Recently, I and chosen students from all over Indonesia joined Olimpiade Sains Nasional (OSN, or if translated National Science Olympiad) SMA 2015 in Yogyakarta. There are nine subjects competed every year; Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer/Information Technology, Biology, Astronomy, Economy, Earth Science and Geography. The participants of each subject range from 72 to 80 students, which is the number of Biology branch participants, the subject I competed in.
The students must do some tests; in Biology, there are two types, practical and theory tests. The practical test is divided into four sub-subjects, this year they were Plant Anatomy and Physiology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Animal Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology and Molecular Biology. Each practical test took 90-100 minutes, in which the participants had to complete worksheets about the practice and solve some analytical problems. The theory test has two sessions every year, Theory A and Theory B, with the time given to finish each is 3 hours.
There are 30 medals given to the participants with highest points; 5 golds, 10 silvers and 15 bronzes. The medalists will then be called to join a selection for representing Indonesia in International Science Olympiad in the following year.
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| The OSN bronze medalists of some subjects; one of them is Biology. |
I can say, winning the OSN is what many people dream of. For that, people do a lot of things; like study harder, pray more often, etc. They -we- also sacrifice things like their time in school, which in my opinion is a big sacrifice as in Olympiad we only learn one subject but in school, we need to be good at many. The time used to prepare and compete in the OSN may lead to inability in doing school tasks and tests, which may result to lower grades and ranks. Many Olympiad participants still tops their class, though, as they work hard just as soon as they got back from the competition. To me, OSN is the place to work hard, to be mature despite the consequences and the chance of losing, to be brave enough to dream, and the most important thing: to know Allah more. Because of that, I choose this topic for my English interview task.
In this post, I am going to write about my interview with two of the Biology participants. They are Kak Muhammad Iqbal Pratama, an SMAN 5 Surabaya 11-grader and Salsabiilaa Roihanah, a student of SMP Semesta Bilingual Boarding School Semarang. Yes, she's still a junior high school student. The rule of OSN SMA allows 9th grade students to join to competition, beside of course, 10th and 11th grader. I know them from trainings I joined. They both, alhamdulillaah, won bronze medals.
I interviewed them in different occasion, and here's what I asked them along with their answers.
How did you know about your passing to the OSN for the first time? How was your feeling?
Kak Iqbal: I know my passing to the OSN from one of my senior, and then I checked it on the Internet. I felt surprised and thankful to Allah.
Salsa: I was so thankful and grateful. It was rather unexpected. The announcement was on the same week with my school examination (I WAS a ninth grader, which had been facing various examination to graduate). But I was a little bit sad, knowing some of my seniors couldn't make it to the nationals.
What did you do to prepare for the Olympiad? For how long did you do that?
Kak Iqbal: I studied theories, practiced the questions of previous OSN with my seniors and Biology lecturers, and joined TOBI's pre-OSN training, which included theory and practice. I do the preparations for around 1 month.
Salsa: I was surrounded by senior who had been an Olympiad student just like me. She helped me a lot. Well, she was Kak Hana (Fauzyyah Hanifin), last year IBO participant who is struggling to be part of Indonesian Team again this year. My province, Middle Java, also held a training center for a month. We were trained by some alumni and lecturer. I read books, I tried to solve problems, but the hardest part was the experiment section. Because I didn't really have much time to practice it.
What was your motivation of joining the competition?
Kak Iqbal: My motivation to join OSN is to get a medal to ease my way in SNMPTN (a way to apply to universities), and also to give something to my school. Joining OSN is also my dream since childhood.
Salsa: I wrote about my experience on my blog. Surprisingly, I've got some positive feedbacks from people. They say my writings have inspired them. I wanted to inspire more and more. And getting achievement was a way to do that. Besides, I wanted to make my parents and my school proud. After all, I enjoyed biology, with or without OSN ;)
What did you want to achieve in the competition?
Kak Iqbal: I just wanted to achieve the best, and get a medal, any medal will do :)
Salsa: I didn't push myself to get medal. I wanted to get experience as much as possible. But the atmosphere of competition finally reached me, affected me, and at the end, I dreamed to get a medal.
You won the bronze medal. When the event's MC called your name, what did you feel? Was bronze your target?
Kak Iqbal: I felt very surprised, since I screwed up in the Plants (Anatomy and Physiology) practical test :) My target is to get any medal, so it is a fulfillment to my target.
Salsa: It was amazing. After all those tests, I was very very hopeless. I did many stupid mistakes during the experiment. I was on my lowest point. And hearing my name felt so great, I am so thankful to Allah.
What things did you get in the competition, beside medal?
Kak Iqbal: First, I get so many precious experience, such as to read instructions carefully. Secondly, I met many wonderful friends from all over Indonesia.
Salsa: I knew where were my mistakes, and I promised to myself to fix them in the future. I met new friends, I reunited with old friends, those experiences are more important than medal.
What do you think about the OSN before and after joining the competition itself?
Kak Iqbal: Before, I thought the OSN is wonderful. After I joined OSN, it's more than that.
Salsa: I think OSN nowadays is getting more and more popular. It has become a business field for some people, for example making a paid olympiad training. But I think the real purpose of OSN has been accomplished A HALF. Indonesian students become more aware about science. The other half, we must wait until we are all grown up. Can we make a difference in this country we live in? That one is our challenge.
What is you dream now that you've won the OSN? Is it joining the International Biology Olympiad (IBO)?
Kak Iqbal: Well, I dreamed to use the medal for SNMPTN, I'm aiming for FK UI (Medical Faculty of Universitas Indonesia). And yes, I also dreamed to join IBO.
Salsa: My next target? Well, I'd like to keep my dreams to myself and people that are close to me only. But after all, I will do my best in every chance I get ;)
Could you please give an advice to people who would like to join the competition you've just joined and also for all people who are having dreams they would like to achieve?
Kak Iqbal: My advice, focus on your dream, and pursue it. While in the pursuit for that dream, put other matters second in the priority list. Never be afraid to make sacrifices, you have to make that sacrifice, and believe that in the end that it will worth it. Never forget to pray to Allah all the time.
Salsa: Competition isn't just about winning a medal or trophy. The real winner, is one who has courage to dream high, and really put an effort to make it come true. One who can bring goodness to his surroundings, one who can inspire and bring smiles to people, one who can make this world a better place; that's the true winner. Just remember, when you lose all your hope, when you think you are failing and never gonna reach the top, go back to the Owner of all Power; Allah. Because everything can come true in His blessing. Just remember, when you lose all your hope, when you think you are failing and never gonna reach the top, the Owner of all Power; Allah, will never leave you alone. So be close to Him, in your ups and downs :)
I asked an additional question to Salsa, as the fact that she's still an SMP student interests me. The question was, "You are still a junior high school student, but the competition you joined was for SMA, How was your feeling?". She answered, "It was a lot depressing. We had to face national examination in the middle of training center! The lesson in high school olympiad was a lot harder compared to middle school. But I was also proud of myself, because I could compete with my seniors equally."
As the closing, I would like to quote Eleanor Roosevelt, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." Kak Iqbal and Salsa had a dream to win the OSN, and after working hard, they were able to achieve it. I believe that what we dream, what I and you, fellow readers, dream, is not meant just to live inside our thought. When we believe our dream would come true, that's the time when it really is going to be. Because, by believing, we will do and sacrifice things to achieve that. We won't give up even though we fail and fail again, instead, we will see the failure as another step forward. Positive thinking is the key of success, isn't it?
