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Universitas Sanata Dharma
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Up Close and Personal: Zefta Marcell Wijanarto

Zefta Marcell is a Sasing student Class of 2017. He is a student who loves to learn about new things, and always try to challenge himself toward every situation. He is also very active in several organizations at English Letters Department.

Q: How are you called?

M: My family and my friends call me Marcell.

Q: When were you born?

M: I was born on March 12, 1997, in Sragen, Central Java

Q: Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

M: I come from a modest background. My beloved parents are farmers. I am the second child and the youngest one in my family. As an undergraduate student, I am really into linguistics. Currently, I am also studying a bit about economics for I am also a trader in Indonesia Stock Exchange. Talking about hobbies, to make and to enjoy music always sounds great. You can always find John Mayer and Symphony Worship as top artists on my Spotify. Then, sport, actually I love to play chess. People who just know me in several days, they judge me being too serious. We need to spend more time together.

Q: Why did you attend Sasing USD?

M: I was in search of everything. What I know is that I know nothing. So, I just walked, and life got me stranded in USD, having an aesthetic experience after reading the “Cerdas & Humanis” tagline. Let me tell you, even though Sasing USD was not my plan A or even B, but still, it is my independent will as a free human being. To enjoy the time of the search of everything is the reason why I attended Sasing USD after all. Since for me, to understand language means to understand people. Been experiencing my first week on this department got me like I am walking on the right path. And after six semesters gone, it feels like it is all that I need. So here I am, learning to be me in Sasing USD.

Q: What is life, according to you?

M: I receive something I never asked for, a life. Hence, for me, life is a gift. Each moment of life is grace when I try to respond with courtesy.

Q: Your opinion about Covid-19 pandemic?

M: Covid-19 is the greatest challenge in a century. It causes great crises in human civilization. Firstly, at this time, the world is facing a health crisis. Globally, as of June 20 2020, there have been 8,465,085 confirmed cases of COVID-19, Including 454,258 deaths, reported to WHO. Let me say that I am sorry for the loved ones’ death due to this pandemic. Physical distancing, work and study from home, and other health protocols are becoming new normal as an effort to stop the spreading of the virus then.  Secondly, the world is also facing the same economic problems; failed currencies, a stock-market crash, banking crisis, unemployment, and not to mention personal bankruptcies. Most Indonesia citizens have some difficulties because of these crises. Many people stress out. Many people argue that COVID-19 did not break the system but exposed a broken system. Many people blame the government for the health and economic crisis. The workers are mad because of unemployment. Then, many students, like me, demand universities to cut the tuition fees since their income decreases. Many hashtags trending on twitter appear as a form of expression of protest then. Let me say, none of us is wrong in this situation, we are all in the same crisis, and it is okay not to be okay.

I emphasize ‘we are all in the same crisis’. And the question for me is not that “where can I find a solution”? But, “how can I be a solution?”

I believe that when I am no longer able to change a situation, I am challenged to improve myself. I see that in every crisis, there is a danger but also an opportunity at the same time. Therefore, I have to be aware of the threat, but I need to find the opportunity. It is a danger that as a student, I am possible not to be able to pay my tuition fees since my parents’ income decreases. But it is a huge opportunity when I saw IDX composite crashes. Simply, I made some trading plan and took price action by considering the risk and reward. Then, when the market was about to recover, I have reaped what I sowed. As a result, I have my tuition fees discounted ‘in a different way’. With what I have done, I contribute to support the recovery of the economy in Indonesia, even though it's like a speck of dust in the middle of a desert.

It is not only me who finds an opportunity in a crisis. Googling it, then you see some people say that COVID-19 makes them realize that they do have a family, that they do have friends, and that they do have faith. Other people believe that COVID-19 made them close the shop and open up their hearts. Since helping those in need is not charity, it is humanity, etc. And, you can also find your version of opportunity.

