Novita Furia Putri, a student of the Economics Study Program, Faculty of Economics, Universitas Indonesia (UI), was chosen as the best graduate of the Undergraduate Education Program at the 2021/2022 UI Graduation Ceremony held at Balairung UI, on September 10-11, 2022. Novita managed to graduate on time with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.97.
According to Novita, this success was not without hard work. There must be earnest effort and perseverance to achieve it.
Novita studied Economics at UI thanks to her achievements in the National Science Olympiad. She won the Bronze Medal in the championship and decided to enter UI through the merit route. Not only that, he also managed to become one of the awardees who received an Excellence Scholarship from the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture for 4 years of study.
Novita’s achievements during her time at UI include third place in the DEFINE Scientific Writing Competition held by Diponegoro University; first runner-up in the PPM x Make Over Business Case Competition; and third runner-up in the 2019 National Banking Policy Research Seminar organized by the Financial Services Authority. In addition, Novita is also active in student organizations and events, such as Share UI, Kanopi Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) UI, IEO, Kompek FEB UI, and Gandeng Foundation. He also participated in internship programs in various companies, such as Fintech, Automotive, FMCG, and E-Commerce.
“The key to achievement and cum laude is to learn to manage our time and energy. As said in Economic Theory, human wants are unlimited, but since time and energy are scarce, we need to make choices. Therefore, we must prioritize all of our current and planned activities. With prioritization, we can think and determine what really needs to be done and what is in line with our goals,” says Novita.
What he said was in line with what was conveyed by UI Rector Prof. Ari Kuncoro, SE, MA, PhD. in a speech when releasing graduates. To get a sparkling diamond, pressure is needed. Pressure makes diamonds, said the rector quoting George Smith Patton, an Army General who graduated from West Point military school, New York, USA.
According to Novita, college should be the first priority. After that, it is determined how many internships, organizations, competitions, and other activities can be participated in according to their respective capacities. This is done so that students are not overwhelmed and can work well. Not only that, it is also important to remain humble and never stop learning. As the saying goes, above the sky, there is still sky. By learning from every moment of life, both good and bad, one can gain wisdom from every event, as long as one is truly willing to self-reflect.
Another key to success, according to Novita, is prayer. “Whenever I feel tired during my studies, I always tell myself this: Remember why I’m here. It might be hard sometimes, but I can definitely persevere. Just like how I started, I have to finish this race well,” says Novita.
Novita’s success was not without the support of others. Novita is grateful for not only being guided in finding research topics, but also given a lot of input related to writing techniques and data processing by her supervisor, Diahhadi Setyonaluri, Ph.D. Thanks to this assistance, Novita managed to complete her thesis well to obtain a satisfactory grade.
“I believe getting a cum laude is just a bonus because the point of studying at university is to equip yourself with skills to become a useful person for society. College is only 4 years and time flies. The real journey only begins after we graduate. So, use the time to learn and do useful things. As they say, college is just one of many chapters in the Book of Life, so do your best and try new experiences while you’re still young. Results are important, but the process is more important. Have fun sailing the ship!” said Novita.
Author: Amindy| Editor: Sasa
