Semester 1 Dentistry in UGM (Bits & Tips)

1st semester is over baby! I cannot believe that it's done. Yays! It felt like the first day of university was yesterday. How time flies. Feeling blessed and thankful for the journey though it was kind of crazy and hectic but somehow, I think by the grace of God, I made it through. I can't say that I excelled through it, I won't say that I barely made it because my result is just an average. :)

I had 13 subjects (we called it mata kuliah in Indonesia) for my 1st semester. It was hard but try not to think of the hardness of the course you're doing, just focus on surviving each and every day and somehow you'll get there. Get what I mean? Hehe

For my batch it was SKS system (sistem satuan kredit semester) or generally known as credit system. So basically, GPA value or (known as IP for Indonesian university) will be calculated based on this.

Grade = value 

A = 4

B = 3

C = 2

D = 1

The values above will be multiplied with the SKS value accordingly and divided by total value of SKS for that semester.

To further explain this, let's say you get an A for your Microbiology and B for ilmu fisika and C for demografi.

So your IP wil be,

 4 X 3 + 3 X 2 + 2 X1 =20 

3 + 2 +1 

So the IP value is = 3.33

(Of course the example above doesn't include all the subjects cause too many and I'm sorta lazy today, hehe)

So #tips1 , pay extra attention on the subjects that have high SKS value like Microbiology, Kewarganegaraan (KWN) and Pancasila bla bla bla...

#tips2 : The only way to score Pancasila and KWN is to memorize everything. Yes, you heard me. MEMORIZE! You want the A ? MEMORIZE. (emphasized enough?..)

#tips3 Be active in class, there's actually marks allocated for that. Ask questions, discuss the lessons (when the lecturer asked lah)

#tips4 For Microbiology, you'll have a lab session. For every lab session (this is Indonesian university system), you'll have pretest. You'll be given the book to study for each pretest so study and try your best to pass the pretest. If you fail your pretest, you can't do your lab session (we call that 'inhal'). If you inhal more or 3 times (depending on the rules, cause it probably is different every year), you won't be able to sit the exam for that subject. So basically, you'll have to wait for next year to repeat that subjects. (No joke I tell you, super strict)

I'll write another entry to list out all the tips later. :)

Anyway, back to sem 1's life. It was fine. I had fun although it was stressful as heck.

Study, eat and sleep.

Fun?

Yeah, of course we had fun.

Ehm, we went for movies, we went out for dinner and lunch with my KG mates. 

I get to try out new food. (This is the best part cause I'm a foodie XD)

You can check out my instagram for foodporn posts. LOL.

I get to meet new people who I have the privilege of getting know and be friends with.

I get to meet different types of people and learned to accept them for who they are.

I get to serve in Sundays school. (It is quite different from the Children cell where I used to serve back in my home church. The system, the kids..but somehow, I end up loving the kids anyway. :) )

But the biggest lesson I've ever learned is the fact that I am stronger than what I used to be and that is not by me but by the grace of God because He is my source of strength and without that faith, I don't think I can be as positive as I am now, even when things are hard. :) So i guess being in Indonesia, it has been a journey of having a bigger faith. LOL. But it has not been just that. I have been learning, I am learning and I keep on learning. Now that's a good thing. :)

Note to self: Keep it up Becca. Gotta do better. Cheers! :)

People: You & Me

It is so easy to judge.

So easy to blame

So easy.

Life. People.

You know sometimes I got upset and disappointed over things I have no control over. Like how selfish certain people can be when they're desperate. It's sad.

I dislike it. 

But sometimes, it's just the way certain people are.

I had a small fight with someone the other day. It wasn't a big deal actually. 

But we made up so we're good. :)

The thing is, it's so easy to say than done like how easy it is to judge people even when you know it isn't the right thing to do. Nobody is perfect. #Fact

So suck it up. Try to not lose hope. Love the life you have because it's precious.

Not everybody is mean.

Open up and be happy.

Wishing you who's reading this happiness, joy and kindness.

Be kind, people. even when it's hard.

I Got In An Action Movie!!

The title says it all.

I got in an action movie.

Yes I'm an actress.

Well actually that was only a dream.

Hehe

The truth is, I got chased by a cop.

I know it might sound terrifying to certain people but that happened to me a few days ago. Fun and once in a life time experience, I hope.
 Buahahaha. 

So on last Sunday, after church, my friends and I wanted to go somewhere for lunch. No cars so we rode bikes. Riding without a helmet is a serious thing here, you'll get a traffic ticket which is sooo not cool but it actually depends on the area. Certain areas are more strict than others. But actually I'ma newbie so I don't really know about all these. I just love riding without a helmet because you really can feel the wind on your face and it feels nice. 

*freedom* *YOLO moment*
Get what I mean? 

(If yes, high 5. If no, I guess we don't have the same frequency,how sad. )

But yeah, you do not wanna try riding without a helmet here in Jogja unless you want to go through what I've been through.

Anyway, back to the story.

I was riding Hui Wen's bike the other day somewhere in Gejayan area and somehow along the way, this cop just showed up. He said something like "Selamat siang, mbak. Berhenti ".. (I'm not sure what he was saying because I wasn't really paying attention to him LOL)
 And then my friend just sped and completely ignored the cop. So yeah, we got chased by the cop. Honestly, that cop targeted the wrong people because my 2 other friends riding on different bikes were not wearing helmet too. Ahah!
But surprisingly, the cop lost tracked of us. 
Haha

But still,wearing helmet is for safety because accidents happen..

And the last thing I want to happen is..

I mean I love my life. And it is irresponsible to put myself in danger. If something terrible happens, it could break my love ones' hearts and that is the last thing I ever want to do.

Which is why.. I will not ride bikes without helmet anymore.

At least I'll try not to. 

Riding bike in Jogja can be dangerous. The traffic is crazy. But yeah, if you'll get used to it. Just try to be careful. Pray for journey mercy always. 

I love riding bike fast. So much fun. It was one heck of a moment. :) I had a blast. But I won't do that again, I hope. 

It was those one time in life kind of thing for me. 

ONE TIME. 

How I Welcomed My 2014 (Happy New Year)

Happy New Year everyone! What a belated wish. LOL!

My exam started on 2nd Jan so I couldn't go home to celebrate new year with the family. Basically it was a " happy new year from the exam hall" kind of situation for me. =,=

Being home to celebrate new year would have been so much fun. The food, the people, the comfort of being home. Being away from all that make you stronger, more independent and opened to what life has to offer other than home and family. There's friendship :)

So on 1st Jan, my babe Siva and I went out for a lunch date at XO again. Just a hang out. Relaxed first before getting into the battle mode. Haha

Selfies dulu. :) Haha.

Exam was hard. 13 subjects to cover for my first semester. Yeap. You heard me right. 13 subjects!! Killer!!! It was all in Bahasa Indonesia. *cries*

And if you don't believe me..

But now that it's over.. I'm feeling the freedom. Haha. So happy. But yeah we all have to stay back for remedial. Sem 1 memang like that, what to do.

The life of a dental student in UGM.