Come with Me to QC!

Come with me as we explore the different tourist spots and beautiful locations of Quezon City!

The DevCom Experience: 9 Years After

The site did not allow me to upload the picture because the site itself has exceeded the capacity for photos. Please visit this link to view the photo of Ms. Chelsea Alejandro:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RIUd6D95jbgx29ZAJV4K78jJG7e5BrAh?usp=sharing

The College of Development Communication has produced many outstanding alumni. Given this, I have been given the honor to interview one of the many outstanding alumni of the College of Development Communication, Chelsea Alejandro. Chelsea obtained her BS Development Communication degree from the University of the Philippines Los Banos last 2013. Chelsea’s background as a former development communicator-in-training and a former member of the UP Alliance of Development Communication Students has been an essential factor in the success of her professional life so far. 

For instance, learning about empathizing and getting to know one’s audience aided her in creating accessible learning materials for her students in her first job as an instructional designer in an eLearning start-up. In her current job as a university instructor teaching communication and journalism, her Development Communication background comes into play by enabling her to set concrete objectives that clearly define the scope of her lessons.

Through taking up Development Communication, she learned that one can make news out of anything, which taught her to talk to more people than she was used to. Importantly, the course also taught her how to write clearly and effectively, a skill that she uses to excel in her profession. All in all, taking up Development Communication helped Chelsea grow out of her comfort zone, imparting invaluable skills that can aid her in all aspects of life. 

Throughout my freshman year, I admittedly have felt lost regarding what to pursue after college. I felt unequipped and even inadequate, not because of the curriculum, but because of my self-doubt. However, my interview with Ms. Alejandro made me realize the fact that a lot of lessons are learned along the way both in DevCom and in life. This could be in the form of a group project which leaves a greater mark on you than you expected it to or even a motto that etches itself into your heart as you go through your student life and career. 

Regardless of what I wish to pursue in the future, I wish to be as excellent and as compassionate as Ms. Chelsea Alejandro. I, one day, hope to be the wonderful alumni that she has become in order to serve others and to make both my college and my peers proud.

A New Beginning at the End of The Road

A lot of things can change even in just a few months.

This is what my mother told me when I tried to plan my debut when I was only 16 years old. I thought I knew everything and that I had everything figured out. I refused to believe that anything that would happen in the next few months or even in the next couple of years would affect my desires at that very moment. However, when I turned 18, the pandemic happened. Life sure does have a way of humbling you just when you think that you finally have everything figured out.

The anecdote above is what I remembered as I was reading an entry I made on October 4, 2021, now, January 16, 2022. I was reading my reflections regarding development communication and development communicators and it made me think of two things. It made me think of both how far I have come and how much farther I have to journey. In October 2021, I mentioned that I believed that the most important quality of a media writer was perseverance. Perseverance in terms of writing because of how media writers are bound to experience roadblocks in one way or another. Additionally, I said that perseverance was also important due to the fact that media writers had to persevere to uphold their integrity. My thoughts and stands remain the same however, I would like to add more to this. 

Over the past semester, I was able to experience what it was like to be a media writer. It was challenging and at times even draining. However, the lessons this experience has taught me will forever be etched in my mind and will continue to be of use for the rest of my life. In addition to perseverance, a trait that I believe is important for media writers to possess is sincerity. One can only go so far if one runs on the desire to please others — this goes for life and in writing. It is important to be true to yourself and to be sincere when writing because it is here where one’s morals and one’s person are showcased. Even sincerity in expressing one’s struggles is important because it gives a media writer a sense of relatability to their audience. Each individual faces battles and your expression of your struggles could be the source of strength of your readers. 

As for the most important skill of media writers, I mentioned that I believe it was crucial that media writers possess the skill of writing clearly and effectively. This was due to the fact that media writers had mediums that could reach people far and wide. Thus, it was important for media writers to possess this skill in order for their work to be able to cater to more people. As of now, I cannot agree with this point even more. As media writers and especially as development communicators-in-training, there will come a time where we will be facing communities in dire need of development. The works we create and the things we do will be for these communities. Thus, it is crucial for us to possess the skill of clear and effective writing so that underdevelopment does not serve as a barrier to being able to consume media works as any other person would.

