Alhamdulillah
Allahu Akbar
Terimakasih atas segala Rahmat dan PetunjukMu ya Allah.
Hanya kepadaMU tempat hamba memohon dan meminta pertolongan.
Rasa syukur yang tiada terkira.
Dan semoga fieldwork ini penuh berkah dan penuh hikmah.
Dan hamba mohon keredhoanMu untuk proses selanjutnya hingga purna jua janji bakti.
______
Thank you my dearest love, I miss you so much.
______
Thank you for everything, thank you for everyone.
Astagfirullahal adziim 3x.
Saya seorang yang terbiasa semua on plan.
Kurang bisa tenang jika tidak on schedule apalagi ada agenda yang nyelonong masuk merusak tatanan rencana.
-------------------
Namun, Angel merubah caraku untuk lebih berdamai dengan keadaan. Angel bilang, kita hanya bisa rencanakan dan kondisikan apa yang ada dalam kendali kita. Sehingga yang di luar itu kita hanya bisa menerima dan merespon serta mencari solusi sebaik dan semampu kita.
-------------------
Akhir-akhir ini Allah ingatkan saya dengan banyaknya kejadian-kejadian tak terduga yang membuat degup degup di dada bergelora. Namun alhamdulillah, saya berusaha menerima dengan menguatkan keyakinan diri bahwa ini adalah yang terbaik yang Allah takdirkan buat kita.
Dan ya.... memang demikianlah insya Allah.
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Agar penelitian berjalan dengan lancar, saya melakukan simulasi dan ujicoba di venue untuk pelaksanaannya. Semua berjalan lancar dan sukses saat uji coba.
H-1 pun saya kembali mengkonfirmasi kepada penjaga gedung bahwa saya akan memakai kelas di gedung tersebut seperti minggu lalu. dan beliau bilang OK.
Namun, paginya ternyata saya harus pindah ke kelas lain, ke lantai yang lebih tinggi dan saya belum pernah ujicoba di kelas tersebut. Sang penjaga bilang, ini kelasnya bagus, AC nya lebih dingin, biasanya Pak Rektor suka kuliah di kelas tersebut.
Fiuh, melihat Ibuknya optimis bercerita saya pun, ikut optimis.
Dan Tarrraaa.....
Saat infokus dinyalakan dan coba dihubungkan ke laptop saya... ternyata tidak nyambung.
Sayapun kaleseh peseh di pagi itu untuk urusan laptop dan infokus. coba kabel ini itu, coba pinjam laptop peserta, 1, 2, 3 tetap tidak menyala. Ambil proyektor mini, tapi ternyata colokannya masih versi Ausie dan saya ga bawa yg versi indonesianya. Ada peserta yang inisiatif pinjamkan vga adapter ke teman kostnya dan menjemputkan ke kost. Dan coba lagi ke semua laptop, masih tetap tidak bisa. Akhirnya saya ganti dengan versi tayangan zoom ke laptop untuk masing-masing kelompok.
Alhamdulillah Day 1 done.
--> Alhamdulillahnya, kata si Ibu Saya tak perlu menyusun kembali kursi seperti semula, sehingga minggu depan bisa langsung dipakai lagi. Kelas ini karena di lantai 3 akan jarang dipakai.
Wah benar juga, alhamdulillah. klo kelas di lantai bawah, itu akan sering dipakai kuliah oleh dosen-dosen lain. Sehingga susunan kursi harus dikembalikan seperti semula.
Syukur alhamdulillah ya Allah. perpindahan ini membawa keberkahan dan menjadi solusi untuk satu persoalan pelik, yaitu susun dan bongkar susunan kursi.
Alhamdulillah Allahu Akbar.
_____________________________________________________________
DAY 2
Persiapan Day 2 saya usahakan untuk lebih matang dan bahan-bahannya pun saya siapkan lebih awal. Hingga pagi hari lancar. Dan perjalanan ke kampus pun lancar.
