the current hot topic in our batch right now is the possible dissolution of one or all of the sophomore blocks. attributed, perhaps to excusable oversight of past decision-makers, who probably weren’t able to foresee an impending scarcity of resources (faculty and budget for utitilities), the possibilities are as follows:
a. one block - either the one with the least number of students or the one which gets picked in the raffle gets dissolved, and the students will be scattered among the 3 remaining blocks
b. all blocks get dissolved. everyone will be signing up anew for three junior blocks in the day class next sem
while a lot of my batchmates in the day class have vehement objections to the thought of the dissolution of blocks, their block more specifically, i have less popular views re: the matter.
i remember my undergrad years when the blocks in BAA were also dissolved. in our course, our grades in most subjects were based on papers that we do with a group. thus, it was important to find groupmates that had work ethics and temparaments that you could live with. in our third year, we already had our groups, yet the block system was still dissolved. some of us had to find new groupmates (that included me). looking back, i am quite thankful that happened because when everyone re-grouped, it seemed that the groups were better suited to everyone’s personalities. we were able to get to know more batchmates, which enabled us to widen our horizons a wee bit.
what’s happening to our batch right now is similar but then again not totally on all fours with the aforesaid situation. in law school, grades are not based on groups. not even based on the digest pools that one has. they are rarely based on the performance of a block as a whole. thus, when it comes to grades, it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day if one is in a block or if one is an “international student”, who doesn’t have a fixed block.
if in case the blocks get dissolved, it won’t be the end of the world.
i understand that in a block, one finds friendships that last for a lifetime and even beyond (case in point, my dad’s friendship with his law school buddies that has extended to the next generation even). in a block, one finds a family in law school, where he could freely make those recit boo-boo’s without having to worry about how his classmates find his less than stellar performance (so the only worry would then be the low grade that he will most probably get if the prof’s not merciful). yes, one’s block is indeed a comfort zone.
but one can’t be in his comfort zone forever. if this were the case, one would not grow as an individual and fail to see the merits of other people as well (kasi sila-sila na lang ang nagkakakitaan). as life has it, it is inevitable for one to be forced out of his comfort zone by some sheer circumstance is inevitable. and maybe this administrative oversight is THAT SHEER CIRCUMSTANCE.
it’s not that am calloused and that i don’t understand the sentiments of those who are staunch advocates of the preservation of their respective blocks. it’s just that for me, there are other pressing matters at hand.
so what if a/all block/s get dissolved? life in malcolm hall will go on. and so will life elsewhere. if a block gets dissolved, that block is even fortunate to have experienced being with more people. in terms of networking this is a plus. and if all blocks get dissolved, it will be a chance for everyone to start anew.
the challenge here is CHANGE MANAGEMENT. how well could these law students adapt to change? one can’t blame the admin anymore for what happened in the past (if there is indeed something to blame ‘em for). that won’t get anyone anywhere. what’s been done has been done and the focus should now be how to make the most out of the situation at hand. maybe there has to be a paradigm shift in everyone’s minds and instead focus on what’s ahead…on what’s next and be more forward looking.
the only thing that would and should matter now is that the admin ought to have fair standards for such a decision. i guess we, as students, ought to give them the benefit of the doubt & the good faith that’s due them that they know what they ought to do and will do what’s best for the studentry balanced with the pressing needs of implementing austerity measures. after all, they have wisdom of the years, don’t they?
i know this is an unpopular viewpoint and i just hope that no one throws tomatoes at me for trying to think out of the box.
