Budgeting your allowance
- • Write down every peso for two weeks to see where it goes.
- • Set aside savings first, even ₱50 a week.
- • Plan meals before payday to avoid impulse spending.
Life beyond the classroom
Guidance for university life.
Practical help for the everyday challenges of student life, plus mentors who have walked the road before you.
Homesickness
- • Schedule regular calls home instead of waiting to feel low.
- • Join one org or group in your first month.
- • Talk to someone if sadness lasts more than two weeks.
Study habits
- • Study in focused 45-minute blocks with short breaks.
- • Review notes within 24 hours of class.
- • Teach a classmate — it shows what you really understand.
Choosing a career
- • Talk with three alumni working in fields you are curious about.
- • Try internships or org roles before deciding.
- • Your first job is a starting point, not a final answer.
Alumni mentors
Mentors share experience, not professional advice. Meet in public, and keep conversations inside the circle.
PL
Paolo Lim
Operations analyst · Ateneo '24
First jobs, management careers
GV
Grace Villanueva
Public school teacher · USC '19
Education, board exams
MD
Mark Dela Cruz
Software engineer · UP '20
Tech careers, internships
Need help now?
Faith and friendship matter, but they don’t replace professional care. Please reach out:
- 911 — National emergency hotline
- 1553 — NCMH Crisis Hotline (mental health)
- Check your school's student affairs page — Your university guidance and counseling office