A Million Girls Would Kill to Have This Job!

If you’ve ever watched the movie The Devil Wears Prada (or read the book), maybe you‘ve ever heard of that line. “This job” here refers to job in a fashion magazine.

Just think you ought to know: I love magazines. I just… I always have! And ever since one of my classmates brought the very first issue of Cosmo Girl Indonesia in my first year of high school (I was 14 then), I immediately want to work in a magazine. An international fashion magazine, to make it more specific. Well, I love fashion (Oh yes, I do! I think every woman do!), and even though I’m not that much into fashion, but wouldn’t it be super awesome? *drooling*

Zillion thanks to God, I’m so lucky to finally got that chance (yeaaayy! :D). There have been a lot of people ask me, how it feels like to work in a high-end fashion magazine. Well, after a week working there, here’s what I can tell you…

1. I think the movie The Devil Wears Prada (and Ugly Betty too) are a wee bit exaggerating. No, there’s no such thing as bitchy office mate who stare at you from head to toe, try to bring you down just because your lack of style, talk shit behind your back, or stab each other’s back (well, at least not in front of me! :D). The girls are quite friendly and they helped me a lot. They invited me to lunch, let me use their computer and cell phone, and shared their snacks. (Yea, I have to admit that after my (canceled) second interview few weeks ago, I cried in the bathroom while making a phone call to my friend Yandi. But let me just say that that was just a wrong impression I got, and me being a crybaby. :D)
2. But it is true that everyone is sooo stylish and glamorous! Even the one whose job seems to have nothing to do with fashion, like the Business Director or Secretary. There’s no formal and boring office look here, everyone’s free to wear whatever they feel like wearing. You name it: ripped jeans, legging (they comes in every color and pattern), mini dress, Doc Marten boots in shocking pink color, smokey eyes…
3. Oh, and there’s no strict working hour, too. They usually come to the office at 9, and then go mall-hopping.
4. The girls don’t try so hard to be super skinny like in the movies. They eat ‘nasi padang’ and ‘gorengan’, and eat snacks during work. Just like the rest of us… :D
5. But the guys are not too friendly. They didn’t even bother to ask my name before they get me to do some job for them. Don’t know why. When I told this to my friend Icha, she asked, “Are you sure they’re straight?” LOL!
6. And my Editor-in-Chief? She’s nothing like the wicked dragon lady in The Devil Wears Prada (or the legendary Editor-in-Chief of Vogue US, Anna Wintour, who widely believed as the inspiration for that character). If I were a boy, I would have fallen in love with her, no kidding. She’s still very young, and nice and humble and sincere. And very very stylish too, of course. And what amaze me the most: the moment she heard Adzan maghrib, she left her desk and prayed. I think I should make a new movie, titled The Angel Wears Prada. :D
7. No, we don’t get branded stuff for free. I’m telling you: we BORROW them instead. In our office, we’ve got three huge wardrobes loaded with oh-so-fabulous bags, shoes, clothes, and jewelries from fancy brands that I had to try sooo hard to hold the urge to steal them. He-he. There was even a handbag at the same price of a car that I didn’t dare to touch.
8. Unlike in other places, noone praised me because I graduated from ‘the-so-called-best-university-in-this-country’. Most of them graduated from private fashion or art schools, or from abroad. They were like, “What? So you’re an engineer? What the hell are you doing here?” So I had to keep my chin down for this time, and I had to work twice harder only to prove that I can really write.
9. And what did I actually do? Sadly, since I’m the “new kid on the block”, they didn’t let me report something or interview someone, so I had to sit in front of my computer from 9 to 6, and…

• Edited a contributor’s writing about a trip to Komodo Island. Later on, I found out that she’s a well-known traveler and ever worked for a TV program. Wow, it did me an honor to edit her writing.
• Wrote about traveling to London. I made some kind of calendar event for the year 2010 and hotel recommendation. Before writing this, I was warned that our readers comes from A+ class, so they will be attracted by luxurious boutiques, luxurious spas, yada yada yada…, and I had to make sure that the hotels I recommend for them are 5-star ones.
• Translated an interview with Katia Verber (Russian’s socialite, like Paris Hilton)
• Translated two articles from our US edition about career and health tips, and googled some additional infos.
• Googled some images.
  