Throughout my first semester journey in the BS Development Communication program, I have created and learned a multitude of things. As for the things  I have created, I have created roadmaps, various publication materials, articles, and even a TikTok video. I believe the things  I have created in turn made me a better person than I was a few months ago because these creations shaped my habits, my skills, and my patience.

In addition to this, I too have learned a lot. I have learned trivial things such as if you open the Zoom application exactly when class starts, you will be late for class because you will struggle to enter the passcode at least twice. Or, the day you decide you want to try your chance at singing is the day your microphone randomly decides to unmute during a synchronous session. As for the more serious lessons, I have learned that one must be humble in the field of development communication. One must be humble enough to know that despite your best efforts, you will not be able to solve everyone’s problems. Humble enough to know that you will not be a savior of the people but a servant of the people. And last, but definitely not the least, no matter how long or brief you have been in this field, you will always have room to grow.

I believe that I have exhibited a significant amount of growth this semester. I have acquired new skills and have learned new things from both my professors and peers however I know that the road ahead is long. I still have a lot of growing to do and I am more than eager to face life’s challenges head-on. This will be my last entry for a while, so please do wish me luck as I go about my DevCom journey!

The Storm Before The Even Bigger Storm

Have you ever heard of the phrase, “The calm before the storm?” 

This phrase basically refers to a good event, or a neutral event at the very least, that precedes a hectic happening. However, SAIS made my first experience in UP the storm before the even bigger storm. To begin, I was sent my UP credentials around 12 hours before my class started. I was losing my mind due to the fact that I did not have my UP credentials yet.

What if my professors had opening requirements that they wanted us to prepare prior to the start of our session? Even better, would we even have a session? These are the questions that racked my brain at 11 in the evening while waiting for my extremely precious UP credentials. In fact, my former classmates and I tried to guess what my UP credentials would be since it followed a specific format but, to no avail; I was left at the mercy of the UP credential gods. After all the chaos, I finally received my UP credentials, but little did I know that it was just the beginning of a battle with the boss-level monster SAIS was waiting for me at the gate. 

While waiting for my UP credentials, I had gone to social media to free my mind of the stress brought about by the lack of credentials. There, I saw numerous posts of upperclassmen complaining about SAIS.

SAIS? Ano ‘yung SAIS? I thought to myself.

SAIS or the Student Academic Information System was basically the backbone of everything that has to do with the technicality of academic life in UPLB. This website is where UPLB students enlist for their classes, view their class schedules, view their grades, and much more. According to my upperclassmen, SAIS is notorious for the inconvenience it brings upon students both technically and academically. A significant amount of students have a hard time especially during pre-enlistment because they usually run out of slots for their desired classes. In addition to this, apparently, SAIS has a nasty habit of crashing when you need it the most and I can most certainly say that I definitely agree. 

I had finally received my UP credentials and I was beyond excited because I was going to be able to see my first ever college class schedule. Thoughts rushed into my head as I entered SAIS into the search bar. Marami kaya akong 7AM class? Ilan kaya units ko? Sino kaya profs ko? Ano kaya— Ngek. In the midst of my overthinking, SAIS interrupted me by failing to load. I opened the course group chat to see my coursemates were experiencing the very same thing. Nothing breaks the ice like a shared experience of inconvenience and frustration. I refreshed the page again and again and VOILA, SAIS! Again, it was just the beginning of the battle. 

I tried to find my way around the page as I clicked the few intimidating hyperlinks that could be found on the page. After a few minutes of utter confusion, I finally decided to ask my coursemates how to navigate the infamous website. After gaining the instructions, I laid my eyes on the best thing since sliced bread — my beloved class schedule. I checked the time. Oh my god, 12am na. I had a 7AM class the next day which meant I had to wake up at 6AM to freshen up, cook breakfast, eat breakfast, and prepare for my class.

My first experience of SAIS was definitely a journey. As my pre-enlistment nears, I continue to shake in my boots as I imagine the horrors that may or may not happen as I attempt to obtain units for the second semester of this school year. Nonetheless, I am ready to brave the storm before the storm that is SAIS. Wish me luck on my pre-enlistment!

Para sa Bayan: 6 Tips for Aspiring Isko’s and Iska’s

I nervously made my way through the UP campus, my tote bag clutched in hand, I entered the testing site with a well-rested mind, high hopes, and a truckload of determination.

