Battle of the Universities: Ateneo de Manila with Ahia Kenn Ng and Achi Natassja Lao

What is the best and worst thing about your university?

Ahia Kenn: There are SO MANY great things about Ateneo, but the best thing about the university would have to be the school campus. Even after 4 years, I feel that there’s still so much left to discover! I really appreciated the open space, fresh air, and being surrounded by a lot of nature. One thing I enjoyed doing on campus is wandering around (especially in places that are not often visited) and discovering new spots. You’d be surprised at what you can find on campus. Every student has their own personal go-to spot. For some, it could be in any of the cafeterias, the corner of a library on the top-most floor, or even in the middle of the campus forests! The best feeling for me was finding a personal, quiet space that I could visit at any moment to spend time with my own thoughts, to have a second away from everything, and rest in the peacefulness of Ateneo’s environment -- and sometimes take a nap HEHE.

Achi Natassja: As an Atenean, I would say that one of the best things about Ateneo is its core curriculum and the academic values it aims to instill in its students. The university is known for its extensive core curriculum coupled with majors, and ultimately, while we find it bothersome at times, it's one of the things that we end up being thankful for. Because it encouraged us to work on skills that weren't limited to our program's specialty, we ended up becoming more well-rounded students that found value and built soft skills we didn’t even realize we needed. These are the same skills that make many Ateneans more employable and well-adjusted to whatever environment they happen to be thrust into.

Ahia Kenn: Ateneo isn’t a perfect university, and I feel that there are so many things that they could still improve on. Ateneo is excellent in marketing their courses to aspiring Ateneans, but unfortunately, I feel that some of these well-marketed courses don’t deliver/meet the expectations of the students. I know of a lot of Ateneans who thought they knew what they were signing up for but were later disappointed by the course (ended up shifting a lot) -- having to take classes that didn’t feel value-adding and experiencing the poor teaching quality of MANY professors, but don’t get me wrong, a lot are also VERY GOOD.

Achi Natassja: To be honest, there isn’t really any “worst” thing about Ateneo. If I had to choose one thing that I’m not completely satisfied with though, it would be their response to the pandemic and transitioning into the online setting. In my first year at ADMU, I can confidently say that Ateneo was one of the more lenient/compassionate universities to their students. They allowed us adequate time to adjust to our online learning system and gave us students several breaks as breathers. However, it seems like this response may have weakened this second year of online classes. Several students right now are having a hard time adjusting to our new semestral system (used to be quarterly) and have reached out to the admin about this, so we are hoping for a positive response.

How would you describe your university’s culture?

Ahia Kenn: There’s no one way to describe the Ateneo’s culture because there are SO MANY sub-cultures that make up the Ateneo culture I know today! As a student, you get to experience a holistic, all-in-one university culture that allows you to grow in academic knowledge, skills, and especially in character. The university makes it a point to intentionally help you discover yourself -- your purpose, vision, and goals. Additionally, the diverse personalities that enter the university each year contribute to the culture of openness and inclusivity. You’ll eventually find your own set of friends or people that you will relate to the most, but that won’t stop you from

interacting with others as well -- especially with those that you least expect to interact with. It’s different from the MGCNLCA environment for sure, but honestly, I don’t think you should worry about getting culture shock. Ateneans are very welcoming, accommodating, and friendly! Finally, Ateneo has this culture that really pushes you to excel and go beyond your limits! There are so many opportunities in store, and it will be up to you to make the decision on which to pursue.

Achi Natassja: If I had to use one word to describe Ateneo's culture it would be accepting. Ateneo’s culture is very diverse, but despite this, there isn’t much discrimination between different groups. People from different religions, nationalities, and gender identities all come together, and these different aspects of each person never really get in the way of forming genuine relationships. In fact, this culture of acceptance is strengthened by the shared goal of being a person for others. This translates to the org and academic culture, as there is a strong emphasis on balance and “safe spaces”. While it’s definitely true that Ateneo presents a different culture from high school, especially a more conservative, Chinese school like MGCNL, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Coming from the same background as most if not all MGCNL students, I never experienced a strong culture shock, pressure, or discrimination in Ateneo. I was able to find my place in orgs, academics, and culture.

What is the most important thing a student in your university must possess?

Ahia Kenn: One thing I love about Ateneo is the amount of non-academic opportunities it presents for every student. With that, every Atenean would need to possess the “sariling-kusa” attitude and take the initiative to discover and grab these growth opportunities. From org experiences, case competitions, or tons of internship opportunities, each student is given the chance to craft their own growth journey. In college, you make the decisions for yourself. It would be a waste to not grab the readily available growth and learning opportunities.

