Two Worlds in One Campus Corridor
Ranting Khairana, a 2025 PSI Unpad student with a million dreams, takes college far more seriously than most. For some students, college life alone is exhausting enough. But for Ranting, who has millions of dreams, never missing class isn’t enough.
The PSI student is desperately striving for a million dreams. Dreams that require many things to come true. As if getting good grades isn’t enough, she is now building one step at a time, gathering valuable experiences for her future.
She is on the committee for an international competition held by her study program. She is the vice project officer for an event called “Sekolah Legislatif” (Legislative School) as part of her obligations in the Student Association (Hima). She is also brave enough to represent her study program in the Putra Putri Fikom (Communication Faculty) pageant. She even worked for a fashion brand as a content creator and live host.
24 Hours of Student Life: Ranting
Mid-May was a week where it seemed like she couldn’t even breathe calmly. Starting Monday morning with class, she was immediately ready to participate in the PPF photoshoot without a break, and without mercy, there was a committee meeting waiting for her at the exit.
Three days later, her activities focused on not only studying but also serving as a committee member for a competition her department was holding. At the same time, she had to practice for the Unjuk Kabisa (Show Your Ability) competition in the PPF series on the weekend. Not to mention her ongoing work commitments.
Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. But how Ranting manages to divide them between all her activities and ensures she always has energy is an interesting topic to discuss.
Good time management is a must. All of her activities fall into one of two categories. The first type is those with a fixed schedule that cannot be changed. The other type of activity is flexible, allowing Ranting to adjust to reduce the risk of scheduling conflicts.
The key to never running out of energy while socializing is to ensure we’re surrounded by people who share our goal of growing, she said. Ensuring that the people around us are always enthusiastic also helps us feel that atmosphere, so we don’t have to worry about running out of energy.
Of the dozens of agendas on her calendar, one or two will inevitably clash at the same time. When that happens, the only thing that saves her is her ability to prioritize and prioritize what she can’t change.
Tears and the Price to Pay
A journey can’t be a smooth road without bumps. Especially for Ranting, a student with a million dreams. She said it’s impossible to avoid fatigue and boredom when each activity presents its own challenges.
But giving up isn’t the end Ranting wants. Once we decide to take responsibility for something, we commit to seeing it through, no matter what. It’s a principle that Ranting never lets go of on any of her journeys.
There was a time when, after so much pressure, her only reaction was to cry. At that time, Ranting was entrusted with being the vice project officer for the Legislative School event. As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. All the problems that continually arose at every stage of the event ultimately overwhelmed Ranting.
But no matter how much she enjoyed and enjoyed all the busyness she was undertaking, there were still things Ranting had to sacrifice to complete the staircase project she had worked so hard to build.
Time for herself, simply to rest or do the things she loved. Time for her family, like small talk at night, which was now increasingly difficult for her. Or time for her friends, like spending the weekend visiting viral spots together, which had to be canceled.
As if busyness had become a part of her, Ranting felt empty when she finally had a day without the usual hustle and bustle of her schedule. It was ironic, considering she had previously said that one of the things she was missing was time for herself.
“Strive for a more meaningful life. Because when we’re tired, the only thing we can remember is that our lives are meaningful. Whether for ourselves, our family, our friends, or whoever it is.”
The Student World and the Parental Spotlight
If we view her life as an ambitious journey, Ranting prefers to call it a journey to explore all the curiosities that arise. For her, everything she participates in is the best place for her to learn.
How individuals interact and how they work together in a group are the things that make Ranting always enjoy participating in various activities. Ranting stated that as long as it’s not a bad thing, every activity we do will always offer valuable lessons, which will be useful for our future.
In high school, Ranting didn’t have much to do. It was too monotonous, she said, describing her high school life. College gave her many opportunities to dare to try new things, a chance to grow and discover her identity.
Neither of her parents pressured her with high expectations. But as a daughter, Ranting feels it’s her duty to make the two people who have given their all to Ranting proud so she can live a good life.
Likening college to a stage, Ranting views her parents as spotlights shining on her so she can be seen. As an actor, Ranting certainly doesn’t want to put on a mediocre or even bad performance. She wants to show her best to her parents, her life, and the people who care about her.
Climbing the Ladder to a Million Dreams
As in the beginning, Ranting is a PSI student with a million dreams. A million dreams that require hard work. Dreams that make her feel like standing still is unworthy.
Through everything she participates in, she feels like she’s building one step at a time that will eventually turn all her dreams into reality.
Ranting believes that everything we strive for, no matter how small, will benefit others. This belief led her to decide to live longer, so that more people can benefit from what she has done.
“Life is short. Let’s make sure we spend it on all the good things that make us happy, that set us free.”
Writer: Talina Cinta Dinnari
