How would you describe a researcher?
Asking and formulating questions…
Analyzing and interpreting sets of data…
Basically, intelligent people doing academic stuff that is certainly mind-blowing.
Everything involved in being a researcher can feel overwhelming. However, being one is an inevitable part of human life—becoming someone buried in paperwork, going knee-deep in fieldwork, and transforming into a night owl writing their paper to fulfill a research requirement for school or work. But the silver lining of being a researcher is having the opportunity to give your life a deeper meaning and see the world through various lenses as you explore emerging phenomena that have never been studied before (after all, no researchers conduct the exact same research!).
Making your life as a researcher meaningful isn’t confined to just writing a research paper—it extends to the streets, the people, the environment, and all the realities that shape our world today. Informed by research findings, you can propose practical solutions that benefit various institutions and communities. Thus, it’s essential to make studies relevant to their beneficiaries (especially when the findings could improve their day-to-day lives!) by communicating academic output in an accessible and actionable way. Lastly, going beyond the research paper can also mean organizing activities, programs, and advocacy initiatives to help improve the lives of people in communities—guided by your research findings or those of others.
Though it may seem difficult at first, we can always draw inspiration from fellow researchers who extend the meaning of their work beyond the paper. One such example is the University of the Philippines Communication Research Society (UP CommResSoc), an organization of communication research undergraduates from the University of the Philippines Diliman, who organize advocacy programs and participate in volunteer initiatives while conducting their own research. They also offer free research training and increase access to studies authored by Filipino researchers.
For this year’s celebration of the organization’s founding, the researchers have planned a February filled with meaningful events and activities that will benefit the community as well. Hence, the organization chose to celebrate its anniversary in the warmth of Tahanan Sta. Luisa, a community of young women. Moreover, the month’s festivities do not end there, as they have also organized a mini-event for the UP College of Mass Communication personnel.
By the end of February, the members and alumni of the organization will come together to honor another successful year. Together, the researchers will bond through shared experiences of the past and present, which will surely be carried into the future to continue the legacy of UP CommResSoc—to remember that the true meaning of research lies in how its significance extends beyond the white paper. In other words, to go beyond research and make lives worth living.
Note: Support the UP Communication Research Society (UP CommResSoc) as they continue to go beyond research in their 48th year by joining the organization’s research-based initiatives and advocacies here.
