By Zarelle Villanzana
A preacher doesn’t only stand on the pulpit every Sunday to speak. They can also take up the role of a watchdog, anchoring their authority by their credentials. But what use are credentials if not translated into action?
Credentials reflect character—supposedly. It shows that you’ve honed your skills enough to achieve such distinctions. These distinctions are useless if you withhold your expertise from the next generations that need it.
Existing before a generation is the definition of seniority. Showing seniority is different; it can only be reflected in how you act or behave. It should be second-nature for a senior to assume the shoes of a leader, to pass down the wisdom they achieved from experience. Even the current seniors have learned a lot from their previous ates and kuyas. This is simply the transfer of knowledge; it is essential in considering the longevity and quality of any institution or organization. They don’t have to be on a pulpit for this. It’s even better to do on solid ground: a simple conversation.
To be a senior, one must learn to set aside any personal vendettas. Nothing is personal. By now, you must understand that each concern is valid in its own right, and only communication can resolve bitter tensions. If a senior disregards this, they are adding fuel to the fire started by those who have never tried putting a fire out—or those whose only resolve in conflict is to burn the other down. A leader should be level-headed enough to be the bigger person.
When mistakes are made, the main objective is to correct, not humiliate. A senior was once in a beginner’s shoes. In a newsroom, grace is what matters the most. To be an editor means taking responsibility for your writers’ growth, so that they may pass on their knowledge to the next set of writers they will mentor.
The youth are not incapable of leading, but they will be if not guided properly. Worrying about the future generations may be a sign that your role as a senior was not fully utilized. To worry about the future, at least, means you care. Not worrying at all would make sense for a credential hoarder. They keep moving forward only with their personal interest in mind.
Working for oneself isn’t inherently bad. “By pursuing his own interest, he frequently promotes that of society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it,” says Adam Smith, the father of modern economics. However, to work tirelessly and disregard the welfare of your neighbors will also cost society more than it intends to—it weakens a community.
Communities are built from shared interests and struggles. A community sustains an individual, as an individual sustains a community. Knowing this, a newsroom should make the burden of reportage easier. Speaking for the masses is a heavy task in itself, there should be no additional weight carried from internal strife.
Prioritizing peace before resolution is the best route towards apathy. A campus press cannot be progressive if its members remain passive—if they cannot care enough to talk. For any institution to progress, it starts with the growth of each individual, not only in skill, but also in character.
