OPINION

OPINION

PAGHINGA: Essential ang pahinga

Ni Julie Ann Villanueva

Minsan kana rin bang nakaramdam ng pagod na hindi napapawi ng kahit anong tulog? Umaga, tanghali hanggang gabi paulit-ulit ang nangyayari. Kahapon sabi mo magpapahinga ka, pero imbis na pahinga ay nauwi sa pagkawala ng motibasyon sa ginagawa.

Kadalasan mula sa pagbangon mo sa higaan at pagbukas ng mga mata ay kasabay nito ang pagpaplano ng gagawin sa buong araw. “Ano kaya ang uulamin ko?” o ‘di kaya’y “Papasok ba ako sa synchronous meeting namin?” minsan din ay “Maliligo ba ako bago magklase?”. Mga simpleng katanungan na nabibigyan din ng agarang kasagutan. Pero ikaw? Naipahinga mo ba ang katawan, isip at puso mo sa buong gabi? Kasabay ba ng pagdilim ay unti-unti mo nang natapos ang iyong mga gawain?

Mahirap magpahinga sa lugar kung saan maraming ginagawa, sa bawat sulok may nakakapagpaalala sa’yo ng pagod na dulot ng bagay-bagay sa paligid. Pero huwag ka mag-alangan humiga at huminga. Ang pagpapahinga ay hindi pagsuko o pagtalikod sa ginagawa. Sa pagpapahinga ay maaari ka ring magnilay-nilay kung umuusad kana ba at pagbabalik tanaw sa mga natapos mo na. Isipin mo sa sipag mong ‘yan tila napagod kana, senyales na ibig sabihin gumagawa ka nang makabuluhan na bagay. Napapagod ka hindi dahil sa wala lang, marahil napapagod ka kasi binubuhos mo ang lakas mo para sa isang bagay.

Sa dami ng binasa mong articles, sa dami ng pinasa mong requirements, sa dami ng sinulat mong solutions, sa dami ng inayos mo para sa project ninyo, essential din ang pahinga. Hindi lang ngayon ang laban mo, may mga laban ka pa sa mga susunod na araw. Ang pagod hindi sinusukuan at basta hinahayaan. Gaya ng simpleng problema, may solusyon din dyan. Sigurado sa panahon na sapat ang iyong pahinga, mas kaya mo nang gawin ang mga bagay na kailangan mong gawin. Kakailanganin mo ulit ng lakas para bukas, kaya huminga ka rin. At kapag tapos na ang ginagawa mo, sarili mo naman ang unahin mo.

Led Astray or Steadfast on Truth: Social Media in Revealing Who is Who

By: Saoirse

We cannot deny how powerful social media is. It enables effective social interaction and access to news and information, where everyone can share, create, and spread their ideas with just a click. It is now a fundamental force in our society. Because of its accessibility, we can consider it a prime platform for swaying public opinion; unfortunately,

some use it as a tool to capture the public’s attention and lead them to misinformation and disinformation.

In Rappler’s Fact Check articles published between October 2021 and March 2022, data shows that fake news and internet propaganda are rampant than ever. Facebook, considered as the top used social media platform, has also topped the ranking for misinformation, joined by Youtube and TikTok. And based on their estimation methodology, they assumed that there are 22.49 million people exposed to fake news.

Nakakabahala.

Especially during the campaign period for the election, social media revealed who is who. Those who are steadfast on truth and who are led astray by misinformation, agendas, and propaganda. Sadly, people tend to share fake news and baseless accusations disguised as sharing opinions. Our school taught us how to conduct research and look for credible sources of authentic information. So, whenever I see people posting baseless accusations and spreading fake news on social media, I feel like I am obliged to act. Be it privately messaging them or commenting on their post in a respectful and considerate manner, I will spare my share because starting a healthy conversation was never wrong. It is our responsibility to remind them of their responsibility as social media users. Replying to misleading or fake news posts might not sway the one who posted it, but it has the potential to sway the observers and the readers of the post.

However, not everyone is up for conversations like this. There are fake news peddlers who will resort to ad hominem once they cannot address the actual issue at hand. These are the worst kind of people to argue. There is no chance of opening their minds and encouraging them to find the truth themselves.

In social media, people are beauty pageant analysts during beauty pageant season. They suddenly become sports analysts during Sea Games and Olympics. They become political analysts during elections. We always have a say about something. And nothing is wrong with that as long as we know what we are saying and we’re not posting just to look cool and sound right.

Social media is a great platform to let the world hear our voice, so we must use it wisely. As it reveals the people who are steadfast on truth and those who are led astray by fake news and misinformation, how will you spare your share?

Graduation Blues

By Hiraya

was always asked about my dream since I was young. I started dreaming of being a nurse during elementary school. In

I high school, I was determined to be a well-known historian yet I thought it might be hard to earn money with that. So then I changed my dream again into becoming a Chemical Engineer until I graduated senior high school. That didn’t happen of course because the thing is, I kept on dreaming, forgetting my family’s financial status. It was just so fun and free to dream until reality hits you.

But guess what, just a few more days and I’ll be posing on camera wearing a graduation cap, toga, holding my diploma with a proud yet unsure, doubtful and worried smile. After years of studying, I still cannot fathom the right answer to a short but oddly difficult question, “Ano bang plano mo?”

As the evenings move to mornings and my last days as a student diminish, a thought has been occupying my mind: I’m terrified.

It thrills me that finally I already have a conclusion to my years of preparation of facing the world head on. This is the true test, and I won’t have much time to contemplate or evaluate things. I know that this is what is supposed to happen yet life’s uncertainty is sinking in.

Confusion is eating me slowly. The next steps aren’t clear. Should I start working already? Should I go on vacation for a while? What about getting a master’s degree, would it be feasible? Oh wait! Should I take the CIE? The options are vast but what chance would lead me to success. I envy those whose life choices do not need to consider their financial status.

Then there’s this doubt that all the years spent in university aren’t enough. Did the school teach me everything necessary? What if all the theories and concepts I learned will be of no help? Is the system in the country so low and corrupt that only those with financial capabilities are able to receive a real quality education?

I don’t have the courage to cross the river of futility. I fear to find myself in a situation where I had no option left but to accept jobs so far from what I invested. I am afraid to fail. The last thing I wanna do is disappoint my family. The last thing I wanna feel is self-disappointment. The usual number of “what ifs” had doubled.

Then again, I realized all my life I have always been afraid. I was afraid that I wouldn’t pass an exam. I was afraid to defend my paper in front of panels. I was afraid to see 5.00 on my portal and a lot more. There is an option to run away and to escape those difficulties but I didn’t. If I had not faced all those experiences head on, I wouldn’t be looking forward to my own graduation.

Ano bang plano ko?

Looking at the brighter side, my confusion is actually a good thing. I have a lot of options to choose to answer this question. Whatever path I choose, it’s only up to me to make it the right answer.

My formal education may have soonly stopped yet learning will not. This is reality and it’s hitting me but I do not need to figure out everything today, because I have my whole new journey to learn. Ain’t that exciting?