This is how I expected my UPCAT 2021 to go however, the pandemic had different plans.

I enrolled in a review class for college admission tests thinking that things were going back to normal soon enough — this was in May of 2020. I created flashcards with different words for the possible vocabulary portion of the said tests. I repeatedly answered exercises in both science and mathematics, and I brushed up on all my high school topics. Despite not having taken the UPCAT, here are some tips my upperclassmen gave me for the UPCAT:

1. Start preparing as early as high school

The content of the admission test will be heavily based on topics that were taught to you in high school. Thus, it is crucial that you understand these topics in order for you to have an easier time in terms of preparation and reviewing. Additionally, regardless of the admission process, high school grades serve as a requirement for admission into the university. Thus, higher grades may increase your chances of getting admitted.

2. Practice, practice, practice!

The admission test itself does not only test your knowledge regarding various high school subjects — but it also tests your test-taking skills. It will challenge your composure and capacity to maintain grace under pressure. Thus, taking practice tests will help you get the feel of the tests as well as familiarize your personal routine of taking a test.

3. Prepare for aspects aside from test-taking

Despite the differences in testing schedules, one thing remains constant — the duration of the test. Given this, it is important that you prepare for aspects of the test that do not concern the test-taking itself. This includes eating a heavy meal before the beginning of the test, wearing comfortable clothes, preparing all your test-taking materials such as pencils, erasers, and the like.

But how did you get into the University of the Philippines if you did not take the UPCAT?

Beats me!

Kidding aside, a similar yet innovative admission process was created for batch 2021 given the constraints brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The freshman applicants for UPCA 2021 were asked to fill out standard application forms regarding their personal information and to submit their high school transcripts and that was the end of the application process. Some would say that the admissions process was fairly simple, in a sense, due to the fact that it no longer required an actual admissions test. However, in my experience, the application process was only half the battle.

I found myself extremely anxious about the results even before the application process. I constantly broke down because I immediately imagined the worst possible scenario. I felt this for a whole year starting from the review classes all the way up to the announcement of the UPCA 2021 results. When I received the results, I admittedly felt silly because I worried so much about something that my worry had no effect over. 

Thus, here are some tips which I can give you in order to help you through the modified UPCA as well as the waiting period:

1. Request for your documents as soon as possible

The application period of universities usually overlap with each other or are close to each other. These applications require academic and personal documents such as transcripts, essays, report cards, birth certificates, and the like. More often than not, multiple students request documents simultaneously which may delay your document requests. Thus, requesting your documents as soon as possible will put you in the earlier part of the queue in turn, helping you submit all your university applications before the deadline.

2. Have a backup plan

We all have dreams in mind however, at times, we take detours and other roads towards our dreams. It is important to believe in yourself but it is also important to be strategic about your future and to have a backup plan in the event that things turn out differently than expected. As for my case, I applied to multiple universities and consulted the appeal and transfer requirements needed to enter UP coming from another university.

3. Have faith in yourself

I personally believe that we all have an innate sense of excellence within all of us and this sense of excellence will exhibit itself when it is needed the most. Whatever course you get accepted into, whatever campus, and whatever university, you will bloom as long as you do your best. It may be Up, it may not be UP. As long you remember the phrase, “utak at puso,” you will get where you are destined to be.

These are the words I wish I heard during my application process. However, given the adjusted method for admissions, no one really knew what to expect. As one of the first batches ever, if not the first, to experience a test-less UPCA, these are my words of advice to you. As I always say whenever I give advice, take everything I say with a grain of salt. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another.

Regardless, best of luck to you, future isko/iska! We cannot wait to welcome you home.

The Fides Files: Surviving DevCom

Landas Patungong Edukasyon

In the summer of 2019, I joined an organization called, “Landas ng Karunungan.” Under this organization, high school students who were currently enrolled in public schools within that area would be tutored over the summer. At the end of the tutorial period, these kids would then be granted scholarships based on their performance. 

I was initially invited by my cousin to join the said organization due to the fact that her friends were going to join as well. I did not think much of it and speedily agreed because I saw it as a chance to help others as well as a way to spend my summer meaningfully. Day by day I would tutor grade 7 and grade 9 students in their English and Mathematics subjects. This daily experience fostered my passion for education and for making education more accessible.

