“We care. We Share” is the mantra of Foundation University. Students enrolled in PE 1 (Foundations of Wellness) are urged to keep a diary of their daily acts of caring and sharing with others–as a part of a wellness lifestyle. Excerpts:
Aug. 10. Do you know what it feels like to help someone? It’s so amazing. It feels great. As I was traveling from Bayawan to Dumaguete last night, I felt something to be happy about. Along the way, the bus stopped for an old passenger. While she was getting in, I was looking at her. The seats were filled. There was no empty seat for her. I looked around, there were guys who were comfortably seated. I waited if anyone would offer a seat for the old lady; and found out that no one was gentleman enough to give her a seat. Without hesitation, I got up and offered my seat to her. I saw gladness in her face. And I felt happiness. — J.L.S.
Aug. 8. “I normally do my work without being told. I just do what is required of me in my job. Being a working student is a bit difficult because I have limited time. One time, I grabbed the opportunity to go home to our hometown after my boss gave me a chance to be with my family. I brought pasalubong for my two sisters. I gave each one of them a bag, and they were so happy. They greeted me, saying that they missed me. I hugged my parents. I laughed loudly with my family, especially my brothers. We bonded a lot. I allowed my two sisters to borrow my phone so they can have fun. — L.J.S
Aug. 7. Gumising ako ng maaga, final exam namin. Nagluto ako ng agahan, nagwalis sa paligid, at pagkataos, ay naligo na. Pagdating ko sa paaralan, may kaklase akong nagtanong sa akin kung ano yung assignment namin; tinuruan ko siya. Pinakita ko sa kanya ang nagawa kong assignment para naman magkaroon siya ng ideya. Natapos din niya ang kanyang assignment. — J.P.P.
Aug. 5. I was with my sister all day. I treated her to an ice cream parlor. I love my sister even if sometimes were trash-talking like brats. — A.C.
Aug. 7. Generosity and selfishness — two things often confused. In one exam, I would get confused whenever my classmates would ask me for answers to the test questions. Because I knew the penalties to cheating, I had to pretend I didn’t hear them calling my name. Or I had to pretend I didn’t know the answers myself. Yes, you would think it’s being selfish, at the same time me being a liar. But I think it’s also helping them not to become cheaters not to be dependent on others. I thought I had to lie because it’s the right thing. I believe I was not being selfish when I didn’t tell them the answers; I was just avoiding cheating in exams. Helping and giving are being generous, but it takes the right situation. Being selfish is bad, but sometimes it could be good. — J.L.S.
Aug. 8. Since my exams were scheduled in the afternoon, my aunt came to our house in the morning to request that I tutor her children. So I went to their house and taught her children. It turned out to be a sharing of knowledge. — R.A.
Aug. 6. At about 6:30 in the evening, my sister and I were on our way to Lee Plaza, riding in a pedicab together with three other passengers. I guess they were a family, with the son sitting on the lap of his father. After they got off at the corner, I was about to transfer to their seat when I noticed two candies and a cellphone that must have fallen from their pockets. Guess what? I returned the candies first, and then the cellphone. Now you may be suspecting I must have had a bad intention because I returned the mere candies first before the more valuable thing. But truth to tell, I really didn’t even think about it that way. It just so happened that I was holding on to a lot of coins for our fare, and so the candies were the first ones I was able to return. On hindsight honestly, that cellphone would have been a very great help for me: I wouldn’t need to be transferring sims back and forth as I could have one cellphone for each sim card. But at the end of the day, it would still be most meaningful to me to be honest than to just have another cellphone that was not even mine to begin with. — A.L.B.
