Sa Labas ng Classroom (Outside the Classroom)

"Telling someone not to worry advocates for the suppression of their feelings, rather than discussing why the feeling itself is present." - Anju Felix

Disclaimer: This episode includes mentions about episodes, bipolar disorder, bullying, suicidality, and suicide.

In this episode, Chelsea Verzosa, Cassandra Silverman, and Arielle Elep share their thoughts and experiences about toxic positivity. Our insightful discussion includes the intention of people who want to help, feeling invalidated, and addressing boundaries. We also talk about how the pandemic affected our lives, especially our careers and what we observed about people. Aside from the topic itself, we hope our tangents provide reflections about the importance of addressing the mental health of guys, being in survival mode, and encouraging realistic solutions to current issues.

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Check out the guests' social media accounts and projects below:

* Chelsea Versoza

- Wittle Pastries: https://www.facebook.com/wittlepastries

- Mental Health Matters: https://www.facebook.com/mentalhealthmattersbykylieverzosa

- Raquel's Cuisine: https://www.facebook.com/RaquelsCuisineForestHouse

* Cassandra Silverman

- IG: Instagram.com/casiesilverman 

- Silver Apparel: http://Facebook.com/silverapparel.ph 

- Devil Wears Ukay: http://Facebook.com/thedevilwearsukay

* Arielle Elep

- IG: https://instagram.com/arielleelep

- LORDDINGS WARDROBE MASTER (Room 205 - 2nd Floor, Bogayong Building, Upper Mabini Street, Baguio City) - For Suits, Barongs, Uniforms and Clothes Repair

"You and only you are responsible for your life choices and decisions." - Robert T. Kiyosaki

Disclaimer: This episode touches on processing heavy, negative emotions.

In the second part of my discussion with Marie Antonette Benzon, Ric Charles Cayat and Vincent Balucanag about quarter-life crisis, we explore the lessons our experiences taught us. This episode features the perspectives of a young mother, social comparisons, and overcoming the 'emo phase'. Aside from personal stories, the guests share more quotable quotes that may motivate you to go through your own crisis with resourcefulness, self-love, and deliberately choosing your happiness.

"Our twenties are about what we plant in the ground, not about what we harvest. We can't keep pulling our seeds out of the soil before it has time to grow." - Paul Angone

Disclaimer: This episode includes a brief mention of mental health conditions, heavy emotions, and thoughts of death.

Going through adulthood can be a daunting process. In this episode filled with quotable quotes based on personal experiences, Marie Antonette Benzon, Ric Charles Cayat, and Vincent Balucanag openly share a chapter of their life book and incorporate valuable lessons we can also apply in our lives. Our discussion includes confronting situations such as the fear of not finding a job, choosing between passion and practicality when finding a job, and having a taste of freedom. Listen in, and find your story in an intimate episode you surely don't want to miss!

P.S. If you're interested to know more about New Professionals in the New Normal, here's a link of my discussion in a recent webinar organized by UC Psych-BES Society: https://www.facebook.com/UCPsychBeSSociety/videos/1153976725053549

"Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood." - Walt Disney

Disclaimer: This episode mentions movie titles and characters, and may contains strong emotions and opinions. 

I am not well-versed in the movie world, and this episode served as an interesting learning experience as I listen to Samantha Faye Ignacio and Dyryl De Jesus share their honesty as movie fans. We talk about movies from source material, about deeply loved materials going mainstream, creative freedom, and online rants. Aside from sharing their favorite characters, we also discuss topics such as Savior Complex, censorship, and the responsibility of parents related to media use.

After a dynamic (and relatively emotionally charged) conversation, we are reminded by the guests that at the end of the day, we are the directors of our own film.

"Being an adult means knowing yourself. It means listening to your own needs. It means understanding which kind of lifestyle you want to be living and then pursuing it unapologetically." - Heide Priebe

In another intimate episode, I am joined with two of my close friends, Roselle Garcia and Rejine Nicolas as we talk about our adulting experiences. Our unexpectedly serious discussion, which is easily filled with quotable nuggets of wisdom, explore topics such as dealing with change, finances, self-love, and seeking help. I definitely learned a lot from my guests, and I am grateful for their presence and impact in my life.

