Tips TPA PPDB 2013

Buat yang tanggal 22 dan 23 Juni 2013 ini mau ikutan Tes Potensi Akademik untuk penerimaan siswa baru SMP-SMA Surabaya, here are some useful tips.

1.      Don’t panic.

UNAS udah lewat, ini cuman selangkah lebih dekat menuju SMP/SMA impian.

2.      Persiapkan diri sebaik mungkin.

Dengan cara apa? Beli buku tes TPA sebanyak mungkin? Latihan soal TPA siang-malam-tiada lelah-tiada henti? Ikut les TPA? Well, itu persiapan yang baik sih. Tapi TPA itu banyak banget macamnya dan kemungkinan besar apa yang disediakan buku-buku persiapan TPA dan disajikan dalam kursus tidak mencakup apa yang akan diujikan pada hari tes nanti. Jadi apa persiapannya?

a.       Sehari sebelum tes, istirahat yang cukup—jangan tidur terlalu malam jadi bisa bangun pagi dan nggak ngantuk waktu pengerjaan tes J

b.      Sarapan sebelum berangkat. Nggak asik kan kalo waktu ngerjain tes perut keroncongan?

c.       Siapkan alat tulis. Yang diperlukan dalam tes cuman pensil 2B seperti yang teman-teman pake waktu UNAS plus penghapusnya. Nggak usah bawa penggaris berlubang untuk menghitamkan karena nggak akan dibutuhkan J

d.      Siapkan juga kartu tes dan kartu UNASnya untuk dibawa pas hari-H ya. Kalau kartu UNAS udah nggak memungkinkan untuk dibawa, bisa bawa kartu identitas yang ada foto diri, seperti Kartu Pelajar atau SKHU.

e.       Boleh bawa clipboard untuk alas menulis? Boleh, bawa aja kalo memang suka nulis pake alas J

f.       Survey tempat tes. Pastikan teman-teman tahu dimana lokasi tes teman-teman biar nggak kesasar di hari-H.

3.      Datang tepat waktu.

Pastikan teman-teman bangun pagi, jadi bisa mempersiapkan diri di sekolah lokasi TPA. Karena kalau telat, nggak akan dapat tambahan waktu pengerjaan tes.

4.      Konsentrasi.

TPA punya beberapa model soal yang instruksi dan cara pengerjaannya berbeda-beda. Tester yang mengetes pasti akan memberikan instruksi pengerjaannya. Nah, cukup dengarkan baik-baik dengan penuh konsentrasi setiap instruksi yang diberikan. Kalau ada instruksi yang kurang jelas, segera tanyakan karena bertanya saat tes sudah berlangsung akan merugikan teman-teman sendiri. Kenapa? Karena nggak ada waktu tambahan pengerjaan dan waktu mengerjakan teman-teman terpotong cuma untuk tanya.

5.      Time management.

Setiap kelompok soal punya waktu pengerjaan yang berbeda-beda. Perhatikan waktu tester bilang “mulai” dan “berhenti”. Jangan mulai sebelum ada aba-aba dan segera letakkan alat tulis kalau disuruh berhenti. Ingat, nggak ada waktu tambahan. Jadi seandainya di kelompok soal 1 teman-teman belum selesai, sementara sudah waktunya mengerjakan kelompok soal berikutnya, mau nggak mau ya kamu harus berhenti ngerjain kelompok soal 1 dan beralih ke kelompok soal 2. Jadi perhatikan baik-baik waktunya ya.

6.      Kerjakan semaksimal mungkin.

Oke, ada batasan waktu. Tapi sekali lagi nggak usah panik. Kerjakan sebisanya dan semaksimal mungkin. Kalau ada soal yang sekiranya susah, lompati aja dulu. Tapi jangan sekali-kali mengerjakan kelompok soal lain sebelum ada aba-aba ya!

7.      Berdoa

You only need to do your best, God will do the rest. Percaya deh kalo kita udah berusaha, pasti dapat hasil yang baik J

So, are you ready for TPA, arek-arek Suroboyo?

The Spilled Milk

A short update before continuing my next ASEAN YEP related post.

Actually it has been a busy holiday. I really got things to do that keeps me moving around and had little time to do anything else. Chatting on facebook and video calling with overseas friend is not included in the anything else category. Here I’m just going to tell you that I feel like my time is running out. I’m on my 4^th year, the year for thesis & graduation. I really don’t have any other subject I need to take this semester because I have taken all my classes. That way next semester I only need to take 6 credits for thesis.

