After Christmas, I will be in radio silence for 5 days (afternoon of Dec. 26 to the morning of Dec. 30). I’ll be participating in a Jesuit vocation seminar in Sacred Heart Novitiate in Novaliches, Metro Manila. I hope this exciting experience will lead me closer to where God wants me to be. Please include me in your prayers.

Merry Christmas everyone!

12 Little Things every Atenean can do to help our x.U. community.

The celebrations of Xavier @ 75 brought to the surface a great sense of pride on our shared heritage. The explosion of chorography and festivities ignited a sense of community among young and old. The remembrance of our past through documentaries and exhibits brought forth a sense of history and destiny we all share. Xavier @ 75 indeed made an engraving impact in our consciousness as a University. It deeply reminded us of our way of living, of our common destiny, of our great mission, and most importantly of our being Atenean.

Amidst the colors, events, and lights of this celebration, let us refocus our lenses to the true call of this celebration – our being Ateneans.

I am quite sure that after accomplishing your FFP Class or your NSTP requirements, you have shaped your own concept of what it is to be Atenean or most likely what Xavier is trying to form you. Either way, we might ask ourselves what really does one get when we enrol in this school. Instantly, I could recall the 3 C’s which we were made to memorize when I am faced with that question. We are made to be individuals with competence, conscience, and commitment in service for others. This basically hits the point straight and clear but in a visual generation; it is hard to picture this standard, much more grasp and follow as a concept. I am struggling to really find a simpler definition of what it is to be Atenean. Open your student manual and everything is there. But I am looking for meanings not scripted in manuals but meanings lived out around campus, meanings that we can all relate, value, and do. So I propose that the best way to define an Atenean is not by laying out concepts but by pointing out things, little things we can do. I guess having a “to do list” is more appealing than a litany of standards or a highfaluting paragraphed lengthen sentence. In my observations, I’ve come up with my own 12 Little Things every Atenean can do to help our XU community.

1. Understand your lessons. (Play hard, relax harder, Study hardest) – It should always be reminded that we enter into the halls of Xavier with a primary goal. That is to learn. Therefore, it is an obligation to ourselves, to our parents, to our country, and to our God to give justice to this opportunity of studying in a university by doing our best. Of course, never forget that all work and no decent play make an Atenean dull.

2. Properly Wear our ID’s in campus – for the sake of our security and safety, the least we can do is to wear our IDs properly. It looks good with our uniform but when its washday, it turns into an fashion nuisance. So with that, we could always innovate and accessorize our IDs as long as it’s proper and not tampered.

3. Clean as you go – from the canteen to the streets, let us make sure to respect others by cleaning after our waste, after our plates, after our shakes and throwing them to proper bins. This is one basic value we should never forget. Let us also help our janitors and service crew by simply cleaning our own waste (which includes the toilet). We have no right to complain the filthiness of our campus if we ourselves have not done our part.

4. Pray before exams. Or better yet, pray always. – Let us never forget to talk to the Supreme Being, or to discern the movement within. The value of prayer and reflection is vital in our Atenean life. It spells a sense of spiritual maturity that can help us proceed every single day with a gratitude, optimism and hope.

5. Join an Org. or make one. – To make more out of our university life, let us grab the opportunity to be in an organization of your interest. The school offers an array of student groups which we can choose from. This will help us greatly in our formation; in the development of our personalities, enhancement of our skills and talents, and most especially the discovery of ourselves. If you don’t seem to find one that suits your interest, find others that share yours and make your own org and leave a legacy.

6. Befriend a teacher or two – Don’t see it as “friends with benefits”, see it as an opportunity of mentorship. It is advisable to really win the heart of our teachers. It does not only bring goodwill, it also brings out a partnership of learning.

7. Turn off the lights, electric fans, faucets if not in use. - This is respect to school property and an effort to save energy. It does not limit to turning off but it also calls us not to vandalize or intently destroy school property. It is a very basic value we should master by now since we learned it as a child.

8. Fall inline. Be fair. – During tuition payments, enrolments, internet, borrowing of books etc. let us not forget to fall inline. Falling inline creates order and brings fairness to all the people waiting for their turn. This also means avoid cutting lines and asking friends to line for us. Let us just be fair and remember the golden rule.

9. Vote – this is only once in a year responsibility. By actually voting, we make the student leaders accountable to us. It helps us exercise critical judgement, weigh platforms and ensure that we have a clear voice in your government. Remember, we will always get the government we deserve as long as we took part in the democratic process.

10. Be courteous to our service crew. – They are the unsung heroes of our community. They are the guards, the janitors, the ladies at the photocopy station. They are persons who in one way or another contributed much from our safety, to our handouts. The least thing we can do is to be polite and courteous to them.

11. Have a sport, exercise. – Balance is the key. Exercise our brain as well as our body. We can join sports group in school raging from Frisbee to taekwondo. Another subtle exercise is using the sky bridge and stairs when walking around campus. As for the elevators, let us make use of our healthy joints and give way to those who really need it. Let us exercise.

12. Study in the library, not in the canteen – We should recognize that we have a little canteen. And a canteen is intended for eating. If we study there, we deprive others the chance to eat properly especially when it gets crowded. Let us be sensitive and leave once we are finish eating. On the other hand, by studying in the library, we didn’t just make use of school service; we enhanced our chances of absorbing our understanding of the lessons.

Malcolm Gladwel, an author said “do not underestimate the power of little things. They can spur a revolution.” In his wisdom, I would definitely agree. I believe these little things are magis, cura personalis, not many but much and many other Ignatian principles reduced into digestible and doable terms. It is basically these little things that spur personal change that leads to cultural change that we all silently and deeply aspire for. And I believe this formation which makes us conscious of improving ourselves having the others in the forefront of our minds and hearts makes us unique, makes us Atenean.

(Stc 505, 9:45am) – While listening to our RS35 lesson on Characteristics of Liturgy, I received a text message from the Director of Student Affairs simply instructing me to get a letter in the office. As the letters preceding the word letter spelled out; a – y – a –l –a, my heart began to beat faster. In that moment I know the time of patient waiting is over. I know the result of the Ayala Interview is at hand. It was still a good twenty minutes till I have the chance to exit the room and proceed to get the letter. It was in that span of twenty where I try to swallow the surprise in SMS. It was a good moment to retrace the course of my application in an instant, to prepare my self what ever the result is and finally savor the rare moment where my optimistic expectation meets a subtle sense of fear and anxiety – come what may. The bell rang, we prayed and off I went the office to get the letter. As I held the thing white Ayala labeled envelope, I planned in my head to open the letter inside the Chapel. Now sitting in a lonely corner, I slowly opened the envelope and first saw a beautifully written form of my nickname - a great personalized touch. As I pressed the corners to reveal the content, I saw the word in bold letters: Congratulations! With that I stood up and went back to the office to tell them the great blessing.

I guess, because of my effort to record the event, I rate this opportunity as highly valuable. It excites me to think that young people of the Philippines who Ayala sees as future “movers and shakers” gather to learn from the experience and personally from each other. It is also a tremendous opportunity to gain insight, forge networks, and enrich that already solid community of ordinary students who simply desire to make a difference.

The Congress will be on Feb. 10 - 13 2009 at the San Miguel Corporation - Management Training Center in Alfonso, Cavite.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!