The school year after my summer spent volunteering in the Landas ng Karunungan Organization, I became a junior in high school. As a junior, we had a mandatory program in our Christian Living Education subject entitled, “Tulong Dunong.” Once a week, we would tutor public school students from Marikina at the grade 6 level. We would tutor students from the Mathematics and English subjects. 

These experiences, albeit new and admittedly challenging, gave me so much satisfaction at the end of the day. It made my heart feel so content whenever my students would tell me stories about how they got high marks in their examinations due to our Tulong Dunong sessions. Or how the kids in Landas ng Karunungan would tell me about their lives and their hobbies beyond school and academics. Even the playful banter and teasing I would experience as the students would tease each other about their crushes would add so much value to my day. All these experiences went far beyond tutoring; I was given the honor to be a part of people’s lives and to impart the little wisdom I had onto them.

Both these experiences honed and fostered my love and passion for education. They etched into my heart a vision to make education more accessible to as many people as I possibly can. Thus, I have decided to make this the development beat that I would like to focus on as a media writer as my interaction with these students and children made me look up to their exceptional qualities. Their intelligence shines through in their wit and quick thinking, evident in their humor. Their diligence in answering questions and understanding the topic as well as their competitive spirit in simple games and challenges is truly a joy to behold.

As I focus on this topic as a media writer, I hope that these development articles will shine a light on the situation of education. I want to be able to focus on this specific development beat in order to emphasize the fact that making education more accessible to people is not limited to giving school supplies and having donation drives. This may also be in the form of ensuring that the quality of education that students get in public schools is just as high as education would be in any other school. It is ensuring that these students are on equal playing grounds as students who come from prestigious schools. It is ensuring that after all the donation drives have ceased, there will be a sustainable form of development available to all in order for students to be able to finish their education and to attain the profession that they desire. 

The Amazing World of DevCom

Welcome to the amazing world of Development Communication! It consists of service, passion for people, and a heavy workload.

In all seriousness, expect a lot of activities and work in Development Communications as these activities help in honing oneself to be the best Development Communicator one can be. This, however, does not make you immune from getting tired or even getting burnt out. Thus, here are five tips that I use in preparing for my Development Communication activities!

First, I maintain a regular and healthy eating schedule

This first tip may seem almost humorous due to its highly obvious nature. However, you would be surprised at how quickly time passes when one is focused on completing an output — I can personally attest to it. Skipping this simple step can have detrimental effects on both your health and the quality of your output. We have to keep in mind that our bodies, especially our brain, needs nutrients and sustenance to function properly and efficiently. Thus, we must be responsible enough to maintain a regular and healthy eating schedule in order to maximize the potential of our minds and bodies.

Second, I focus on one project at a time

Numerous outputs, including papers and various researches, are constantly required of Development Communicators-in-training. It can be a challenge to manage, to say the least. It will also be tempting to accomplish everything simultaneously for the feel of productivity; however, this often becomes counter-productive. The sheer amount of work demanded can quickly become overwhelming and you may find yourself unable to move forward. To avoid this, it is better to focus on one project at a time to make sure that both your efforts and focus are maximized.

Third, I never submit my first draft

This is one of the first things I heard upon laying foot, or cursor, on DevCom grounds. Professors will repeatedly mention that they are capable of identifying pieces that have only been edited once or not at all. These pieces usually lack coherence and fail to focus on a single point. Cutting corners in development communication can really make you pay the price. Thus, it is crucial that you go over your work in order to spot errors that you may have committed and to implement corrections and improvements. A fun way to do this is to have your friends peer check your paper so that fresh perspectives and constructive criticism will be given to you in order for you to better your work.

Fourth, I rest when I am tired

Being a development communicator-in-training entails a lot of work. This is not limited to papers as it extends to group works, presentations, researches, and the like. The vast amount of workload may make it tempting to finish everything in one go. It may seem worth compromising the quality of your work if it means being able to rest for a little while longer. However, this eventually leads to burnout. Thus, the best solution is to simply take a step back and rest. This will help rejuvenate your mind which will contribute significantly to one’s productivity. You may feel guilty for resting with the knowledge that numerous school works are waiting, however, this will be more helpful in the long run.

