Being accepted into the Undergraduate Program in Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), without having to take the National Achievement-Based Selection (SNBP) test, brought immense happiness to Syarifah Nazwa.
Moreover, she received a 100 percent subsidized Excellent Education Single Tuition Fee (UKT) scholarship, which exempts her from tuition fees during her studies.
For Syarifah Nazwa, being accepted as a new UGM student marks a new chapter in her life. Since middle school, she has admitted to having a firm desire to continue her education at UGM.
This was not because of UGM’s reputation as a renowned university, but rather because of her belief that UGM is a place of learning where big dreams can grow.
“Why did I choose the Undergraduate Program in Economics? It’s simple, I prefer counting to memorizing, so I feel more suited for it,” the SMAN 1 Balikpapan alumna explained.
Nazwa is the eldest of four siblings. She grew up in a humble family in the South Balikpapan District.
During her middle school years, she decided to live with her grandfather and aunt in Balikpapan City. She made this decision with the hope of pursuing a higher-quality education.
Unfortunately, her journey was not smooth, and she faced the reality of her parents’ separation. Her father and mother chose to live their separate lives.
Her mother and three younger siblings decided to live in Pati Regency, Central Java. Meanwhile, her father’s whereabouts are unknown.
Nazwa felt quite overwhelmed facing that reality. She coped with her parents’ separation by strengthening herself and striving not to be disheartened.
She remained focused and tried to fight to realize her dreams. Her struggle was quite simple: in every semester, she only tried to maintain stable and improving grades.
As a result, she consistently placed in the top 10 of her class, qualifying her for UGM.
“There are no special tips for studying; just routinely set aside 2-3 hours every night to review previous learning materials from school and attend tutoring outside school,” she said.
She added, “During high school, I just focused on studying, improving my grades so I could get in through the UGM SNBP pathway.”
Although she felt anxious for a moment because she did not qualify for the Indonesia KIP-K scholarship, Syarifah Nazwa remained optimistic by seeking other scholarship opportunities.
She believes that many doors of kindness can open at any time. Therefore, she is now preparing to live far from her family and begin her studies at UGM.
She realizes she will face many challenges but sees this as an opportunity to grow.
“I will try to study more independently, make friends, and join organizations so I can adapt quickly. I also read research about Jogja culture and campus life to get an idea for adapting,” Nazwa said, who dreams of working in a state-owned enterprise after graduation.
A radiant joy was visible on Faradia Irzayana Yahya’s face. Nazwa’s aunt looked very happy when she heard the announcement that her niece had been accepted into UGM.
Despite worrying about Nazwa leaving home to study in Jogja, her aunt believes Nazwa will be able to take care of herself and do well in her studies at UGM.
“I’m happy because her desire to study at UGM was finally achieved. There are also worries because the college is far away. I hope Nazwa remains diligent and hardworking in her studies so that she can study smoothly and graduate on time,” Yahya said.
Reporter: FEB UGM/Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya