Author: Alexil Fajardo

Reassessing Myself as a Media Writer

Five months ago, I found assessing myself as a media writer a bit challenging because of my lack of confidence that I possess any of these qualities and skills. Five months had taught me a lot of things and enhanced some of my skills and even made me identify my hidden ones.

The photos below show my assessment as a media writer before and after a semester at the university.

Among the qualities listed, which quality would be the one that you need to work on the most? Why?

Same as before, I need to work on my curiosity. I should be more curious about different things for me to gain more knowledge, learnings, and experiences. I am still not that curious enough to explore more or to want more.

Given your ratings, what keeps you from getting that 1.00 self-rating?

I might have gained some self-confidence in that five months of being a Development Communication student, but I think it’s still the thing that keeps me from getting that 1.00 self-rating. I think I still have to gain more self-confidence to rate myself as high as 1.00.

Among the skills listed, which skill have you developed the highest competency? What contributed to the development of that skill?

The skill that I have developed the most is gathering data. It is because for the last semester, I have done a lot of gathering data from different places and different people. I have learned to ask more things than before for me to have extra data to use when I needed it.

Among the skills listed, which skill would be the one that you need to work on the most to develop? Why?

Writing clearly and effectively. Because I have noticed that even though I have written so many papers in my stay at the university, I still tend to write unclearly. Sometimes, I don’t even proofread my work.

In my first semester as a UPLB BS Development Communication student, I have learned to always do my best and to plan and do ahead of time to have better and high-quality outputs.

As a writer, I should think that every work that I pass should be done with all my best. I should stop making outputs without thinking and planning because all my efforts would be just put into waste.

Lex Be Better!

I can’t imagine that five months have passed since I started studying at the University of the Philippines. Remembering the things that happened in those five months make me laugh and sad and make me think that I should have done better if I knew better. But I can’t bring back the past for me to change it the way I want. But what I can do, is to be better.

Listed below are the five things that I should have done to be better.

I can’t count the number of times when I missed opportunities to say my thoughts out loud; thoughts that should have helped me to do much better, thoughts that should make people think that I CAN think and HAVE brilliant ideas, and thoughts that should have changed the turn of events that happened in my life. I often think that every thought that runs in my mind is wrong or will make other people think I’m stupid.

I should be more confident in myself and start thinking about positive things. I should not be afraid to make mistakes, because these mistakes can teach me lessons and make me so much better than my old self.

For the past semester, I spent a month being alone. Not all the time of day, but most of the time. I stuck with the people that I already knew. I was afraid to approach people and be close to them, for I think that they won’t like me or welcome me in their group. There was a time when I thought it’s okay; when I thought that I can survive the semester without being friends with others, but I thought it wrong, facing my problems is impossible without any friends. Thank God that He gave me people that I can be with for the whole semester.

I was used to planning what I should do in my mind, but don’t do it. I was always planning that I will do this on this day, this at this time, this at this hour. But none of that ever happened. I slept at those times that I planned to be productive.

These things resulted in me cramming all the time. This cramming gave me low-quality outputs.

In just a semester that I have experienced at the university, I always said the words “AYOKO NA”. If things get difficult to deal with or when I don’t know what to do anymore, my mind and body seem to give up. And when these times come, I always say, “Bahala na nga si Wonder Woman.”

When time is running out, I sit on our couch, stare on the laptop, and just do whatever the things I should do. When this happens, I tend to forget that I didn’t have the chance to eat dinner.

“We turn not older with years but newer every day.”

Emily Dickinson

Pasko na sa ELBI


The University of the Philippines held an annual Christmas Lighting ceremony, Pasko sa Elbi: Isang Pasasalamat, on November 19, 2019.

The ceremony, hosted by the Office of Initiatives in Culture and the Arts and Office of the Chancellor, started at 5:30 PM. Different performances from Choral Ensemble, Dr. Antonio Quilloy, UPLB Street Jazz Dance Company, and UPLB Filipiniana Dance Troupe were presented during the program.

