To the reader,
I bet you are wondering what this is all about, or perhaps who I even am. Let us start with a greeting, shall we?
Hi, I’m Celina Gonzales, a college freshman taking up BS Legal Management. This E-portfolio encapsulates my entire writing journey of sorts in my ENGLCOM (Basic Communication and Study Skills) course throughout the second term of my first year in university. In here, you will be able to read about various ideas—from the meaning of the word “infinite” beyond the concept taught to us in our Math classes, to the causes of the Philippines’ lagged progress (no, it is not solely due to corruption), and, well, Korean Pop. With all these topics mentioned, I hope you appreciate how much I have grown in terms of flexibility, as I was never comfortable with writing beyond my interests.
The entire journey was a roller coaster, thanks to the great deal of papers that came with strict deadlines, high standards, along with numerous revisions inked in either pink, green, red, or blue. However, I believe that all those days figuring out how exactly my professors want me to revise parts of my papers and whatnot are worth it—The innumerable scratch papers that I was armed with in the beginning of the term are gone. I can now write an article of great quality without having to frantically jot down my ideas on a separate sheet of paper.
I believe that this growth of mine is impossible without my professors. Therefore, I would like to extend my gratitude to them: To Ms. Aileen Bautista for her meticulousness, as for without her seemingly “harsh” comments, my supposed scholarly papers would have been that of the quality of a literary paper; and of course, to Mrs. Guia Gonzales, who has seen not only me, but ENGCLOM C39A not only as writers, but also as individuals; for constantly reminding us that “writing is a process” when we were pressured by deadlines; and for constantly believing in us way more than we believe in ourselves, as I believe that confidence is an essential skill a writer needs for his or her papers to be of excellent quality.
I am surprised with how I have developed as a writer, and I cannot wait to share this journey of mine to you through the essays that will be presented. With this, I present to you my roller coaster. Welcome aboard, and enjoy the ride.
Regards, Cel G.
Objectives
By the end of the course, I aim to achieve the following objectives:
• Be able to improve my academic writing, coming from thesis writing in my Senior year
• Be able to write in a more articulate and scholarly manner
• Be able to organize thoughts quicker
• Be able to write about topics beyond my interests with great quality
• Be able to gain confidence in my writing

Entry Essay Korean Pop, often referred to as K-pop, is on out of three waves of Hallyu, or the Korean wave. It usually consists of groups of around four to thirteen boys or girls, choreographed dance moves, a distinct electronic-pop or bubblegum pop based sounds combined with influences from other musical genres, and lyrics that consist of a combination of Hangeul, their native language, and words or phrases in English. K-pop groups are often referred to as “idol groups,” have fan clubs with names derived from the group name, and a specific group color assigned to these clubs. K-pop gained national popularity in the 1990’s with novelty music from groups such as H.O.T., Fin.KL, Seo Taiji and the Boys, and the like. It became well-received in Asia, particularly in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia in the 2000’s with its unique sound through viral songs such as “Sorry Sorry” by Super Junior, “Gee” by Girls’ Generation, “Fire” by 2NE1, and “Day by Day” by BIGBANG. In this decade, repetition of words was prominent (e.g. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry”; “Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic, fantastic, elastic, elastic, elastic, elastic”). In 2010, synchronized and polished dances were given attention to, which led to the seven-member boy group INFINITE’s popularity Hip-hop songs became more popular, which

Exit Essay
Distinct
Catchy tunes, well-orchestrated choreography, flashy music videos, odd group names, and lyrics in a totally different language—This is how the Korean Pop phenomenon became a global hit. In 2012, Korean pop singer PSY released “Gangnam Style,” which eventually reached one billion views on YouTube. In 2015, Korean pop artist CL of the girl group 2NE1 released her single “Hello, B*****s” in collaboration with international artist Diplo. Korean pop acts such as Infinite, Girls’ Generation, and Super Junior held tours outside their native South Korea—be it Asian tours or world tours. Fans all over the world flocked to South Korea with the hopes of meeting their favorite groups, and artists strive to expand their market outside of Korea in different ways, such as learning how to speak other languages such as English, Mandarin, or Japanese. Therefore, with the said genre globally expanding thanks to its uniqueness, Korean Pop is taking the world by storm.
