Masniary Hapsari ‘Oik’ was a student in IUP Psychology from Batch 2017. After graduating from IUP Psychology in 2021, she needed clarification about the career she wanted to pursue. She tried to explore career opportunities in Psychology and finally became an assistant psychologist at Biro Psikologi Intuisi, Yogyakarta. Nearing the end of the contract, she realized that she loved working with children, especially those with disabilities. This aligns with her prior motivation to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in the first place. On the other hand, she also wanted to continue further education and immediately recognized the urgency of finding a financial sponsorship to ease her parents. She tried to apply for the Chevening Scholarship, but it didn’t turn out how she hoped. Feeling down, she realized that experiences are necessary for pursuing a master’s degree.
She tried to apply for another scholarship (LPDP) while simultaneously looking for another experience. She moved to Jakarta and worked as a Special Education Teacher who handled various children with disabilities in Pendidikan Inklusi Cikal (Sekolah Cikal). She had a delightful time there while she applied and explored her prior psychology knowledge. Due to her recent experiences, she became more determined to pursue a master’s degree. Around that time, she finally got a scholarship from LPDP. Thus, she tried to apply to several universities related to inclusivity and children with special needs. With support from her prior lecturers from IUP Psychology, peers, and co-workers, she was accepted into several master’s programs in the UK and Australia. Finally, after pondering several options and consequences, she chose a way to continue her master’s degree in Special and Inclusive Education at the University of Sydney, Australia.