MYSELF

     My name is Benedicta Stella Fortunae Sihaloho. As usual my friends call me Bene or Stella. I was born on the 23rd of May 1995. I grow up in the family that consists of three people. They are my father, he is 47 years old and an English teacher. The second is my mother. She is 46 years old and a housewife. The last one is my brother. He is 17 years old and a student in 67 Senior High School.

I went to a two year kindergarten school program when I was four years old. I just studied in that school only in one year’s time. It means that I just finished my TK Kecil (Taman Kanak-Kanak Kecil) and continued to elementary school without TK Besar (Taman Kanak-Kanak Kecil). It was earlier than the pre-condition determined for elmentay school age. My childhood was very happy. I had more friends in elementary school and I could follow the studies although my age did not meet the requirements. After six years studing in elementary school, I finally graduated and my parents recommended me to go to Saint Mark I Junior High School because my brother had been a student of Saint Mark I Elementary High School at that moment. Of course I agreed with my parents’ recommendation because every body knows that the school is good and famous. In addition, my brother and I could go to school and go home together. I really enjoyed the moments during studying in junior high school. I had more unforgotable experiences and nostalgias. I had fourteen close-friends and we were very solid and respected each other. Each day, we played and studied together from morning until afternoon before going home. We had almost the same hobbies. We liked music very much. Due to this we entered for the church choir located in front of our school. Every Wednesday, we had a church worship singing together in the church. We participated not only in the choir but also in an assamble such as mini orchestra with pianika, triangle, maracas, flute, guitar, drum, etc. except violin, cello, bass, flute. The thing that I could not remember was winning an assamble competition for junior high school students of East Jakarta. After that, we competed again with larger areas. It was a competition for all junior high school students of  DKI Jakarta. Unfortunately, we failed to get the first winner, we were just the 4th winner. Besides assamble and choir, I had another extraculicular program. I joined  an orchestra with elementary students. There, I had a best friend. His name is Tito. We liked playing violin together in the orchestra. But he passed away. Due to this, I was very sad. He was my best friend and he is always in my heart. I swear I will not forget him. In the next three years, I graduated from Junior High School and I was accepted in 9 senior high school. Actually, I did not like it and wished to graduate from that school as soon as possible. I could not find the real best friend there. I merely found problems. The attitude of my friends was very different from one I had ever got in junior high school. In senior high school, I found many unfair ways, bad things such as free sex, pornography, and mny others. In my mind I should not think about it more thoroughly.

In the third grade, I  got an  invitation program to enter state universities. But I failed. Finally I joined SNMPTN (Seleksi Nasional Masuk Perguruan Tinggi Negeri). Again and again, I failed. But I did not give up. I did not want to be a quitter. I tried to join another program, SIMAK UI (Seleksi Masuk Universitas Indonesia). Unfortunately, the result was still the same. I got frustated. I thought there was no more way to continue my study to colleges. I thought I was wrong. My father advised me to try to take part in the test of UKI and it was a good idea. First I tried to gather information and read information about faculties and majors offered. I was happy to read those majors because I had the faculty I wanted to take. It was the Faculty of Letters. After that I decided to take the Faculty of Letters majoring in English Literature as the first option, International Relationship as the second one. Without thinking deeply I enrolled immediately so that I could enter for the test. At last the result of the test was announced and I passed with the second rank. My parents were happy and proud of me.

Now, I am in  the Faculty of Letters. Everyday, I feel happy and enjoy there with all friends and lecturers. The good moments that I got in junior high school as if it were a replayed situation. The worst moments in the past have been overcome in UKI. The warmness from people I love becomes the strongest power making me believe that God sends me to the right place. I am not regretful for my failures.

 In fact life does not go flat. Life is dynamic. I have to face many problems wherever I exist. The first day I joined  the Faculty of Letters, I was chosen to be head of bachelor 2012. I was very shocked and almost gave up. Because I knew it was a hard position, I had to handle problems, adapt quickly to my friends, and help them. I did not believe I could be the best head of bachelor in my friends’ perspectives. In process I tried to be the best, and all my friends and lecturers supported, helped me to teach and they understood me. Now, I can adapt to all my friends, lecturers, seniors, and all people in the Faculty of Letters and it will be another reason why I feel more comfortable there than in senior high school.

In the next targets, I have two goals. Fisrt, I want to be an ambassador of South Korea Embassy. Why do I choose that? In addition to English, I like Korean language. Now, I join a course of South Korean language. I hope I can speak korean language fluently. Second, I want to be a translator because I think as a student of the Faculty of Letters, I learn more about English including translation lectures and how to be a translator. I realize that to be a translator requires other skills besides English. So I have to improve my skills by studying French because I ever learned it for two years when I was in senior high school. I am really interested in that language. I do not want to learn it half-heartedly. I hope my plan will come true.