WARNING: WALL OF TEXT. NOT THAT LONG BUT LONGER THAN CAN BE LASTED BY THE AVERAGE ONLINE READER WITHOUT VIDEOS OR IMAGES TO HELP THEM.
It’s been a wild ride of a first semester. In approximately 5 months I accomplished substantially more work than I have for all the years prior. Was it a drag? A bit. Was it a taste of reality? Of course. I did put Development Communication as my first choice, so now I face the difficulties that are to be expected with what I’m supposed to be doing in the future. So far it seems I can still manage things, although looking around I see others have put in a lot more work than I have, and have subsequently accomplished much more.
I’ve spent the past few blog posts half-heartedly filling space, mixing in my humour to create something I think others would enjoy reading. It’s more attractive, I reckon, for the readers who might wander around and see what I’ve created. For once I think I’ll actually write something a bit more meaty, even at the cost of viewership, if there is any. Blog6050 as an exercise of media writing has proven to be one hell of an exercise, but even now I’m still convinced that, aside from your blockmates, only a few others actually see the things you’ve written. That’s fine, I don’t expect anything else. Still, at least one person has to be spending their time reading these things, and as a distant message from a student I hope you don’t lose interest.
If I could tell myself some advice, with what I’ve learned so far, I’d like to tell myself these.
Firstly, I’d like to tell myself to be more active. I can’t stress enough how much I notice how fast my batchmates have adapted to the environment, churning out work for the UP Website and the Los Banos Times while I’m stuck here twiddling my thumbs, shouting this and that as excuses for why I couldn’t do what they did. I’m sure they have their own excuses too, ones more worthwhile and legitimate than the reasons I can come up with. Regardless, they accomplished something, and I didn’t. When I see their works, I feel disappointed in myself, partly because while inspecting their creations (aside from the Filipino articles, bless their souls because I can’t make text like that) I find that I could have written those. I’m good at writing, I believe, but so are my peers. What use are my talents if I can’t even use them productively?
Secondly, I’d like to tell myself to be less shy. Connections, connections, connections. Christ, I haven’t even made an effort to actually know my fellow DevCom practitioners. So many opportunities to introduce myself, to make friends and acquaintances, missed because I couldn’t be bothered to overcome my social anxieties. Imagine if I did though. Would I be working with other people creating articles? What memories, experiences, and opportunities have I missed by taking this route of mine instead of that? We will, quite literally, never know.
Thirdly, I’d like to tell myself to be more hardworking. Pardon me for what may seem like a humblebrag or a display of arrogance, but I have confidence when I’m say I’m at least a bit smart. Not supremely intelligent, just smart. The examinations that the Professor gave us were a test for our memorisation abilities, and I know I could have done better. It’s just grade on a paper, I suppose, but when others are excelling I know that these excuses don’t hold up. Even though the Professor herself said that these grades don’t add up to anything in the long run, I know that this doesn’t justify not reviewing days in advance.
Fourthly, I’d like to tell myself to be less hard on myself. Did you know the activity I hated the most was the Man-on-the-street interview? Jesus Christ, being rejected sucked. That happened at the beginning of the sem and I’ve been a bit wary of approaching people in public (though the Expert Interview went as smooth as it could.) I made an article for Banamos that could have been published at the LBTimes. I sent it and everything, only to realize days later that I had missing information. Needless to say I was incredibly disheartened. You have one opportunity to accomplish something substantial and you mess it up? That’s the thing though, it wasn’t one opportunity. I need to have thicker skin and handle these problems like a pro, not like a little bamboo stick that bends according to the wind. There were countless other opportunities afterwards, and I didn’t take them for… reasons?
Lastly, I’d like to tell myself to have a bit more fun. I’m not sure if it’s really something I can do, per say, than as something I should try to do. The semester so far has been a struggle, but maybe with a bit more push and enthusiasm could have made it just a little bit less bothersome. If I could put in as much interest as I have in other things into this, I’m sure I could have been an excellent student. Instead, I end this semester as another face in the pool of students that Devcom 11 UV had.
Life goes on still, though. You’ll see my face around.
Now to think of it, these generic advices could be given to anyone, in any field, at any time. Not to mention, I’d probably be a little hypocrite and not apply these learnings to myself right now.
You reached this far? Awesome. The lecture class thought me that online viewers have little to no patience for online content with minimal pictures and videos. For having had the perseverance to survive my ramblings, the least I could do is hope you have a nice day reader. We all could use a little more happiness in the world.
Peace out.
BLOG 6050 