One thing unique about Korean pop is the memorable tune that almost each song brings. Korean pop is heavily influenced by electronic pop, hence, the seemingly homogeneousness of the genre as a whole. When taken a closer look at, however, Korean pop is a melting pot of musical influences that harmonize with the electro-pop base. Each agency has a musical influence that distinguishes them from other agencies. For example, YG Company is known for their hip-hop elements as seen in groups such as BIGBANG and 2NE1. On the other hand, Korean pop giant SM Entertainment is known for their bubblegum pop influences which is especially evident during the 2000’s. Woollim Entertainment us known for their 80’s synth-pop feel, which is evident in in the music of their groups, Lovelyz, and Infinite. Aside from this, words are constantly repeated in the chorus so that listeners can easily remember these tunes such as “Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry” from Super Junior’s 2009 hit “Sorry Sorry”, “I want nobody, nobody, but you” from the Wonder Girls’ hit single “Nobody,” and “Oppan Gangnam Style” in PSY’s phenomenal “Gangnam Style.” Sometimes, these repeated words or phrases usually written in English make no grammatical sense. Examples of these lyrics are “I must go mission, make it mission, make it go” taken from JYJ’s single “Mission,” and “Oh my beautiful target. You zoom zoom my heart like a rocket” from the boy group B1A4’s “Beautiful Target.” The distinctive sound from other genres, accompanied with unforgettable lyrics serve as a foundation of the genre’s unique attributes, therefore making it exceptional among others.
Another unique thing about Korean Pop is the well-orchestrated choreography that matches the overall concept that a certain group aims to achieve. What sets it apart from other genres is that these moves are crisp, sharp, and synchronized up to the millisecond, like in the groups BTS, Teen Top, and SHINee, in contrast to the simple, easy-to-follow dance moves if Western pop groups such as N*SYNC, the Spice Girls, and the Backstreet Boys. These dance moves are usually difficult to follow. Despite the complexity of these moves, fans still dedicate their time and effort in learning such dances. In fact, entertainment agencies upload artists’ dance practice videos in order to allow fans to follow along. Fans take it up a notch by uploading “mirrored versions” of these videos, so that they can learn them as if they were looking at a mirror, or make step-by-step tutorials on how to execute them. Several “cover groups” have been established on YouTube that showcase fans around the world dancing to their favorite tracks as if they were the artists themselves. Complexity does not hinder them from perfecting their favorite choreographies, which manifests that they serve as the highlight of the entire package in a group’s chosen concept.
Also, Korean pop is known for seemingly bizarre, flashy music videos. Filming usually happens in a studio with a pre-made set, or maybe even green screens. Backgrounds with either abstract designs or bright colors are used. Bright lights flash in different directions. Heavy props that seem to lack significance in the concept or storyline are present, such as convertibles, motorbikes, and big couches that seem to show that they are ready for world domination. These videos have no serious storyline, or maybe even no concrete story line at all, which contribute to the quirkiness of the videos.

Reflective Essay
As I entered my first Tuesday ENGLCOM session, I felt anxious over writing my entry essay because first, I did not have a social issue in mind; and second, I was not armed with enough information that can somehow help me in articulating my thoughts in order to come up with a concrete essay. This prompted me to write about something that did not seem “academic” enough: Korean Pop. I was afraid that I will be questioned for the topic of my choice because given the fact that it was not “scholarly.” As time passed, however I learned that academic reading and writing is not limited to thesis-worthy topics. The fields that I wrote about that consisted of numerous things—from image manipulation in my first media log, to animated films in my third media log, to why wearing school uniforms must be encouraged in one of the exercises given. Encapsulating all these experiences, academic writing is not only bounded by thesis-worthy topics, but is in fact limitless in subjects to choose from, as long as the way is written is articulate, and factual.
