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Being a college student is certainly one of the most valuable moments in an individual’s life. Their moment is utilized and strived to create significant impacts on the community environment. This act of virtue is realized by Maulita Shinta Maharani, a final year student of the English Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, who has taken part in social contributions during her college years. Uli, her nickname, actively participates in several student and external activities, especially those around community relations and social service. She is experienced in cultural immersion and interaction with international students which adds to her insight and knowledge of inclusivity and diversity of cross-cultural backgrounds.

Uli’s journey to be an active student begins with her motivation when she entered college in her first year. Before that, she had not found a suitable student organization or activity for her, but that changed when she entered one of the most prestigious universities in Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Uli had the opportunity to join many student organizations and activities that supported her development and growth in the environment she was interested in. Her organizational experiences include an internship at the UGM Office of International Affairs, Head of HRD at UGM Buddy Club, Research Assistant at the English Literature UGM, Academic and Development Staff at Women Beyond Indonesia, Founder of Amnesty Amawa Wikreti under Amnesty International Indonesia, Learning and Development Staff at HopeHelps Network, and currently active as Public Relations Staff at Faculty of Cultural Sciences ,UGM. Uli’s organizational activities led her to take one step further by applying for the Erasmus student exchange program and having the opportunity to become an Erasmus Awardee at Budapest Business University, Hungary.

Not only active in organizations and student activities, Uli has participated in student activities in the scope of culture, namely the Cultural Exchange to the National University of Singapore (NUS) held in October 2023 which aimed to explore multiculturalism in Singapore. At the same time, she also became a research assistant for NUS students who were conducting a research on local communities in Yogyakarta. The result of this activity was a book entitled “Harmony in Diversity: A Journey from Jogja to Singapore, and Back” which tells about the multiculturalism aspects in Singapore and Yogyakarta in particular.

In addition, her passion for writing has made her actively contribute to pouring his thoughts into articles published in several platforms. Some of the articles she has written are as follows:

• “Should Gender be Equal?”: Gender Inequality in Family Form
• “Who is more likely to benefit from child marriage? Children or parents?”: Child Marriage in Temanggung, Central Java
• Nyadran and the Interpretation of Ubarampe: An Annual Tradition to Welcome Ramadan in Temanggung, Central Java, Indonesia
• Fairy Tales vs Feminism
• Women Beyond Bias: Learning from A Figure, An Eye-opening Discussion with Prof. Wening Udasmoro on Multiple Subordination in the Workplace

Her focus on gender studies, diversity, and inclusivity, also made her take the initiative to serve socially by establishing an organization called Amnesty Amawa Wikreti, a human rights organization led by women affiliated with Amnesty International Indonesia. In 2023, she also participated in the Student Community Service-Community Empowerment Learning (KKN-PPM UGM), as part of the final activity for UGM students. Through this program, she participated in community service in Ofu Village, Timor Tengah Selatan, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, which made her become more interested in social service in remote areas and contributing to the service of educational development during the continuation of the program she was involved in.

“I really want to experience life, I want to spend my youth doing a lot of positive activities and building as many relationships as possible,” said Uli, reflecting on the positive experiences and activities she has gone through during her almost four years as a student.

Uli emphasizes the role of a supportive environment as the main source of her successful achievements and experiences to grow and develop. “My parents also gave me the freedom to participate in anything and choose my own path in life. Support from lecturers and the closest ones; Nanda Yulfi Chairunnisa and Steven Glenn Ravanelli Waromi also serves as an important point to grow.”

It feels different when we step into things beyond our abilities, it feels different when literature students take part in hackathon competitions, and it is still different when women enter business and even lead. This was what actually wanted to be achieved in the 2023 UNESCO-UNITWIN Advanced Workshop & Hackathon program at Sookmyung Women’s University (SMU), Seoul, South Korea in November-December 2023. Bulan Churniati, an English Literature student at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, had never expected that this program would enable her to compete on the international stage and at the same time experience traveling abroad for the first time.

