RECAP: UST Psychology celebrates Psychology Week 2023
Words by: Franchezca Mharie A. Pascua
ESPAÑA, MANILA — The UST Psychology Department celebrated its Psychology Week with the theme “IMMERSE: Psychology Week 2023” from February 27 to March 3, letting students and faculty members completely immerse themselves in a week full of different seminars, activities, and booths.
The celebration started with a mass, which taught the students that sacrifices had to be made for success. This was followed by the event “PSYaan Ba ‘To Patungo: The Life After College” for students to assess what they want to do after getting their degree. This was explained by the speakers, Asst. Prof. Eric L. Dimar and Prof. Romelito Manuel D.S. Clorina, both alumni of BS Psychology, shared their respective experiences and shared their tips for taking exams to secure their professions.
The seminar “SINTA: AKO NAMAN MUNA: Pagpili, Pagunawa, at Pagpili sa Sarili’’, led by the speakers Mr. Richtofen C. De Jesus, MA, RPsy, RPm, CDR, Ms. Angel Veridiano, and Ms. Eizaleen B. Fusingan, MA was held on the second day. They all shared their knowledge and experiences about love and commitment for their family, friends, significant others, and especially themselves. The “MuPSYeum Posting” and “E-Olympia” were also featured at the event. The “MuPSYeum” centered on creating art with mental health disorders, and become an avenue for small business owners to promote their products. Students unleashed their gaming side as the “E-Olympia” featured Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Valorant, and Call of Duty as the main mobile games for this year’s event.
The third day started with the seminar entitled “PSYcret Potion: Mirrors and Strangers,” which tackled social anxieties like body dysmorphic disorder and social phobia. Social anxiety was tackled by Mr. Luis Angelo M. Villaroel, emphasizing the important issues surrounding anxiety including the 5-Criterion, and elaborated on how social anxiety is the fear of negative valuation. Dr. Ryan Edward T. Rabago, a professional doctor, tackled Body Dysmorphia Disorder, or BDD, known commonly in the medical field as the “perceived disorder.”
“Sikolohiyang Pilipino: Ang SAYSAY at TUGON sa mga HAMON ng PANAHON” was the fourth-day seminar that started with the introduction of Mr. Henmar C. Cardino, MP, DipIR, RPm, CSIOP, CSAP to the speaker, Ms. Lyra Verzosa, MA. She discussed why she pursued her Masters in Psychology even though she had a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of the Philippines. She highlighted how different the lives of small island groups are from modern civilization, requiring immediate rescue responses. She said, “Hindi tayo nasa iisang bangka.”
This was followed by the seminar “Making Transitioning Back to Face-to-Face Classes Meaningful: An Empowerment Mindset” by Ms. Anna Coronel-Manlapit, a UST Psychology alumna and the present Vice President of the Ayala Group of Companies under Globe Telecom, Inc. Her talk centered on the shift from physical to online learning despite its psychological impacts on students and mentors, and the phases of the change, which include adjustment and empowerment.
Lastly, the most anticipated Mental Health Awareness Walk occurred on the last day of the event. Block representatives were to create an advocacy plan for their respective classes. Advocacies, such as SOGIE Bill, gender equality, and suicide prevention were among the topics recommended. Each block showed its creativity and unity in creating slogans, banners, headdresses, and other props to signify their chosen advocacy. The “Coping Outlet’’ had informative booths, facilitated by the sophomores, which tackled different mental disorders.
Psych Week did not end without the special performances from bands and groups like Fourtes, Papapeta, Colinas, Saving Sunday, the UST Psychology Talent Pool, and UST Archetypes at “SOLANA: Solace through PSYning at Agham.” The afternoon concert marked the end of the week-long event prepared by the UST Department of Psychology.
