Audrey Lynn Julianto
[This essay was written for February Writing Challenge of Research and Development Division ISAFIS]
If you are a Broadway lover like I am, the title of this writing might be familiar to you. If you are not, then perhaps I should start with a brief introduction of the title. The title came from a well known Broadway show by Roger and Hammerstein “Cinderella”, in which like any other version except the original one, talks about this young, soon to be, princess lies in distress until one day she could meet her prince charming and got swooped away to happily ever after. But that is far from the point I’m trying to make here.
The song title was sung in the context of Cinderella having her own daydream in which she could be anything that she dreamed to be. It’s her means of survival in the background lacking of affection. As you might all know, Cinderella does not have such a good life before Prince Charming. She was basically her step mother’s and sisters’ personal nanny/helper/slave (pick one you like the most). But regardless of her situation, when she is in her own little corner, she keeps her head up high and think about a better future ahead of her. Even though it is hard, she keeps a good attitude and a hopeful view of the future.
As an International Relations student, I am always exposed to different sort of international news. Some are nice, some are pretty depressing, and some are just down right troubling, and there will come a time where everywhere you look is just a mess. You began to see how out of control the world actually is. You began to see the dark side of the world. You become pessimist person and sometimes it might got to a point where you lose your faith in humanity.
This happens not because I’m a baper person. This happens because when all you see around you is sad, you could not really be immune to feel the same thing. When all you see is hopelessness, it takes a much powerful strength to be able to see the bright side of the world.
I am going to say this outright to all you reader (or readers). The world is filled with problem. Whether you want to deny or ignore it, it does not really change the situation of the problem. However, we are not doomed, or at least not yet. It is up to us to make that change. Being human, I have personally experience that hardship of being positive when everything around you is falling into pieces. Reading world’s headline could be depressing.
There is just too much problem in the world to not be sad and it is very understandable that one will get to that point of complete hopelessness of the future. But the problem is not about knowing the problem itself. The problem is how we respond to the problem that we are facing. The more we learn the more we see how flawed the world really is. The development of international studies has been caused from the various problems that need specification in its studies.
As cheesy as it might sound, sometimes we have to be like Cinderella. When everything around you is sad and dark, you need to take a step back. Breathe and convince yourself that the world is not as bad as it is; that there always will be a solution to every problem. We need to have the strength that Cinderella has. To overcome the sadness of the current situation and try to imagine a better future. You might never know. A glimpse of hope might come a long way.