Just outside, in another corner of the school, the sounds of gamelan music rise and fall like the waves of the sea. In the art room, another group of students practices a traditional dance passed down from their ancestors. Their steps are precise, their movements full of meaning. It may seem like a different world from the one filled with talk of satellites and AI. But in truth, these two worlds are not in conflict, they are two parts of a whole. Together, they reflect the essence of Indonesia’s next generation: a generation rooted in culture, and reaching for the future.
We live in a fast-moving world. Every day, new technologies emerge, social media spreads trends overnight, and the pressure to succeed seems to grow stronger with each passing moment. In this climate, many young people are made to believe that success requires us to leave behind the past, to trade tradition for innovation, stories for science, roots for ambition. But when we look deeper, we find that true progress does not require us to forget who we are. It calls on us to remember.
Indonesia is a land of breathtaking diversity. From Sabang to Merauke, from the highlands of Papua to the markets of Sumatra, our culture is rich, colorful, and alive. It lives in our music, our food, our clothing, our rituals, and our languages. It teaches us values that no formula or algorithm can fully explain how to be patient, how to work as a community, how to honor our elders, and how to remain humble in both success and failure. These are the silent lessons that shape not only how we think, but who we become.
As students, we are taught to work hard. We study for hours, strive for top grades, compete in science fairs, apply for scholarships abroad. And we should. Ambition is not a bad thing it is a sign of hope. We dream not only for ourselves, but also for our families, our communities, and our country. But let us remember this: excellence is not measured only by numbers on a report card or medals on a shelf. True excellence is also measured by kindness, empathy, and the courage to remain authentic in a changing world.
Technology, often seen as a force that erases tradition, can actually be a tool for cultural preservation. Today, a teenager with a smartphone can record a traditional ceremony, post a video of a regional dance, or create a podcast in their mother tongue. We can digitize old manuscripts, design educational games that teach local folklore, or build AI that understands Indonesian dialects. When we use innovation to uplift heritage, we build a bridge between generations. We show the world that the past and the future are not enemies, they are allies.
Balancing the old and the new is not always easy. Sometimes we feel caught between two worlds, one pulling us forward, the other holding us close. But this struggle is not a weakness; it is our strength. Every time we wear batik to a science competition, every time we speak our regional language in a modern debate, every time we mix ancient wisdom with new ideas, we are showing that identity is not static. It evolves. And when we carry our culture into new spaces, we enrich them.
Being an Indonesian student in today’s world is both a challenge and a privilege. We are challenged to compete globally, to innovate, to keep learning. But we are also privileged to be shaped by a culture that values harmony, cooperation, and inner strength. These are values that can guide us not only in school, but in life.
So let us walk boldly into the future with smartphones in our hands, and tradition in our hearts. Let us become engineers who respect the land, doctors who speak with compassion, artists who honor heritage, and leaders who remember their roots. Let us rise not by leaving our culture behind, but by bringing it with us into every classroom, every lab, every invention, and every dream.
The world will continue to change. New opportunities will come. New problems will need solving. But if we step forward with ambition in our minds and culture in our souls, we will do more than succeed. We will lead with clarity, with integrity, and with a deep sense of who we are. And in doing so, we will carry Indonesia forward strong in tradition, bold in innovation, and united in purpose.
By:Jasmine L (XI.5)