you were never a fan of long messages and cheesy cheer ups but ill make this quick, you first semester in UP wont be easy. There will be times you feel like you’re on top of the world and there will be times where you feel like you’ve hit the lowest bottoms of your life.
There will be moments where you want to quit, heck there were times when you did. But never give up on your dream. You will lose people along the way, you will doubt and question your worth, but at the end of the day remember why you’re here. Academics will be a struggle but a bigger battle with your mental and emotional health will also be something you need to worry about.You will manage.
Breathe, don’t rush into things like you always do. Take baby steps and appreciate the process instead of heading into everything then facing the consequences after. Take everything one at a time, in your pace.
Stop doubting yourself, you can and you will. You tend to devalue yourself and that’s your biggest down side, you hate the fact that you know you could’ve done better,but chose not to. Do your best, it will be enough.
Finally, learn to let go. Let go of the things that cloud your emotion. You can make it, you will make. Stop letting people and opinions get to you, you’re bigger than your problems. Don’t ever give up on yourself. Also, you should have focused more on your weekly writes when you had the time, please next time okay? Kidding aside you’ll make it.
We’ve reached that part of the semester where the weather is cooler and faces are more anxious than ever. Its the last leg of our first semester journey.
During this time, students are usually stressed beyond belief. It’s crucial that during this time students are able to balance their time and not over stress over the small things. Here are 3 tips to help you chill during the hell week.
DECLUTTER.
Its important to have our things in order, especially during the hell week. Making sure that our schedules and things are in order will help us stress less in the long run. It is also important to declutter the things we don’t need our lives such as unnecessary stress from expectations and external commitments we can let go. Overall during this time focusing on the things that matter will boost your likeliness to chill better.
SOCIALIZE.
We sometimes fall into a bad habit of isolating ourselves whenever we encounter problems in our lives. This could be a negative habit because we tend to bottle the anxiety and stress we feel. During times like these, especially during hell weeks I think its important to take time to hangout with friends or even study together to minimize the stress levels.
BREATHE.
Finally, take a deep breath and move forward. Getting a low grade or not meeting your expectation won’t be the end of your world. Realize that failure is only part of the journey of success. At the end of the day we all have our own pace and timing.
The UPCAT is both an invitation and a challenge for all aspiring future iskolars. It serves as the first rigorous tests of many, that a UP student faces. Some say its the easiest test you will experience in UP, others say its quite hard, but at the end of day it is a an entrance test. It is your key into the university.
Leanne Ocampo, a grade 12 student from UP Rural Highs School was one of the hopeful takers of this years UPCAT. her dream course? Veterinary Medicine.
Experience
According to Leanne, science was her biggest obstacle during the test due to the fact that most of what she reviewed didn’t come out. She stressed on the importance of preparation and practice. She said that instead of stressing over the smaller details future takers should take more practice tests instead.
future?
Overall she says she had enjoyed taking the UPCAT since it was her dream school. She remains hopeful to this day about the possibility of becoming a future iskolar ng bayan.
It’s that time of the semester where students are inside libraries and cafes reviewing for exams. Students often fear exams due to the idea that it eats up most of the percentage of their overall grades. Preparing for an exam is key to ensuring that uno. These tips are what I use whenever I have an exam coming up.
Rewrite.
Before I have an exam coming up I make sure to rewrite my notes based on the powerpoints my professors gave. Aside from the powerpoints I also rewrite the notes I took during the lecture. By rewriting my notes I am able to check the things I missed during the lecture all while reviewing myself in the process.
Prioritize.
As a college student there are a lot of things that you have going on in a day. Learning how to organize your schedule is key. Knowing your priorities helps you better commit to your schedule. We are students, therefore, we are expected to study.
Health is wealth.
We as isko and iskas all seek that Uno. However, if the trade off for the uno is sleeping at 4am everyday while running on 6 espressos, maybe we need to go back priorities. Health is wealth, never allow yourself to compromise your well being for grades.
101%
The main purpose of an exam is to see whether or not you learned anything during the past discussions. There is no better time to go past your previous limits than this. Giving it your best shot is always better than regretting only giving it 80% of your capabilities. Exceeding all your limits without compromising your health and happiness is the real victory in my opinion.
Study smart.
Study based on what works best for you. If you feel like you learn more discussing with others find a solid study group. If you feel like you need music while you study to boost your productivity blast those speakers. Find the best study habits for you, it will greatly increase your chances of learning.
Move on
Finally at the end of day they are just exams, not your life. We all fail sometimes. However, we aren’t defined by our failures, we are defined by how we learn from them and bounce back.
Gathering data can be a scary and a hassle, especially when you aren’t familiar with the place or destination you are going to. We were recently tasked to gather data in barangay timugan, a place where me and my group mates have never been to before. I believe these 3 things are what made our experience smoother in the data gathering process.
