Thank you!!

Jewelz says...

Just wanna say thanks to all the readers of I am STRONG. Sad to say but the semester is ending and we'll be graduating! :) Thanks also to my groupmates!!

Here's an interesting video my friend Jem shared with me...

Blogs by UA&P IMC students:

your world vision - http://urworldvision.blogspot.com

ikeeplovereal - http://ikeeplovereal.blogspot.com

project isko - http://uapprojectisko.blogspot.com

isharehappiness - http://isharehappiness.blogspot.com

out of place - http://uap-outofplace.blogspot.com

knowledge channel - http://kchanneluap.blogspot.com

UA&P I AM S.T.R.O.N.G: Save Up!

Sara says..

We all know that Summer’s coming up and most of us won’t get our weekly allowances anymore, once classes have ended. For other future purposes, saving always comes in handy. It’s time to get practical by saving up money.

These tips will help all of us practice saving to live a practical and disciplined daily life. Here are a few tips on how to save money: (by Stephanie Dychiu)

#1: First of all, set aside 10% of your allowance. If you get P100 a day, stash 10 pesos and use only the 90. Or ask your parents to save it for you.

#2: Bring home-cooked food to school. Especially, last night’s leftovers would be more practical for it saves you money from cooking more food.

#3: Stop yourself from going to malls all the time. For now, focus on the places and things that will not tempt you to purchase things you don’t need. Need more clothes? I suggest you take a trip to bazaars or even ukay-ukay. They are cheap and if you look through clothes well, there are chances you’d see really good finds.

#4: Try to find a part-time job. I know we’re all young here, but try to be business-minded as soon as now. Sell things like candies, “kikay” stuff and others, or apply as an English tutor. You’re very much encouraged to do the things you love doing.

#5: Have a goal with a deadline and work towards it. Start saving up and plan certain goals ahead of time, so as to have a goal to look forward to. That should motivate us to do well in all our endeavors.

#6: Once you’ve been able to save as much money, like 1000 pesos, you could deposit at least 500 of you money. This will keep you going and saving.

Easy right? No, it is not easy, but you can develop the habit as you continue to do such. Let me know what you think? Do you save? We’d love to hear your side. J

Brought to you by UA&P I am S.T.R.O.N.G.

UA&P's I am S.T.R.O.N.G: Proverb

John ponders,

Final exams ahead of us! Reflect for a while and think of Him, our source of Wisdom and Knowledge.

"If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

James 1:5

Brought to you by UA&P I am S.T.R.O.N.G.

UA&P I AM STRONG- Just your LUCK!

Krystle shares some good stuff...

Luck is often regarded as a force that works for good and bad in a person’s like. Naturally, we all want the good. That’s why we go to some extremes to make sure that we become lucky and we stay that way—using a lucky pencil for a test, wearing lucky socks for a badminton tournament, or even keeping a lucky penny in our wallets! However, there are some people who seem to think that they are followed by bad luck wherever they go. To those people, take heart. Here’s an article by Angel Constantino which presents 7 strategies on how you can change your fate.


BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE LUCKY.

You create your own luck based on how you think and see things. If you believe that you will always be unlucky in love for example, you might just end up attracting the wrong kind of person. Train your mind to be more optimistic. If you begin the day on a positive note, you draw yourself to more potential lucky situations. Once you change your mindset, you’ll be surprised at how much your luck will change!

BE OPEN TO ALL POSSIBILITIES.

Lucky people are lucky because they know a good opportunity when they see one. If you want to create your own good luck, it’s important to have an open mind. Don’t disregard those things that seem coincidental. For instance, if you need to earn extra cash and your friend asks your help to start and online business, explore the idea—it might just be the break you are looking for.

TURN YOUR BAD LUCK INTO GOOD LUCK.

If you got a low grade on a paper, focus on what went right instead of berating yourself for what went wrong. Evaluate what you did and think about what you can do to make it better. This allows you to look at the positive side of any situation and will bring you good luck the next time around.

KNOW THE MOST GOOD LUCK COMES FROM OTHER PEOPLE.

Lucky breaks are often brought to you by other people. Say, you hear a classmate complaining about how this teacher is Malabo and how difficult it is to understand the lessons. Instead of griping along with them, a light bulb clicks in your head and you think of a peer tutoring project to help them. It even impresses your teachers that they give you a leadership award! Your classmates will be amazed at how lucky you are but the truth is, the idea came from them!

