We Deserve Better

“If you cannot do good, at least, do no harm.” – Kurt Vonnegut

Everyone deserves the best that there can be. But we cannot always get the best that there is. That is how life works. However, that does not mean we cannot make the most of what we have. Nor does it give us the right to act violently.

Recently, very disturbing actuations plagued the campus to the point that school property is damaged. No longer confined to old school vandalism, the culprits have found creative new ways to destroy. They dumped cement in the toilet, they bashed toilet fixtures, they even punched holes in the walls. What is to come next?

For most people, this can only be seen as retaliation: A medium of expression, albeit a vicious and alarming one. Man, by nature, is given to believe that he is not getting enough. Most of the times, it is true; sometimes, it is not. But this is no longer a question of receiving what we deserve. This has turned into a chaotic upsurge of mishandled emotions, misdirected hostility, and misguided thinking.

Students, if the culprits really are students, have many avenues by which to convey their feelings in a healthy manner. Even one of the world’s worst crimes, a crime against freedom itself, was resolved in a most peaceful manner: the bloodless revolution in EDSA that Philippines will always be remembered for. Furthermore, modern technology has paved the way for more freedom available to the youth of today. Indeed, getting the message across is not as difficult a task now as it is a few years back.

On the other hand, there are plenty of other suspects as well. Though it is highly unlikely that faculty and staff are behind these events, we cannot dismiss the idea entirely. After all, some instructors cannot even follow simple classroom management protocol like asking their students to clean up after themselves (in line with CLAYGO) or erasing the writings on the board. These might be small issues, but these are signs that not every instructor cares about our facilities.

Why must we resort to barbaric methods of releasing pent-up anger? Is the Araullian not mature enough to build for himself a healthy existence while fighting for the right to get the best? After all, this is our University, our home. This University, as much as some would hate to admit, is a reflection of what we make of ourselves. And who, in his right mind, would go damaging his own home, his own person?

You believe that you deserve better? Prove it. Dan Kevin Roque

Where Are We Now?

Have you ever seen someone picking up their own plates and setting the utensils they used to their respective places after eating? Have you noticed a sign bearing the acronym “CLAYGO” is present in places where students gather to eat? “Clean As You Go” is a part of a bigger project implemented last school year, the “Zero BASURA” campaign. Looking back now, what have we achieved so far in terms of having a clean environment?

The “Zero Basura” campaign which encouraged students to keep the environment clean without being dependent on iClean staff was indeed successful at first, especially in the Basic Education department. But with the influx of new students along the hallways of the university, it seems like a new culture was introduced where the campaign is no longer reinforced, if not totally forgotten. Some students still follow the Zero BASURA policies, preserving the green perspective that the University has adopted. However, if we want to keep an environment conducive to learning, we should do our part as well. As students, we can’t just stand here and forego our responsibilities; we must actively take part in the campaign for a greener Araullo.

Participating in this campaign by picking up your trash and cleaning up after yourself might seem a small act, but it is a great start in the fight to save Mother Nature. Time is running out. Are we going to let it stay this way? If we want to maintain the cleanliness that our university is well-known for, we must spark ourselves into action and start the change from within. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, we should be the change that we want to see in the world. Barry Sim