Natalie identifies herself as a student leader who is "tough but compassionate." When it comes to her officers' sentiments, she is a good listener. She believes that if a leader lacks compassion, his or her followers will abandon him or her, leaving the leader alone.
When asked how she manages her time, the young leader and aspiring entrepreneur shared that she manages her time through organizing her day and following a schedule that she created. Being a student and daughter simultaneously is hard but she makes ends meet; Doing her house chores and fitness routine first before going over her assignments — Which are categorized from the easiest to the hardest. She stated that “if you are enjoying the things you do, it’s kind of a win-win situation.” That’s why Natalie — or Nat, for those who are close to her — makes sure that she uses her time well during her classes so that in the evening, she can still relax. “If there are a hundred tasks, I will divide them by 20's so that I am left with only five clusters of tasks, if you manage to divide them properly, you wouldn’t feel too overwhelmed anymore,” When it comes to stress management, she just eats and watch movies, as well as having a positive mentality in which you think about rewarding yourself after completing a task to inspire yourself to finish your work.
With the new normal, we can’t deny that it became a huge setback for all of us. When asked what her greatest setback was, she shared that it was the stress that resulted in her losing her passion. Like every other student, Natalie also had her ups and downs. The feeling of exhaustion made her question her capabilities as an individual; Whether she was making the right decision or not. But later on, stating that, “This (being a student leader) was one of my best choices in life since I've learned a lot.”
When there’s rock bottom, there is also the peak of a mountain. Natalie willingly shared one of her memorable achievements. During her 3rd year, things went spiraling down for her when she started having su***dal thoughts; Enclosing herself to the fact that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Fortunately, she escaped the dark side and continued living a healthy life. She realized that no matter how difficult things are, there are individuals who are eagerly willing to help, listen, and never abandon her. Her efforts as a student leader paved the way for her to realize how many people appreciated her and the things that she does. Blessing is the word that described her journey as a leader.
Life is a long highway where you fall, you cry, you hurt. It’s an unwinding road where you will also meet people who will either be a blessing in disguise or a memory that doesn’t fade but is there at the very back of your mind. When asked who she looks up to, she spoke the name that surely everyone has heard of; Eldrine Roxas. The two have been friends for such a time now and Natalie openly stated how Mr. Roxas inspired her in a lot of things. Mr. Roxas’ mindset, strong heart, and will, and how he never fails to guide Natalie along the way helped her big time. With no recollection and experience of being a student leader before her 1st year as an Iskolar, she doubter her skills and capabilities. Oftentimes she thought about quitting, that maybe she’s not ready for it. But through this, she learned the importance of friendship, leadership, being brave, and having a strong heart and mind. You need to hold on to the trust that your colleagues give you.
The exposure of being a student leader can be overwhelming. There would be people out there who will criticize and judge your talent and beliefs; These things are inevitable and Natalie remained positive. “There are more positive feedbacks than the negative ones that I should be grateful for”, she stated. Criticisms may have offended her at one point or another, it may have been challenging to face people who would constantly bring her down but she remained headstrong. She doesn’t have any particular life lesson that pushes her to be the better version of herself. Instead, she just wants to excel in a lot of aspects. Every day, she wants to be the better version than she was before and should be able to reach or rather surpass the person she's looking up to. In 5-10 years, she sees herself pursuing the field she desires, a lawyer.
Natalie’s ending message…
“To all the HRM and OM who are aspiring to be future managers, always remember to be brave and be strong. As aspiring managers, we are the voices of our members, we should learn to speak up, especially if it is for the greater good. Don’t give up easily in life; I’ve witnessed all of your struggles and hardships, but I believe you're all intelligent people who will achieve your goals one day. Of all the 600 students whom I’ve handled their concerns, half of them reached out to me regarding shifting to a different course, about their dreams and aspirations, that’s why I am encouraging you all to work hard and achieve your dreams even if you’re pursuing it in another field. Always study well, it is normal to fail or get very low grades; in a few years you’ll all graduate together, and I believe that you'll all go on to be successful managers.
To all the student leaders, not every challenge and setback should be mourned over. As leaders, one of your responsibilities is to remain resilient in the face of adversity. Consider the people who rely on you; do not disappoint or let them down, and always do the right thing regardless of the circumstances. You will thank yourself one day for your perseverance.”
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