Meet Faith Tanya S. Macaraan, who goes by Faith, Tanya or Fatima. Faith is a STEM student at PSLIS in Lucban, Quezon in the Philippines and is currently studying General Physics and Chemistry, already having completed various other subjects in the school years prior. With good humour and joviality, Faith has obliged us with a thorough response to our questions, read on to find out her peculiar dessert island essential…

What’s your favourite subject at school or college, and why?

My favorite subject in school is probably math and anything to do with literature, like our subject back in 11th grade: 21st Century Literature of the Philippines and the World. The only reason I liked math was because of how amazing the whole process is. It’s like, every variable is a box, and you just have to figure out how to open that box to get the number you want to have in the equation. I also have more confidence when answering math equations because I don’t have to dwell on them as much. I don’t know, but whenever I’m answering exams concerning different branches of science, it makes me feel uneasy because there are so many possible answers out there. But with math, it’s just there! I hope I’m making any sense. On the other hand, I liked our literature subject because I’m very much a reader, so analyzing and reading long texts wasn’t much of a challenge for me. Though I’ve mostly read mysteries and thrillers, having to attend a class that touches on different kinds of genres opened a whole new world to me.

What do you like most about your school/college? What would you like to change about it?

I like the people, specifically my friends and the teachers I vibe with. Actually, I transferred in this school for my SHS, I came from a different school in the same place but I didn’t feel as comfy as I am now with the people. Maybe because of the competitive nature that oozes in my previous school that made me think that everything is a competition and that I am surrounded by opposition. So yeah, I love the people here. And also, the carbonara they cook for break time. Though if I had to change one thing about it, it would be the expectation they put too much on our strand. It’s suffocating to be under a strand that a lot of teachers have high regard for. I think they have this different kind of idea of what a STEM student should be that they forget that we are just students, very far from professionals.

What is your dream job?

I think this is the part where you’ll get confused. Normally, if you apply to the STEM strand, your aspiration is to be a doctor, nurse, engineer, or mathematician. However, my dream job is completely unrelated to STEM. I want to become a lawyer—a prosecutor, to be exact. I only came to realize that during the second semester of 11th grade. I think I got the idea that I want to become an engineer or doctor because my family consists of both. So, applying to this strand is like fulfilling the expectations of my family and not really my own.

What is the best thing about being a teenager in your country?

Having your own views about politics that old people don’t respect because your country normalized age equates knowledge. Kidding, but seriously, it’s the freedom to explore and discover your own identity. I think that kind of experience isn’t really limited here in the Philippines, though. Honestly speaking, I don’t think there is anything that I can consider the best thing you can experience being a teenager here. I think transitioning from being a child to a teenager is an experience unique to each individual regardless of the place or country.

What languages do you speak?

I can speak Tagalog and English! I tried learning Korean once, but I didn’t continue.

What country would you like to visit and why?

Switzerland and Amsterdam!! I think once I step into either country, all my worries and anxieties will go away. But seriously, I want to visit both because of how pretty the place is! I heard the landscapes are breathtaking and the culture is rich. In addition, I want to see what a country with low crime rates looks like!

What is your favourite food?

Adobo! But it has to be prepared by either my maternal grandmother or my father for it to be considered my favorite version of Adobo.

What’s your favourite TV show, and why?

Criminal Minds. As I’ve said, I love reading mysteries and solving puzzles, so the show’s focus on criminal profiling and solving complex cases keeps me engaged and entertained. And because of Spencer Reid.

Where is your quiet place that you go to relax?

I’m quite introverted, so I just go to my room and enjoy some alone time. I put on my earphones and play my favorite music or read a book. But most of the time, I just sleep.

If you could only take one thing on a desert island, what would you take?

My lens cleaning solution, because I can’t imagine being stuck on a desert island without clear vision. I already have bad eyesight; I can’t imagine sand particles being all over my lenses when it’s the only reason I can say that I’m on a desert island.

If you could have dinner with any one celebrity, who would you choose?

Emma Myers. Aside from the fact that she’ll star as the main character in the adaptation of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, one of my favorite books, I feel like we’ll talk about SEVENTEEN the whole night and gush about their projects and such. Just like her, I’m also a CARAT, so I think I’ll enjoy having dinner with her.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Time manipulation, for sure. I always felt like 24 hours is never enough to do all my tasks. Also, I can always look back on the decisions or things that I’ve said and change them to avoid causing too much disruption to my overthinking self. Plus, if I can make an hour feel like years, I wouldn’t mind because I feel like time is going by too fast right now. I feel like I haven’t done everything a teenager needs to experience before they step into the real world.