Malditang Librarian

There’s this encounter with a feeling-close relative that still pops up my mind from time to time even if it was a long time ago. Since my mind keeps on replaying thoughts and imagining things I should’ve said or done, I’ll pick it apart again. There’s this notion that there is virtue in ‘accepting criticism’. But what if the person doing the criticizing… doesn’t really have a say on the matter? What if they have a version of you in their mind that isn’t really what you are and they have the gall of imposing their version of you in their heads? What if they don’t really know the details of your life for the years you haven’t even met? As if they know you better than you know yourself? Another problem is since they’re the ones doing the criticizing, you should shut up and listen and just take it, and when you answer back and tell your side of the story they’ll call you defensive. If they are so open about their criticism, then why don’t they also accept my criticism that they shoul...

Source: pexels.com I just finished a draft of a thirty-page teaching module I will be paid for writing. It is still far from complete, but now I can heave a sigh of relief after weeks of research and trying to write it. I realized how difficult writing is! I was trying to apply for online jobs involving writing, but I failed in one of my applications because I couldn't write on the topic they gave. When this opportunity came, I grabbed it so I can test myself if I can tackle these kinds of writing projects. When I was given the task and the deadline, the first step I did was research on Google. My, was I overwhelmed with the search results! So many information, so many useful data, so many reliable (and not-so-reliable) sources, but so little time and it felt like my brain couldn't process everything! So I closed the browser first and shut down the computer so I can think clearly. Being online tempts me to click and click, that in the end hours pass, I have read a lot, ye...

I just wanted to post something I wrote after I resigned from my first job in Manila. It was also the first time I experienced burnout. I certainly feel better now than I did then. I am in my second (and last) year of graduate school and I'll focus first on this one before fully focusing on my next job search.

It's Back-to-School season again. Are you just an average student? Are you the type whose grades are always near-failing due to your many activities? Or are you the top-student in the making, with your almost-Machiavellian pursuit of honors and high grades? No matter what your standing is or what kind of student you are, most of us want to enjoy school life while minimizing failures and incomplete grades as much as possible. No matter how stressful it seems, there is a way to find balance. Decide what your goals are in studying, and meet them. When I started college, I decided that I want to be in the Dean’s List. I never cared much for extracurricular activities as long as I have time to read good books. It's you who sets your own priorities. Be clear. 1. Be organized.  Even if it's just your phone calendar or a more complicated and detailed planning system, it helps to have a tool to remind you of events, exams, and project schedules. After experimenting with so ma...

Nowadays, librarians are in high-demand in the Philippines. There’s a lot of institutions looking for librarians, and there are few licensed and professional librarians. However, due to budget cuts and saving, some institutions only require the bare minimum to meet the requirements. Most librarians or fresh graduates of library science often find themselves as ‘one-man librarians’. They may or may not have assistants, but essentially, they work alone in their library. They manage the library, acquire and organize its books and resources, keep the books and chairs in order, and serve the clients. In my first official job, I was a one-man librarian in a small college library. Due to the situation and the burn-out I felt, I eventually quit. In my experience of being a one-man librarian, I often compare it to being the only waiter (and cook) in a restaurant. You take the order, you cook the food, you serve it and take the money. You clean up after the customer and buy the supplies y...

Pixabay 1. Your notebook and pen. The notebook and pen may be the most important invention in all of civilization. The notebook and pen is enduring even through technological change: portable and light, trusty information storage without faulty back-ups or batteries running out. Take notes while listening in class or doodle while pretending to listen in class. Research shows that our brains remember more when we write things down. 2. Yellow pad. Quizzes and exams for class still use the classic yellow pad. Write your essay drafts for requirements and exams. Have your own yellow pad, so you don't waste time still asking for some from your classmates! 3. Handy highlighters. Don’t you just love highlighters? A fresh set of candy-colored pens to make your readings less boring. Highlighters help us focus in studying so you don’t miss he most essential points and concepts. A little color and creativity helps our memory remember what we studied. I personally like using the ne...

I would just like to share this essay I wrote for a finals exam for the subject Group Dynamics. The question is: The 21st Century is highly digitized, given the fast-paced expanding growth and development of technology-meditated communication (internet, social media, etc.). Assess and evaluate your technology use and expound on the advantages and disadvantages of its use to your interpersonal relations with others. Cite personal or work-related example/s and explain the dynamics using any of theories, philosophies, principles, processes, and concepts in Group Dynamics. In the 21st century, social media is now an undeniable part of our life. It has changed how we communicate and our relationships with people. Now that more people are using smartphones, we can talk with other people no matter where they are in the globe. With free data and faster  internet connections, communication is getting even cheaper and easier. As a millenial, I've tried and I'm using various ...