• And when I’m done with my tasks, they just let me sit on a cozy couch in the corner and read some magazines. We have plenty of international fashion magazines here, from Vogue Australia to Marie Claire Hongkong. And it felt like heaven to a magazines fetish like me! Imagine you’re a chocolate addict and you’re working in a chocolate factory. :D

A pretty fine first week, it is. But sadly it’s my last week also. No, it’s not that I give up. In fact, I can’t be more grateful than this. I've made a dream and I've made it come true, and I’ve proved to those who didn’t believe that hey, dreams DO come true! I merely got a better offer, better opportunity, and better challenge in another place. I mean, mall-hopping every single day and brag about Gwen Stefani's lipstick when everyone else in this country is in an uproar over Pansus Bank Century or Artalyta Suryani's unbelievably luxurious cell may be a fun thing to do in few weeks, but there's no way I'm going to do that thing for the rest of my life! Yea, so... I’m moving from fashion to politics.

Maybe a million girls would kill to have this job. The thing is, I’m not one of them… :)


[as posted in my Facebook's notes here]

Nobody Likes You When You're Twenty Three!

Nobody likes you when you’re 23
And you still act like you’re in freshmen year
What the hell is wrong with me?
My friends say I should act my age
What’s my age again? What’s my age again?
-What’s My Age Again (Blink 182)-

That was one of the songs I used to listen back then in my high school age. When all the things that matter were “that basketball captain and guitarist boy is drop dead gorgeous” or “that girl’s got a fancy bag I should immediately buy a new bag too”, scheming to skip class with the whole classmates, feeling like the coolest kid in town if I could take daddy’s car to school, whining all day because of mommy wouldn’t allow me to go out at night, and wondering where I’m gonna be when I turn 23.

Well, I’m now 23 already. You know what, I’ve been spending a lot of time lately in front of my netbook, googling the keyword “quarter life crisis” and scrolling through the symptoms:
Are you in a "funk" where you feel like nothing is terribly wrong, but nothing seems right either? Check.
Do you ever feel that time is running out in regards to figuring out your career and deciding whether you want to get married and/or have children? Check.
Do you feel that you have failed because you don't know what you want to do with your life, or do you know what you want to do but can't seem to make it work? Check.
Do you frequently compare yourself to other people your age and feel like you don't measure up? Check.
Are you thinking about going back to grad school because you don't know what else to do with your life? Check.
Is your life just not at all turning out like you planned? Check.

A-ha! I’m officially in quarter life crisis. Quite funny that it doesn’t freak me out (too much), it’s just a phase in this so-called-life and it’s completely normal and I’m going to get through it, I daresay.

Well, 2009 has been the toughest year ever to me. But I’ve learned a lot this year. I’ve learned that “indah pada waktunya” is such a magic spell (but still, waiting is sucks big time, especially when we have no idea when the time will come while we’re repeatedly told to be patient and keep the faith). I’ve learned that we can’t have everything in life. We just can’t. Life is all about choices and we have to choose, and sometimes we have to sacrifice something for an even greater good. I’ve learned that life is, indeed, beautiful, so don’t be a drama queen (or king) and sweat small stuff. I’ve learned that our future lies in our own hand, not in anyone else’s, so have the guts to take a stand, make a move! It’s between who we are and who we could be, it’s between how it is and how it should be.

And I’m pretty much sure that the best is yet to come.

Happy birthday to me! :)

PS: For those of you who would want to give me presents, books will do, and I’ll make things easier by putting my wish list here (hehehee…):

• Anything by Pramoedya Ananta Toer except Larasati and Perawan Remaja dalam Cengkeraman Militer. I already have them.
• Hujan Bulan Juni by Sapardi Djoko Damono
• Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (the original one)
  
• 9 dari Nadira by Leila S. Chudori
• The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger (the original one)
  

Life Journey...

3rd June 2009. I wrote on this post,

Oh, how fun it would be, to work in a fashion magazine? Hey, Editor in Chief of Cosmopolitan or Harper's Bazaar or Elle, hire me, pleeeaaaseee? ^^
(Confession of a desperate jobseeker)

24th December 2009. Sign the deal. Can't hardly wait until 11th January 2010. Because from that day on, I will be working for this magazine.


Right now. If anyone ask me how does it feel, I'll certainly answer, "Like a dream come true!" Oh, come on, are you kidding me? It's been my dream job ever since I was 14! I 'm sooo excited that I (almost) forget to mourn over a heartbreaking moment in the end of this week! He-he.

