SSC-R

SEMINAR 2

MONTERO, AYA A.

EXERCISE 1:
 In tracing my way to the center of labyrinth, I am very focused in the beginning
and started to become impatient. However, when I am near the center, I felt relief and
excited. I think my concentration or focused varies depending on the distraction I have.
In the beginning I am really determined to finish the activity that no kind of distraction
can disturb me from it. In the middle of doing the activity, I got distracted by the people
surrounding me and the activity there doing hence, I repeated it all over again and
become impatient along the way. But at the end, where I focused again and determine to
finish it my concentration went to 0 to 100 percent in just a snap. And I think that’s kind
of concentration is a waste of time however it works fine with me.

When I am done, I felt relief that I finish the activity already and that I can do more
things and finish it on time. Excited because I realized how my concentration and
attention span works in that way I can adjust my study habit in preparation to the bar
examinations. I think the activity helps me know myself more in the aspect of studying
and patients. It is an opportunity to create a positive study and work habits that fits my
schedule, in that way I am not wasting time and energy.

Further, the activity helps me return to the heart. It helps me realized why I started
and entered in this battle field. It is because of my dreams and the desire to be someone
who can help people in need. The activity is an opportunity to remind myself to return
and remember my strengths and focus on that to conquer and able to survive law school.

EXERCISE 2:

Craft a Plan of study and review

Subjects that demand diligence, retention and recall

1. Obligations and Contracts

2. Criminal law
3. Constitutional law
4. Legal Ethics

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7

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 AM Obligation Criminal Constitutional Legal Legal Ethics Criminal Rest day
(5:30am) and Contracts law law Ethics law

PM (2:00) Obligation Criminal Constitutional Legal Constitutional Obligations

Memorization/ and Contracts law law Ethics law and
retention/recall Contracts

In crafting the study and review, I considered the subject I am having troubled with in
this semester and tried to have a study plan for it. Rest is important in this plan it order
for me to avoid being burn-out and mentally tired. It also helps me avoid to wasting my
energy and time in unnecessary things. It also helps me concentrate on things that matters
the most, which is passing the bar/ subjects.

HEART – in studying it is important for me to be true to myself. It is important to be

reminded of my passion and the desire of my heart. In that way, I remember the
provisions, cases and the others by heart. It would make everything easy especially in the
preparation to the bar exams.

FLAME – it is also important that there is a fire in my heart, the desire to learn, to know
myself and God. In such a way that love for the truth and law will ignite. It helps me to
understand myself better, all my weaknesses and strengths, my study habits and
unhealthy habits.

ARROW – In the study of law it is important to be committed, committed in one’s dream,

one’s self and ones love for the study of law. Without such commitment, it is impossible
to survive law school. Commitment also pertains to the service, service to the San
Sebastian community, to the public and the God. Everything must roll into one to have a
strong faith to not only to one’s self but also to others and more importantly to God.

BOOK – is important too. As a student, books contained all of our needs. Our references
are in the book. the study of law, not only involves searching for the true through the
books but also searching for true friendship that will last a lifetime, searching for
happiness desired by everyone. It is not contained in the bounds of every book but in
every heart of people I meet along the way. And I think it is the most important one,
because in law school no man is an island, no one will survive alone.

EXERCISE 3:

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 I live in Quezon City which is six station away from school however, I am working
in Marikina City so I have to travel one hour before I arrive in school. I organized my
activities through planner, plotting it all out in the planner helps me remember the things
I need to do and those I already finished. I usually study at home, late at night to early in
the morning because that the only time I can study and free. The study of law asked me
everything I need to learn. The study of law asked me time and effort. It needs my entire
attention and concentration in order to understand everything I needed in class and the
bar examinations.

To better prepare myself for the preparation for the bar examination, I think that
taking notes during lectures can help me. I believe that repetition of all the things I
learned from the books and my professors can also help me for the bar examination. In
terms of where I am in preparation, I always believe that the moment I entered law
school, I should start reviewing not just for the major exams and quizzes but also for the
bar examination. My family and friends are my biggest support system in this journey.
They always cheer me up and try to understand my struggles.

EXERCISE 4

1. Work and rest to me cannot be commingled together. It is total opposite of each

other. The other being productive and the other doing nothing but relaxing.
Working means doing something worthwhile such as studying, something that
uses the mind and body of a person. On the other hand, rest is something people
do after doing something worthwhile. It is a reward, it is for the soul of every
person. As a law student and at the same time a public servant, do I really rest? I
think I don’t, it is really hard to rest peacefully and without thinking of all the
backlog readings and pending work. But I believe the restlessness will be worth
it not soon but definitely.

