Author: mafrufino

Days before the dreaded Development Communication Examinations, students contemplate on how they’d survive against one of the fiercest battles of their academe life. The results of our exams could either be our greatest friend or our worst enemy– it can drag us up, or pull us down.

With this in mind, here’s some tips that can help students arm themselves before and during the examination.

Preparation of Tools and Self

Know Your Professors

Every professor has their own style of exam sets. We can be familiar with their styles through knowing the kind of quizzes which they give after lessons. Also, asking the senior students about how their former professors’ exams are structured is helpful as they can share their experiences and can even give some tips.

Gather Available Handouts

Gathering all hand- outs, powerpoint slides, PDFs, and modules is necessary most especially for students who write slowly. A wide range of information about the lessons is important for students to be able to study enough and answer all questions in the exam.

Allot Time for Reading Everyday

We highly encourage that you read past lessons for at least 30 minutes a day. Cramming our readings in just a night won’t be enough to cover all the past lessons.

Take it from us, we learned it the hard way. That 228 items in our DevCom 11 dealt a lethal blow to our spirits.

Integrate Mnemonics for Easy Familiarization

Students have their own ways of studying, one of these is using mnemonics as a way to easily remember a lot of information. It is effective for those students having a hard time memorizing such long sentences. This is preferably used for objective exams.

Walk Before the Examination

Study says that a 30- minute walk before the exam can relax the brain therefore making it wok actively. A DEVC student will feel refreshed when walking which in turn will prevent mental block and will avoid panic attack during the exam.

Survival Tips During the Battle

Read the Instructions

This is one of the most basic rules there is, but one that has deadly consequences if not followed. Some instructions are very specific, they’ll require certain numbers of paragraphs in essays or even asks for a specific format when writing.

Don’t Hesitate to Ask the Professor

If you have ANY questions or clarification, do not hesitate to ask the professor for help. When it comes to exams, it’s best if we don’t assume.

Answer First on What You Know

To be honest, there are examinations that has 200 items or more. You’re going to have to know which questions are going to be your priority and you will need to manage your time wisely.

Answer first on what you know, and don’t linger on what you don’t. You can always go back once you’ve answered all that you know.

Good luck and God bless ❤️

written by Scribere: Charm Artiola, Eirine Baldovino, and Ma. Angela Faye Rufino

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I still can’t believe that I survived the first month far from my family and friends. My family especially my Tita Tess doesn’t want me to study outside our province and her reason is that I don’t know how to cook. But hey, a month has passed. So these are my learnings from a month of my stay in UPLB aside from the lessons in every discussions.

• Study first. Read your readings and do your assignments first before scrolling on your news feed. In my first four weeks, I already said “Pagod na ako”, “Ayaw ko na” and “Ang daming babasahin” but I don’t actually give up easily. My family is providing me everything so I should value their sacrifices and do my part which is to study well. If you have assignments, do it right now. Always remember the reason why you’re here.

• Take care of yourself. Health is also important. Don’t always eat processed foods. My family is concern of my health so they’re asking me what I eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner and if I sleep early or not. It is good to take a rest and have some fun. It is good for our health if we get enough sleep every weekend.

• Socialize. Don’t be shy. Having friends will help you cope up with homesickness. It’s hard to study far from your family so it is better if you have someone to talk to. Go out with your friends to relieve your stress or to study together.

• Always bring the things that you need. You really need to bring your water bottle and umbrella. The weather is unpredictable. You’ll never know when it’ll rain. Don’t leave it outside your classroom, you”ll never see it again.

• Create a budget plan. Buy the things that you only need. It is not easy to earn money so value every peso that you have.

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As a development communicator-in-training, we should always be prepared. Here are the things that can help you.

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Mobile phone is the most essential device a development communicator-in-training should have. It is useful in audio and video recording during an interview and can save important files. It will also keep you updated in current development-oriented related issues and can be used in online discussions.

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A laptop is also an essential tool for a DevCom student. A substitute for pen and notebook since it is handy. We can use this in writing and editing news articles, audios and videos. It can also serve as a storage device.

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We should not only save important files in your phone and laptops. It is useful when you forgot to bring your laptop and you need to access the data you need. If you need to clear some space in your gadgets, you can transfer it and use flash drive or external drive.

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Even though we have our gadgets, we still need a pen and a notebook to take notes of the important information we need. Note taking is one of the media writer skills.

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The weather is unpredictable. It will protect you and your stuffs from getting wet and sunburn. You will never know when it’ll rain so bring it you always.

Team Scribere Genesis went to Municipal Health Office, Municipal Nutrition Office and PNP Los Baños to gather data on September 2, 2019. Charm, Eirine and I were from different province and we don’t have any idea where we should go. Were not familiar with the place so we asked the jeepney driver, “Kuya, madadaanan po ba ang health office?” We asked some residents for directions because we tried to take the shorcut to PNP Los Baños.

We used interview as our method of data gathering because it will give us detailed and accurate answers and also helps us to get the information immediately from the source. Based on our data gathering experience, here are some tips that can help you.

• Be prepared. You should know the place where you’ll gather data so that you won’t get lost along the way, finalize the questions before conducting the interview and plan on how to ask those. Bring a recorder, a pen and notebook to take note of the information you need.

• Be sure that you have a letter with you. You should prepare a letter signed by the adviser before heading to the place. They may not give you the data you need if don’t have one. We had a hard time getting the public information from the PNP because they need a letter. They gave the data after we explained that we need it for our activity and it’s public information.

