“Sometimes good things come when you least expect it”
Towards the end of q1 2022, there are things that I have been through. Mostly happy, alhamdulillah. I don’t think there’s any sadness in this q1. If there is, I might forget it. Shouldn’t that be the case for us to only remember and live the pleasant things instead of remembering the sadness? Because for me, remembering bad things just breaks us down. Letting go of the bad things is heavier than the good, isn’t it? But never mind.
The fawn has entered the next phase of his life. January was great, February was cool and March is awesome. As a human, we do have a purpose in each of our life and so did I. If someone asking what is my purpose, sometimes I got confused and can’t answer the question. However, over time I was able to find the answer. The answer of life purpose question is certainly not objective and singular, but as pieces of a puzzle that we have to put together one by one.
At the edge of 2021, I have completed my internship program at one of Indian company. This internship program done by full remote. My scope of work is writing articles, 250 words minimum a day except weekend, like a piece of cake lol just kidding. After that internship, I decided to take a bootcamp. I take UI/UX design for my course. I had interest in that major, where I think design is quite fun. Bootcamp + taking thesis seems rational and logic for me. I commit to myself not to take any kind of internship, part-time, freelance or so on. I just want to focus on my bootcamp and thesis. But, the truth is different.
January
Happy new year, they said. New year, new me. Same bullshit if we don’t act. Okay, at the beginning of this year, my plan is to do some research about UI/UX and preparing my thesis. Until 10 January, my friend (Adam) offer me a full time job. I have skipped many recruitment, but not this one. I don’t know why but it’s like something has whispered me to accept this offer. He told me that a digital advertising agency in South Jakarta needed a copywriter. Without any consideration about my previous principle, I sent my resume and portofolio to him. Honestly, I don’t put my hope in it. Totally not. I just sent it and living my daily life as usual. But as the wise man said: “If you want something, don’t put a hope or expectation in it”. Guess what? I got an interview invitation just 2 hours after I sent my CV and portofolio. Someone has contact me through WhatsApp and it was like, what the fuck.
I said yes. I'll come to their office according their request. I think it's about 2 or 3 days after WhatsApp message. Finally, the day has arrived. My interview day. My plan is about I'm going there alone. However, after finishing my bath, Jo (my cousin) has waited me in front of the bathroom and ask me if he can accompany me to my future office. Thanks Jo, I need a friend of course. I arrived at the office on time. I remember my appointment is at 02.00 PM. I entered the building like a lost child looking for their mom. I then ask the security is it where's Mediarumu office? He replied "on the first floor sir". "Thank you", I replied. I walk away, using the elevator to go upstair. I was there, alone in the elevator. Thinking about what kind of question will I get, thinking about am the HRD is a good man or a badman, how is the office situation, wondering if I can have cigarettes inside the office, am I dressing well enough, and so on. Ting! The elevator has stopped. I look around, left and right and no one there until Mr. Faqih came out. He told me he is one of Mediarumu employee and Mr. Bram has been waiting for my arrival.
It’s cool I think. Cozy office with two beanbags in the middle of the room. My interview duration is about one hour. Mr. Bram is the head of creative in Mediarumu. We have a chill interview. Totally not formal and we laugh in some section. After my interview, I decided to invite Jo to a coffeeshop in South Jakarta. A coffeeshop that I usually visit with my friends. He has accompany me to my interview and I think it’s suits if I buy him a cup of coffee.
Just 5 minutes after I burn my cigarettes and enjoying my coffee, Mrs. Maya calls me through WhatsApp. Mrs. Maya is the finance person in Mediarumu. We talked on the phone and long story short, I got the job.
“I remember that feels was like a a poet who still sings in the pouring rain”
I don’t give a shit about the people around me at that coffeeshop. I’m screaming alhamdulillah and yes at that time. The conclusion is, I’m happy. Jo hugs and congratulate me. Honestly, I cried a little at that time. Knowing that I will lighten my mother’s burden. I can give my little brother UC (kind of PUBG cash). But most important, remember the purpose that I’ve mentioned above? Yes, one of my life purpose is to not demand my mother for money anymore and lighten my mother’s burden. Being in a family that is not very rich is a blessing for me. Even with a meager salary, I will certainly try to send money to my mother. The level of happiness of rich families and middle-class families is different, right? No matter how much money I give, my mother is still proud and touched by my achievement on this one. Not being so reach is a grace I think. Honestly, make my mother smile is more touched me instead of I get a Lambo from her. The more richest my mom, the more it’s harder to get her smile I think. So, yeah. January was great!
February
Wise man once said that “The hard time to do something new is at the beginning”. Honestly, it’s not easy to adapt to a new environment. My first impression when I came into the office was “I am inexperienced and have never worked in an agency before. How am I going to deal with it?” However, when self-doubt arises, that’s where I play my philosophical side. I started implementing the lessons I had learned in college. I learned about political philosophy, social philosophy, hermeneutics, and many ideas of Greek philosophers that became my provision in dealing with all situations. And it works. I had thought that being a philosophy student would only be equipped with critical thinking and the discourse would not leave my college. But I’m wrong.
I remember Sartre’s words that hell is always other people, what Stoics said about the dichotomy of control, and many other ideas that I implemented. I became firm and confident in myself. What stuck with me the most were the words of existentialist thinkers, that “know who you are and what your goals are” and the rest is shit. Nietzsche’s ubermencsh, Kierkegaard’s subjectivity and I-Thou Martin Buber gave me more power. So yeah. February was cool because this month proves me that philosophy is not an antique and rigid that can only be discussed in class and is not useful in our daily life in practice.
March
1 month before Ramadan. To be honest, January and February were Mediarumu’s dark months because there were no clients in that month. However, March is Mediarumu’s lucky month because this month more than 5 clients have entered and almost 10 are in the process of pitching. Mediarumu recorded the biggest client record this month. A very fantastic nominal for me. Will my arrival bring good luck? lol.
I’m getting used to the flow of office work. I understand how the system in this office works. How office politics is run. What are the disadvantages of this office. As a philosophy student, identifying is not difficult, is it? Haha. Just kidding, never mind. As I mentioned in my other article that my job description is writing. Actually, writing has become my new hobby. It wasn’t long before I fell in love with writing -about 3 years ago when my GDA plunged drastically. However, if our work is in harmony with hobbies, then it is not a job but fun, right? So, again, March was awesome.
