Fenomena Praktik Semprotulation di Kalangan Mahasiswa di Kota Medan

Abstract

In the process of obtaining a degree for students, students must participate in various teaching and learning processes, one of which is the proposal seminar process. The proposal seminar is one of the earliest stages when students want to complete their studies. Over time, the celebration of the proposal seminar has undergone a change in meaning. Initially closely related to academic meaning, students now tend to focus solely on the celebration. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the meaning behind students in the city of Medan in conducting, deciding, and considering celebrating one of the academic stages, namely the proposal seminar. This study focuses on one of the stages, namely the proposal seminar, or in its celebration often referred to as semprotulation. The semprotulation celebration includes giving gifts, bouquets, food, and also making posts on social media. The research method used is a qualitative approach with a phenomenological method. The data collection techniques used in the study were interviews, observation, and documentation involving students at several campuses in the city of Medan. The results of this study indicate that semprotulation as a habit that has now led to an unwritten norm shows a change in meaning from initially having an academic meaning, but is instead closely related to simulacra and hyperreality. This change in meaning is certainly influenced by the use of social media. This shift in meaning also reflects the dynamics of student social interactions, particularly those in their final semesters, which are fraught with meaning. Students in Medan interpret this celebration as a sign of the proposal seminar, a crucial step, and the students' success in completing a proposal, a stage often considered difficult. Therefore, this phenomenon is deeply imbued with implicit meaning for students.