Achieving the Right Aspirations Through the Right Way and at the Right Time

“Follow your dreams.”

Everyone has heard it being said at least once and, even for some, several times. Dreams, aspirations, and goals. Whatever you may call it, this has been always part, and not apart, from human nature. It is a fundamental component of human imagination, the very same imagination which comprises human ingenuity at its finest. Every single innovation in human civilization has been a product of one individual’s aspirations. And through determination and hard work, anyone with a dream can make even the most impossible things, whatever it may be, very possible. But why is it that many people fail to achieve their dreams, believing that its pursuit is a trivial matter? As Paulo Coelho wrote in his best-selling novel The Alchemist: “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: The fear of failure.”

Source: http://www.movemequotes.com/top-10-quotes-from-the-alchemist-by-paulo-coelho/

Dreams are often neglected, rejected, and thrown away because we believe that if we try, we will fail. Truth be told, failure cannot be avoided in the pursuit of one’s dreams. But how we respond to this failure sets us apart from all the others. The light bulb was not invented in a single try. Belief and determination are integral in the achievement of a dream.

In addition, one must also consider if their dream coincides with their purpose in life, as set by a higher being. If it is not meant to be, then it will not come to pass. Thus, it is also very important that a person truly understands who he/she is and what are they called to do in this life. You will never even conceive a dream that is not in league with your true identity and the whole reason why you exist.

As put forth by this certain novel, everyone has something they want to accomplish. For instance, some of us may wish to become teachers, or doctors, or politicians. This is placed in our hearts when we are young, when our imagination and innocence work hand in hand, causing us to be passionate about doing something for people that we love.

But what many do not realize is that the dream is not the most important thing. It is the journey we undertake to achieve this. Many do commit unacceptable and selfish things to become successful. They compromise and pull others down. But when they achieve their aspiration, they find themselves empty and filled with regret over wrong decisions. This should not be. If we keep ourselves virtuous and our motives, honorable, then it offers as much reward as achieving the goal.

Oftentimes, the journey we take teaches us that what we do in order to achieve this dream is more valuable than the dream itself. And it is also important to realize that every good aspiration will become perfect at the right time. The patience, the diligence, and the moral excellence we take to achieve success develop us and can make possible the impossible.

All in all, it is not useless or trivial to choose to follow your dreams as long as it is what was given to you and which was meant for you from the very beginning. In fact, it is never too late to start the pursuit. But in the end, you will not achieve it by sheer luck. Hard work is one of the keys to success. And the fear of failure should not hinder you as well. If you really have the passion, you will succeed in the end. But always remember: the dream is never, and has never been, the end goal. Rather, the important and valuable thing is who we become as we follow our dreams, as we follow the path we have taken, no matter how difficult it may be and no matter how long it may take. Finally, I end with another quote, also by Coelho:

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This article for Beyond Bluebook is written by Roch Chan.

“Bagong taon ay magbagong buhay!”


It’s the New Year, Iskolars! We at Tinta know that New Years are for new beginnings and naturally we start making our own New Year’s resolutions. Thus, we made up a list of the most common New Year’s resolutions and some tips on how to achieve them. Check ‘em out!


1. Good Study Habits
Who wants to be bothered by INCs and removal exams and, well, retaking courses? Nobody, that's who. So yes, as Iskolars, we always want to try stopping all the binging (food, movies, uh… internet and gaming?) and develop better, more effective study habits. Pero, how?

One way to achieve this is to find a place conducive for productivity and associate it with doing your academic toil. Make this place your holy ground of academics. If your room only makes you long for sleep or internet, then transfer somewhere else and root your productivity there. This place will then be associated with working so whenever you’re in there, you would probably work better.

Premack’s principle is also one technique an Iskolar can use to develop better study habits. According to this, a person will want to work towards a desirable behavior (example, internet surfing) but to achieve this, that person must overcome an undesirable behavior (i.e., studying?). In short, for you to feel the rewards of 15 minutes of internet, you must set yourself to do at least 30 minutes of studying. Then repeat the whole process until you finished your quota.

These are just easy exercises you can try to improve your study habits. Try them out and you might be surprised by the power of psychology’s classical and operant conditioning.


2. Save money
Ah, money. Money is a precious commodity for college students not just because it pays for our tuition fees and living expenses but also due to the fact that without it, our hangouts with friends, movie dates and personal caprices would be impossible. Whether you are like Chris D’Amico in KissAss whose superpower is that he has plenty of money or not, there are a lot of perks in learning the value of saving.

