Leslie Anne Payongayong, Hezel Ann Sulan
It’s through a sense of winning in both mind and heart that we truly enable ourselves to experience spontaneous joy and celebration. Like how NSTP students consider how bliss can be found in the smiles and interest customers show toward their products.
Booths stood sturdy with handmade crafts and different activities under the heat of the burning sun. Every product calls out offering more than just things to buy but also a moment to stop and connect. It's not just the items on display and the activities that capture hearts. It’s the feeling in the air, a quiet hum of purpose, and the slowly flourishing connection between students—those that buy and those who sell.
© Adrian Joven
The Hands that Unite
The best thing about teamwork is how you get to give your best shot and have shoulders to lean on when success won't find its way to you. But, luckily, there's no such thing as failure for the MSU-GSC's NSTP students, only pure collaboration as they triumphantly join together in harmony for the 2024 NSTP Bazaar.
Every college prepared something fun, and while others stuck to just offering one product, Maria Adrienna Bianca M. Belas, CSSH NSTP P.I.O., and BALCS NSTP president, stated that, “In CSSH, we realized that every block has something to offer; they can showcase their creativity and their brilliance through their products and services. That's why every block was assigned a specific day na pwede i-sell and pwede nila i-showcase ang ilang services.” CSSH’s Talibazaar offers various products like photo booths, face painting, accessories, anime merches, and services such as BAELS’s NSTP board, where you can draw and unleash the creative you, and a wedding booth from the Political Science department.
By building something together, piece by piece, moment by moment, the activity sets the path for students of different colleges to push their limits, and enhance their creativity. And while success may have taken different shapes for everyone, there was no room for failure, only growth, connection, and an essence of what they could achieve when they unite.
© Adrian Joven
From Struggles to Growth
Late nights have become the best hour where they're alive planning just days before the activity. With only a short time to prepare, they faced the initial nerves of setting up their booths, and the doubts creeping in threatening to weaken them.
With most not being able to pursue their desired setup, students expressed how critical the risk they took is. "To be honest, our booth didn't perform well at all. We only had two customers the entire time. I believe the main reason for this was a conflict of interest." Jan Dave Garcia Herbolario of the Political Science department emphasized how the event happened right at a time when most students were caught up in the excitement of sports, other events, and simply hanging out with friends. Leaving the booths nearly overlooked, with only a handful of people stopping by.
But then, these trials became a chance for growth, introducing them into the world of entrepreneurship. "Congratulations! Sana hindi lang mag end dito, pwede ito kahit saang event or kahit siguro sa online services. Ang financial literacy hindi lang po nag i-end dito sa activity ng NSTP. so yun ang advice ko, go for it!" Jean Vergante, of Math Department CNSM, and an NSTP adviser explained how the activity will serve as a way to teach students on how they could overcome financial literacy, as one of the eight topics in NSTP.
© Adrian Joven
In the Spaces Between
It is the little moments that make our intramural experiences remarkable. Between all the busy schedules for practices and cheering in support of our colleges, it is through the moments in between where we would often find the joyous of experiences.
From wedding booths that fill up our hearts with kilig feels to karaoke booths that let us sing our hearts out, it is undeniable that these initiatives indeed cultivate a sense of belongingness and camaraderie among the MSUans.
For Alice Tecson Orayle, a freshie from the Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies, “other than communicating, [connecting] is also the main point of NSTP bazaar; for us to show nga naa ‘tay relationship between one another to help us improve and show that us, together, has the power to create peace.”
Despite the rivalry amongst all colleges in competitions, the booths are a truly remarkable avenue for connecting with all MSUans, regardless of their year, college, and status. The week-long intramurals might be a test of skills and endurance, but with each and every event comes the celebration of a truly unbreakable spirit of camaraderie amongst all Iskolars ng Bayan.
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