Author: Cedric Katigbak

I know you must be anxious right now – everything is a lot to take in, to consume. I know you believe that you do not deserve that seat reserved for you in that classroom. I know you are worried that you might be alone, doing things all by yourself. I know you are afraid to meet and to talk to people of different cultures, beliefs, and wavelengths. Trust me, it is okay to be doubtful but I promise that everything is going to be alright.

Tell them what you know and what you believe in. I understand that you are afraid to speak up whenever a teacher is asking a question in class. Maybe you are afraid that you might be wrong, or what you will say may find offensive by others, but the culture here in UP is tolerance and acceptance of diverse beliefs. They will accept what you will say as long as you let it out in a respectful manner. Do not be intimated by the way others speak, how eloquent they are or how substantial their answers are.

Don’t be afraid to speak up – if you are pro-life and anti-death penalty, if you support women empowerment and despise gender roles, and if you believe that the system is harmful to you and your colleagues’ mental health. Just make that first talk, and everything will follow. However, I would also like to remind you to never be too flashy, that you would always want the limelight on you. Education is not always about being the one favored to but is sometimes experiencing rejection and making mistakes.

It is okay to make your pace slower. Everything happens so fast in college. You would not even notice that it is finals week already. If there’s one thing that you would not want to regret, it is making every second, thought, and moment count. Live the moment as it only comes once in a while, you’re not getting any younger – go to parties, worship God, and spend quality time with your friends and family. Do not regret taking a 20-minute nap when you’re tired. Doing things with a clear and rested mind makes your outputs more creative and amazing.

Excellence does not mean perfection. Yes, I know that you recall that you were once one of the bests in high school, getting perfect scores here and there. In the university, it may hurt you to realize that you are not always the best anymore. Once you’re at the end of the semester, you will realize how worthy it is to celebrate a score of 80 in an exam. You will also know how important it is to remember that making mistakes does not make you less of an Iskolar ng Bayan. You will say ‘ugh, I almost made it’ a lot of times, but, believe me, everything that you have, as long as you did your best, is more than enough already.

Recall your purpose. There will be nights when you will choose to not sleep at all or to sacrifice the leisure time for yourself to study for an examination the next day. There might be times when you will be asking yourself, ‘to whom am I doing this for?’ or ‘to where is this leading?’, and those are good opportunities to reflect on your purpose. Always remember that you are here in UP because you want to be a lawyer and be self-sufficient in the future, to give back to your family, to be of service to the country, and to glorify God with your life. Those four things might be long-term goals, but, trust me, they are within reach.

Enjoy. Everything’s going to be stressful, and UP life is going to consume you, but hey, happiness is always a choice. It might be hard and cliché but looking for the brighter side of things has always been helpful in moving forward. Always welcome the day with a smile and seek joy from its constant source – Jesus. No matter what negative energy will lure you that day, your happy heart will never falter. When life’s difficulties bring you down, the joy of the Lord will be your undying source of strength.

Looking forward, you will just be surprised that you made it. Aha, it’s done! You will just laugh at the times you almost cried because your output takes a lot of time to turn in, or you were careless during an exam. Do not forget to bring those memories and lessons with you as you move on. Lastly, no matter where your wings will bring you, always keep your feet on the ground.

Love, You (a semester after)

Dalawang araw nag-init ang bulwagang Baker nang magpasiklaban ang mga guro, staff, at mga estudyante ng Kolehiyo ng Komunikasyong Pangkaunlaran. Ang kauna-unahang CDCiklaban, na noo’y kilala bilang Devcolympics, ay pinangunahan ng CDC Student Council.

Saksihan ang mga kaganapan sa makasaysayang pagdiriwang ng pampalakasan sa kolehiyo mula sa bidyo na ginawa nina Roella Marcelle Bautista, Kaye Galler, Cedric Katigbak, Kristina Perez, at Karen Vargas. Ito ay ang pangatlong episode ng UPdates.

“Pasko, pasko, pasko na naman muli!“

It’s Christmas time everywhere, and it’s more evident in UPLB as the grand display in front of the campus is officially opened. This year’s Christmas tree lighting had the biggest audience in the history of the traditional ceremony.

Kaye Galler, Cedric Katigbak, Krsitina Perez, and Karen Vargas, freshmen of the College of Development Communication, show the most awaited Christmas event in UPLB on the 2nd episode of UPdates.

Who said that learning is static and will never be fun?

Learning can be more fun and interactive with DOST’s nuLab!

Roella Marcelle Bautista, Kaye Galler, Cedric Katigbak, Kristina Perez, and Karen Vargas, freshmen of the College of Development Communication, showcase the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute’s nuLab or the new mobile science learning facility in UPLB as the 3rd episode of UPdates.

“Limited lang ba ang job opportunities para sa isang devcom graduate?”

“Basta gwapo or maganda, devcom ‘yan!”

“Is devcom just like any other communication courses?”

Kaye Galler, Cedric Allen Katigbak, Kristina Isabel Perez, and Karen Vargas, first year students of BS Development Communication in the University of the Philippines, answer the most challenging questions and clear the most intriguing misconceptions regarding development communication as a field of study.

Learn more about the field by watching this video:

Ala ey sinsay na dine sa Lipa, nang ‘yong makita ang tunay na ganda!

“The Little Rome of the Philippines” and “The Coffee Capital of the Philippines” are just some of the titles that my town, Lipa City, possesses.

Get to know more about my city through this one-minute video.

Kaye Galler, Cedric Allen Katigbak, Karen Anne Vargas, Kristina Perez, and Shann Elyse Pasion show how they de-stress for the stressful exams week.

+ A friendly advice from the fresh Iskolars ng Bayan.

Kaye Galler, Kristina Isabel Perez, Karen Anne Vargas, and Cedric Katigbak recorded the colorful and meaningful scenes of UPLB’S 101st Loyalty Day.

Plus, an interview with a devcom freshgrad after CDC’s Speaking of Devcom: Conversations with DevCom’s Finest.

Cedric Allen Katigbak, Kristina Isabel Perez, and Karen Anne Vargas from the UP College of Development Communication asked the 2020 UPCAT takers and their parents about their experiences before and during the entrance examination.