Here are some of the tips shared by Kristel Cuenta on BusinessTips.ph that might help you along the way:

• Aside from books and tuition fee, set a budget for your expenses categories like rent, food, entertainment and so on.
• Buy second hand books. Probably you will discover much cheaper price at surplus bookstore. Avoid purchasing new ones as much as possible.
• Consider a temporary job provided that it does not obstruct your studies.
• You don’t need going out always; invite some friend to your apartment habitually to save cash.
• It’s easy to get lost in a jungle of clothes racks, shoes and come out with more purchased items than what you had in mind. In order to avoid this, list all of the things that you need to buy before going out into the stores and stick to that list.

All of this financial talk may be stressing you out but if you want to avoid burning through your pockets then you might need to exercise a little more control and discipline. After all, the financial wisdom you learn today can help you in the future.


3. Exercise
No more PE subjects. Exams week. No time to hit the gym or even go to Abellana for a run and it actually makes you feel like your joints are rusting. Maybe you need exercise to help you feel alive again, eh?

Exercising can be a really hard task but in the long run it will reap you with a lot health benefits that will make every drop of sweat worth it. To start with getting fit, here are some advice to help you.

One way to get a little bit of exercise in our daily routines is to change some parts of your routine. If you live near UP but still ride the jeep because you always wake up late, try waking up earlier and taking a walk to school. Also, it can be a good thing that UP has no elevators since taking the stairs gets you moving.

According to an article in WebMD, an effective fitness program has to have five components: a warm-up, a cardiovascular workout, strength-building exercises, flexibility moves and a cooldown. So start with this information and google a fitness program that is appropriate for your fitness level. Just keep in mind that if you’re a newbie to this exercise thing, you should not attempt those high intensity workouts.

Or, you can try to take BuzzFeed’s Get Fit Challenge which you can find if you click this link http://www.buzzfeed.com/sallytamarkin/get-fit-challenge. It is a four-week exercise plan and the workouts are no longer than 30 minutes. Perfect for a college kid, right? It also doesn’t require gym membership so you save a couple of pesos.

So what are you waiting for? Get those lazy asses of the couch and start moving!


4. Lose Weight
“‘Tis the season to be chubby” - our battlecry when it comes to the holidays. Then, we fret ‘cause after all the satisfying lechon, mango float and crabs, we become a few kilos heavier than our last weigh-in. And like what has been repeated by a lot of people, “mas dali magpa-tambok kaysa magpaniwang”.

Well, losing weight is one of the most popular New Year resolutions and yet it is also one of those that are very hard to achieve. First of all, let’s just be clear, losing weight doesn’t mean depriving yourself. Many people think deprivation is the key but it’s not, it should be eating a healthy and well-balanced diet coupled with exercise. Also, always keep in mind that the weight-loss process can be painful.

If you want to lose weight, first you must set your goal and it must be realistic. According to Dr. Hensrud in an article for health.com, the goal you set must be "specific, measurable, realistic, and trackable” such as having a 15-minute jog every other day.

It also helps that you alter some parts of your lifestyle. If you want to lose weight then you need to give up unhealthy habits such as snacking on junk foods. Also, you need to watch what you eat!

These tips are just to help you get started on your weight-loss, the real power is in your hands.


5. Acads over everything else
Did a lot of partying and forgot to study? Watch a whole season of that television series instead of the documentary assigned for Soc Sci 5? We know how it is to prioritize any other activity except for the academic ones so let’s get you some tips and tricks to hopefully help you finish that 5-page reading on Asian history first before that last Heroes of Olympus book. Besides, the first reason you get into college is to graduate with a degree, right?

One way to prioritize acads is to learn how to manage your time. Know how many hours or minutes you put into an activity every day for one week so that you have an idea which activity can you cut back or add some time. If you want to study, a nifty guide from academictips.org might help organize how much time to put into one subject: study two hours per hour in class for an easy class, three hours per hour in class for an average class, and four hours per hour in class for a difficult class.

Another helpful tip? Learn to say “no”. If you plan to study every Wednesday night and your bestfriend asks you out to see a newly-released movie that you're not really interested in watching, decline the offer politely. Better yet, ask your BFFL to study with you! Always try to stick to your study schedule as much as possible. However, take casual breaks in order to refresh your mind. Besides, all work and no play makes an Iskolar a dull person!


