Author: elortiz1

• 

“Anong ginawa mo sa akin, UP?”

Every day I ask myself that, and it goes on and on like an incessant echo in my head and it lasts days. Now, it’s been a month, and the voice still rings the same way.

You’d think being in this university, you’ll burn yourself out the first month of your stay. They say it’s that difficult.

Well, think again, my friend. It only takes a week to burn out a UP student.

The case goes for me: someone completely unaware of how quick UP already changed my attitude and perception in life, how it changed the way I saw myself and others, and how it fueled my purpose for being here. There are already battle scars that I wear with pride now, because despite the piling academic requirements and the mind-boggling views, I do not have any single regret. UP has already taught me a great deal. There will be challenges, and time passes that I prepare myself for the worst days.

But, alas, I am where I dreamed of months ago. I am receiving what I prayed for. I am enjoying the privileges of my hard work to be here.

willing to be little.

For the next four years I will be surrounded by great minds with greater virtues. I am not intimidated, and I do not feel superior. I am humbled that I belong to this community, and even more so seeing everyone else is the same way. My friends in this course continue to be modest and simple, and this is an attitude I have learned to carry as well.

getting things done.

The longer my stay here, the more that I realize that time is my most important resource. My routine during my high school days only concerned academics and none else. Living apart from my family, I have to take care of myself, and that means allotting a part of your day for it. Among other things, with the heavy school tasks it’s hard to find leisure if I don’t finish what I have to do on time. Day by day as the stress begins to take toll, I make mental notes to start studying earlier. I remind myself that if it takes me two minutes to finish something, do it immediately.

the power of self-reliance.

Independence is also a trait I have been trying to master ever since I have arrived here. There’s no other person who will help you but yourself. Everyone has their own lives; the last thing they would want is someone else interrupting their time. I learned that doing things on my own trains me to become a better decision maker and teaches me to be responsible of your my choices. I face the consequences of my choices, and I use it to be better in the future. In UP, you should trust yourself the most.

ignorance excuses not.

While I build my self-awareness, UP has been stripping away walls I have built around myself that blocked me from seeing what truly is happening in the world. Little by little, I am becoming more conscious of my environment. A month in UP has given me the power to speak more of what is right, and what should be right. It has given me a deeper reason to fight for my beliefs and support my advocacy. I am not holding back to this change. Open to what is to come, I can only hope that I get to do what my heart truly desires.

embracing your calling.

I entered UP with the goal to one day serve my family and give them what they truly deserve in life. They are the main reason why I keep going and they are ones who motivate me to push through. Beyond that purpose, I have always dreamed of working in publications or the broadcast media. For all I know, that is where I belong. Call me over ambitious. Sometimes, college life will test you and break down your morale. Sooner or later, your left with nothing but empty ambitions and the sole desire of giving up. After a month in university, I realize I should always remember where I came from, because it just might be the motivation I need to do force myself to doing more.

It’s kinda funny how the blog description for this write-up says Student Survival Kit. UP students don’t really live, I guess? Kidding.

The journey as a DevCom student is going to be a hell ride, and I am going to need more than what my mind and hands can manage. This is where the DevCom survival tools come in place. These are your essential materials that you will, no doubt, be using when writing your way through the loads of task and activities in the semester.

Call it the Holy Grails of sorts. I honestly can’t finish my tasks efficiently even if at least one is not available to me. I cannot survive without the five. (There, I said it.)

Read on if you want to know my five DevCom must-haves:

Laptop

One thing’s for sure: my laptop costs me my soul. I put this as the first and most important tool because for people like me who are interested in editing, a laptop provides you with the editing and publication software you will need in creating and upgrading your documents or write-ups. Laptops are also portable. If you need to write an article or two on the spot, just put out your laptop and you’re off to writing! Just make sure you bring your charger, because the two are the unspoken package deal.

Earphones/Headphones

Ah, yes. You’ve met your interviewee. You had a great talk. The answers were amazing and informative. Now comes your favorite part.