Be prepared
Gathering data is tedious but important process in writing any type of paper. It is important to always have a certain flow and plan to follow whenever you decide to gather data. From the way to get to the destination, to the questions you will ask , being prepared allows you to save the most time and resources.
Have a backup plan to your backup plans.
As anything in life, data gathering can be very unexpected. Sometimes things just naturally fall into place, the other times it could seem as if the world is going against you. Having plans b,c, and d will help greatly whenever the latter happens. Back when i was the Council president in my former school I realized that whenever you expect things to go your way, it most likely wont. Which is why backup plans are a must when gathering data.
Be positive and polite
The mindset you have usually dictates the outcome of your plans, whenever you gather data, expect the worst but hope for the best. When things don’t work out, you should always look at the brighter possible alternatives that may happen. Aside from being positive, being polite to those around you will greatly increase your chances of success. Asking for directions and help is a must whenever you go to places you are unfamiliar with. Being polite helps because you usually get better answers and are usually entertained more.
These 3 things are what helped me and my group during our data gathering process, hopefully in the future you too will be able to use these tips whenever you go on your first data adventure.
Among the qualities listed, which quality would be the one that you need to work on the most? Why?
My problem for the longest time has been trying to get myself to read. So if there was a quality i would have to work on it would probably be learning how to love reading. To be an effective and efficient writer one must read a lot. I realized this during my first month in Development Communication.
Among the qualities listed, which quality would be the one that you need to work on the most? Why?
The biggest problem would be myself and my goals. If anything the only person who can stop myself from the 1 rating is me, equally the only person who can help me get the 1 rating is I.
Among the skills listed, which skill have you developed the highest competency? What contributed to the development of that skill?
I believe my biggest strength is gathering data. My experience being the vice president of external affairs and president of my SHS student government, helped me improve my skills in gathering data as well as organizing my ideas.
Among the skills listed, which skill would be the one that you need to work on the most to develop? Why?
My technical skill is weak compared to all the others. In the past i have always been the person in charge of planning and leading, which is why i never really focused on the technical aspects of communicating.
By: Callejas, Diego (UV-1L), Gesmundo, Alexandra (UV-1L), and Jaraplasan, Marianne (UV-1L)
The annual Bañamos Barangay Booth Fair opened last September 16 at Paciano Rizal Park, Los Banos. It showcased the products and the livelihood programs of the fourteen barangays of the municipal.
According to councilors Janos Lapiz and Benny Alborida, the booths also presented the characteristics of each barangay. They also stressed on how through the diversity of each booth, one could also see how Los Baños is unified even through the diversity of each barangay.
smart
smart
smart
Each booth had a specific
theme which could be seen in the design and layout of each stall. From aquatic
themed stalls to agriculturally rich designs, each barangay had a unique
characteristic that was evident in their booth.
Barangay Bagong Silang
focused on their agriculturally rich products. Barangay Captain Hon. Marcelo C.
Navarez talked about how their booth focused on the products of organic
farming, this was clearly seen because their booth was filled with various
fruits and vegetables from the walls all the way up to the ceiling.
On the other hand, barangay
Tuntungin-Putho was filled to the brim with products from their livelihood
programs. The products were mostly made out of recycled materials to reduce
waste in their barangay. Barangay Captain Ronald Oñate expressed how he strongly
believed that there is no such thing as waste, only materials that can be used
for something new. This was made into reality by the products they showcased,
from recycled bags, rags, and even decorative flowers, they truly pushed the
boundaries of what “garbage” could achieve.
Overall, the opening of the Barangay Booth Fair was received openly by the citizens of Los Baños despite the heavy downpour of rain, the enthusiasm and smiles of each person in the festival was undeniable.
I have studied in Don Bosco Makati for the past 12 years. I entered the school during my 1st grade and ultimately graduated there last year. I spent half of my life in that school. Moving to UPLB has been one of the biggest life choices I’ve made. Not only was I transferring schools, I was also moving to a different city on my own. Honestly, the transition at first wasn’t easy, but after a month of staying in UPLB, I can summarize my key learnings into 5 parts.
Start the Day with a Positive Mindset
One of the most important things I learned from UPLB is that your mindset dictates everything you do. If you start the day thinking your day will go bad, it most probably will happen. We make our own path. Starting the day positively has changed how I viewed challenges in my life for the past month. Realizing that not all things should be worried about and that problems have solutions, really opened my eyes to stress management. Unlike before, I finally realized that stressing and negatively thinking about things only worsen the situation. Instead of looking at obstacles as something to get mad about, we should instead, think of it as a new lesson we can gain valuable experience from.
Set a Goal and Have the Determination to Attain It
Aside from being positive, being determined is another important thing I learned throughout my first month in UP. Being an Iskolar comes with a lot of perks and benefits, however, also comes with a lot of responsibilities. Although our tuition comes free, it comes from the money of tax payers. This pressured me a lot in the start of the academic year, making me question if I truly deserved being an Isko. I realized to combat this I had to have goals I needed accomplish at least once a week. From learning a new skill to reading papers, I had to make sure I was always gaining new knowledge. I realized that by have a clear goal in my mind, I ended up accomplishing more in the long term. Which in turn, made me feel like i truly deserved my place in UP.
