Author: storiesofpamela

College is one of the most exciting part of our lives. Along with meeting new people from the different sides of the country is the rollercoaster ride of emotions because of the experiences that college has to offer. However, college isn’t only about these feelings for there is also fears, frustrations and nervousness brought by paperworks, quizzes and especially examinations.

BUT WAIT, WORRY NO MORE!

Time to get your papers and pens out for here are some tips that may help you ace your DevCom examinations!

1. Know your exam schedule.

Knowing your scheduled examination date beforehand is a great help. Aside from keeping you aware, it will also help you to create an efficient study plan which can maximize both your free time and energy.

2. Have a complete copy of your lecture lessons.

During lecture hours, make sure that you have every copy of your lecture lessons. Having a complete set of it will help you to not miss out anything.

3. Create a reviewer and highlight the key points.

According to studies, rewriting your notes and highlighting it will help you in retaining that piece of information. In addition, it will also help you in your last minute review because the key points were highlighted and emphasized.

4. Have a study buddy.

Reviewing with a partner or in a group is a great help when preparing for the examinations. Aside from having an in depth discussion about your exams coverage, you’ll be able to ask for help about the lesson that’s quite blurry to you.

5. Relax and think positive.

Having a relaxed and positive mind while taking the examination is a great help. It will help you to be more focused on the examination, itself.

Examinations can be exhausting and all, but always remind yourself that it doesn’t define who and what you are as a person. What’s important is that you’ve given your hundred percent best just to survive and prepare for it. At the end of the day, it’s your effort that counts and matters.

Let’s get it straight, I am not in my best version, yet. I am still on the process of becoming one and I know it will take time. As the saying goes, nothing worth having comes easy, you will always have to go through different experiences that will mold you to be the best version of yourself.

Evaluating myself, my own skills, and qualities with the university’s grading system, I found out that there’s a lot of rooms for improvement, a lot of qualities to work on and skills to further develop.

Am I sad with my assessment? Am I disappointed with myself? Definitely not. Through the activity, I realize how unfinished I am. Indeed, I am a work in progress waiting to be done.

Assessing and reflecting on my own capabilities didn’t only help me in finding the qualities and skills that I’m lacking of but it also made me realize how much I’ve grown as years go by. Along with the constant failures and doubts are the small victories and triumphs which took part on who and what I am as a media writer today.

Along with these realizations are the thoughts that linger in my mind while doing the activity. Everyone of us here starts from being a beginner in the field. We are all seeds starting to grow and flowers beginning to bloom. Right here, in college, is the perfect time to water and nourish ourselves with different knowledge and experiences that will surely help us grow and become the best version of ourselves that we all want to be.

Padayon, mga kapwa ko iskolar! Let’s continue to strive hard and do better. Lagi’t lagi, para sa bayan!

Before investing your time, money and effort in going to the field for gathering data and information, it is a must to plan ahead of time. Planning saves you from stress and waste of resources. In addition, it will also help you to gather better and more accurate data.

Listed below are some tips that may help you along your journey in gathering data and information.

1. Be ready.

Before going to your assigned location or area, make sure to prepare yourself. Not just that but also the tools needed like your pen and paper, school ID and your request letter. Preparing these things will save your time, energy and effort.

2. Know where your assigned area is located and who are your persons of interest.

Knowing where you will conduct your data gathering and the person involved beforehand is a must. Doing this one will also save your time, energy and money. In addition, knowing i ahead of time will help you finish your data gathering on time.

3. Always smile and be polite.

As communication students, one of our armors is our own smile. It does not only brighten someone’s day, but it will also help us in establishing a good relationship among the people that we’re going to meet in our field of work. Being polite, on the other hand, will leave your people of interest a good impression. And leaving a good impression is a must when doing a fieldwork.

With the help of the above- mentioned tips, Team Bonakid (John Mark, Pamela and Sophia) were able to gather the needed data from their assigned barangay in a fast, smooth- flowing and efficient way. The hospitality of the officials of Brgy. Bambang is also a big contribution on why the group is able to do it.

I can still vividly remember the first time I set my feet in the university. It felt like a dream, almost unbelievable. It felt like yesterday, but guess what? I’ve been here for a month or so.

