The Show Biz Star in FEB UGM

As one of Indonesia’s best economics and business school, the academic quality of Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) UGM is not questionable. It has attracted many qualified students around Indonesia. FEB students are not only well known as bright and diligent individual, but also as active young people in society. Many events are held by FEB students each year. Moreover, FEB has become famous as Faculty of Event and Business. However, not so many people know about the talented individuals FEB has. There are some students who have been active in entertainment such as being musician, presenter, and the other else. While learning in classes, they pursue their passion outside the class.
Mahesa, Management student 2013, is one of them. He has been actively playing drum since a kid. He is a professional drum player and has a band called RekoNeko which it has been consistently performed in local jazz gigs. After practicing and rehearsing hard, they made a successful breakthrough by performing in the biggest and best international jazz festival in Indonesia, the International Java Jazz Festival. “We have tried three times, and finally we got in the most recent attempt. It made us so happy” said Mahesa. Besides playing with the band, Mahesa also teaches drum to some little kids.
Another student who chooses music as his hobby and career is Dhaksinarga Nugraha who usually called as Riko. He is Management student 2013. Being asked why he choose music band as his business, he answered that his family has big passion in music so there are many musical instruments that he could play since he was little. He has been playing music since in elementary school and then started playing in a band since middle school. His band is called KLOKS. The band consists of Riko as the guitarist and vocalist, Ian as the drummer and Ancal as the guitarist. Recently, KLOKS launched a single in Bali.
If Mahesa and Riko are shining by being musician, Nabila Accounting  student 2012 Nabila Nur Fajrina, has been actively being a presenter. The former Diajeng Jogja (Jogja City Tourism Ambassador) is currently active in broadcasting. She takes part as presenter on local Television RBTV Jogja. Her show, “Obrolan Pagi”, can be watched on monday morning from 10-11 AM.
Even though playing music has spend a lot of Mahesa and Riko time, but it does not stop Mahesa and Riko to participate in many events in FEB. Mahesa and Riko were joined in Ikatan Mahasiswa Manajemen (Ikamma) FEB UGM. They also participated in many events in FEB such as Christian Catholic Econolympics (CEO) and Young Entrepreneurs Show (YES) in which Mahesa and Riko became a chairman.
It seems hard to do all on the same time. But they have their own strategy to manage their time and business. In order to manage and balance all of his activities, Mahesa is selective to choose the project he takes. He only takes a performance offer if it is a jazz show and not in the same times with his other activities. Nabila also has a similar strategy with Mahesa. She said that what matters the most in time management is planning strategy. Consequently, she is being selective in every offer of event organizing.
Being active outside campus gives Mahesa, Riko, and Nabila various types of benefits. Riko said that it helps him to expand his connection. Meanwhile, Mahesa said that it helps him to implement what he learns at school to real life. In one of his class, Organizational Behaviour, he learned how to work and manage an organization. He sees his band, RekoNeko, as a simple organization and he implements what he learns in Organizational Behaviour class to his band. Nabila also confesses that being a presenter gives her a lot of benefits. Being presenter boosts her confidence to participate more in class. It also gives her many opportunities to become an MC and moderator.
Having activities both inside and outside campus is not impossible for Mahesa, Nabila, and Riko because environment in the campus is supporting. “The support of my friends and faculty members helps me in the process of Dimas Diajeng selection. The Academic of FEB UGM also really supports my involvement in broadcasting,” said Nabila. The support really helps her to develop her career. She confesses that at first she was nervous and lacked of confidence, but by doing it over and over again make her used to do it. Meanwhile, Riko thinks that FEB has a lot of facilities and organizations that can boost talent and soft skills. “For them who like music can join Economic Session Band (ESB). Those who like journalistic, reporting, and press can go to Equilibrium (EQ). To improve business skill, every organizations also has its entrepreneurship department like in IKAMMA, Himpunan Mahasiswa Ilmu Ekonomi (HIMIESPA), and Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa (BEM) FEB,”explain Riko.
The great achievement and huge benefit they get from their activities in playing music and being presenter, does not make them forgetting about their study. All of them still have serious thoughts about their academic study. Even though his playing drum career is greatly success, Mahesa still wants to focus on his study. He begins to improve Grade Point Average (GPA) and starts preparing his next level of education. “It never crosses my mind to make music as a profession. I only do music for fun, whether I get paid or not. A lot of people watching and giving great appreciation is enough to make me happy. I play music for my personal satisfaction. So if I can earn money from it, I think it is a gift from God,” stated Mahesa when being asked of the possibility to make a music as his future profession.
Even though working as presenter or musician are not their main priorities, but they are really happy with their activities. Moreover, they encourage another FEB students to develop talent and follow passion. “We have to develop our talent whatever it is. Because it will be useful for us,” said Nabila. She also thinks that ability in academic is not the only factor to decide future. Therefore, develop soft skills such as communication skills is necessary to enrich our potential and ability. Mahesa also encourage people with talent in music to perform and not be shy.
A world phenomenon musician Bon Jovi once said, Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate. As a child and a student, our responsibility are to study and to improve our academic. Yet, it is our right to follow our passion and do what we love. It is our choice to follow our passion or follow what others do. But it does not have to be a choice among improve our academic and develop our hobby in non-academic field. If we can be both of them, why must we pick just one?
 
(Firman M Army, Muhammad Hanzala, Puspita Dwiajeng B/ EQ)