BE READY FOR LUCK.

Good luck favors those who are prepared for it. Imagine you’ve always dreamed of being an actress in your favorite telenovela. One day, a talent scout watches you in a school play, and is impressed by your performance, and invites you to an audition. Are you prepared for this big break? Or are you just going o fake your way though it? Opportunities like this come only once in a lifetime. Though it was handed to you on a silver platter, you still have to work hard to turn your dream into reality.

BE MORE GENEROUS.

As the saying goes, “The more you give, the more you receive.” The orectice of generousity—becoming more understanding, learning to be more cheerful, and being a better friend—are surefire ways to attract luck. Improving your attitude will also enhance your overall wellbeing—and you cant get any luckier than that!

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE.

The Universal Law of Attraction states that “like attracts like.” If you are focused enough on your goals, you will attract exactly what you want, and vice versa. When things go wrong in our lives we tend to deny any responsibility and blame others. But if there’s anything in your life you want to change, nobody can do it but yourself.

Do you consider yourself lucky? Why? What do you do or have to keep that luck stuck to you? Tick the comment link and share 'em with us!


*we support UA&P I AM STRONG

UA&P - I AM S.T.R.O.N.G: 5 Ways to Beat the Clock

Joie shares..

I have 3 more weeks to go and I’ll be done with school! Summer, home, rest, fun and no stress :) But before all that happens, the last 3 weeks for school will be extra hectic for me. I have too many things to accomplish in a limited amount of time. My planner is filled with meetings, presentations , exams and deadlines. Hmm.. not a very pretty sight!

I’m sure most of you are also going through the same thing. So here’s something I found which might be helpful! Take time to read and apply these useful tips for you not to be too stressed during the last weeks of school! Good luck everyone! :)

5 Ways to Beat the Clock

Taking a minute to read this will actually save you time … and stress.

by Cherissa Roebuck

1. Start at the Top

You can't do everything, right? But you can do the most important things. That's why you have to figure out what's really important, what's kind of important and what's not so important. Here's how: Make a list of ways you spend your time. Include homework, watching TV, sports, time with family and friends, IMing, and other things you do during a typical week.

Next, rank each item on the list with a number, from most important to least important. The next time you must decide between two activities, think about your priority list and choose the activity that's more important. Another important tip: If you play on two sports teams and are in three different clubs, take a hard look at all five activities and decide which of the five are most important. You may even have to cut out two or three activities. Yeah, it's tough, but concentrating on, say, one sport makes you a better, more-focused athlete than splitting your energy and your time between three. It will also help you avoid burnout.

2. Get Organized

"I forgot!" "I'm late again!" "I can't make the debate meet! I have an appointment with my orthodontist!" Sound familiar? Then you seriously need some organization in your life. Without it, you'll end up late, lost and losing out. With it, you'll probably end up with more time than you thought possible. Want a little organizational secret? It's called a PDA or day planner. You need something to help you keep a detailed schedule of all of your assignments, appointments and responsibilities—as well as an up-to-date list of important phone numbers and e-mail addresses. A PDA or day planner will help keep you from double-booking; it will also help keep you from losing assignments and important phone numbers.

3. Be Nice to Yourself

With all the things you have to do, it's easy to forget about taking care of your body. Don't let that happen. The next time you're tempted to pull an all-nighter or skip another meal because you're late for play practice, think twice. And think priority list. Decent eating habits, sleep and exercise should probably be near the top of the list. Here's the thing: When you're healthy and well rested, you feel better and you usually end up making the best use of the time you have.

4. Say "No"

If you're the type of person who's constantly overcommitting, you must learn to say no. Even if an activity or opportunity is good, it could be a bad choice if you already have too much to do. Possible problem: You overcommit because you're a people pleaser. That's a tough one, but try working on this area of your life. Practice saying no in a mirror. Spend time thinking about how much God loves you for who you are. Memorize Psalm 139:13-18. Repeat this sentence over and over: "I am important not because of what I do, but because God loves me!"

5. Don't Waste Small Spaces

Every day is the hiding place for small spaces of time. Search them out and put them to work. Let's say you're waiting in line at the mall. You can tap your foot impatiently over that terribly slow sales clerk. Or you can pull out small note cards and work on Spanish vocab. What about those spaces of time you spend waiting for a friend to arrive? Make good use of those five or ten minutes: Clear your floor of dirty clothes, write a note to a friend, pray for a family member. Another way to use those small spaces: Think about how you can use those small spaces!

