5 Valuable Things I Learned as a HUMSS Student

Senior high school helps discover our strengths and realize our weaknesses, in order to bring out the best in us. It’s also a chapter where we get a glimpse of the things we can expect in college and where we meet teachers who will push you to think and do things for yourself.

I am a Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) strand graduate. As I look back on the vivid memories of my senior high school life— all of the heated classroom debates, textbook readings, speeches I had to memorize, and performance practices— all of these have taught me some of the most valuable things about life in general. Here are five most valuable things I will take as a HUMSS student.

It trains you to think and consider ALL sides of a situation.

It’s common in a HUMSS classroom to be knee deep in debates, especially if the topic interests everyone. Whether you are involved in the action or are standing in the sidelines, you’ll get to hear all kinds of information and opinions. You’ll learn how to weigh each one, sort them out, and decide for yourself what would be the best course of action. Being exposed to this, one good thing you will understand is the value of listening. I’ve had Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences subjects in HUMSS and I found it really useful especially that one of the topics in it is counseling.

The avid reader and the aspiring know-it-all are both at an advantage here.

If you’re the kind of person who finds yourself randomly hitting some article you found in the internet or someone who just believes that #KnowledgeIsPower, congrats! You’ll fit right in. A HUMSS classroom is a hub for information sharing and includes a lot of conversations and exchange of ideas. You’ll most likely have the upper hand during class discussions.

You will realize that you have power

One thing that the HUMSS subjects instill in you is that you’re powerful as a human being. You’ll learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is highly important in our world. You’ll learn about your power as a citizen in Philippine Politics and Governance. You’ll learn the power of your mind in Philosophy. Trust me, learning under the HUMSS strand is an eye-opener.

Confidence will slowly but surely become your second skin.

Even if you’re naturally shy, gradually, you’ll learn how to speak up for yourself. You’ll find that you are comfortable in saying what’s on your mind because that’s what being in the HUMSS strand encourages you to do: to share your thoughts to the world.

Individuality and diversity are welcome.

You’ll learn how to appreciate the differences between people, especially in the subject Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems and Trends, Networks, as well as Critical Thinking in the 21st Century Culture. Everyone is inherently unique in their own ways. Understanding and embracing it is one step closer towards achieving harmonic coexistence with one another.

Above all else, a HUMSS student isn’t just a curious person. A HUMSS student is a citizen of the world. Once a Humanista, always a Humanista.

 

This submission was sent in by Faten Joyce Aquino from University of the Philippines – Diliman with minor edits done by Edukasyon.ph staff. The following views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect that of Edukasyon.ph or its editors. For more info on how to get your work published, visit Edukasyon.ph on Facebook or send your essays directly to support@edukasyon.ph with the subject line: BLOG SUBMISSION- Name. We look forward to reading your work!