Ateneo and My 4 Year Journey

"It is only in our decisions that we are important." (Jean Paul Sartre)

I learned about the philosophy of Jean Paul Sartre in our Philosophy class last semester. His concept of existentialism impressed me most. His philosophy was "men are born in this world as absurd beings and sees the world as an absurd one or no meaning at all. It is then his task to find meaning or give meaning to this world he lives in and make sense of himself in order for him to be able to continue living."

My almost 4 years of stay here in the Ateneo can be compared to Sartre's philosophy; a continuous search of meaning, of sense, and of direction in life. As I entered the campus in my first year, I have no thoughts of what else to expect, of how things would turn out, because the only thought in my mind is that I'm entering this school as a Computer Engineering major; little did I know that I'm entering a dynamic institution that gives its students a lot of opportunities not only in academics but also in extra and co-curricular activities.

During my first year, I was focused on my academics mainly because it was a total adjustment for me, coming from the province and becoming independent here in the metro and as an advice from my parents to be good always. As days pass, things became different most espeially when I was chosen by my blockmates to be their representative to the Ateneo Sanggunian. Being an officer, I was lucky to have been given the opportunity to attend forums and discussions regarding the general concern of Ateneans, specifically in the School of Science and Engineering. Given the primary responsibility of addressing the concerns of our block in the Sanggunian, I was given the chance to know upper batchmen who shared their experiences in coping with the Ateneo life. Among the topics were "how to survive math exams","writing papers for English and Literature", "choosing the right PE", and so on. These little things gave me perspective and have somehow shaped my convictions in life. I treasure the "kwentuhan" sessions with them beacause I feel I belong and my worth as a member of the community was accepted. With them I gave meaning to my life here in Ateneo.

My stint with the Sanggunianwas made more meaningful when I became a part of the core team of the Philippine Science Convention in Mall of Asia where schools nationwide were invited to attend. It was a great opportunity to meet people who share the same field of learning. I heard myself talking and sharing to them my experiences and contributed immensely on how to make a project successful. Basically, as I look back during the initial year in Ateneo, it wasn't only my introduction to the life as an Atenean but it was also my introduction to the field of leadership in the Ateneo.

I enjoyed giving service to my blockmates, hence I ran for the same position in