Yogyakarta, which is nicknamed the City of Students, has excellent quantity and quality of education. Many students make Yogyakarta a destination to continue their educational studies, including Batak youth. Continuing life with the aim of education in one of the big cities which is also known for its strong culture, requires Batak youth to adapt to new environments more quickly and effectively in various areas of life so that Batak youth are successful in achieving what they strive for. Problems such as cultural dissimilarity are a big challenge that must be resolved immediately with good adjustment by Batak youth, especially those who are migrating for the first time. Thus, knowledge from your hometown is needed to be able to survive in the overseas world.

Based on this adaptation problem, the UGM Student Creativity Team for Social and Humanities Research (PKM-RSH) recently conducted research. The team consisting of Geraldo Situmorang (Forestry 2020), Julian Dwi Efendi (History 2020), Fahri Reza (Literature 2021), Hendra Prasetya (Public Policy 2022), and Iqbal Sinulingga (Agricultural Industrial Technology 2022) has successfully researched the topic “Dalihan Na Tolu: Life Survival System for Overseas Batak People in the Toba Yogyakarta Batak Student Community.”

From the results of the research that has been carried out, it is revealed that the Dalihan Na Tolu philosophy, which is a kinship system, is capable of bringing change in the adjustment of Batak students overseas. The existence of clans is the basis for the system to bring students into the community, both inside and outside the campus. The existence of a community of Toba Batak students is an implication of the adaptation problems faced by Batak students plus interactions between Batak people who are overseas.

Dalihan Na Tolu is defined as three stoves consisting of Manat Mardongan Tubu, Somba Marhula-hula, and Elek Marboru. These three constitute the core trilogy which serves as the basic theme of Dalihan Na Tolu. Dalihan Na Tolu’s role in making it easier for Batak students to adapt to Yogyakarta is implemented with tarombo. Tarombo is a system formed on the principle of kinship which shows a person’s rights and obligations towards his family by underlining a person’s role and function in the family structure, namely through part speech (greeting). That way, students are taught how to behave, to whom, for what reasons, and not just limited to family structure.

The Dalihan Na Tolu system, which teaches social interaction in Batak culture, has an impact on the formation of Batak communities on and off campus. Several communities such as the Batak Student Community (Atma Jaya University Yogyakarta), Imbada (Duta Wacana University Yogyakarta), Sada Pardomuan (Sanata Dharma University Yogyakarta), and Marga Sumut (Gadjah Mada University) in Yogyakarta help students in social adaptation. Motivations for joining a community vary, and activities held by the community can help maintain Batak’s cultural heritage.

Outside campus, clan-based communities such as Situmorang and Parna as well as church youth groups also provide support and expand students’ social networks. However, there are several shifts from the Dalihan Na Tolu system, such as the use of the Batak language calling system which is limited to fellow Batak communities, and a decrease in understanding of the Partuturan system. Students felt embarrassed or lacked education in using the Batak language, and the traditional address system began to shift to using common language such as “Mas” and “Mbak.” This indicates a change in learning Batak culture among overseas students.

In implementing the Dalihan Na Tolu concept, there are two factors that influence Batak students in Yogyakarta. Internal factors are influenced by a lack of knowledge inherited from the closest family, a lack of concern for traditional traditions, a high curiosity about local culture, and a lack of participation in traditional events overseas. External factors are influenced by cultural differences between Toba Batak and Yogyakarta City, which are dominated by Javanese culture and other cultures. The diversity of students from various regions also contributes to a mix of cultures.

Thus, the Dalihan Na Tolu system and tarombo as its implementation help Batak students adapt. Batak clans and communities inside and outside campus become a forum that facilitates the adaptation process and allows students to build social relationships. However, the research results identified a shift in the application of Batak culture, especially in the use of the Batak language and the spoken system. Internal factors, such as a lack of knowledge inherited from the family, and external factors, such as the dominance of Javanese culture, influenced this change. In a deeper analysis, shifts in language use and speech indicate a cultural adjustment that occurs among Batak students in Yogyakarta. Although Dalihan Na Tolu remains the guide, its implementation can change according to the cultural environment faced.