Namun, setibanya di kampus sayapun dibuat terkejut, ternyata saya lupa memasukkan tas ke dalam mobil. Karena saking banyaknya barang bawaan yang harus dimasukkan.
Waktu tinggal 12 menit lagi.
Akhirnya saya putuskan untuk lanjut tanpa menjemput tas, yang artinya tanpa laptop dan tanpa ppt yang sudah saya siapkan sebelumnya.
Saya kejarkan untuk merevisi ppt kembali di kantor.
Dan alhamdulillah ada mahasiswa yang laptop nya bisa dipakai untuk presentasi. Urusan proyektur sudah saya siapkan dengan meminjam infokus dari jurusan. Alhamdulillah berjalan dengan lancar.
And you know what, Allah Maha Penyayang. entah kenapa, saat di rumah pagi hari, charger saya keluarkan dari tas dan pindahkan ke kardus. entah kenapa tiba-tiba saya mengeluarkan memory card kamera yang biasanya saya simpan di tas karena selalu di bawa ke kampus ke tas kamera. Sehingga wal hasil walau tas tertinggal, yang tertinggal hanya lah laptop (dan ppt di dalamnya) sedangkan hal-hal penting yang ada di tas sudah Allah pindahkan dan akhirnya terbawa sampai ke kampus.
Alhamdulillah Day 2 selesai.
Terimakasih ya Rabb.
___________________________________________________________________________
ya... berlatih lah untuk selalu sabar dan tawakkal ronal. karena sebaik apa pun rencanamu, maka Allah punya kuasa untuk menggantinya. Dan insya Allah dengan rencana yang lebih baik beserta rahasia-rahasia illahi dibaliknya.
Alhamdulillah.
Semoga Day 3,4 and 5 serta keseluruhan penelitian ini berjalan lancar dan berkah. Amiin YRA
hmm...
Bisa jadi ya begitu, karena sebagian besar hari-hari dan juga tenaga serta fikiran dihabiskan untuknya.
Dan sebagai institusi pendidikan, hubungan orang-orang di dalamnya sedikit banyak tak ubahnya hubungan kekeluargaan.
Mendidik, membina, membelajarkan.
Dan khususnya bagiku, ia tak sekadar tempat kerja.
Di UNP saya menjalani proses hijrah saat kuliah S1 dulu.
Di UNP pula saya dipertemukan dengan jodoh yang menjadi belahan jiwa.
Di UNP saya dan istri mengabdi bersama.
Di UNP pula sempat anak sulungku menghabiskan masa balita nya.
Ya.. UNP rumah kita.
Semoga Allah berkahi menjadi rumah yang nyaman dan damai.
_____________________
Saya sudah selalu mengingatkan diri ini untuk :
Alhamdulillah
Sabtu dan ahad 2 dan 3 November 2024.
The show must go on. dan Alhamdulillah alla kulli hal.
___
and thank you my dear self for fighting until now.
Jangan menyerah ya. the battle is not finish yet. Many more to go. Keep the spirit up.
___
Alhamdulillah,
There is always a way that Allah will show us.
There are always good people around.
Help always comes, and even in the darkest times, there will always be someone to turn on the light.
_____
It is not done yet, dear myself.
We still have many things to do.
Allahu akbar.
Pekan ini pekan yang harusnya full of research preparation.
Harusnya setelah melakukan one to one evaluation pada hari sabtu, maka pekan setelahnya menjadi hari-hari sibuk menjelang tahapan berikutnya.
tapi apa daya,
tiba-tiba tensi naik, tiba-tiba demam menyerang. tiba-tiba diare datang, tiba-tiba mules menerjang. hampir 2 hari total doing nothing. Berkutat untuk rehat dan mengembalikan energi dan kesehatan.
dimasa itu, tiba-tiba juga ada suruhan untuk menjadi ini dan itu. Hingga ditolak sampai dengan nada ketus karena sedang pusing, demam, pilek dan tensi tinggi. Astagfirullah.
