“It’s not about how many they are, it’s about how genuine people are to you. It’s more like appreciating everybody around you.”
As social beings, humans have a common need for social interaction. When we thought every relationship we had was going well, the pandemic suddenly comes crashing in. This pandemic has challenged most of us as we face inevitable changes in how we perceive the society. Now it is up to us and to the few people left in our lives to make up with the status quo and continue the life we chose to live.
A Caviteno and a current 5th-year student in PUP CADBE, Maxine Loyola-Naval, at 22 years old, has faced not one nor two but a whole lot of challenges in her life. As the oldest child in the family, she has faced many problems both in academics and family matters. She had to face a lot of change and had to adjust to the best she could in the online setup of learning. It is undeniable that it is both expensive and exhausting to study at home as there are consequences to the comfort we enjoy. But with her positive outlook in life and her courage to continue regardless of the consequences of her past, she was able to cope up with the struggles she had to face in her life.
The most prevalent academic problem that students currently face is probably the expenses for the equipment needed. Having three siblings and a single mother, Maxine’s family had to make tough decisions to provide for the needs of the family. Her mother had to make ends meet as to provide laptops and computer desktops for all 4 children all by herself. Having to face the predicament of lack of resources is indeed difficult especially during these challenging times. As a student who is in her final year in college, Maxine found it difficult to focus and be productive at home. People may think that this is an unreasonable excuse but with her responsibilities as the eldest child she had her ways to make things happen. During the spark of the COVID 19 pandemic, Maxine had the idea of utilizing social media platforms to help her with her academic performances. She created a Youtube channel and started uploading Art and Architecture-related content to help her record her progress. At first, it was just an idea, but she grew interested in it, and eventually, it helped develop her communication skills. “When I was presenting my thesis I was commended by one of the panels, she said that vlogging has helped me a lot especially in my reporting skills,” Maxine added. This strategy helped her a lot in gaining confidence in her work and becoming more adept at speaking in front of people. “Alam ko sa sarili ko na nag improve ako,” Maxine enthusiastically added. She managed to utilize the resources she had and use them to her advantage.
Although the internet age has its own advantages, it also has disadvantages that we rather choose to ignore. “Yung mama ko napilitan bumili ng tig-iisang laptops and desktops just to suffice our needs for online classes,” Maxine said. It was a challenge especially for her mother that single-handedly took the responsibility to provide for her children. She also had to face her struggles alone as she wasn’t used to not being able to brainstorm and study with a group of her friends. Maxine is used to the helping and interactive setting of the face-to-face classes in the university. The online set-up not only made it harder to interact with people but also made it more difficult for students to find a creative and educative environment.
Maxine’s thesis journey is not even near being easy. Like every student had faced in their education, she had to make ways to make sure that she is capable and competent. She may have lost some people around her because of the distance but she made sure that she treasures every single one of those who stuck by her side. “It’s not about how many they are, it’s about how genuine people are to you. It’s more like appreciating everybody around you,” she genuinely said.
Maxine’s story is a roller coaster ride. She may have been under a lot of pressure and had struggled through a lot of situations in life, but she also rose above them as she claims her place on top of her journey. She had to face a lot of family problems and academic breakdowns, but she never thought of backing down. “Progress, whether big or small is still progress,” she mentioned.
Maxine may have been in her most difficult times, maybe even the precipice of her life but she never backed down on a fight. She may have lost a lot of people in the pandemic and cut off a lot of people in her life, but she remembered not to forget those people who truly cared for her. She also realized that one can never truly appreciate other people without appreciating one-self. “It’s all about self love, self appreciation and always check on yourself,” she emphasized. Maxine Loyola-Naval’s journey teaches us to realize within ourselves that we are capable no matter the consequences and that we are never alone in this battlefield we call LIFE.
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