NARRATIVES PUTTING UP SMILES
Rafa Chua BY FRANCINE C. TAN RAFA CHUA (4 BS ME), known to others as the “geek on fleek,” is a familiar face for many. The three-time Freshman Orientation Seminar (OrSem) host, outgoing Kythe-Ateneo president, and Blue Bird Improv co-founder is widely known for his wit and bubbly personality. What motivates all his endeavors is a desire to inspire others and make people happy; these are the driving forces behind all the hard work that Rafa has put into balancing his life as a confident entertainer, a passionate leader, and a student that is graduating cum laude. Finding his footing Since high school, Rafa already had a wide variety of interests. He was part of the prestigious Xavier School International Baccalaureate Program, but was also involved in debate, theater, and a tabletop games club with his friends. When college came around, there was no doubt that Rafa would excel as well. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Rafa admitted that during freshman year, it took a while for him to find his footing because of his challenging course, but he turned it around by making the most out of everything he has experienced. Like many of us, Rafa is eager to grab all the opportunities in front of him, including going beyond his major and exploring his interests. In fact, he willingly overloaded semesters in order to try out a lot of electives and explore other interests. Despite this, he attained a cum laude standing upon finishing his course. He has also excelled in matters outside of academics if his long list of extra-curricular achievements is anything to go by. Aside from serving as a three-time O-Host, Rafa is also the President of
Kythe-Ateneo, the co-founder of Blue Bird Improv, and a budding voice actor. The jack-of-all-trades His Kythe journey started way back in high school. A few months before entering college, he lost his cousin, who Rafa fondly remembers for his sense of hope in the face of adversity. This light is what made Rafa want to be part of Kythe-Ateneo. He wanted to bring joy and hope to all the children he interacted with through his service in the organization. Another member of his family also inspired him to pursue an additional endeavor that would make others happy: Starting the first improvisation organization in the Loyola Schools. Together with his cousin Miguel Dobles, Rafa gathered those who had the same passion for comedy as they did. This led to the foundation of the Blue Bird Improv group. In order to make the organization more welcoming to new members, they made Blue Bird Improv about more than just performances by incorporating the primary advocacy of self-improvement and building self-confidence. More than the laughs that he is able to bring out of people, Rafa enjoys improv because it allows people to share their experiences, think freely, and feel true confidence in their own skin. Aside from his work in his organizations, Rafa spends his little free time on voice acting and pursues hosting gigs on the side. These gigs help Rafa hone his personal style of humor: Bad puns with confident delivery—a style that has made him successful as an OrSem host.
The bigger picture His various endeavors all support his overall goal in life: To find a platform where he can inspire people and make others happy on a massive scale. To achieve this goal, he jumps into opportunities headfirst and tries to learn along the way, as shown by the risks he took during his stay in college. Rafa reflects how passion can help leaders rise above overcome the stress of hectic schedules and heavy workloads. His desire to help others through humor has allowed Rafa to realize that the happiness he is able to impart on others outweighs all the blood, sweat, and tears that he shed along the way. “The way I see it, if you love what you do, you will be willing to endure the work and sacrifice that comes with it. If it was that easy, it wouldn’t be worth it,” he says.
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