My name is Ericka Pia Calizo Lao. Ericka Pia because my father is known as Erick, and my mother's second name is Pia.

I was supposed to be born on the same day as Mother Mary's birthday. However I guess I decided to stay one more day in my Mom's tummy. I was born on September 9, 2007. Turning 18 this year!

I've been in Ateneo since preschool. Loyal Atenean here!

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My parents raised four naughty kids. Meet my eldest brother, Kuya Daniel, then Kuya Cedie, the second oldest, and finally Paul, the youngest.

As you can see, I am in fact the only girl. For most of my life, I begged my parents to give me a little sister whom I can actually play dolls with instead of nerf guns.

But now that I am older, I am so glad that didn't happen. HAHA. I love the attention that comes with being the unica hija!

Like literally, the only daughter, only niece, and only granddaughter.

Other than sleeping (and oversleeping), some of the things I love doing or you could say my hobbies... are:

• Journaling

  I started journaling when I was in 7th grade, and ever since then, I haven’t stopped telling my journal everything that happens to me, even the little things.

• Reading Books

  I love reading romance genre books. Most of the books I've read are romance books. The other times I love to read Nancy Drew. It is so easy to read and so intriguing as well.

• Video Games

  I was not really into games when I was young, or even up until now. But the games that I actually really enjoyed/loved playing are Roblox and Valorant.

  Since I was into "bahay-bahay" when I was young, this game in roblox called bloxburg made me really experience roleplaying in a more fun and realistic way.

  Valorant also gave me something to look forward to every morning, knowing my friends were waiting for me to play.

• Watching K-drama

  I started watching K-dramas in 7th grade, and since then, it has become one of my biggest sources of joy and comfort.

• Collecting Phone cases

  Who doesn't love cute phone cases? It is one of the things I actually look forward to. When I see my parcel out for delivery, one should know it is a phone case. I get so excited and happy each time I get a new one. But now I'm mastering self control because I might run out of money because of these phone cases haha. (Although my parcel is currently in Laguna. You know what that is HAHA)

• Cafe Hunting

  My friends and I love going cafe hunting. Not only for the coffee, but for the pictures as well!

  
  

  There are still a lot of things I love doing... But that will be all for now!

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I have countless of likes and dislikes so I'll just give you my top 5!

Likes

1. I like- no, I LOVE the color pink. I used to force myself into liking different colors because I realized pink was too overrated. Not until I realized pink really makes me happy and ever since I was younger I have already loved pink.

2. Mango Tapioca! I tried this dessert for the first time during my 6th-grade graduation party. I loved it so much that I learned how to make it. Now MY mango tapioca is also my family's favorite.

3. Driving. It has always been my dream to drive a car. I was 9 when I started controlling the steering wheel while my dad controlled the pedals. I was 12 when I finally could reach the pedals and then that was when I learned how to drive a manual. Now I have been driving "legally" for almost 2 years now.

4. Happy Mealsssssss. No explanation. #HealingMyInnerChild

5. Painting my nails. I am not really like the other nail techs that can do amazing, intricate nail art. But I really love growing my nails and painting them myself.

Dislikes

1. Ampalaya. It's just so bitter and I really don't like JUDD.

2. Virgin Coconut Oil. I lost my sense of smell and taste during the pandemic, which alarmed my mom since those were symptoms of COVID 19. So, I had to DRINK that everyday. It was such a thick liquid and I hated how it felt going down my throat.

3. Taking Tablets. Up to this day, there are still times I experience a hard time swallowing my tablets. It actually makes me wanna throw up. Especially when I switched to a virgin coconut oil tablet which was actually a really big tablet.

4. Waffles. It's not that it tastes bad. Well maybe it does for me now. But I used to eat waffles before not until one day I ordered a waffle at the mall and the next day I got a fever and I have a huge feeling it was because of that. Since then I haven't eaten a waffle ever again, even pancakes. Maybe it's just traumatic memory and not really about the taste.

5. Unreliability. I consider myself a reliable person, which is why I dislike people who are unreliable especially when it comes to important things.

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Meet GG, my sweet boy.

I included him on my collage because he is such a huge part of my life.

He's not really my cat. But he was my cat's offspring which I gave to my aunt. However, my aunt is not usually at her house since she's at work most of the time or at my house. So I had GG with me for all his life.

I have 10 pets in my house. But if I stopped being in denial, I have 9 pets in my house now.

GG, my sweet boy passed away last March 5, 2025. They told us his heart just stopped beating while he was doing his laser treatment.

GG faced many illnesses. He has been visiting the vet almost every month for the last 3 years because of different causes.

And I was always the one to give him his meds. To always come with whenever he had a visit to the vet.

He almost faced death around 2023. The vet told us they couldn't do anything anymore. So, we just took him back to my house because if he was going to go anyway, we wanted him to go with us around who loves him so much.

But I also couldn't accept that that was going to be it and that we were just going to give up. So I took the strength and responsibility to take care of him and keep him with us. It was also really hard for me because he wouldn't even cooperate anymore. So I had to do everything for him. Feed him. Give him water. And give him his medicines.