Here is a video of the UPLB’s Christmas Lighting Ceremony.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0Mh_ZFVffY

    By: Althea Lantican, Aryandhi Almodal, Elysse Bejar, Judica Bisnar, Alexil Fajardo, Jerome Benjamin, Jamil Creado

    Chill Out

    College life is never easy. Being a student is never easy. I remember some people saying, “DevCom lang yan, kaya mong ipasa yan.” No, it’s not “DevCom lang”. Just because there’s no computation or MATH, doesn’t mean it’s easy. There is no easy program in college. No matter how much you like what you’re taking, you’ll still find it hard. Every program has long exams; thus, every student has hell week.

    When a long weekend comes, I tend to do things that chill me out. I do things that keep me from thinking about school. Rest for me, is a time to breathe and relax.

    Here are the things that I do to chill out:

    Before I do school works or when I feel stressed, I go for a walk or go biking. It calms me and makes me forget all the things that stress me. Sometimes, I even let our dog join me in doing this activity. This gives me fun and my body a chance to be exercised.

    Playing our keyboard makes my mind calm and occupied. It keeps me from thinking about my problems. I consider this a good distraction from my problems.

    When I’m sad, happy, stressed, and angry, I tend to listen to music. It calms me and gives me an escape from the world.

    Eating makes me satisfied and feels less stressed. It’s my source of energy to continue whatever I’m doing and to start what I should do. It also helps me to think clearly.

    I love watching movies/shows that motivate me. It makes me stronger and motivated to continue facing my problems in life and think that life is boring when problems are not present. It makes me continue fighting.

    Watching the sky is my way of giving myself some time alone. Being with yourself helps you to sort things out and realize what you should do and what should not.

    I tasted life.

    Emily Dickinson

    UPCAT 2020

      October 5 and 6, 2019 were the days that the third batch of K-12 took the University of the Philippines College Admission Test.

      On the last day of UPCAT 2020, I accompanied my friend to send her brother to his examination hall. Seeing students waiting for their exam made me feel nostalgic. I was like them last year, nervous and a little bit happy. Some were just patiently waiting. Some were talking to their family and friends, and some were eating.

      While waiting for my friend, I approached a girl with her mother to ask her some questions about UPCAT.

      Kimberly Asuncion lives in San Pedro Laguna and is currently studying at Liceo de San Pedro. She chose UP Diliman as her first Campus. Some of her chosen courses are Computer Science and Civil Engineer.

      The preparation she did for the UPCAT was reviewing with her friends and classmates. According to her, a week before the examination, all she did was to relax.

      I asked her why she chose UP. She said, “Kasi naging basis na rin ng mga companies ang magandang school na pinagtapusan.”

      Kimberly Asuncion was accompanied by her mother, Marites Asuncion.

      I also asked Mrs. Marites Asuncion about the motivations she gave her daughter before UPCAT. She said, “Relax lang. Kung para sa kanya, para sa kanya.”

      Keep Calm and Don’t Cram

      We took our midterm exams in Devcom 10 and Devcom 11 in just one week. Things happened so fast that I can’t even recall how I survived taking the exams. All I know is just I was so exhausted last week for using my brain to process information. Based on my experience, here are my five tips that can help you to survive DevCom Exams.

      Completing your notes is a big help for you to study easily. You can use this to put an organized information in your brain. Don’t study using your gadgets for it will give you nothing but a lot of distractions.

      Learn to be one step ahead of the time. Read and study in advance to avoid cramming. You can’t just put all the information in your brain in one night or in one sitting. In short, avoid procrastination.

      Food and water make our brain keep on functioning properly and give us energy. By this, we can process everything that we have studied without being pressured and we can also avoid mental blocks.

      After studying and before the exam, make sure you have gotten enough sleep for it will help you have a good performance. Sleep makes us think clearly, sharpens our memory, and gives us energy to finish our exam.