Along with learning different lecture lessons and whatnots are the lessons and life realizations that the university gave me during my first month of stay. To give you an insight of what I’ve learned, here are my top five learnings in my first four weeks in Elbi:

1. Have a solid support system.

Having friends in college is not that easy but what’s pretty good about it is that you’re surrounded by hundreds of people who are just like you who want to have friends and family in the university. Each and everyone of them is a potential friend, all you have to do is to reach them out. Having friends in the university is a big help not just because you have someone who’ll accompany your in your classes throughout the day but also you’ll have someone who you can lean on in times of your weakness and loneliness.

2. Learn to cope with homesickness.

Being away from home for the first time, it is just natural to miss your friends and family. However, you cannot always go home due to the demands of your academics. Find a way to deal with these feelings such as having a schedule for your phone calls and video chats.

3. Have a time for yourself.

Along with spending most of your time doing various school works, discussions and papers, make sure to set some time for activities that may help you to relax and to be stress- free. Get enough sleep, eat right and drink a lot of water. Do not burn yourself too much with your academics and give yourself and your brain a break.

4. Keep track of your money.

If you’ve never create a budget plan before, now is the best time to do so. Train yourself to budget your allowance and as much as possible, avoid buying things which are not needed. In college, every peso counts.

5. Have a positive outlook in everything.

College is tough and so you are. College is the perfect time to know yourself, unleash your potentials, get out of your comfort zone, discover what you can do, what you’re good at, and what you want to be in the future. It is okay to fail and feel lost sometimes because it is part of this chapter of your life. Getting the ultimate “sablay” is not a race, take your time and enjoy exploring the college world with a positive mind.

(Photo credits: UPLB College of Development Communication Student Council)

Being a college student is a major shift in life. Indeed, college is far different from high school.

Along with the excitement and giddiness in starting the freshman year in the university is the frustration and nervous- provoking feeling because you never know what’s waiting for you in the college lecture halls and corridors.

To help you transcend your college life, here are some tools to help you prepare for your first year of stay in the university as a DevCom freshie.

1. Pen and paper

From organizing your weekly schedule to gathering data to jotting down of notes, a pen and paper is a must- have. Although we are now exposed to different technological advancements, it is still important to have a pen and paper with you for it will not only keep you on track of what you should do but it will also help you in enhancing your note- taking skills.

2. Smartphone and powerbank

As a DevCom student, smartphone is not just for communication purposes but also for academics purposes. From capturing photos to recording interviews to taking down notes, having a phone with you is a great advantage. However, a phone’s battery doesn’t last that long that’s why it is also important to bring your powerbank just in case your phone battery goes low.

3. Laptop and storage devices

Drafting an article, editing a video, online discussions- these are the things that you’ll encounter on your freshman year. Having a laptop and storage device such as flash drive is a must because it will help you in accomplishing these works.

4. Earphones

Along with performing an interview is the transcription of it, and earphones are vital when transcribing an interview. Aside from keeping you away from noise, it will also help you in finishing your task in a faster and easier way.

5. Water and umbrella

Gathering information, going through different places and covering events will truly exhaust you. That’s why having a bottle of water and an umbrella in your bag is a must. Aside from keeping you away from sunlight and keeping you hydrated, these two will also help you in functioning well in your tasked activity.

Having a hard time thinking of a development- oriented topic? Worry no more because here are some characteristics of a development- oriented topic that may help you in crafting one!

1.It is goal- driven.

Every topic, whether in the academe or not, is purposive in nature. But what’s special about a development- oriented topic is it’s beyond purposive. A development- oriented topic transforms facts and informations to something significant which can make people understand how serious a development problem is, and make them open their eyes and minds for its possible solutions. (Chalkey, 1968) It is an eye- opening, and truth- slapping instrument combined, and that’s what makes a development- oriented topic different from the others.

2.It is mass- oriented.

Just like what they say, we are communicators with a heart. And our hearts are for the people of the nation. As development communicators in progress, we are tasked to design concepts and ideas which are for the benefit of the people. After all, we are iskolars ng bayan para sa bayan.

3.It is relevant.

A development- oriented topic should be relevant in a way that it is inclusive for all. It should have an impact to the community where all people can relate to it. Aside from being inclusive, a topic is said to be relevant if it is timely. Remember that a development-oriented topic should be an up-to-date one.

Basta development- oriented topic, dapat #GoMaRe. Goal- driven. Mass- oriented. Relevant.

Reference:

http://filmsforliberation.com/Fillfullarticle.aspx?Article=240