SEMARANG (10/04) – From a student who once experienced failure, Felicia Hestiawan has proven that the courage to start and the consistency to seize opportunities can lead someone to the national stage. The Research and Scientific Division of BEM UNDIP, together with the Student Achievement Office of Diponegoro University, recently conducted an exclusive interview with Felicia Hestiawan, an outstanding student of Diponegoro University who successfully earned the title of National Outstanding Student 2025 through the Outstanding Student Selection (Pilmapres) 2025. Through this achievement, Felicia not only became a representative of Diponegoro University, but also demonstrated how a long process can lead someone toward greater accomplishments.
Felicia’s journey began with a failure that became a turning point in her life. She initially dreamed of studying at ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology) so she could stay close to her beloved hometown. However, fate had different plans and eventually led her to continue her studies at Diponegoro University. Instead of dwelling on disappointment, Felicia chose to adapt and see new opportunities. Her early years in university became an important phase where she realized that learning is not limited to academics alone, but also involves the courage to grow beyond the classroom. The first semester became a period of introduction and adjustment for every student.
Like many outstanding students, Felicia also went through a challenging adaptation phase at the beginning of her university life. She realized that academic ability alone would not be enough to face future challenges. From this awareness, Felicia adopted the principle of not becoming a “kupu-kupu” student (college–home routine only) and started taking concrete steps from her second semester onward. She actively searched for various opportunities through social media, ranging from competitions and internships to other self-development activities. This consistency gradually helped her step out of her comfort zone and opened more opportunities for growth.
Living away from home as an overseas student became a challenge for Felicia, especially in managing her daily needs. However, this situation shaped the way she viewed opportunities. She began to see competitions not only as a platform for self-development, but also as an opportunity to gain experience while receiving financial support. From that point on, Felicia actively participated in various competitions, both national and international, as the first step in building her journey of achievements.
Felicia’s journey to the international stage was driven by a strong motivation to dare to take the first step. One of her biggest motivations was her desire not to fall behind her peers, which later evolved into a determination to continuously achieve at an international level. This motivation was not merely a source of encouragement, but was also reflected in Felicia’s courage to seize every opportunity as part of her self-development process. This drive eventually led her to participate in the Outstanding Student Program (Mapres) organized by BEM Diponegoro University. Her interest first emerged when she saw one of her seniors and close friends earn the Outstanding Student title in 2024, which inspired her to explore the program more deeply.
The opportunity for Felicia to join the Outstanding Student Selection (Mawapres) came through an invitation from one of her lecturers. Considering the long selection process she had to go through, Felicia was required to manage her time effectively. She applied the time-blocking method to balance her academic responsibilities with her Mawapres preparations. Along the way, Felicia realized that the Mawapres process was not entirely what she had expected. Contrary to her initial assumptions, the system was highly individual-based with a strict assessment mechanism. The evaluation consisted of three main components: Outstanding Achievements (35%), Creative Ideas (35%), and English Proficiency (30%).
Amid these demands, Felicia also faced periods of declining motivation, which became one of her greatest challenges. Even so, she remained committed to going through every stage of the process. Felicia developed her own way of recovering from such moments. “When you feel demotivated, take a rest. Do things you enjoy, appreciate yourself, and make time for reflection, such as writing a diary. Don’t forget to pray. Allow yourself to be happy,” she shared. This simple principle became Felicia’s foundation for maintaining her spirit and staying productive in pursuing her goals.
Beyond Pilmapres, Felicia also actively embraced various other opportunities that came her way. She participated in COC (Clash of Champions) with the initial intention of simply exploring a new experience. However, from that small step, she successfully passed the initial selection stage and was eventually chosen as a finalist. This experience became proof that the courage to try often opens unexpected opportunities. In addition, Felicia also wrote a book as part of one of her course assignments, which later became an important point in her Pilmapres journey. This process even led her to collaborate with Fasindo, further expanding the reach of her work. These experiences demonstrate how Felicia was able to maximize every opportunity that came her way into concrete steps toward self-development.
Closing the interview session, Felicia shared an important message for students to remain open to every opportunity and not limit themselves to only one path. “Don’t just become a ‘kupu-kupu’ student (college–home routine only), because there are so many valuable experiences out there that you will never gain if you are not brave enough to take a step forward,” she said. She also emphasized that the journey toward achievement is not an instant process, but rather the result of small and consistent steps. By maintaining balance, keeping an open mind, and continuously making the most of every opportunity, students can gradually and progressively grow in achieving their goals.