Klo kata mama, memang sering polanya demikian. Klo dah mau ujian, hampir selalu diawali dengan demam dulu. Semoga kebiasaan ini berhenti dan berubah menjadi kebiasaan yang lebih baik.
Tak salah juga memang. Mungkin orang lain mengira saya sedang liburan.
LIBURAAN???
_________
Alhamdulillah, mama, papa dan randa datang ke rumah bawain ramuan mujarab tradisi keluarga " air daun bungo rayo". Plus di kerok in sama mama. Alhamdulillah.
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Dan tak disangka sudah H-2 saja menjelang small group trial stage nya.
Mohon ridho Mu Ya Allah untuk kelancaran dan kesuksesannya. Aammiin YRA
Suatu saat, kita pernah berada di puncak semangat untuk sebuah amal kebaikan.
Suatu ketika kita laksana rahib tangguh yang menghidupkan malam dengan sujud dan tilawah qur'an.
Suatu masa kita pernah serasa menjadi tentara Badar berani, karena mampu menang jihad melawan hawa nafsu dan maksiat.
Suatu waktu kita bagaikan santri unggulan pondok tahfidz dengan tambahan hafalan yang luar biasa.
Tapi.....
Bagaimana bertahan untuk konsisten dengan segala kebaikan maksimal tersebut.
Sungguh benar yang dikatakan bahwa iman itu naik dan turun.
Walau sang murabbi mengatakan bahwa naik turunnya tersebut seharusnya mengikuti kurva naik.
Naik banyak, turun sedikit, lalu cepat sadar dan kembali. Sehingga kurvanya naik lagi.
Naik banyak, turun sedikit, lalu cepat-cepat nak kembali.
Naik banyak, turun sedikit.
begitu seterusnya.
Sehingga, secara umum kecenderungannya adalah naik meningkat.
________
Tak gampang memang Jho.
Tapi jangan menyerah ya.
Seperti nama group wahtsapp adik-adik di kantor "Yuk bisa Yuk"
Ya, dear myself, Yuk bisa yuk.
Bermohonlah pada Rabbmu, agar Ia tuntun engkau untuk istiqomah dalam amal kebaikan.
Yuk bisa yuk.
________
Dear Jho.
Yuk bisa duduk tenang dan rileks serta fokus mengerjakan ketikan terkait riset,mu.
Duduk saja dulu, lalu perlahan asyik masyuk ke dalam dunia riset mu. Jangan lari lagi. Ia menanti mu untuk menuntaskannya.
Coba istiqomah dulu: duduk, rileks, dan ketiklah.
___________
Ah sudahlah,
Mungkin harus ke Kakiku dulu saja.
Bismillah
Fase studi s3 ane sudah memasuki paruh akhir tahun kedua.
Dan ini adalah jadwalnya untuk fieldwork yang dengan kata lain adalah fase untuk long distance marriage lagi dengan jarak Padang - Melbourne.
Start pada 17 September 2024, Ane terbang dari Melbourne menuju Padang. Meninggal kan orang orang ter kasih insya Allah demi jihad ilmu. Menuntaskan perjuangan.
Walau, persiapan fieldwork nya masih dikebut dan dikebut. Dipenuhi rasa was was dan deg deg an. Apakah saya bisa menyelesaikan semua ini?
Supervisor pun mungkin sedang sangat sibuknya.
sehingga sempat slow respon.
Tak biasanya beliau begitu. selama ini selalu fast respond. Menambah dag dia dung.
Tak henti henti AOM menyemangati. Yang nasib nya sendiri pun sedang galau dengan riset proposal nya. Yup ane maklum se maklum maklumnya. seorang Phd Student saat telah melewati tengah tahun pertamanya akan mengalami kegamangan. Pusing mencari gap. Pusing merumuskan riset question dan bergalau ria dengan research paradigm. Research paradigm ??? Barang apa pula itu??
_____________
But overall, syukur alhamdulillah atas segala nikmat yang telah Allah limpahkan.
