An Ate/Kuya Ading Reflection: Meet Two of UDFSA’s Newest Pairings!
Submitted by Sarah Rata
Every year, the University of Delaware’s Filipino Student Association hosts an annual big/little event known as the Ate/Kuya Ading program. Ate is Tagalog for big sister and kuya translates to big brother, while an ading is a little sibling. This program serves to promote fellowship in the FSA community and give new members mentor figures to guide them through the new school year with advice, hangouts, etc. Come hear from two of our brand new pairings, featuring UDFSA’s Event Coordinator, Herissa Monsalud, and Philanthropy Chair, Matthew Ebron! Click the audio files below and feel free to follow along with the transcripts to see our new Ate/Kuyas and their adings reflect on this annual event, as well as Herissa’s inside scoop about her planning process.
Interview 1 – Herissa and Lily
Transcript 1:
HM: Herissa Monsalud
LW: Lily Walton
SR: Sarah Rata
SR: Hi everyone! I am Sarah Rata from AAPC and today I have with me [Herissa and Lily]. We’re going to talk about UDFSA’s Ate Kuya Ading Program. So, the first question is, coming into AKA part 1, what were you guys most excited about?
LW: I was most excited about finding people to find people to spend a lot of time with that have a lot of stuff in common with me and just getting to know more people in FSA.
HM: Since I planned it, I was really excited for the speed dating part. At least from last year, I really wanted to speak to more people, and I know with how I planned it we would have the opportunity to speak to everyone, or at least to most of the people there. I was excited to meet everyone and new potential adings.
SR: Yes awesome! So, the next question is at the AKA reveal, were you guys surprised that you guys were paired with each other? And if you could explain why or why not.
LW: I wasn’t really surprised because I put Herissa as my number one, and I was told that my big was gonna be late, and Herissa told me she had something and she might be late. Me and my twin were kinda just standing there, and we were like “wait, did you put Herissa?” and then she was like “yeah”, and I was like “wait… What if we’re twins?”.
HM: For me, I was really surprised, because I didn’t expect to have twins at all. I had an exam right before, so I was running to the event and most people had done their reveal. So when I was running to the room, I only saw two adings that didn’t get a pair or big yet. I still didn’t expect to have both of them as my adings.
SR: So cute! Okay, so next is what was your favorite part about the whole process of AKA. So part 1, part 2, anything like that.
LW: I liked the second part the best because I got to find out who my big was, and we got to play all the different games with our families. It was really fun!
HM: For me, I really loved the game show games. The way I planned it was meant to be really chaotic and fun for both of the pairs or lineages to play with each other. It created a lot of bonds between the pairs and the lineages.
SR: Last question for both of you guys. What are you guys looking forward to as a new pairing or family, since you have twins?
LW: I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time with my new family because I know Herissa wanted somebody she could spend a lot of time with, like a best friend. I really wanted that too.
HM: I’m excited [for] creating a close bond with both of my adings, and also getting closer to other pairs as well. We’ve also had an ate/ading night with other pairs and that was really fun.
SR: Cute! This last one is just for Herissa, since she is FSA’s Event Coordinator this year. So, I was wondering if you could tell us a little about your side of the planning process or behind the scenes. So, how did it feel to both plan and see your plans come to life?
HM: So, when planning AKA 1, I really wanted to go through a different route that allowed both Ates and adings to speak to each other. That’s what I really wanted last year and I really wanted to see that change this year too. I created the Jubilee idea to have both the bigs and littles to joke around with each other and also to have each other speak. The slides beforehand allowed both the littles and the bigs to create slides so we would get to know each other and the smaller details before the speed dating part. With the speed dating, I really wanted to speak to more people compared to last year. I liked how it was based on preferences last year but I really wanted to get the opportunity to speak to more people and maybe see if I bonded with people I didn’t even prefer initially. From that, a lot of people told me they also created a connection with people they didn’t think they would have similarities with.
