What I Learn in College?

It’s nearly three years I am studying at English Letters Department of Sanata Dharma University, time surely goes fast! It feels like tomorrow I just started my college day as a freshman and now, counting the days to be a senior! Wow, I can’t believe I becoming a senior (‘__’)

This February I will begin my sixth semester which will be filled with paper and…papers. In the sixth semester all students of English Letters here will have to do research papers on both linguistics and literature, we cannot choose which subject to be taken yet because we’ll do it in the seventh semester. To be honest, I have no interest in literature, really. I did have it when I was in the third semester because I thought it is easier than the linguistics one, but after I passed my fourth semester I totally changed my mind. For me, literature is a really complicated subject and those who mastered it are smart person(s). In literature, even though I have finished read a book, I will have to reread it again and again to be able to deeply analyze it and find evidences for my analysis. I am an easy-to-be-bored person; therefore I think literature is not my destiny.

Studying for almost three years here of course gives me some lessons in academics that apparently related to the life. At first, I didn’t recognize this but when I was in the fourth semester I found out that the theories I learn in the class can also be used in my daily life, they are very useful!

F  Structure

The students are learning English grammar in this class from first until fifth semester, the lessons are divided into 5 (five) parts; Structure 1 (learning the basic part of tenses), Structure 2 (main topic is about passive and gerund), Structure 3 (I forgot but I learned the right way to use conjunction in this class), Structure 4 (advanced learning about passives form) and Structure 5 (the most complicated one).

I always get C on every classes of this subject from Structure 1 until 5, great isn’t it? Although I get average marks on this subject, but I do feel the impact of learning this. I dare to write in English in this blog because of this subject. Knowing that I cannot be good enough in the class, I try to seek my luck in another field, which is blog. I know grammar is the base for good writing, having average marks doesn’t mean I have average skills, right? :p Hehehe!

F  Writing

This subject has 6 (six) parts; Writing 1 (for fluency and accuracy, students are ordered to write a sentence with correct grammar), Writing 2 (students are taught to write a coherence paragraph), Writing 3 (students are taught stylistic writing; writing a report, essay, etc), Writing 4 (essay, essay and essay, everything about essay), Writing 5 (creative writing, students are ordered to write a short story, write a play script based on a short story and a sonett poem) and Writing 6 (students will have to write proposal for their thesis).

I develop my writing skill in these classes. My favorite class is Writing 5 because I can learn how to write a good short story, I was enjoy writing my story because I put my dream in it, somehow :p Luckily, our lecturer had an initiative to compile our masterpiece into a book for each class. For my class which is class C, we made a book entitled Rendezvous: An Anthology Short Story by Class C. I am so honored because in this project I involved myself as an editor and it helped me to learn grammar.

Our class project

F  Business Writing

This is one of my favorites class, here the students learn to write proper business letters like CV, letters of inquiry and letters of complaint.

Of course this subject truly helpful for my daily life because someday, sooner or later I will have to write CV to apply a job I want. Well, actually I used it yesterday when I wrote my CV for applying freelance copy writer job. Hopefully I can make it *finger crossed*

F  Public Relation

Yes, we are learning public relation too. Actually this is related to business writing because in this class we are positioning ourselves as a public relation of a company. We are learned to solve issues which attack the company, to promote a company and to ‘sell’ the company in a business like.

I actually use the tricks I got from this class when I want to promote something or make something that need to be promoted. For example, when I want to make a blog, I have to know what the readers want to read so that I can promote my blog to them. I realize that my previous blogs are not interested enough because I ‘sell’ my private stories which are not important (I mean, who am I?) I learn that readers will be interested to read my blog if they can gain something after read it. I still struggle though to write a helpful yet useful post for my readers ^__^ I always remember my lecturer's words, "Remember, you are selling something, make it interesting!"

F  English Prose I

Here in this class we are learn to analyze a short story from its setting, character(s), plot, theme and other elements of the story.

Believe it or not, I can learn to observe someone’s character from this class. Here in this class we are taught to analyze a character from the way s/he dresses up, talks and walks or from her/his diction, appearance and/or background. Indirectly, I use the tricks from this class to analyze character in real life too so somehow I can understand why this person act like this and stuff.

F  Sociolinguistics

This is a very interesting lesson! In the class we are learned to analyze the language that used in daily life whether for gaining power or solidarity.

After taking this class, every time I read or listen someone speaking my brain start to analyze; this person use this level of language for another person who use different level of language, is this mean s/he wants to gain power or solidarity? This question always pops up in my mind now after I learn this.

F  Phonetics & Phonology

Both are studying the sound of language, while phonetics studying the sound, phonology studying the rule of the sound. In phonetics I study how to pronounce the sound [t], in phonology I study how the sound [t] can be aspirated or not. Learning this subject is truly fun for me because it does improve my pronunciation =D

F  Journalism

This is basically a writing class that focusing in newspaper journalism so we are ordered to make news, feature articles and investigation news. From this lesson I learn to find the valid fact first before spread it to the world. In my opinion, nowadays, it’s very easy to find news that doesn't contain the fact but act.

Actually, every lesson I get from this department is very helpful for me in daily life but so far, those 8 (eight) subjects are the most influenced subjects in my daily life.

I know some people are probably hates their department in college, I did too. In the second semester I told my parents that I wouldn't go to college anymore because I could not catch every lesson. I felt envy because I saw my friends got high GPA, mostly they got 3 and I only got 2. You know, I felt that I am dumb and this department is not my path. However, my parents encouraged me at that time, they told me not to give up, do my best without chasing the result and let God do the rest. I don't want to make my parents disappointed so I take their suggestion then, you know, when I follow their suggestion to put God as my strength; I get a revival in my study.

Since I am a Christian, of course I put my faith in Jesus. This is just a suggestion from me, when you have problem(s) with your study, try to give it to your God, ask Him to help you solve it. I know it is not easy because I felt it too and I almost gave up. Have faith, try your very best and let God do the rest. If He allows and trusts you to take this way it means He will never let you faced difficulty(s) alone J

Thank you so much for reading, guys! I hope this post can be helpful and useful for your life. Have a lovely day, God bless you :D

P.s: My dog, Bunder finally checked out from the hospital last Tuesday. Now he’s still in the recovery at home. We’ve seen his improvement until today; he start to bark, learn to stand up and walk. Please pray for Bunder so he’ll be recovered soon ^__^ Your prays are really helpful for Bunder and my family.

Luca won't leave Bunder alone

Be happy,

~eschilla