Make useful connections
No person is an island, we all need someone to lean on. Making connections inside the campus has been one of the most useful and uplifting experiences I had during my first month in UPLB. Knowing that there are people you can lean on when you feel like exploding from the stress of college really is reassuring. Having effective study groups and people with different types of expertise really boosts your chances of getting through the week intact. Aside from the studying aspects, destressing is an important aspect I learned. Having the perfect balance between work and play will make your first month in college amazing, without sacrificing your academic career in the process.
Find the Perfect Balance
There are lot of things that happen in a single day as a UPLB student, from various school activities, social gatherings, and extracurricular work it is easy to lose yourself in the sea of college. Learning how to balance all these activities in its own right is already a fundamental skill for life. Finding the right amount of social, academic and extracurricular work to attain the perfect mix of academic and practical knowledge is key to maintaining a well rounded college life.
Realize that Failure and Rejection are part of the Process to Success
Failure doesn’t define you. It is okay to stumble and fall, it is not okay to stay on the ground. Realizing that failure is part of the process to success was one of the hardest realizations I had to take upon myself. The world is a big place, not everyone will accept you from the get go. Sometimes, you will fail a test, get a low score on your paper, or even get laughed at by others due to your mistakes. True, it may hurt and feel as if you are pinned against the ground, but this is the best time to realize that you have to push higher to achieve something greater. Shift your perspective, instead of viewing a mistake or setback as a failure, use it as a lesson for the future.
These are the 5 lessons I’ve managed to pick up during my first month in UPLB. Hopefully by explaining each of my learnings, you too can get through your first month in UPLB.
Last September 11, 2019, I attended a research colloquium that was held by the devcom research wing. The speaker Ms. Rikki Lee Mendiola, presented her research titled Devcom Scholarship 50 Years Hence. She talked about how most devcom researches have certain words that are closely related to each other and have significant meaning. According to her, one of the highlights of her research was how she was able to define what a development oriented topic meant. My main takeaways during the entire colloquium was how a research becomes development-oriented. She drew a Venn diagram, the two circles were development and communication, and according to her everything in the middle was a development communication oriented topic. Aside from this, she stressed on how something becomes development-oriented when it addresses poverty in reality. She stressed on this fact because she was shocked that most devcom researches did not tackle poverty in reality. She also added that since devcom was built on the foundation of the 4E’s, for a topic to become development oriented, it must of course hold the 4E’s close to its nature. In addition, she gave multiple definitions of what development-oriented meant according to different schools of thought. She of course stressed on UPLB’s brand of devcom which was participatory in nature. Basically, she stressed on how instead of a top-bottom approach, for a topic to be development oriented, it must start from the bottom-up focusing on those on the ground. Overall, the colloquium taught me a lot about what makes a topic development oriented, and these 3 indicators are what stuck to me the most.
Being a Development Communication student can be very daunting at times. From numerous reportings, interviews, papers, and field work, the life of a Devcom student is truly stressful at first glance. However, with these five proven and tested tools, I guarantee you can survive the rigorous struggle that every Devcom student faces easier.
Smartphone
If there was one item or tool that a Devcom student needs the most, it would probably be a smart phone. A smart phone is capable of a lot of things, from recording important interviews, writing down notes, taking pictures, sending files, and so much more. A smart phone is truly one of the most versatile tools in the arsenal of a Devcom student and is of top priority in any Devcom student must haves.
Laptop
A laptop similar to a smartphone is very versatile in nature, however, a laptop allows you to do more complicated tasks compared to a smartphone. From numerous editing tools to the standard Microsoft tools, a laptop is definitely another must-have in a Devcom student’s arsenal.
Earphones w/mic
Although smartphones have built in mics, there are times where background noise overpowers the interviewee’s voice, this is where earphones with a built-in mic comes into play. In your first month in Devcom you realize the importance of interviewing since almost every week you have a new recording assignment. A good quality mic may save you one day from random background noise that may ruin the quality of your interview. Which is why earphones with a built-in mic is another thing in the Devcom student survival kit.
Powerbank
Since most Devcom students are probably on their phones 24/7 a powerbank will always come in handy. Whether you use it during your interviews to make sure you don’t run out of battery or to conserve energy for your videos for a devcom assignment, having a powerbank in your arsenal will ensure that you never miss an important opportunity.
Folders/Organizers
Being a Devcom student usually means having tons of important documents. Making sure that these documents are safe and sound in a good folder always comes in handy, especially if you need to pass the documents to an important person. In my first month in Devcom, I realized that I cannot leave the house without my two trustee folders.
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