By Gabriela Baron
Acing one admission from one of the country’s top universities was never easy, but these two students did it three more times.
Althea Mae Pingol got accepted at the Philippines “Big 4” universities: University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), De La Salle University, and University of Santo Tomas (UST), while Malena Ballon passed UP, AdMU, UST, and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
READ MORE: UP slips, DLSU maintains rank in Asian university rankings
Pingol and Ballon’s secret? Time management and ample rest.
Pingol stricly follows the Pomodoro Technique.
The technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo. It uses timer to break work into intervals, typically 25 minutes long, separated by short breaks.
“It helped me maximize and balance my time for academic and non-academic tasks. It is a method where people work for 25-minute sessions separated by five-minute breaks,” Pingol said in an interview with PTV Digital Media.
“After every four Pomodoros or work sessions, the break is extended to 15 to 20 minutes longer. I hope that it will also be as helpful to the students in online classes as it did to me,” she continued.
For Ballon, she always makes sure to sleep at least seven hours a day as she believes it helps her to maximize her performance every day.
“Before doing all my tasks and responsibilities, I always make a schedule with specific time slots for each task. This helps me not procrastinate with everything I need to do,” she added.
“Also, I never forget to rest in between each task to prevent the feeling of burnout,” she continued.
Preparations
Since the “Big 4” universities waived entrance tests and instead based admissions on applicants’ past academic performance, and essays, Pingol said the process made her “less anxious.”
“I can say that I was less anxious since I did not have to take exams and conduct an extensive review of topics. Instead, I focused on processing required documents and certifications for the Big 4 and writing effective personal essays and autobiographics,” Pingol added.
Apart from preparing the required documents and letter, Ballon said she also had to “prepare herself emotionally.”
“[I told myself] that whatever choice they may take is completely out of my control, but what is in my control is how I react to it,” she added.
After careful deliberation, Pingol said she will enroll at the University of the Philippines under the Chemical Engineering program, while Ballon will pursue Bachelor of Science in Management Engineering at the Ateneo de Manila University after receiving a full scholarship grant from the university. – ngs