But wait, there’s more. We included some extra resolutions that would be fun (unless they prove to be a burden) to add on your lists.


Think more of others
A selfish life can be easily lead. Although a lot of people may choose to tread a life of selfishness (which may not be so bad when taken in moderation), some would want to venture into a more empathic way of life. Well, even if you are selfish, you might still find that being able to empathize with others can help you reach goals. But naturally warm people do not find this difficult.

The benefits of thinking more about others is the heightened sensitivity towards their feelings.Thus, being able to make decisions that would not just benefit you but also those “other people”.

For selfish people, one way to start thinking more of others is to consider them as you - only different and probably quite cooler. Try to see your own beautiful presence in their own and you might be surprised how easy it is to think of their good.

For the common population, the things you can do easily to consider others as your kapwa is to offer sincere compliments (“Oh, your hair looks exquisitely good today!”). Don’t make it seem like you’re kissing their ass, though. Just a short appreciation of someone’s existence will surely make them feel better!

Smile, smile, smile! Not only does it use less face muscles, as smile is also the best manifestation of warmth and openness. A smile a day keeps a wrinkle away. So yes, smile to other people (not in a creepy, pervy way), your friends and your enemies and let them wonder why you’re happy.


Be more honest
May it be being more honest towards yourself or others, honesty may help you avoid misinterpretations that might lead to misunderstandings. If you want to rid yourself of troubles concerning these, try working towards honesty.

To do just this, you must first feel a little less apologetic. Learn to have your own face and own up to your decisions and mistakes. If you feel too sorry to tell your friend that the dress may be too short for her, then you might push her to spending her money on an unworthy buy. This is not easy especially with our culture here in the Perlas ng Silanganan. Disclaimer: this is not saying that you just blurt out truth bombs, drop them gently. But either way, the explosion can still go intense.

Have a sense of acceptance of your flaws and of the world’s. Do not bubble yourself with “Pink ponies, happy skies” (Shrek, The Musical) because most truths come in storms or earthquakes. The point of this attempt at metaphor is to see yourself as naturally flawed but learning to accept that as an avenue to improve yourself. Being more honest to yourself is caring a little less about what other’s think you are which can lead you to form yourself into their liking. Being more honest to yourself is being able to admit and embrace insecurities and to work on your improvement for yourself.


Well, you now know some of the popular New Year resolutions. You’ve read some tips on how to achieve them. Now, all you need to do is take action!

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This article fro Beyond Bluebook is written by Fraulein Roa, Jennifer Ebdani and Tara Prieto

Sa pag-abot pa lang nimo sa UP Cebu, sure ko nangita na dayon kag campus crush. Sa mga freshie, usa na man seguro sa top 10 nga dapat nimong buhaton karong college dira ang makakitag crush nga mohatag og inspiration sa imong daily nga pag-eskuyla. Pero naa jud nay mga medyo KJ dira nga nauwaw mo-admit nga naa silay crush sa UP Cebu. 

It’s been a month na since sa pag-start sa klase. For sure, mga girls and boys, naa na jud moy crush dira. Kon wala pa man, focus na lang sa pag-eskuyla kay bisan pag ingnon ta nga wala kay tuition discount dira, gisuportahan gihapon baya ka sa kwarta sa katawhan kay kuwang ra kaayo nang baynte mil sa gigasto sa UP sa imong pagtuon. Ug sa mga duna nay crush, make them an inspiration ug pagtarong mo sa pag-eskuyla ug ayaw palabi sa mga #kidsthesedays moments ninyo. (Nangasaba o nasuya? Hahahaha.)

Normal ra jud nang naa kay crush. Pero if crush sad sa imong friend ang imong crush, naa ra ninyo if friends pa ba gihapon mo. Pero nakig-away sa friends tungod kay same mog crush, lahi ra na sad nang estoryaha. What if crush sad ka sa imong crush? Aw, naa moy future duha. Pero unsa bay dapat dalian? Ang mga relasyon nga dali rang ni-mature sa next level without much foundation medyo problematic ug dali ra sad nga mawala. (Pero crush ra man ni atong topic ron, nganong next level na man ni ang akong gipangyawyaw?)