Weeks later. Maybe the "dream come true" will turn out to be "nightmare". What if I don't fit in this glamorous yet full-of-conspiracy world? What if those skinny bitches try to bring me down? I have no idea. But I'll hold on. Because I know I'm already one step closer to my dream, which is to become an Editor in Chief of a magazine. Yes, I'll hold on. And I'll do the best... :)

Lalalalala...

Sing it, sing it out loud, sing it louder! Sing like nobody’s listening, dance like nobody’s wathing, and LOVE LIKE YOU’VE NEVER BEEN HURT! Yeah yeah yeah!!!

Tell me how I’m supposed to breathe with no air?

If I should die before I wake
It’s ‘cause you took my breathe away
Losing you is like living in a world with no air

I’m here alone, didn’t wanna leave
My heart won’t move, it’s incomplete
If there was a way that I could make you understand

But how do you expect me to leave alone with just me?
‘Cause my heart revolves around you
It’s so hard for me to breathe

Tell me how I’m supposed to breathe with no air?
Can’t live, can’t breathe with no air
It’s how I feel whenever you ain’t there
There’s no air, no air
Got me out here in the water so deep
Tell me how are you gonna be without me
If you ain’t here I just can’t breathe
There’s no air, no air

I walk, I ran, I jump, I flew
Right off the ground to float to you
With no gravity to hold me down for real

But somehow I’m still alive inside
You took my heart but I survive
I don’t know how but I don’t even care
-No Air (Jordin Sparks feat. Chris Brown)-

And would you just pleaseee… stop asking me if I’m OK? Can’t you see? I’m standing, talking, smiling, laughing, living, and very happy. :)

Man Jadda Wajada, Mantra Sukses di Negeri 5 Menara

Saya suka membaca. OK, saya ralat. Saya sangat suka membaca, khususnya buku fiksi dengan plot yang menarik atau gaya bahasa yang enak dibaca, apalagi gabungan keduanya. Tidak masalah happy atau sad ending. Mulai sekarang, untuk ‘memaksa’ saya rutin menulis, saya akan membuat review buku yang saya baca – tapi hanya buku yang masuk kategori “worth to read”.

***

Judul: Negeri 5 Menara
Penulis: A. Fuadi
Penerbit: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama (cetakan pertama Juli 2009)

Alif baru saja lulus SMP, dengan nilai memuaskan. Rencananya adalah melanjutkan ke SMA terbaik, yang diharap dapat menjadi tiket masuk universitas idamannya (tidak lain tidak bukan adalah ITB, yang digambarkan sebagai “Sebuah sekolah yang sangat mengesankan dengan bangunan unik, pohon-pohon rindang dan mahasiswa yang terlihat sibuk dan pakai jaket warna-warni.”) dan masa depan yang cerah. Tapi ternyata Amak-nya (ibu-red) punya rencana lain. Banyak orangtua menyekolahkan anaknya ke madrasah karena biayanya murah, tapi lebih banyak lagi karena anak mereka tidak cukup pintar untuk masuk sekolah umum, atau kelewat bandel sehingga dirasa perlu dididik keras di asrama. Akibatnya kualitas lulusan madrasah banyak dipertanyakan. Amak Alif yang punya latar belakang agama kuat ingin Alif bersekolah di madrasah supaya bisa jadi pemimpin agama yang hebat.

Maka Alif yang belum pernah meninggalkan tanah kelahirannya, Bukittinggi yang digambarkan sangat permai merantau ke Pondok Madani (PM), di pelosok desa di Ponorogo. PM, yang merupakan representasi Pondok Modern Gontor, tempat sang penulis pernah menuntut ilmu memiliki sistem pendidikan yang sangat unik. Proses belajar dilakukan 24 jam, bukan hanya belajar agama tapi juga banyak kegiatan ekstrakurikuler yang ditawarkan. Bahasa yang digunakan adalah Arab dan Inggris. Para siswa ikut bertanggungjawab atas kegiatan PM dari hulu ke hilir.

Hari-hari Alif di PM pun dimulai: tersihir dengan mantra sakti “man jadda wajada” yang artinya “siapa yang bersungguh-sungguh akan berhasil”, berjuang untuk bisa survive di tengah padatnya jadwal PM, bergulat dengan ambisi pribadinya, mengubah cita-cita dari Habibie menjadi wartawan Tempo, serta bersahabat dengan Dulmajid dari Madura, Raja dari Medan, Atang dari Bandung, Said dari Surabaya, dan Baso dari Gowa. Di bawah menara masjid, mereka mengobrolkan apa saja: mulai dari mendebatkan bentuk awan sampai bertaruh foto bersama anak gadis salah seorang Uztad yang konon secantik bidadari.