      While studying for an exam, don’t put too much stress on yourself. Just relax and chill to have a clear mind and better thinking. Worrying won’t help you have a perfect/passing score.

      Ang Kompetisyon sa Sayawan ng Bailamos sa taunang BAÑAMOS FESTIVAL

      Sinaulat nila: Stephen Buenaventura (UV-2L), Hendrix Dulay (UV-2L), at Alexil Fajardo (UV-5L)

      Ang mga residente ay hindi nagpatinag sa maulan na panahon at tumuloy pa rin upang makanood ng bailamos dance competition na isa sa mga programa ng ikalabingwalong bañamos festival ng Los Banos. 

      Sa kabila ng maulan na panahon, ang mga residente ng bayan ng Los Banos ay hindi nagpatinag upang masaksihan ang isa sa programa ng Banamos festival, ang Bailamos dance competetion.

      Ang Multipurpose/Evacuation Center sa bario ng Baybayin ay dinagsa ng madaming tao upang mapanood ang nasabing kompetisyon na binubuo ng sampung grupo mula sa iba’t-ibang parte ng Laguna.  

      Ang mga kalahok ay ang mga sumusunod:

      1. King of buck
      2. South style flava
      3. Hybrid buck
      4. Next attraction
      5. Squammies
      6. Street kings
      7. NDGC vengeance
      8. Nazty boys
      9. G7
      10. Scammaz

      Nakabibinging mga tili at sigawan ang nangibabaw sa buong lugar.  Bunga ito ng pagkamalas ng mga kasaling kalahok ng kani-kanilang sariling estilo at kahusayan sa pagsasayaw na talaga namang ikinatuwa ng maraming manonood. 

      Pagkatapos ng lahat ng pagtatanghal, nagbigay naman ng isang especial na pagtanghal o intermission, ang isang grupong kasama si konsehal Dex Concio, at isang united dance, na pinangunahan ng mga kalahok para sa isang huling pagsasayaw, bilang isang sibil na kompetisyon.

      Ang mga mananalong grupo sa kompetisyon ay makakatanggap ng 10,000 pesos at sertipiko para sa ikalawang pwesto, 15,000 pesos at sertipiko naman para sa unang pwesto at 20,000 pesos at sertipiko sa kampeon.  Binigyan din ng isang espesyal na parangal ang pinakanatatanging grupo sa lahat na pinagbasehan mula sa pagtanghal ng united dance.

      Bago parangalan ang mga kalahok, ang mga hurado ay binigyan muna ng sertipiko ng pagkalugod o certificate of appreciation bilang pagtanggap nila sa imbitasyon ng pagiging hurado ng kompetisyon.

      Sa huli, binigay na ang resulta at pinarangalan na ang mga kalahok.  Ang mga nanalo ay ang mga sumusunod na grupo:  Nazty boys sa ikalawang pwesto, Scammaz sa unang pwesto na napanalunan din ang special award na “Dance Group of the Year” at ang kampeon ng kompetisyon, ang grupo ng G7. 

      Ayon sa isang miyembro ng grupo, ang kanilang pagkapanalo ay espesyal at natatangi sa kadahilanang ito ang kanilang pinakaunang kompetisyon na na napanalunan bilang isang bagong grupo.  Sila ay nagpapasalamat din sa kanilang mga magulang na nagbigay sa kanila ng suporta at lakas at sinabing ibibigay nila ang kalahati ng kanilang premyo sa mga ito.

      Interviewer: Ano pong nararamdaman niyo nung nanalo po kayo?

      Interviewee: Sobrang saya po namin kasi first time po kaming nanalo at first time din pong nagawa yung grupo namin. 

      Interviewer: Ano pong gagawin niyo sa premyong napanalunan niyo?

      Interviewee: Paghahatian po namin at ibibigay po yung kalahati sa parents po namin kasi sila po yung number one na supportive po samin.

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