For AKA part 2, I wish that I saw everyone’s reveal last year. So this year, I planned the string reveal around the room. Not only did it let everyone see each other at the same time, but the reveal was chaotic at the same time. It let people be more comfortable in the environment. I also loved the game show idea because it allowed the lineages and pairs to work together and create a bond. Seeing everything come to life was really exciting and joyful for me because I saw everyone was having a really good time.
SR: Yay awesome! Thank you guys so so much! Bye <3
Interview 2 – Matt and Mark
Transcript 2:
ME: Matt Ebron
MA: Mark Arranguez
SR: Sarah Rata
SR: Hi everyone! For part 2 of this interview, I have with me [Matt Ebron] and [Mark Arranguez]. Awesome! So to get started, right off the bat, coming into AKA part 1 what were you guys most excited about?
MA: I think I was most excited about the speed dating of part 1. You really got to get to know everybody in the dark, just based off the slides, and could compare interests. You’re not really biased by knowing who it is.
ME: I think for me, growing up in Delaware I feel like I knew a lot of the upperclassmen already. Coming into the Ate/Kuya Ading program, I felt like I knew a lot of the people already, which was fun for me, because it was really comfortable getting into campus. But then now, as a sophomore upperclassmen, not really knowing any of the freshmen, so coming into it completely blind and seeing hwat kind of people I could meet and hoping I could set my lineage.
SR: Awesome, thanks guys. So next up I wanted to ask at the AKA reveal, so AKA part 2, were you guys surprised to have been paired? And if you could explain why or why not.
ME: So personally, I would say no. So I don’t think I was surprised at all, just because yes, I did say I was coming in blind, I didn’t know a lot of the freshmen. But, I already did kinda know Mark, just from a couple of interactions with him. I remember very vividly in Perkins he was like “what’s your name again?” because I said hi to him in a class that I didn’t realize we had together. So, just being able to talk from there and then bringing him out to different events and hoping that he stays involved, I knew that I wanted Mark to some extent. But then seeing that I actually did get Mark was like “okay, cool” because a lot of people knew that I liked Mark.
MA: Going off of that, I remember I actually, you didn’t mention the first time, was at the Involvement Fair. I got Ong’s name, I didn’t get your name.
ME: Did I not say it?
MA: You didn’t say it.
ME: I swear I did.
MA: You said, alright but yeah. I got Ong’s name, and then we had the class, you said “what’s up” and then I couldn’t remember who you were until you said something in Perkins. Then I remembered, and it was that from there.
SR: Origin story, cute!
ME: So you weren’t surprised.
MA: No.
SR: Okay, so next is what was your favorite part from the whole entire AKA process?
MA: My favorite part was at the end, when we were playing the games… What was that one?
ME: the “Yank Me”?
MA: The “Yank Me”. Yeah, I’m good at that game.
ME: Yeah, I was gonna say the game show at the end too just because it was just kind of fun to get there with everyone. I know that it was supposed to be a lineage competition, but it didn’t really feel that way because it just felt like everyone was able to have fun. Being able to have Mark wrap me with toilet paper… That was kinda traumatic… cause [Mark] was tired afterwards. I couldn’t see anything. So, just being there and having fun with everyone was really nice.
SR: Okay and last but not least, what are you guys looking forward to as a new pairing?
ME: I think for me, one of the things I was really looking forward to when getting an ading was just obviously a friend, but someone to help out as well. So whether Mark needs help getting an A actually in his bio class-
MA: An A minus
ME: *laughs* Or like, just introducing him to new people like my friends or other opportunities. I’m just excited to get to know Mark more and show him everything that I’ve had the chance to learn and see on campus.
MA: Yeah, exactly. Matt has really already been a resource to me. He’s shown me or told me about everything he could offer to me.
ME: I’m just a resource huh? That’s it, no friendship. *laughs*
MA: And a friend! *laughs*
SR: Aw, so cute, thank you guys so much!
ALL: Bye <3