Transcription.

Your headphones or earphones are your best allies when working with different types of audio or videos. Pro tip: do NOT transcribe without your earphones on. Other than the fact that you will understand the audio better when you use them, be mindful of the noise you can make around you. If you’re in a public area of you have a room mate in your dormitory, do them a favor and listen on your own.

Headphones can also set the mood when you’re on the verge of a mental breakdown due to loads of academic work. Pick a song. Volume up. Ignore everyone around you. (Again, I’m kidding.)

Journal

Am I the only one who keeps buying journals but never uses them anyway because they look too pretty to write in?

For the ones I do use, journals let me keep track of my daily tasks and immediately lets me write down ideas before I forget them. Also, in case you don’t have a laptop with you, you can always write your essays or articles in your journal. (Why would you even leave your laptop?)

I need not say more. You can never go wrong with the classic pen and paper.

Cellphone

This, I guess, was a given. Your cellphones are your best contact devices and as communication students there is the need to be up-to-date with news, announcements, or even the occasional writing tasks. (no, i am not referring to weekly writes.)

Your phone is your all-in-one tool and having it with you, you can already do so many. Have to record an interview? No problem. Need to take a picture? Whip your phone out and you have a camera. Want to write something down? Phones have notepads you can use! The same with your laptops, make sure you have your phones on full charge before you go out or carry a charger or power bank with you.

Storage Device

With mounds and mounds of documents and files slowly filling up your computer storage, you have to put them away somewhere sooner or later. Having an external hard drive, for me, is extremely helpful because I don’t have to worry about deleting important files for the sake of room for storage. Soft wares also take up a lot of MB, even GB. I transfer my installers and other documents with large storage in my external hard drive, and if ever I’ll be needing those files I can just carry the drive along with me.

Most often, you use your flash drives when wanting to print out documents for academic requirements, especially when you don’t have your own printer. I also use my flash drive to print my readings. Of course, readings. Who doesn’t have them?

There you have it. My five must-have items. The tools you will need in DevCom are not limited to these. In fact, it’s different for every one of use. I think, what matters most is that you know what you are doing and you are doing it at your best interest. The rest will only follow.

• 

It’s the first job on the field as Team Sinag (Balawen, Mindanao, Ortiz) test their skills and head out to Brgy Malinta to gather data on community directories. The activity was initially thought to be difficult but it turned out the way we wanted it in the end, considering we decided to visit a day before the deadline of submissions.

This is one of the many assignments we will be tasked to accomplish as media writers, and just to keep you on track we listed down some tips you can take note of when gathering data!

Isn’t that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic? Well, if so, read below!

In data gathering, a media writer should…

…be professional.
A professional behavior is being respectful of others regardless of classification and it is knowing how to demonstrate responsibility of his/her actions. Keeping a professional image can increase your self-confidence and help you better communicate with other professionals. By changing the way you look and the way you carry yourself, professionalism can be your greatest tool in gathering data. Just make sure you didn’t take a margarita or two before your field work, otherwise you’ll end up being like Ross here.

…be kind and approachable.
Being professional is important, but when you’re dealing with people from all walks of life, a little kindness can go a long way. By maintaining an approachable persona, you built rapport with the people you’re associating with, and the connection you have can make them trust you more. It’s always best to wear a smile whenever you go. But don’t go overboard with the kindness and start asking people how they’re doing. That’s just flirting, Joe.

…plan ahead.
It’s an unsaid rule to not go to your field destinations empty-handed. Do your background research while keeping in mind the 6 P’s: Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Planning can also mean choosing what appropriate clothes to wear or practicing a few lines for an interview. But when in doubt, you can always channel your inner Monica.

…expect for the worst.
You never know what you might need when gathering data, so being over-prepared isn’t always a bad thing. Some institutions require a written letter before you can have access over their data, so in connection with planning ahead, you can be ready and have letters pre-made. Expecting for the worst means accepting outcomes and finding solutions to overcome them. Be it unexpected bad weather, or just really hard-headed and really, reaaalllyyy slow employees. Always #KeepCalm when push comes to shove. You don’t want the Phoebe to jump out of you.

