The first and second weeks of March have been lived, leaving behind a February full of stories of rain, floods, and pandemics. Rain and the pandemic closed February as a silent month. The increasing number of victims exposed to Covid-19 does not exclude the academic community of the Universitas Sumatera Utara. So, to anticipate the occurrence of unwanted situations, the Universitas Sumatera Utara failed to continue Face-to-Face Learning, which had started enthusiastically on February 7, 2022, and postponed its implementation until conditions became conducive again.

The postponement of PTM does not mean that the spirit of the Universitas Sumatera Utara to move forward in realizing Transformation Towards the Ultimate has dimmed. A number of activities continue to take place even though by implementing strict health protocols. Among them, the Universitas Sumatera Utara held a graduation procession on March 7-8, 2022, for 3,335 students who had completed all stages of their lectures. The Graduation Period II Academic Year 2021/2022 has completed the number of USU graduates to date as many as 234,874 people.

The newly inaugurated graduates of the Universitas Sumatera Utara are the bearers of hope for the green campus to be increasingly motivated in producing the nation's superior generation, who are able to contribute positively to society and in development. The provisions obtained during the lecture period are expected to be able to place the USU graduates in the best place and position.

USU Rector, Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos, M.Si, emphasized this in his speech at the graduation procession. Being innovators and reformers that is the hope pinned by the Rector when inaugurating the graduates. Passion and enthusiasm to start a new life outside the campus were encouraged not only through official speeches but also from the motivational video shown at the end of the procession and from the jam session, which featured a special performance in the form of songs accompanied by guitar strumming from the USU Rector, accompanied by the USU Vice Rectors.

The message embedded in the graduation procession that took place solemnly as well as warm and inspiring was the enthusiasm and motivation that USU wanted to inject into all graduates. The journey of life that will be passed after holding a degree is a real learning process.

“We leave the greatness of the USU name on the shoulders of all of you and continue to maintain the flame of enthusiasm in working, achieving, and working,” said Dr. Muryanto.

The USU Rector reminded the graduates that the graduation procession provides lessons about the balance point that distinguishes between the learning process or learning to work with the actual actualization process that has direct consequences. When fulfilling learning tasks, students are given space and opportunities to explore, hone, and test the talents/talents/abilities stored within. If the process is utilized well, then students will find their best passion.

The ability to recognize one's potential and passions will provide a greater chance of advancement for college graduates, as well as in planning and realizing their dream future. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams, said Eleanor Roosevelt. That belief must be accompanied by hard work and a desire to continuously improve professional skills and competencies.

The pandemic may not be predicted exactly when it will end. However, we must continue to be optimistic in the midst of the current precarious conditions. Currently, the Government is reviewing and making various preparations to transition the condition of the Covid-19 pandemic, which will soon be declared an endemic. Decreasing the status of the spread of Covid-19 to an endemic will certainly have implications for all of us to become accustomed to Covid-19 as well as other seasonal diseases and enforce various new habits consistently as an adaptation and anticipation of transmission. We hope that, with important innovations in healthcare, in the future the coronavirus with all its variants will be able to evolve to be less threatening to human safety. Then, we will move from an imbalance to a more stable state. The Universitas Sumatera Utara is participating in this process, especially through the USU Faculty of Medicine and USU Hospital, by continuing to activate vaccination, telemedicine, and SWAB-PCR services for people in need. Increased immunity in the community through vaccination is expected to reduce the ability of the virus to spread and cause disease or other serious threats. In addition, various innovations and research also continue to be carried out by a number of USU lecturers and researchers to find prevention and treatment solutions for Covid-19. USU also does not stop improving all services and completeness of infrastructure facilities that support the learning process, as well as increasing campus innovation products that can be utilized by the community.

Let's ignite the spirit to be the best and support the Universitas Sumatera Utara in achieving its big goal of being an international standard university. Even though we have completed the lecture period, the great responsibility that is carried on our shoulders as alumni of the Universitas Sumatera Utara is to make the learning process on campus as a tipping board to jump to the highest point to become an excellent person who has benefits for the entire universe. (RJ)