What is it to be a Leader?

As I walk through passages and starts on my way to school, I cannot help but notice posters and banners of candidates running for a position in the local and national government. And a question strikes my mind, “what makes these candidates eligible for the position they are running?”

According to Francois Rabelais, a French humanist and satirist, to become a good leader you must have full power and command of yourself. Yes, it is true. Before you can make other people follow you, you should first have full control of yourself. How can you rule others if you cannot rule yourself? You must first be responsible of yourself before taking responsibility of a group.

A leader must also be good in decision-making. His decisions must benefit his people not harm them. In every situation, he must look for the welfare of his men. Robert Townsend, a US Business Executive, said, “True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders”. A leader thinks first of his men before himself. A very good example of true leadership is in combat. The officers eat last. The officers sacrifice for their men. A true leader always ensures the safety of his followers.

A good leader knows how to respect his men. You can only gain respect from other people if you yourself knows how to respect them. “You do not lead by pointing a finger and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case”. This quotation by Ken Kesey, a US writer, means that you cannot get the respect of your men by just telling them to do so. A good leader must show to his men that he is worthy to be respected.

An efficient leader sets good example to his followers. He must be the role model of the group. For a follower to follow the commands of his leader, he should see that his leader also does the command. When a leader creates rules and regulations, he must follow it so that his men will then follow.

A good leader must also be open-minded. He must be humble enough to listen and accept opinions from his men. Being equipped with a number of ideas and possibilities will be vital in decision-making. As quoted by Iris Murdoch, Irish-born novelist and philosopher, “humility is not a peculiar habit of self-effacement, rather like having an inaudible voice; it is a selfless respect for reality and one of the most difficult and central of all the virtues.” Being acknowledge as a leader, you just cannot simply assumed that you know everything, indeed, you are essential in every decision of your group but there so much than what you think. For the total development of a group, it needs full cooperation from its members. And it is in every leader’s duty on how he could unite his group, having the full participation of his members in everything they do.

Walking hand in hand was never easy, because as one stumbles, the other struggles to remain standing through strength that comes from cooperation, mutualism and trust.

Hahaha!!!

Yehey!! mana jud ko ani nga project...

Hi sir!!!

makagraduate na jud ko ug english kay mana tanan nga requirements.

yahooo!!!!

Blog Project: An Assessment

I was very resistant to this blog project even at the middle of it. I really do not want to have this kind of project because I thought it would just be a waste of time, effort and money.

It is a waste of time because you need to think for a topic and expound on it to reach the 500-word minimum per entry. It is very hard for me to do this because I have other things to ponder on. I have other concerns to think about.

It is a waste of effort because you will really dig for ideas in your head. You will search for points that you will add in you entries.

It is a waste of money because you will spend in uploading your entries.

But I have realized that even though it made so much problems, there are also benefits in blogging. You can improve the skill that you already have. Your vocabulary skills will be enhanced through this blog project. You will learn new words that will be added in your vocabulary. Your grammatical ability will be harnessed. You can use your knowledge in constructing sentences and using correct punctuations in every entry you will post. Your typing skills will greatly improved. You will type fast to save time and money in every posting.

This blog project is an instrument for acquiring new skills. I already learned how to manage my time well in order to comply with all the entries at the end. At first, I was very lazy in making the entries for the blog. But at the end I was able to make all the needed entries. And this is my last entry. I also acquired skills in organizing ideas. This is very important to give a good flow of all your ideas because if you will not have this, your entries will be very chaotic. I also acquired skills in impromptu writing. I just think for a topic and directly type it without making any draft. I also learned to think for different interesting topics and expound these to reach the number of words required.

While doing this blog project, I also encountered some problems. I faced time constrains because I never planned well on the time that I will make my entries. I have financial problems because I do not know where to get resources in going to an internet café. There were time that I cannot think any topic .I had deficiency of topics. Another problem is insufficient ideas. I have a hard time in expounding certain issues or topics.

I never stopped and I really find ways how to solve these problems. I made a timetable on when to write the topics I have in mind. I also saved money in order to go to an internet café and post my entries. And in posting entries, I refrain from going to other sites so that I can save time and money.

Now that I am already finished with the blog project I recommend that this would continue but with lesser entries per week. I also suggest to the next students, that they would work on their entries every day so that they will not have a hard time in complying with this requirement.

Retreat: A Life Changing Event

Last weekend we had our retreat. We had time to talk and listen to our batch mates about different issues of our batch. We had time to be silent for a while and think about the past, and plan for the future. Through dialogues, some issues were resolved.

We started the retreat on Saturday morning in the campus. We had a talk with Mdm. Maglasang about the possible events that will happen to a teenager like us. We were asked to answer a questionnaire on how are we going to handle different situations. There were questions about our studies, career, social crimes, pre marital sex and family related issues. At first I was not serious in answering the questionnaire but afterwards I have realized that the situations is likely to happen to any teenager. I imagined what would happen to me in every situation. That activity made me realized that I should be careful in every decision I make in my life because every step that I take will result to something in the near future.

