Sofia Valderama, journalism senior
Interview by Cali Asajar
“UST made me a stronger person”
What is something you know you will always look back to throughout the years you have spent in UST?
“Syempre ‘yung college friends ko. Parang it’s really not about the subjects na natutuhan namin [or] tinake namin, but it’s about the people that surround you during your four-year course. Parang doon mas nalaman ko kung sino ‘yung mga tao na dapat mong lapitan [at] mga tao na dapat dadalhin mo after college life.”
What are you looking forward to after your graduation?
“Syempre makahanap ng job. Actually for employment agad kasi I want to give back to my family and of course help na makapagpaaral din ng sisters ko after ko maka-graduate.”
What do you think makes UST the “dream” university?
“It’s really the culture. UST […] ibang iba siya sa other schools and kung ano ‘yung meron dito, pag labas mo kaagad maiisip mo na sa UST lang talaga meron ng [ganitong culture]. Kapag nagkita-kita kayo ng mga kakilala mo mag-hug na agad.”
Personally, How did UST live up to your expectations?
“UST made me a stronger person kasi there are things that we have to go through alone. Hindi sa lahat ng panahon available ang friends mo or lahat ng tao sa tabi mo kapag kailangan mo sila [in some cases] but UST made me stronger as an individual. Pina-realize niya sa’kin na mas mabuting harapin mo mag-isa instead of may kasama ka.”
Philosophy seniors
Interview by Ann Jenireene Gomez
“Ngayong graduating na kami, we’re really faced with the unknown”
What is something you know you will always look back to throughout the years you have spent in UST?
“Ngayong graduating na kami, we’re really faced with the unknown. Ang talagang nakakamiss is ‘yung schedule. Although it’s difficult na meron kang projects, exams, essays every few months—the fact na ngayon mawawala na siya… that routine will now disappear—‘yun ‘yung mamimiss ko talaga, more than anything.”
What are you looking forward to after your graduation?
“At the end of the day, my plan here is to pursue further studies and graduate school, like karamihan sa’min magla-law school. But then again, nandito pa rin kami sa UST, pero iba pa rin ‘yung kasama mo yung mga taong nakasama mo [sa undergraduate degree] and the relationships [you’ve built] for the past few years”
Throughout your Thomasian journey, how different were you when you first entered the arch compared to today? What do you think contributed to these changes?
“Sabi nga nila, although entering the [Arch of the Centuries] is an exciting thing, na ayun nga, you are fueled with curiosity, with these assumptions na this is what it means to be a Thomasian, but as we exit the arch, hindi siya pagbabago talaga for me, but more of the fact na it will be much sadder. For example, sa [Welcome walk], wala ka pang relationship na nabuo eh. May bubuuin ka pa lang na relationships that’s why you’re excited. But exiting the arch later, I think it will be much more difficult—kasi it’s now letting go of the relationships you’ve built upon the four years of your stay in UST.”
Gabriel Matabang, communication senior
Interview by Ann Jenireene Gomez
“Lalabas ako na maraming natutunan”
What is something you know you will always look back to throughout the years you’ve spent in UST?
“I would always look back to the experiences. Sa regrets is ‘yung nag hesitate akong mag-LOA para lang maexperience ko ‘yung face-to-face classes kasi nga nagkaroon ng pandemic tapos [naging] online setting.”
Throughout your Thomasian journey, how different were you when you first entered the arch compared to today?
“I guess in my [four-year] stay sa UST I’ve learned a lot since I entered the arch and ngayon pa-exit na ako lalabas ako na maraming natutunan, marami akong nakilalang friends, marami rin akong na-experience all throughout those years.”
What do you think makes UST the “dream” university?
“What makes UST the dream university for me would be their education. […] They have really good professors. They have a nice education system.”
Edwin Tatel III, English language studies senior
Interview by Kimberly Anne Ojeda
“I can take on anything in the world”
What do you think makes UST the dream university?
“First off, UST will always be close to my heart ‘cause I see the progress that I have made throughout the years and I feel like without this university, I won’t be the man that I am today.”
How did UST prepare you for the upcoming challenges that you will face in your life?
“UST has provided me with the necessary skills, with the language skills, considering that I am a graduate of the English Language Studies, and being a graduate of AB ELS, I have been prepared to take on different types of problems, challenges, and I really think that with my progress and the stuff I learned throughout [the] university, I can take on anything in the world. I feel like I’m on top of the university, you know.”
