Paskuhan ‘22 fosters Thomasian identity - ASN students

 

Paskuhan ‘22 fosters Thomasian identity - ASN students

By Ma. Kristina Molina

After a two-year halt, the much awaited Thomasian Christmas tradition known as the Paskuhan returned to campus last December 19, 2022. However, the event was exclusive only to the Thomasian community given the threat of the persisting pandemic.

For Asian Studies (ASN) students, the Thomasians-only mandate was one of the highlights of the recent Paskuhan. Jem Gonzales, a sophomore and first time attendee from 2ASN1, emphasized the said mandate was essential in shaping her identity as part of the community.

“Since I feel like we’ve been robbed of face to face opportunities, especially with other schools already conducting on-site classes and events, Paskuhan 2022 was like a ‘bigay niyo na sa’min ‘to' [rewarding] moment,” Gonzales said.

Meanwhile, graduating student Ysabella Atienza from 4ASN2 also expressed more positive remarks, pointing out that the exclusivity made the event more memorable and unique. “I guess the Thomasians-only mandate was also a highlight considering that UST has always opened its doors to the public every Paskuhan,” Atienza added. Despite a few minor mishaps in crowd control, she was delighted to enjoy her last Paskuhan with her friends.

Another highlight in the said event was the highly anticipated concert headlined by popular OPM artists Adie, Lola Amour and Mayonnaise. Gonzales recalled her experience when the latter played their hit song, Jopay. “People were already exhausted, but by the time Mayonnaise started playing, you could even feel the ground shaking because of the hype,” she jokingly said.

Gonzales also recognized other elements of the event that embodied Paskuhan’s theme, “Pananabik, Pagbabalik, Panunumbalik”. For her, the seven-minute pyromusical display was more than just an extravagant, Instagram-worthy show. “By the end of the fireworks display, they played ‘Narda’ which best fit Paskuhan’s theme that honors Pinoy superheroes, and in the context of the pandemic, our frontliners,” she explained.

Nevertheless, there were still rooms for improvement for the ASN students. Issues of non-Thomasians’ entry and poor crowd control were mentioned by many attendees. However, Paskuhan 2022 was still considered as a success for the whole Thomasian community after adjusting to the new normal due to pandemic restrictions.