5 Things I Wish I Knew About Being A BS Psychology Student In The Philippines

Hi, my dear friends! The path to college is a choice we make for many reasons, but it isn’t easy to take. If I had known what I know now, I wish I could’ve told my younger self a couple of things.

ᴾʰᵒᵗᵒ ᵉᵈⁱᵗᵉᵈ ⁱⁿ ᶜᵃⁿᵛᵃ

For context, I took up a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at De La Salle Lipa and graduated in 2019. No one in my family pursued a career in Psychology, so being the first one, I just had a general idea of what I was getting myself into. My aim is to be that “Ate” (older sister) or adult that I never had and give you a glimpse of what you might experience under the BS Psychology program.

Side note: My dream towards being a psychologist was put on hold. Instead, I am a mental health advocate speaking at live and virtual events.

Before I enumerate what I wish I had known back when I was in college, I just want to share briefly how I chose BS Psychology as my college course.

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Why I Chose BS Psychology

It’s simple: It was what was offered in De La Salle Lipa, and I was interested in understanding the human psyche. Psychology is about knowing the brain and its function and the psychological phenomenon, that is, emotions, how personalities are formed, and its disorders.

While this could sound novel and pretentious, it was indeed true. The human psyche intrigued me the day I wanted to understand how my parents navigated the world of parenting, which had left me cared for, bewildered, humbled, and wounded. So you can say I wanted to understand myself too.

ᴾʰᵒᵗᵒ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ᴳʳᵃ ᴳᵃʳᶜⁱᵃ

BS Psychology VS. BA Psychology

But wait, isn’t there also a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology? What’s the difference? – These are the common questions I hear when deciding on their undergraduate degree. Generally speaking, they are similar, but there are still key differences. You need to check the school’s catalogue for both curriculums and see the subjects where they differ.

However, science and mathematics subject-matter courses are typically seen under BS Psychology. Yes, there is math in Psychology, but it’s not what you expect. Trust me, you would need your logical thinking skills here. There’s an emphasis on lab and statistics classes as well.

Meanwhile, BA Psychology focuses on arts, social sciences, and the humanities. This helps you develop the skills needed for criminal justice and social work opportunities, unlike in BS Psychology, which is for more research-based and clinical professions.

Is there a better degree? That actually depends on what you wish to gain by the end of your undergraduate course. I say that BS in Psychology is beneficial if you plan to continue to a graduate degree and apply for a license as a psychologist. But it doesn’t mean you can’t do that with an AB Psychology undergrad.

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5 Things I Wish I Knew

Now that is well-understood, here are the following things I wished I could've considered more. Please note that this is based on my personal experience, and like tarot readers would say, take only what resonates.

1. Know your sciences very well.

It wasn’t called a science degree for nothing. I regret not freshening up my knowledge about biology, chemistry, and physics. Although I wasn’t a bad student, in fact, I loved my science subjects in high school. I completely wiped it out of my memory and struggled to find my former science books. So it might be helpful if you check the school's curriculum you wish to enrol in and look up your science electives. That way, you won’t be as shocked as I was when I had to relearn chemical bonding.

2. Do advance reading.

This is related to my first point. Once you know your curriculum, you can start finding resources that will help you read a few chapters or an introduction. I was surprised when professors treat discussions as if you already had read the book.

Here’s a tip: If you know a college senior, you can ask what books they used in class. It would be better if you could borrow one for free. Or, you can check out the different Facebook pages for Psychology students where they share links for e-books.

The goal is not to read the entire course but to give yourself a head start for the lesson on that day.

ᴹʸ ˢᶜʳᵘᵇ ᵘⁿⁱᶠᵒʳᵐ ᵈᵃʸˢ. ᵀᵃᵏᵉⁿ ᵇʸ ᵐᵉ.

3. Develop a studying routine.

I am so guilty of being a disorganized student. On top of being a student leader and campus journalist, I was juggling how to fit my readings and modules in one day. When I discovered that being in the library for an hour helped, it was already too late. I also spent too much time looking for good spots to study on campus. Although our canteen distracts me a lot, make sure you know where to go for some focus time. It’s important to train your brain that you have a study schedule. Set a timer for the morning and afternoon until it becomes an automatic habit.

4. Find your learning style.
Relating to the previous point, your learning style is equally important as a study routine. This is a highly personal endeavor, one that requires patience and experimentation. They say there are four types of learners: audio, visual, read/write, and kinesthetic. I always thought I was a visual learner because my professor’s presentation helped me picture the lesson, but it turns out I was a mix of audio-visual. Hearing clear discussions with a visual aid was my kind of learning.

Bonus: While studying for my licensure exam for Psychometrician, I recorded myself explaining to myself the lesson as if I was the professor. Then I played it back before I went to sleep.

5. Take smart notes.

Finally, I cannot longer stress this for my past self, but I should’ve taken smarter notes. The art of note-taking takes practice, but the results are worth it. I believe that it will help you retain your memory better, and it’s kinda like having a cheat code in classes. The smarter your notes, the better your chances of understanding and remembering the topics. Don’t be afraid to do the traditional jotting-down-on-your-notebook or explore note-taking apps for your phone or laptop. There’s a really awesome guide that you can check out here.

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Being a BS Psychology student is something I can do all over again, but with the preparation of the general science subjects and being more confident with my learning style and methods. It was a rollercoaster ride of lab reports, staying up late for research papers, and getting a fever on my thesis proposal. But it made me the mental health advocate I am today. Thank you to those who supported me; you know who you are.

And cheers to you, dear reader! If you’re considering enrolling in Psychology for your undergrad degree, I wish this helped you and know that I’m here if you have any questions.

If you're looking for a mental health speaker at your event, I’m happy to connect with you. Just send me a message on my Facebook page or email at ishthewoundedhealer@gmail.com 💜

Stressed out about entering college? Want to relieve your anxiety for a few minutes? Listen to my Filipino deep breathing exercise video, a series called Pahinga Playlist on YouTube.

ᴾʰᵒᵗᵒ ᵉᵈⁱᵗᵉᵈ ⁱⁿ ᶜᵃⁿᵛᵃ

Thank you so much for reading and supporting my blogs 💜

ᴬˡˡ ᵖʰᵒᵗᵒˢ ᵃʳᵉ ᵗᵃᵏᵉⁿ ᵇʸ ᵐᵉ ᵘⁿˡᵉˢˢ ˢᵗᵃᵗᵉᵈ ᵒᵗʰᵉʳʷⁱˢᵉ