November 24, 2022, Universitas Gadjah Mada has graduated many students from various faculties, including 129 students from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, of whom 8 are students from English Studies Programme. We had an opportunity to interview one of the graduates, Fatta Conny. She is an English Studies Programme student from batch 2019 who is also the first student to graduate from that class. She finished her studies in 3 years and 2 months, making her the fastest graduate in her batch.
Icha: Good morning, Mbak Fatta, Hello, my name is Faricha. You can call me Icha. I am from the English Studies Program 2020. Here, I would like to ask you some questions about your college life, especially when you were working on your undergraduate thesis. The thing that came to mind when I heard the news about a student who finished her study in 3 years and 2 months is freaking me out, like, ‘How could she do that?’ Since you are in front of me, I would like to congratulate you on your graduation, Mbak Fatta.
Fatta: Thank you very much, Icha.
Icha: So, the first question is, ‘How does it feel to be the first and fastest graduate in your batch?’
Fatta: I feel satisfied because this is an outstanding achievement for me personally. Also, this is one of my goals that can be attained in my final study. To be honest, I had planned on doing this since the fourth semester, and I finally did it.
Icha: Well, that sounds so amazing, and what is your motivation to graduate really quickly? 3 years and 2 months is a short period of time.
Fatta: The term “If becoming the fastest is achievable, why do we not strive for it” can answer this question (laugh). Besides that, I want to make my parents proud of me. They have sacrificed everything they have, and it is my turn to make them smile through my achievement.
Staff: With that motto and motivation, did you still find any difficulties when you were working on your undergraduate thesis? And how did you deal with it?
Fatta: When I realised that my college thesis topic was something I was truly passionate about, that was the greatest moment of my life. Thankfully, I didn’t have to devote a lot of time to it. In my opinion, the most challenging part of writing a thesis was scheduling regular meetings with one’s supervisor to discuss one’s progress. To put it another way, we can’t just write a thesis on ourselves. The assistance of our supervisor is still required. The thing we need to be aware of is that our supervisors have a full schedule, so if our plans don’t work with theirs, it may be difficult. Therefore, in short, don’t be a procrastinator.
Staff: You stated that wanting to make your parents proud is one of your driving forces. How did the people in your life—your parents, your professors, and perhaps even your friends—encourage you while you were writing your undergraduate thesis?
Fatta: All the people around me have been really supportive. My parents have been a constant source of strength for me. Because of them, I could push through and get it done. Even when I just got back from community service (KKN), they always reminded me about my thesis (laugh). It was only recently that I realised how crucial those inspirations are for maintaining my upward momentum. My academic advisor, Dra. Sharifah Hanidar, M.Ed., is always there to help me out when I need her advice. Rahmawan Jatmiko, S.S., M.A., is my advisor for my undergraduate thesis. He encourages and pushes me to finish the project as quickly as possible. He also gave me a deadline of September 2022 to defend my undergraduate thesis. But since my community service (KKN) grade has yet to appear in my transcript, I couldn’t make it.
Staff: The next question is, ‘Could you give us, as students in the English Studies Programme, tips and tricks to do an undergraduate thesis as effectively as possible?’
Fatta: Emm, I think taking full credits (SKS) each semester and trying your best to get the best score you can achieve are the tips. Based on my previous experience, I always take full credits (24 credits) from semester 1 until semester 5. Then, in the remaining semester, I can take another credit that can be adjusted to my interests. But remember to take and finish the mandatory courses because we can only graduate if the compulsory courses have been taken. I always keep in touch with my best academic supervisor, Bu Hani, regarding my plans. Fortunately, she always supports me and helps me reach my own goal. If I may be honest, I have been working on my undergraduate thesis since the end of semester 6 while taking the Proposal Writing course. So I was writing two things at once. When I worked on my undergraduate thesis, I also set my time and goals, like when I should finish chapter one and so on. After getting a revision from my undergraduate thesis supervisor, I revised it as soon as possible and returned it to him to be rechecked.
Icha: Last question, could you give some words of encouragement to the English Studies Programme students working hard on their thesis?
Fatta: Don’t procrastinate in adding one or two sentences to your thesis. Remember, little progress is still progress. (Laugh)
Transcript by: Faricha Adzkia Hamida, English Studies Programme, 2020
Edited and proofread by: Adiba Qonita Zahroh, S.S., M.Litt.
2022, the English Studies Association Indonesia (ESAI) held their annual congress at Universitas Islam Sumatera Utara, which was attended by department heads and lecturers of English studies programmes from various universities in Indonesia. At the conference, Dr Adi Sutrisno, M.A., was appointed the head of the association. The English Studies Programme would like to congratulate Dr Adi Sutrisno, M.A., on becoming the head of ESAI. We wish him success as he prepares to take up the responsibilities and challenges of leading ESAI into realizing its potential and beyond.
