Author: jbisnar

Going and staying in a new environment, with new unfamiliar faces, new culture, and school was a challenge to me. What made it even worse was the fact that I am too far from my family. So, here are five tips or advice that I wished someone has told me before the start of the semester.

“No man is an island.” I believe it would be impossible to survive in UP without a friend or some friends. You need to make friends and socialize. You need someone to talk to about your past and/or new experiences, achievements, failures, rants, crush/es, or whatsoever. We are all struggling here but it doesn’t mean that we need to suffer alone. We can support each other and have that sablay together.

In the past few weeks, the “Hell, Hell Weeks”, I missed home so bad. I wanted to go home but I can’t. There were so many things to do: reports, papers, articles, exams, etc. I wished I went home when I still had the chance before. So, if you don’t have an important matter to do in LB, I advise you to go home. Take a break from LB, be with your family, spend time with your friends, and feel the comfort of your home.

During the whole semester, I have been cramming everything. And, based on my experience, let me tell you that it’s not a good habit. If you’re aiming for high grades then, you need to start doing your requirements and your review for quizzes or exams as soon as possible. In that way, you’ll have more time to check, revise, and improve your work, and you’ll be able to study your lessons thoroughly.

In my dorm, cooking is not allowed so what I’ve been eating in LB are fast food that are far from healthy. You need to eat something nutritious and healthy. You need to exercise. You need to drink water and stay hydrated. And you need to take good care of yourself, stay away from danger, and be safe.

It’s not a crime to take a rest if you are tired. With all the stress and pressure, it is important to take short breaks to rest and relax. Your mind and body need these. Take a rest but don’t give up. Always remember that no problem lasts forever. You can face it and overcome it, one way or another

Few days after the start of the semester, we were tasked to assess ourselves of the qualities and skills of a media writer. Looking back at my assessment before, I realized that I lack some qualities and skills that a media writer must possess. But, in comparison to my present assessment, I clearly see my improvements after a few months in DevCom.

Our DEVC11 lab exercises are the primary reason for my improvement in these qualities. Thanks to those, I got more connected to people, I got more curious about my surroundings, and I became more imaginative to mention a few of the changes I developed. I believe being resourceful is the quality I greatly improved because that’s what we’re supposed to do-find all possible ways to overcome challenges and difficulties that arise.

Data, data, data. We need lots of data for our articles. I was able to visit numerous places in gathering the data necessary for my development-oriented news stories. And I was also able to meet and talk to amazing, friendly, and not so friendly people. Gathering data is the skill I improved the most. Along with this, I also became more proficient in the operation of communication tools and devices, developed to organize information and write more clearly and effectively.

A few months later in DEVC11, I got to improve my qualities and skills as a media writer. The academic and practical lessons I learned from this subject will surely be beneficial for me in the future. 🖤

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&feature=emb_title

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

Find out what Devcom is through this video. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtqid7NqOi4&feature=emb_title

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

Watch the video and find out more about Jamil Creado, STRASUC 2019 Gold Medalist in Swimming.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QzmYl-t82KW1EA9Vy5khu4S8HJXgILC8

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

Valenzuela City, named after the physician and Katipunan member, Pio Valenzuela, was once a part of Bulacan province. Now, it became a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metro Manila with a wide array of industries and establishments. Have a sneak peek of my vibrant hometown through this video.
https://drive.google.com/a/up.edu.ph/file/d/1L8vtEWwtpZ07H35wVFYWQxCNCH1ietW8/view?usp=drivesdk

Ever since the formal class in my schooling in UPLB started, I have felt stress and pressure more than ever. Being in this prestigious university alone already gives me tons of pressure. Then, there’s my parents’ and relatives’ expectations that I need to fulfill because I don’t want to disappoint them. And regarding my schoolworks, with all the readings, problem sets, papers, activities, quizzes, recitations, and long exams, I’m glad that I can still manage to overcome all of these by mastering cramming. Because it is so stressful, my physical and mental health are at risk. So, to keep my sanity, I need to take a break from time to time to relax and unwind. Here’s what I do:

EAT

Having a limited allowance restricts me from buying foods that I want to eat. But when I accomplished something, a difficult task, for example, I reward myself a delicious food, something that I’ve been craving for. Sometimes, if I don’t want to eat something special, I’d just buy something that will make me happy.

SLEEP

Aside from rewarding myself with food or something, what I really want after a hell week is to have enough sleep. With “enough,” what I mean is more than 10 hours. Because, when I am properly rested, I feel so refreshed and relaxed throughout the day unless there are still a lot of requirements that are due sooner or later.

GO HOME

Whenever possible, I go home to see my family. The best place to de-stress and unwind, for me, is at home. Home means free food, and at home, I am not alone. Then, I usually go to the mall with my family or with my friends. Sometimes we’d just go to a food establishment and talk about how we’ve been in the past days. If we don’t have plans of going out, I usually watch movies or TV series on Netflix, or hang out with my cousins when they go to our house.

So, basically, what I do to de-stress and unwind is that I completely forget about my school requirements for a while and just do whatever I want to do or eat whatever I want to eat which resulted in me gaining more weight and, of course, cramming 🙂

https://drive.google.com/a/up.edu.ph/file/d/13oN7XLRHTc_DWlEtOXDLhBjiKTAfmvYM/view?usp=drivesdk

Micah Justine Tampil of class 2018 graduated Cum Laude in BA Communication Arts in UPLB. Her interest in journalism inspired her to take up a degree in Communication Arts, and her passion and hard work resulted in her achievement of a Latin honor. She is currently working as Account Officer in UTP Beyond Borders in Bonifacio Global City.

During her stay as a student in the university, she realized that she needs to serve the nation because according to her, “if [I] won’t, who would?” She also learned to firmly make a stand, and she found out that critical thinking is a crucial part of education. And as a student, she met a lot of people that she considers as her closest friends even now.

In addition, she also shared that the greatest challenge that she faced in UPLB is the “pressure to be excellent.” Since it is well-known that Honor and Excellence are the innate values in UP, I think Micah is not the only one who feels the pressure of being excellent. I think most of us feel this way.

Let the university education do its work in you. Learn what has to be learned and unlearn what should be unlearned. It’s okay to realize and admit that you were wrong.

Micah Justine Tampil

https://drive.google.com/open?id=113O2-QZXVq8b4hAZQ0jJ1DCYAh3T0sny

In the afternoon of 6 October 2019, one of the takers of the UPCAT exam 2020 is Micah Hanneah Doras, a 17-year-old, from San Pedro, Laguna. She is currently Grade 12 HUMMS student in San Pedro Relocation Center National High School. Through her UPCAT journey until the day of the exam, her mother, Jasmin Doras has always been there to support and motivate her. Jasmin wishes her daughter to enter UP because of its reputation as one of the best State University in the country and also, of course, the free tuition.

Unfortunately, Micah wasn’t able to enter a Review Center because of its expensiveness, but she still managed to prepare for the UPCAT by borrowing reviewers from her classmates and friends and self-studying for a month before the exam. Being a HUMMS student and not having a Math subject this school year made the Mathematics subtest in the UPCAT exam much more difficult for Micah compared to the other subtests.

Aspiring to be a psychologist or doctor someday, Micah prefers to study a Psychology degree program in her dream university, UP Diliman. She also chose UP Manila as her second campus choice with BA Development Studies as her priority program. Aside from UP, Micah applied to PUP Sta. Mesa and PLM as well.

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