Articulating my thoughts has always been a waterloo of mine. This was the main hurdle I had to go through in completing my extended definition and argumentative essays. I had to encode what was actually in my head. For example, the words “Image manipulation, colloquially referred to as “Photoshop” is apparent in advertisements for fashion and beauty among many others,” actually came from “Image manipulation, aka ’Photoshop’ (YOU DON’T CALL THE PROCESS PHOTOSHOP) is everywhere. As in.” Because of this, it took me a long time to finish my paper because I was reliant on actually typing what I actually thought of so as not to lose my train of thought. However, I was able to deal with all of this, since I was able to develop the skill of thinking articulately without depending on numerous scratch papers with plain English with hints of side comments written in Filipino.
I vividly remember cringing as I wrote my exit essay down because I believe that my entry essay was written so badly because I did not like the idea of writing about Korean Pop, as I had a better topic in mind. As I wrote my exit essay, I however, I realized how far I have come from that January 7. Coming to where I was to am now, I am proud to say that I have improved so much—way beyond that I expected myself to improve. I can now do away with my reliance on the internet and the numerous scratch papers, thanks to the time-pressured exercises and the comments from my major papers.
In essence, I have achieved everything that I hoped to achieve in this course with excellence. I can now articulate my thoughts better without the side comments, write about topics that are beyond my comfort zone, such as corruption and other relevant social issues, do away with the scratch papers used to articulate my disorganized thoughts, and most importantly, be confident in my abilities as a writer. The things that I have learned in ENGLCOM now serves as a solid foundation on how my papers in other courses are done—with articulation, confidence, and excellence.

Argumentative/Problem Solution Essay
OUTLINE
TOPIC: Is corruption the main cause of a country’s slow progress?
TENTATIVE TITLE: There is More to Malversation
THESIS STATEMENT: Corruption is not the primary cause of a country’s slow progress because there are other root causes that affect the country’s development in a larger scale.
I. Introduction
a. Hook: The 2016 Presidential Election is fast approaching, and citizens refuse to vote because of the belief that change will not happen with corrupt officials in the seat of power
b. Link: However, corrupt officials are only the part of the bigger problem
c. Thesis: Corruption is not the primary cause of a country’s slow progress because there are other root causes that affect the country’s development in a larger scale.
II. Body
a.
(1) DATA: There is a lack of cooperation and discipline among the country’s citizens
(2) WARRANT: The citizens break the simplest of rules for their own convenience, such as jaywalking, littering, and counterflowing
(3) BACKING: N/A
b.
(1) DATA: Citizens are too reliant on government officials in finding solutions to the country’s current problems
(2) WARRANT: Citizens vote for officials who promise radical change in a short amount of time without realizing that radical change does not happen in an instant
(3) BACKING: N/A
c.
(1) DATA: There is a lack of creative, long-term solutions implemented
(2) WARRANT: “The country’s problem is not corruption—it’s lack of imagination.” (De Castro, 2016)
(3) BACKING: N/A
III. Conclusion
a. GIST: Corruption is one of the causes, but it is not the root cause of a country’s slow progress
b. IMPLICATION: With citizens realizing that corruption is not the enemy, they will be more enlightened to think of more creative solutions
c. RECOMMENDATION: It must be taken into consideration that corruption is not the real enemy to the hindrance of a country’s development, and corrupt officials must not be wholly blamed on the country’s existing problems. Take action.

ESSAY
There is More to Malversation
The 2016 Philippine Presidential Election is fast approaching. However, several Filipinos choose to abstain from voting because of the belief that the country will not progress with a corrupt official in the seat of power. McArdle (2014) states that “In a national election, the odds of your vote making a difference are very close to zero,” (para. 4) meaning that the chances of an individual experiencing the radical change he or she wants to deserve is extremely little. Numerous headlines such as “Is the Philippines the Most Corrupt Country in Asia?” (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2014) and “Duterte slams Roxas: Where are billions of ‘Yolanda’ funds?” (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2016) makes the people believe that corrupt officials are the root cause of the country’s lagging progress. Dishonest officials, however, are only one part of the bigger problem. insert connection. There are several other causes to the country’s slow progress, such as apathy, lack of discipline, lawlessness, and the like. Although corruption is one of the sources of a country’s lagged progress, it is not the root cause because there are other main causes that affect the country’s development.
