...and yes, we feel a bit of superiority but we usually hide it because we're smart enough to know that relationships are just as important as degrees.
I thought this so, because some people who don't have UP degrees try to justify themselves saying, "You may have a degree from UP, but I am better than you," in the same way that people who don't have advanced degrees also say, "You may have an advanced degree, but I am better than you."
Come to think about it, maybe I hate these statements and the attitudes that borne them because they're anti-relationship. This is not the UP way. The UP way would be not saying those things directly to people; instead we'll tell another fellow UP grad "That was just stupid. Obviously not from UP." Of course, that is if indeed those actions of theirs are stupid and those people not from UP.
Read my next post, I donated two cents there, talking about advanced degrees. Basically the same as for advanced degrees, not all with UP degrees think, talk, or walk like they have UP degrees, sadly.
Sure, call us nerds all you want, and that's okay because you still live in the 1980s where you think we will have our revenge on you and that Marcos can win the snap elections easy. But just to keep you updated to the here and now, the real UP nerds are cool. The real UP nerds that I know are good in sports, in relationships with the opposite sex and in relationships in general, in music, in dance, and in all other things all at the same time, that other people's minds cannot ever fathom.
To some people, UP people are one-dimensional. To those people, this I can tell you: You haven't actually met a UP graduate.
You know how well-rounded UP grads are?
We usually only have 15 units per semester, as opposed to the 20+ units or so in other schools (ever heard of high school?). That's how wise our school is. And likewise, we then use our free time quite wisely. We drink. We party. We play basketball. We climb mountains. And for some courses, we usually study only the night before those killer exams. And still pass. That's how good we are.
And we're usually almost 100% sure to pass those government licensure exams. I don't agree that just because some schools produce more licensed professionals than UP, and normally produce the best scores in those exams, they are better schools.
But you know what makes better schools? Research. Read one of my earlier articles!
Research is what UP graduates are more capable of, and that's why UP is just better. Oh no, you stupid! Research is not just about finding stuff other people already wrote on the internet. That's high school research. We're talking about universities here, remember? To put it as simply as possible, research is inventing stuff and discovering new things, doing it all while following a highly disciplined approach, and being able to present it all in a clear and concise way and to convince panels of experts in the field. This all requires a certain level of intelligence. Sure, the reverse is not the same; not all innovators or inventors and the like came from UP. But coming from UP just gives you that edge. We are trained to think. We are not trained to memorize exam questions.
Anyway, during my time, there were probably 15 of us civil engineering graduates from UP, and all of us passed the licensure exam. Well, there maybe one who didn't pass but basically that person had other priorities during that time. On the other hand, another school had around 120 graduates and maybe only 50 passed the exam. So, do they provide better education than UP? Their two magna cum laude graduates who had the best and 3rd best scores in the licensure exam, had to study how to pass the licensure exam for more than a year. Whereas I reviewed for the exam for only half a year (like most everyone else), and that wasn't even full time. I was my usual self, at least until a month before the exam - playing basketball and badminton and ping-pong and the PlayStation, partying, drinking, going out with girls and groups of girls, and so on. No graduated with honors for me.
Because they don't give away those titles, much less those degrees, in UP that easily. Hmmm, I suddenly remember this other country where it appears quite easy to obtain bachelor's degrees, advanced degrees, and even advanced positions in some institutions, probably for as long as you're arrogant enough and you have a very strong, no-Axe appeal.
Anyways, that's that. In UP, we are trained to think, to understand, and not just simply to pass exams. If you can't understand that, you don't have a UP degree. Or don't really have one. Disclaimer: I'm one of the stupider people from UP. I failed one course, and was conditionally passing for one or two others, during my undergrad years.
Sure, just because we have UP degrees doesn't make us better. But it doesn't make you better as well.
P.S. To get into UP, you only need to be a good elementary and high school student. There's still a chance, at least for your children. :D Oh, you can get an advanced degree from UP. Finish it, then, welcome to the family!
P.P.S. Yes, we from UP are quite proud, arrogant even, and we won't deny it. However, unlike other people, we don't usually tell others because that might put those others down, and we know that's not right. Check me out, I'm not mentioning names of other people, schools, or countries here, right? Besides, it's probably your tax pesos that paid for our education. :P
I do acknowledge the many wonderful capabilities of a UP graduate, both in academic and social skills. What makes me feel uncomfortable however is that distinct manifestation of superiority and the behavior that goes with it. Possibly one can think that he is smart enough to hide it, but one cannot outsmart the subconscious. The conscious part tries to hide it to the expense of becoming blind to the manifestations of the subconscious. The consequence is a feedback from the environment which the conscious part cannot accept because it thinks that it is smart enough to hide such kind of behavior. Because the feedback cannot be accepted, mind reading ensues to condemn the environment that it does not understand and its feedback is unjustified. What some UP graduate lack is the ability to put oneself in other's shoes, that is, to express sincere feelings of empathy, before he thinks to himself (not yet saying to the other person) that this person or this behavior is stupid. Sometimes, wisdom is lacking, that is the acceptance of ignorance in the beginning, and that there is so much more to learn, understand and potential to acknowledge. They fail to see the structure of how other people behave, a consequence of failing to see one's self at a distance and of expressing empathy. Sometimes a UP graduate fails to recognize potential in other people especially non-UP graduates. Some of them allow their sense of confidence and superiority blind them and fail to see the larger context they are in and so not noticing the larger circuits that eventually throw a feedback back to them. The vicious cycle moves on unchecked because as they receive feedback, the superiority circuit is activated so that the feedback is judged as stupid.
ReplyDeleteResearch is also about discovering what is already there, so common that it has become hard to notice. As Greeks gives importance to the maxim "Know thyself", maybe some UP graduate has to listen and notice what is already there but hidden in the noise of daily life.
My apologies and thank you for allowing me to comment.
Hey, thanks for your comments! I'm as interested to read them as much as I love writing these articles. I tried not to generalize, and I hope that was clear. You pointed out things that I've observed as well. Anyways, I haven't and cannot put myself in all situations, but in the situations I was in, I generally saw greater growth potential in the UP grads than in those who weren't. And it's not that all non-UP grads don't have the same potential. Seeing this now more than a year later, I guess this post was an angry response to non-UP people not recognizing UP grads with potential, and instead using certain other metrics to promote certain people instead. Those things could be discouraging. At the same time, as I wrote, I know not all UP grads live up to that expectation of a UP grad. I know some smart but lazy UP grads. They certainly make longer lasting impressions on others.
DeleteOn research being discovering what is already out there -- sure. The problem is, people stop there.
Hey, no need to apologize. Thanks again!