2. Silence is having a peace of mind. Silence is something that is hard to have

especially in the society fully of insecurities and jealousy. Silence is something I
barely have. It is an on-going process that is hard to finish. It is something I want
to live by however, I can’t have it. It is a difficult to achieve especially when you
are fighting the battle alone. But I am trying to live it. I think prayer helps me a
lot to have silence in my life even for seconds, it calms me down. Prayer is gives
me hope that one day I would have silence and peace of mind. But for now, I have
to live with the noisy inside and outside of me.

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 3. I don’t have people who understand my struggle and support me in this journey.
But sometimes If I am consumed by my studies and other concern I sleep it out
and hoping that when I wake up it will all be okay. If I do have one, I would really
appreciate them and I will pray for them. I will pray for their success and
happiness. I’ll treat them if I can and I will be forever grateful them.

4. Recollect to me means that remembering every struggle and challenges and every
joy in God’s presence. It is a preparation of a person for an experience with God.
It is a recollection of one’s service not only to others but more importantly her
service to God. The practice of recollection helps me improve my preparations for
the bar examination because it releases every tension and relaxes me in studying
and in preparation to the bar examinations.

How do I rest? When am I really How does this affect my view of self,
rested? Do I have a place where to do others and the word? My life, work
this? Do my relations support my need and future?
to rest, reflect and recollect?
I rest whenever I am asleep and I don’t It helped me to realize who I am as a
do anything worthwhile. I think the person. Rest, reflect and recollect are
only place I really feel rested is when I important things to do to remain true
am home with my dogs. With my to one’s self.
family, sometimes they support my
need to rest, reflect and recollect but
most of the time they don’t. with my
friends they allow me to do it because
I have a low maintenance friendship
with them.

EXERCISE 5.

1. Family support is everything in buildings a person and urges to persevere in one’s

study of law. Study of law and preparation for the BAR examinations is not only
mentally draining but also physically, emotionally and socially. It is a crazy world
and one needs the support of family to have a dose of sanity. It empowers me as a
law student to stay and continue even that it is scary. Family motivates and
inspires me to fight every battle.

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 2. The family life helps me avoid scattering and focus strength in my studies by
allowing me to have may study time and pace on my own. By not pressuring me
and allow me to breath when things get scary and crazy. The family life helps me
regain energy by giving me motivation and inspirational and encouraging words.

3. I talk to them every day to forget and maintain may sanity in my daily grind and
daily hassle between work and school. Social media also helps me reconnect with
my friends and to be able maintain the good relationship despite the busy and
crazy schedule. There is no really a practice to keep and deepen the relationship
as it varies on my emotionally, physically and mental moods. I think food, or
going-out to eat is something I do to keep and deepen the relationship with all the
people I love and care about.

EXERCISE 6.

1. Did you ever ask yourself, why pray? What do you think incites us pray? What do
you think this statement means: “For prayer to fly to God, it needs the wings of
fasting and almsgiving?

- There was a time I did asked myself why I pray. Is it because it is a practice I
grow up with or because it is already part of me unconsciously. I guess, praying
become an unconscious habit that I do every day or sometimes whenever I feel
like it.
- I think what incites people to pray are the daily experiences whether good or
bad or and all the graces and blessing we have. It is the need of the people to
be guided and
Having the assurance that there is someone believing, fighting and helping us
in every challenge we encounter.
- I think the statements means that

2. To whom and for what do you pray? What has prayer to do with your life and
mission with your studies and preparation for the BAR examinations?

- I pray for my family, to have a good health and good life. I pray that they can
win every challenge comes their way. I pray that they have endless happiness.
I pray that the become the person they want to become and becomes better
every day.

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 - I pray for my friends, to be safe and have a good health. I pray that the achieve
their dreams and to have endless happiness. I pray for their success.
- I pray for myself, that I may have strength and confidence to win the battle I
face alone. That I may achieve and reach my goals and dreams. That I may
never get tired of everything. I pray that I become a better version of myself
every day. I pray to thank God of every mornings I wake up and every evening
I survive. I pray to apologize for every wrong doings and sins I made.
- Prayer is my guide in my life and with my studies. It strengthens me to pursue
and to not stop climbing even if I am tired. It inspires me to strive and work
hard. Prayer reminds me to focus on my dreams.

3. Did you ask your family, friends and relations to pray for you? If you did … what
made you to do this? Have you prayed for and with them?

- Yes, I did. I needed them to pray for me to make me feel at ease and as an
assurance that they have my back no matter what happens and who I become.
I asked them to pray for me to strengthen me and my faith. To feel love and
care from them. I pray for my family, friends and relations as a whole. I have
experience praying with them too.

4. Have you ever heard of the statements “Authentic prayer benefits the orant and
those for whom he/she prays”? Have you experienced this? Can you share your
experience?

- No, I haven’t heard of such statement. I think the statement means that
authentic prayers are those whose prayers made with open mind and whole
heartedly. It is made without and pretention and with full humility. I think
those kinds of prayer are easily be heard by God and benefit himself and those
he prays for.

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