Written by Vanessa Jade Bunolna and Nadine Angel Cois
Photos courtesy of Vanessa Jade Bunolna
On September 28, 2024, a group of fourth-year Accountancy internship students successfully conducted a webinar titled “From Stress to Success: Mastering Mental Health in Accountancy” in collaboration with the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants University of Baguio chapter (UB-JPIA). The online event was held via Google Meet and aimed to address the challenges of stress and mental health among accountancy students. This was attended by 42 UB from the School of Business Administration and Accountancy (SBAA) students, 18 non-UB students and one (1) Accountancy alumnus.
The insightful session featured Mr. Franco Dean G. Caoili, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and alumnus of UB-SBAA. He spoke about the sensitive topic of mental health and shared stress management techniques amongst accountancy students.
Mr. Caoili started his talk by asking the question “Why are you stressed?”. This inquiry encouraged participants to engage in self-reflection and actively consider their mental health and stressors. After setting the tone, he then discussed insightful components of stress, its causative factors, and its effects on other areas, especially at school. One of the key highlights was the emphasis on managing stress through practical techniques like time management, the Pomodoro method, and relaxation practices, which are vital tools for students juggling the heavy demands of their courses.
Additionally, Mr. Caoili stressed the importance of developing good habits over relying solely on motivation. He emphasized that while motivation may wane over time, good habits remain constant and will help you during difficult times. He explained that health habits developed now will foster well-being and create a balanced and productive professional life in the future. He challenged the students to target habits that will empower their educational journey and future careers, connecting this practice with promoting sustained economic growth and productive employment, which are vital elements of UN SDG 8.
After the discussion proper, there was a question and answer portion where participants consulted regarding their stressful situations in which the resource speaker patiently responded and gave his advice. This session also became interactive as other participants gave their own advice to their co-participants which made it more motivating and accommodating.
The webinar ended with a memorable quote with Mr. Caoili’s thoughtful reminder: “Control your stress before it controls you,” leaving participants with actionable advice on navigating the pressures of their academic and future professional lives.
Vanessa Jade Bunolna and Nadine Angel Cois are SBAA Accountancy OJT students