Nikmat masih bisa menjalani segala dinamika hari-hari ini.
____________
Mumpung sendiri tanpa anak istri di Padang, mari maksimalkan apa yang bisa dimaksimalkan. Walaupun rindu tak mungkin dikalahkan oleh rasa apapun. Mari tetap jalani dan insya Allah seperti biasa, waktu akan menuntaskan segalanya.
Allah SWT tidak akan menyia-nyiakan hambaNya.
Jadi kita hanya perlu berusaha maksimal dan menjadi hamba Allah yang senantiasa bermohon dan bermunajat kepadaNya.
______________
Beberapa targetan dalam memaksimalkan kesendirian.
Entahlah bisa tercapai atau tidak, tapi yuk tulis dan lakukan saja dulu. Bismillah.
1. Rutin memaksimalkan amalan yaumi.
2. Rutin nambah hafalan qur'an.
3. Rutin jaga pola makan.
4. Rutin olahraga minimal 1 jam setiap hari.
5. Rutin mengerjakan aktivitas terkait riset setiap hari menggunakan teknik podomoro.
---------------
Insya Allah.
Yesterday, while waiting to perform the Zuhr prayer at the Springvale Library prayer room, I stood in front of the health and wellbeing aisle. Unintentionally, I grabbed a few books and realized they were about anxiety and how to deal with it.
Although I don't have an anxiety disorder, I noticed the slow progress of my research design and became worried that I might be falling into procrastination. I decided to look for a book about procrastination. Alhamdulillah, I found one. The title is "Do the Hard Things First."
After reading a few pages, I realized that some aspects of procrastination apply to me. Whoa... I need to fix this before it's too late.
Yes, I realized that I have been avoiding tasks.
OK, Let us fix it, Nal!!
Bismillahirrahmanirrahiim
Alhamdulillah.
Menikmati-hari-hari dengan penuh kesyukuran.
Menjalaninya dengan keyakinan penuh pada Rahman dan Rahim nya Allah SWT.
Untuk bab itu alhamdulillah saya berazzam untuk tak pernah goyah.
Tapi...
Untuk bab usaha, terkadang sering lalai juga untuk memaksimalkan jiwa petarung.
Akhir-akhir ini, Sering juga berdiam lama jika menghadapi kebuntuan.
Pernah jua menghindar untuk mencari beragam pengalihan.
This is not good ronal. Pull yourself back and "break a leg".
Insya Allah, Yes we can.
I continue to strive against my procrastination, giving my best effort. Alhamdulillah, sometimes I make progress, but at other times, I find myself stuck in thought.
Recently, however, I've adopted a philosophy inspired by observing my young son eating rice. He eats slowly, and when I urge him, "Rasyid, finish your rice!" he responds, "Ya, Bi. Ada adek makan kok." Remarkably, he eventually finishes. We call his approach to eating "bit by bit. sebiji demi sebiji". Despite its slow pace, he ultimately completes his meal.
This "bit by bit" approach prompted me to reflect on advice often given by my supervisor about progress. The emphasis is on moving forward, not waiting for perfection. Simply create a draft and refine it later. I realise that, in the process, we need Progress, not perfection, this is the key for me.
Therefore, I've learned to value any progress I've made. Though witnessing others' successes in achieving their goals can sometimes evoke feelings of insecurity, I remind myself that this mindset contradicts both my usual approach and the teachings of tarbiyah.
Tarbiyah teaches me to observe and reflect on others' struggles. It's essential not only to focus on success but also to take time to acknowledge those facing numerous challenges and difficulties in their lives. Reflecting on this, I feel deeply grateful to Allah. Alhamdulillah.
A story from the library last night: Unintentionally, I sat across from a man who appeared Chinese, unaware that he was Indonesian until he answered a phone call in Bahasa Indonesia. He confided to the person on the other end about feeling stressed with his job. From what he shared, it seemed he was only involved in planting crops, likely working on a farm judging by his attire. 'Kamu tahu nggak, aku sedang stress nih dengan kerjaan. Sedikit stress sih, kerjaan ku itu nggak berat, hanya menanam-nanam gitu kan.....' Begitulah kurang lebih yang kudengar.
