School Pride
On the somewhat frequent occasions I am asked where I obtain my law degree, I practically swell up with pride as I answer "UP." On the considerably less frequent occasions that I am asked where I obtained my college, or undergraduate degree, I also feel no small degree of pride as I answer "UP." I enjoyed majority of the nine years I spent at the University of the Philippines, and I wouldn't trade them in for anything.
That said, I find myself raising a brow rather frequently as I walk by UP Manila, which is right next to my office, and catch a glimpse of what's printed on many students' t-shirts. It seems that, in UP Manila at least, there are a number of kids who seem to take UP's reputation as the last bastion of intellectuals a tad too seriously. The t-shirts read:
"I think, therefore I am from UP."
I realize there have been a great many jokes (most of them at the expense of La Salle and its students) depicting the aforementioned La Sallites as dumb, Ateneans as arrogant, and UP kids as smart. I wouldn't be surprised if these jokes were dreamed up by UP students or graduates, but the fact that they've gained widespread acceptance among a great many people says a lot. Still, other than those jokes and the occasional crack about which law school is the best, I had never really heard about UP students lording, or attempting to lord, their stature over other schools. Truth be told I found myself offended by that t-shirt, UP grad though I may be.
Why? Well, it always struck me, from my undergraduate days to my law school days, that UP students in general were relatively secure about their cultural identity and didn't really feel the need to crow about it. Ateneans may have acquired a reputation, over the years, for arrogance, just as La Sallites have acquired a reputation for being, well, slow, but I never really imagined that people from UP would overtly proclaim to the world that they're smart. God, if this keeps up then Ateneo grads will have competition in the arrogance department.
Yes, I am from UP and I am proud of that fact, but I'm not about to put down other schools just to make a point. I know that UP folks have a reputation for being intellectual snobs, but it takes the game to a whole new, much more unpleasant level now that they have an in-your-face attitude about it.
This, and naked (Korean?) chicks running around during the oblation run. What is UP coming to?
That said, I find myself raising a brow rather frequently as I walk by UP Manila, which is right next to my office, and catch a glimpse of what's printed on many students' t-shirts. It seems that, in UP Manila at least, there are a number of kids who seem to take UP's reputation as the last bastion of intellectuals a tad too seriously. The t-shirts read:
"I think, therefore I am from UP."
I realize there have been a great many jokes (most of them at the expense of La Salle and its students) depicting the aforementioned La Sallites as dumb, Ateneans as arrogant, and UP kids as smart. I wouldn't be surprised if these jokes were dreamed up by UP students or graduates, but the fact that they've gained widespread acceptance among a great many people says a lot. Still, other than those jokes and the occasional crack about which law school is the best, I had never really heard about UP students lording, or attempting to lord, their stature over other schools. Truth be told I found myself offended by that t-shirt, UP grad though I may be.
Why? Well, it always struck me, from my undergraduate days to my law school days, that UP students in general were relatively secure about their cultural identity and didn't really feel the need to crow about it. Ateneans may have acquired a reputation, over the years, for arrogance, just as La Sallites have acquired a reputation for being, well, slow, but I never really imagined that people from UP would overtly proclaim to the world that they're smart. God, if this keeps up then Ateneo grads will have competition in the arrogance department.
Yes, I am from UP and I am proud of that fact, but I'm not about to put down other schools just to make a point. I know that UP folks have a reputation for being intellectual snobs, but it takes the game to a whole new, much more unpleasant level now that they have an in-your-face attitude about it.
This, and naked (Korean?) chicks running around during the oblation run. What is UP coming to?
posted by Jim Arroyo at 12:46 PM
2 Comments:
Ateneo and UP had two shirts like this come out last year. The ateneo shirt had the La Salle typeface proudly displayed in front and in the back it read: "Because not everyone can make it to the Ateneo."
A UP shirt read: "UP kami. Kayo?"
Well, I have no problem with a shirt that says "UP kami. Kayo?" There's still some traces of hubris there, but at least it doesn't feel like a cheap shot at (not just La Salle but) EVERY other school out there.
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