Each year, Badan Pengurus Harian (BPH) of the English Department Students Association (EDSA) at Universitas Airlangga holds an Upgrading event to strengthen the bonds among members while enhancing teamwork and organizational skills. This year, the event took place over two days at Villa Damar Sewu in Pacet, Mojokerto, with more than 60 staff participating.

The journey began at 10 a.m. when all members gathered in front of the Postgraduate Building at Universitas Airlangga while waiting for others to arrive and for transportation to come. Around 11 a.m., the group departed using a military truck known as a “Jisang.” Although the truck ride was hot and cramped, the cheerful atmosphere turned the experience into a precious and unforgettable memory. The group arrived at the villa around 1 p.m.

Upon arrival at the villa, the members had free time to rest and worship until 3 p.m. The following agenda was to revise the work program proposals, which had already been divided into groups. At around 4.30 p.m., the proposals were evaluated by alumni and core BPH members. After that, the participants rested, prayed, and ate together until 6.30 p.m.

In the evening, the agenda continued with a proposal review, this time by the BPH EDSA advisor, Mr. Pujo Sakti Nur Cahyo. With enthusiasm and attention, he provided valuable input and evaluation for developing each division's work program. The evening ended with enough rest to prepare for the next day's activities. Even so, some members were still busy chatting or swimming, enjoying the relaxing atmosphere in the villa.

The second day started with breakfast at around 7 a.m. Then, at 9 a.m., the participants gathered in the upper field to participate in exciting outbound activities. Each participant was divided into groups to play various fun and challenging games, such as newspaper folding (hug me), rock-scissors-paper, paper relay, and ping-pong relay. Laughter, cheers, and a strong sense of friendship filled the atmosphere. The games were not only entertaining but also strengthened group bonding and solidarity.

After the outbound session, the members had time to clean up and pack their belongings for check-out. Furthermore, while waiting for the transportation to arrive, it was time for the announcement of the best outbound team, which was greeted with applause from the participants. At around 1 p.m., the group finally returned to campus with many cherished memories.

Aufarrel Afila, one of the BPH EDSA members, shared her thoughts about the upgrading event, "The villa we stayed in was nice, and even though we were crammed together in the truck, that experience allowed us to feel a sense of togetherness, which created special memories. And the most enjoyable part was the outbound games."

Writer: Della Aulia Feronica Editor: Florenia Neve Suryani