What’s something you will always look back to throughout your stay in the university?
“The memories I made within the four walls of UST, my friends, my people, the vibes. It’s all love, good memories, all in all, plus all the learnings I gained from the best professors in this league.”
Samantha Fernandez, sociology senior
Interview by Ann Jenireene Gomez
It’s just scarier that we’re gonna be on our own
What are you looking forward to after your graduation?
“I’ve just been scared. Syempre matagal na puro studies lang. It’s just scarier that we’re gonna be on our own. Like, it’s good news too, but ita-try mo to make something out of what you’ve learned throughout the 4 years of studies.”
Throughout your Thomasian journey, how different were you when you first entered the arch compared to today? What do you think contributed to these changes?
“Since puro research at fieldwork sa Socio[logy], natutunan talaga namin makipagsalamuha sa mga tao. Nag-change rin ‘yung outlook ko sa lahat talaga kasi siyempre when it comes to studying Sociology, mag-iiba talaga ‘yung perspective mo sa buhay.”
What do you think makes UST the “dream” university? Personally, How did UST live up to your expectations?
“First, is ‘yung school spirit talaga. Ayun ‘yung nagpamahal sakin sa UST. ‘Yung [idea] na all kinds of people are here, na hindi ka mahihirapan mag-adjust.”
Christian Warren Tuana, literature senior
Interview by Kimberly Anne Ojeda
The ultimate goal for me is to attend graduate school
What do you think makes UST the “dream” university?
“ ‘Yung professors and mga tao, of course. Una kasi, I really felt like I did not belong but eventually nakapag-adjust [ako] to the university. I feel like I found my people kasi nga welcoming ‘yung mga tao rito.”
If you could go back and do something differently in your college years, what would it be?
“ ‘Yung transition [period] from senior high school to college. How I acted towards the people here, kung pwede pa sanang baguhin ko ‘yun [then I would].”
What are you looking forward to after your graduation?
“The ultimate goal for me is to attend graduate school eventually.”
Alexandria Ryle Munar, political science senior
Interview by Ann Jenireene Gomez
“Show up, show courage, show confidence, and everything will come right after”
What do you think makes UST the “dream” university? Personally, How did UST live up to your expectations?
“It’s because of the culture, […] the university being this academically competent, and you know, welcoming on all kinds of academic excellence. I think besides that, ‘yung compassion nila sa students kasi nasa core values naman natin ‘yun.”
What are you looking forward to after your graduation?
“I really plan to go to law school […] Kaya really, cross fingers na lang kung saang school ako mapunta.”
What is something you know you will always look back to throughout the years you’ve spent in UST?
“It’s really the confidence na nakuha ko during my stay here kasi ang bread and butter talaga ng major namin is really recitations, readings, and passing papers. So it’s really oral and written skills na matetest, kung gaano ako kagaling, ganon. And besides confidence, it’s really me being resourceful kasi hindi lahat ng kinakailangan namin in college, binibigay ng mga professors namin. I really have to find my way to get those kinds of materials.”
How did UST hone you as a student now that you plan to enter law school?
“I think the combination of core values and the spartan values na tinatawag sa PolSci is that you have this competence, compassion and commitment, and as spartans […] more on just show up, show courage, show confidence, and everything will come right after.”
Carmelia, City Service Corporation staff
Interview by Cali Asajar
“Maging inspirasyon sila sa mga susunod pang tutungtong sa UST”
What is your message for this year’s graduates?
“Siguro ituloy lang nila ‘yung pangarap [nila] para makatulong pa sa pamilya nila.”
What advice would you give to the graduates who are about to step outside the comfort of UST’s walls?
“Family first talaga, para maging stable ang career nila. Para sa susunod na henerasyon, maging inspirasyon sila sa mga susunod pang tutungtong sa UST […] Pamilya muna. Ituloy hanggang sa makaraos at ‘yung pangarap [nila] makuha nila talaga.”
What blessings must the students acknowledge and cherish on this day?
