Today’s teens pushing the right buttons

About three weeks ago, I received a text message from a good friend: “Life is a battle of wills not a battle of skills… and the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.” This may seem an old humorless quote, but it has stuck to my mind to this day.

And two weeks ago, my mother gathered my whole family in our room just to listen to her new lecture-type music CD about “Success 101: How to Attract Fame, Fortune and Glory.” All the while, I pretended I was not listening to the ostensibly boring discussions, but little did everyone know that I imbibed every single message on the CD. In the end, I found myself believing in the essence of the lectures: that in order to attract success, one has to become a magnet of optimism.

I have discovered what I really want in life — writing freelance feature articles and managing events on the side. I tried working for a big company, but I am not suited for the corporate world. It has been tough finding a job; but tougher still to find one that your heart truly desires. Finding this dream job as a writer has kept my heart and soul alive.

In just three weeks, I faced the challenge of fighting for my own dreams. Also unintentionally, I also was able to apply those words of wisdom to my own life.

Like those success stories of real people on TV, obstacles are always there to challenge the person as he pursues his dreams.

My parents haven’t given the greenlight for me to maintain this job. They manifest it in so many ways that I crumble again into confusion. Subtly, they say fame and fortune do not regularly come in this kind of career. After letting me study in a school like Ateneo, they would rather place me back in a huge corporation.

I love my parents dearly, but feel  pursuing this profession allows me to fulfill my dream and do what I like. Being a man of pure will and a magnet of optimism, I have to continue saying an affirmative yes despite these hindrances and prove (not only to my family but also to myself) that I can do this job, that I am loving this profession, and that I will continue grabbing these opportunities for personal fulfillment and growth. This is not being selfish, but being focused, goal-oriented and determined. 

So, I continue saying yes in the face of no!

Now, here are my friends and Ateneo schoolmates sharing their own soaring stories of saying “yes” to every opportunity amid different obstacles.

MAITA ANGELI PONCE,  theater star battles stereotypes

Theater actress Maita Ponce occupies herself rehearsing and performing for stage plays. She is currently working on Trumpets’ rerun of Little Mermaid, where she plays KC Concepcion’s former role, Princess Sapphire. She has also appeared in other big productions like Peter Pan, Joseph the Dreamer, and Ateneo’s Sinta, Merrily We Roll Along, and Into the Woods.

This talented girl was a cheerleader in her school and a consistent dean’s lister in college. She is a contributing writer of Candy magazine, and a photography hobbyist. She narrates that her mother earlier disapproved of her chosen profession. Going into theater and earning from it might not be the typical job for new a graduates, but, she has decided to follow her heart’s desires.   

What has been your experience of “saying yes in the face of no”?

“Pursuing theater is not a common path after school. But you have to follow your passion or else you’ll just see what you do as an ordinary ‘job.’ There are always stereotype career [paths] for students like us. My profession may not be the conventional thing to do, but what I do is a legitimate job, nasa arts nga lang,” she says with joy and pride.

JERIC PAULO LIM, cheerleader overcomes challenges

Fatigue may be the top problem of 18-year-old sophomore Jeric Paulo Lim, especially since he has to manage and juggle his time between studies and being a cheerleader and lifter of the Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion. He has been training for the squad for two years now and has been performing regularly in University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) competitions.

Busy and tiring schedules for cheerleading rehearsals can be a problem for this guy, but this hasn’t stopped him from excelling in his studies. He was on the dean’s list in his freshman year. This UAAP season, he is again set to prove that he can bring the whole battalion in giving magnificent performances for the school while still staying at the top of his class.

How do you manage to keep up with all the physical and mental stress in your life and still become a diligent student and hardworking cheerleader?

He says, “It’s all about time management. Though it’s hard, being part of the cheerleading squad motivates me (more) to study. Despite this problem, I constantly work harder and this affirms my yes in the face of no!”

 
KARA MONICA MENDOZA, radio jock spins her success

Kara Mendoza, 19, is busy nowadays being both a student and a radio DJ. When not in school, she reports to work talking on-air as NU 107 courtside reporter of Halikinu Radio during UAAP basketball segments and as a junior jock of Magic 89.9.

She is also a batch officer of her course’s home organization and is currently continuing her minor in European Studies.

Was there an instance in your life when you really wanted something but thought that you wouldn’t  be able to achieve it?

“When I auditioned for NU 107’s Halikinu Radio as a sports reporter, they were initially looking for just two girls and a single guy. When I heard they already got the two girls who are older and more senior than me, I thought wala na akong chance. I admitted to myself, talo na ako. But I really wanted the part and still prayed and hoped for it. I think I showed my best naman during the auditions. With barely a week before the season, I got a text message from the show’s producer asking if I still wants to do the job and I said, yes… definitely,” she says.

JUAN MIGUEL SEVILLA, budding filmmaker directs his own life

Having worked with famous movie icons like Maricel Soriano and Albert Martinez and mainstream bands like Chicosci and Kjwan, Juan Miguel Sevilla is definitely the soon-to-be famous director of today’s generation. He has co-written the screenplay for Cinemanila’s feature film Numbalik Diwa which stars both Maricel Soriano and Albert Martinez alongside other big names in the movie industry. He has also helped in directing and doing the cinematography for several music videos like Chicosci’s Vampire Social Club and Kjwan’s One Look.

Back in college, his thesis film, Bulong sa Dilim, which he wrote and directed, has been nominated in all categories in another university for the Piling Obra Vidyo 2005 video competition. He is now building his own freelance production house called “Spork for Short” with his friends and schoolmates. Juan Mig is now busy doing music videos, indie and short films, and corporate videos. In the future, he dreams of creating a very grandiose movie about the rich Philippine mythology of aswangs that not too many filmmakers produce and experiment on.

What has been your ultimate experience of “yes in the face of no” as an amateur filmmaker?

“It has been exhausting financially to produce films especially for a new company like us. You have a great idea about a movie or an MTV project, but you cannot translate it well to film due to budget constraints. It’s really tough just to get your vision across. More than that, it gets pretty more challenging ‘pag hindi gusto ng client ang output mo. Then, we all have to compromise. At the end of the day, with the help of focus and determination, you still get to produce a quality one while still pleasing your clients.”    

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The author graduated from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in AB Communication in 2006. The author now works as a freelance writer and events planner.