Week 2: "Buwan ng Wika" at Lyceum for the first time—sleepless nights!

                        Since it's my first year at Lyceum, it's also my or rather our first time to celebrate "buwan ng wika", together with the upper-class men, here at Lyceum. And I can say that it's a SUCCESS!! 'Cause though we haven't won anything, most of the winners are from the College of Arts & Sciences—our department—and that's a victory for all of us!

                        MMA 1-1's contribution is to put-up a booth—booth exhibit—wherein we should provide a compilation of Award-Winning Filipino produced movies—back from the very first Filipino produced movie. AB Communication students provided the video presentation and we, MMA students arranged and decorated the booth. We did all that we can to beautify the booth and make it presentable and attractive enough for the viewers. But unfortunately and as usually, there are always bad comments—negative ones—that were heard from the viewers, but I just thought that it's part of being an artist, we just have to accept and improve more. But on the contrary, there are still compliments, praises that were given by some of the viewers, mostly Ate's and Kuya's, hahaha, and a very heart-warming tap on the back. :) All-in-all, it's a great experience to reminisce someday. Though we haven't won the title for the best booth. :(
                        Other than the booth exhibit, we also participated on the Folk Dance Competition. Wherein we performed the Folk Dance: "La Jota Moncadeña" that was originated from Cavite, Laguna. We dressed like vintage people with Castanettes as props, and enjoyed the dance. Despite the projects, home works and lack of skills that we come across while practicing for the dance, I'm proud to say that we did well. Considering the fact that we're not dancers or professional ones to learn and eventually perform a very complicated dance routine—especially folk dance—we did our best to show everybody what we have, and enjoyed the dance. We may not be the winner but for us, even before the competition start, we already won. The experiences, bonding-time, skills that are newly learned, friends that became closer are the prizes we received.  And actually, that's the greatest gift we've ever had and longed to have!
                        Luckily, I've enjoyed the program that was held on last friday, 26th of August 2011, though I'm like a Zombie for having just an hour sleep. We laughed, clapped and congratulated the winners—which almost all, are from the CAS Dept.—that made us proud to be in this department (Ha Ha!). Of course, we enjoyed the "Lakan and Lakambini 2011" as well, the candidates are all entertaining, honestly, they kept me awake during the program—thanks to them! It was a great competition!
                       Generally, the program is a SUCCESS!(for the second time though) Everyone enjoyed it, gained a lot from it, though not everyone gained a material prize, but we know in ourselves that we gained more than what we expected. We learned so much things and will grow from our downfalls. It's not always about winning a prize, it's all about learning, progressing and growing. Aiming for a better prize, not just material prize, but a long-lasting one.

Week 1: I survived the first half!—at least I think I do—another half to go!! :)

                        College, college, college. That is rather the creepiest or the most nerve-wracking word for me back when I was in High School. I was really terrified to step into College before, I fear the new environment, lessons to learn, professors to encounter and all the projects, theses and examinations to bear. Imagine, I was already in my fourth year of High School, and I haven't decided of anything to pursue in college yet. I was scared, afraid, rather unprepared to face it that time.But when I entered college, well, half of my expectations are right, but that's just HALF, not all! 
                        Half, because, yes I'm really experiencing stressful activities, projects, exams here in college but well, that's life! That's college! You couldn't say that you've survived college without encountering those challenges that shaped you. Colleges in different universities are all difficult to face, and we just have to bear with it. But, of course, college is not just facing difficult, nerve-wracking and head-over-heels challenges, FUN is also a part of it. And that's the other half that made my expectations fail. 
                        For me FUN is :
                            F -FANTASTIC FRIENDS 
                            U -UNEXPECTED & FREAKY TASKS
                            N -NEVER-ENDING LAUGHTER :))


                        Yes, "fantastic friends" is the first on my list, they helped me enjoy and endure college—though still enduring. Of course, we need to study hard, but we shouldn't push ourselves too hard on studying, we  should also unwind a little bit, NOT A LOT! And "friends" is a perfect tool to relax a bit. And in my case, that's not a problem, in fact, my college was welcomed by friends, FANTASTIC FRIENDS! 

Like them:

                        U, as in UNEXPECTED & FREAKY TASKS, including projects, quizzes, home works, etc. Why-oh-why is this included? Of course, fun is not just enjoyment, laughter, and "happy-go-lucky" attitudes, in college, we also find doing tasks fun, because as we share ideas with our fellow classmates, our knowledge about things widen and of course sometimes, sharing ideas comes with great humor, that's why, it's really enjoyable! This also includes the unexpected outings, at SM Calamba perhaps? Ha ha, though we find it—going there—boring already.  

                        N, for NEVER-ENDING LAUGHTER. Being a college student, not necessarily a Lycean, tasks are all nerve-wracking, and our only solution to better face them is to laugh it all out. Having MMA students as classmates, finding ways to laugh is not a problem, just being with them will make you laugh til you hate it. But of course, we place our laughter to its proper place. It's good to have fun and enjoy things, but as students, we should always limit things. Laughing is part of having fun, but at times that we need to be serious, we should consider it!

                        In my first half in college and in being a Lycean was not that easy, I can already say that I've been through thin and think this early, but I'm grateful for having these challenges, for it strengthens me, and little by little shapes me into a better person. All in all, first half of my college life in one word is SUCCESS! Because I'm still alive, ha ha, or rather catching up. And i know that as time pass things will get even harder for us, students, but I'm sure we can make it! Keep our hopes up!! 

