What Even Makes You Stronger

Fear. A word that defines what we never wanted to do, to act, or to live with. But also, nobody wants to live with fear. With John Maxwell's blog about fear, we are known to what fear is like. We are even informed of how to overcome fear. For everybody believes that to overcome fear, is to face it.

Well, have you ever experienced being afraid of something that you absolutely would do nothing with it anymore? Like when you were a kid, have you experienced being afraid of "ghosts"? When you were a teenager, have you experienced being afraid of "examinations"? When you were in love, have you experienced being afraid of being "heart broken"? If so, these feelings are called FEARS. And these fears cause you to have physical effects: a racing heart beat, a dry mouth, a flying mind, and perspiration all over your body. But then, your fear came from the existence of something rather unreal like the ghosts.

But it really isn't hard to just face fear. Some would even say: "it would kill me" just because they don't believe in themselves. They don't have the confidence to believe that they can do it.

Fear is absolutely real. Fear is like a bad habit that if you wouldn't get rid of, it might just eat you. Fear starts from a mere imagination. For example, your thinking that something bad will happen just because you have broken a mirror(or some other superstition beliefs) and this prediction starts bugging you, making you feel uncomfortable and clears up your energy, then you are definitely experiencing fear. So if fear comes only from an imagination, then why don't we just think and hope of a better idea rather than putting ourselves buried in fear? Right?

When we start to face our fears, we gradually decrease the uncomfortable feeling that we have. Even without you observing, it would just naturally disappear. Your energy comes coming back, you are comfortable in living your life, no pressure on the things you do and then you will feel free of problems. And so, one day, you would be reminded of that and you would just laugh it out and tell yourself that you have made it.

Following the steps of John Maxwell's Overcoming Fear, we are able to face our problems without hesitation. By discovering the foundation of fear, you are able to recognize what and where was your fear coming from. By admitting your fears, we are aware of our fear. By accepting the frailty and brevity of life, we are ready for anything and so fear i lessened. By accepting fear as the price of progress, we won't be able to see fear as a mere destruction. By develop a burning desire that overcomes fear, we are able to find concrete reasons to overcome fear. By focus only on today, we are able to concentrate on overcoming a fear one at a time. By doing it now, we are able to do what is supposed to be in a matter of time and without hesitations.

So you see, facing your fears would even make you a stronger person. Fears are not really that bad, they were just given to you for you to be able to grow from that of your past.

A person grows when he/she realizes that fear is a part of life, a very essential part of it, that the only way to overcome it is through means of facing it with courage and believing that it can be done.

Life as a Dancer

When I first entered the world of dance, the first question that came to my mind was: "Can I dance?"

With the long journey I have traveled in these world, I learned a lot of things. I have learned that technique is the greatest weapon you could ever use in dancing. Even though you don't exactly know the steps, you could look as if you do, if only you have that right technique. A technique is not easy to be developed. It always takes time to learn something. And so if you want to have technique.

I can honestly say that I am not a great dancer. Yes, I dance, but that doesn't mean I am great in it. Not all dancers are great dancers. Not all dancers look like dancers. Not all dancers act like dancers. And not all dancers have the heart of dancing.

As I walk into the rehearsal room this afternoon, I looked in the mirror and saw dancers. Some were very advanced, yet, some were still  not that good. As I observe them dance, I came to a great realization. A realization that struck me.

I realized that time is just a factor of how you could be a good dancer. That time is not all that is needed to be better.

I have been in this dance school since I was in kinder and if you count the years, you would know that it's almost 10 years since I started. I could still remember the recitals I went to and how great I felt when I was in them. But if I look into the videos of every recital I had, I would realize that I wasn't that good as how I felt. And now, I would always feel that as if I just wasted every Saturday of my life for the past 9 years I've been dancing. Instead of taking the opportunity to love dancing, I just wasted it. I didn't take dancing seriously, and now that I am serious, I can't make myself any better.

So that just proves that no matter how long you've been dancing, if you don't have your heart in it, you wouldn't do it. Dancing is like any profession, that if you don't know how to love it, you couldn't do a good job out of it.

Loving is always the first. Timing is just the second.


