For Angelique Siregar, the decision to study psychology in Russia was not something she had planned from the beginning. The Indonesian student, now in her third year at the Faculty of Psychology at Tomsk State University (TSU), initially had a very different interest while she was still in school.
In high school, Angelique was more interested in the arts, particularly fashion design. However, after graduating from high school, she still did not have a clear idea of which field or university she wanted to choose. Following her mother's advice, she eventually decided to study Psychology because she felt that the field suited her personality.
"I am an extroverted person myself and I enjoy socializing with everyone. What I like is talking to every person," Angelique said.
Her interest in people and communication gradually made Psychology an increasingly suitable field for her. She enjoys observing how people behave and how each person has a different character.
Her decision to study at TSU, however, has a different story. Angelique admitted that she was not initially interested in studying in Russia. It was her father who first encouraged her to go to Russia through a scholarship program, and she was eventually accepted to TSU.
Photo: Ari Adzkeri, student TSU
Understanding People Through Psychology
After three years of studying psychology, Angelique has found that understanding people is much more complex than she had imagined. One of the most striking things for her has been realizing that understanding other people's characters, and even understanding herself, is not easy.
In her view, psychology should not be used to determine or judge someone's character. Instead, the field has helped her understand that every person is different.
"The more we study, the more we realize that this knowledge does not only come from books. We can also learn it from within ourselves, from other people, and from experience," she said.
For Angelique, one of the things she has learned through psychology is emotional intelligence, or EQ. This knowledge has helped her recognize and manage her own emotions, while also learning to empathize with and understand the feelings of others.
She believes that this process is important in everyday life, particularly when building social relationships. She continues to study herself and other people because, in her view, understanding people has a significant influence on life, not only in work or education.
"I like learning about other people and myself, so I can accept and learn from all the differences that exist in this world," Angelique said.
This experience has also influenced the way Angelique sees other people. She says that after studying psychology, she has become more attentive to people's gestures and the way they speak, sometimes without even realizing it.
For Angelique, however, studying psychology does not mean that she can understand someone perfectly.
On the contrary, the more she learns, the more she realizes that people are difficult to understand based on a single character trait or behavior.
An Interest in Foreign Languages
In addition to maintaining her academic performance, Angelique has also developed her language skills and can now use English, Russian, and Korean. For her, these abilities have grown from her genuine interest in languages.
"Since I was still in school, I have always learned many languages by myself, completely self-taught. And it is not only languages. The reason is that I enjoy learning and exploring many things," she said.
Her interest in Korean began with her fascination with South Korea culture, including K-pop and Korean dramas. Over time, she continued using various forms of Korean-language content to maintain her ability.
Although her Korean is no longer as strong as it once was, Angelique can still understand what is being said in the language. She also tries to maintain her linguistic abilities by continuing to use different languages in her everyday life.
"I still entertain myself with Korean, English, and Russian. So all the content and things that come into my life are filled with different languages," she said.
This habit has also influenced the way Angelique builds her social circle. She prefers interacting with people from different countries so that she can continue using the languages she has learned.
The Final Two Years and What Comes Next
As she enters the final two years of her studies at TSU, Angelique still has several goals she wants to achieve. She wants to make the most of her remaining time at the university and aims to achieve the best possible grades in her diploma.
"I want to maximize my achievements over the next two years. I want to make sure that I get the best grades in my diploma," she said.
After completing her studies at TSU, Angelique plans to continue her education at another university in Australia or Europe through a full scholarship. She also plans to prepare to take the IELTS test again.
However, when she thinks about herself three years ago, Angelique has one simple message for her younger self: do not be afraid.
When she first arrived in Tomsk, she had many worries fear of living abroad, being alone, trying new things, and failing. After going through various experiences during her time in Russia, she wants to remind herself to remain brave and not give up when facing problems. For Angelique, falling and getting back up are part of the journey.
"If I ever fall down, I'ma keep moving, taking the bitter with the sweet in my life."
Text and photo: Ari Adzkeri, student TSU