…take down notes.
Though the people concerned may just hand you over a copy of the data you need, you can never go wrong in writing things down your own way. Whip out your phone and take photos or use it to record your interviews. (Lord knows the hardship we go through when transcribing from choppy audio.) Taking down information your own way shows your organization in collecting data and your attentiveness to your work. You can bring a camera and also your laptop. With all of that you might as well call yourself media-writer-ready.

There are more things to consider when you’re gathering data, but that already depends on how you want to accomplish your task. Nonetheless, when you exhaust all possible sources and maximize your energy in your work, you’re expected to make the best output. As a media writer, you’re allowed to socialize. Don’t hold yourself back from asking a question or two from you colleagues or from anyone you know may help you. Applying these tips, along with the incorporation of a media writer’s qualities and skills, you’re good to go!

Now, put on your best Chandler dance move because you are ready to go out there and experience the media writing life!

• 

Let’s get one thing straight: I am not a good writer. Yet.

When I’m embarking on a new life chapter – let’s say, for example, University of the Philippines – I start anew. Many things have hindered my growth as a writer, and the only reason why I manage to push through is that I connect with my purpose when I write.

It was always writing for myself. But now, as a development-communicator-in-training, my purpose drives me to use my abilities in communicating for the public. The masses. The marginalized. In preparation of my journey in DevCom, I believe that the best way to achieve a strong mindset is to not be mindful of the contributors of the past. As I turn my back on those experiences, I am starting my learning at square one: self-assessment. Where am I as a writer? What skills do I consider as my forte? What characteristics do I have to improve? Along the way as an Iska, I’ve had the chance to evaluate my standing.

QUALITIES OF A MEDIA WRITER

1. Curious or inquisitive – 2
2. Intelligent – 2
3. Industrious – 3
4. Resourceful – 3
5. Persevering – 2
6. Imaginative – 1
7. Puts premium on accuracy and truth – 2
8. Loves to read – 1
9. Interested in and loves people – 2
10. Service-oriented – 2

Among the qualities as a media writer, two things I still lack in are industriousness and resourcefulness. When overcoming challenges, I am not the most clever, as I do not always employ all my available sources. With the mind as the most important resource, I should learn to become flexible in writing for different styles and fields. Writing for the media, you can only imagine the range of what you can publish. Becoming resourceful will not only set me as a quick decision maker as a writer, but it will also let me maximize my abilities in creating the best work for my intended audience. Living in a new environment also hinders me from inputting most of my energy into my work, hence I cannot write efficiently. An industrious media writer means having the devotion and the energy to gather all types of information he/she will possibly need. This is a factor I still have to improve.

The reason why I hold myself back from giving a rate of 1.00 on most of the qualities is because I know I do not deserve it. I know myself at an extent, and I can say I have plenty of space to learn and grow. It’s a clean slate. Right now, I’m building myself from so little.

SKILLS OF A MEDIA WRITER

1. Gathering data – 2
2. Validating and clarifying information – 2
3. Organizing information – 2
4. Writing clearly and effectively – 3
5. Proficiency in the operation of communication tools/devices – 1

From the five media writing skills, I am most confident in the operation of tools and devices. I make best out of my writing and editing applications, be it hardware or software, in gathering and interpreting data and in presenting my work. I constantly learn how to present outputs in a more organized and attractive manner, and this this deeply driven by my interest in the field.

However, my writing skill remains the most important thing to be developed. Writing shows how effective you are in communicating your message. It also is a reflection of your experience, or lack thereof, in the skill. For me, I was not greatly exposed to writing before so it’s a skill I continue to develop now. Despite only learning how to write news for radio during high school and writing short fiction, I open myself to other writing opportunities to be as a flexible media writer as I can.

