Follow Your Passion (My Life Story)

Hello everyone, welcome to my blog. I hope you guys are doing well. For those who don’t know me, let me introduce my name. My name is Nara Bagus Darmawan. I am 19 years old now. I was born in Surabaya, Indonesia. Now I am taking visual communication design (VCD) at Sampoerna University Jakarta. Today, I am going to share with you why I choose this campus, how I face the situation in college, and how finally I choose the VCD major. I wish you will get many lesson learnings from my experiences. 

          Grateful. This is what I feel when facing the third semester at Sampoerna University. I choose this campus because I couldn’t have an opportunity to join any kind of test to enter other state universities. I was graduated from Sampoerna Academy Boarding School. My previous high school is under the same foundation; Putera Sampoerna Foundation (PSF). Because I was in the same foundation with PSF and bound by KJSB (Koperasi Jasa Siswa Bangsa) to continue my study in Sampoerna University after graduating from high school, I finally study here. I feel lucky to know that my parents wouldn't need to provide my college tuition because it is paid by KJSB until I graduate. 

Do you believe me when I say that I was an engineering student in the first year of my college life? If you believe, you are right. I was choosing an engineering major, especially in mechanical engineering. The question is why I was taking this major? I think it’s too complicated to explain but I’ll simplify it. Starting from senior high school, I was contracted by KJSB to continue my study in Sampoerna University and must be taking engineering major; industrial or mechanical engineering. Because I like sketching and drawing, I choose mechanical engineering. I was thinking that mechanical engineering used at least the drawing and sketching skills, but I was wrong. At the end of my second semester, I felt that mechanical engineering is not my passion. 

      

          Flashback to my life when I was 7 years old, I was the first time getting a trophy as the 3rd winner of the drawing competition. At that time, I didn’t know what the art is and I just draw what I feel. I was also taking a drawing private course because my parent wanted me to develop my skills. At the age of 9, I finished my drawing course and got many appreciations from many competitions. After that, I just practice at home without taking any drawing course. 4 years later, I entered high school. Unexpectedly, I met my drawing coach and he became an art teacher in this school. I really excited to know that news. Then, I decided to join a painting extra-curricular in the school. 2 years after I joined, I got many new experiences related to painting. I learn how to use oil-painting, water-painting, wall-painting, making a poster, making batik, and many more. I joined many competitions starting from local, province, national, and even international stage. The highest appreciation that I got at that time was “Highly Recommended for Look and Learn International Drawing Competition in England”. I got the certificate and money £30 or IDR450 at that time. 

My oil-painting artwork

my oil-painting artwork

my wall-painting artwork

Time flies so fast and I realize that I am a college student now. Sometimes I feel conscious when I question myself “Do I really want to be an engineer?”. I demotivated knowing that I just only take a college algebra, trigonometry, and pre-calculus at that time until the second semester. I got A and B for those subjects. Everything was okay in terms of the academic result. One day in the afternoon, I sat along with a book. I wrote what I could do in the future. My high school life was haunted me every day. The only life when I touched many things about drawing, painting, and the art itself. I missed all of them. I imagine if one day I could have a business as a cloth designer or a graphic designer. Oh God, what beautiful life looks like in the future for having a job based on our interest? I wrote all of my dreams at that time. One day, I went to the visual communication design exhibition in the campus. The exhibition made me throw back to my high school life when I was also having a painting art exhibition every semester with my friends. I haven’t been touching any art-things for the past 2 years and I feel like there is a longing in my soul. 

I consult with my seniors how if I moved to the visual communication design major. They doubted my decision at that time. They wondered if I couldn’t survive at that particular major. My seniors said that the lecturer in VCD major is very fierce, a lot of assignments, and a few of lecturer.  Those things didn’t make me down, yet I feel challenged. Then, I consult with my academic advisor and also a psychologist in the campus. I told them about my feeling at that time. They gave me many motivations instead of making me afraid of something. At that time, I didn’t forget to call my parents to ask for their solutions. They supported me for any decision that I take. My mom said “You’re already an adult, only you who know the best for yourself in the future. I support every decision you take if it’s good for you”. I cried after hearing that statement. My heart said “Yes mom, I’ll do my best here. Thank you for supporting me”. Then, I started to register myself as a transfer-student to the VCD major. 2 months after that, my name was listed as a VCD student and ready to take any major courses. I couldn’t say too many words, yet grateful. I am on the right path now. 

I’ve been learning a design for a month. Many new things come to me such as learning how to make a good design. Even though I am familiar with editing software like Photoshop or CorelDraw, I am not satisfied with my experience.  I don’t feel exhausted to know every detail of the software. Now, my day is full of searching something new related to design project assignment. My lecturer gives me many resources about the principle of design, editing photo, typography, and many more. I am grateful to be here. Even though I am late for one-year in terms of graduating, I don’t mind about that. I believe that everybody has a different time zone. The most important for me is that I can be happy every day when having a job based on my interest in the future. Now... What is your dream? Your passion will lead you to your dream. Good luck for your journey :)