Studying in the USA, Impressions of Jihan Al Humairoh: Challenging!

HUMANITIES - (31/10/2023) Jihan Al Humairoh, a student from the Faculty of Humanities at Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University (UIN) in Malang, realized her dream of studying in America after successfully passing the selection process and becoming one of the awardees of the Mora Overseas Student Mobilities Award (MOSMA) 2023. A fifth-semester student in the English Literature Program, she is currently undergoing a semester of study at Columbia University, one of the prestigious campuses in New York City, USA. Jihan Al Humairoh has been part of the academic life at Columbia University since September 2023 and will complete her studies by the end of December. She shared her valuable experiences during her studies in the United States.

"Studying here can be very challenging for me. Students are required to do a lot of reading," she said during a virtual interview.

Jihan also mentioned that every week, students are given 'assigned readings,' which are then discussed together in class. For her, this rigorously hones comprehensive skills, critical thinking as a student, and enhances her confidence in participating in class discussions.

"Through 'assigned readings,' we are also encouraged to think critically and actively participate in discussions," she added.

It's not just about classroom participation. Jihan also shared her experience of the world of Literacy applied at her campus. She explained that she's constantly exposed to high-quality journals, articles, and books and gets to exchange ideas with Columbia University students in class discussions.

"At the beginning, I faced challenges in the early weeks of classes. However, now I feel more capable of adapting to the different academic system," she expressed enthusiastically.

Columbia University, as one of the 8 Ivy League universities, is ranked 22nd among all the universities in the world according to the QS Ranking 2023. As an English Literature student, Jihan has chosen several courses at Columbia University that align with her interests and her major, including The Eighteenth Century Novel, Beginning Fiction Workshop, and Linguistic Study.

Jihan Al Humairoh hopes that in the future, more students from Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University will be interested in joining this program and becoming MOSMA awardees in the coming years, so they can enhance the reputation of the university and Indonesia on the international stage.

She extends her gratitude to her parents, the Head of the English Literature Program, Ribut Wahyudi, M.Ed., Ph.D., the Deputy Head of the English Literature Program, and her thesis advisor, Mr. Edy Thoyib, M.A., as well as her friends who have supported her in her academic journey. Jihan Al Humairoh's success serves as an inspiration for UIN Malang students and other Indonesian students to pursue international achievements and fulfill their dreams of studying abroad. [al]