Month: April 2023

Memory Lantern

It had been 19 days since Papa passed away. I remembered how he wanted me to drive a car and said that if I could, it would be given to me. Then here I was. The vehicle had changed ownership to be mine. Why did it feel so empty?

I was often angry with him because he kept pushing me to learn to drive. On his last day, I had not had a chance to say sorry and goodbye. Why was time running so fast? Why did it not allow me to admit my mistakes?

I stared at the car blankly. Every time I saw this car, it always reminded me of him. This car was his favorite. Regret attacked me repeatedly like lightning strikes. I went into the house and ventured to look inside Papa’s gallery. People said that a photo or video brought memories, so I wondered what kind of memories Papa always kept for himself.

The moment I opened the gallery, I could see many of our family’s photos. My photo that I didn’t even know he took, and his beloved car—the photos he took look very pretty and natural. I tried to close my eyes to strengthen myself from crying. The second I closed my eyes, the memories played, and I returned to the beginning.

The moments we walked with our dogs every Sunday, the moments we played badminton every afternoon, the moments we had family trips together, the moment when we celebrated my seventeenth birthday. Until when he was lying weak in the hospital, and the moment when I hadn’t got a chance to say goodbye. The afterimage that keeps popping in my head makes me dizzy.

I felt like I was going to drown in my grief, but I quickly stilled myself. I had to say my final goodbye to Papa. Then I remembered the Japanese custom of flying lanterns in honor of the departed. Some people said it was called memory lanterns. It let you whispered something to someone you lost, and the lantern would carry the message to them in the sky.

Mama noticed what I was doing and asked what the lantern was for, to which I simply smiled and stated it was my final goodbye to Papa. She just smiled and waited for me to finish what I had started. Here’s my letter:

Hi, Pa! It’s me, Leah. How’s it going up there? Is it no longer hurting you? Are you still just as powerful as you used to be? I really miss you. Really. I was composing this letter specifically for you today. I hope you receive this letter. I apologize, Pa, because the last time I was annoyed with you about little matters. I’m sorry you didn’t see me at my best, and I’m sorry I never said: “I love you.” Why is it so difficult for me to say it to you if it is only eight letters? Maybe I was arrogant about it. Sorry for not saying it earlier, but I want to say it now. Thank you for being on my side. Thank you for every memory we’ve been through together. I’m sorry I missed out on my final goodbye. I am also very grateful because you made my life more meaningful. Thank you for guiding me all this time. Oh, and also, I wanted to tell you I now have a driver’s license! Isn’t it better up there? I know you can see me from there. Now is my time to let you go and say goodbye. Goodbye, Pa. See you in another life. I love you. –Leah.

I flew the lantern in my backyard at night. I could see it moving upward. I stared at it until it vanished. I drew a deep breath after it was gone. I smiled and rushed into the house, looking for Mama. I hugged her. “I love you,” I told Mama, both of us teary-eyed.

Author: Erica Rafaella

Editor: Desca Geovani Kristi, Ruth Tirza Arina (QC)

Illustrator: Angelita Dayang Diva

Creative Writings Poem

Path of Lovers

I still remember the time when I first saw you

A divine human being that could rival gods and goddesses

Maybe that was why you were placed in this rotten world.

Such speed and agility you have could make Hermes mad

Such beauty and grace you have could make Aphrodite fumed with jealousy

Such brightness and warmth you have could not compare to Apollo himself.

I will always follow you and protect you in this rotten world.

More importantly, I will always love you, divine or not.

It was not my intention to make you wept, my dearest.

Don’t dirty yourself with my merely mortal self. Let go of my body. Let go of my soul.

For then I could be with you when the time has come for us to be reunited.

Our path of lovers was covered by the devotion of lavenders

And such things should not be withered by our suffering.

I will wait for you on our path of lovers…

But then,

From the moment you took my hand

I recognized you all at once.

I still remember the first time I saw you

Now a mere mortal, a kind human being with a giddy smile

Who rang my name so gently like it was a delicate hope.

I recognized you all at once.

I recognized you from the way you laughed

You’d always burst out laughing with one hand covering your mouth.

I recognized you from the way you walked

From the graceful and confident sounds of your footsteps.

