WONG_DIGITAL PORTFOLIO UNDERSTANDING THE SELF MODULE 2

PORTFOLIO

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Louis M. Wong IV GED101/B8

HELLO ~

I am Louis M. Wong, a first-year civil engineering
student of Mapúa University Manila. This portfolio
will showcase my learnings and achievements in our
GED101: Understanding the Self. I hope you will
have fun exploring this portfolio as you see my
adventures in understanding my biological, social,
mental, emotional, and spiritual self.

01.

The Biological Self

The Physical Self
The Sexual Self

02.

The Social Self

The Cultural Self
The Socio-Digital Self
The Material/Economic Self

03.

The Mental Self

Cognition, Memory, and Intelligence
Human Learning

04.

The Emotional Self

Human Emotions and Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Regulation

05.

The Spiritual Self

The Inner Soul
Connections with Nature
Discovering Life's Meaning

06.

My Overall Experience

01.

The Biological Self

During our GED101 lesson about the biological self, we were introduced to the two
aspects that constitutes to our biological self: the physical self and the sexual self.

On the topic of the physical self, we explored the biological and environmental factors
that shape our physical self. We look into the basics of genetics in understanding how
our physical features are gained from our parents. We continued to learn about
maturation or completion of one's growth of genetic character. We also discussed the
influence of the environment in our growth and development, where we become
conscious and take care of our physical self.

On the topic of the sexual self, we are taught about the sexual development of ourselves.
We defined the meaning of sexual self-concept, compared sex and gender, sexual
orientation, and sexual preference, and discussed copulation or sexual intercourse.
Moreover, we talked about the consequences of sexual choice where we are introduced
to different types of contraceptives, and sexually transmitted diseases or STDs, and ways
to prevent them. Lastly, we are reminded to have responsible decisions with regard to
our sexuality and sexual behavior.

The
Physical
Self

My Evolution

It is so fascinating to see how my physical self
changed over the years. The genetic traits and
characteristics I got from my parents slowly
showed as I developed and matured from
offspring to adolescence. As I grow and
develop, some physical changes in my body
are quite undesirable based on my society's
standards. I had crooked teeth before, which
was fixed when I had braces. In my puberty, I
experienced having many pimples. I started
using a facial wash to remove them and
maintain my looks as good as possible. My
body was chubby before, but I began
regulating meals to have a thin body in my
teenage years.

Today, as a first-year college student of
Mapúa University, I continue to maintain
proper hygiene, take a healthy lifestyle, and
have confidence. I always make sure that I
look decent when I meet with other people. I
am happy with my physical body, and I will
always do my best to keep it in good shape.

Me, Myself,
and I

Maintaining fitness is one of the things I
give importance to my physical self. I often
balance my meals and take vitamins in
taking care of my well-being. I always
ensure that I am confident and
approachable whenever I am in public and I
always keep myself updated on the clothing
trends and ensure that my clothing style is
well-appreciated.

I was an archer in my high school. However,
I stopped playing the sport because of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, my father
bought me a mountain bike for my leisure
time. Whenever I have time to take a rest
from college work, I often bike and explore
places in our city with my family. Biking is
very helpful for me in maintaining a
healthy body.

The Sexuality and
Sexual Gender
Self.
I am born as a male and I always view myself
as masculine. I was raised by my parents and
they taught me gender roles which I opt to
follow. Entering my teenage years was a
struggle for me as I knew more about my
body. I experienced having sexual desires
which I sometimes cannot control. I started
watching pornographies and often think
lustfully. Fortunately, I came to a realization to
stop those actions. I was able to control my
addiction to sexual desires and instill in my
mind in abstaining from sexual activities. I
aimed to think maturely and focus on building
a successful future. I also remind myself to
follow my moral principles in life and be
appropriately open to topics about sex.

In terms of gender, I became more open about
gender. As I attend Gender and Society and
Understanding the Self classes, I learned how
fluid gender is and it opened my eyes to
respecting people who defy the traditional
gender roles. I also opened myself about my
gender and if the time comes when I question
my gender, I will ensure that I will reach my
desired authentic self.