First, the country’s lagged progress is not due to corruption, but the lack of discipline among the Filipino citizens. It is evident that they break even the simplest of rules for their own conveniences. Such discipline is manifested on the highways of the Metro. On July 12, 2012, the Metro Manila Development Authority formalized the implementation of the yellow lanes along EDSA, which was supposedly used by city buses, as well as jitneys and cabs without passengers (Masinag, 2012, para. 11). As the years went by, however, these lanes were utilized by cabs with passengers, private vehicles, and motorbikes because of the prevailing traffic in the other lane. This shows that despite how simple the implemented rules, people continuously disobey them because they want to beat the traffic without considering the law. This prompted the MMDA to have a stricter implementation on the usage of the yellow lanes on January 18, 2016 wherein a fine of 500 pesos is to be collected when the said vehicles use these lanes (Philippine News Agency, 2016, para.11). Being stern on comprehensible rules shows that indeed, Filipinos immensely lack the discipline that is needed for the country to progress.
However, having dishonest officials do not motivate the Filipino people in obeying the rules, hence leading to the lack of discipline that they have today. Villanueva (2011) states, “When leaders and enforcers of the law violate our laws, we can only emulate them, becoming lawless ourselves” (para. 28). What the Filipinos need is leadership by example with leaders that serve as role models to the people. Nevertheless, the people serve as the building blocks in establishing a prospering state. With citizens that lack discipline, however, it is nearly impossible for the Philippines to develop holistically.
Moreover, corruption is not to blame for the country’s slow progress, but it is the overreliance of the citizens on government officials in finding solutions to the problems the country is challenged with. They make it a point to vote for candidate who promise radical change, such as presidential candidate Grace Poe’s vows to lower tax rates (para. 28). Poe (2015) says that “I guarantee: Every peso you pay will be returned to you in fast and quality service.” (para. 29) Vows such as these sway voters easily, and prompt them to vote for candidates in the likes of Poe. Because of such persuasion, people fail to realize that these promises that aim for radical change that they expect to happen in a short amount of time. When radical change does not happen in an instant, they will complain that the government no longer cares about them. However, they continue to indolently wait for the government to do something about the problems being faced.
Corrupt officials promise radical change to the people, but once elected into position, they end up misusing these funds that they will use for the projects that will gear towards the promised radical change. In August 2015, Engineer Mario Hechanova claimed that then-Mayor Jejomar Binay received P1.26 billion from janitoral and security contracts (Estanislao, 2015, para. 10), while Senator Antonio Trillanes affirmed that the Makati City hall had 600 security guards during Binay’s administration (Estanislao, 2015, para. 12). These figures show that there is misuse in Makati’s funds that hinder in making more worthwhile projects that will gear towards progress. However, it must be kept into mind that the Filipino people serves as the government’s other half—it is impossible for radical change to happen when the government will not execute significant laws and projects for the people, and it will never happen when the people indolently wait for the government to take action. It is not only the government who needs to take proper action, but also the people need to do their part for such change to happen.
Finally, corruption is not the root cause of the country’s slow progress, but it is the lack of creative and long-term solutions present in the country. De Castro (2016) states “The country’s problem is not corruption—it’s lack of imagination.” Officials do not delve into creating long-term solutions to the country’s problems, but think of mere schemes to temporarily alleviate the problem. In January 2016, the Metro Manila Development Authority started to impose stricter rules on the usage of the yellow lane along EDSA. Santiago (2016) states "The traffic will be constrained especially when these cars are coming out from side streets going into EDSA, they can't immediately merge into the private lane." The MMDA did not take into consideration that the traffic congestion will worsen on the private vehicles’ lane. Santiago (2016) likewise states that “traffic along EDSA will only improve if more people leave their private vehicles at home and take the bus instead.” (para. 6) With the present bus system in the country, motorists cannot be convinced to commute and choose to bear the traffic jams in the comfort of their own cars. Public transportation must be utilized, rather than having numerous lanes that rarely serve their purpose. Santiago (2016) likewise said that “traffic along EDSA will only improve if more