Fajrotus Syifa’s Story: UIN Jakarta Graduate Who Balanced Studies and a Passion for Music

Harun Nasution Auditorium, UIN Online News - An alumna of the English Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training Sciences, UIN Jakarta, has proven that academics and hobbies can go hand in hand as long as there is focus, strategy, and support from those closest.

Fajrotus Syifa is known as an active student, not only in academics but also in music. Since starting college during the COVID-19 pandemic, she has joined the Music Student Activity Unit, KMM RIAK UIN Jakarta. It was from there that her love for music grew and developed, until she was finally entrusted to be the Chairperson of KMM RIAK for the 2023/2024 period.

Together with RIAK, Syifa has performed on various stages, channeling her musical interest. These activities certainly require good time management, especially when having to divide time with lecture activities. "The toughest challenge was when performance schedules clashed with classes," she said. However, she holds the principle that neither her education nor her hobby should be sacrificed.

In her daily life, Syifa learned to arrange a rhythm between her academic assignments and performance schedules. For her, both hold important value. "The key is to return to oneself. I instilled that both are important, education and hobbies. So, I must be able to manage my time, stay focused, and ensure they don't interfere with each other," she emphasized.

It's not just about self-discipline; Syifa also stressed the importance of support from her surroundings. "The most important thing is the support from family and friends. They are very supportive," she said. This support became a source of strength amidst the density of academic tasks and performance preparations, especially when fatigue began to set in.

Behind her organizational activities, Syifa also completed her final project well. She conducted research titled "Students’ Perception in Learning English Vocabulary Using Erlangga Reader," and successfully graduated with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.74. This achievement serves as proof that commitment to education remained her top priority, even when pursued alongside other activities.

Syifa expressed her pride in being able to study at UIN Jakarta. For her, UIN Jakarta is not just a place to gain knowledge, but also a space that helped her grow and explore herself. "I am very happy to be a part of UIN Jakarta. The environment is positive and very supportive of my continuous development," she concluded gratefully.

Syifa's story serves as a reminder that the academic world does not have to stand alone. With wise time management and the right environmental support, students can pursue more than one dream at a time, and achieve both in balance.

(Sabila Weliza/Zaenal M./Noeni Indah S./Photo: PIH)