Life as a Dancer by Monica Flores is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Little Bad Boy

Dr. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda is known as the Philippines' Pambansang Bayani. A well known person to Filipinos and to some nationalities who not only possessed one profession but almost all of them.  Jose Rizal is a very intelligent man who came from a wealthy family. He was able to go abroad to travel and study.

But of course, he also made himself comfortable in those places. He found comfort in some bars and with some friends. Studies show that Rizal made used some of his time having fun. There were also a lot of ladies that were connected to him. In which most of them were from the other countries.

Rizal also was a gambler. At times, he goes out with friends and gambles. But surely, he wouldn't have lost most of those games. Taking him as a very diligent and intelligent man.

But what Rizal has portrayed when he was in the other countries simply explains that he is just like any man, just like any Flipino. He too is just a normal guy playing his games. It shows that no matter how intelligent you are and how many good traits you have possessed, you can still do wrong things.

Rizal has the right to do those things. He just made himself happy. No matter how great and good he is, there is still a part of him that tells us that he isn't as clean as God.

What I love most about Rizal is that he always thinks of what is for the good of others. He doesn't prioritize himself, but rather, makes sure that others are safe and well. He made all the studies and all the hard work to help his family and to save his country.

He came back for the Philippines. He came for the independence of this country. He never forgot to look back, and that's what brought him to great heights. He brought all the knowledge he knew to the Philippines. He taught Filipino boys and girls. He taught them to be strong and inspired them to do what is right. He cured a lot of civilians. He helped contribute to the development of the lives of the Filipinos.  

He loved the Philippines so much that he fought for the independence of this country till his last breath. He truly is a hero.

As we remember him, we remember the love and wisdom he shared to us, to our country, and to the world too.


Little Bad Boy by Monica Flores is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Just Be Who You Are

Billy Elliot:

I have been looking for great old movies and this struck me. Actually, at first, I thought it was just a usual movie. But when I saw it's trailer I was really touched especially I'm a frustrated dancer. This movie is entitled "Billy Elloit". Billy Elliot is an 11 year old boy who stumbles out of the boxing ring and onto the ballet floor. He faces many trials and triumphs as he strives to conquer his family's set ways, inner conflict, and standing on his toes! Setting aside the mining strike with his father and brother involving in it, he follows his heart instead of his responsibilities. When his family knew about this, he gets into big trouble. But he has enough determination and courage to fight for what he knows must be. With the guidance and support of his teacher, he was able to withstand the challenges he faced for his dream.

Although it has a lot of unpolished dance routines, Billy Elliot is about family relationships and dreams, not really about dancing. It is about how a father gives in to necessary sacrfices in order to bring back the bond that he has with his son, and about how a young boy, who unexpectedly dreams of being a ballerina and who is determined to pursue that dream.

The best thing about this movie is that there are a lot of values in it. It reminds us of the value of loving, determination, and honesty.

Sometimes, it's really hard to be you. Especially now adays, you really have to belong. Teenagers are really looking for belongingness. Belongingness somewhat brings them confidence. Being unique is far apart from being themselves, as if they aren't alive if they aren't in.

Is that supposed to be? I don't think so... no matter what they'll say, we must still do what we think is necessary, appropriate and proper.


Being the real you won't cause you anything, because if the people around you accepts you with love and accepts you as who you are then they'll be proud of who you are and who you've come to be.

In return, we must show them that we deserve the price of love they have offered to us.

Watch it, and you'll surely be inspired and you'll see how a boy and his dream changed the world around him.


Just Be Who you Are by Monica Flores is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

SLU: From Small Beginnings Comes a Great University

Saint Louis University was not Saint Louis University before. Actually, it was just a small room. A small room that allows the Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae missionaries to inform and to share their charisma and their missionary vision to the young Filipino men and women.

Mandated by the Vatican to Christianize the northern part of the Phillipines, the CICM missionaries decided to come in the country and to follow the Vatican's order. They arrived here in the Philippines by the year 1907 and settled in Baguio because of its proximity to both Manila and the mountain province of Benguet beyond the Cordillera mountain range, that was home to numerous indigenous tribes. But only in 1911 did Fr. Séraphin Devesse started a one-room elementary school for 10 Cordilleran boys and named it the Saint Louis School . And in 1915, St. Louis school has expanded by opening it's second branch and improved into a vocational and trade school. In 1952, the school came to a new light through the rise of the institution of Saint Louis College having 75 students enrolled. This was part of the efforts made by Fr. Rafael Desmedt and Bishop William Brasseur. Saint Louis College soon became Saint Louis University in 1963.

