Reflection

Lianne Faith C. Antonio

Honestly, at first I was quite nervous by the time we went into the class because it felt so intimidating especially the students themselves. I felt like with their aura, they could just ignore us and not take the learnings and/or the activity itself seriously. But I was wrong with all my assumptions because surprisingly, they really cooperated well throughout the entire session.
After the activity, I felt relieved because at last, we’re already done. At the same time, I was happy and fulfilled because at least in my own way, I was able to share my fellow students the learnings I got from the class and even my related experiences that may help them understand drug addiction better.
After every service learning that I attend to, I gather my thoughts and feelings about the activity and I also try to reflect on what I have done and even the whole experiences that I encountered from it. With that, I am able to help not only other people but even myself. I feel that I become more responsible and concerned about the reality happening around me, hence, try to make a difference in my own little ways.
I could say that the activity was both informative and fun as well, I actually enjoyed doing it. Thanks to my group mates and to all the students who willingly participated in the activity. I hope that I could still be given the chance to impart the things I learned from our Physio class and even from other subjects to other students and even to other people who need help.



Alyssa Marie V. Contreras

It is unusual for me to have our service learning in the Miriam College community, specifically to the MC101 students regarding the effects of drugs in the human brain. The service-learning was indeed a learning experience for the MC101 students and for us facilitators.
We have given the two classes of 1st year students a brief and precise discussion regarding the effects of drugs. After which, we asked them to group themselves and to have a skit or a role play regarding a specific drug and its effects. The groups were fascinating and they showed cooperation and enthusiasm in joining our activity. In their role play they showed the effects of using drugs if students like them will take it. Usually, their role plays were about a normal student who was pressured by her friends to use and take drugs or about a student who was drastically affected by some personal problems that is why she was forced to take drugs thinking that drugs will somehow alleviate the pain.
Having SLP’s like this during my last days here at Miriam College before I graduate, is indeed a memorable and an unforgettable moment. In doing SLP’s one must always keep in mind the type of audience that she will have. We should be well aware of the images, terms, and even the words that we will use in discussing in front of them, in some ways we should be a role model for them.
Thank you God Almighty for giving me the chance to share what I know about drugs for others to be well aware about it and not to consider it even we have problems. Let it be that your guidance and protection would be upon us all.

Rossele B. Dela Cruz

When I first heard that we will be doing a service learning activity in Physiological Psychology, I honestly felt excited thinking that we might get the chance of going to different institutions like mental hospitals. But then, upon hearing that our group will be assigned to MC-101 classes, I was a bit disappointed.
A service learning activity is not new to me. I've been through some of it during my early years in college. So I thought that this is something that would not excite me anymore. However, as time came that we will be implementing the actual service learning activity, I felt very excited and nervous at the same time. I really did not know how to initiate the activity since I get intimidated with the students easily. But then, with the help of my group mates, I may say that we were able to do the service learning activity successful. The activity that we've done was okay, but then I came to realize that it could have been a lot better if we had long period of time to prepare for it.
Most of the students would say that a service learning activity is being done just to comply with the academic requirements in school. I my self also had this thought. But then at the end of the day, I came to realize that it is also a way for a student to share what they know to the community. And as based from my experience, it is also a way for us to gain new knowledge, from the different communities that we are helping. They also have a lot more to offer to us as well. Lastly, I am very thankful to the service learning activities that I've done since it allowed me to express my self in a meaningful way and that it allowed me to lessen some of my insecurities and intimidation in some ways.


Pamela Rina I. Elmido

Community service is very significant for me. First of all, I take deep pleasure and gratitude of having Sir Jay, because he served not only as an outstanding professor but also served as a role model to motivate and guide us towards learning and life.
One of our activities, community service, is considerably an ideal approach towards applying what we learned from school to real life situations. Service learning for me is intended not only to help people but to understand human nature. It is crucially important for it helps me see, listen, feel, perceive and understand the truth of humanity, which is very important to each one of us. Serving with my community will never be a tiresome work for me as it helps me build my character and personality. Never would I deem service learning as mere futile school work just to compensate school requirements.
Service learning makes me feel delighted knowing that I am able to positively touch other person's life. Let me share to you my experience. I, with Lianne, Bona, Rossele, Alyssa, and Bien were able to take part, by contributing our knowledge with regards to drugs to first year Miriam college students. This simple way of campaigning against drugs is our way of addressing this critical issue. My group mates and I made sure that our service learning will help the first year students to connect classroom learning to real life setting by presenting to them the basic and comprehensive view of concepts about understanding drugs. Through our activity, we were able to grasp knowledge not only from the researches we have gathered, but also through the sharing we had; and that made this a really worthwhile experience!
As I end this, I would like just to emphasize the real essence of service learning. It is about building a secure and firm community be it on a school campus, different barangays, or even in your wealthy neighborhoods where one's existence and harmony are emphasized.


Bona B. Gutierrez

Doing the service learning made me realize to things: first is that teaching is a hard profession and second, I chose my college friends well. I realized that teaching is a hard profession because we were assigned to talk about drugs to MC-101 students and I thought that it would be easy since we already had enough experience reporting and presenting in class. During our implementation, the students were not behaving as I have expected them to be – they were very noisy. It was hard to get their attention and their noise was overwhelming especially during the time when they were planning what they are going to do for the role-playing activity. Also, while I was discussing a part in our presentation, I could see some students were not paying attention and it made me feel bad.
The experience taught me to appreciate and respect my professors more. I now know that it is very hard to handle a class alone with more than twenty students. We were six in our group, yet we still found it hard to get their complete attention. Also, I realized that professors exert a lot of effort for a presentation and therefore it is just right for me to listen so that professors won’t feel that their efforts are wasted. I now appreciate them more because I learned that their profession is not just about the money, but it is more about their passion to teach and impart what they know to students like us.
I also realized that I chose my college friends well because I could say that being with them helped me avoid vices and other negative things. During our four years in college, we never taken drugs, smoked, and had a serious drinking session but still, I don’t find our friendship “boring”. Some people might think we are boring because we don’t party hard like them but I think we just have a different way of having fun which does not include harming our bodies.


Bien Ysabel Landicho

Service learning is a fun way of applying what we’ve learned from the classroom. Our service learning experience is unforgettable. When I first learned that we are going to have it in two MC-101 classes, I became very excited because it will be different from the usual service learning we had before. I was also nervous because we have to be very good because we will be presenting to our schoolmates and I really wanted them to learn from us. We prepared for our presentation and made sure that it will be a fun and learning experience for the students and also to us.
During the service learning, I was happy that the students are interacting with us. I noticed that they are interested to know more about drugs. We discussed different drugs that are common to teenagers. We told them about the harmful effects of these drugs. After discussing, we asked them to pick a drug and prepare a short play about the effects of that drug. I was surprised that they really listened to us and their presentations are all good.
After the service learning, I was overwhelmed because I believe that, somehow, we achieved most of our objectives. I hope that they realized that drugs will not do anything good for them. Overall, I enjoyed the whole service learning. I also learned a lot from it.