After that activity, Mdm. Maglasang gave us time to have a snack break. We were very innocent on the next activity we are going to have.

After the break, we were asked to form two groups with equal number of members. One group stayed inside the classroom and was asked to sit in the chairs and form a circle. The group went outside together with Mdm. Maglasang. Then they entered inside the room silently. Each one said some positive aspects of their pairs. They also said some words of wisdom for our future lives. This activity, named positive stroking, made me cry. I was touched by the words given to me by Danesa, Shallunah, Ella, Artsron and Euvic. After that, our group went outside and the other group stayed and sitted inside. We did what the other group did. I really cried and cried because I never imagined that each of my batch mates have discovered something good about me.

Before we had our lunch break, we were told with the rules to be followed when we will be in St. John.

At about 1:00 pm we departed from UP. I was very happy with the trip because I am with the people I feel comfortable. It has been a long time that I was with my friends.

When we arrived at St. John we had a talk with Sr. Carine about healing hurts that we have. We also had a game with Ate Abigail to alive us.

Then we had the adoration. We prayed in silence inside the chapel. I cannot remember the last time that I had my serious talk with the Lord. it is really true that in silence you can hear many things. You can discover more about yourself. After the adoration, all of us ate our dinner.

The last activity of the night was entitled Circle of Love. I never knew that this activity would greatly affect me. We had exchange of apologies. We said sorry to the people we have hurt and we have forgiven the people who had hurt us. It was my first time to express what I truly feel inside. I cried a lot. I never thought that I could confront the people that hurt me.

After the activity, we went to our bedrooms. Before going to sleep, we had a revelation activity. Some questions in our minds were answered and doubts were cleared.

In the morning, we first had our breakfast. It was followed by another talk headed by Fr. Jean. We had a bible sharing about the adulterous woman. Then we ended our retreat with mass.

The retreat we had has changed some of my perceptions. It greatly affected me. It was a very memorable event because it was my firs time to open my windows and let my friends see the real me.

My Fears

There are things that we are afraid of or afraid to do. These are what we call fears. I think that all people have their own fears. These fears are present because we think negatively.

Now, I will share some of my fears to you. I am afraid of insects such as cockroaches and bees. I am also afraid of dogs and cats; that is the reason why we do not have any pet at home. I am afraid of snakes because I do not like their physical appearance and their sound.

Before, I am not that participative in class because I am afraid to make mistakes. I do not want to be scolded by my teachers. I am also an alto phobic, a person who is afraid of heights. I am also afraid of the dark because I can imagine strange things that will happen in the dark. I love singing and dancing but I cannot perform well in front of many people because I have stage freight. I do not want to report and recite in class because I easily get pressured and conscious when I make some errors while talking in front. I really lack confidence that is the reason why I cannot show my talents.

I am also afraid to be criticized by other people. I do not want to be criticized not because I do not want to change anything in me but because I do not to be depressed with their criticisms. I easily get hurt with the simple comments of other people. I have a very soft heart and I easily cry it. I have not realized that I have also hurt other people sometimes.

My greatest fear is the fear of death. It is an inevitable thing that will happen to every one of us sooner or later. If ever one my loved ones die, I will be the last person to accept it because when you die, you are taken the opportunity to be with your family and friends. You also do not know what will happen to you after dying. And only God knows when we are going to die. He planned everything for us. Even the smallest activity we do everyday up to life changing happenings in our life, He only knows.

I have read the book of Rick Warren entitled “The Purpose Driven Life”. The book is about finding one’s purpose in this world. We are here for unique purposes. And after fulfilling our own purposes, eventually God will take our lives. We should not be afraid of dying because it is the door to eternal life in heaven together with our Creator.

For whatever fears we have in life, we should be brave enough in facing them. Take the risks if you think you will be happy so that you will not end up saying “what if I took the challenge?”. Let us face our fears so that we will not regret and end up telling ourselves “if only”.

Why Do I Want To Become A CWTS Officer?

Why do I want to be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer? There are many things that rush into my mind when I hear this question. Here are the reasons why I want to be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer.

The first thing that comes into my mind if I hear the word Civic Welfare Training Service officer is wearing black shirt every Mondays and Fridays. The uniform of a Civic Welfare Training Service officer is different from the other students. Ever since I am young, I want to wear black shirts. And that is one of the many reasons why I want to be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. Even though it is not a very valid reason but it still contributes to my decision of becoming a Civic Welfare Training Service officer.

Way back my elementary years, I was a girl scout. I have already experienced sleeping without my family and spending a Sunday without them. I want to continue joining workshops like this because I wanted to experience being independent. Every steps and decisions that I have made, I always seek the help of my parents. I want to prove to them that I am matured enough to stand on my own. And now, I can already make decisions on my own.