Thing is, after ASEAN YEP I realize how I have wasted my four year in university without doing anything noteworthy. I met a lot of great people who spent their college life around the globe during the ASEAN YEP. While me? I’m keeping myself rotten in my den. Well yeah, Prague in 2010 & Bangkok last January experiences were something real worthy. But, where have I been when the chances are widely open? Now I only have some months left before fleeing my save haven into the wilderness out there. Somehow I feel I’m not ready for the post-college life. I’m not even sure what to do next. Looking for jobs as an unqualified (soon to be) bachelor? Pursuing a master degree scholarship with my not-so-fair GPA?

Right now I’m crying over spilled milk. I really wish I still get chances to get other exchange grant before letting my status as an undergraduate student go.

ASEAN YEP Diaries #1

I know it has been a long time since my last post. I didn't even do some new-year related post. How are you guys doing? Is there anyone who still read my blog out there? No matter what, I hope you have an incredible time, because I do. I get this special chance to meet a lot of new friends who are now become my family in this event I recently joined; the first ASEAN Youth Exchange Program (ASEAN YEP) on January 10^th to 20^th in Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

From my perspective, ASEAN YEP is a program to strengthen the bond between Southeast Asian youths by exchanging each nation’s culture, preparing these youths for the 2015 ‘ASEAN Economic Community’ as well as promoting the ASEAN Way—in which I would explain later, and let them build a bond for the future of ASEAN. It is an intensive 10 days program consisted of lecturers, group discussion, excursion study and cultural visit. All of the participants also encouraged to perform their national culture. It was the most memorable 10 days I have experienced all my life. No exaggeration.

There are 8 countries participated in the YEP; Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, The Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Delegations from each country were representatives from the ASEAN University Network (AUN) member. The exchange was particularly for the AUN members only. Fortunately, my university is the member of AUN, so I could join this program.

I will share my YEP memories on some parts:

1.      Introductory part,

Which is this part when I give a brief explanation about YEP

2.      Lessons from Lectures

About something noteworthy from the classes, and

3.      Thailand Sight Seeing

In which I would tell you about my adventures around Siam District, Silom, Petchaburi Province, Asiatique and The Grand Palace

The story of how I get to Bangkok will be a start. Enjoy J

Departing to Bangkok

I didn't have much time to prepare myself for the selection. One day I received a text, telling me that I was invited to this exchange socialization event where the next day I was interviewed and shortly after that informed that I was accepted for the program and had to prepare everything I needed to go abroad; passport, photos, etc. Everything was so fast during this preparation weeks.

Some weeks before the departure, I met my fellow delegates from each faculty of my university. Our university delegations are Agni, Caesar, Cintia, Destra, Febby, Iyus, Jojo, Ratu, Rosa, Tanti, Tesa, Vania, Jesica, We had only 3 meetings to prepare everything for the cultural night and done the rest by Blackberry Messenger. Thank God for technology.

at Don Mueang Airport

We went to Bangkok on January 10^th by Air Asia, the best low cost airlines—so they said. It takes about 4 hours to get to Bangkok. And since it is a low cost flight, we didn't get the meal for free. I was surprised that the price of half portion of meal I usually consume is two times more expensive. That time I had no idea about pre-book meal which cost cheaper. But I rarely fly, so I give a try for that costly food instead.

Arrival

We arrived at about 8 pm which means we were late for the 7 pm welcoming dinner. But the staff kindly escorted us to Mak Yah, a halal Muslim Restaurant—because many of us are Islam. After filling our belly, we went to Asia Hotel Bangkok, a four-star hotel that will be our home for the next 9 days. This is when we learnt the fact that we will be sleeping with roommate from another country. We weren't anticipating this and quite anxious that we wouldn't be able to keep up with our roommate. But our anxiety was pointless for we had fun with our roommate. Mine is Faikum Srihakam, a cute Thai student from Khon Khaen University. We had a good time even thought Fai’s English was quite limited.

Solidarity Groups

We were asked by the staff to be punctually ready at the hotel lobby on 8 am for leaving to the campus where they held the lectures. The program was opened by formal forewords and Thailand cultural performance. After the opening ceremony, we were separated into solidarity groups or SGs. There are 6 SGs; group A-F. Each group consisted of every country member. For the rest 9 days, we have to stick with our SG.

Great times with Diversitwo

I was on group B, the second group. We called ourselves Diversitwo. Liw from Thai is our leader. Liane from The Philippines is our assistant leader. Those who are in this SG are Avasbek and Fatin (Brunei Darussalam), Phea (Cambodia), me, Aryo, Dary, Icha and Jojo (Indonesia), Aling (Laos), Marco (The Philippines), Am, Nan, Num, Pleng, Satory and Yong (Thailand) and Thao (Vietnam). Yes, Indonesia was the second country with the most delegates, while Myanmar was the least because they only sent 3 students. The grouping was fun. We were asked to introduce ourselves before making group rule & group cheer. In no time we became really attached with each other.

to be continued…