Have I told you how severe my condition when I started my freshman year?? Have I told you that with that small amount of money, it was only enough for me to pay for the transportation (the long and tiring one) and a small pack of an ice tea?? YES it was only enough for that, daily. Every single day, I had to bring my own lunch box and a tumblr full of water from home... That added my heavy bag full with books already. No wonder I was always so small no matter how much I ate. lol :)
Before you continue reading this article of my sophomore year in university, I strongly suggest you to read my freshman year story first, here: "Oktafia's Freshman Story".
So, let's now continue the story :)
First year ran happily. Not many classes, not yet getting into political courses, yet still with a good love story (or two). But those didn't last long. Little did I know, the promise I made with my sister for not yet having fun because we had to focus studying and earning money, drove me insane inside. So I got soooo stressed because I also promised my family that by semester 3, I will be ablt to get a part-time job to feed myself. Turns out until the first quarter of the 3rd semester, I still didn't get any job.
I tried it all, trust me! I applied to any part-time jobs as possible. Then it lead me to get that accounting part-time job in a company that is located inside the hospital nearby where I used to live. It was quite an easy job with not much to do. I simply just helped the accountant to did the input of the company's expenses. It gave me quite a good money, but as predicted, since I was that time already studying Political Science in university and no longer studying accounting like I did back then in my Vocational High School, and the company only needed me to help during their peak season, so I worked there only for a month and a half. After that, I went jobless again.
It might not be a big deal or not a deal at all for any other students, because who the fuck need to think what to eat for tomorrow when they are just still at semester 3?? In this big city, probably veeery few, and one of those very few WAS ME! I never told this to anyone, but there were many days in semester 3 that I chose not to go to campus just because I knew we didn't have money even only for my transportation, and I didn't even know what to eat for tomorrow. So I used the most of my absent portion to save up my mom's money, yet I still studied so damn hard myself at home and never missed any homework. *ok, I'm literally teary right now writing this part. To be honest, these moments were really hard for me, and for my family, I believe.
I felt desperate and shameful because I cannot keep my promise to my mom and sister. I promised them that the reason why I chose Universitas Bakrie (which didn't give me daily expense fee, not like the one from Paramadina that I rejected, was because I was so sure that by semester 3 I would have gotten a job already). There were months that I took as many absences as possible to save up money. Yes I did that and no one knew, even my mom. Then God answered my mom's prayers, I think. Yes, my mom's, because she's a damn good believer. She always put me and my sister specifically in her prayers everyday, more than 5times a day. And for all the strange goodness I received from people that always helped me, I knew that was a good karma I received because my mom always managed to help people with anything that she had, even though she had nothing. Without her kindness, I'm pretty sure that there were many times in university that I got troubles and there wouldn't be any of those magical moments when people just randomly come and helped me.
Rain will eventually stop, right? It did stop in me. There came one day that I got a call from my previous school to teach in their English Debating Club that I used to join. So I used to join that club, went to competitions, and gave my school trophies for that. With this job that I got, I finally can at least feed myself for my daily campus life, buy things for my needs *such as proper shoes, and many other necessary things I didn't manage to buy previously. Little did I know, starting from this time, I got more independent by myself. I started to pay everything myself like 80%, buying things for myself, some times buying presences for my mom and my sister as well. Though it didn't allow me yet to have fun, at least those money I earned, I can use to buy some snacks in the university. Not only an ice tea :)
Sophomore year went harder than junior year. I had to wake up way earlier and got home way later. Almost everyday, I slept only 2-5 hours everynight, almost never got a free weekend also. I used most of my spare times (after school and during weekend) to teach here and there, to earn money, even during those long holidays, I did extra work.
Don't get me wrong, during this year also, I began my English Debating and Model United Nations lifes in University. I joined both of those clubs, and they gave me chances to go to competitions in or outside the city. They gave me chances to go to Jogja, Malang, Bogor and Bandung many times, without spending a peny. YES MY LIFE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THAT. I make myself deserve to be paid to travel. Isn't that cool? Yes I will admit it is cool and I like it :)
After spending a harsh life at the first quarter of semester 3, I can say that I spent well the rest of my sophomore year. I got well in academics, I joined many competitions, I got jobs *yes more than one, and I got to travel for free. BUT besides that, I also almost never had a break, yet I was still broke that I didn't have enough to spend to malls or cafes like most of my friends always did. Well at least this year, I could buy some good coffee and some snacks for studying in the classes, not only an ice tea.
Better things were coming, I knew :)
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