When I was still a freshman, I saw fourth year students making side-steps when they saw a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. Making the side-step is showing respect to the Civic Welfare Training Service officer. I feel that I do not have the respect I want because my batch mates always tease me. They always make fun of me. I do not know what is wrong? Is it about me?

I want to be an officer because I wanted to be respected and I know to have that respect, I also need to show my respect to them.

Many of my friends said that I do not know how to handle unfamiliar happenings and personalities that are very unique. In the seminars of the Civic Welfare Training Service, you are thought how to act on different situations. You are also thought how to handle different kinds of people with their own characteristics, how to adjust and how to interact with them. I want to prove them wrong and prove to myself that I really know how to handle different situations.

I have heard many comments of other people about being a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. They said that the trainings, seminars and workshops are not that easy. One should have determination to be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. They said that the tasks you need to do are like passing the hole of a needle. I want to have an experience like that. I want to know my capabilities and limitations.

When I was young, I am afraid to be a leader because I thought becoming a leader is to do all the tasks given to the group. I have realized that to become a leader, you should know how to distribute the tasks given to the group.

I am only a follower ever since. And now, I want to experience being a leader. But there are still confusions in my mind. Can I handle all the responsibilities that are connected to a leader? As the line says, “ With great power, comes with great responsibilities”. Being leader needs patience in every thing you do. You need to have patience to understand all the thoughts of your members. You also need to know their personal insights.

When I told this decision to my mother, she said that I should know how to manage my time. Because the normal situation is: the Civic welfare Training service officer will have no enough time for his or her studies. Thus, affecting his or her academic grades.

But I assure my mother that my studies will not be left behind. This is another test for me. To do the both tasks together: first to maintain my grades and to become a good Civic Welfare Training Service officer.

While I was writing this essay, another question comes in to my mind. Is becoming a Civic Welfare Training Service officer worth it???

I have a long time to think of this question and my answer is yes. The experiences of this training will help me a lot. It will enhance my capabilities. It will also enrich my values and improve my whole self.

I also want to know if I am already responsible. I want to know if I am ready enough to face all the challenges that would come. I also want to adventure on new paths in life.
Many of my batch mates dreamt of becoming a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. But they failed to have the first requirement. To be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer, the first requirement is to have a grade not below than eighty. I am one of the lucky students whose grades are not below eighty.

I have realized that this opportunity comes only once in a lifetime. I want to grab the chance of being a Civic Welfare Training Service officer because I am afraid that it will not come my way again.

Now I have already made my decision. I will pursue this new challenge in my life. I want to have all the qualities of being a good leader because I wanted to share these qualities someday to other people. This training will give me the qualities I need: being independent, responsible, hardworking, patient, understanding, and respectful.

I hope that God will still be there to help me in this new career I chose and my parents will still support me in this new road I will take.

Lastly, I hope that I could surpass all the challenges connected to this new path that God has given me: to become a good leader to my batch mates by becoming a Civic Welfare Training service officer.

A Step Towards Excellence

This year has been a great one for all of us. In our studies, most of us have found out our own interests in which we can excel. But the greatest thing is, our friendship has become stronger as days pass by. We knew each other better in terms of the different fields we excel as well as our weaknesses. We have also discovered each one’s likes and dislike that made the bonding tighter. We have been together through the ups and downs of this year and we have survived different obstacles together. Through the end part of this school year, this question runs through my mind whenever I see these talented young men and women in our batch doing the things they want. What would be the developments that my friends will undergo in the next level of our schooling?

Like my other friends, Christille is a very talented person. She dances and in the same way, she sings very well. If only she can control her stage freight, I might see her performing on stage by next year. She would be one of the best choices that would represent our batch in the different singing contests. Christine is such a brilliant artist. She perfectly puts life in her drawings that helps it look so natural. If she can gain more confidence, she can probably bring more trophies and honor to the school as well as joining different drawing contests. Her master piece might be chosen to be a logo for a publication. Hazel, the musician in our class, plays the guitar very well. Through great support from us, her being shy can be omitted. Maybe by next year, she will be the one to accompany the glee club in the different school activities. Or she can form her own band and might compose new songs for the batch. Bryan is a very good writer. If harnessed, his works might be published in our school papers. Professional writers might also discover him and he might be sponsored. Or he will be chose as one of the columnists in a newspaper or magazine. Olga is a very good leader. She performed her duties very well as a second year representative. I think she will do her best to be a very good treasurer next year. And someday she might be one of the best youth leaders in Cebu. Jann, with her magnificent voice transitions is a very good raconteur. If developed, she will be one of the raconteurs for the next year’s raconteur and might win the best raconteur award.

The talents they have now would be developed more if only they can gain confidence coupled with our full support. I know they are the people whom we can be proud of in the near future.

I also hope that I can develop my own talents and share these the next year. I want to be matured enough the next year, able to handle difficulties on my own. I wish to be one of the little children who will evolve to become matured ladies and gentlemen.