“Begin with that most terrifying of all things: a clean slate. Then look, every day, at the choices you are making, and when you ask yourself why you are making them, find this answer: For me. For me.”

Anne Quindlen

Starting with clean slate has been the fresh breath of air I need to reshape the image I want for myself and for the people I will serve in the future. Try to see it as a checklist. Rip out the pages you’ve already filled up and cross out the tasks you’ve dealt with; you don’t need them anymore. With a fresh new page and a whole set of goals to accomplish, take a good seat and think about what to do next. One by one. Step by step.

• 

“This is Geline Ortiz, reporting live.” Sweetest words of victory for a young dreamer.

This eighteen-year-old Bicolana learns things the hard way, and being a new student in the university she has no idea of what’s to come. During her years of being a radio broadcaster in her high school, she was labeled as “plain” or “not good enough”. She spoke too fast. Stuttered a lot. Her hands would shake so hard that you couldn’t read the writing on the script. Too flawed and too naive, she lived with that image of herself for so long. But fate had gone tough on her and eventually pushed her past her limits until she’s where she is today. To study in the University of the Philippines might be her greatest challenge yet. If it weren’t for her downfalls and rejections she wouldn’t have found her reasons to continuously improve the skills and qualities she needs to become a professional media practitioner and broadcaster. Looking back, she doesn’t have a single regret.

Development Communication brought itself to her for many reasons. Her family doesn’t enjoy the privileges most people do, and they are burdened by the many things they lack in. Her way of life growing up was something she accepted in her family, but it was too hard to imagine on other children belonging to other families, who might be living even worse than them. As a student, she hopes to speak for the voiceless. To become the noise for the unheard and the silent. A pillar for the unfortunate and an advocate for the dreamers who demand to be freed from their binds. She will not just be a news reporter in the near future. She can, and she will, be the ray of hope some people might just need to push on further.

The path she’s on to achieve that will definitely test her. She has never been a perfect writer (and she never will be), nor was she a good one, but day by day she tries. She writes, and fails, and she writes again. And when she’s on the verge on giving up, she will cry, she will curse on an old draft or two, but she will not surrender that easy. Not until she’s holding a mic in her hand and the camera rolls. Not until she gets to speak. Millions will hear her. And millions will get to remember her voice.

Melodies of rich heritage resonated the Multi-Purpose Center as students and teachers of Los Baños gracefully performed different cultural presentations during the “KASskwela: Kultura, Awit, at Sayaw pampa-Kuwela ng mga Estudyante” last September 20, in line with the celebration of the 18th Bañamos Festival.

Twenty-one (21) schools from Elementary to Senior High showcased their talents through various acts of traditional dances and songs – Pandanggo, Singkil, and Jota Batangueña to name a few – highlighting the rich Philippine culture.

Franco del Castillo, Head Organizer of the program, said in an interview, “Sa panahon ngayon medyo bihira ang ganitong pagtatanghal, layunin ng Department of Education (DepEd) na maimulat ang mga estudyante [sa mga okasyong] nagpapakita ng kulturang Pilipino… para malaman nila ang ating kulturang pinagmulan.” Castillo also described that students engaged in providing cultural presentations enabled them to relive the past.

In an interview with Maria Luisa Mojado, DepEd Representative from the Los Baños district office, she stated that the program helps students and the youth to become aware of the Philippine culture. Mojado added that the nation’s culture is important and that it should not be forgotten, rather it be promoted.

One student from Los Baños National High School emphasized the importance of knowing our local and national culture as a reflection of our history and how it has shaped Filipino identity. “Sa kasaysayan niya man, mula noon hanggang ngayon, ang kultura ang nagsilbing paraan upang tayo ay makilala bilang ‘diverse’ na bansa,” he stated. “May iba’t-iba tayong kultura na nagpapakita ng mga kayamanan ng pinanggalingan nila.”

The program is one of the activities conducted in this year’s Bañamos Festival which commemorates the establishment of the municipality; exhibiting its history and defining itself as “The Science and Nature City”.