Saint Louis University was not the only school built by these CICM missionaries. They also run the Saint Louis School of Mandaue, Saint Mary's University in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, and the Saint Louis College in San Fernando, La Union, and the Saint Louis College in Tuguegarao, in the Cagayan valley, thus covering a major part of Northern Luzon with outstanding educational institutions.

Through a century of outstanding service of quality education, the Saint Louis University has produced more than a thousand impressive fruits who brought major developments to Baguio up to the mountain ranges of the provinces of Benguet.

The continuous growth and development of the institution was made through the guidance of the following Rectors or Presidents:

1952-1954 Gerard Decaestecker

1954-1962 Albert Van Overbeke

1962-1964 Gerard Linssen

1964-1976 Paul Zwaenepoel

1976-1983 Ghisleen De Vos

1983-1996 Joseph Van den Daelen

1996–2005 Paul Van Parijs

2005–present Jessie M. Hechanova 

Now, SLU not only offers secondary education such as Elementary and High School but now has nine colleges offering graduate and undergraduate programs . The different Colleges are now known as Schools which was just effective on June 2010. The campus is divided into 3 major groups:

1. Saint Louis University- Laboratory Elementary School

A school that offers quality education for children entering Kindergarten up to Grade 6.

 

2. Saint Louis University- Laboratory High School

A school that offers quality education for those teenagers who graduated from Elementary and enters the second level of their education. The school aims to produce children who will be ready to face the reality of life and to prepare the students for their college degrees after they graduate.

 

3. Saint Louis University

A school that offers quality education through major subjects. The school aims to guide its students to the direction they have to take for their future. Major colleges that it offers are:

• School of Accountancy and Business Management - SABM
  (College of Accountancy and Commerce)
• School of Computing and Information Sciences - SCIS
  (College of Information and Computing Sciences)
• School of Engineering and Architecture - SEA
  (College of Engineering and Architecture)
• School of Humanities - SoH
  (College of Human Sciences)
• School of Law - SoL
  (College of Law)
• School of Medicine - SoM
  (College of Medicine)
• School of Natural Sciences - SNS
  (College of Natural Sciences)
• School of Nursing - SoN
  (College of Nursing)
• School of Teacher Education - STE
  (College of Education)
  

SLU also brought its name to good glory through the competitions the students participate on. Many competitions outside the school are joined by different students. They simply show that Louisians also have great potentials, talent, and intelligence that is used to make SLU and Baguio proud.

SLU has developed in all its aspects. From small beginnings, now here comes our great and mighty...SLU!

 

 

Slu: From Small Beginnings comes a Great University by Monica Flores is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

There's No Place Like HOME - No Place Like SLU-LHS

Have you ever found the right place for you? Where you feel comfortable? Where you find happiness? And where you find content? Just exactly like a happy home? Well, I just did.

You know, when I was in my pre-school years, I really fear to go to school. My mom had to bring me right before my classroom two hours before my class starts. Especially, in the first day. Even if its still dark outside and nobody can be seen walking around, we have to be there. She is a teacher. So during those times, she mostly have classes that start before or exactly the time I also start my class. So she needs probably an hour to use just trying to convince me to go and enter my class then she has to give me sometime to stop crying so that I would not look stupid in class. So when I'm finally convinced and am ready to go to class, she would bring me to my teacher and talk to her about something and then she would let go of my hand. And that's when I start to cry again. But she only uses sometime to make me stop crying. Not as long as the first one. But its good to know that this attitude of mine gradually decreases through the years.

So, you'd probably think I hate school, huh? Well, I don't. I go home with a happy smile in my face and a lot of stories to tell about how wonderful my day was.

Now, as I am in High School, I learned to love more my lifestyle. That is because my lifestyle includes going to school.

My school serves as my second home. It has even my second family on it. How could that not be possible if I am in school for almost 10 hours a day in 5 days a week in 10 months. It really eats up more than half of the time I have. I do most of my stuffs that are connected to school. But I don't forget my responsibilities at home. My family is always my priority. That's the main reason why I go to school. I aim to attain a good life for them.