02.

The Social Self

Our lesson about the social self talked about how social institutions and our
environment contribute to our identity and development. We are introduced to the
three social factors that established some of our traits and characteristics. Mainly,
these are the cultural self, the socio-digital self, and the material/economic self.

On the topic of the cultural self, we discussed how different socio-cultural aspects
influence our development as we continue to mature. We also tackled the
Individualism-Collectivism Model, where we understood the cultural orientations
of different races and how it changes due to modernization.

On the topic of the socio-digital self, we talked about how the technology of our
time and the internet impacts our social self. We discussed how different our digital
selves can be from our true selves. As we discussed the online disinhibition effect,
we are given tips in managing responsible online behavior to build a healthy digital
identity.

On the topic of the material/economic self, we tackled how we maintain extensions
of ourselves through our material goods and maintenance of lifestyles. We
discussed how individuals obtain goods, the factors that shape one's economic
decisions, and what these things say about one's self in the context of what the
society values as needs and wants.

The
Cultural
Self.

My growth and development are widely
influenced by the social groups that I belong to.
Mainly, my behaviors, habits, and actions today
are influenced by my family and friends. They
are my primary social groups, and I treasure all
my learnings from them. They taught me how to
properly face challenges in my life and learn how
valuable relationship is in my maturity.

Not only people influenced me in my process of
development, but also the institutions I joined or
grew up with. The schools I joined in Pasay City
and General Santos City taught me to work hard
and commit to excellence. As a Filipino, I value
the virtue of unity and resiliency in facing what is
ahead of me. I give importance to the things I
learned from my social systems as they construct
the social self I have today.

The Wong
Family

My source of love, care, and
support.

BICC Squad

My inspiration and a second
family that I am blessed and

lucky to grow up with.

Shalom Crest Wizard
Academy

My alma mater and my second home. This
is where I significantly developed into my
present self. My mighty and strong
foundation.

The Socio-Digital
Self.

Social media is one of my go-to places whenever I have free time. I regularly use them to
communicate with my friends and to keep me updated on what is happening in my
surroundings. As I use my social media, I cannot deny the difference between the openness of
my digital self from my true self in expressing feelings. Because of this, I always remind myself
to evaluate what I post from my social media accounts. I promise to be a responsible user in my
Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. What I post on my social media reflects my image
and my social self.

The
Materialistic/

Economical
Self.

I am aware of how the products and
materials I have reflects my
personality. The things I have
indicates my status in society. I have
my wants and needs that serve as a
purpose and significance to me.
However, whenever I decide to buy
things, I now usually think of their
value to me. I always seek to evaluate
whether the thing I will buy is a want
or a need. When it is a need, I choose
to buy a product that is economical
for me. If it is a want, I think of its
practicality and determine if this will
be a gift to myself. Overall, I save
money for future purposes and what
I think is worth using the money for.
I keep myself contented with what I
possess and be a frugal person.

03.

The Mental Self

Our topic about the mental self discussed the intellectual aspects of the self. We talked
about the intellectual capabilities of a human that makes us superior to other
organisms in the world. Our lesson about the mental self is composed of two subunits:
cognition, memory, and intelligence, and human learning.

On the topic of cognition, memory, and intelligence, we talked about the nature of
cognition and metacognition, its underlying mechanisms, and how it contributes to
our sense of self. We also discussed the mechanism of our memory, and different
types of human intelligence using the Multiple Intelligences theory and the Triarchic
theory of intelligence.

On the topic of human learning, we tackled the overview of human learning, the
factors that contribute to the learning process, and how learning shapes the individual
self. We also look at ways on how to adopt deep learning thinking strategies in making
our learning effective.

Cognition,
Memory, and
Intelligence

We, humans, have unique intellectual capabilities that make us superior to other living
organisms. The things I experienced in my life contribute to establishing my cognition,
memory, and intelligence. My cognition influences my behaviors and actions in life. I use my
cognition to understand the things around me, and it guides me to decide on the best choice for
a certain situation.