I recognized the way you interacted with people

You always listened to them, giving all your attention to them

And your eyes would not break away.

I recognized you from your scent

A clean soap, with a hint of fresh mint from your shampoo

I recognized you from your touch

From the way you tenderly caressed my skin.

Such brightness, warmth, beauty, and grace…

Long I have been waiting for you on our path of lovers.

Long I have been waiting for the time we finally meet in a field of lavenders.

But even if we finally meet again in a different world

With different names, bodies, minds, and manners

I knew that it was you all along

And I still love you either way, divine or not.

For what is the purpose of having a divine self, if we do not feed our hearts with love and compassion?

Author: Kenar Syalaisha Kanayana

Editor: Nanda Pratama Putera Tomasila, Vonna Meisya Saputra(QC)

Illustrator: Ajeng Suci Hati

Creative Writings Flash Fiction

Youth

“Let’s break up, Haru,” he said.

I did not even flinch because I knew this was the end.

“I think our relationship doesn’t work.”

I took some time to see right in his eyes. There was no regret when he said that. He meant it.

“You know, you’re just too kind for me. I don’t deserve you.”

I was still looking into his eyes. Did he not know? I saw through his lies.

“Okay,” I finally said.

“Okay? Is that the best you can say?”

“What did you expect? Begging you for a hug?”

“Forget it.” Then he left me. Amid blooming flowers, under the clear sky, the cherry blossoms bloomed beautifully. Some fell in the wind and hit me. On the 7th of March, my relationship ended. I thought I was supposed to be sad. But why did I feel so numb? Maybe because I knew it would end like this? Because he was continually seeing another girl?

The street looked so beautiful. Cherry blossom trees filled the streets with pink. People were taking pictures with their beloved ones. Some with their partners, some with their families, and here I am. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. The moment I closed my eyes, my memory began.

It was in winter. One year ago, he confessed his feelings to me, and I did the same. I still remembered how happy we were at the beginning of our relationship. We laughed, spent our time together, watched movies, and laughed over a simple matte, but I didn’t know since when I always prioritized him above myself.

I grew my hair because he liked it even though I did not. I always waited for him to text me, I canceled my plans with friends just to see him, and I set the alarm for midnight to ensure he texted me when he got home. I bought him what he wanted. I didn’t even have time for myself. I always begged forgiveness for a mistake that he should have apologized for. I gave the best of everything just for him.

For almost one month, I felt that he had changed. He never texted me first and never asked how my day was. He always said he was freaking busy, so he could not reach me; we fought all day long, but I was always the one apologizing. Ultimately, I found him having an affair with his coworker. When did I become so foolish?

I realized how stupid it was to sacrifice myself for someone who didn’t deserve it. I realized that I was losing myself in a relationship. So, that was the end. The wind hit me. I opened my eyes and saw what a beautiful sight this was.

Now I knew why I felt numb when he dumped me. That’s right, something about love. I had to love myself first before I could love anyone else. It was time for me to take a better step. I took one step, and at first, it felt weird. I was scared about how my life would go without someone grabbing my hand.

Again, I took another step, and this was the right path. I felt free and relieved now. I could feel myself slowly returning. No regrets. I walked with relief, heading home while imagining spending time with myself, my family, and the friends I had left behind. Being in a relationship wasn’t for me. You know, in life, some things were just not meant to be.

Writer: Erica Rafaella

Editor: Desca Geovani Kristi, Ruth Tirza Arina (QC)

Illustrator: Kenar Syalaisha Kanayana

Current News

Holes in the Roof of Ladies’ Restroom: Remain Unfixed

Post author By integrity.usd@gmail.com
Post date April 26, 2023
No Comments on Holes in the Roof of Ladies’ Restroom: Remain Unfixed

As confirmed by one of the cleaning staff, the holes found in the roof of the ladies’ toilet, on the third and the fourth floor to be precise, have indeed been there for approximately five months ago until this day.

It’s no secret that some noticeable holes are located on the roof of some Faculty of Letters building toilet areas. At first, it was just a tiny hole, but later it turned bigger. Some students find this problem disturbing.

“This happened because of the perforated and porous roof,” Widodo, one of the cleaning staff at Sanata Dharma University, said. He added that General Service Bureau (BLU) already has a plan for the repairs, but it has not been implemented yet because the funds have not been disbursed.

