Class of 2024: Judith Haryanto
| Judith Haryanto (she/her/hers) |
| Program: BSc in Food and Resource Economics |
How did you hear about LFS at UBC?
It was actually by chance. I was looking into getting into the Faculty of Science with no specific major in mind but then I found out about the Faculty of Land and Food Systems while I was looking for a second option. The programs they provided resonated with me more and so I found myself putting LFS as my first choice!
What challenges did you encounter while a student and how did you overcome them?
The transition from high school to university and reshaping my self-identity after that. I think many of us who go to UBC tend to be individuals who excelled academically with an impressive extracurricular background among their peers in school – for myself and many others it’s easy to shape your identity around your achievements and how you compare relative to others. To anyone who currently feels small and discouraged: don’t deny yourself the ability to fail, because you will bounce back and learn from them. It is unkind to demand constant success from yourself, because growth is a non-linear relationship.
What was your favourite class and why?
I found ECON 234 – Wealth and Poverty of Nations extremely fascinating back when I took it with Professor Thorsten. The course had a multidisciplinary approach involving not just economics, but also anthropology, history, agriculture, geography to explain how nations develop and how it plays into historic and present wealth inequality. For example, how agriculture is theorised to be a prerequisite to accounting and then systems of writing – writing systems allow information to be stored, conveyed and delivered across generations and time.
Do you recommend students get involved in extra-curriculars? What did you do outside of the classroom?
Yes, yes and YES! Extracurriculars teach you skills like communication, problem solving, and sometimes critical thinking beyond coursework – if anything it shaped a bigger part of my university experience than classes. I would not be where I am today without the volunteer work and club positions I stepped into. Volunteering for UBC Sprouts and being a club executive for Roots on the Roof has given me a perspective of food systems from the grassroot level, whereas the courses in university tend to be more theoretical and overarching. Both of them are invaluable in forming a holistic way of thinking.
What is the next step for you? Do you have plans post-graduation?
I will be taking a much needed summer vacation before looking for work or perhaps enrolling in a masters program! In the meantime, I’m going to be spending a lot more time pursuing my personal projects in digital art and creative writing because the generalist in me needs to do something else after spending 4 years studying what’s essentially just one area of interest!
Favourite place to eat in Vancouver?
All my friends know my love for ice cream knows no bounds: Earnest Ice cream is a must if you can make the commute from campus, although Rain or Shine also hits the spot after an exam!
Interested in Food and Resource Economics (FRE) research? Check out the website here!
Tagged with: 2024, Food and Resource Economics, Undergraduate