For Julian Yusmar Dima Huda (18), pursuing higher education once seemed impossible. He grew up in a stilt house with woven bamboo walls and lontar wood pillars in Raenalulu Village, Sabu Raijua Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, and was raised without his parents. His father passed away when he was one year old, while his mother started a new life in another region. Since then, he has been cared for by his grandparents despite their limited means.
His grandfather, Rehabeam Wadu Dima (75), works as a farmer, while his grandmother, Welmintje Wila Magga (67), sells homemade cakes to support the family. As the eldest son and first grandchild, Yusmar admitted that pursuing a university education had never been part of his plans because of the family’s financial constraints. That changed in his final year of high school, when he participated in the Duta Siswa Indonesia program. The experience transformed his perspective on education and convinced him that attending university was within reach.
“That experience truly opened my eyes to how important education is, especially higher education,” he said during an interview on Monday (Jul. 13).
Throughout high school, Yusmar was actively involved in various extracurricular activities. He participated in the Scout movement and served as vice chair of the student council. As he entered his final year, he also began participating in competitions. After waiting two years to be selected by his school to represent it in competitions without success, he decided to register independently for several events, including the Duta Siswa Indonesia program and several academic Olympiads.
“For two years I waited for my teachers to choose me for competitions, but the opportunity never came. So in my senior year, I decided I didn’t want to have any regrets and started registering for competitions on my own,” he explained.
Despite his busy organizational activities, Yusmar never neglected his academic performance. He managed his time carefully by setting priorities between extracurricular commitments and studying. As his afternoons and evenings were mostly devoted to organizational activities, he chose to study early in the morning.
“Almost every day I woke up between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. to review the lessons I would study at school. Early morning was the most effective time because my body and mind were still fresh,” he said.
Through the academic excellence-based entrance selection (SNBP), Yusmar was admitted to the Communication Science undergraduate program at the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM). His joy was complete when he also received UGM’s 100-percent Outstanding Education Tuition Subsidy, allowing him to pursue his studies tuition-free.
Behind Yusmar’s achievement lies the perseverance of his grandparents, who have raised him since childhood. Neither of them had the opportunity to receive formal education, and they have spent their lives working as farmers. These limitations also shaped Yusmar’s early educational experience. He admitted that he only became fluent in reading in the fifth grade of elementary school and first learned English when he entered senior high school. Recognizing these challenges, he worked hard to catch up through self-study using a mobile phone he received during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I only learned to read fluently when I was in fifth grade because no one could teach me. My grandparents never went to school and couldn’t even speak Indonesian. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I finally got a phone, and that was when I committed myself to studying seriously,” he explained.
Since high school, Yusmar had been determined to pursue a degree in Communication Science. Before choosing a major, he first identified his interests and strengths. Because he enjoyed communicating and creating content on social media, he believed that a Communication Science degree aligned well with his career aspirations.
He also chose UGM to step outside his comfort zone and prove that young people from Indonesia’s disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions can compete at the nation’s leading universities.
“I enjoy communicating and creating content on social media, so Communication Science truly matches my interests. I also believe in stepping outside my comfort zone and proving that those of us from remote areas can dream big and study at a prestigious university like UGM,” he said.
Concluding the interview, Yusmar encouraged other students pursuing higher education not to let limitations stand in the way of their dreams. He said the courage to try is the first step toward achieving one’s goals. He also emphasized that success depends not only on high grades but also on strategy, perseverance, and a willingness to keep learning.
“Enjoy the process instead of focusing only on the outcome. Don’t limit your dreams just because you come from a 3T region or face financial hardship. If you want to succeed through SNBP, prepare a solid strategy and keep faith in your efforts and prayers,” Yusmar concluded.
Author: Cyntia Noviana
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-Editor: Priyanandaningrat
Photo: Documentation of Yusmar