research year-end message to pisayo and pisaya

Dear children of God,

Konnichiwa! Ogenki desu ka?

At 1 o’clock in the morning, I got a message from your Ma’am Erika and here how it went. I wish I had the courage to refuse but how can I if your Mam Erika was a very nice student to me in her Physics 2 and Physics 3 classes with me. She submits all outputs and tops most of my long tests


Erika (E): hi sir aris. r u busy?
Aris (A): Good morning Mam Erika! Anything I can be of help to you?
E: Sorry gd sir to inform you late, but the research year-end party will be tomorrow. Is it possible for you to leave a short message for the kids, bisan i-pm mo lang sakon on fb? kagina ko lang naremember kay the students said they miss u. hehe. no pressure sir, ok man if you don't have time.
A: What time?
E: 1:30 pm later today. wednesday 3/13/13 1:30 pm
A: Ok. Sure I will send a message later. Thanks for remembering.
E: Thanks sir. Good morning!
A: Please don't mention it.
E: :))

I exactly don’t know how to start this and I guess you remember the time when you first write your introduction. I know it was challenging (subtle way of saying it was hard) but look at what you have accomplished. Looking back at the time when you first heard and learned that there is a Research subject in Pisay, have you now realized what indeed Research is from all the urban legends and from your own experience? Some of you might say that your learning experiences are exactly the same or maybe completely opposite. What transpired in two years hopefully transformed you into a better scholar. This can be likened to falling in love. We fall in love and ended up happy or miserable depending on the outcomes of the relationship. This is also in the case of doing Research. It might have turned you into a lover or a hater of the subject. If you turned to be the former then I congratulate you for you found the treasure which is not easily earned. I challenge you to cherish and nurture it in your heart. For those who became bitter because of Research then I can only wish that you still have the hope in your heart to make it better the next time. Let not bitterness wallow in your body and learn to love again. If you turned out to be neither a lover or a hater then you deserve the hottest part of the hell. How can you not fall in any of the two categories if you “DID” your part as a researcher.

Therefore, I admonish you in claiming and bragging what you did and did not in the name of Research. A scholar is despicable for thinking it this way. Never in this world you can brag to other people especially mischievous actions that were not known. Bisan nakalusot pa kamo then whatever you claim will still reflect the kind of person that you are. Your emotional, physical and financial investments in Research resonate the joy in your heart and only you can claim it now.

So, for the lower year, I wish you to learn as much from your manong and manang. Let not this define however your experiences in Research in the future. Let their stories be your inspiration or your motivation. At the end of the day, you alone have the power to make any circumstances whether bad or good to always work for you. The truth is, this message is just an exercise of futility because a scholar is always capable of surviving all the odds that come his/her way.

Because you are dearest to me then you will be the one of the first people to know that I just passed my University entrance exam as a PhD student. I will attend my regular class starting next month and my status is no longer a Research Student because the Japan government extended my scholarship until I earn my degree. Please don’t take this as if I am bragging but something you can learn from.

Let me tell you how research helped me in where I am now. In order to earn my scholarship, I had to write a concept paper exactly what Juniors do. In order for me to earn a scholarship extension, I also had to write a concept paper and explain why I need to have the scholarship. I underwent research proposal defense in front of 12 professors. While the rest of applicants were nervous, I was excited to write and look forward to the interview. Indi gid sila magpati nga may mas maaram pa kananda *pause and insert siraris signature laugh here*. All the while they only know of Aris as a teacher. In Japan, learning quality Research is taken seriously. The more you can publish the higher is the salary and the perks. In my case I get to enjoy the perks that go with doing it. I have now 2 papers ready for an international conference that will allow me to travel for free. They cannot believe but there is more to what I have told them. Iw ould reply, “O come on, my research work is not as good. Better go to Philippine Science High School Western Visayas and you will understand what Research is all about.”

In a land which is stereotyped as technology advanced, it is unthinkable how we are capable of doing great despite our limitations. Most of them cannot fathom how smart high school kids can be when I show some of your Research and Investigatory works here plus how great George’s cosplay dresses are. If you ask yourself what cosplay has to do with this message then it is just a random thought.

One time, my Research adviser asked me why I am so hard on myself. I replied matter-of-factly that, “Sensei, I always look at my work as to how my students way back in the Philippines would toil in the name of Research.” Of course there are those who don’t care but in most cases majority of those I have worked with became my inspiration as I do my work now. It is for this reason that I have coined the term “Carlo-carlohan” which I would do to my sensei right now.

By the way, if you don’t know Carlo-carlohan then better ask your Research adviser. And please don’t simply ask. Take time to thank your Research teacher in whatever possible way to make them feel that their efforts and sacrifices were not in vain. I would like to conclude that we may be all different but a simple note or simple gestures will spell a lot of difference. Of course they won’t require or tell you but I know deep inside in a teacher’s heart a sincere thank you would mean a lot. By the way, be creative in conveying your message. I understand that you might have some disagreements, heartaches or bad feelings at times or maybe at all times but then again imbibe a lover’s heart. Let your relationship with your adviser be the foundation on how to do things better.

Lower years, take note that you are the only high school in the Philippines and the only campus with the Pfizer grant. This is a legacy of your manongs and manangs. You cannot fail them for making the best research that will pour more money for the school. If you don’t know, the Pfizer grants us this because they acknowledge how great the research program was and is. Now, the fate of Research Program WILL be what in your time?

Do I miss you? I do not. I repeat, I do not miss you. “Miss” is a word if I use to convey would be an understatement.

Research cannot be encapsulated in one message. It is like love but once you are into it then that is the only time you will understand. In love, you open your heart but in Research you open everything and all possibilities. To the graduating class, may you open more possibilities and to the lower years, may this excite you to keep on opening or embark on opening all possibilities.

Dyaamata which means “see you soon!”

siraris