Graduating during the pandemic has definitely been an unforeseen event for Batch XVI. Many carefully laid plans were replaced with online services in light of the rising COVID cases. Now several months later, universities have opened online and many have begun their college journey. Through this interview, current MGC students could get a glimpse of how our MGC Batch XVI alumni student leaders have been adapting to university life online.
Meet our interviewees:
1. Sage Vergel de Dios
Former Whales President and Team Captain of the Badminton Women’s Team
Current University and Course: De Lasalle University; AB Psychology and BS Marketing Management
2. Sophie Chu
Former CRF President and LifeNews Editor-in-Chief
Current University and Course: University of the Philippines Manila; BS Biology
3. Faith Solis
Former Student Government President, LifeNews Section Editor, Officer of CRF and MUN
Current University and Course: Ateneo de Manila University; BS Life Sciences
Can you name the one best thing and the one worst thing about doing university online?
Sage: The best thing about doing university online is that I am able to use the extra time I have for the things I enjoy such as working out, spending time with my family, and sleeping longer. The worst thing about doing university online is that I don’t get to meet a lot of new people and interact with my block mates as much.
Sophie: The best thing about doing university online is having more control of your time. Since most classes are conducted asynchronously in UP, I can learn at my own pace, spending more time on subjects that I find more difficult. In today’s day and age, there are so many books, lectures, and videos available on the internet that make online learning more bearable. Use these to your advantage. The worst thing about online university is not being able to meet your block mates and professors face to face.
Faith: Aside from being able to spend more time with my family, the best thing about this online university experience so far is the flexibility of my schedule. We don’t have daily synchronous classes, so I have more control of my time. I’m able to work and rest in a way that is best for me and my productivity. The worst thing about it is definitely the fact that I’m not actually in the same room as my classmates, orgmates, and instructors. Though we have built friendships and a community online, it isn’t quite the same as really being together.
How different is your current university experience from your time in MGC?
Sage: When I spent the last few months of my Senior Year doing online class, it was very relaxing and easy to do work. Now in studying online at DLSU, it’s much harder than what I experienced in MGC. There are more discussion papers, reflections, and group works compared to MGC. In addition, it was also not as easy to make friends since it’s all online.
Sophie: Very different. I may not be able to speak for all colleges and courses, but I find that college requires you to be more self-sufficient and responsible. In my course, I encountered many unfamiliar topics and laboratory classes that brought me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to my limits.
Faith: Barring the obvious differences brought about by the pandemic, there is less of a difference between my university experience so far, and my time at MGC than I had expected. There is more responsibility and need for self-discipline in academics, both because of the inherent independence of being a university student and because of the situation we’re in. Another huge difference, of course, is the classmates. I spent about a decade and a half with pretty much the same group of people, so it’s definitely different being with people I’ve never met or have only known through others. I am thankful, though, that my university makes an effort to help students get acquainted, and that I have found friends. Finally, it’s quite a change to enter a Catholic university after years of being at MGC. However, all of these differences were expected to some degree, and so I was not exactly shocked by anything.
How do you de-stress and maintain a good study-life balance?
Sage: What I usually do is map out my work for the next weeks. I do most of my papers in advance so that I won’t be pressured to submit them right before the deadline. Other than that, I also work out every day to de-stress and move my body around after a long day of just sitting still.
Sophie: I like to wake up earlier and take a slow morning, spending some quiet time with God, and getting ready for the day. When I have the time, I like unwinding with some ice cream or a good drama.
Faith: Intentionally setting aside time for rest, exercise, and hobbies have really helped me to maintain a good balance. Since lockdown started, I found myself gravitating towards more hands-on hobbies, which I find especially helpful now. It isn’t as easy to think of time as lost or wasted when you hold something in your hand that wasn’t there when you began and that you have created. In relation to that, I’ve been trying to remember that time spent “doing nothing” and resting is also just as necessary and valuable as overt productivity, as it keeps us able to do work. One especially important thing is making time to spend with family or catch up with friends, even online. Much of life is about the relationships we build, so I try not to neglect that. Setting aside quiet time to read and pray has also been really helpful and grounding after a difficult day.
How has being an MGC student-leader impacted your university life?
Sage: Being a leader in MGC taught me how to map out my work. Since being in WHALES meant that you don’t have lunch breaks to study or cram and sometimes mornings as well, I learned to do my work in advance. In Senior High School, I would use our long breaks to finish work early.
Sophie: An important lesson I learned as a student leader is to adapt. In this unprecedented age of online learning, being flexible and adaptable can be one of your biggest assets. Whether it be learning to connect with new people virtually, or learning to cope with a different teaching style, being adaptable can greatly help you enjoy your college journey.
Faith: One big way it has helped me is in my confidence. Being a student leader made me more able and willing than I might have been to speak my mind, and it also prepared me to work with and relate to strangers or people I did not know well. It gave me the courage to try things and apply for roles that I might not have. Another way it has impacted my life now is in my time management. Like I mentioned earlier, I schedule my own days, for the most part. Being a student leader stretched me and showed me the pace at which I can work, and it helped me to learn how to manage my time well.
Do you have any words of advice or any college tips for the MGCNL student body?
Sage: My only advice for college is to never rely on your teacher. They teach you, but you put in the work to understand.
Sophie: Enjoy the learning process! It might be scary starting college in the middle of a pandemic, meeting new people, studying unfamiliar subjects, and doing things differently. It might not always be an easy journey, but if you enjoy real learning and constantly improving yourself, the end goal will be worth it. If you’re thinking of applying to UP, go for it! Padayon, mga future iskolar ng bayan! 🌻
Faith: Though it might be a bit of a cliché, I’d advise them to make the most of the present. My batch ended our senior year very abruptly, and we missed a lot of time together that, now that we’re spread out over different universities and even different countries, will be difficult to make up. Another thing I’d say is to know, at least generally, what you want, especially when it comes to college and course choices. Hear opinions and advice, principally from people you know and respect, but in the end, you are the one who will live the life created by these choices. Finally, keep in touch with people you love, and most importantly, stay rooted in God.
* the interview responses have been edited for the purpose of continuity
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