rabinbot

The four pitfalls of an irregular student

This article was originally published on TomasinoWeb's website.

“P*ta, bagsak nanaman ako.”

While sitting on a pavilion outside Roque Ruaño, it dawned on me: I’m not graduating on time. Just when I thought that I could reclaim that sweet “regular” status, I’m seven decimal points short from the goal.

A year has passed and I have accepted my fate as an irregular student. Yet, I still feel unaccepted. As if retaking a few subjects isn’t terrifying enough, we are also bound to fall in one (or more) pitfall just because we didn’t make it to the cut.

Pitfall 1: Never being good enough to belong

“Huwag kayo diyan sa mga irregular [students], wala kayong magagawa dahil magkakatalo kayo sa schedule,” a reminder I keep hearing from some professors I’ve met.

Different schedules won’t make thesis activities—or any kind, for that matter—impossible.

Irregular students are alienated and stigmatized in this academe. We are judged beyond our shuffled schedules, labelling us as lazy and negligent. You’ll either be the least prioritized or be removed from the narrative.

Krizia Estrabo, an AB Behavioral Science graduate, shared her experience as an irregular student.

“Marami akong section na napasukan na para talaga akong invisible,” Estrabo told TomasinoWeb. “May isang time, wala pala yung professor. Sabi nung isa kong kaklase, nag-GM (group message) yung PRO ng class. Doon ko naramdaman na bakit may pa-GM pala [tapos] di man lang ako sinend-an. Lalo na kapag groupings, walang kumukuha sa akin. Or kapag may groupings at absent ako, wala akong kaalam-alam kaya I’ll end up doing something para ma-compensate ko yung activity na ‘yun.”

Pitfall 2: Never being good enough for your family

Students are pressured by their loved ones the moment they step inside campus grounds while carrying the notion that a good transcript is equal to “poverty alleviation.” Credibility is measured by how well you perform in exams.

Incoming third year advertising arts student Reginald Ortega expressed how he coped with his family struggles.

“Kasi yung lola ko na graduate ng UST, nag-e-expect na di ako babagsak, kaya hindi ko sinabi na bumagsak ako [sa IICS] at nag-shift ako sa CFAD,” Ortega said. “Sa 3 years ko sa UST, alam niya na nasa IICS parin ako. [Yung] lolo ko na nagpapaaral sa akin, hindi niya alam na bumabagsak ako pero alam niyang nag-shift ako sa CFAD. Hindi niya din alam na nag-su-summer ako.”

Pitfall 3: Never being good enough to lead

Up to this moment, the University does not allow irregular students to run for positions in some organizations and student councils. Academic standing suddenly becomes a standard of leadership. Election seasons are turning into a logical face-off while student organizations are becoming intellectual strongholds.

A colleague of mine from the Institute of Information and Computing Sciences was questioned by his capability as a student-leader after being an irregular student for a semester.

“Sayang, officer ka pa man sana [ng isang organization],” professors told him, stressing that his academic standing should be considered in his position. “Being a student-leader means we prioritize being a student first before being a leader. Being a student means we have to be role models within the campus–students who are capable to lead regardless of their academic status,” he told TomasinoWeb.

Pitfall 4: Never being good enough to improve

We thrive in the existence of a monopoly of numbers. We are integrated in an academic system bound to punish those who stray away from the standard of excellence.

Nowadays, students thrive in compliance of their academic requirements. Instead of studying to learn, we study to adhere. We fear failing grades because we were told that it won't breed successful people. We forget to remind ourselves that education should mold us to challenge and change the world.

Irregular students do not deserve persecution. Our failing grades shouldn’t be a ticket for others to make you less of a person. That red mark should never invalidate our struggle as a student, and most importantly, as a person. If you're enrolling this academic year with an irregular status, do not be disheartened.

Don’t let those singkos define you--because you define you.

Rabin Bote was the 12th president of TomasinoWeb, the premier digital media organization of the University of Santo Tomas.