TANTANGAN KOMUNIKASI JARAK JAUH MELALUI MEDIA WHATSAPP : KAJIAN FENOMENOLOGI MAHASISWA RANTAU DI SURABAYA

Abstrak

This study aims to explore and understand the challenges faced by out-of-town students in Surabaya in maintaining long-distance communication with their families through the WhatsApp application. The background of this research stems from the reality that many students must live far from home to pursue higher education, often encountering obstacles in maintaining communication and emotional closeness with their families. A qualitative approach with a phenomenological method was employed, involving students living at Kos Nginden 64 Surabaya as research participants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observation, then analyzed using the Miles and Huberman model, which includes three stages: data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing.. The findings reveal that WhatsApp serves as the primary communication tool helping students stay connected with their families back home. However, several challenges persist, such as academic workload, time zone differences, limitations in conveying emotions via text, and the risk of miscommunication. Nonetheless, features like video calls and voice notes play a significant role in bridging emotional distance and easing feelings of longing. Overall, the study concludes that when used effectively, WhatsApp can strengthen emotional bonds between students and their families, although additional efforts are needed to overcome communication barriers.