Saint Louis University-Laboratory High School has given me many many advantages that I can use for my life. It feeds me up with the knowledge I need to have. It embraces me with all the values I need to enhance. And it carves my way to my own future. My school is simply not like any other schools. It is an extraordinary transformative school that I have ever wanted.

Every faculty, every staff, and every student is a teacher to me. They play a part in teaching me different aspects for living. For every incident that I encounter in school, I always gain new values to live up. For every occasion that occurs in school, I learn to value every single day of my life. For every success I achieve, I always tap myself with humility. And for every failure I had, I build up the strength and courage I have.

My school is certainly like a home. It gives me comfort, knowing that my friends, the people who I can lean one are in there. It gives me guidance, knowing that my teachers would always act like a parent to his/her students. It gives me support, knowing that they will always believe in what I can do. And it gives me love, knowing that every student is valuable to the school.

Whatever you say or do, you can never change the fact that SLU-LHS is certainly a home, a school that gives you the commons of a home.

SLU LHS is my school, my home. The place where my world evolves. :)

There's No Place Like HOME - No Place Like SLU-LHS by Monica Flores is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

To SLU: Happy Centennial! From: Me

Saint Louis University is now one of the country’s most valued and respected school. It is one of the leading institutions not only here in Baguio City but all around the Philippines. SLU is regarded as the “Light of the North” because it has played a very important role in the development of not only the Cordilleran region but of its surrounding towns and provinces too. It just started from small beginnings but now, it is a very large university. Literally, it has more or less 20,000 students in its campus. It has gradually increased in population of students and faculties as it continually attracts students and scholars from different places nationwide and around the globe through its excellent reputation of education. 

 

It is with great pride that I am included in this institution. It is an important part of me as a growing Louisian. It served as my backbone through out the years. It is just right that I value and celebrate the upcoming SLU Centennial.

 

Yes, that’s right; SLU will soon celebrate its Centennial. It will surely be a historical celebration in the history of SLU. 

 

SLU Centennial will be celebrated in a year. This is termed as the Centennial Year. It will commerce on December 2010 and lasting up to December 2011. Many activities were already planned by the faculties and staff of SLU. Many preparations had been made and is continually being made. Just recently, the school’s president, Fr. Jessie Hechanova, started the countdown to the day that will start the Centennial Year. 

 

The SLU Centennial is an important event in the lives of the students. I, as a student can’t honestly do much for it. Probably, only by celebrating it is the best thing I can do. 

 

But by this simple blog, I want to show my great gratitude and respect to SLU. And to it’s upcoming Centennial. I want that the whole world would know how my school grew and is growing through the power of the Lousians and the trust they offer to the school, that through these things, Saint Louis University would be a stronger institution. I want them to know that through SLU, we, the Lousians, would be able to change the world. 

 

For the past one-hundred years, SLU brought out approximately about a thousand products of its valued education who is now, at present, some of the people who develops and improves the status of the world we live in. The school continually offers valued education to its students. SLU aims to develop students as well as faculty and staff imbued with the institution's core values of competence, creativity, social involvement and Christian spirit.

See how wonderful SLU is? 

 

I bet, that that is just the start of the development of SLU. There would be a lot more of improvements that could happen. 

 

We know that SLU's Centennial would signal a new start for developments. Every part of the world would certainly know about my school, SLU. There would be a lot more of Centennials to come. SLU would never just die out because they know that they are important to the lives of the Filipinos. 

 

Though SLU is not as popularly known as Ateneo, De la Salle, or The University of the Philippines , I still can't see no difference in any of these schools (except, of course, of the value of the tuition fee). As so you know, they all offer quality education and a good reputation for its students. So if you ever think that SLU is worse than any of the other schools, then you are wrong... It's not just because it is my school, but that is how I see it. I'm sure, if you try to enter my school, you'd probably understand me and agree with me too. 

 

I am very proud to say that my school has reached a hundred years and has stayed strong all through out. This just shows how SLU has grown so much. And would still move on with the future with greater aims and higher heights.

Congratulations to SLU on its Centennial! 

 

We believe in SLU, AND SO WILL YOU.

To SLU: Happy Centennial! From: Me by Monica Flores is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.