people leave their private vehicles at home and take the bus instead” (para. 10). Long-term problems, such as the traffic situation in Metro Manila call for original, well-executed ideas that people can use in the long run, such as revamping public transportation systems. On the other hand, the mini-footbridge was built in Malate, Manila as part of the Children’s Road Safety Park established by the MMDA in September 2014. This establishment aims to teach children the basic rules on the road (Diola, 2014, para. 3). Instead of receiving praise for a creative solution that embeds discipline among children at an early age, the project received backlash for its unorthodox nature with remarks such as “It made us look dumb to the Engineering Community,” thus being dubbed as “the weirdest project in the world” (Canlas, 2014). Such remarks come to show that creative solutions are not welcome in contributing to the country’s development. However, creative and long-term solutions are not possible without financial support by the government. There is a budget allocated for each cause. In 2014, President Benigno Aquino allocated P202.6 trillion pesos in the 2015 National Budget (GOV, 2014, para. 1). This budget served as an avenue to implement solutions that will be able to benefit the country’s development. The prevailing situation shows that is impossible to implement projects when government officials pocket the funds that are supposedly for the projects and program for the people. In August 2015, the National Bureau of Investigation filed the third batch of pork barrel cases. Included in the list were Senator Gregorio Honasan, Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez, and Technical Educational Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) Secretary Joel Villanueva. (Cayabyab, Torres-Tupas, 2015). These cases show that it is evident that these officials are of high ranks. According to an SWS National Survey conducted in 2001, 49% of the government resources were wasted due to corruption (Balboa, 2006). It is evident that having such officials being involved in corruption hinders the correct usage of funds for projects. Nevertheless, with the implementation of the suitable laws to boost creativity, national development is still possible with creative, long-term solutions. In 2013, the Republic Act No. 10557, also known as the Philippine Competitive Design Act of 2013 was passed. Article 9 of the said law mandates that “The National Design Policy shall serve as the State’s strategy in promoting design as a driving force towards a sustainable economic growth and development and a catalyst for increasing the competitiveness of the country in the global market.” (GOV, 2013, para 23) which aims to meet the following goals: Global competitiveness, Institutionalization and Promotion of Design Culture nationwide, Creation of an Environment to Cultivate a Constant Demand, Design Protection, Design Education and Professional Development, and Institutionalization of Design as an Effective Problem-Solving Tool” (para 26). Through this law, it is evident that design serves as a foundation of ingenious solutions. A strong and solid design foundation encourages innovation, which lead to quality, and even revolutionary solutions that Filipinos can not only be proud of, but can also utilize in the long run. Corruption is one of the numerous causes of the country’s slow progress, but it is not the main cause of such rate—there is a lack of discipline, overreliance, and lack of creative solutions that can benefit the nation in the long run. When citizens realize that these causes presented are the true enemies of progress in the Philippines, they must realize that they must obey the laws implemented despite its short-term inconveniences, be empowered to take action, and be enlightened to think of ingenious ideas that will benefit the country in the long run. It must be taken into consideration that corruption is not the root cause of the hindrance of the country’s development. Corrupt officials are not the sole perpetrators in the country’s stunted development. The Filipino citizens must be empowered to take action and think of original ideas that are worth sharing. When this happens, radical change is bound to happen.
REFERENCES
Corrales, N. (2016, March 3). Duterte slams Roxas: Where are billions of ‘Yolanda’ funds? Retrieved March 31, 2016, from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/770440/duterte-slams-roxas-where-are-billions-of-yolanda-funds
Palma, P. (2016, January 18). Expert takes on EDSA yellow lanes usage rule.
Retrieved March 30, 2016, from http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/01/17/Expert-on-EDSA-yellow-lanes.html
McArdle, M. (2014, November 04). Five Good Reasons Not to Vote. Retrieved April 01,
2016, from http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2014-11-04/five-good-reasons-not-to-vote
Masinag, C. (2012, July 12). MMDA releases circular formalizing yellow lane rule.
Retrieved March 30, 2016, from http://interaksyon.com/article/37360/mmda-releases-circular-formalizing-yellow-lane-rule
Diola, C. (2014, September 26). MMDA explains 'weirdest' mini-footbridge project.
