Adamson University has officially ended its prelims for the second semester using full face-to-face (F2F) classes as a learning modality for the first time since March 2020, with the exams week concluded on March 7.
The Office of the President first granted its effectiveness on December 13, covering all undergraduate and Juris Doctor programs in the campus into “100 percent in-person classes and internship”.
Through various interviews, students shared their thoughts on how they think the first semester within the said mode of learning has gone for them as they transitioned from two-year of online classes and HyFlex Modality.
Jehu Adolfo, a second-year communications major, thought F2F allowed them to be more active in organizations.
“It's relieving to once again be more hands on and not limited with the activities that we can do, not just encased in online activities and experience how it's like being with the Adamson Community, physically,” he said.
However, Adolfo mentioned the difficulty of being part of an organization in an in-person setup.
“Workload doubled and as a member of SILAU, academics and organization work became more simultaneous,” he added.
Chum Pagala, a third-year pharmacy major, shared a positive input of the implementation despite the exhaustion associated with it.
“Positive naman siya sa akin kasi mas may natutunan kami. Nakakapag-actual experiments, presentations, and socialization. (It’s somehow positive for me because we can learn more from it. We are able to do actual experiments, presentations, and socialization),” she said.
“Nakakapagod lalo na sa mga nagko-commute or nagwo-work, pero at the end of the day, kapag may knowledge kang nalalaman, nagiging fulfilling din (It is tiring, especially for those who are commuting or working, but at the end of the day, if you can gain knowledge, it becomes fulfilling too),” she added.
John Paul Guerrero, a second-year electronics and communications engineering major and a Red Cross volunteer, also thought of an overall positive net of it.
“Iba talaga ang atmosphere and sobrang saya lalo na kapag yung mga organizations or departments may activities (The atmosphere was completely different and it’s really fun especially if the organizations and departments have activities),” he said.
Guerrero likewise mentioned the most recent bloodletting program they’ve held with Red Cross and the success they’ve garnered, seemingly due to full face-to-face classes.
“I was surprised kasi maraming students ang nag participate, and it was more than we expected talaga. So, dun palang ramdam mo na ang effect ng F2F (because there were a lot of students that participated, and it was more than we really expected. So, from there you can really feel the effect of F2F),” he added.
However, Marianne Dalmacio, a third-year psychology major, had more of a split opinion regarding the current implementation.
“It was exciting yet exhausting. I feel more fulfilled learning but at the same time, burnouts became more frequent since we’ve been going to school every weekday, unlike last semester,” she said.
Dalmacio added that she mostly preferred the HyFlex modality as it suited more of her preference.
“I don’t think I feel good nor bad about it… Personally, I would still prefer the one week intervals. I believed it gave us more time to ourselves and I had less to worry about commuting,” Dalmacio said.
Pia Valle, a second-year political science major, said that the F2F modality is much preferable learning-wise.
“When it comes to learning kasi, mas okay talaga na F2F kasi (F2F is better because) you can really understand what the professors are teaching,” she said.
However, Valle said she preferred the HyFlex Modality, accounting to her experience as a daily commuter.
“I’m from Rizal Province, and hassle lang din ako sa byahe because some of my class schedules are maaga, or kung di naman late na ang tapos (and the trips are just a hassle for me because some of my class schedules are quite early or rather late to finish),” she added.
Jerica Masculino, a first-year communications major, serves the full face-to-face well to her as a student and a photojournalist for The Adamson Chronicle.
“I think it has a positive effect on me because there is more bonding in class and everyone also has the opportunity to interact in group works. Plus, I only live close to Adamson. And I also need to go to school often for event coverage,” she stated.
Even so, Masculino sympathizes with some of her classmates and acquaintances living far from the campus, highlighting its negative implications.
“I can keep up with it and it has a positive effect on me, but I also think about the condition of others who are tired every day because of commuting– their situation seems difficult, due to the distance of the trip, plus the workload from school,” she said.