This was not a trivial journey, this program required us to first be selected from hundreds of internal university students, then took part in training and whoever was the best would represent Gadjah Mada University at the international level later. It was truly an honor that Bulan must be proud of to have had this extraordinary experience, even though it might be a bit of a burden to show her best as a representative of the best university in Indonesia. The reason was, there were many creative ideas from competing countries, such as Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia—from ideas for making audiobooks, applications to reduce fast fashion, health, and many more. However, the student topic given required the participants to hold their heads high by discussing MSME issues which certainly produced results.

Before taking part in this training, Bulan admitted that she was still too afraid to start her own business and only focused on the theoretical enthusiasm she initiated – PKM-K about entrepreneurship, business case and business plan competitions, and creating content for other people’s MSMEs. Until APWINC came along and gave her lots of ideas, relationships and the courage to start and develop her own online shop, yes, a small step but the most meaningful in 2023. “Thank you for the support of PIKA UGM as a companion and provider of all information, FIB UGM as a beloved faculty, and UNESCO for its extraordinary program, as well as all parties involved. The word ‘finished’ will not stop my passion, but will make me thirstier to learn—wait for me here to share more stories.” said Bulan Churniati.

“A literature alumni can be a banker?!”

Tashia Maharani Tarmizi, an alumni of the English Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, who also had the opportunity to participate in a student exchange program at the University of York, has successfully embarked on her career in the banking industry!

Currently, Tashia works at Bank Central Asia, the top-ranked private bank in Asia, as a management trainee under the Management Development Program (MDP). In brief, MDP itself is a one year program created by BCA to train and nurture future leaders in the banking industry through comprehensive in-class lessons and on-the-job training experiences. In one year, trainees will undergo various rotations in different divisions within the company, such as operations, audit, sales and marketing, and credit analysis.

Her experience at BCA made her realize that working in a bank is not as boring as what many people say. During her first rotation, Tashia had the opportunity to learn about how the banking business process goes at one of BCA’s main branches. Not only did she gain practical work experience, she was also trained to think like a banker, with problem solving skills that offer the best solutions to challenges faced by stakeholders. This experience sharpened her knowledge of business industry and also honed her soft skills such as assertive communication, problem solving, and critical thinking.

One thing that she highlights about the program is its highly competitive recruitmnet process. But, she really appreciates how BCA conducts interviews that prioritize two-way communication. This step is genuinely used to understand the candidates in detail, including their background, motivations, personal goals, etc. Additionally, BCA focuses on a strong emphasis on human resource development, hence continuous learning through coaching, in-class lessons, and on-the-job training are integral parts that will be experienced by every candidate.

However, the journey that she had to take (and currently taking, and will take) is not all rainbows and butterflies. Her education background in literature requires her to study even harder, especially in the quantitative realm. Nevertheless, she believes that literature and humanities students have been accustomed to analytical and critical thinking, as well as viewing problems from various persepctives, which adds value to excel in this program and environment. Another challaange she faced was the shift in the working system from WFH (Work from Home) to WFO (Work from Office). As a person accustomed to the WFH system, this gave her another different experience. However, she is beyond grateful for it, as it brought her closer to her friends and colleagues.

One intriguing aspect of Tashia Maharani is that the thought of becoming a banker never crossed her mind. Previously, she worked as a full time entrepreneur at home, building a small business that aligned with her passion. Most people asked her why she gave up on spearheading her business in exchange to going back to corporate life. Her answer is pretty simple, she still has a strong passion and desire to learn. Whether she ends up as a banker or an entrepreneur, she is aware that there is so much she does not know about in this world. Tashia chose MDP because she believes that this program not only teaches how to be a leader but also allows her to meet people from different backgrounds and industries. Moreover, this job brings her closer to various aspects such as economics, trade, investment, etc, which are closely related to people’s daily lives.