WE CAN DO IT MMA!!:)

Thoughts on New Media.

                        Based on the previous discussions about new media, there's this particular topic or portion that caught my attention, it is the "Thoughts on New Media", wherein there stated thoughts of children or mostly children of what they think new media is all about, or how much is their knowledge about it, and you will see broad and simple answers that literally answer the question: "What do you think New Media is?" And that truly surprised me, because with even so little, their minds are already opened about new media, and it's not new to them anymore.

Here are some of the thoughts that caught my attention:

• The process through which we receive our information is not only faster, but completely different and interactive.
– Monique

• Given media consumers an interactive relationship, allowing them to instantly access content anywhere, at any given time – Taylor

• Those institutions and innovations that will continue to evolve and help us make some sense of what would otherwise be overwhelming – TC

• I know it when I see it – William
• better technology – Ryan 

                         If I were to ask about new media, according to my own understanding, I would say: New Media, basically gives us two things. It's either an advantage or disadvantage, and for me, it's both. Advantage to do things instantly, communicate with others—especially loved ones—easily and do many things within reach, and that's a mere advantage for us. And disadvantage, for being so reliant or dependent to new media that we do not excel anymore when it comes to interacting with others personally, for instance, job interviews are all done personally, not electronically, so if we rely so much in new media, we will be left dumb to interact with others personally and we'll have a hard time to find a job, and that's not a good thing, but I think time will come that electronic interviews will come to pass and that frightens me.
                         We read from children, and they seem so knowledgeable about new media. And it rather  impress or scares me. Of course it impressed me, they're young and yet they know so much that even I just knew for not that long or just recently. I envy them in a way that they're experienced already but I pity them as well, for they didn't have a chance to experience difficulty or they don't work hard for things anymore nowadays, and if a person learned in a hard way, that made him an excellent one, and if not, he may be learned or skilled but cannot be called excellent.
                         However, we can't truly escape new media, in our generation, it's already a part of our daily lives and we just have to deal with it WISELY. We are now living in a world of technologies and we may never escape it but the only way to survive it is to use it wisely, do not abuse modern technology, it doesn't matter if we are good or not pertaining new media, but as long as we can live with it, be with it, it's okay, we shouldn't just focus on them we should also focus on our natural talents and skills, it may look old or primitive, but still, it's more appropriate and makes one truly excellent and skilled.

AGAIN, USE NEW MEDIA WISELY!:)

References:

New Media.ppt from Ms. Anna Kagaoan's discussion
unfortunately, cannot be attached to this blog.

Thank you for your understanding.:)

Which way: Good or Best?

Mediocrity as Good

and

Excellence as Best.

                        Mediocrity, moderate ability or value; ordinary—from Miriam-Webster Dictionary.
Nowadays, most young people, or teens themselves, choose to be mediocre people, or in other words, ordinary or moderate. Even some of the adults nowadays, prefer to perform tasks that limits their ability, or let's say, "low quality" products. They don't extend their ability to do things more than they can do, even if they can. Well, we, modern people, prefer the instants, the most fast and accessible way to do things, we thought, "Why make it complicated, if we can make it the faster and easier way and yet still bearable or good?" But not good enough. For me, that's mediocrity, limiting things just to satisfy yourself for something that you can still extend, or be good at. To be satisfied for the good-enough-things but not the excellent things.


                        Excellence, or Excellent, superior; very good of its kind; eminently good— Miriam-Webster Dictionary.
Being excellent in all things makes life easier, I think. Why? For if you do things with great effort and concrete attention, you won't have a hard time facing difficult challenges for you've prepared for it or in a way that you've already been through those experiences, that facing another one would just be a piece of cake for you. And that's an advantage. Because, like in a war, if you have your guns and bullets and protective gears, you'd be ready to face your opponent, but if you will participate in a war without those self-protector, you'll fail to perform your duties as a soldier, and even protect your own self from danger, and that's the least thing we all want to happen.

                        If you will see this sign as you pass down the road, you might think, "wait, which way should I go?" If you were Alice in the movie, Alice in Wonderland, you might immediately look for Cheshire Cat for an answer. But if you were to ask me, I will just explain to you the things I said above, and ask, "Where do you want to go?and what way would you prefer to choose: good or best?" If you don't know where to go, you don't know what you like, and you just want to "go with the flow", then take the good way, and just settle for less. But if you want to attain a successful life with a successful career, then, only through the best way you shall obtain it.

                        Sometimes, we people, don't aim for the best things, good is enough. But only by best things we can attain best things, not just good things pretending to be best. For instance, oftentimes, we compare our works to others' but can't figure out how on Earth can they do such marvelous works and we cannot? The thing is, we can all do marvelous works, we just don't aim for it and do everything, not just what we can, but more than what we can do in order to accomplish a great work. If you put forth your focus and utmost attention to something you want to attain, you will and at the very best that you can be.

                        Don't limit ourselves(addressing to myself, as well) too much to the things that we can do. Let's focus on doing things more than what is required or ordinary. Aim for the better prize not just for the consolation, be the best that we can all be and nothing can prevail against us from doing anything according to our will as long as it is of good intentions and for the benefit of everyone, not just us, alone.

Which way? For me,CHOOSE THE RIGHT!
 the BEST!!!
and be THE BEST!! :)