To Yogyakarta with dreams

and come back home with ...

To Yogyakarta with dreams and come back home with ... (filled by each student who wandered to study in Yogyakarta), became the title of 'survival' training held by Stube HEMAT on Friday-Sunday (10-12/11/2017) at Wisma Pojok Indah, Sleman. Forty-eight participants attended the training with aims that students will have a good attitude of life, knowledge and skills to survive as a student in Yogyakarta.

Yogyakarta is known as a city of education because there are hundreds of state and private universities as study destination of students from various regions in Indonesia. Although Yogyakarta is known for its hospitality and comfort, it turns out that many students do not have good preparation and management for college, even facing culture shock and finding difficulties to choose activities that may support their study. The family's economic condition and inability to manage time affect their studies and even vulnerable to get involved in negative things, such as alcohol abuse, free sex, crime and failure to complete their studies.

At the beginning of the training, Sarloce Apang introduced Stube-HEMAT as a learning and student empowerment place, followed by Stube HEMAT Bengkulu multiplier, Yohanes Dian Alpasa who shared his experience when following Stube-HEMAT activities that encouraged him to be a pioneer of Stube-HEMAT in Bengkulu. To equip participants how to survive in facing irresistible changes, Robinson P. Aritonang shared 'How to Survive Change You Didn't Ask For' which revealed tips in dealing with it.

In the next day the participants learned to know Yogyakarta delivered by Trustha Rembaka describing the history of Yogyakarta, its role in Indonesian history and various places that support student for learning. A journalist from Tribunjogja, Sulistiono was also invited to reveal the threat of drugs and free sex among students. According to police data, from January to August 2017, there were 372 people involved in drug cases and 1.078 girls gave birth, 976 of whom were unwanted pregnancies. Sulistiono advised that students always be aware of the urban lifestyle.

Testimonials of some students completed this training. Arnita Marbun, a social worker explained how she accompanied a student to stay strong and finish her study despite sexual violence. Retno Puji Astuti, a student who inspired participants for success completing her study in midwifery with cum laude, even though both parents are visually impaired. Even more amazing was Vindi Dwinantyo, even though he is blind, he doesn’t want the limitation restricts his life, even now he continue his study to Magister degree. The facilitators were really inspiring participants to be more active and creative with all their advantages.

Stephanus Benny, a magister student of psychology Gadjah Mada University guided participants to map their potencies and self-vulnerability. He explained that each study should have a clear purpose to achieve. A student is required to be independent, one thing that he/she can do is creative business. Indah Theresia offered several steps to do business according to the era and market opportunities by optimizing spare time and using belongings as modal. This session was complemented by two students’ experiences when they were in Yogyakarta. Yohanes Dian Alpasa often wrote articles and sent to media and sold newspapers and Yoel Yoga Dwianto from Lampung made organic vegetable garden and trained himself to play jimbe and opened jimbe percussion course as creative business.

In the last day, Dr. Murti Lestari, M.Si., one board member of Stube-HEMAT encouraged students to learn the government’s village funds program and its usage, so that when they come home to their local area, they can monitor and utilize village funds for community welfare. At the end of the training participants designed activities to share experiences. Hanis and his friends will hold a small discussion at Janabadra University and Maritjie and her friends will gather students from Aru islands and discuss their study in Yogyakarta.

The students were able to survive as students if they know the goal of their life, have ability to do adaptation, know his potency and always respond positively toward changes. (ELZ).