“I think this perforated roof is disturbing and can be dangerous as the roof might suddenly fall when someone is in the toilet,” Aurelia Abigail, one of the students of the English Letters Department from batch 2020, said.

Meanwhile, Eugenia, another student in the English Letter Department from batch 2020, thought that these holes were dangerous and made students uncomfortable. She shared that she had a personal concern regarding the possibility of hiding a hidden camera in the ladies restroom. She wished that this concern was taken seriously so the problem could be fixed sooner.

Journalist:Erica Rafaella & Valentina Pascalia

Editor: Desca Geovani Kristi & Ruth Tirza Arina (QC)

Creative Writings Poem

The Bell of Spring

The wind of youth breezed in softly

Accompanied the flower buds that screamed loudly

“My time has come!

Let the efflorescences arrive!”

All of the immaturity swayed away

Let the sleepers revived

The harbinger of spring had been burgeoned

A single bud appeared shyly

There it was, the white one

Showed its buds tenderly

Oh, the snowdrops!

As white as the clouds

As verdurous as grasses

People said she was a warrior

Bearing the winter in solitude

A child of Demeter

Sister of Persephone

Her arrival was like a bell

Echoing the fall of winter

Bending her petal

Her smiles tender

Author: Dulce Cicilia Sariri

Editor: Yohana Satvika Wahyuveda, Ruth Tirza Arina (QC)

Volume 2

Only I Know

I close my eyes

When all I want is to cry

But I lost my voice

Tryna take a real breath

Sungu and His Given Tasks Part. 1

The story I am about to tell you is a tale of tragedy.

A wise man once said that there is a thin line between loving and obsessing over someone.

How do you know if your love is pure or not? Unfortunately, I don’t have an accurate answer to that question. But, I think we could learn one or two things from Sungu’s story as he tried to prove how strong and deep his love was by doing tasks given by two mighty deities.

Seeing Merapi’s “Cough” From Close Distance, Fortune or Misfortune?

The noon on March 11, 2023 was clear, and the day went well from early morning. There was not a single notification of bad weather or other potential natural disasters. Hence, the group of linguistic students from Sanata Dharma University and Hong Kong University and I headed to Mount Merapi to close our week with a Lava Tour.

ELMO Frijam March 2023: Nostalgia Night

Yogyakarta (27/03/2023) – The first Friday jamming (Frijam) of 2023 was held by the English Letters Music Organization (ELMO) on the 24^th of March. It took place at Sunset Coffee & Eatery with “Nostalgia” as their main theme. Being the first ever event of the year, ELMO Frijam has greatly improved compared to the previous one.

(Not) A Shout Out

This is NOT a shout out

for not sleeping

seven days in a row

and still surviving.

LCYA Reading Club’s: The 1st Ever LYCA’s Book Sharing

Yogyakarta (18/03/2023) The first-ever Book Sharing discussion was held by Literature for Children and Young Adults (LYCA) Reading Club on March 17, 2023. Seventeen (17) people participated in the conversation which took place in S. 304. The theme of the book sharing was “Book Treasure“.

!!!!!!

The silent ambience of the void is blooming

Voices in my head starts to be gloomy

Thy voices starts rumbling

Preventing me from feeling your beauty

Sastra Gives Back: Back to Serves the Community

Yogyakarta (11/03/2023) – The annual activity “Sastra Gives Back” strikes back this semester from February 25th to March 18th. Held in Sanggar Anak Alam, Kasihan District, Bantul Regency, DI Yogyakarta, 40 volunteers took turn each week to teach elementary school students English language from first to sixth grade.

Time

Stealthily, the time is sneaking

Performing its duty

On the art of killing

Murdering beauty

The Life of the Cattle

Today is a beautiful day. Nice weather, but I questioned, is it beautiful because of the weather or the event that happened in my life lately that makes my day wonderful?

As a hardworking man, my efforts are finally paid off. I get the chance to leave the countryside because my job promotion takes me and my fiancée moving to town. I imagine a nice urban area where a life of dreams and success usually resides. It’s nice and also sad to leave this place. I will miss the fresh air once I get in town.

