Baskal 2007A Aguman Write-ups
The following are Aguman write-ups submitted by batch Baskal 2007A prior to their Formal Interview. These are not necessarily the best three, but they are worth sharing nonetheless.
_____________
ALONE NO MORE
By Khen
First of all, the UP Aguman made my adjusting to UP Diliman a whole lot easier. I first became aware of the UP Aguman when I was still in the 6th Grade when Holy Angel University, Lab School first joined the PAUTAKAN. (Tingnan niyo man sa yearbook, sa 29th Pautakan 2002 Elementary Level. Haha! Kami yun! That was the only medal I ever got from the UP Aguman, hehe!) Anyway, from the moment I set foot on the UP Diliman soil, I felt so alone. Every time I made a friend, she would always see some former classmates and bid me goodbye. Then I’d be alone again. Sad no? Hehe! Well, I really looked for the org. Long story of how I found it. So anyway, when I finally found the tambayan, the members were so intimidating! Even so, I saw how bonded they really were. The UP Aguman isn't only an org; I realized it was a family. And I wanted, and still do, want to be a part of that family. I gained friends within the org, and life at the university wasn’t so lonely anymore.
Secondly, the UP Aguman helped build my self-confidence and helped develop my social skills. It made me a stronger and a better person. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, right? Haha!
Lastly, I saw that the UP Aguman is not just some organization ‘na pasosyalan lang’. It really seeks to serve, especially our Cabalens. Even though there maybe budget constraints, it doesn’t stop them from achieving its goals. There really is a strong bond within the org that keeps them going. And of course, I saw that the residents really do live by faith, truth and kinship.
_______
JOURNEY TO THE WORLD OF TRUTH, FAITH & KINSHIP
By Jewel
I can note that there are lots of things in me that have changed in my 4 months of stay in UP. My view on joining an organization is one of the biggest. Back in high school, simply signing the membership form followed by paying the P20 fee already makes you a licensed member. Meeting twice is at most in a month. The peak of the club is during its assigned month wherein it sponsors activities for the whole department and launches contests to each year level. Then after all those, the club keeps its silent existence almost the rest of the school year. In UP, it is way too different. Playing with my curiosity, I even asked Ms Daphne-Dominique Villanueva if they ever run out of topics to discuss on Genmeets. Her answer was clear, that with so much to do and lots to plan on, they always have matters to discuss and even debate about. With the org having different committees, works are divided so as to let the members work and contribute to their specialized field. This is a significant fact the workshops taught me. Being a member, doesn’t mean owning the privilege of having a ‘tambayan’. It’s a lot more than that!
Every major activity in the app process is worth noting. The talent’s night being horrifying, it became an effective way on making an applicant learn many things. First, on your road to work on some thing, you can never get away with failure and criticisms but the power in you to struggle more and stay strong. Never let those put you down, or else you end up the loser! And second, you should learn the value of doing a job and dedicating your whole attention to it. Distractions will be there. Voices from everywhere will come, but you must learn to work on one at a time, know whom to listen to and where to specialize.
I believe that the advantages you gain when you become part of an organization are more than enough to compensate for the effort and hardships you’ve spent in its application process. Being a part of a FAMILY is its best prize!
On my reflection paper for the Indoctrination Week I had the chance to ponder on the whole app process. It summarizes the thoughts running through my inquisitive mind regarding the organization itself.
_______
TO UP AGUMAN
By Neicy
I will not sugarcoat what this application has been. It’s been tough. It’s been difficult and many times it has made me and my coapps want to break down. Many times we went home with swollen eyes and hurt feelings. Many times we went to sleep asking why we had to go through so much. For the last three months of my life, I've been through so much of what I used to particularly avoid during high school – apprehension, frustration, trepidation.
And thus I did not expect that this is where I would learn one of the most important lessons in life: that the finest sword is the one that makes it through the hottest flames.
Because of my application, my definition of the words patience, confidence and bravery changed. I thought you were patient if nothing could rile you up. I thought you were confident if you weren’t nervous. I thought you were brave if you did not feel fear. Now I know where I went wrong. You are patient, not if nothing could rile you up, but if you feel frustration but continue to be diligent and dedicated. You are confident, not if you do not feel fear but if you are nervous and embarrassed but continue to do what you are doing for your conviction. You are brace, not if you do not feel trepidation but if you are dead scared of what can happen but continue to go on.
I'm a better person now. Patient, confident, and brave because I have been frustrated, nervous and scared, but I did not let any of these stop me from going on. Nor do I have the intention of letting these stop me in the future.
There were unpleasant memories and there is a fear for what may happen in the future, but my application has not always been dreadful. I will not forget that it is also here where I met people I now hold dear and lessons that rose from wonderful reminiscences. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my coapps, who taught me that you don’t need to know someone’s biography to be able to trust him or her. They became my barkada, my brothers and sisters and my advisers, never leaving me in times I needed them and otherwise. My Budd Jen, Aguman’s resident gorgeous, for being a buddy to the truest sense of the word – taking care and looking after me, helping and supporting me to the best of her abilities, and trusting me with her personal thoughts even though we have not known each other long. Thank you for teaching me that there are no shortcuts in life – and that no matter what happens, I always have to be strong.
Finally, to Ruth, Mike and Buduy, the first Aguman members I got to know, thank you for convincing me to join the organization this semester – if it weren’t for you, I would have never been here and experienced all these things – and for taking me under your wing, not just during Hum 1 but all throughout.
To the rest of the mems, thank you for making this application memorable.
