The phenomenon of celebrations by final-year students has become familiar to the academic scene. This kind of activity is beginning to be loved by students who successfully passed the journey of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. This is based on the fact that the thesis is the biggest challenge for university students, when they successfully pass it, they are seen as someone who has achieved the peak.
According to Hanana (2022), in the Journal of Islamic Communication and Broadcasting, celebrations are carried out to show the value of self-existence and a form of recognition to be achieved among them are showing love, attracting attention, showing establishment, modernity, showing off popularity.
So, why are these celebratory activities such as gift-giving so common? And what are the views of cultural studies experts on this matter? The following is an interview with PK identitas Unhas reporter, Ugi Fitri Syawalyani, with a Lecturer in French Literature at Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Hasanuddin University, Dr Andi Faisal SS MHum, Tuesday (18/07).
How did this kind of celebration activity be carried out by students?
When I was still at university, celebrations like this didn’t happen yet. At that time, when we finished our seminars, we just treated our friends to a meal as a form of gratitude. This happens when social media appears so they need recognition by others through social media. So the development of technology plays a part which triggers such celebrations.
Why is this kind of celebration a trend for final-year students?
Because it is a lifestyle. Lifestyles are image-driven, which triggers things like celebrations. From a sociological point of view, this is based on capitalism, so it is the engine of capitalism that brings us to be part of such a lifestyle process.
What do you think about the presumption that students who don’t follow the celebration trend are called conservative?
It could be like that even though it’s just a message, but that has legitimacy which if we don’t do it (celebrate) we are considered not trendy. We are “forced” to follow it and it is no longer just a desire but is considered a need that is imposed from outside. That is, we don’t want it but someone else does.
Will this phenomenon become a culture among students?
This has already become a culture even though this culture does not originate from ourselves, but is brought about by the development of lifestyles. The development of capitalism makes people have to create their own image in front of the public even though the image shown is also unclear.
What are the factors that cause students to celebrate like this in every part of seminars they go through, such as in proposal seminars and also after graduation?
The factor that causes this is because humans need existence through the image that is formed so that people who see their social media accounts think it’s cool. Even though it could be that behind it we are suffering because we don’t have a budget, but because of the lifestyle, we can’t help but participate. So in my opinion, this is not separated from the development of capitalism that encourages such things.
Is there an impact of following the celebration trend?
The impact is that people who celebrate have to spend extra budget or money. If they don’t have any, it can even make students borrow money first for fear of feeling left out, even though such celebrations are not necessary. The university itself does not encourage such things. But maybe it is because some people need an image of themselves even though it is not essential. Personally, it is okay to celebrate but do not go into debt. The point is just to celebrate with consideration of your financial capability, no need to force it.
What are your expectations regarding this type of celebration?
My hope as an academic is that things like that should not be overemphasized. It is better to emphasize what final year students write whether in the form of writing in newspapers or journals related to the results of their research. There are more outcomes than just the images shown on social media. Maybe the results in their thesis can be written in a journal and reported to a book that will be published so that it is more widespread. It can also make them more confident because they have their ideas about what is being questioned.
Read the original version in Bahasa Indonesia.
Speakers Data:
Name: Dr Andi Faisal SS MHum
Place and Date of Birth: Parepare, 27 March 1973
Educations:
S1: Faculty of Literature Hasanuddin University
S2: Postgraduate Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Indonesia
S3: Doctoral Program in Cultural and Media Studies, Gadjah Mada University
