ADMAIN, Heba O.

NSG101

As a freshman, the Introductory Academic Program (IAP) was a huge help for me to
become more familiar with my college campus even in this online set-up. It is not easy to enter
college and switch to a different school during this pandemic as it would be hard to have a grasp
on the nature of the new environment where we will spend our time growing and developing.
However, through this event, the Mindanao State University showed its eagerness to give its
students the chance to experience the campus life amidst these times. Not only that, but they also
took this opportunity for everyone to get to know more about the school itself, from the facilities
to the personnel who make up the very backbone of the quality education they offer.

For the first day of the IAP, the program kicked off with a message from Dr. Habib
Macaayong, the president of the Mindanao State University System. The first part of the program
left me a good impression as they included prayers for both the Muslims and Christians, which
was a first experience for me. I think it radiated a welcoming atmosphere that was enough to
make everyone feel a sense of belonging. After this, two girls led the audience on a campus tour.
I was amazed at how big the campus actually was. It made me feel excited to explore the
university once I get the chance to. I was grateful for the people behind it as they provided us
with a sneak peek of the great things that we should look forward to as an MSUan. The different
organizations that comprise the university were also introduced. As a result, I got interested to
know more about these and was inclined to join one. I am currently applying for one, and I hope
I qualify for it. They also talked about the various offices which serve the school and the
students, like the Office of the University Registrar. This made it easier for me to determine
where I should go to in case I encounter a particular problem.

During the second day of the program, the Library Services of the MSU were discussed.
It was nice to know that there is a place I can go to whenever I’m in need of various sources of
information for my school works. I am also looking forward to visiting the library once I get the
opportunity to do so since I am fond of places like that. In addition, we were also able to tackle
more about the importance of media and information literacy and the google applications. This
was particularly helpful to everyone as I think we needed to hear more about it due to our current
situation. Nowadays, our education system is online which is why it is more important than ever
that the students remain informed and aware about these topics. It is difficult to adjust to this new
learning method, and I believe that talking about it has helped the students become more familiar
with the tools that we are going to use for online classes.
 Meanwhile, the third and fourth days talked more about the subjects of research and
grammar. It was a refresher that everyone needed, as every student should be knowledgeable
about it. Everyone has to do research, after all. With it, I was able to recall topics that I have
almost forgotten over time. I’m sure the information I got from watching it will be useful this
academic year. Lastly, the program gave tips for online classes on the fifth day which was handy
for our current set-up. It also inspired me to perform better because I learned new things that I
could apply to myself with this new learning system. The mental health of the students was also
addressed, another important subject especially during the crisis that we are going through right
now. Everyone is going through a hard time due to the drastic changes we have to undergo this
pandemic. Looking after ourselves should be one of our priorities right now. The program then
ended after the closing remarks.

All in all, the five-day program was successful in its goal of providing the MSUans with
information that would be useful for us now that the school year is starting. It was a nice
experience overall, as I got to see how an event in the university works. My freshmen year has
barely even started, yet I already have gained so much with this event. I am looking forward to
more of the university’s program in the years that I will spend here in the future. Kudos to the
people behind the Introductory Academic Program!