OVERWORKED AND UNDERSLEPT

PHOTO TAKEN FROM: LINK

A mental, emotional, or physical strain brought about by burdensome circumstances, more commonly known as stress, is not unusual for many. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, “on a scale of 1-10 where one means ‘little or no stress’ and 10 means ‘a great deal of stress’, people aged 18-33 are reporting an average of 5.4.” The bracket evidently pertains to people who are in college.

Our fast-paced world demands a lot from us. To be competent enough, one must not just finish at least fourteen years of study, but must excel all throughout as well. Accountancy students are not new to this situation. From the time they have started taking up the program up to the time they are about to take the board exams, the pressure given to them is unimaginable. In a world full of competition, students tend to go beyond their own capacities just to be on top. They extend their hours of review or go through intensive tutorials which lead to sleepless nights. Add to that the mountain-pile of homework and quizzes that the professors give out. But aside from academic matters, majority of these students also juggle their schedule to fit extra-curricular activities into whatever time they have left. A few examples would be running for student council presidency or trying out for the basketball team or even participating in various academic and non-academic competitions.

At first, being active is good because it shows how productive a student is. However, these kids unconsciously abuse themselves by doing things all at once. The most noticeable effect of stress is the emergence of illnesses like headache, gastrointestinal problems, and even heart complications. Anxiety and mood swings may also occur and may even lead to a more severe disorder like depression.

There are a lot of articles published today which provide information on how to fight stress. But probably, the three most effective are: eat, prioritize, and laugh. One should eat nutritious food to replenish the lost nutrients in the body. Another helpful tip is to carry a planner and stick to a checklist so tasks can be done immediately. But after going through all that stress, one thing that students, specifically those taking up Accountancy, should not forget is to have fun. After all, as the famous line goes, “All work and no play makes John a dull boy.”

THINK GREEN

PHOTO TAKEN FROM: http://www.biochar-international.org/profile_Neil_Lumanlan_biochar_stoves

Typhoons in the Philippines are not unusual. However, those that cause great flooding have become unbearable for many, especially those who have been affected tremendously. Ondoy, Milenyo, and Yolanda are just some of the most severe downpours that the Filipinos have managed to live through. But no matter how resilient we are, we do not have the capacity to withstand all its drastic consequences forever. One typhoon survivor had the same realization.  Right after the life-changing typhoon Ketsana, he immediately thought of ways on how to reduce, if not totally eradicate, the repercussions of global warming. A University of Santo Tomas Instructor, Mr. Neil Ian Lumanlan devotes much of his time making gasifier stoves and intensifying the benefits it can give. The biochar, a charcoal used as a soil amendment, is the end product of these green stoves. Studies show they can be utilized to produce negative carbon dioxide emissions which can hopefully save our planet from being destroyed by the unwanted results of our own slackness. According to the International Biochar Initiative, this newly-discovered charcoal can be used to refine soil quality for better agricultural produce; can draw down atmospheric carbon; do not pollute land or water; and can recover processed heat for energy production. But most importantly, they can enhance the ecological conditions for biodiversity and thus, improving sustainability. With these perceived benefits, Mr. Lumanlan tries his best to promote this new green technology. As an instructor, he teaches Accountancy majors how to build stoves from tin cans that will eventually produce biochars and even gives them sample products from his own business to be used in their own homes. But aside from that, he also makes an effort to travel to provinces and help farmers build their very own version of biochar-producing green stoves. Simple yet truly revolutionary — these are the words that would best describe this young man’s projects towards a cleaner and greener environment. After experiencing the drastic effects of climate change, he believes that this simple step can make a difference and may really help the people around him to change and save our beloved planet before it’s too late.