The reason I share this eavesdropped encounter is to remind myself never to compare my work with others'. It might seem easier for him, just tending to plants without the complexities of research, designing, writing, proposal revising and other 'thinking' responsibilities. However, we never truly understand someone else's situation.
So, it's crucial to be grateful for what you have and to continually strive to make progress, regardless of the circumstances.
Believe it or not, these days I feel that i should fight with myself.
Because it seems that lazyness has occupied my mind.
yeah, I can blame other things or make excuses for it. But, i realise that it is me, my self that cannot organise my time well.
_____
Honestly, I am currently at the stage of struggling with my research planning and progress.
I have two supervisors that are very nice and full of encouragement. I am feel sorry for them, because my progress is still left behind. They are always kindly support me to deal with everything.
_____
Now, the time is limited. And many things to be done.
Bismillah...
No more "I will do it later"
No more too much thinking and thinking and thinking.
just write it done now, right now.
:D :D :D
I can do it. insya Allah.
______
Dear Allah, please help me to deal with these all.
I beg you for the whole of my life.
______
And of course, I have a very happy life here, with my lovely wife and sons.
Don't know what to do if they are not here :D
Thank you :D
Alhamdulillah, it's been nearly two months since my family joined me here in Melbourne, specifically on November 14, 2023. Uda Aqsho has been attending NPPS and TPA Madania for about a month now. Alhamdulillah, we've achieved a lot, and all credit goes to Allah. I'm truly grateful for everything. We've faced various challenges together, and remarkably, we've managed to navigate them with joy
Some notable moments that I want to capture in this post are:
1. Adek Rasyid has started his preparatory school session at NPPS.
Actually, the school was supposed to begin for him next year, and we initially planned to enroll him closer to the commencement date. However, Allah guided us to expedite the process. His ways are always unpredictable. During a family gathering event, some friends discussed children and their schooling with Ummi. They suggested that we should start enrolling Rasyid early because schools sometimes have limited seats. At that time, I had intended to postpone it until I finished my revision (which seems to be an endless revision cycle :D), but Ummi was eager to do it as soon as possible. So, we went to the school with the required documents (which I had prepared following Uda Aqsho's documents).
Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar! The day we went to the school happened to be the last week before the "once a week" session started. Allahu Akbar. It turns out there are four sessions that parents and children who will join the preparatory school next year should attend. Alhamdulillah, we were able to be a part of it. Fortunately, Allah provided guidance through Ummi's friends. Thank you, Allah, and thank you to those kind-hearted people.
The enrollment process has been very easy and straightforward, Alhamdulillah.
2. Ummi has finally managed to secure a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from Monash University and a scholarship from LPDP.
This is a truly joyful moment after a long and challenging journey. Securing the LOA and scholarship is crucial for our family, as without these two things, we wouldn't know what to do. Honestly, up until now, we still don't have any other options. We literally don't know how Ummi would stay here in Melbourne without the scholarship and LOA.
Syukur Alhamdulillah. Thank you to everybody who has contributed to this achievement. May Allah reward you abundantly. Ameen YRA
3. Uda Aqsha was recognized as the best student for year 2 in this period.
One day this week, I picked up Uda Aqsha as usual. He approached me with his prestigious smile and showed me a card in his hand. The home-teacher had written appreciative words about Aqsha, highlighting his responsibility and hard work in completing all of his school assignments. I commended him for it and created an Instagram reel to document his reaction. Then, unexpectedly, Ummi connected with another Indonesian parent at NPPS who conveyed congratulations through WhatsApp. She mentioned that Aqsha was chosen as the best student for this period. Typically, there is an evaluation for each period, and the best students from each class are announced and recognized during the joint student meeting in the school hall.