* Brought to you by UA&P I am S.T.R.O.N.G.

UA&P - I AM S.T.R.O.N.G: Allow God to Write Your Love Story

Ruther writes..

How do you find your true mate at an early age? Many young people get into boy-girl relationships while they’re still in high school. They think that what they actually experiencing is true love. However, are we really in a relationship for the right reasons? Are we praying and committing our future partner to God? This might be something God would say for those people who are in a hurry to be in a relationship.

On His Plan for Your Mate


Everyone longs to give himself/ herself completely to someone, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God says:

“No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled and contented with living, loved by me alone; with giving yourself totally and unreservedly for me. To have an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone.”

“I love you My child. You won’t be capable of true love and cannot experience also the kind of love I’ve planned for you, until you discover that only in Me can you find satisfaction.

I want you to stop planning, stop wishing and instead just allow Me to give the thrilling plan existing—one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best. Please allow Me to bring it to you. Keep learning and listening to the things I am telling you – you must wait. Don’t be anxious. Don’t look around at the things others got for themselves or those that I have given them. Don’t look for things you think you want. Just keep your eyes on Me or you’ll miss what I want to show you.

And then when you are ready, I will surprise you with love far more than wonderful that you’d ever dream. You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready, (I’m working even this very moment to have both of you ready), and until you are both satisfied exclusively with ME and the life I have prepared for you, you won’t; be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me. And this is perfect love.”

Don’t hurry love for it will come in the right place and time.

Allow God to write your love story!

*Brought to you by UA&P I am S.T.R.O.N.G.

UA&P I am STRONG- Prepping for the Finals

Krystle thinks you should read this

Do you sweat, chew your pencil, and feel butterflies in your stomach as your teacher hands out a test? A lot of people (adults included) get freaked out when it's time to take a test.

It's natural to feel some stress about taking tests. In fact, sometimes a little adrenaline (a hormone made by your body during times of excitement or stress) is a good thing to jump-start you.

Finals is just around the corner so here some tips for taking tests that I found:

• First, be sure you've studied properly. It sounds like a no-brainer, but if you're sure of the information, you'll have less reason to be worried.
• Get enough sleep the night before the test. Your memory recall will be much better if you've had enough rest. In a scientific study, people who got enough sleep before taking a math test did better than those who stayed up all night studying.
• Listen closely to any instructions. As the teacher hands out the test, be sure you know what's expected of you.
• Read the test through first. Once you have the test paper in front of you, read over the entire test, checking out how long it is and all the parts that you are expected to complete. This will allow you to estimate how much time you have for each section and ask the teacher any questions. If something seems unclear before you start, don't panic: ask.
• Focus on addressing each question individually. As you take the test, if you don't know an answer, don't obsess over it. Instead, answer the best way you can or skip over the question and come back to it after you've answered other questions.
• Relax. If you're so nervous that you blank out, you might need a mini-break. Of course you can't get up and move around in the middle of a test, but you can wiggle your fingers and toes, take four or five deep breaths, or picture yourself on a beach or some other calm place. As we all know, it can be easy to forget things we know well - like a locker combination. The difference is we know we'll remember our locker combination because we've used it hundreds of times, so we don't panic and the combination number eventually comes back. During a test, if you blank out on something and start to get tense, it suddenly becomes much more difficult to remember.
• Finished already? Although most teachers will let you hand a test in early, it's usually a good idea to spend any extra time checking over your work. You also can add details that you may not have thought you'd have time for. On the other hand, if you have 5 minutes until the bell rings and you're still writing, wind up whatever you're working on without panicking.

These tips should help most people, but some can get serious test-taking terror. If you're one of them, you may need to talk to a parent, teacher, or counselor for help.

Good luck!

Do you have any tips to share? Stuff that worked for you in the past? Tick the comment box and start typing! Cheerio!


*brought to you by UA&P I AM STRONG

UA&P - I am STRONG: SPANK'd

Jewelz says...

I am also an active blogger at SPANK'd. It is a blog created to turn passive audiences in to active ones by being able to point out unethical ads.