Buku ini mengajak kita menengok ke kehidupan di balik tembok pondok (filosofi Islam bertaburan di setiap lembarnya tanpa terkesan menggurui) dan berani bermimpi, because yes, dreams DO come true! Penulisnya mantan wartawan Tempo dan VOA, tidak heran kalau gaya bahasanya mengalir, lugas, dan mendetil. Satu hal lagi yang menarik, tokoh Presiden yang muncul sebagai cameo hanya disebut sebagai “Presiden”, tanpa nama, tanpa judgement apa-apa (FYI, cerita berlatar Orde baru). Dan seperti buku-buku laris lain di Indonesia, Negeri 5 Menara yang merupakan bagian pertama dari sebuah trilogi ini akan segera difilmkan (ya, ya, ya...)

Similar to:

• Tetralogi Laskar Pelangi (Andrea Hirata). Tidak salah kalau saya bilang buku ini terlalu banyak kemiripannya dengan karya Andrea Hirata yang sudah lebih dulu difilmkan itu. Setiap bab berdiri sendiri dan tidak terlalu berkaitan satu sama lain, tapi sebenarnya membentuk jalinan cerita yang utuh. Dari segi plot, pertama, sama-sama mengisahkan dunia pendidikan dengan segala dinamikanya dan persahabatan di usia sekolah di tengah segala keterbatasan. Kedua, sama-sama menghadirkan tokoh protagonis yang dikisahkan sebagai murid terpandai dan punya tekad belajar kuat, tapi terpaksa putus sekolah karena faktor ekonomi dan keluarga. Kalau di Laskar Pelangi ada Lintang, di Negeri 5 Menara ada Baso. Ketiga, sama-sama kental dengan budaya daerah. Kalau Laskar Pelangi menghadirkan Belitong, Negeri 5 Menara menghadirkan Minang. Keempat, kalau Ikal di Laskar Pelangi terobsesi pada Edensor, Alif terobsesi pada Amerika. And they both made it! Dan terakhir, seperti yang saya tulis di atas, sama-sama mengajak kita untuk berani bermimpi. Inspiring!

• Harry Potter (J. K Rowling). Ha-ha. Cerita yang berlatar di sekolah asrama mau tidak mau mengingatkan saya pada Hogwarts: kompetisi antar asrama (walaupun mungkin pertandingan sepakbola di PM tidak seheboh Quidditch di Hogwarts yang pakai sapu terbang segala), para guru yang juga tinggal di arama dan suka berpatroli (ada karakter guru yang jadi public enemy, mirip sekali dengan karakter Profesor Snape), sosok kepala sekolah yang sangat dihormati, murid senior yang punya otoritas, sampai aula besar tempat berkumpulnya semua siswa.

Rating: 5/5

Citylight

Kamu masih punya janji. Membawaku ke tempat tinggi, sepi, di malam hari saat hujan tidak turun, supaya aku bisa menikmati citylight.

Cahayanya datang dari segala penjuru kota. Kontras dengan kelamnya langit malam, berpendar-pendar dinamis seolah saling berkejaran. Begitu urban. Begitu damai. Putih, kuning, putih lagi, yang mana lampu rumahmu? Lalu kita akan berbincang tentang dia, dia, dan dia yang lain lagi. Tidak pernah tentang kita. Karena memang tidak pernah ada “kita”.

Aku selalu suka citylight. Membuatku merasa kesepian di tengah keramaian.

Hey, masih maukah kamu membawaku ke sana, walaupun kamu sudah menemukan satu bintang yang akan terus bersinar menerangi langkahmu?

Atau… maukah kamu menungguku saja di sana, seperti selama ini kamu selalu ada untukku? Jangan beranjak. Jangan ke mana-mana. Kumohon.

Dare You to Move-Switchfoot

Definitely my idea of a perfect song: rocking tunes, comes along with thoughtful lyrics, not to mention performed by a band with a cool attitude... Check out the video here, and here's the lyrics:

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here, everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?
What happens next?