“Syempre unang una sa lahat huwag kakalimutan ang Panginoon at magpasalamat, kasi blessing na ‘yun eh. […] Sana, keep it up, tuloy-tuloy […] wag sumuko hanggang sa maabot niyo na ‘yung gusto niyong marating, hindi lang sa sarili kundi para sa magulang at pamilya. […] Darating ang panahon na ipagmamalaki [sila ng magulang nila] syempre nasa tuktok na siya eh, wala nang hihilingin pa.”
Lloyd Fadriquela, UST security guard
Interview by Kimberly Anne Ojeda
“Ilagay nila sa isip nila lagi na life must go on”
What is your message for this year’s graduates?
“Dapat aralin nila sarili nila […] dapat ang unang gagawin nila alamin muna nila sa sarili nila kung ano ‘yung talent nila talaga, kung ano skills nila, i-enhance nila ng mabuti.”
What blessings must the students acknowledge and cherish on this day?
“Blessings mula kay Lord na naka graduate sila, na nakapagtapos sila.”
What lessons do the students need to carry outside the university?
“Dapat ilagay nila sa isip nila lagi na life must go on. Kahit anong obstacle man ‘yan, kailangan tuloy-tuloy ang buhay. […] Mahirap kasi pag gumagawa ka ng di mo gusto, kailangan bukal sa kalooban mo na tama o gusto mo yung ginagawa mo, kumbaga, may pagmamahal ka sa trabaho mo.”
Aubrey Jestine Matitu, political science senior
Interview by Cali Asajar
“I want to be the kindest person”
What is something you know you will always look back to throughout the years you’ve spent in UST?
“I think it’s the friendships I’ve made with other people and also political science itself. At first, I really didn’t want political science but later on, I found myself enjoying it.”
Throughout your Thomasian journey, how different were you when you first entered the arch compared to today? What do you think contributed to these changes?
“I have this favorite advice from a professor when I entered political science, I wanted to become the smartest in the class, but now that I am graduating from Political Science, I want to become the hardest worker in class when I get into law school. Most especially, I want to be the kindest person whom my friends can always count on.”
What do you think makes UST the “dream” university?
“Definitely, the environment. It feels like home […] it’s a mixture of different people with different social classes with different cultures […]. I can say that the feeling of the university is really warm and genuine, like home.”
Gabriell Christel Galang, creative writing senior
Interview by Kimberly Anne Ojeda
I’ve grown to learn so much more in different fields
What do you think makes UST the dream university?
“The community in general, besides the fact na maraming courses […] ‘yung community mismo. Here kasi in UST, we have the hug culture, the culture of caring and stuff like that. ‘Yung community pa lang is what’s making it better, that’s why a lot of us stayed here. A lot of people from different colleges, may mga nag-shishift diyan […] mahirap pumasok sa UST, mahirap lumabas sa UST. So yung company pa lang, knowing that you have people supporting you and being there throughout the journey really, really helps.”
How did UST prepare you for your future endeavors?
“‘Yung mga extra-curricular activities, organizations, ‘yung mga sinalihan ko in the past; lahat ‘yun nakatulong sa akin kasi, not only may maa-add ako sa CV ko, ‘yung experience kasi mismo yung hinahanap nila pagdating mo outside of college, so it really helped me kasi malawak eh. Kahit na ako creative writing student ako and expected sa akin na writing lang alam ko, I’ve grown to learn so much more in different fields.”
What is something you will always look back to throughout your stay in the university?
“Lahat ng events na sinalihan ko. Some of them nag compete ako. I think putting yourself out there as a student, although nakaka-pressure nga kasi sasabihin sayo, kailangan gawin mo ‘to, kailangan gawin mo yan pero of course, getting out of your comfort zone and getting out of your own bubble will really, really help you in the future and with yourself din kasi how else will you grow if you don’t put yourself out there? Lahat ng events ni UST, paskuhan, even just the little things; assembly pa lang, is gonna be memorable for me.”
If you could go back and do something different in your college years, may babaguhin ba kayo?
“Siguro kasi I was told to only apply sa orgs na kakayanin ko, like one or two; pero that’s a hoax. When someone tells you na hanggang dito lang capability mo, don’t [listen to them]. Kung alam mo sa sarili mo na kaya mo i-juggle academics mo and extra-curricular activities, then go for it but at the same time, take breaks in between. Know your limitations, know your boundaries. Even if you want to help other people, even if you want to help your classmates; that’s all well and good, but don’t forget to take care of yourself.” F
