4 minute read
The (inescapably) pioneer batch
As people, we are not limited to our majors. We will be going out into the world not only with our courses. The (inescapably) (inescapably) pioneer batch
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WRITTEN BY GEORGE D. KHO
FOUR YEARS have passed for Ateneo’s graduating batch of 2022. Coming from the K-12 program, the freshmen who entered back in 2018 would have little idea of what was in store for them in their college journey.
Aside from the new core subjects that aim to mold a more dynamic graduate, the pandemic and a wholly different environment would also contribute to Batch 2022’s formation.
A NEW CURRICULUM
One of Batch 2022’s trademarks is its reputation as the “guinea pig” batch—first to enter grade seven, “move up” from junior high school, and graduate from senior high school. Moreover, the batch is also the first to experience Ateneo’s new core curriculum which emphasizes a contemporary formation framework.
“It is not just about responding to K-12 or the CHED GE, it’s really about making education explicitly connected with Ateneo’s vision of formation,” Associate Dean for the Core Curriculum Benjamin Tolosa states.
This newer curriculum, Tolosa mentions, changed the previous core from being introductory to being interdisciplinary ones tied to spheres of social life. Moreover, each program had realigned its own subjects to the learning outcomes of the new core curriculum. With these, the Class of 2022 had undergone an Ateneo education different from previous batches. “There is a sense that it helps, that there is more clear integration [between subjects],” Tolosa adds regarding the new curriculum. “Of course, the real measure of this is what you do after college.”
Aside from encountering an up to date curriculum, the batch also had to endure a brand new learning environment.
SHIFT IN SPACE
The COVID-19 pandemic that hit during the latter half of the batch’s sophomore year changed not only classroom setups but also students’ extracurricular and social dynamics. For outgoing Ateneo Psyche President Joaquin Querido (4 AB PSY), the shift in space has transformed students’ organizational life. “The essence of ‘org life’ in Ateneo is with the physicality of it, kasi that’s where you get to meet with people, interact with people, watch your projects come into fruition,” Joaquin states.
With the new environment, members and officers like Joaquin had to face issues such as dealing with burnout, disengaged members, and translating projects into the online platform. For Joaquin, one of the major issues during the first years online was also the struggle for mental health.
“Our tagline is ‘Where people come first,’ so as an org that advocates and values mental health […] we also had to consider our members’ welfare and well-being,” Joaquin mentions,
stating how many have been compelled to resign from exhaustion. “Orgs shouldn’t feel like work. It’s something that you’re supposed to enjoy.”
After almost two years of online classrooms, the batch then had to contend with the newer context of pilot face-to-face classes. Although not all students were enrolled in “flex” classes, many nonetheless returned to the campus for organizational work, campaign volunteering, and most importantly, for experiencing the campus one last time before graduating.
BEYOND RESILIENCIES
As graduation day draws near, Class Valedictorian Jamesun “Jb” Bejarin (4 AB POS-MPM) believes that the changes that Batch 2022 has gone through is what makes them unique. For Jb, people tend to glorify the batch’s pioneer reputation. However, he says that behind this rough journey are the human experiences—of students dealing with change, anxiety, and stress.
“Those human experiences ground us as a batch because we’re able to face adversity or uncertainty with resolve and adaptability; because we know what’s at stake when we go through change,” Jb adds.
While Joaquin knows that the batch has faced hardships and loss, he also believes that going through a pandemic and online class has inevitably taught Batch 2022 valuable lessons. “[We realized] how time is very important, [that] as much as we have to focus on ‘acads’ and ‘orgs,’ we also have to focus on ourselves, our lives, our family,” Joaquin says.
Ultimately, being the first to overcome two new curriculums and the strains of the pandemic have made the experience of Batch 2022 unique to them. They will be graduating not just from varying fields, but from a turbulent shared experience.
“As people, we are not limited to our majors. We will be going out into the world not only with our courses,” Joaquin says, stating that the holistic education Ateneans have undergone will inevitably be crucial in confronting the social realities they are to face.