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself
Lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before

And take a look at what Wikipedia says about this song:

This song, written by Switchfoot singer/songwriter Jon Foreman, was originally recorded as the opening track for Switchfoot's 2000 album Learning to Breathe, and also appeared on the A Walk to Remember soundtrack, which featured several other Switchfoot songs. Foreman has called it "a defining song" for the band. "It's me talking to myself and I think a lot of times I feel stagnant and stuck in the same place," says Jon. "And 'Dare You to Move' is kind of a song for myself to get me up and get me moving and tackling a new part of life."

So... I dare you to move, people! :D

Hello, Blog! I've Been Missing You!

So, it’s been 1… 2… 3… 4… 5 months? (If copy-pasted posts from my Facebook’s notes doesn’t count). Ever since the Facebook regime has beaten the Friendster regime and micro-blogging sites such as Twitter and Plurk are becoming huge now (By the way, I just don’t get the idea of constantly telling other people where I’m at or what I’m doing. That is way too lame!), seems like everyone leave their blogs without any recent updates. Blogging is not the same anymore.

Neither am I. I used to read a lot. I used to write a lot. I used to think, cry, mourn, and whine a lot. Now I don’t even have enough time to response to my feelings anymore. My mind is occupied with school, work, school, work, and how to find another job to earn some money. What the hell is wrong with me? Sometimes I think I need a break time, I need a little room to breathe, like how I label this blog. But life doesn’t have a parking lot, the clock keep on ticking, and we’ve got to keep on running.

Maybe all I have to do is just keep on writing then, no matter how lame it is, no matter if nobody care enough to read it. I know that I’m such an extreme introvert, and writing has always been like a therapy for me. Same thing goes with shopping. If they say “Shopping is cheaper than therapist”, hey, writing is even much cheaper! :D

Oh, by the way, one of my blog readers once asked me about how I was bragging about gloom, depression, or even suicidal tendency in my writings. Pssstt, let me share you a little secret: “Nggak semua yang lo baca itu bener.” I’ve been exaggerating a bit. There, I admit. I think every writer does the same thing, otherwise they wouldn’t able to make a best-selling novel. I just think that the unhappy feelings are parts of this so-called-life that we have to admit as much as all the happy feelings. Don’t freak out. But… I-am-OK. Oh yes, I am!

And for the very moment, let me just share you this. I copy-pasted it from someone else’s blog who copy-pasted it from someone else’s blog, too. It’s pretty much fun!

Bold whatever applies to you!

You like showers better than bubble baths.
You cannot stand pop music.
You have a sister.
You are an only child.
You have black hair.
You have blonde hair.
You have red hair.
You have glasses.
You wear contacts.
You like TV more than movies.
You don’t talk on the phone often.
You like to shop.
You like emo music.
You are tall.
You are short.
You are average height.
You have long hair.
You have medium length hair.
You have short hair.
You use AIM.
You use Yahoo IM.
You have more than 3 pets.
You like sushi.
You love sushi.
You are on a diet.
You are currently on the second floor of your house.
You have a small room.
You are in high school.
You have 1 little brother.
You have an older brother.
You are allergic to something.
You have a boyfriend/girlfriend.
You have a current crush.
You have many crushes.
You have been kissed.
You have kissed another girl.
You laugh a lot.
You have lots of friends.
You are lonely.
You are depressed.
You are listening to music.
You are doing homework.
You have school tomorrow.
You are sick.
You hate your teacher.
You think your teacher is OK.
There is drama in your school, constantly.
You are wearing sweat pants.
You are wearing socks.
You are wearing a T-shirt.
You have lost a loved one.
You hate your school.
You loved your school.
You have been picked on.
You have been yelled at.
You have gotten in a fight.
You have said a bad word.
You shop at Abercrombie and Fitch.
You play basketball.
You play softball.
You play baseball.
You play soccer.
You play football.
You hate sports.
You get manicures.
You shop at Pac Sun.
You go to the mall a lot.
You are close with your family.
You never fight with your parents.
You have been grounded.
You have driven a car.
You are listening to your iPod.
You are watching TV.
You are watching a movie.
You are listening to the radio.
You are singing.
You are happy.
You are sad.
You are blah.
You are anxious.
You are about to go somewhere.
You haven’t been out of your house for over 3 days.
Someone besides you is in the same room with you.
You love your natural hair.
You hate your eye color.
You wish you were never been born.
You write your own songs.
You write books.
You hate to write.
You hate your hometown.
You love your hometown.
You are smart.
You are average.
You are dumb.
You get good grades.
You enjoy having people at your house.
You love going to the movies with a lot of people.
You like to go bowling with your friends.
You have ice-skated before.
You like popsicles.