“Shinji kareru utare tsuyosa yo”
“Strength gained from hurt is unbelievable”
(Heart of a Sword, Samurai X)
_____________
ALONE NO MORE
By Khen
First of all, the UP Aguman made my adjusting to UP Diliman a whole lot easier. I first became aware of the UP Aguman when I was still in the 6th Grade when Holy Angel University, Lab School first joined the PAUTAKAN. (Tingnan niyo man sa yearbook, sa 29th Pautakan 2002 Elementary Level. Haha! Kami yun! That was the only medal I ever got from the UP Aguman, hehe!) Anyway, from the moment I set foot on the UP Diliman soil, I felt so alone. Every time I made a friend, she would always see some former classmates and bid me goodbye. Then I’d be alone again. Sad no? Hehe! Well, I really looked for the org. Long story of how I found it. So anyway, when I finally found the tambayan, the members were so intimidating! Even so, I saw how bonded they really were. The UP Aguman isn't only an org; I realized it was a family. And I wanted, and still do, want to be a part of that family. I gained friends within the org, and life at the university wasn’t so lonely anymore.
Secondly, the UP Aguman helped build my self-confidence and helped develop my social skills. It made me a stronger and a better person. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, right? Haha!
Lastly, I saw that the UP Aguman is not just some organization ‘na pasosyalan lang’. It really seeks to serve, especially our Cabalens. Even though there maybe budget constraints, it doesn’t stop them from achieving its goals. There really is a strong bond within the org that keeps them going. And of course, I saw that the residents really do live by faith, truth and kinship.
_______
JOURNEY TO THE WORLD OF TRUTH, FAITH & KINSHIP
By Jewel
I can note that there are lots of things in me that have changed in my 4 months of stay in UP. My view on joining an organization is one of the biggest. Back in high school, simply signing the membership form followed by paying the P20 fee already makes you a licensed member. Meeting twice is at most in a month. The peak of the club is during its assigned month wherein it sponsors activities for the whole department and launches contests to each year level. Then after all those, the club keeps its silent existence almost the rest of the school year. In UP, it is way too different. Playing with my curiosity, I even asked Ms Daphne-Dominique Villanueva if they ever run out of topics to discuss on Genmeets. Her answer was clear, that with so much to do and lots to plan on, they always have matters to discuss and even debate about. With the org having different committees, works are divided so as to let the members work and contribute to their specialized field. This is a significant fact the workshops taught me. Being a member, doesn’t mean owning the privilege of having a ‘tambayan’. It’s a lot more than that!
Every major activity in the app process is worth noting. The talent’s night being horrifying, it became an effective way on making an applicant learn many things. First, on your road to work on some thing, you can never get away with failure and criticisms but the power in you to struggle more and stay strong. Never let those put you down, or else you end up the loser! And second, you should learn the value of doing a job and dedicating your whole attention to it. Distractions will be there. Voices from everywhere will come, but you must learn to work on one at a time, know whom to listen to and where to specialize.
I believe that the advantages you gain when you become part of an organization are more than enough to compensate for the effort and hardships you’ve spent in its application process. Being a part of a FAMILY is its best prize!
On my reflection paper for the Indoctrination Week I had the chance to ponder on the whole app process. It summarizes the thoughts running through my inquisitive mind regarding the organization itself.
“Taking this road was my choice and I will stand with it. Let the route be rough and bumpy, but in me, it will not be enough to lay me off this trip. In the UP Aguman, respectfully speaking, I will forever belong!”
_______
TO UP AGUMAN
By Neicy
I will not sugarcoat what this application has been. It’s been tough. It’s been difficult and many times it has made me and my coapps want to break down. Many times we went home with swollen eyes and hurt feelings. Many times we went to sleep asking why we had to go through so much. For the last three months of my life, I've been through so much of what I used to particularly avoid during high school – apprehension, frustration, trepidation.
And thus I did not expect that this is where I would learn one of the most important lessons in life: that the finest sword is the one that makes it through the hottest flames.
Because of my application, my definition of the words patience, confidence and bravery changed. I thought you were patient if nothing could rile you up. I thought you were confident if you weren’t nervous. I thought you were brave if you did not feel fear. Now I know where I went wrong. You are patient, not if nothing could rile you up, but if you feel frustration but continue to be diligent and dedicated. You are confident, not if you do not feel fear but if you are nervous and embarrassed but continue to do what you are doing for your conviction. You are brace, not if you do not feel trepidation but if you are dead scared of what can happen but continue to go on.
I'm a better person now. Patient, confident, and brave because I have been frustrated, nervous and scared, but I did not let any of these stop me from going on. Nor do I have the intention of letting these stop me in the future.
There were unpleasant memories and there is a fear for what may happen in the future, but my application has not always been dreadful. I will not forget that it is also here where I met people I now hold dear and lessons that rose from wonderful reminiscences. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my coapps, who taught me that you don’t need to know someone’s biography to be able to trust him or her. They became my barkada, my brothers and sisters and my advisers, never leaving me in times I needed them and otherwise. My Budd Jen, Aguman’s resident gorgeous, for being a buddy to the truest sense of the word – taking care and looking after me, helping and supporting me to the best of her abilities, and trusting me with her personal thoughts even though we have not known each other long. Thank you for teaching me that there are no shortcuts in life – and that no matter what happens, I always have to be strong.
Finally, to Ruth, Mike and Buduy, the first Aguman members I got to know, thank you for convincing me to join the organization this semester – if it weren’t for you, I would have never been here and experienced all these things – and for taking me under your wing, not just during Hum 1 but all throughout.
To the rest of the mems, thank you for making this application memorable.
“Shinji kareru utare tsuyosa yo”
“Strength gained from hurt is unbelievable”
(Heart of a Sword, Samurai X)
|