In conclusion, Tashia emphasized that the MDP program and the banking industry, in general, is made up of people from diverse backgrounds, most of which are not direclty related to their current jobs. Tashia says, “Just because you come from a certain major, it does not mean that you cannot have a career in the banking industry. The most important thing is to have leadership and interpersonal skills, which can be honed through various activities such as organizations, student exchanges, internships, as well as the ability to analyze and think critically, which will guide you through various challenges.”

Photo 1: Tashia when she was attending the University of York as a student exchange through IISMA program. 

Photo 2: She had an amazing opportunity to visit the Embassy of The Republic of Indonesia to the United Kingdom, Ireland and International Maritime Organization in London.

Ever wonder why men and women sometimes seem like they’re speaking different languages? Linguists have been digging into this mystery, going beyond vocabulary differences to explore how men and women communicate in unique ways. This article aims to discover the fascinating world of gender-specific language patterns, pulling insights from reliable sources to give you the lowdown on this captivating aspect of human interaction.

Communication Styles: Reading Between the Lines

When it comes to social interactions, men and women often showcase distinct communication styles. Women, in particular, have a knack for using implicit language, especially when expressing their wants or likes. Picture this: you’re on a date, and your girlfriend doesn’t outright say where she’d like to go. Instead, she drop hints, leaving it to you to play detective and figure out their unspoken preferences. This tendency aligns with what linguists have found – women often use subtle communication strategies to get their point across (Lakoff, 1975).

Tag Questions and Rising Intonation: The Women’s Secret Language

One of the landmark studies on gender-specific language use, led by Deborah Tannen in 1975, shed light on the prevalence of tag questions in women’s speech. Tannen argued that women deploy tag questions as a way of hedging, adding a touch of uncertainty or seeking reassurance. She also pointed out that women frequently use rising intonation on statements, making them sound like questions. This linguistic quirk adds a layer of complexity to women’s communication, requiring a nuanced interpretation to grasp their intended meaning.

Different Strokes: Men vs. Women in Language

Linguists have delved into the intriguing differences in emphasis between men’s and women’s language, shedding light on unique communication styles. Research indicates that men typically prioritize conveying information, striving for clarity and directness. In contrast, women often assign a higher significance to social connections and the cultivation of relationships (Tannen, 1990). For instance, women may engage in sharing gossip as a means to foster and maintain relationships among themselves (Tannen, 1991). This communication practice, far from being trivial, serves as a social bonding mechanism, strengthening connections within their social circles. On the other hand, men tend to share information selectively, focusing on relaying pertinent and crucial details.

In conclusion, the use of language between men and women unfolds as a multifaceted phenomenon, intricately woven with various linguistic nuances. Deborah Tannen’s groundbreaking work in 1975 marked a significant milestone, offering a gateway to a deeper comprehension of these distinctive communication styles. The delicacy inherent in women’s language, coupled with their strong emphasis on social connections, contributes to the rich tapestry of human communication. Importantly, recognizing and appreciating these nuanced differences in language aligns with the global pursuit of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 – Gender Equality. SDG 5 emphasizes the importance of dismantling gender stereotypes and promoting equal opportunities in various spheres, including communication. As our understanding of gender differences in language continues to evolve, it becomes increasingly crucial to consider these nuances not only for enhancing interpersonal communication but also as part of a broader commitment to fostering gender equality. By acknowledging and valuing the unique ways in which men and women communicate, we contribute to creating a more inclusive and respectful world.

References:
Lakoff, R. (1975). Language and Woman’s Place. Harper & Row.
Tannen, D. (1975). You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation. William Morrow and Company, Inc.
Tannen, D. (1990). You’re Wearing THAT?: Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation. Random House.
Tannen, D. (19911990). You just don’t understand: women and men in conversation. 1st Ballantine Books ed. New York, Ballantine.

This article has previously been published by Pusat Bahasa FIB UGM through this link.