Metro Manila ( Philippines Life) — It started as a joke. But as classes shifted online due to the pandemic, then-University of the East Ramon Magsaysay sophomore medical student Regina Geli began seriously considering an unconventional route. Instead of pursuing her third year studies, she decided to file a leave of absence (LOA) for the current school year, choosing to refocus her energies on caring for personal well-being and returning to advocacy work.
In a country fixated with the idea of graduating on time, a 26-year-old who is shaping her own progress beyond the Philippines’ traditional education system is an exception. Highly aware that she is capable of making this leap given her resources, Geli, however, highlights a struggle that escapes no student whatever the social class background.
“I live with my family. Okay naman ‘yung wi-fi connection namin dito. I have devices. But the presence of privileges like those, it’s not a guarantee against anxieties,” she shares.
Like what many students have raised on social media since classes resumed in September, Geli believes that mental health is a learning issue warranting attention, especially given the unprecedented changes and long-standing societal challenges magnified by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Defining own progress
In October, the Department of Education (DepEd) welcomed 24.7 million students from public and private schools, around three million fewer enrollees from the previous school year, amid growing public resistance to pursuing classes given the pandemic. A month prior, the DepEd rejected the call, stating that an academic freeze is a “shortsighted solution” to the learning issues raised.
Since then, educational institutions nationwide have been constantly hounded by the pleas and criticisms of parents, students, and concerned organizations. Under the tags #AcademicFreezeNOW and #LigtasNaBalikEskwela, one can find the multifaceted narratives on the various schools and universities’ implementation of the academic year. Students have resorted to online debriefing and release for help, much like the #PisoParaSaLaptop campaign, which began a few months before the resumption of classes.
Related: What #PisoParaSaLaptop says about our education system
The mental health crisis has been called by professionals “the next pandemic.” In a 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) report, it was stated that around 3.3 million Filipinos already suffer from depressive disorders, one of the highest cases in Southeast Asia. Last May, the WHO also warned of an impending global mental health crisis affecting millions due to COVID-19.
This is a grave concern for students like Geli who study in medical schools. Throughout the years, Geli shares she has learned to compartmentalize stressors; mental health issues cannot be given much space in medical education, as it may risk one’s academic standing.
Enduring pandemic-induced anxieties as the last school year came to a close, she began reflecting on her learning experience and discussing the LOA option with her parents — as she ultimately felt the need to pursue self-betterment and progress on her own terms.
Since going on a study break these past months, Geli has transitioned to healthier personal routines, has created a podcast, and has been active in her advocacies previously sidelined when she entered medical school. She is currently volunteering with Healthcare Without Harm, an international organization promoting awareness and greener practices geared towards climate health. Geli also dedicated this period to review her first year and second year school subjects.
She says, “It’s not something to be ashamed of. Taking a leave of absence doesn’t mean [that] you’re not strong enough to handle the school year ‘cause I know I could have handled the school year if push comes to shove. Taking a LOA is really just doing what’s best for you, and giving yourself the best chance and the best pass forward even if it’s not the most traditional sense.”
For her, what discourages students from taking study breaks such as a LOA or a gap year are the Philippines’ traditional views and structures on education, surmising that the educational path is usually laid down for students, and non-traditional modes of learning aren’t as explored or accepted yet in society.