 

M: USD provides the instructions and policies dealing with COVID-19 periodically by considering the current situation of the COVID-19 cases. I could not agree more to the decision that learning activities are carried out online, as mentioned in USD circular letter March 15, 2020. And the next circular letter was published on April 7, April 28, and Mei 19. Of course, every decision has its pros and cons. That the policies and instructions published by USD are based on the current situation are considered as pros by some students and lecturers. However, the cons are that some others think that it takes too long. For instance, many students of batch 2017 are complaining that this university took too long to decide how the community service program (KKN) is carried out. Some students who waited to go back to their hometown until they notice about KKN was confirmed are now stuck at their boarding house unable to go home due to regional quarantine. Many students have to incur unnecessary costs as the rent of a boarding house is quite expensive as a result. We know it is tremendously difficult to make policies that could please all sides, especially during a pandemic. Let the pros and cons remain. The most important is that none of the USD members was exposed to the coronavirus. Thank GodQ: What do you think about how USD handled the corona crisis?

Q: Do you like politic?

M: As long as humans still have desires, everyone is a politician in their own life. My answer is yes. Take an example: when you are reading this sentence is a part of your politics. So, for me, to care about politics is important as a means to know what is going around me and you.

Q: Can you tell me about your past?

M: The summary of my past:

A mathematician, Nicolaus Copernicus, explained that the center of our solar system is the sun, and an astronomer, Galileo Galilei agreed by giving the additional prove. However, a ‘genius’ called Zefta Marcell strongly believed that the center of the universe is himself.

Q: Tell me about your life-changing experience?

M: For me, life-changing is never just a moment, but an ongoing process. In this section, I will pick one, which is Sasing USD-related moment.

In hoping, you will risk disappointment, but in giving up hope, you have forfeited everything.

I thought that I had well-prepared. I thought that I was smart enough since, in the class, I always finished in the top 3. I believed that God would bless me for I had already surrendered my plan to Him. However, after I graduated from high school, I found that every single plan I make did not work at all. Rejection, it is all I have got. Then, it only left a question for me, “why?”, “why did it happen to me?”

It, of course, was a great disappointment in my life. And I was losing hope. But my father encouraged me. “You do not understand it now, but you will. You are responsible for the rest of your life. What will you do then?”, he said.

With some considerations, I chose to learn in Sasing USD then. However, I was still blaming myself for my failures.  However, in the first week in Sasing USD, I met two persons who had just experienced exactly the same rejection as I got. It got me like I am walking on the right path now. Now, after six semesters gone, it feels like this is all that I need eventually. I am happy here. What's better? Therefore, these make me learn. A man’s heart plans his way. But the LORD directs his steps. Each moment of life, including my failure, is grace when I try to respond with courtesy. I struggle that I was still blaming myself even though I have decided to move on because I am ready to grow, but I am not willing to let go. And for the rest of my life, I will not stop hoping since I understand that in hoping, of course, I will risk disappointment. But in giving up hope, I have already forfeited everything.

Q: What can you live without?

M: Let me say that I do not necessarily need people's recognition in this life. However, I cannot survive without other people’s advice and wisdom.

 

 

Q: Your favorite pastime?

M: Listening to families’ conversations about how they have been experiencing their life is always a good time.

Q: Your wildest dream?

M: My wildest dream is never a position or some wealth but attitude; to appreciate what I have. 

Q: Tell me about your activity in the English Department, USD.

M: If it was not pandemic, I should have been in Sasing USD having a ball.

As the responsibility of my free will, I study subjects in class in the morning, then enjoying the confusion of working on assignments together with my friends in the afternoon. After that, you can find me having a presentation in front of the class the next morning.

On another day, you can see me wearing my blue uniform with “English Letters' Student Association” printed on the back sitting alongside 20 others having some discussions. This is an organization where I work with 20 intelligent and full of integrity friends in organizing student activities as my self-development. The events we are working on are; Leadership Training, Teaching Project, Competition and Festival, Welcoming Party, Field Trip, Charity Day, and other interesting events you can access on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJGar7WsLW1CfyBTbKqoEgw

https://www.instagram.com/hmpssing_usd/

Then, on another day of another day, you can find me doing my hobbies: playing music in some events, doing badminton in a USD badminton court, and sometimes just joking with friends in the campus lobby.

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