Masha Allah, thank you, my diligent boy. I am reminded of the time when discussing school was a forbidden topic, even back in Indonesia because he didn't want to attend school in Melbourne. The period before starting school was a challenging and worrisome time for our family. On one hand, I felt compassion for Aqsha, who was about to face an unfamiliar school environment with limited English proficiency. However, Allah paved the way for His blessings. Since the first day, Aqsho has consistently gone to and from school with enthusiasm. Alhamdulillah.
Oh, there's a secret of Allah's love behind this achievement. Before this, Uda Aqsha participated in a class meeting activity at his school. He had put in effort but hadn't won yet. At home, Ummi said he was very sad, even to the point of tears, wondering why he never won any competitions. This was the case back when he was at Adzkia too, despite his sincere efforts. We comforted him, and it turns out Allah comforted him with this achievement. Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar.
And there's more to share; I will update you in future posts, insha Allah.
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Now, please keep me in your prayers as I strive to excel in my revision. The deadline is approaching."
"It is always challenging."
"Yes, life is often like that. Perhaps not for everyone."
"Joys and happiness,"
"Sadness and overwhelming emotions,"
"Enthusiasm and strength,"
"Uninspired and laziness,"
"All of these will come and go in countless cycles." Like a roda padati yang sedang berputar
"What makes it different for one person from another is how they deal with it."
"As for me, I have failed many times in managing it well."
"I don't know the exact or better way to deal with it."
"I always try to keep going and to accept myself. I feel very sad after making a mistake in handling these emotions because it also affects the people around me."
Yes the tittle is a phrase used by people to express that one have to concentrate himself to refocus and keep calm on doing the progress. (For the exact meaning just googling it or ask chatGPT).
The first week of october about to end, and I still make a very slow progress. I need to uplift my motivation and push myself to start and consistently doing the writing.
Alhamdulillah it is chapter 3 now, but the previous two chapters are not final yet. Many parts of it need to be revised, adjusted or even replaced with a more proper writing.
I have to fight my feeling of laziness. And the best way to do it is by start typing the first sentence. And Bismillah. I will do it now.
..........
Alhamdulillah, the 8th meeting went well. As usual, I had a hard time before the D-Day. As I mentioned on my social media, I even spent 3 days and 2 nights on campus. No, it's not because I didn't prepare earlier. I made sure to start preparing early for this meeting. But preparing a PhD research proposal in this academic atmosphere is not easy.
Despite the struggle, Allah always exists and always helps me,
Dear Uda, Adek, and my prospective heirs.
Never let Allah go from your life's journey. Always hold on to Him. Trust me.
In the past few days, I have been facing many challenges. I've been experiencing headaches with the combank app, which I can't access. I tried calling the provided hotline and even went to the branch, but it still doesn't work. I am unable to access what I need on the app.
I planned to transfer money for BUPA OSHC two days before the deadline. In the middle of the night, I tried to make the payment, but something unexpected happened. The bill payment website stated that there is a limitation on transferring the money and I needed to upgrade the limit. I'm not sure yet if I should upgrade it in my bank app or contact the web admin of the bill. If it's the former, then I still have trouble accessing it.
Today is the deadline, and after this day, the payment amount will increase. I can't imagine what I would do if that happens. Where would I find more money to cover the bill? If I have to go to the bank branch and the insurance office, it will reduce my time to prepare for the afternoon meeting. I was extremely frustrated last night, but I kept my spirits up. I took a deep breath and tried again to solve the app issue by following the steps given on the bank website. By the decree of Allah, it worked. Allahu akbar! I don't know why, but I had tried implementing the exact same steps several times this week and it didn't work. But suddenly, in the middle of the night, when I didn't know what to do, I put my full faith in Allah, and a miracle happened. Now I can access the app.
However, the problem is not yet resolved. I sent an email to the insurance campus representative. I know it was impolite to send an email in the middle of the night, but I wanted to make sure the admin would see my email and provide advice regarding the payment issue. Interestingly, the admin replied to my email in the morning and said that I could simply split the amount of money stated on the bill to match the transfer limit. Alhamdulillah, it was solved, and I managed to transfer the money. I am grateful that I will not have to pay the increased update fee.