A Perfect Day for Me

Wake up with things in the right place

Hear a clunk of stuff from downstairs

Sounds so busy I wonder

Turns out it is my lover

I realize, they just ran a marathon

Calling me over to eat some croutons

Bocchi The Rock! Review

Are you tired of watching the same old anime with the same old isekai and rom-com genres? Then, prepare to rock out with Bocchi the Rock! Follow the life of the timid and introverted Hitori Gotoh, aka Bocchi, on her adventures and struggle to form her own band. Along the way, she meets new friends such as the kind-and-friendly Nijika Ijichi, the eccentric Ryo Yamada, and the sociable yet cheerful Ikuyo Kita. Will they succeed in forming their band, and can they pull off their first concert?

Current News

HKU x SDU: Linguistic Field Trip Program

Post author By integrity.usd@gmail.com
Post date April 20, 2023
No Comments on HKU x SDU: Linguistic Field Trip Program

***Linguistic Field Trip; Study Tour Program*** *(taken by Rasyid Aziz Nugroho)*

Linguistic Field Trip is one of the first contacts between SDU and HKU. This program is intended to be a crucial part of SDU’s future in increasing the quality of the university and the relationships between other universities abroad. “A way to become an international university,” Dalan, one of the advisors of this program, said.

***Felix Lew, Linguistic Field Trip participant*** *(taken by Sultan Mahesadewa)*

Felix Lew, one of the Linguistic Field Trip participants, said that Indonesia, specifically Yogyakarta, was chosen due to its diverse range of languages. He said that the program has succeeded in fulfilling their main goal on their recent study subject.

“The program gives us a better understanding of language varieties,” Felix said. Not only did the program focus on the linguistic aspect of Indonesia, but it also explored the cultural aspect, which the participants have welcomed with enthusiasm. That said, they find it quite difficult for them to face the cultural differences between their country of origin and Indonesia. “It’s a bit hard for some of us to get used to the culture shock,” Felix said. However, the program has succeeded in its main goal, making it a big achievement for SDU.

***Dalan Mehuli Perangin Angin S.S., Ph.D., Linguistic Field Trip partner and advisor*** *(taken by Sultan Mahesadewa)*

Dalan Mehuli Perangin Angin S.S., PhD., as the leading director of this event, chose HKU due to his recent study there. Therefore, he saw this as an opportunity to maintain the relationship between both universities. By leading this program, he hopes that SDU will be able to achieve relationships with international universities around the globe, and he hopes that this program will improve the quality of education for SDU’s students as well.

The program was going as planned although there were several hurdles while it was held, such as the tight scheduling and the unpredictable nature of events. However, Dalan was amazed by the SDU students’ dedication to this program by assisting the HKU students’ needs. One of those instances is the eruption of Mt. Merapi. This was problematic, they thought, but it brought another reaction that surprised Dalan. HKU’s students were amazed by the scene of the eruption. They did not leave scared, and they left the place with unforgettable memories.

Dalan wishes that this program will improve the relations between both universities and improve the quality of the investment that the university made since he believes that there will be more exchange student programs in the future.

Journalist: Sultan Mahesadewa, Putu Beryl Putra Widyadhana

Editor: Nanda Pratama Putera Tomasila, Vonna Meisya Saputra (QC)

Creative Writings Poem

Only I Know

I close my eyes

When all I want is to cry

But I lost my voice

Tryna take a real breath

Unspoken words

They don’t understand

Want to take a walk back

But nothing feels like home

“It’ll pass,” they say

But only can they say

‘Cause they don’t see my pain

Only I know my pain

Tell me it’s alright

When this world doesn’t seem bright

In my endless night

Will you grant me the light?

Author: Erica Rafaella

Editor: Desca Geovani Kristi, Vonna Meisya Saputra (QC)

Illustrator: Ajeng Suci Hati

Current News

ELMO Frijam March 2023: Nostalgia Night

Post author By integrity.usd@gmail.com
Post date April 14, 2023
No Comments on ELMO Frijam March 2023: Nostalgia Night

***ELMO Frijam Band’s performance*** *(taken by Agnes Seraphine)*

Each band performing has prepared four songs and trained for a month before the jamming session. The band performing are Xtasy, Sixieme Pop, Sixsins, and Glasswuple. The show was closed with a surprise performance from Sammy and his friends, the alumni band. Around 100 people attended the show.