It is unique how humans can remember anything. Our intellectual capabilities to store
memories are a function of our minds through which information is acquired and retained for
later use. The memories I have are very helpful in doing tasks and works as a college student.
The experiences and learnings I gained from the past are beneficial to me in functioning well in
my life.

The intelligence we have varies from person to person. In understanding intelligence, I found
out the strengths and weaknesses of my intellectual self. Knowing my intelligence is vital for
finding out what I am good at and determining and improving specific areas of my intelligence.

Human
Learning

Learning is a vital part of a person's growth and
development. It feeds our intellectual self the learnings
that are needed for our survival and well-being. I believe
in the saying "a good education is a foundation for a better
future." I value the virtues I learned from my parents and
the knowledge I acquired in my school. In my desire to
learn more about things, I join contests to harness my
skills in a specific field that I want to know. Moreover, as I
commit myself to excellence, I work hard and trust myself
to learn and master confidently the skills given to me.

Aim High

As I commit myself to
learning, I always ensure

that I achieve high
expectations of myself and

my institution.

Practice Makes
Perfect!

There are more information and
knowledge to learn upon entering
college. To further master the skills
needed for my chosen career, I always
opt to practice improving my skills,
such as drawing and solving
mathematical equations.

Grab Opportunities

When I see chances of learning and developing
my intellectual self, I usually grab those

opportunities. I joined numerous national and
international contests, specifically in the field

of environmental research. I did not just get to
experience the privilege of entering such

contests and winning awards, but I also learned
many things that I prioritize to improve my
intellectual self.

04.

The Emotional Self

During our GED101 lesson about the emotional self, we talked about the human
emotions that affect how a person lives. The lesson contains two subunits in
understanding the emotional dimension of the self. Mainly, these are human
emotions and emotional intelligence, and emotional regulation.

We discussed how our emotions influence our everyday behaviors and actions on
our topic about human emotions and emotional intelligence. We talked about one's
emotional self through the lens of emotional intelligence theories, especially in
emotional awareness and emotional management.

On our topic about emotional regulation, we continued the discussion of human
emotion and emotional intelligence. We tackled how to manage and regulate our
emotions in establishing emotional efficacy and emotional maturity. Moreover, we
discussed how can our emotional regulation abilities be developed with the use of
learning.

Human Emotions serve as a driving force on how I act or
Emotions behave. Emotions influence my decision-making,
and thinking process, and behavior with other people. I
Emotional used to control my emotions very well before the
Intelligence COVID-19 pandemic began. However, as I endured
the struggles of being in the pandemic, maintaining
my emotions to an ideal level was a struggle. The
pandemic limited my chance to have personal
quality time with my friends, and I now rarely go out
of our home. However, I continue to find ways on
how to enhance my emotional intelligence. I am
satisfied with my process as I am learning how to
deal with my emotions.

Emotional
Regulation

Entering the adolescence stage was a rollercoaster ride for me. As I continue to grow and mature,
I experienced biological, psychological, and social changes that influenced the change of my
emotions. As I grow, I need to achieve emotional maturity and efficacy to have a healthy self and
function well in society. I developed techniques on how to evade negative or unpleasant
emotions. I seek guidance and support from my friends and family on how to deal with
emotions. I motivate myself always to think positively and be adaptable to the situations I am in.
Moreover, I tend to re-evaluate my emotions and ensure that I would not drown in any
displeasing emotions when I have one.

05.

The Spiritual Self

The last lesson of Module 2 discussed the spiritual dimension of the self. We
broadly tackled the different aspects of spirituality from existence, relatedness or
connections, and inner soul. The whole lesson comprises three subunits: the inner
soul, connections with nature, and discovering life's meaning.

On the topic of the inner soul, we tackled the nature of spirituality. We also
discussed its difference from religiosity, the factors that shape our spirituality, and
the impact of spirituality on ourselves.