• Smile. Before going inside the office, smile even though they’re not smiling at you and they might get mad because you went without a letter.

I entered the University of the Philippines with a course I’m not familiar with. I wanted to do some experiments in a laboratory and to become a chemist but I ended up doing what a development communicator do. I am still asking myself if I belong in this course because I don’t think I have the qualities and skills. So we had this activity that we evaluated ourselves and based on the results, I am way too far from becoming a media writer.

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

Puts a premium on accuracy and truth because sometimes it’s hard for me to determine if the information is a fact or telling the truth. There a lot of information that you can gather from different sources but needs to be validated. This quality is very essential for a media writer so I still need to improve to become a effective media writer.

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

I just feel like I can’t reach that 1.00. I am not that good in using English language in speaking or writing and not that confident in myself. I was a writer back then but I don’t know if I can do it again. I still have flaws.

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

Gathering data and organizing information. I am a goal-oriented person so if I wanted to hone my skills in particular area, I will do it without a second thought. I am a resourceful in gathering information and also persistent in organizing information. I am doing those things in writing research papers and other school stuffs.

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

Validating and clarifying information. We can get information from various sources in the internet but can’t easily tell if those were telling the truth.

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Ma. Angela Faye L. Rufino from Cauayan City, Isabela is currently taking up Bachelor of Science in Development Communication at the University of the Philippines – Los Baños. It was not in her plan to study outside of their province but she wanted to try to live far from her family and to make decisions by herself. Her dream is to be a chemical engineer or chemist. She took and passed the UPCAT, however she did not got the course she wanted. She is still unsure if she can survive in degree program given to her, since she is inclined in math and science.

In elementary, she wanted to be a feature writer but she ended up being the copyreading and headline writer. Angela was forced to join campus journalism because of the heated competition in the honor roll. She is neither a writer nor a reader but she is trying and doing her best. She joined Division Schools Press Conference clueless of what will happen but she won. At a young age, she wanted to continue to become a journalist. She even auditioned in broadcasting team of their school but the teacher said to her that she is not for the said field and should focus on her own event. She started to take a different path, love solving problems, doing experiments and reading various books when she entered high school.

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Just like how much she does not like to be called “Maria”, she does not want to stop chasing her dream. Although she was a writer in the past, a writer is always a writer. She’s willing to learn, hone her skills in writing and public speaking and to discover more of what she can do.

ulat nina Eirine Baldovino, Charm Artiola, at Ma. Angela Faye Rufino

LOS BANOS, Laguna— Naging proyekto ng Padyak LB ang makatulong sa mga taong mayroong kanser sa liig-liigan (cervical cancer) gamit ang isang “bike for a cause” na aktibidad upang malikom ng pera para sa mga biktima ng sakit na ito at tumulong na maikalat ang kainuhan tungkol na rin sa kanser sa liig-liigan.

Ang nasabing aktibidad ay isa sa mga programa na isinagawa sa pagdirirwang ng selebrasyon ng Bañamos sa munisipalidad ng Los Baños, Laguna.

Opisyal na nagsimula ito noong ika-22 ng Setyembre, alas-sais ng umaga kung saan ang ruta ay nagsimula sa sentral, palibot ng iba’t ibang baranggay ng Los Baños hanggang sa General Paciano Rizal Park kung saan inaabutan ng mga boluntaryong miyembro ng Padyak LB ang mga kalahok ng tubig at pagkain.

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Ginamit nilang paraan upang makakuha ng pera ay ang pagkakaroon ng bayarin sa pagrerehistro, bukas ito para sa lahat kahit ano pa man ang edad.

Mula alas-sais ng umaga hanggang alas-otso ay hindi nagpapasok ng kahit anong sasakyan ang mga nakaistasyong pulis sa pamilihan ng General Paciano Rizal Park upang walang abalang makapasok ang mga kalahok sa huling lugar ng kanilang ruta.

Hinikayat din ng Padyak LB na abangan at dumalo ulit ang mga residente sa susunod na programa ng Padyak LB sa panahon ng piyesta ng Bañamos nang sa gayon mapagpatibay pa nila ang pagsulong ng kanilang mga adhikain sa susunod na taon.

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“It’s a struggle to find a development-oriented topic around your school’s area and a specific angle to write on.”

Karen Terese Rojas

Her statement on her 10 Things Only a Development Communication Major Will Understand is really true and I had a hard time finding one. We were given a task in DEVC 11 to find 3 development-oriented topics based on our news beat to be submitted next meeting and I was still asking myself, “Ano ‘yun?”.

So, I browsed the internet and read some articles and journals written by DevCom students. Based on their works, a development-oriented topic is:

• GOAL-ORIENTED. The topic should have goals and clear objectives. Why do we need to address this kind of topic? What’s the purpose of this?

• CONCERNED WITH MDG’s or SDG’s. As a development communication student, the topic should be related to development issues.

• COMMUNITY-CENTERED. It should concern the community – our audience. We are serving the people so our topic should be on how to help them especially the marginalized sector.

It’s difficult to find a development-oriented topic in a specific area but as a DevCom student, we should know what is a development-oriented topic. Well, it should answer the question – what is the purpose and for whom?

References: https://www.candymag.com/features/10-things-only-a-development-communication-major-will-understand-a1584-20170519-lfrm