FIRST GLIMPSE
What do you think is the most exciting part of this year’s Roarientation?
Mark: “I think the most exciting part of this year’s Roarientation is I get to meet a lot of people, like, kasi I saw a lot of posts in Twitter and Reddit na Thomasian community is actually good so I’m looking forward to it.”
Sophia: “What I’m excited naman about po is yung environment mismo ng UST. And nung pagdating ko po dito, I can feel po na nawe-welcome po ako. I can say, they (Thomasians) are not really exclusive. They’re very welcoming sa mga students o sa mga freshies.”
Alexa: “Yung mga Thomasian friends ko kasi, they talk about the welcoming community here in UST. And so far, parang nafu-fulfill naman ‘yun on my part.”
What are you most looking forward to?
Mark: “I’ve heard a lot of chika online. Yung pinaka-hinihintay ko is to [be] immersed with the Thomasian [crowd] kasi there’s a lot of people, cultures, and other stuff. And that’s the thing I’m looking forward to.”
Sophia: “I’m looking forward naman [sa] Welcome concert [as well as the] Welcome Walk. Most of my Thomasian friends kasi sinasabi nila na sa ‘kin na it’s very well-prepared.”
Alexa: “Aside sa activities, I’m look forward to making new friends.”
As an Artlet, how can you embody the spirit of being an AB student?
Sophia: “By empowering and uplifting more people, lalo na when you’re talking about [the Faculty of] Arts and Letters or AB. Parang mostly or stereotypically, magaling sila with words and magaling sila with voicing out concerns.”
As you begin a new chapter in your life, is there any message you want to convey to your future self?
Mark: “Dear future me, always stand for the truth. ‘Yun lang.”
Sophia: “All I can say is, ‘Kaya mo na ‘yan. Malaki ka na.’ Not in a joking way pero very serious ‘yan.”
Alexa: “Since yung career namin requires responsibility; I’m just going to say, be responsible sa mga ginagawa mo kasi lahat ng mga tao sa Pilipinas nakikinig sa’yo [at] nababasa ang mga ginagawa mo.”
How are you feeling right now that you can call yourself a ‘legit’ Thomasian?
Mark: “It’s actually fulfilling and nakakataas siya ng pride; to be honest, especially being a part of the Big Four, not to be a clout chaser. But to be honest, Thomasian community is actually good and Thomasian education … Well, I cannot lie na sometimes it gets hard, but it’s part of the journey na mate-train ka. ‘Yun talaga.”
Sophia: “Honestly I’m very proud to say na I’m a fully pledged Thomasian ‘cause I’ve been waiting for so long to know what school I’m gonna get into. So when UST accepted me, dun na-reassure na I deserve this kind of quality education. So, I’m very proud and very happy.”
Alexa: “I was very happy kasi nag-apply ako dito for senior high and hindi ako natanggap, so getting into college dito sa UST is one of my biggest achievements sa buhay ko, I would say.”
– Mark David Marababon, Sophia Althea Perez, and Alexa Torralba, journalism freshmen
Interview by Giannah Erin Ochoa
