Most young people are “yes persons.” They tend to please their peers to gain friends and belong in a group. However, when most teens say ‘YES’ most of the time, there are those who gave their biggest ‘NO’ in different instances- course to take, summer classes, drug intake, love quarrels. For them, ‘no’ is a tough decision to make. Find out how these teens said ‘no’ when everybody feels like saying ‘yes.’

France:  No second chances, Mr. Itchyworm!

France Marie “GODDESS” Palabrica, 19
Psychology Senior

Mediocrity, personality, both good and not-so-good memories: The France Palabrica autobiography.

Like in any personality sketch, my life’s highlight is when I said ‘no.’ It was when whether to accept a lover for the second time. I had one semester getting wasted over a failed relationship. We started out as friends, we got along really well. We had the same personality, circle of friends and perspectives, yet, our lifestyle can’t seem to compensate. Thus, we made an apparent effort to resolve this gap and enjoy our relationship. We were like one matured couple capable of handling this kind of relationship until one day, a sudden news struck me.

This was one time I had butterflies in my stomach...got pale and nearly fainted! He was dating somebody else. I crashed and burned. I engaged into all sorts of bad influences: vices, strangulation, denial and even planned to do crimes.

I literally destroyed one semester of my life- beers, cigarettes, cutting of classes and a lot more of it.

Until one day, he asked me if we could talk things out. I gave him the benefit of the doubt to reason out and explain. He asked,” Can we give it a second try?” I said “NO!”

I love him, but trust- another important element in every relationship- is no where to be found. I may be stupid at times, but as it goes, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

Jaiko: What freedom ‘no’ can give!

Angelo Jaiko “JAIK” del Rosario, 18
Incoming College Freshman

Real freedom is not being able to do anything that you want without limits. Everything has its limit. And not everything’s beneficial. I know I’m free because I said no- to things that can do me harm and those I know I will regret in the future.

There have been many incidents when my ability to say no was put to test. Common instances that teenagers encounter like lying to parents and doing make-believe projects to go out with friends late at night and being tempted to drink and smoke when peer pressure arrives.

I don’t always win in life’s everyday battles. But I make sure to do my best to say no to unprofitable things because the only thing worse than losing is not doing anything. I can say I’m not perfect but I can be sure I’m free because I said no.

Mizpah: I’ll find
myself after saying ‘no.’

Mizpah Grace “MITZ” Pineda, 19
Marketing Senior

Travel to places you really want to see and let the beauty, kindness and sympathy fill your mind and calm your emotions: the tranquility of the place will soothe your spirit and allow you to leave with a renewed sense of self-worth.

Travel, travel, travel! – That’s all I wanted this summer. As for me, I travel not to go somewhere, but to go everywhere. I want to travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move. On the other hand, I need to enroll in a summer class considering that I am a double major student and I need to complete all my minor subjects to graduate on time.  But I have to say NO! Why?  I must free and clear my mind from school’s stressors – teachers, assignments, projects, exams, quizzes, classmates and above all, crushes. Summer class is useless if I’m not really into it and if I’m not ready.  So, it is better to pamper myself before taking on a new level of anxiety.  It’s about time for self-enhancement, self-exploration and self-discovery. I need peace of mind to realize my self-worth.

Once a journey is designed, equipped, and put in process, a new factor enters and takes over - it has personality, temperament, individuality and uniqueness. A journey is a person in itself, no two are alike. I have to say NO to summer class and shout YES to the pleasures of journey!

Louie: Bring a ‘big no’ in every party!

Louie “WENG” Alipat, 19
Psychology Senior
Lights. Sounds. Drinks.

Yes, this completes your typical local party, the occasion where people would just be on their feet socializing, have a few drinks, celebrate and enjoy the night away.

It was a Friday night when the college decided to throw off a victory party as culmination of an affair.  That was an opportunity for the hard work to be finally paid off and a chance  for the students to have a great time. I was with my friends that night since we wanted to check out the event and of course celebrate; we had a few drinks, danced a lot and bonded together with the team. I was roaming around the club when I had notice that some of my friends were not with me anymore, I tried to look and found them together with a man in a more intimate corner, curious enough, I approached them wondering why they left our spot. To my surprise, the guy asked us if we wanted some V’s on our drink so the night would be more “interesting”. Well I said ‘no.’

Having to refuse an offer gives a reason that life certainly has choices; we couldn’t actually agree always on anything that people may offer or tell us. It’s about standing for your own beliefs and the deciding on the things that you would want to happen.

It’s about setting priorities and having a clear state of mind. Having to say ‘no’ also suggests that our character knows exactly what we want; we are able to discern important things that we would like to have and that our principles would justify our wants. After all, finding ourselves is not always about what you add to your life, it’s about what you take away.

Life works both ways, we could always agree and disagree on some points and using these two important answers on daily questions faced before us defines our future. It’s about what we’ll take having a pool of choices.

Kathy: I can’t have my first shot!

Kathy “KAT” Formilleza, 19
Engineering Junior

I’ve always had this BIG no-no to neither smoking nor alcoholic drinks because ever since I was a kid, I was trained to refuse this stuff. There was this incident when I went with a new set of friends just to have dinner and hang out. After dinner was over, the group decided to go to a KTV bar. KTV was ok for me but after few songs, everyone started to order different alcoholic drinks (I was probably born yesterday that I hardly remember the names.) It came to a point when everyone offered me “a shot”. Hating to break my record, I said no. Up until now, they never had my first shot.

Kemp: You bet, no to cheating!

Kemp “KEM” Vinson, 19
Accountancy Junior

I could remember my grade school teacher saying that cheating is a heinous crime. In fact, cheating during exams or daily quizzes does not only signify ones inability to study but ones personality of being stubborn and dependent.

Education is hard earned. It is a something that one should give efforts to in order to succeed. To the teachers, I call on to you not to tolerate such immoral action of stealing answers. Probably, if cheating in classrooms continues, I couldn’t find any hope to this benighted nation. If this continues, we are breeding citizens who are not qualified to lead the country, or worse, future corrupt officials.

Compile by Adrian P. Bobe