Achi Natassja: I would say that the most important trait a student in Ateneo must possess is adaptability. College is extremely different from high school, and it’s here where I realized that the world is much bigger than I previously thought it to be. It was here that I realized there is so much opportunity for me to grow and become a better person, to break out of my shell and venture outside of my usual comfort zone. However, this also meant that I had to get used to starting anew when it came to my academics, social life, and org life. There were so many new experiences and each one of these came with learning opportunities I would never have been able to take advantage of if I didn’t adapt to my environment and learn from everyone around me. I couldn’t just sit around or stay inside my comfort zone. I had to adopt a growth mindset and be easier on myself while also aiming to do the best I could wherever I was. With Ateneo’s culture of acceptance, this also means that students are free to explore and make mistakes but also keep learning from them. Without this adaptability, I would never have been able to grow so much as a person in such a short amount of time.

What are some of the expectations your university has for applying students?

Ahia Kenn: Grades play a role in the application process, but some other major aspects that the university looks for is the student’s involvement in extracurricular activities both in and outside of school. Having leadership and even volunteer experiences is definitely a plus. Additionally, an essay will be required from each applicant. Take this opportunity to showcase who you really are as a person -- your character, values, and ethics. Be honest, straight to the point, and frame your response in a way that would make you creatively stand out from everyone else.

Achi Natassja: I don’t think that I can say for sure what the expectations are for applying students since I am not quite sure what the standards the Office of Admissions have. Nevertheless, I can say that Ateneo’s students are expected to foster and uphold the culture of love and acceptance within the university, to have open minds and open hearts. Like I said earlier, they are expected to be “men and women for others” and to purposefully make space for the people around them, making an effort to empathize with their contexts and make everyone feel comfortable in their environments, even in the online sphere in which we currently operate.

What are some words of advice you would give to MGC students planning to apply to your university?

Ahia Kenn: Pray, pray, pray -- for lots of wisdom and guidance! Consider and think about the courses that you’ll be applying for. I would highly recommend that students take the time to intentionally know the courses they’re interested in by consulting and talking to alumni who have already taken/graduated from the course. Get to know the courses from their experiences, and ask anything and everything about it. Consider telling them what exactly your expectations are, and see if what the course really offers aligns with your expectations. Remember that Ateneo is just really good at marketing their courses, so it will look enticing at first glance. The last thing I’d want you to feel after 4 or 5 years of being in the Ateneo is regret and feeling like you just wasted your time. Do your due diligence, ask, and know the course well! -- Something I wish I did! Keep an open mind and be kind! You’d be surprised to know the number of different characters and personalities you’ll meet along the way! Ateneans are very diverse. You’ll never know -- some of the most unexpected personalities could be one of your college constants.

Take advantage of the amount of non-academic opportunities. Join some or all (HEHE) of the many orgs in Ateneo! Take on leadership roles, discover new team dynamics by joining case competitions, or jump start your career by taking on internship opportunities. Expect heavy traffic in the mornings! Go to school early, like EARLY, if you want parking! HEHE By 8 am, you’ll be VERY blessed if you can still find parking. Take advantage of the resources that are readily available and provided for by the university. Software subscriptions, Microsoft Office, unli google drive storage, campus shuttle service, empty classrooms with aircons turned on -- for tambayan HEHE, etc. Most likely it’s part of your tuition, so might as well make the most of it!

Achi Natassja: As someone who came from MGCNL, I know how sheltered the environment can be. MGCNL students, especially those that have been in the school for very long, are already used to and well-adjusted in the MGCNL environment and culture, which means that a lot (if not all) are confined within their comfort zones. While this is a good thing for students who want to thrive within the school, it also means that it’s going to take a bit of extra effort to adjust again to college! MGCNL has prepared students with different hard and soft skills over the years, and I would say that it would be useful to keep honing these skills, but also to try something new before you graduate. By joining a student org, pushing yourself in your academics, exploring different friend groups, or even taking up leadership roles, you could learn so much more not just in the technical sense (expanding your skillset), but also about yourself. It’s really important that you have an avenue to actively reevaluate your own personal development and to figure out your values, behaviors, and goals. Where do you want to go? What kind of person do you want to be? What life do you want to lead when you leave high school? By answering these questions, you can work towards your vision for yourself and make adjustments to college life (especially college life in Ateneo) a lot easier. Also, study hard not because of grades, but because you want to grow.