The phenomenon of self-improvement books is mushrooming among early adult readers or students. Many students spend their time reading self-improvement books as a way to improve their self-quality. For this reason, the Student Creativity Program (PKM) team in the field of Social Humanities Research (RSH) Gadjah Mada University researched the effectiveness of self-help books and their influence on readers with members Annisa Safira Azzahra (Psychology 2021), Bolivia Rahmawati (FIB 2021), Lazuardi Choiri Imani (FIB 2021), Ridho Alfadri (FIB 2022) and Hilmy Azka Zul Amali (Psychology 2022) accompanied by Ardian Rahman Afandi, S.Psi., M.Psi., Psychologist.

Annisa, as chairman, admitted that this idea emerged from her observations of her friends in the lecture environment who were increasingly reading self-improvement books. “Many friends even claim to feel development or change after reading self-improvement books,” he added. Lazuardi, as a student of the Indonesian Language and Literature study program, said, “My friends are also starting to follow the trend of reading self-improvement books under the pretext of developing themselves.” Apart from that, Ridho, one of the team members admitted that his friend could even spend millions of rupiah to buy self-improvement books.

The team with the research title “Illusion of Progress: The Effectiveness of Self-Help Books and Its Implications for Early Adult Readers” carried out a research process on UGM students in August-September 2023. The effectiveness of this self-improvement book was assessed using the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. In the research process, this five-member team received full support from accompanying lecturers, faculty, and the university. The team also targets to be able to submit their scientific articles to be uploaded to the Q1 journal.

Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Social Humanities Research Student Creativity Program Team (PKM-RSH) consisting of Destriananda Safa Aina (FH ’21), Bolivia Rahmawati (FIB ’21), An Nuur Khairune Nisa (FIB ’21), Muh Faqihuddin M . (FH ’20), Putri Pertiwi (FH ’21), accompanied by Almonika Cindy Fatika Sari, S.H., M.A., as supervisor lecturer researched the values of customary law-based land tenure in the Tenganan Pegringsingan Traditional Village, Bali.

Destriananda as Team Leader said that the research was motivated by the uniqueness of the Tenganan Pegringsingan Traditional Village which maintains traditional values regarding the land tenure system which is in line with the agrarian reform agenda to date. The team consisting of five people carried the research title, “Opportunities for Integrating Customary Law-Based Land Tenure Systems into the Agrarian Reform Agenda: Study in Tenganan Pegringsingan Traditional Village, Bali.“

The PKM-RSH team measured the achievement of implementing agrarian reform values in the Tenganan Traditional Village using 4 indicators described by Sangkoyo (2001), namely indicators of authority, use, production, and consumption. Based on field research, the PKM-RSH Team discovered the fact that indicators of authority, use, and production systems implemented by the Tenganan traditional law community could be integrated into the national agrarian reform agenda. The aim is to make the national agrarian plan more effective through the redistribution of land ownership, control, and use.

In its research, the PKM-RSH Team obtained regulatory information regarding the power of attorney, use, production, and consumption systems of land in the Tenganan Pegringsingan Traditional Village which is accommodated in customary rules both written and verbal. Context

Power of attorney is reflected in the guarantee of access and protection of village community rights to existing land. Then, use can be seen from the implementation of a neat spatial planning system and there has been no land conversion since the traditional village existed. This ensures the protection of the natural ecosystem in the Tenganan Pegringsingan Traditional Village.

The achievement of production management indicators is demonstrated through the production process and utilization of natural resources carried out communally and cooperatively by the Subak group. Meanwhile, its relation to consumption regulations is reflected in the Tenganan Pegringsingan awig-awig which regulates that jackfruit, tehep, candlenut, pangi, cempaka, durian, and enau can only be consumed when they fall from the tree. These regulations were made as a manifestation of the social function of natural resources and also to preserve nature. This regulation aims to ensure that every member of the Tenganan MHA can access and fulfil their daily local food needs.

In obtaining this data, the PKM-RSH Team collaborated with kliyang, the community, and sharecroppers in the Tenganan Pegringsingan Traditional Village. Through this research, the PKM-RSH Team also prepared a policy brief that it hopes can be used as a consideration for stakeholders to make the implementation of agrarian reform more effective by local community values.