Retrieved April 04, 2016, from http://www.philstar.com/nation/2014/09/26/1373453/mmda-explains-weirdest-mini-footbridge-project
Cayabyab, M., & Torres-Tupas, T. (2015, August 7). Retrieved March 30, 2016, from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/711149/honasan-villanueva-7-others-face-raps-over-pork-barrel-scam Estanislao, A. (2015, August 26). More corruption allegations vs VP Binay. Retrieved
April 04, 2016, from http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2015/08/26/More-corruption-allegations-vs-VP-Binay.html
Republic Act No. 10557 | GOVPH. (2012, July 23). Retrieved April 04, 2016, from http://www.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10557/
Philippine Institute for Development Studies (2006). Anti-corruption and governance:
The Philippine Experience. APEC Study Consortium Conference: Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam.

Extended Definition Essay
OUTLINE
OBJECTIVE: To let readers realize that infinite is not limited to how fathomable a concept is; that it can also be linked to feelings/possibilities
I. Introduction
a. Denotative meaning
b. Other Interpretations
i. What “infinite” is ii. What “infinite” is not
c. How Infinite will be defined
i. “No limitations”/infinite possibilities ii. feeling infinite
II. Body
a. No limitation/infinite possibilities
i. Opportunities to grow/progress/improvement ii. Taking risks
b. Feeling “infinite”
i. Self-actualization ii. Pursuing passions iii. Small moments in life
III. Conclusion
a. How this definition is different
i. Not limited to the Mathematical/Scientific concept usually presented ii. Can also be
b. Message to the readers
c. Importance of “infinite,” Math and Science aside

ESSAY
Feeling Limitless
In Stephen Chbosky’s “Perks of Being a Wallflower”, Charlie Kelmeckis said, “This one moment when you know you’re not a sad story. You are alive. And you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you’re listening to that song, and that drive with the people who you love most in this world. And in that moment, I swear, we were infinite.” (Chbosky, p.39) The word “infinite” comes from the Latin infinitus, derived from the Latin words means “in” which means “not,” and “finitus”’ meaning “finished” (Oxford Dictionary, n.d.) The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (n.d.) defines infinite as “immeasurably or inconceivably great or extensive.” Consequently, Rouse (2005) states that “infinity is the quality or state of endlessness or having no limits in terms of time, space, or other quantity.” On the other hand, Chbosky (2012), states that infinite is synonymous to “being able to go anywhere” despite the obstacles that one faces in his or her life.” With this said, Infinite is not entirely bounded by the lemincaste (∞), or by the countless positive and negative numbers that exist. Rather, it is broadened to the innumerous possibilities that the world has to offer, as well as the feeling of joy in having a sense of purpose in life. For this reason, infinite is a term that is limitless in definition and must not be restricted to merely fathomable concepts.
First, Infinite is a person’s state that is having limitless opportunities, such as opportunities to grow and as individuals. 2014 Olympic and World Figure Skating Champion Yuzuru Hanyu changed the game of the sport by adding the level of difficulty in his programs with additional quadruple jumps and difficult transitions, as well as smashing world records competition after competition in the 2015-2016 figure skating season. (Hersh, 2016, para. 4). Rather than seeing his progress as a degrading threat, his competitors see this as an opportunity to improve their abilities by upping their technical content as well as their artistic elements in their programs, including American figure skater and rival Jason Brown. “When one person jumps ahead, everyone is working harder, everyone is trying to take more risks. It’s just another way to continue to bring our sport to new heights. I think it’s awesome. I definitely don’t look at it as discouraging or upsetting. I think it’s only positive." (Hersh, 2016, para. 11). As such, Brown sees Hanyu’s progress as a driving force to do better, rather than as a threat. The seven-member Korean Pop boy band Infinite sees their name as a drive to continue growing not only musically, but also as individuals. The group’s leader, Kim Sungkyu states, “Our name, Infinite, means limitless. We never put a restriction on our possibilities, and we will always improve” (Kim, 2012). The seven-member Korean pop boy group Infinite sees their name as an avenue to continue improve as artists, and as a unit. In essence, Infinite continues to strive to living up to their name by ensuring that they explore and experiment in different musical styles that will continue to let their musical sound evolve. Such experiences show that the state of being infinite happens when one believes that he or she will improve in his or her respective fields despite challenges that are present.