A lot of obstacles were experienced while preparing the show. Katharina Bayusekar, the Chairperson of ELMO, noted that aside from the venue’s location, each band also faced a conflict in choosing what song to perform and how to arrange them.

***ELMO Frijam’s Audience*** *(taken by Agnes Seraphine)*

Maria Divacaeli Kurniarti, the vocal coach of ELMO, gave a supporting statement on the obstacle faced during the practice. She mentioned that the feedback had to be given to the members repeatedly to ensure they gave the best outcome while performing.

Regardless of ELMO’s struggle, this month’s Frijam was a great success compared to the previous Frijam. With the performers being more prepared, the huge increase in the audience, and the venue being in an outdoor area, it fitted more with the theme which was “Nostalgia”.

Being the audience of ELMO Frijam, Bernadetha Olivia Puspitasari also felt the difference between this Frijam and the previous one. The difference is that it was livelier than before. She said, “Because of the clear sound system, we can focus more on the performance, and the vibe supports the performance.”

She further stated, however, that there was still room for improvement for the next ELMO Frijam.

“I hope they will be more prepared, not too focused (on the song), and interact more with the audience for the euphoria,” Oliv said. With the next Frijam in approximately two months from now, the audience hopes to see more improvements.

Overall, the improvement being made was clear. The vibe, venue, and performance were all done well to fit the theme “Nostalgia”. This month’s Frijam made the audience thrilled about the next Frijam.

Journalist: Gregorius Beryl S.S.

Editor: Sitti Aminah Intan Utami & Vonna Meisya Saputra (QC)

Features Student's Story

Seeing Merapi’s “Cough” From Close Distance, Fortune or Misfortune?

Post author By integrity.usd@gmail.com
Post date April 12, 2023
No Comments on Seeing Merapi’s “Cough” From Close Distance, Fortune or Misfortune?

"Eruption! Eruption! Come down quickly!" the souvenir vendors who stared at Mount Merapi, which was spewing hot clouds and black dust out, shouted.

The tour trip planned to cover four destinations started after we got into our jeeps. Everyone was still smiling excitedly at the thought of our trip, including me because it was my first time being near Mount Merapi. Athena and Aurora, two friends from Hong Kong University, and I enjoyed our first destination trip accompanied by our jeep driver who often joked with us.

Our first destination was the Kaliadem Bunker, the highest point ordinary tourists can visit. We closed the visit with taking a group photo. We finally got back into our jeeps after being urged to save time, and something strange happened at this point. The souvenir sellers and tourists who were below suddenly looked up and stared at Mount Merapi while pointing at it.

“Eruption!” a person next to me said abruptly. Athena, Aurora, and I immediately turned toward the mountain. Sure enough, from the left side of the mountain, thick black smoke could be seen rising into the sky.

The trip down the mountain was thrilling, especially after seeing many people flocking down the mountain. However, our jeep driver reassured us by saying that this eruption was a normal thing that happened at Mount Merapi. Even so, it was difficult for us to calm down because this was our first time going to a volcano, and we were immediately greeted with an eruption.

Even though there had been an eruption, our tour continued. However, we could not enjoy the second and third tour destinations properly since the hot clouds were getting higher and wider in reach. My two friends and I started to calm down after continuing our journey to the fourth destination, which was farther than the previous destinations.

Nevertheless, the eruption that we thought had stopped after a few minutes continued. The hot clouds continued to reappear several times more, even after we had completed all of the Lava Tour destinations. We then heard from our jeep driver that Magelang and its surroundings had been experiencing the hot ash rain, while Yogyakarta was hit by a scorching atmosphere during the midday.

When telling this, I wondered whether this incident was a fortune or misfortune to me. Yet on second thought, enjoying the view of Mount Merapi up close and still being able to go home safely even though we were constantly being chased by wary was a fortune. Not everyone could be that lucky to see the eruption of Mount Merapi up close on their first visit, right?

Author: Dulce Cicilia Sariri

Editor: Yohana Satvika Wahyuveda, Ruth Tirza Arina (QC)

Illustrator: Angelita Dayang Diva