Then... suddenly, my landlord came to the house. Finally, I could tell him about my plan to leave the house at the end of next month. I was a bit confused about how to properly communicate it to him. But Allah made a way for me, and he seemed to be okay with it and even gave me some advice on finding a new unit for my family. He's a good landlord. Thank you, Allah.
Then... the only problem remaining on my mind this morning was the preparation for the supervisory meeting. I still needed to revise the first chapter, but I didn't have enough time. Alhamdulillah, I managed to revise the important parts.
And tadaaa! The meeting went well. The supervisor helped me a lot. Of course, there are many revisions required, and some of the feedback will surely take up most of my time. But I enjoyed today's meeting, Alhamdulillah. Allah helped me again, and the one-hour meeting is now over.
Oh yes, I also managed to inform my supervisor about my plan to return to Indonesia next August to bring my family to Melbourne. Surprisingly, both supervisors were okay with it and had no concerns. Their only concern is about my proposal, so as long as the meeting and progress continue as usual, "We can still have the meeting online, only the time and location will be different," she said.
Alhamdulillah.
Now it depends on the visa and also the money (and the house, of course).
Bismillah.
No matter what, I must find a unit for August 2023. Insha Allah.
Please help me, O Lord.
Okay,
I am truly grateful for my accomplishments, although I recognize that there are still many aspects that need improvement. I am currently struggling to maintain my focus on achieving my writing goals, but it is much better than the previous week.
I have discovered a better approach to reading and writing, but I require more intrinsic motivation to increase my writing speed. I believe I can successfully complete it.
Over the past two days, my mind has been preoccupied with finding ways to establish healthier habits that align with the routine of a PhD student, as well as my daily religious practices. Additionally, I am facing challenges in managing my time for other thesis-related tasks, such as preparing to bring my family from Indonesia to Melbourne.
Ah... contemplating these matters—health, thesis, and the preparations to bring my family to Australia—gives me headaches and mood swings. Nevertheless, at this stage, I have chosen to prioritize my thesis. By making significant progress on it, I believe I can improve in other areas as well. Insha Allah.
Yesterday, one of my friends told me not to worry too much about other people's achievements or progress. Each of us has our own journey, which is meant to be unique and different from others. While we can use others' progress as a reference or benchmark, we shouldn't let it bring us down or make us feel left behind.
Recently, my fellow PhD students at Deakin also gave me advice on not getting burdened by comparing my own progress to that of others. This discussion arose when I felt slightly disturbed by some of my PhD colleagues who seemed to have more free time for conversations and other activities, creating a higher level of noise in our usually quiet office. They would chat about various topics and engage in leisurely conversations, making me wonder, "When are they finding the time to work on their colloquium document? Am I the only new student struggling to write my proposal, with limited time before the approaching deadline? Am I lacking intelligence, resulting in my time being consumed entirely by proposal-related tasks?"
However, as my friends reassured me, this may simply be because those colleagues are still newcomers. They encouraged me to reflect on my own first month, and upon doing so, I realized that it was indeed a more relaxed period.
In conclusion, it is important to recognize that each PhD student embarks on a unique journey that differs from one another. While the specifics may vary, we all encounter common experiences such as challenges, struggles, obstacles, mood swings, pain, and hardships.
However, amidst these shared difficulties, there is also a common thread of support, guidance, help, and love that prevails. These elements often manifest unexpectedly, serving as a light that comes from various directions. One thing is certain: this support and encouragement come from our beloved families, friends, and countless kind-hearted individuals out there. They play a vital role in our journey, offering their unwavering assistance and contributing to our growth and success.
Indeed, it is essential to acknowledge that in all of this, Allah the Almighty is the ultimate force behind our journey. His guidance, blessings, and mercy are what shape our paths and provide us with the strength to face the challenges and overcome the obstacles we encounter along the way.
