Seems several last month just went too fast and I know there is no use of regretting it, eh? At least I had tried to lived my days happily and striving for the best in most of it. I hope you guys whom I loved very much did the same. Amen. So, what bring me back to this platform after I abandoned it for months? The answer will be my long-last partner in crime, RAP (whoa man, just realize your initial is similar with that rap monster from BTS lol). A week ago, we went to our neighborhood country, Malaysia (and yes please congrats me for achieving two resolutions in a row, first time boarding in a plane and first time going to foreign place). She told me to write our story here because we were so cool hahaha. No seriously, we are cool, can you imagine clumsy and messy girl like us manage to go there? We did'nt prepare much though. Even our conversation in whatsapp that sparks this plan was kinda impulsive:

Me: .. just two of us, we havent travel somewhere far, dont you think? | Her: far like.. far? | lets go somewhere by plane, when will you have your day off? | man I only have days off next year | really? :( well then lets just start save money to go to NZ together | uhm or maybe we can go to Singapore or KL next week, you can always go online right? just check if there any affordable weekend flights next thursday. I will have my days off from thursday, we can go thursday night. how about that?| wow are you serious?

Everything went fast with her having group presentation delayed and me having sudden big task order from my team leader but somehow we made it, friday predawn and we already lying in hard couch on KLIA 2. Actually our goal is only to step our feet in Kuala Lumpur so you wont get any answer asking what was our schedule for two days two nights there. Sofy, the girl whom we going to stay at was having her class until friday afternoon and that left us free time until 4 p.m that day. FYI, Putri was being herself and said, "My job is done here, I had encourage you to made it go travel here and now we arrived, it is up to you, I'll just tag you along," followed by somehow insane smirk in her face. Well, it mean I am the ship captain (ship with only one passenger, Putri) and with zero 9% knowledge about KL public transportation, we decided to take off to KL-Sentral. Why? Because my friend told me before that KL-Sentral is literally the center of Kuala Lumpur so you can go anywhere from there. My story from here will be full of KL-Sentral word, in fact what I love the most from this trip is, the mighty KL-Sentral (oh and UKM, we'll get to that later). Maybe this is for personal reasoning, but as someone who love Jakarta's commuter line much, giving me the beauty of KL-Sentral is heavenly! In Bogor-Jakarta line, boarding in spacious, clean, empty (or merely not-crowded) coach and being able to get a seat there is already a big yes for me. So my heart was just burst with joy when trying KTM coach or Rapid KL coach back in Malaysia. Not to mention, Rapid KL's self assisted ticketing, it is looks like that ticket vending machine I only get to see in West/Korean movie. There are some numbers of tunnel and subway line we were tried also, man I cant be more hyped than that! Maybe that convenient feel I got from riding in KL line network comes from 50% better management and 50% better public attitude. I mean, the greater thing in KTM/Rapid KL service are neat managing of KL-Sentral and various choices of ticketing (numbers of vending/locket). Other stations in that network were physically not so different with Juanda/Sudirman/Pondok Cina standard. If you live everyday in your life using KRL in Jabodetabek line then you definitely see the problem of (very) high number of people who use that service and their lesser good attitude. Just few days ago, I was in the middle of riot on woman-only KRL coach, all caused only by panic but in result several injuries were made. I cannot blame all the fault to the passenger because come to think of it, the largest group of KRL user is commuter people who depart rushly in morning, struggle not to come late to office and when they come home in the evening, they are all tired and drained and wasted.. more negative thing than positive one. It is the same if we talked about other public transportation service in Jakarta; kopaja, angkot, metromini, etc. Come to think of it, Jakarta indeed so full of human, it seem unable to sustain anymore life *sigh*

long live commuter people!

Uh, so I babbling much about public transportation above so it left me less spaces to talk about the trip lol. But anyway, we only went to Batu Caves, Little India, Central Market, China Town, and KLCC. People said  I can get more attraction than that but heck, Putri and I attached too much to UKM (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) dorm. See, after day one roaming around with not-so-light backpack as our burden, bed is really one thing we appreciate big times! Sofy's ancient room (she describe it that way, mostly because her dormitory building was built on 1950ish) was so comfy and accessible to nearest student hangout spot (library/canteen). We basically spent our time in Malaysia with laying and rolling around in her room, chatting. Oh and anyway, UKM is a lovely campuss. It is twice (or more, I guess) larger and wider than my campus. I feel live in IPB dormitory all over again, with forest right in the backyard and bus at service to go everywhere in campus area. The differencies will be better management (again), UKM building and landscape is slightly more eye-friendly than IPB, lol.

yoo-hoo

 I linked some random photos above to give you imagination starter of our trip a week ago. Oh and if you wonder why the hell that car park too near to a river, well it wasnt. That brownish water is flood, haha, yes I even experienced flood on this trip. Now you can imagine how absurd we were. Many of good photos are not available due to Putri's misfortune. Her phone was lost in KLIA 2 and until now I wishing it back. But dont pity us guys, we are definitely not regretting that weekend HAH! Still missing you, Putri & Sofy :''

XOXO,
Icha