speech (miting de avanse)

My dear nursing students I am greatly venerated to be with you today, the feeling of honor is reflected by the fact that we have become an indispensable part of the institution, St. Luke’s College of Nursing with that I would like to greet you a very pleasant day. 

About three weeks ago, a friend gave a name to me and called me “Si Jenzel Complainant”. Well, I told her with all sincerity “yeah I am. ‘coz I can see floss to things that people won’t care about.” To others it may sound a bit sarcastic but to my friend it is the normal Jenzel. For she perfectly knew that it is what I am.

I’ve been a student here at Trinity University of Asia for the last three years and all I did was sit in a four cornered room listen to my professors, talk with my friends, observe people and events, criticize their flosses and eventually complain. Don’t get me wrong people I just state facts that I have observed and it unfortunately it would sound as a complaint.  I complain a lot. It is what I love to do maybe because I want some things to happen and I want to see changes.  Then when I was in my third year an event made me ponder on these questions “What will happen to my complaints if no one would hear about it? If nobody would work on it?” Then it came to me that complaints would be just complaints if no one would knew it. Plans would just be thoughts if it can’t be put into process. I would just be an appellant student if I wouldn’t do anything.

I did not grow just to be a passive person and practicing “come what may”. I was brought up to believe that destiny does not mean letting things fall into places rather making things happen. For that reason I decided to join organizations and activities to make my complaints be things of existence. However, things still can be brought into higher level. I said to myself “Why not run as an SNA officer since I don’t want to be just an plaintiff student? Why not step up and make a difference? Make a mark?”      

Within my stay in the nursing family I have encountered different kinds of dilemmas; brain-twisting academics, sleep inducing professors not to forget those who can trigger a heart attack to students, fickle minded peers, anti-social schedules, and other stuff which I won’t itemize anymore. With all that I did not do anything about it. I did not even try to work on it. Mainly because I was apprehensive to approach people who can help me and who are involved in them. I know I share those dilemmas with other students; we are having hard time to communicate with the higher office. Yes, we have the SNA officers back then to guide and help us but I never had the guts to come near them simply because I felt that they are way untouchable. Well, sorry to my friends who were officers but that’s how I felt.
          Years of tough communication between the office and students should be changed. Years of vague understanding on going between us should be made lucid. And how to make this happen?

We have the SNA Gazette but what do we find inside it? First-class reputation of the college, blissful events that we have celebrated, life of significant people, literatures etc. but we cannot come across a page where we can find “Why does the 4th floor restroom look like a public comfort room?” “Why does Mr. X give false schedules on exams?” “Why can’t we wear flops during wash days?” Those phrases are nowhere to be found in the Gazette, to think that the Gazette is a paper of the students and not for promotion. A simple way of communication was not being utilized to its fullest. And I know someone could appeal on that. Why not give at least two pages of the paper for the students’ shout-outs? Why not allow them to cry what they feel? What students need, what we need is a bridge to connect us to the administration and to other fellow students. It is one thing I wanted to emphasize on. It is what I want to enhance. A thing I want to improve. Communication.
             Changing a weak communication to a strong one is the first thing I am seeking for. Without it, the family that we have would not be a family but a group of people staying in one college who merely understand each other.

Looking back it is one of my complaints –the weak link between our SNA family. And yes I have plans to strengthen it, the said SNA Gazette, have an open communication of the officers, update the website, and so on. There are tons of ways to fortify the family. The only missing thing is the action to be done. 

             Ladies and gentlemen I am not standing here to compare myself to anybody rather to present what I have in me. I am not here to say that I am against the administration rather to say that I can do something to appeal to them. Neither I am here to prove I am an ally of the students instead to tell them that I am one of them and can represent them. I am here to be one of the bricks to build the bridge between the administration and my fellow students. I believe in what Helen Keller has said, “I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do something I can do.” I am Jenzel Añonuevo of 4nu01, running for SNA president. Thank you and have a good day.

sadly the whole speech was not delivered for some inevitable reasons…