Speeding up

Have you ever had that strong desire... igniting in your veins and it seems like it’s your lifetime goal to achieve it. Well not lifetime but at least half of my lifetime I’ve been dreaming of the day when I would graduate from University and be done with studying! As silly and childish this would sound I’ve always felt that I was destined for more…beyond the books and tests there is more for me to learn and explore. People say your real life begins when you have crossed the academic borders and into the real world of working. Okay...everyone wants to graduate, that’s a definite… but my wish is to graduate fast. I want to go fast, I want to finish fast and I want to start exploring the new realm faster. How fast? Like 18 years old graduating from University with a Bachelor degree in Professional Accounting fast. People would comment that I’m tripping. Here’s a brief background of my family: we have this tradition of graduating fast. Both my parents got their degrees in their early 20s (like 21) and my brother who is 19 is going to graduate in his degree, which is engineering, this summer. We’re like accelerators here but regardless of that tradition I myself wish to finish early.


For what reasons? Well I’ve got several reasons and one was mentioned above. The others are: I want to travel and I want to go back to my home country, Indonesia, as soon as possible to help my parents take care of my 2 younger siblings (11 year-old Colleen and 10 year-old Phillip). I guess the most important thing for me in this life is my family.

Left to right: Colleen, me and Phillip

So I was 15 when I finished year 10 and I used my O level result to come to Australia and enroll into foundation. I was a frail and spoiled 15 year-old since living in Indonesia makes it impossible for you to be independent because you have maids and drivers. It was not easy to miss out on the chance of experiencing those glorious HSC days… you know what they say ‘High school is the best part of your life’. When I finished foundation I continued to Diploma and now I’m studying in Macquarie City Campus and this is my second last term (amen!). I’m still 17 and I’m still in the process of getting there.

Looking back, I’m proud of what I’ve been through to make it to this point and how much I’ve strived to achieve my dream. I’ve learnt that there’s literally no way of stopping you from achieving your dreams (not including the impossible) if you are a 101% certain that you want it. Dreams push you to do far better than you expect and become a far better person than you imagine. People will try to bring you down and some will encourage you, but look inside you and find that biggest encouragement which has to come from yourself… that way there are no barriers blocking you from that wish of yours. 

Foundation graduation in SIBT

 Cynthia Handriani Wijaya