REFLECTIVE ESSAY - EXIT LEVEL - “I WAS GIVEN SPACE FOR IMPROVEMENT; AND I DID!”

How time flies. It is as if that the 2nd term of my freshman course has just started but now, I can count with my fingers the days that are left before this term reaches its end. It is so fulfilling yet so saddening to think that there are some subjects which I truly loved attending everyday that will also end along with this term. Not to mention the professors who are kind and appealing to their students – they make me want to request term extension! I learn a lot from them; in a complicated yet so interesting manner.


One of the courses which I truly enjoy attending is ENGLCOM, or shall I say my favorite course? Yes, it is my favorite course! I love English a lot and this made me too eager to attend the said course – to learn more and to hone my proficiency in the said language.
Before I started on this class, which is really not what I intended to enroll on (but I am glad I did!), we were given a writing task in which we will cite our competencies, as well as our weaknesses in English. I wrote a lot of weaknesses which I must improve on and I just a bit competencies like spelling and pronouncing well some common English words.




And as I am about to finish this course, it is such a fulfillment to realize that I improved – not that little, but not that big. I can now proudly say that I can construct MEANINGFUL essays which I find too difficult to do before. I can also point out my opinions better now and I can justify what I really want to say. Thanks a lot to my professor, Ms. Kathleen Ann Mercado who is understanding and approachable (not to mention she is stunning and appealing – according to some sources!) I am also such a stupid guy when it comes to my grammar, but now it also improved. I believe that the reason behind this is the daily drafting and peer editing we do everytime we write an essay – such a big help!


This is a big help for me to achieve my goal since in this field of study that I have chosen, if ever I will succeed, several seminars and conferences is expected. Of course, English as the medium of speech is badly needed. At least, I have my edge now among others because I was given the chance to be honed by such a brilliant professor like Ms. Mercado! ^_^




Since this is the last essay I have to write, I want to take this opportunity to thank you miss for giving us a wonderful experience in this course. =) truly an unforgettable and fun experience! Thank you miss! Hope I can choose you for ENGLRES! =)

DEFINITION ESSAY - “FRIENDSHIP- REASONS WHY IT IS A MUST-KEEP”

Friendship, in an uncomplicated manner, is referred to as a mutual attachment between two or more people. However, it is not just a single kind of relationship. It has diverse degrees depending on each individual’s approach of interacting with his/her fellow. One can have situational friendship, casual friendship, or close friendship. Friendship is such a vital concept in achieving a delightful and purposeful life. Up to this point in time, I cannot think of a single person who can live without a friend. It is like music – universal. It unites everyone regardless of their culture and tradition, background and personality or whatsoever; it can apply uniquely to all people in their own special ways.

“Friends must enjoy each other’s company, they must be helpful to one another, and they must share a common commitment to the good.” – This is how Aristotle pictures a perfect friendship (ayushveda.com). For him, these principles are important in order to establish a harmonious relationship between friends. He believes that no single person would choose to live without friends even if he has everything he wants. However, there are not a few divergent views about friendship. According to the website www.friendship.com, it is a matter of similarity – “Birds of the same feather flock together”; makes sense, doesn’t it? Friends are those who can see or can reflect themselves with one another. They are alike. It is as if they share common knowledge and wisdom, esteem, affection and respect. In short, what links them is their commonality – their same tastes and outlook in life. One quote also by the philosopher Aristotle which may help you further understand what this context talks about is this, “Friends are one single soul in two bodies.” It means that it is as if they are just a single entity possessing the same instincts and understanding of the world – that is what friends are, people who understand each other as if they are one’s self.



On the other hand, Cicero has his own perception with regard to friendship. Based on his on his philosophy found at www.ayushveda.com, when it comes to this concept, the most essential trait one must possess is honesty. It must be possessed by each individual; otherwise, it is not a true friendship. In addition to this, one must give help to his friend without expecting that his friend will return the favor to him/ he believes that there is no room for hesitation when it comes to helping a friend, thus, readiness is a virtue. He also tells us that we must not compromise our morals when times come that our friend’s morals do not fit ours. What we can do is to help them realize that what they are doing is against our norms. We also have to help them see what the right thing to do is. For him, ignorance is the cause of evil; therefore, we must not tolerate our friends’ mistakes. And lastly, he sees that the reason why broken friendships occur is that someone in that relationship has changed his attitude negatively. Moreover, in order to avoid differences, they must be in equal footing; there must be no superiority so no one will be annoyed at being surpassed.



As what was said in the introduction, friendship is not just a single entity for it has diverse degrees depending on how each person approaches it like in Aristotle and Cicero’s situation – they differ on their point of view towards it. It is primarily the reason why there are different types of friendship in order for us to identify in what exact level we are with our companions. According to the article “Different Types of Friendship”, a casual friendship is different from situational friendship in a sense that the former has something to do with sexual or near-sexual relationship between two people who are not committed to share a formal romantic situation while the latter, it is a kind of relationship wherein there is a mutual understanding and connection with the people we meet everyday. But when something changes and keeping in touch becomes a predicament, distance between friends widens. The two, however, are different from close friendship. In this relationship, distance does not matter and they still have the same understanding for one another over time. In relation to this, love is oftentimes tackled alongside this topic. The truth is that they are closely related in a way that they both involve strong inter-personal ties between two people. Moreover, there are two types of love: the platonic love and the romantic love. Between the two, it is in platonic love where friendship is more likely to be related because in that type, the connection is deep but there is no sexual element unlike romantic love where attraction is much deeper, thus it might lead to sexual relationship.