Definition:

SPANK (spăngk)
v., SPANK'd, spank·ing, spanks.
To discipline an ad because of it’s unethical content.

There are many advertisements that are unethical, yet as audiences, we just allow the ad to pass us by. The long term effect of passive viewing of unethical ads can be very harmful. It can desensitize us and sooner or later we would be accepting unethical ads as a norm. As audiences, we should have a critical eye on what we listen to, what we watch on TV and what we see on the billboards all around us. If there is something wrong with what we see, we should step up and act upon ads that do not promote values.

Please visit http://ethicaladvertising.blogspot.com to read more about SPANK'd. In the meantime, let me share with you one of my favorite ads by Coke.

This is an example of a good ad.

Something I want to ask... Why do you think it's important to be critical of what you watch? What are some good ads and bad ads you know?

*This blog is in support of UA&P I am S.T.R.O.N.G.

UA&P - I am STRONG: Fundraiser at UA&P

Here are some pictures of our first day for our fundraiser for UA&P's I am S.T.R.O.N.G.

In your own way, how have you helped others? Or how have others helped you? :)

*Brought to you by UA&P I am S.T.R.O.N.G.

UA&P I AM S.T.R.O.N.G: Can you hear this sound?

John shares what he has discovered from a fellow philmug (philippine macintosh users group) member.
Thanks to philmug user lord_art8!

click here to listen.


This is a sound that can only be heard by people under 20 (some over 20 can hear it but not many) - it is a sine wave at 18,000 Hz (by comparison, a dog whistle sounds at 16,000 - 22,000 HZ - meaning your dog can hear this “under 20s” sound as well). This sound is used by some teenagers as a ring tone on their mobile phone so that only they (and others of their age group) can tell when the phone is ringing. It is also occasionally used in England to play very loud in areas that authorities don’t want teens to congregate in, as the noise annoys them. As people get older they lose the ability to hear higher pitched sounds - that is the reason that only young people can hear this sound - it is too high for most people over the age of 20.

*Brought to you by UA&P I am S.T.R.O.N.G.

UA&P I AM S.T.R.O.N.G: HappySlip's Boypren

Sara speaks..

Hey guys!

I discovered this video from Christine Gambito, also known as HappySlip, not so long ago and I decided to show it to you guys now. I think it’s a very funny video, one of the funniest videos of Happy Slip. For those who do not know who Happy Slip is, she’s a long-time video blogger in YouTube and she was recently named the Ambassador of Tourism. She acts, directs, sings and does so many things in her videos. Most of her videos depict Filipino family habits and culture in the States.

For this certain video, we have Happy Slip showing us how her “cousin” Minnie has a boyfriend and how her “aunt” brags it to everyone. Watch the video to find out more about how talented our current Ambassador is.

This video is not only funny, but also poses a very interesting topic. It shows how teenagers get caught having a romantic relationship with someone by their parents and how oddly parents react to that sort of situation. Watch the video and tell me if you can relate.

There are more HappySlip videos on YouTube. Be sure to catch them. You’ll feel the Filipino pride upon seeing the videos.

How old do you think is it okay to start being in a relationship? How did your parents react when they found out about your boyfriend or girlfriend? What do you think of the video? What do you think of HappySlip?

Let me know what you think.

Brought to you by UA&P I am S.T.R.O.N.G.

UA&P I AM S.T.R.O.N.G. Fundraiser!

UA&P I AM STRONG is having a week long fundraiser in support of the I AM S.T.R.O.N.G. Organization starting tomorrow, March 3 to March 7 2008 at the Ledge in the University of Asia and the Pacific.


Lots of Accessories, Chocolates and Dessert Cookies will be on SALE


Proceeds will go to the I AM S.T.R.O.N.G. Organization's efforts of teaching and spreading good values to Filipino Teens.


We hope that you support us! Thank you!





*have you made efforts to support a worthy cause sometime in the past? if so, click the comment link and share them with us!



we support the I AM STRONG Organization of UA&P

UA&P I AM S.T.R.O.N.G presents: S.T.R.O.N.G Ads

Sometimes the biggest changes can be made from the simplest of ideas. Here are a few catchy ads that will make you think twice about the way you've been living your days.

Joie wants you to check these out!







Ads from: http://notsalmon.com/

So what do YOU think of the ads? And which one is your favorite?

* Brought to you by UA&P I am S.T.R.O.N.G.