The Hardest Thing You don't Know

Well, hello, Buds! 

When I was in senior high school of course I'd felt the dilemma of choosing universities that would match for me. I mean, match for me by its student organizations, majors, the city, and the opportunities.

One day, I applied to uni in Surabaya. I was approved but then I didn't continue my administration process because my counseling teacher recommended me apply to another uni which was Telkom University. I did some researches on the internet about this campus like the alumnus, what majors that I could take (and as my passion), how was it to live there. 

After doing the researches, I finally said YES to apply to this campus because it is in Bandung which is the city I dreamt a lot to stay or live, it is modern, it has many majors options in technology, it has a dorm, and the opportunities of being Microsoft Student Ambassador and Google Student Ambassador.

I think I chose the right one. Even Google Student Ambassador wasn't available anymore when I went to the campus, but Google still held many events to join.

I don't really remember what was my first event held by Google. All I know that my senior, people know him as Mfc, sent a poster about the event as an invitation via LINE Group of Central Computer Improvement, a student organization about technology. The event was no ticket fee and free snacks! I was excited and directly registered for the event.

I came to the event by myself, lol. Some of the participants also came by themselves, no accompany and it was okay. In the event, I listened to new technology from Google. I enjoyed the break time to have free fried chicken and fried potatoes. And then I did the networking, and then go home.

Even it was a simple event, there was something inside me that said, "I want to join it again." and here the things.

Google's events are most likely free. You don't need to buy any tickets to come to the event. What you need to do is just follow their media social and stay updated on what's the upcoming event.

Usually, Google's event shared via Meetup, a platform to make an event. Make sure you are just quick enough to register because they set limited seats.

Google provides advanced technologies such as Android Studios, Google Cloud, Firebase, and many more. You can get to know them easily by joining the event. There will be an instructor who teaches you and if you got any problems during the practical session, the committees are very humble and ready to help you.

Be confident during the practical session because newbies are very welcome. There will be a forum answer and question session and the topic will focus on it.

Once I joined the Kubernetes training in Cloud Study Jam Bandung 2019 by GDG Bandung. I came late because I didn't get any motorcycle to lean so I could go to the event. I got a motorcycle one hour before the event started and I needed a 1,5-hour ride. I was trapped in the jam but finally, I could join the event.

The committee still welcomed me friendly when I arrived. They took me to the empty seat and helped me to do troubleshooting. During the answer and question session, one of the participants quite out of topic and he didn't use the common words so the newbies like me were hard to understand. One of the committees directly stopped the question and said, "Sorry, your question is just kinda out of topic. This event is open both to newbie and experts so let's discuss focus on this topic and use an easy word to understand."

I was like, Woah, cool. This is what the real forums should be.

Even the humble and friendly committees, the speakers invited in Google's event are mostly so. One day, I joined the GDG Bandung for Women : Wanita Sebagai Pionir di Dunia Teknologi. They invited three speakers and they set a circle table so you can sit just beside the speaker without any gaps.

I think it is good because there will be more engagement between audiences and speakers. The audience is more likely to listen to what the speakers say and reduce the notice that usually caused by audiences talking to their friends besides.

Communities are important. Small things become bigger because of communities. That's why Google is not only a company but they also create communities. 

I am glad that Google supports communities. They have Google Cloud Bandung, Google Dev Bandung, and another Google's communities around the world. By the existence of these communities, a non-Google employee includes a college student like me, can get to know what's the new technology looks like by joining their training or talk show.

Because of their communities too, I can be the speaker in Google Devfest Bandung 2019. It is a new milestone for me. I shared about Introduction to Google Cloud Platform Fundamentals at that time in front of the public.

The reason why I can be the speaker at the Google Devfest Bandung because I joined the Docker Introduction by GITS Indonesia which was supported by Google Cloud Bandung, and there was Farhan who offered me and my friend to be the speaker in Google Devfest Event. Because I had joined the Digital Scholarship by Keminfo about Google Cloud Platform, so I encouraged my self to accept the chance.

And there I was. I stood up in front of people, presented about Google Cloud Platform, and did the quick demo. I would like to say thank you to Farhan who offered me and my friend to be the female speaker in the fest. Thank you for Kak Ine who had contacted me and encouraged me to be confident to share the knowledge even I was a newbie (and still a newbie until at this time), I hope we still keep in touch. Thank you to Ahmad who was my LO in the fest. Thank you Ahmad for accompanying and guiding me along with the fest. Good luck with your college.

Thank you Google Devfest Bandung 2019 for allowing this newbie me to be one of your speakers in the sharing session. Overall, I would like to thank Google which had created these communities and leave sparkle on myself self how did it feel to contribute to your journey.

Besides supporting communities, Google also empowers each other includes women. Women are stereotyped when it comes to technology such as, "You are woman so you can't take this manly jobs"; "You are woman, you shouldn't do the code"; "Why you take coding? You are a woman anyway"; and so on.

Google tries to break the issues. They don't only hold any training and talk show about technology but also share experiences and self-improvement. They use their power to empower others. 

I'd come to their events they are GDG Bandung for Women : Wanita Sebagai Pionir di Dunia Teknologi (2019) and [WTM] IWD 2020 Together We Rise.

In the first event, there were three speakers, they are Teh Heda from GITS, Kak XXX as a freelancer, and Kak Resly Suniar as an Associate R&D Engineer at Blibli.com. They shared about the stereotyped that common in public about women who worked in technology. They told us that actually women could take chances they wanted to take include technology. Our ability is actually the same between men and women so there shouldn't be any discrimination in any environment of jobs.

For the second event, it actually more related to self-improvement like psychological safety in our working environment. Psychological safety is the feeling of safety in our minds to do our jobs in the working environment. Do we feel okay/free when we want to ask or speak our mind in our work environment, or do we prefer to keep the questions and suggestions stay in our head so our boss will not be angry?

In the second event, there was also a session that reminds us to write many reasons why we are worth to be #Remarkable. I enjoyed this session because I could throwback and wrote down my achievements. They didn't have to be the big achievements like being the first winner in any competition, it was more likely to be our own achievements such as our experience as a leader in an event or reaching some earning goals.

It made me more confident to take any chances forward and keep in my mind that I am able and have many values to empower others.

All of Google events I'd joined, what I remember that there was always the networking session where we can talk to other participants even with the speakers and the committee. It was also an awkward time for me because I usually came by myself so I was quite confused whose to start talking. 

But then, I pushed myself to do the networking in GDG Bandung for Women : Wanita Sebagai Pionir di Dunia Teknologi (2019) so I know Novy and her friend (I forget the name 🫤) from Bobobox. I also then knew Teh Heda and met her in the speaker room backstage in Google Devfest 2019.

All of Google's event was too nice for me. It gives positive impacts and adds some new knowledge also opportunities for me such as they provide feedback and you can get $10 Google Play Voucher for free (I got it twice), Qwiklabs one month of free access (I got it multiple times also by joining Qwiklabs' Facebook Page). Thank you Google Cloud Bandung and GDG Bandung for having me from all of your events.