Things That Are Worth Your Money: Haribon Edition

By the time your allowance arrives, you may already have a list of things you want to buy. But with only so much money to go around, knowing what deserves a spot on that list can be just as important as knowing what doesn’t. After all, not every purchase that catches your eye or seems convenient at the moment is something you’ll actually need.

For students navigating academic life in this economy, having a product that can help ease their grueling journey is a guaranteed lifehack. Luckily, some Haribons shared a few things they think are worth spending their money on—that might be worth yours, too. 

Long-run Lifesavers

You enter the library with a dying phone, only to find that every nearby outlet is already occupied. Sometimes, finding a place inside the campus to charge your device can feel like a challenge of its own.

For Stephanie, a third-year student from the College of Accountancy (CA), a power bank is one purchase worth making. She emphasized that some schedules in her Student Enrollment Form (SER) stretch from morning to night, and when finding an empty socket inside the university seems to be challenging, the power bank can serve as a useful tool. In a digitized world, a student’s life becomes a lot less heavy with a full battery. 

Meanwhile, Analize, a freshman from the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Science (CHASS), recommends wireless earphones. We all love listening to our favorite tunes of the day, but for Analize, she believes that even students who are constantly on the go have to give their full focus to their academics. The recommended product serves as a perfect fit for students who attend online classes in public, which may be distracting due to loud or disruptive surroundings.

After all, a good pair can be worth paying for—especially when it gets you through an entire day of classes.

Booking Troubles? Click here!

Sometimes, getting from one place to another is already a challenge. Add heavy materials to carry or bad weather to the equation, and commuting can get even harder. After a long day of quizzes, lessons, and just socializing, waiting for jeeps around Roundtable or Manila City Hall is the last thing you might want to do.

For Elmer, a third-year medicine student from the College of Medicine (CM), subscribing to a transport app’s booking priority service can be worth the monthly fee. While it may not be the most economical option for everyday travel, the added convenience can be proven useful when time and circumstances are not on your side. 

During harsh weather, when commuting seems too difficult, having an option that may help secure a booking can make the trip home less stressful. For students who occasionally find themselves racing against time—or the rain—the convenience may justify the cost.

Oh no, it’s raining in Manila!

Speaking of rain, there’s nothing that can ruin a day faster than stepping outside only to find yourself walking through puddles and flooded streets. In Manila, heavy rain can turn an ordinary commute into a struggle, leaving pants, shoes, and socks soaked before you even reach the Pamantasan.

Ron, a second-year student from the College of Public Administration (CPA), recommends waterproof shoes for Haribons looking for a practical purchase. Beyond helping with puddles and minor flooding, he points out that they can still be used for everyday activities, from running errands to going to school.  

While Sabrina, a second-year student from the College of Education (CED), has a more straightforward recommendation: “Bota po, lalo na [at] super baha na rito.”  She highlights how harsh weather conditions, especially in Manila, hit hard, with persistent floods being a problem for everyone.

With rising cases of leptospirosis and almost knee-deep floods, commuting to PLM not only becomes difficult, but it also becomes a risk to our bodies. Investing in practical gear such as bota is a practical and safe way to combat the conditions of our current weather. After all, our education must not come at the expense of our health. 

Back to Pen and Paper

With tablets, laptops, and phones becoming increasingly common tools for taking notes, it may seem like there is little reason to go back to paper. But for Dwayne, a freshman from the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS), binder notebooks remain a worthy purchase.

“Mas flexible, ganun. Kasi [it’s] different subjects in one [notebook]” he explains.

Unlike ordinary notebooks, binders allow students to organize multiple subjects in one place while adding or removing pages as needed. For students juggling several classes, that flexibility can mean less clutter and more room to organize their notes according to their needs.

In an ever-evolving world that takes its steps further into digitalization, the practice of handwriting, or handwritten notes, is still a vital skill to learn. While digital products have proven to be a useful tool, going back to pen and paper unlocks an amount of creativity, with pens and highlighters, that digitized products can’t. 

Think before you “Add to Cart!”

As an iskolar ng bayan with so many products competing for our limited allowance, deciding on what to buy can be just as difficult as deciding what to leave behind. A power bank may be a lifesaver for one student, while a pair of waterproof shoes may be a better investment for another.

Ultimately, something isn't worth your money simply because it is popular, convenient, or trending. Its value comes from how well it fits your needs—and how often it proves useful beyond the moment you bought it.

So before you click “Add to Cart,” ask yourself one thing: Will this actually make my life as a Haribon easier?

Because sometimes, the best purchase isn't the one you want the most. It's the one you’ll be glad you had when you needed it. Whether it combats the heat in Gusaling Lacson (GL) or the long hours in the Gusaling Katipunan (GK) libraries, a Haribon needs the tools necessary to survive the day at PLM.