Disclaimer: We did our best to minimize the background noises, but one of us has 17 dogs at home. Thank you for your patience!

Trigger warning: betrayal, cheating, gossip

"If you go looking for a friend, you're going to find they're very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you'll find them everywhere." - Zig Ziglar

In an episode filled with heartwarming (and heartbreaking) experiences, we explore the differences of acquaintances and friends. Helene Phaye Punay, Shera Caldito, Tatziana Rebolledo, and Regie Monis share the lessons they learned from interacting with acquaintances who became friends and vice versa. We also talk about the rules we enforce in forming, building, and maintaing friendships. You'll certainly find a keyword (or two) that you can relate to! 

Disclaimer: Curse words are mentioned to emphasize the context of one of the guest's stories.

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships." - Michael Jordan

Trigger warning: strong emotions, temper, toxicity in playing

Everyone is challenged to find the right coping mechanisms during the pandemic. In this episode, Troy Caintic, Prince Braganza, Jered Frigillana, and Paul Ao-wac share how they have been coping with the situation, highlighting the role of video games. As a noob in the video game world, I learned what 'tilted' means. The guests also talk about new activities and interests they have recently gained. This episode features quotable quotes from playing a larger game outside the screen to having your own taste in games, and from stagnation to the importance of cooperation.

"Sports do not build character, they reveal it." - John Wooden

In this insightful episode, Aice Parrocha, William Paduit and Precious Payaket share their experiences of being student-athletes. They narrate the time they discovered their passion for their sport, and also the most memorable recognition they have received (so far). As someone who has no sport of her own, I learned a lot from my guests as they highlight the importance of discipline, time management, and organization of priorities in balancing their roles as a student and as an athlete. From being a hobby to a source of recognition, and being an avenue to gain self-esteem and self-confidence to challenging oneself, Aice, William, and Precious surely gave nuggets of wisdom that even non-athletes can learn from. Also, stay tuned for a random idea while recording the episode that allowed me to share a little more compared to the previous episodes. 

"Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer." - Ed Cunningham

Maybe you have a friend you haven't heard from for some time. Maybe you have a friend you have always felt comfortable with, but never mentioned how grateful you are for having him/her/them in your life. Maybe you have a friend you miss, and more so because of the pandemic. We hope this episode gives you a unique feeling of being home. We hope this episode allows you to remember them, and maybe encourage you to reconnect with them.

In the most intimate episode of the podcast so far, I allow you to listen in as I and two of my closest friends, Vanessa Villanueva and Janica Gaye Bucaneg, have a conversation about our 12-year-old friendship. Our discussions were never linear, and this episode is a typical example of such. We talk about love languages, fishes, and crushes among others. Vanessa also shares her White Shirt Theory in identifying if someone is really handsome. Then, in a seemingly unexpected turn, we become more serious in reminiscing about the years that we have shared. 

Cheers to all friendships!

P.S. On a personal note, this episode gave me a lot of ideas I would like to try for the next ones. I hope you stay tuned for the experiments :) 

"Life is a succession of lessons, which must be lived to be understood." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Trigger warning: stress, difficult emotions

The year 2020 showered us with life lessons. In this episode, I feel a sense of 'old normal' as I have a kwentuhan session with three of my former students. Tatziana Rebolledo, Regie Monis, and Branden Palaruan talk about the changes they have dealth with, the things they miss, and the things they look forward to in a new year. Just like our usual conversations before the pandemic, our discussion suddenly turns to an unexpected topic and witty words of wisdom. Despite being in a public place (for Tatziana and Regie), and just waking up after a long shift (for Branden) during the recording of this episode, we hope that this kwentuhan session will give you something to think about as the youth shares their voice and their message of hope to the listeners.

P.S. Apologies in advance for some background noises. I am still a newbie in editing :)