Fifth, I keep my purpose in mind

With the bulk of all my school work, I admit that it is easy to simply throw in the towel. Development Communication is a discipline that requires a lot of writing, editing and rewriting which may become mechanical sometimes. However, keeping a purpose in mind helps in recentering one’s perspective when things seem like an endless cycle of papers and writings. I am reminded that my tasks are beyond self-service; my tasks will hone me to be the best development communicator I can be for others. 

These tips in no way will account for all the experiences one may encounter as a Development Communicator-in-training as these are only some of the things that helped me along the way. It is a different experience for everyone! Everyone grows and adjusts at their own pace. These tips are to be taken with a grain of salt. If they work for you, fantastic! If they don’t, fear not. Your professors, peers, and DevCom family will help you navigate your way through the world of Development Communication.

Grabbing Courage

Gathering data for this exercise is one of the most challenging and time-consuming tasks I have done in my freshman year — to say the least. 

I was raised by a single mother who is also a lawyer. My siblings and I have big age gaps, and given that we were simultaneously going through different stages of our lives, I had spent a significant amount of time with my mom. I would overhear her work as she loves to talk out loud whilst typing her documents and proceedings. This piqued my interest in legal processes and overall, the legality of many things. 

Therefore, when we were given the chance to choose a topic, I decided to do just that. The pandemic has increased my consumption of delivery services and I wanted to see the legalities behind that as well. Prior to the exercise, I had encountered various testimonies and news articles of the labor conditions of delivery riders. There was a significant amount of technicalities that came into this issue which is why I decided to use it.

The data-gathering process was challenging due to the fact that I had no immediate connection with the group which I desired to study. Unlike students, parents, or even other teachers, I had no social media connections with these riders. I had to venture into various groups in order to disseminate my survey. These social media groups consisted of tens of thousands of members with thousands of posts per day. I initially found it intimidating to collect responses because of the numerous posts in the group. I had to observe the group, their mannerisms, their etiquette, their unspoken rules, and the way in which they communicated. 

Despite the question being composed in English, I had decided to include a Filipino translation in order to make the question more accessible to those who were not too familiar with the English language. I did not want to compromise the integrity of the responses due to a miscommunication brought about by a language barrier. I then used the responses as a context for my expert interview with a former labor arbiter of the National Labor Relations Commission.  

As I was preparing for the interview, I believe I was able to observe via participant observation during the time wherein I was part of various social media groups of riders. This inevitably created a bias for the riders which I actually had in mind during the creation of the interview questions and during the interview itself. This bias created an insightful and meaningful interview due to the fact that I was exposed to various perspectives surrounding this issue. I learned about the different technicalities as well as the extent to which the government could help regarding the issue. 

After all these events, I likened my experience to a roller coaster ride. There were various ups such as getting responses, being able to set an interview and even retrieving supporting articles and proceedings for my topic. On the contrary, the lows consisted of waiting for responses, repeated revisions of my questions, and feeling almost helpless when I was exposed to the reality of the situation. These ups and downs made me realize that this activity really required me to think beyond myself and to simply observe. To observe the dynamics and factors that came into play, to observe why the simplistic solution I had come up with in my head still had not solved the conflict, and to observe what else could be done in order to better the situation.

Ayun, College Pa Rin

“Fids! Kamusta ka na sa college?”

“Ayun, college pa rin.”

The pandemic has deprived most, if not all, of us of the chance to socialize. In an effort to cope, I find that my peers usually resort to one topic and one topic only — college. To be completely honest, I am going through the better part (thankfully) of a very steep learning curve. This is not what I had exactly envisioned for college or for my life a few years back but I am beyond grateful because I have learned so many things in my short stay in the College of Development Communication. Thus, I will be sharing my learnings and experiences so that future development communicators-in-training can have a more gentle learning curve. 

At the beginning of my college journey, I used to wake up at the crack of dawn and do my morning workouts before eating my healthy and organic breakfast — just kidding. More of around waking up 30 minutes just before my morning class in order for me to have enough time to eat whatever breakfast was served, freshen up, and review my notes before the session. I would then study all throughout the day until midnight, rinse, and repeat the whole process.

As one could imagine, that routine was productive but it quickly led me to burnout which decreased my productivity even more. This painstakingly long burnout led me to create a two-part system that would enable me to maximize my productivity.

Part one of the system: Fixing the physical aspect of my life. 