You think Vanilla is better than Chocolate.

Isn’t it funny, how I’m happy and sad, and how I hate and love my hometown at the very same time? Life is funny indeed. Don’t forget to laugh in our every single day then! :)

Gadis Itu!

Iya, itu dia, tidak salah lagi! Berdiri mematung seorang diri di pinggir jalan. Aku sampai meminta supir taksi memutar sekali lagi –yang berarti membuat argo berjalan lebih lama– untuk memastikan.

Bukan pertama kali ini aku tidak sengaja bertemu dengannya. Yang pertama di satu tempat wisata di Bandung. Aku dengan keluargaku, dia dengan keluarganya. Yang kedua di perjalanan-mencari-peruntungan-di-Jakarta entah yang ke berapaku ini. Memang kecil ya dunia ini, ternyata.

Aku jadi bingung. Sekarang posisi kami sudah sangat dekat. Haruskah aku berlari menemuinya, memberi pelukan hangat dan cium pipi? Ah, aku baru ingat kami kan tidak saling kenal, nanti dia malah lari ketakutan. Haruskah aku mengenalkan diri lebih dulu? Atau haruskah aku pura-pura tersesat dan bertanya jalan, atau jam berapa sekarang? Huh, membayangkannya pun tampak konyol.

Akhirnya aku malah memilih untuk memandanginya saja dari jauh. Dia terlihat… hmm, menarik. Ini aneh, karena pertama, aku sama sekali tidak kenal dengannya. Walaupun sebenarnya aku sudah tahu banyak hal tentang dia. Bukan hal yang sulit di era teknologi informasi ini. Aku sampai tahu nama-nama sahabat terdekatnya, judul Tugas Akhirnya, dan kapan kakaknya menikah. Dan kedua, harusnya aku membencinya. Karena rambutnya panjang atau bajunya warna biru, atau apalah.

Tapi aku malah merasa begitu dekat dengannya. Mungkin karena aku melihat ada diriku pada dirinya.

***

Hei, gadis. Mungkin lain kali kita bisa melakukan banyak hal bersama. Mengobrol seru seperti sepasang teman lama yang sudah bertahun-tahun tidak bertemu, ditemani secangkir kopi yang sama-sama kita suka. Mengobrol tentang apa saja: mulai dari quarter life crisis sampai potensi laut Indonesia. Atau menghabiskan waktu seharian sekedar untuk jalan-jalan, bergosip, atau membaca majalah.

Bukankah kita sepertinya punya banyak kesamaan –selain suka kopi? Kita sama-sama suka pantai dan tidak suka olahraga. Kita mungkin pernah meneriakkan idealisme dan semangat yang sama, walaupun dengan seragam yang berbeda. Kita mungkin pernah berkutat dengan rumus yang sama, mempelajari buku yang sama, walaupun di tempat yang berbeda. Kita sepertinya juga punya selera baju yang sama. Bahkan kita punya jenis rambut yang sama persis dan mungkin, ukuran celana jeans kita juga sama.

Oh iya, hampir lupa, kita juga pernah sayang orang yang sama. Dan… disayang orang yang sama? Memiliki harapan dan kekecewaan yang sama. Yang aku tidak tahu adalah bagaimana caramu melupakannya. Mungkin berbeda dengan caraku.

Gadis, aku benar-benar ingin berteman denganmu. Ini tulus… :)


[as posted in my Facebook's notes here]

ITB Itu Biasa Saja*

*inspirasi judul dari Efek Rumah Kaca, Jatuh Cinta Itu Biasa Saja

Saya baru (akhirnya) selesai (juga) membaca Gading-Gading Ganesha. Lembar-lembar pertama, kesan yang saya tangkap adalah: berlebihan. Saya merasa, penulis terlalu berlebihan menggambarkan ITB sebagai “perguruan tinggi terbaik”, “tempat sang proklamator menuntut ilmu”, “kampus idaman setiap insan muda Indonesia yang baru lulus SMA”, yada… yada… yada… sehingga membawa eforia bagi enam tokoh utamanya ketika baru masuk ITB. Seakan masuk ITB = sudah jaminan sukses. Saya kok biasa-biasa saja ya dulu.

