Books and writing are inseparable from Muhammad Farhan, better known as Farhan Abadie. He dove into a string of self-improvement books after finishing high school.
The book that first stirred something in him was Grit by American author Angela Duckworth, a 352-page argument that effort matters more than talent.
"Angela's argument is that talented people are not that much better off compared to those who keep pushing and working hard," said the Communication Sciences student at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS). That book was what nudged Farhan to start developing his writing.
Farhan knew his first piece of writing was not his best. But he kept going, channeling every restless thought into words.
The platform Medium became his space for sharing ideas, opinions, and essays. He also regularly writes film reviews on his blog.
Originally from Kulon Progo, Farhan makes a habit of drafting something whenever a thought or concern crosses his mind. Dozens of drafts now sit quietly on his laptop.
He admitted he needs dedicated time to actually finish them, especially given his responsibilities as Chairperson of the UMS Student Press Pabelan. In practice, he wraps up his writing whenever he finds a spare moment. "I finish things little by little," he said with a laugh.
His writing habit follows him everywhere. When reviewing Joko Anwar's film Ghost In The Cell, for instance, Farhan jotted down key points right there in the cinema.
He then sought out additional references to enrich the piece, scrolling through Joko Anwar's X account and watching podcasts discussing the film.
Beyond his blog, Farhan has also submitted pieces to national media outlets including Mojok.co and Tempo. One of them, titled "Populisme Semu Gibran Lewat Lapor Mas Wapres," was published in Tempo in November 2024.
The experience was a rush like no other. "Is this actually real?" Farhan muttered to himself when the message arrived from Tempo's editorial team confirming his piece would be published.
That did not slow him down. He pushed himself further by entering national writing competitions. In mid-2025, he won first place in the Vision national opinion writing competition organized by LPM Visi at Universitas Sebelas Maret.
Most recently, his writing was selected as one of the top 15 pieces in a national opinion writing competition held by Arah Angin Institute. "These 15 best pieces will be compiled into a book," he said.
Muhammad Farhan was born in Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta, on December 2, 2002. He chose the pen name Farhan Abadie as a tribute to his late father. "My father's name was Abadie," he said.
Before continuing to university, Farhan took a two-year gap, having felt at the time that he did not want to pursue higher education.
He spent that period working at a magazine publisher in Sukoharjo, Central Java. The experience opened his eyes to marketing strategy, the basics of copywriting, and graphic design. It was there that Farhan felt the pull to go back to school.
Before enrolling in Communication Sciences at UMS in 2023, his mother suggested he consider psychology. But Farhan felt it was not the right fit. "I just don't really enjoy listening to people vent and then validating them. It felt a bit heavy," he recalled.
Once at university, Farhan looked for a way to channel his love of writing. His attention landed on the student press organization LPM Pabelan, which was promoting itself at the time as a space to nurture writing talent. Though in the end, Farhan felt he had walked into something he had not quite bargained for.
"I thought it was just writing, but it turned out to be news writing. I never expected that. I never even read the news, and now here I am writing it," he laughed.
From that point on, Farhan threw himself into life at LPM Pabelan as both a writer and editor, steadily building his hours. He worked his way through every level of the organization, from reporter to editor, section editor, and managing editor.
In early 2026, Farhan was entrusted with the role of chairman of LPM Pabelan, a position he had not particularly sought. At the editorial desk, he is responsible for the flow of news and writing. As chairman, he must hold the reins over two pillars of the organization: news coverage and organizational welfare.
Though both involve people, Farhan admitted that managing people is harder than managing words. "It is quite a juggling act to keep both in balance," he said with a sigh.
Amid the routines of studying and organizational life, Farhan still carves out time to pour his thoughts into writing, slowly working through the dozens of opinion and essay drafts piled up on his device.
For him, writing is a way to stir collective awareness and ease the mind of whatever restlessness he carries. Any praise that comes from others is simply a bonus. "It turns out writing can be therapy. It genuinely brings relief," he said with conviction.
Writer: Gede Arga Adrian
Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid
Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva
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