The Xavier University Psychology Society (XUPS), as a co-curricular organization of Xavier Ateneo, aims to form psychology students with a balanced mind, body, and spirit. We aim for every individual in the organization to be competent, conscientious, and committed to personal and social development.

With this vision in mind, XUPS, together with the XU Psychology Department will hold the annual Psychology Festival. This activity is organized to strengthen the camaraderie among psychology students as various interactive activities are in store for all. There are activities wherein psychology students can apply what they have learned from their major classes and lastly, this activity aims to showcase to the rest of the Xavier Ateneo community the science of Psychology.

Psych Fest 2017 bears the theme, “PSYCDIWANG! A Celebration of Psychology, the Filipino Way.” Psycdiwang is a wordplay— a combination of the words "Psychology" and the Filipino word "magdiwang" which means "to celebrate"; and so simply put, Psych Fest 2017 fosters psychology in the Philippine context. Psychology is a science that is young in our country but it continues to thrive. This year, psychology majors will gather and celebrate psychology knowing the relevance of their chosen course. In addition to being Filipinos and Ateneans, psychology is our prized and shared identity to which we all carry the responsibilities that come with it.

In a true Filipino fashion, the designed activities of Psych Fest 2017 share the common feel of a Pinoy fiesta and everyone is invited! The following are the activities of the Psych Fest 2017, from January 25 to February 4:

Senior High School XUPS Members General Assembly
January 25; 2-5PM; Magis Roof Deck

XUPS warmly welcomes its SHS members in their general assembly. Here, the senior high school students will learn more about the organization and the department. They may also get to meet some psychology faculty and students, and they will have the opportunity to interact and know what is in store for them when they take up psychology in college.

PSYCDIWANG! A Celebration of Psychology, the Filipino Way Opening Ceremony
January 25; 6-7:30PM; Magis Roof Deck

PsycDiwang will open with a fun variety show and recognition of exemplary students. The program will recognize the hard work of honor students from the previous semester. The activities in store for the celebration will, of course, be presented, and the contestants for the search for Mister and Miss Psych Fest 2017 will be introduced.

Skinner’s Night
January 25; 7:30-9PM; Magis Roof Deck

Immediately after the opening ceremony is the Skinners' Night. This is a trivia night all about psychology for the students. Their existing knowledge on psychology will be put to a test! This isn’t the usual kind of test, however, as true to its name (BF Skinner - Father of Operant Conditioning), the top 3 teams with the highest scores will be rewarded.

Destress
January 28; 8AM-12NN; SC Dry Pond

Since stress cannot be avoided, we value rest and healthy outlets for stress. Doing so can help one have a healthier mind as well as a productive life. Destress comprises of various alternative activities, such as fun games which will allow students to unwind and have fun.

I Am Movement
January 28; 1-3PM; XU Peace Park

“Stigma [is] an attribute that is perceived by others as broadly negative.” (Baumeister & Bushman, 2013, p. 239) “... stigma, which is a combination of stereotypic negative beliefs, prejudices, and attitudes resulting in reduced life opportunities for the devalued group in question, such as individuals with mental disorders.” (Barlow & Durand, 2015, p. 93)

The goal of the I Am Movement is to eliminate stereotypes and/or stigma by raising awareness. It is in the nature of psychology to eliminate stigma and one way of doing so is by understanding different cases and contexts, and being able to transcend towards empathy. For this year’s I Am Movement, the organization has invited speakers for the talk, “The Science of Drug Addiction and its Stigma” with a forum afterward.

PsycDiwang Sports Fest
January 29; 8AM-5PM; Venue: TBA

Psychology majors are not only competent in academics but in other aspects as well. We also believe in the existence of multiple intelligences and so we provide an avenue for psychology students to be outside the classroom — on the court, on the field, and do what they do best! This is the perfect opportunity for psychology students to not only exhibit their talents in sports but to engage with the other psychology students from other year levels. Plus, if the Destress was not enough for the students to unwind, then the Sports Fest will do the trick!

PSYCDIWANG! Awarding of Winners and Closing Ceremony
February 4; 6-9PM; Magis Roof Deck

After the series of events, winners of the Sports Fest, the contestants for Mr and Ms Psych Fest will have a series of exposures on this night as well as their Q&A. The event will conclude with the coronation of the new Mr & Ms Psych Fest.

References:
Barlow, D. H. & Durand, V. M. (2015). Abnormal psychology: An integrative approach (7th ed).
Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

Baumeister, R.F. & Bushman, B.J. (2013). Social psychology and human nature (3rd ed).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.