Friendship truly has a wide array of definition in which they tackle all its aspects, but “all roads lead to Rome.” No matter how diverse the definition of friendship is, they all lead to one thing; they all imply that the concept of friendship is important in our lives because everyone needs a companion in this journey. Like what was said in www.facebook.com, an individual is expected to meet at least 3 true friends in his lifetime. Friendship is a must-keep that must be taken care of with pure love and trust just as to how we love ourselves and our family. It is why I am glad I have my friends with me, I love them with all my heart! How about you, have you already found a friendship to keep?



Reference List:
Retrieved on November 30, 2009 at http://www.ayushveda.com/festivals/friendshipquotes.htm

REFLECTION:
I had fun while i am writing this essay because it makes me realize too how important the concept of friendship in our life is. It made me love my friends even more! So far, of all the essays I wrote, this one satisfied me the most! But it can be better I think if i will add more friendship quotes and examples situations. Next time! =)

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY - “SCHOOL UNIFORMS: WITH OR WITHOUT?”

To wear or not to wear school uniforms is one of the hottest and most talked-about topics wherein almost everyone of us can relate to; it is like Ateneo vs. La Salle, ABS-CBN vs. GMA among others. What confuses us more regarding this issue is that both of them have good points, and at the same time, bad points. Furthermore, both of them are likely to be implemented. But which do you prefer more? Where should you stand? Although most educational institutions require students to wear their respective school uniforms during class hours to show their love for their alma mater, to boost students’ academic performances and to give good outcomes regarding behavior according to some sociology experts, I believe that students should not be required to wear school uniforms because it promotes students’ self-expression; it allows all of us to show our individuality; and it gives us a better feeling of comfortability than wearing school uniform.



Wearing our own clothes is better than wearing a school uniform for it promotes our sense of self-expression. According to an online article titled “Pros and Cons of School Uniforms”, requiring students to wear a standardized way of clothing such as the school uniform deprives their self-expression – their freedom to choose what they want to wear. Not a few educators and sociology experts believe that it should not be stifled from children for it is a vital part of their development, thus doing so will be detrimental to them. In relation to this, it will worsen the situation if wearing it is against the child’s choice and he is only forced to do so. What will happen is that this student will only find less appropriate ways to express himself or herself for the reason that what he or she is wearing not what he or she truly wants. However, this argument is contrary to what the people who promote school uniforms believe. They say that doing so prevents some to students to have a feeling of being isolated for the reason that they feel judged according to what they wear. However, I do not agree with this argument because I believe that it only gives the students who prefer wearing uniforms lesser chances of expressing themselves because they cannot vision out what they want to improve in themselves. They are unable to improve themselves because they are isolated in just wearing school uniforms – that is what I call isolation and deprivation, not what those sociologists are trying to imply.



Secondly, having no school uniforms promotes our individuality. In relation to this, students from public schools are deprived from showing it. It is strictly implemented among public educational institutions kids.lovetoknow.com). Some experts believe that these institutions attempt to strip each child’s individuality. They say that what these schools want is to mold children in a not-so-unique manner; everyone must have a standardized way of dressing because they cannot afford to buy new clothes often than usual. In addition to this, these public institutions are not able to meet unable to meet the needs of these children who do not fall in the “can afford” bracket. Educators find this standard dressing as another way to remove student individuality which students must celebrate and embrace. This way of thinking is not good for children because this prevents them from getting prepared to the world – everyone is judged by appearances.

Lastly, wearing our own clothes instead of wearing school uniforms gives us a better feeling of comfortability, thus, we can study better. Critics believe that wearing uniforms reduces our ability to choose which clothing really fits us and what makes us feel comfortable the most. Comfortability is essential when it comes to studying for it maximizes learning when we are in a comfortable ambience.





Wearing school uniform is truly a good way of showing identities of each individual institution. However, for the sake of these school’s identities, students’ own identities are deprived. That is why we should not be required to wear it so that we can express ourselves better, thus, we can grow in a more positive way. One last thing to consider is that there are still some other ways in which our schools; identities can be showed that our individuality’s sake will not be at stake.


Reference List:
“Pros and Cons of School Uniforms”. Retrieved December 8, 2009 from http://www.kids.lovetoknow.com.

REFLECTION:
Of all the essays that I have written so far, this is the one I really find hard planning, writing, drafting and finishing. The reason is because I both agree in the argument in some of their aspects because they both have good benefits in a way. Also, there are so much factors to consider in writing an essay regarding this argument but it is worth it, I think the essay's result is quite good. Just quite! =)