PLACES MATTER

Places Matter

(A reflective writing by Savera Teranalin)

- Sunday, 13th April 2025 -

(Documentation Source: Private documentation of the author)

 Prior to this year, I thought the output (growth of mind especially) of my school or degree depended on myself instead of the place of school or university or the environment. I used to think that we, ourselves, are the only ones to define the process and outcome of our education regardless of the place we are schooling. Indeed, it’s still relatable for some circumstances but it turns out that the place also matters in a lot of ways.

I took all of my education stages in public schools, even my elementary school was an underrated public school and my bachelor’s degree university (later on I’ll just mention it as ‘uni’) was one as well. How my mind grew so commonly and nothing went special, like there were no challenges or I felt no passion about anything and no huge growth of critical thinking. Everything just stayed on a boring track like a comfortably safe zone. No curiosity was generated yet I just focused on getting good grades and graduating on time as soon as possible since I wanted to get a job sooner with no values added.

Having graduated from my bachelor’s degree, I worked as a civil servant. After I had worked for almost 4 years, I decided to look for scholarships for my master’s degree. Long story short, I managed to get a scholarship and took my master’s degree in one of the top-ranked uni in Indonesia, it’s Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM). Eventually, I went to this uni to study where I met great-minded people (either students or lecturers). It turns out like no days without thoughtful sharing which gradually grows my critical thinking and empathy. They not only do assignments but also pour their sincere empathy and mind to any discussion regarding social welfare. They always think of problems from a grassroot point of view and position themselves as the most affected people (mostly the most marginalized society affected) of the problems.

It makes me think that no wonder UGM has become one of the best uni in Indonesia even on a global scope, the fact that UGM has brilliant people (lectures, students) inside or vice versa. I also realize that places you choose for studying matter since it can affect how good your growth of mind is. This happens because great-chosen places are packaged with great people, supportive environments and proper facilities you need in the process of studying.

From then on, I began to think that Places Matter! It seems to me that I should choose the best place to study as the best output I want to get and as more added values I want to manifest for my brighter future. We can start with looking for a reputable school or uni based on the trustworthy ranking institutions.

Anyway, these randomly written words have come to an end. Cheers Fellas! Hang your dreams as high as you can and try to do as much effort as you are capable of, but expect as humble as much sadness you can bear if you meet failures. If you do it well, you will attract positive things around to follow your path. Even if you fail to get the things you had expected, still at least, you will have progressed in your best stages, have gained more insights than what you had before and still have got great things to grow with. Progressive growing mind is all that valuable. It’s a significant life we should manifest, isn’t it? And guess what???

YOU ARE PRETTY AWESOME!  because you’ve gone this far well????

And you have caught a blessed life