A new Twitter trend is calling on students of the Ateneo de Manila University to confess their “most Atenean” experiences ahead of Game 2 of the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball finals between the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons
The responses to the trend started by Twitter user @littleboondock have ranged from just a tad eccentric to extra extravagant.
One user shared how an Ateneo student she knew threw a birthday party just for his car.
im not an Atenean but one of the closest friends (who's an Atenean) of the guy im seeing threw a party for his car's birthday….. im..,,, shook sis…,, https://t.co/a2Zs7Zi6mw
— Angela Gonzalvo (@angelagnzlvo) December 2, 2018
One shared how losing an Iphone ended up with her getting two Iphones instead.
One related how a friend traveled to Malaysia on a whim after a fight with a significant other.
Not me but my friend literally flew to Malaysia the same night she fought w/ her boyfriend just to “think and have some space” lmaooo https://t.co/FwmcIA3Dp8
— Tazjana 🌟 (@toitanya) December 3, 2018
Not all entries involved flexing some wealth. For some, “most atenean thing” meant dealing with some rainy day inconvenience or showing a little compassion.
h8 this thread – my idea of being atenean involves kindness: some friends (not megarich but have a room in katip since they live far) ask me to sleep over every now then, knowing i live far too. i am shown so much good by my friends who share w me everything when they could 💖🌸 https://t.co/GjA1Ax4l2N
— ✿ mikaela bona ༼♥ل͜♥༽ (@mikaelabona) December 3, 2018
School for the elites?
Located near Loyal Heights along Katipunan Avenue, the 159-year-old educational institution has been tagged as the school for the Philippines’ privileged for most of its recent history. Tuition at the college level is at around P98,000 per semester.
It is also located near exclusive communities such as Xavierville, La Vista, Loyola Grand Villas, Green Meadows and White Plains, which are known to house the country’s well-off families.
Despite most of its students coming from privileged families, the school admits more than 200 scholars a year and offers financial aid grants for students who have trouble paying tuition.
To ensure students experience life outside of constant comfort, the school requires third-year students to go on the Junior Engagement Program, where they are required to do blue collar work under supervision of workers.
In their fourth year in the school, the students are required to undergo an immersion program where they spend one weekend with a family in an urban poor or rural area.