On the topic of connections with nature, we talked about the natural affinity of
people have with nature and similar constructs, the factors that contribute to such
connections, how we manifest our relations to nature, as well as ways on how we can
enhance it in the context of our spirituality.

The
Inner
Soul.

A person’s spirituality is just as important as
their biological and psychological self. As a
college student, I cannot describe how helpful
having a good spirituality is in my life. Having
faith in the Lord gave me strength in facing the
challenges of my life. Even though I do not
engage in religious activities such as going to
church and celebrating some religious
celebrations as a part of my duty as a Catholic, I
always believe that He is always beside me. I
always thank him for the blessings I receive and
for His guidance whenever I make choices.

Having a good spirituality also made me believe
in my capabilities as a human being. I always
think positively of myself, and I motivate myself
to always do my best in every task I do. I became
content with my things, and I value my
relationships with my family and friends.
Furthermore, I consistently remind myself how
beautiful life is despite the hardships I
encounter. I seek to do my best in living a
successful life as I aim to achieve a worthful
meaning in my life.

Connections
with Nature.

Ever since I was a little boy, I always see nature as a part of our spiritual self. When I see the
beauty and wonder of nature, I become relaxed and enjoy my scenery. Nature gives me a sense
of peacefulness, and I believe all people will agree with me. Therefore, there is a need to protect
and take care of our environment. We should show love to nature that gives us a place to stay
with. We are connected to our natural environment, and we should ensure that future
generations will experience the beauty of what nature is giving us.
Whenever I experience difficulties and stress in my life, I love to go out and enjoy the beautiful
scenery of General Santos City. Nature provides me with positivity and motivation. Nature is my
happy place!

Discovering
Life's
Meaning.

Humans will inevitably come to a time wherein they
will find and take a journey to discover the meaning of
life. Knowing the meaning of life is like winning a lotto.
As we determine it, we achieve in having well-being and
life satisfaction. I started to find the meaning of life
when I was still in my teenage years. I felt lost when I
could not determine it. Fortunately, I realized that
instead of discovering the meaning of life, I should ask
myself what meaning I should put in my life. I thank
the GED101 class as well as my teacher for helping me
fully realizing that statement.

In achieving well-being and life satisfaction in my life,
the meaning of my life is to be joyful and a successful
person. I aim to achieve and pursue my career as a civil
engineer. My goal is to have a future where I can
happily enjoy myself with my family and friends
without worrying about personal problems.
Furthermore, I want to be remembered as a positively
unique person by people I get acquainted with.

06.

My Overall Experience

Module 2 of the GED101: Understanding the Self class significantly helped me in
knowing more about myself. I was aware of the self's different dimensions since we
had discussed the basics of it in our high school years. However, going into a deep
understanding of it, especially in college, helped me assess and reflect on myself.

There are two lessons that I significantly treasure learning. These are the emotional
self and the spiritual self. Life has been challenging for me since the COVID-19
pandemic started. I went through different struggles with my emotions as I became
isolated due to the COVID-19 restrictive measures. I still struggle to accept that I lost
a lot of personal quality time with my friends. I should be going out and having fun
at my age. I went through stress and breakdowns as I drowned in my emotions and
losing hope for myself. The lesson about the emotional self helped me realized how
impactful my emotions are in my life. The lesson motivated me to control my
emotions in achieving a healthy mental state and a positive view of my situation.
The spiritual self lesson helped to think about God and see the good condition I am
in during the pandemic. The lesson also guided me to re-evaluate my goals and
prioritize in giving a worthful meaning to my life.

I liked all the lessons discussed in Module 2 of Understanding the Self. I thank my
teacher, Sir Ildebrando Ruaya, for elaborately explaining the dimensions of the self.
I sincerely appreciated the learnings you gave to me in knowing and assessing the
different dimensions, especially my emotional and spiritual self.

Louis M. Wong IV
GED101/B8

BS Civil Engineering
Mapúa University Manila