Opportunity Does Knock, But Once!

"Directionless" was a word that could never fully capture how lost I felt when I was studying at a vocational school. The institution was situated not far from where I currently reside. That was a tough time in my life, as I had not yet discovered who I truly was. However, one day, as I daydreamed about the future, I experienced a light-bulb moment. I realized that I couldn't just lie in bed every day, lead a monotonous life, and expect things to change. So, I set out to discover my true self. I felt an unrelenting motivation and enthusiasm as I searched for my goals, vision, and direction. I read stacks of books, watched hundreds of videos, and pushed myself to learn new things. I watched motivational videos, listened to audios, and even learned several languages at once. It may sound like madness, but it was me at my most authentic self. At some point, I realized that it was too much, so I chose to focus on improving my English. Year after year, I dedicated myself to mastering this language. And finally, in 2016, I achieved significant progress with my English. Even after I graduated, the only higher grade in my report was English.

At that time, my determination was unwavering, and I knew exactly where I was headed - university. However, reality soon hit me. The path to university was no easy feat, and the cost was overwhelming. I realized that I needed to find a way to fund my education, so I applied for scholarships such as Monbukagakusho and Bidikmisi. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I failed the exam and did not meet the selection requirements. That moment marked a turning point where I felt lost, stressed out, and uncertain of my future. I had no clue where to turn, what I was supposed to do, or how to get out of my predicament. In the end, the only solution was to prepare backup plans, such as plan B, plan C, and so on.

Talking to the waves, Pangandaran (2016)

With a backpack on my back and a sense of adventure in my heart, I decided to embark on a trip to Singapore just a month after making up my mind. I was determined to make it happen and had even saved up enough money to prepare for all the necessary backpacking gear. However, the night before my planned departure, I had to have a tough conversation with my parents. I needed to let them know that I wanted to become independent and not be a burden on them anymore. It was not an easy decision to make, and their reaction broke my heart. My parents were shedding tears at the thought of me leaving, and that moment was one of the toughest in my life. But, as much as I love my parents, I couldn't just abandon my dreams. Unfortunately, my backup plan failed, and I had to figure out what to do next.

University Registration, Siliwangi University (2017)

As I had to move on to plan C, I decided to build my skills, create a personal brand, and set goals while learning new languages. It wasn't easy to manage everything in detail, but I stayed motivated by watching tons of motivational videos. From September 2016 to July 2017, I did a lot of things such as guiding foreign friends from other countries, teaching English privately, and more. In May 2017, I applied for a scholarship again and had to take an exam to enter university. Months passed, and when I checked the website, I wasn't confident that I would be accepted again. But to my surprise, I had been accepted into Siliwangi University. I couldn't believe it, and I immediately told my parents the good news. We were all filled with immense gratitude for this opportunity.

That moment changed everything. It was like a switch had been flipped, and suddenly I knew that success was within my reach - as long as I did the right things. I decided to take a gap year instead of going straight to university, and I used that time to work on myself, to improve my skills, and to build my quality. And you know what? That decision turned out to be the best one I ever made. The most important lesson I learned is this: When opportunity knocks, you'd better be ready to answer the door. You never know when it will come again, so grab it with both hands, and don't let go. As the saying goes, 'Opportunity knocks only once!' - and I, for one, plan to make the most of every chance that comes my way.