It's been a year

It's a hello from the first weekend of 2014. Happy new year, to you!

As cliche as it is, I'm going to tell you about my year. About how 2013 went like a flash for me. It was a roller coaster ride to summed everything up. Let say it was a challenging year for me. It was not that bad, but definitely wasn’t an easy year to get through. By now I realize that I graduated way too early than I should, but no regret whatsoever. It was nice though, to be the first student who earned the bachelor degree in my batch (Well at least I'll have something to brag to my future kids haha). So since I already did the thesis defense in December 2012, January was about finishing a few final exams and a holiday to East Java. I was planning to join a random trip by myself, than a friend offer me to go together for a semi backpacker trip. It didn't go exactly the way we planned because of the bad weather, but still, it's one of the highlight of my 2013. I don't have enough resources to travel a lot, so I tend to cherish every given moment away from home. 

February was about graduation and celebration of all the hard work in the past 6 months. I finally made the freshman dream come true by receiving cum laude certificate and appreciation from the Dean. Maybe it's true that nothing's sweeter than doing what people say you can't. My parent's smile also lighten my heart and remind me that life should be more about making them happier day by day. Ayah was so busy picking up his suit for my graduation day, even I already told him that he should wear Batik since the weather will be terribly hot in Balairung UI. Yet he insisted to wear a suit since he doesn't has any purple Batik and he really wanted to wear my favorite color in my day. Tell me how not to love the guy. Mom on the other hand, was busy with her teary eyes, repeating how 'time flies' from the day she walked me to kindergarten and suddenly, I'm one of the happy fresh graduates. Graduation day was a pretty sentimental day as I'm going to leave early with other 24 mates from the faculty and as I recall, I always suck at goodbye.

The rest of the month was about farewell. We had a fun lunch at Hanamasa to celebrate a year of togetherness as RTC's managerial team. Haven't seen them after that makes me feel terrible since they really turned from colleagues to very good friends of mine. I also bid a farewell to the faculty as my batch follow the tradition to held "Last Performance". We made a theatrical-humor-show which include dance and singing performance. The event made most of us cry at the end, realizing that this is really the end of the road. 

As we reached March, the new world finally arrives. After lots of interview, I chose to take a job in Citibank Indonesia, as a Human Resource Generalist Support. You know, the thought of working in a corporate never crossed my mind yet here I am, facing reality that most of the time, bites. It was a tough month for me. I once thought that my tears will be drained if I continue to work there. It's not about the job, the environment, nor the benefits, it's about me making amends with myself. I was a planner back then, and the plan was to continue my master degree to be a Psychologist in September. I came to realization that it'll be just a dream since I'm not financially ready and I know I can't blame my parent for not having the resources to pay for the tuition fee. It was just what it is and trust me, it sucks. 

So that was about March. Honestly, I didn't remember what happened next in April and the rest months of 2013. Unlike where I'm back in college, I have certain period of heavy exams with tight deadlines, holiday, and the days when I can cherish the goods and the bad, most of 2013 was about going forward. Like what I read in some "crap about being 20-something book", the thing about being an adult is, it will not stop. It will force you to move along the year. Thus I'm going to continue to the moments that I remember the most. 

I guess I feel the enjoyment of working in a bank on my 3rd month. The strangers whom I met in the elevator turned to those people who I have lunch with. I learned so much about being HR professional, handling projects with various level of people involved & also about how to work your ass off for living. I also made a lot of friends from the industry, particularly in HR and Operation & Technology group which I handled. It was a refreshment after almost 4 years living in a very specific environment in Psychology Faculty. Yes, somewhere in our long hours of working, high tension from the superior & sessions of sneaking around to have some laugh and instant noodles, I feel refreshed. A friend once told me, that I'm thinking way too old for my age. I mean how can I blame him for saying that, since I used to have a solid plan for when I'm going to graduate, continue to study, get married, and bla bla bla. Sometimes I even feel like way too old for many things. 

Working in this completely different world open my perspective about how nothing is ever permanent. What I thought about what I really want in life might not be the most suitable for the time. Here's my favorite part about being in the industry, I learn to feel young again. To feel like I still have the rest of my life to make up my mind. To lose up a bit. I'm still in the right direction though. Having a real job and writing in three projects within a year are pretty good for a girl who feel lost, aite? I learned that being a copywriter wasn't easy, let alone writing a book. Thus I really thank God for helping me did that. Long hours in a coffee shop, having those solitary moments that I fancy finally got me somewhere. At least I can check a box from last year's resolution: to write more beside here/the so called youth organization's website.

2013 was also about learning about how to be financially independent. As much as it changed me to be brave and proud enough to always throw this question ("What do you want, mom?") when we're out of the house, it mostly shifted my perspective about how I see people in my age. Hats off to those who already worked so hard for their own living. Seriously, since I know how hard it is to commute daily from Cinere to Sudirman, sit on a desk for hours and how sometimes you can't deny the boredom of looking to your own cubicle, I put my respect to those who do that in daily. I used to find that envious feeling to those lucky friends with wealthy parents to support their needs; from expensive tuition fee to vacation to other continents. And I realized that it's way sweeter to reach that by working my ass off. Aaand, I sound old again. 

Anyway, to a better living and to a better quality of (working) life, I chose to move for another job. Still in HR area which I fell in love with, Learning and Development. To see how people grow in both technical and soft skills are something that I like to do in daily. That was the main reason why I took the job. And since I always suck at goodbye, I feel so blessed knowing that this new company located exactly next to the old one. So practically I still can see the people from Citi every week or even more. Yep, it's amazing how a few months of working in a same roof formed a solid friendship like we have today. I'm really glad I met them. 

I know I should be more grateful for what I have right now. I might not have a balance life that I fancy back in college and school, but I have to say this is a pretty good one. A boring one, for some people. But how can I say, I'm a pretty conservative girl—so my life is practically boring for most people. Yet it's a pretty good one. 

Finally am at the point of realization that so called balance life between having a night out and an A mark at school is silly. To spend sometime for a night out with friends from school until the morning come, watching how they like to get drunk, and laugh a lot are fun. Snuggling around my bed, having original Balinese coffee, and reading the new book or watching the favorite series are also fun. Long Friday lunches with friends from both company works well to boost my mood. A glass of blended coffee with sober friends to have a conversation about this-is-how-my-days-right-now-how-about-yours are also nice.  

Anyway, a good life is not about counting how balance you spend your time. I guess It's about to be truthfully happy. So cheers to a pretty good and happy life! Hope 2014 be a even better year for us. My so-called resolution for this year is to feel young and also a grown up at the same time. To enjoy more of every given moment and still have few plans for the next step. I also need to get both driving and diving licence. Taking an English course which I manage in the office and hopefully brave enough to take IELTS test. I also interested in learning Dutch. Let see where it goes. 

To a happier year (and to more coffee) ahead!

Cheers,

Clarissa