Gusto nimong ma-notice ni crush? Nga makahibawo siya nga ni-exist ka? Nga nag-meet ang inyong mga mata and mo-smile siya nimo? Nga magkatabi mo personally? Nga kamo rang duha? Wait lang sa, hinay-hinay lang sa ta ha. Para clear lang, okay ra jud nang naa kay crush and if di pa ka ready, just make him/her your inspiration and wag masyadong magmadali nga magka-kamo. Duklon ta mo ron!

Nakahibawo si crush nga na-crush ka niya? If gusto sad ka niya, walay problema. Pero if wala siya na-crush nimo, and medyo nipalayo siya nimo kay friends mo, well, that’s one of the worst things that could happen sa imong college life. Pero the story doesn’t end there. Sometimes all you need is time para maka-getover siya sa imong feelings para niya.

Naay na-crush nimo nga dili nimo type? Good news! Di sad diay ka tantong batig nawng kay duna pay gibuhat si Lord nga nagkagusto sa imong dagway. Pero, to be honest, basin di sa imong face siya na-crush but tungod sa imong charisma, sa imong aura, sa imong personality, o sometimes let’s just admit it, gifted kag face! Unsay dapat nimong buhaton? Relax. Be grateful. Wag masyadong ma-praning nga i-rape na ka niya kay crush ra man ka niya. Basin ganahan lang siya makakita nimo everyday and happy na siya sa imong existence sa iyang life.

In fairness, medyo hugot lagi ni nga topic. Medyo relate. Ug daghan sad ang maka-relate. Reminder lang sa tanang mga Isko ug Iska: di tungod kay crush nimo siya or crush ka niya, dapat na dayon nga mag-uyab-uyab mo. Pwede friends lang sa? Get to know each other? Or maybe wait for the right time nga dili lang sparks ang naa ninyong duha but ready na mo both to commit and i-next level ang inyong relationshit. (Ooops, not typo... [and] medyo bitter.)

(If naa kay gustong i-topic nato sa future issues, just let us know. Drop it in the comment section below or let the author know.)

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This entry for Beyond Bluebook is written by Romeo Nicolas Bonsocan.

Maayong pag-abot sa Oble Square, ang online tambayan sa UP Cebu, mga Iskolar!

Before anything else, i-clarify lang nako nga dili mi strict sa language diri sa Oble Square. We write English, Cebuano and Filipino (if necessary jud). A mixture of any of these is accepted as long as magkasinabtanay lang ta. We would appreciate comments and feedback from the UP Cebu community para mas ma-improve nato ang Oble Square.

HOW WE STARTED

Did you know nga as a creative writing org, dapat naa gyoy (online) avenue para sa writings sa TINTA members? That’s why we created TINTA on Wordpress. Pero, as time went by, maintaining a Wordpress site is quite hassle and wala kaayo mi time to manage it so we left it in limbo. 

I’m a big fan of UP Batibot, not just the former tambayan outside the gate near Malax but the website dedicated to the UP Cebu community. Although there have been plans to revive the site, I wanted to simplify the task to something that needs not much maintenance after setting it up. That’s why I used Blogger and opted not to host the blog in a personal domain. 

While having a meeting with Tara (current Chair of TINTA) and Alsteine (last year’s Chair) early this year, we thought of an avenue for TINTA members to make use of our talents and skills and, at the same time, an avenue for UP Cebu community to engage reading articles that interest them.

BEHIND THE NAME

The blog name, Oble Square, represents that of the square-shaped place where the Oblation—more commonly known as Oble—stands in UP Cebu. It is generally the center of UP Cebu and our goal for this blog is to become the center of “fun information” in UP Cebu.

We are aware that Oble Square is popular to anyone who have been to UP Cebu. If there are candle lighting activities and some other intimate occasions, Oble Square can hold these activities, especially now that the lighting of the place has been improved compared to the previous years.

We want to immortalize the place. We want it to transcend dimensions and invade the online world. We want to make Oble Square your iskolar tambayan.

BEYOND BLUEBOOK

UP Cebu students are known not only to excel academically but to be active in other extra-curricular activities as well. Here in Oble Square, we want to make it an avenue to express our love for writing and reading. We also want the UP Cebu to celebrate with us in the endeavor.

Soon you’ll not only be reading our literary adventures in the world of fiction, poetry, essays, and comics but you’ll also be enjoying in reading our different columns made just for you, Iskolar.

Kitang tanan dunay bluebook pero sa mga panahon nga gusto natong mag-chill, suwayi kunog tambay sa Oble Square and join the fun!

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This entry for Beyond Bluebook is written by Romeo Nicolas Bonsocan.