Mungkin karena sejak kecil saya tinggal di Bandung, dan ITB bukan hal asing buat saya. Jadi saya tidak tahu rasanya diantar orang sekampung atau dititipi kain batik oleh Ibu, seperti salah satu tokoh utamanya. Sebelum kuliah di ITB, saya sudah bolak balik ke Laboratorium Pengolahan Air TL (yang dulu saya ‘kutuk’ karena banyak alat aneh dan bau-bauan aneh, tapi ternyata saya malah masuk jurusan yang memiliki laboratorium itu, huh, kualat!). Saya sudah pernah ikut prosesi wisuda di Sabuga, makan siang di Kantin Borju, hunting barang murah meriah di Pasar Jumat, dan syuting di daerah Sipil (seriously, waktu SMA saya ikut unit Sinematografi, dan pernah syuting di ITB). Bahkan saya membeli Supernova Ksatria, Puteri, dan Bintang Jatuh-nya Dee di Kokesma. Maklum, harga edisi mahasiswanya jauh lebih ekonomis.

Mungkin juga karena saya sudah tahu diterima di ITB beberapa minggu sebelum pengumuman resmi, jadi saya belum sempat merasakan dag-dig-dug menunggu pengumuman. Teman Mama yang kebetulan dosen TL suatu malam menelepon, memberitahu nama saya ada di daftar nama peserta USM yang diterima di TL. Saya bahkan belum sempat belajar ekstra keras buat SPMB. I know, I’m such a lucky bastard. He-he.

Tidak ada yang (terlalu) istimewa. ITB itu biasa saja kok.

Karena itulah saya merasa novel itu berlebihan. Hal yang sama juga saya rasakan ketika beberapa waktu yang lalu melihat caleg yang mencantumkan “Alumni ITB” di spanduknya. Ya terus kenapa kalau situ alumni ITB???

Dan, bukankah sudah sering kita mendengar isu bahwa alumni ITB di dunia kerja arogan, egonya tinggi, terlalu percaya diri, kutu loncat, dan tidak bisa bekerja sama?

Padahal apa sih istimewanya ITB? Lulus dari ITB, sama saja tuh, harus rajin-rajin mencari lowongan kerja seperti sejuta pengangguran intelektual lain di Indonesia (data tahun 2009-red). Kalau diterima pun harus ikut on job training dulu, apalagi kalau bidangnya tidak sesuai dengan latar belakang pendidikan kita. Tidak bisa langsung jadi bos, kecuali kalau perusahaan itu punya ayah kita ;). Atau harus berburu beasiswa ke luar negeri, bagi yang berminat melanjutkan studi. Atau harus mengumpulkan modal dan berebut konsumen dengan kompetitor, bagi yang tertarik berwirausaha.

***

Memasuki bagian tengah, barulah novel ini terasa real. Benar bahwa universitas yang sesungguhnya ada di dunia nyata. Para alumni kampus cap gajah itu ada yang kena PHK, usahanya kolaps, tidak bisa mempertahankan idealisme, bahkan terpaksa jadi supir tembakan dan salesman bebek mainan door-to-door di negeri orang. Oh iya, khusus mengenai “tidak bisa mempertahankan idealisme” ini, saya melihat pola yang mirip dengan Epigram-nya Jamal dan Orang-Orang Proyek-nya Ahmad Tohari: aktivis kampus semasa kuliah meneriakkan idealisme, setelah lulus tidak bisa bertahan pada idealismenya.

Tapi akhirnya, bersinergi, mereka memberikan apa yang mereka bisa untuk masyarakat, sesuai bidang keahlian dan kemampuan masing-masing di bawah slogan “Indonesia Jaya”. Menghasilkan karya nyata, bukan sekedar wacana. Membuat kampus tidak sekedar menara gading.

Ah, mungkin saya yang salah. Mungkin ITB tidak biasa saja. Bukankah beratnya beban akademis yang membuat siklus tidur jadi tidak normal itu, ditambah ospek yang keras (untuk jurusan tertentu lho ;p), ditambah maraknya kegiatan kemahasiswaan, ditambah interaksi dengan orang dari berbagai latar belakang daerah sampai-sampai ITB dijuluki Indonesia mini, sudah menempa kita menjadi insan yang tidak biasa saja?

Mungkin, kita memang tidak biasa saja. Kalau bersinergi.

Yang jelas, membaca novel ini membuat saya ingin kembali mengenakan jaket almamater dan meneriakkan Salam Ganesha. Ah, berjuta rakyat menanti tangan kita, mereka lapar dan bau keringat… ;)



[as posted in my Facebook's notes here]