Second, infinite is also a state linked to accomplishing huge feats. Such feats include facing one’s fears in order to take a leap of faith, such as learning how to skydive. In 2014, skydiver Mallory Wisong earned her skydiving license. She was able to overcome the “fear, doubt, and perfectionism” (para. 3) that she experienced throughout the process. Wisong (2014) felt infinite when she jumped because she realized that in skydiving, one must live in the moment while flying, hence saying “I had one of those jumps where time seems to slow down and you finally understand what it means to be fully present in the moment.” (para.4) Another example is competing in a major international competition for the first time, as the opportunity of representing one’s country is a once-in-a-lifetime experience given to only a fortunate few. Then sixteen-year-old figure skater Mirai Nagasu is one of these fortunate few. She competed in her first Olympic Games in Vancouver in 2010, where she jumped from sixth to fourth place after a stellar free skate. She was able to conquer the pressure she needed to face, since she represented the United States in the Olympics. Nagasu recounts, “It was as stressful as they say, but I was able to beat the pressure.” (para. 24). Nagasu felt infinite, as she was able to perform her best because she was able to conquer the pressure she was under. The state of being infinite happens when one feels a sense of accomplishment in conquering one’s inhibitions in order to achieve such triumphs.
Third, infinite is also a feeling that is connected to self-actualization. In order to fully understand the essence of such meaning, self-actualization is “the realization or fulfillment of one’s talents potentialities, especially considered as a drive or need present in everyone.” (Dorfner, 2014, p. 114) Having said that, such feeling is evident in self-actualization through the sense of fulfillment in realizing that one has achieved his or her main purpose in his or her career. For example, figure skater Yuna Kim broke the Olympic and World record in the women’s figure skating event in the 2010 Winter Olympics on February 25, 2010. In the said event, she garnered a total of 228.56 points, which led her to not only breaking records, but also capturing South Korea’s first Olympic gold medal in the figure skating event. (Hersh, 2010) On the other hand, basketball legend and four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal earned his doctorate degree from Barry University in 2012 after his stint in the NBA (De Nies and Katrandjian, 2012). Despite having an option to have a grand vacation after retirement, O’Neal opted to pursue his passion for zeal for education as well as to challenge himself in a different field. After the tribulations that he faced, which included making a thesis on the importance of humor in leadership, he received is doctorate degree, together with the title “Dr. Shaquille O’Neal.” With this said, feeling infinite is accomplishing the “biggest and most important goals in one’s life.” (Kim, 2010).
Finally, the state of feeling infinite happens in the small but beautiful moments in life. These moments are the daily happenings at home, such as having dinner together as a family. Filipino instant noodle brand Lucky Me launched Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga (the value of eating together as a family) campaign in 2007, wherein families are devoted to having at least one meal together on a specific date. On January 26, 2012, President Benigno Aquino III signed Presidential Proclamation 326 wherein he declared the fourth Monday of September as Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day (the value of eating together as a family). “One of the meaningful traditions of Filipinos is the common family meal where all members of the family are present to signify their unity and thanksgiving for God’s abundant blessings.” (Online, “Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day.” Retrieved from Proclamation No. 326, March 7, 2016). Through eating meals together as a family, members continue to nurture their relationship in today’s unit in a world of fast-paced living that has endless demands. In this case, feeling infinite is evident when the family appreciates and cherishes the time they spend together through a good meal, together with happiness brought about by laughter through countless anecdotes. Hence, infinite happens when the simplest joys in life are truly cherished.
Infinite is beyond the ideas brought about by the fields of Mathematics and Science. Essentially, it is a state that is unbounded in meaning— be it of fulfillment, joy, and empowerment. The state of being infinite is feeling fulfillment in what one does after all the tribulations he or she went through, bliss in the simplest yet most beautiful moments in life, as well as a motivating drive in order to pursue excellence. In substance, these ideas are some of the many viewpoints that is covered by infinite because it serves as an avenue to discover boundless possibilities because of the countless meanings it presents.
REFERENCES:
Chbosky, S. (1999). The perks of being a wallflower. New York, NY: Pocket Books.
Infinite (n.d.). Retrieved 14 March 2016, from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/infinite
Infinite (n.d.). Retrieved February 08, 2016, from http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/infinite Rouse, M. (2005). What is infinity? - Definition from WhatIs.com. Retrieved February
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