I discovered that I am most productive when I have a designated space to do my work. I grew up reviewing and doing homework on my bed so I told myself that once college rolls around, I would discipline myself to study on a desk. This is exactly what I did. 

My study area

I took over our room dresser and I used it as a school desk, which doubles as a vanity! The objects on my desk are the following:

Laptop

This is the holy grail of online classes. My laptop enables me to complete my requirements, study my modules, interact with my peers, attend my classes, and so much more. I have had my laptop since 2017 and I believe that we still have a long way to go together.

Laptop Accessories (Laptop stand, mouse, and keyboard)

At the moment, my laptop is plugged into a socket because if I let it operate on its own battery capacity, it will die within 10 minutes of my usage. Thus, I utilize these accessories in order to extend my laptop’s life because in the words of my mother, “Hanggang dulo na ‘yan ng college.”

iPad and Pencil

My Ipad comes in handy in terms of tasks that require minimal typing as well as tasks that heavily require note-taking and reading. I usually use this gadget during lectures in order to take down notes or during asynchronous sessions in order to annotate the numerous readings given. 

Lamp

  My mother used to reprimand me for working in poorly-lit areas because she said that it would deteriorate my eyesight. And honestly, it must be a self-fulfilling prophecy as my glasses serve as a testament to her words. I use the lamp in order to illuminate my study area and as added lighting for when I turn my camera on during online classes.

Speaker

I remember visiting a friend and seeing his speaker in his room. He played various genres of music on it and it just improved the ambiance of the room. I searched up the exact model of his speaker, but it cost tens of thousands of pesos. Therefore, I opted to buy the cheapest one I could find on Lazada. Spoiler: It works just as great. I use my speaker to play jazz music or lo-fi hip hop music when I need to do school work and to play K-Pop when I want to be embraced by warmth and joy. 

Part Two: Creating an internal system for myself

One of the pros of online learning is its self-paced nature, but this comes as a double-edged sword. This nature may leave students feeling lost due to the lack of a concrete system that used to exist when classes were held onsite. Therefore, I created an internal system that I use in order to anchor myself whenever I feel lost and unproductive. The parts are as follows:

Have a Tracker

Learning management systems such as Canvas or Google Classroom usually have trackers which are automated. However, those trackers only account for the requirements uploaded on that specific site and not for other requirements or events in your personal or academic life.

The use of online planners, such as Notion, can really help with one’s productivity because it lays down all the tasks that need to be done. Additionally, you are able to see your progress on different tasks, your plotted events, and activities, as well as the different deadlines you or your professor may have for that specific requirement. You can also customize it according to your preferred aesthetic and interests in order to give it a more personal touch. This specific online planning application also comes as a perk of your UP Mail so I advise you to take advantage of it!

Find joy in the little things

Admittedly, all my tasks and responsibilities feel mechanical because of the current setup. I find it hard to find the purpose of my activities and I tend to feel down when I remember everything that should have been in place of the situation right now. In order to counter this sadness, I instead try to find joy in the things around me. Be it caring for my dog, having afternoon bike rides with my partner, or even watching the live broadcasts of my bias Park Jimin. I do my best to find joy in these little things because these are what keep me going throughout the day.

Pace yourself

At the beginning of my freshman year, I would wake up an hour early for class. I would do all my schoolwork until 12:00 midnight and I would do it all over again. I also did not allow myself to rest during weekends because I felt a sense of guilt whenever I would do things unrelated to school. I was so adamant about getting an uno that my wellbeing suffered and I eventually felt burnt out. As tempting as it is to use all your fuel whenever you can, it is important to recognize when you have had enough for the day. It is important to recognize when your body needs rest and needs to recuperate. College is not a sprint, it is a marathon. Thus, it is important to prioritize the state of your well-being in order for you to be able to finish gracefully.

Have a support system

In my first month alone, I faced a series of ups and downs in college. I got accepted, I got rejected, I got a high score on a quiz, and I got a score that was not all too high. It is difficult to process these events alone as these events eventually build up and demand to be released. Having a support system enables you to get through your worst days because they will stand for you when you are too tired to do so yourself. 

The systems I have created are not perfect. In fact, I believe that they will be subject to change as I experience more and more of what college actually is. Despite all this, I find solace in the fact that I made an effort to do something with the challenges that have come my way.