Weeks later, GG started eating by himself. And I was the happiest ever. I was so proud of him and thankful that I didn't give up on him.

He lived the whole 2024 as a healthy and happy boy. Although there were few instances where his UTI came back, but it also went away quickly.

Up to this day, I still miss my sweet boy so much. And I will never forget to introduce him to people who haven't met him.

Cats are known for not being that affectionate. But GG was the most affectionate and sweetest cat I've ever met. So many of my friends and family loved him as much as I did. And I'm so grateful for that.

Meet GG. My tiger. My Mr. OA. My Mr. Kulang sa Pansin. My Mr. Malaki ang tiyan. Mr. Maldito. Mr. Alam talaga na cute siya.

My Angel.

My personality type according to the 16-Personalities Test is INFJ-A, also known as the Advocate. I agree with the result because it describes the person that I believe I am. I am someone who values deep, meaningful relationships and often find myself thinking about how I can help or support others, especially my loved ones. I also really enjoy my alone time, and sometimes prefer to be alone. However, I do really love being with my friends and family most of the time. I am also assured with myself. I do find myself stressing about academics, but mostly I do not really stress that much about other stuff. If I compare myself to 13–15-year-old me, I could say that I have improved as a person emotionally and spiritually. I am not insecure anymore nor that conscious of what other people think about me because I know myself and I accept who I am. I also tend to rely on my intuition and emotions when making decisions, and I’m most comfortable in calm, reflective environments. Overall, the INFJ-A type reflects both my inner world and how I interact with the people around me.

When I was born, my Mom couldn't produce breast milk yet. Despite that, her and my Dad still took great care of me and found ways to provide everything I needed. I don't remember anything from this stage at all! All I know is that I cried whenever I needed something, whether it be milk or something else that was bothering me. Haha

Around this age, my mom told me I had started making my own decisions, such as choosing what to wear or picking out the toys I wanted. I also began to enjoy roleplaying, whether it was with my Barbies or pretending with my brother and cousins.

My mom told me that my interest in dancing all started when I was watching television. I began copying the dance videos I saw, and my favorite at the time was 'Gangnam Style.' Since it was very popular, I danced to it so many times that, to this day, my family still talks about my past Gangnam Style obsession. I was not shy about performing, as I would dance in front of my family and even in front of people I had just met. My passion for dancing grew even more when I joined the Dance Club in first grade. To this day, I still love dancing, even if I do not perform on stage or in front of my family.

This age helped me embrace my passion for dancing. I was in the Dance Club for four years and truly enjoyed our practices, especially being able to perform on stage. However, around 5th grade, I decided to switch clubs because dancing became a bit tiring for me, especially since we had practices on Saturdays. I then joined the Swimming Club, which I found really fun because I also loved swimming.

My adolescence was a time filled with new emotions and challenges...... I felt insecurity, experienced heartbreak, and faced moments that were hard to understand at the time. But through those struggles, I also learned important lessons that helped me grow stronger and more confident in myself. I also become more and more closer to God. Looking back, I realize that those experiences, both the good and the difficult, shaped me into the better person I am today. Although I still have all the years ahead of me so, I hope to become better everyday.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐞:

𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥

When I am stressed, what I usually or always do is to sleep. Sleep for almost the whole day. However, sometimes when I’m too stressed out to sleep, I usually start cleaning my room or exercising and stretching.

𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥/𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥

I usually avoid my stress and do other stuff to distract myself. However, I really can’t help but think of what’s stressing me over and over. Even when I’m doing something fun, the stress comes and goes. I keep thinking about it and overthinking

𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥

I rarely get stressed about certain things, except when it comes to school, but when I do stress and like stress real

bad, all I do is to let it out by crying. Sometimes I scream at my pillow when it gets really bad. But that only happens rarely. Most of the time, I just turn off my phone and leave it in my room, and go to my parents’ room.

This is how I learn best!

𝙾𝚗𝚌𝚎, 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚒𝚛, 𝚊 𝚗𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚞𝚏𝚏 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚖. 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝙸’𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 — 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍’𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎.

꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂

The person in the picture is my Mom. I'm sure every person in this world has love for their moms as they were the ones who brought them to this world. As for me, my Mom isn't special to me just because she's my mother, but because she's also my best friend. She's my "kakampi" and I love her with all my heart and soul.

To me, love is like my mom. My mom who does everything for me, who would go to the ends of the earth just for me, who’s always there to listen and never judge me. She teaches me how to be the person I need and want to be, and she shows me what love truly is.

During my early teenage years, I found myself experiencing new things, things like a different kind of love, romantic love. That experience brought me both happiness and pain. It also taught me to hide things from her. But at the end of the day, she's the only person I can go to.

At the end of the day, she sits beside me, listens to me, comforts me, and gives me the best advice. She taught me that love isn’t supposed to make me feel bad. She told me that one day I’ll find a love where I won’t have to get hurt. In the meantime, all the love I need is already here, my love with her.

I believe the type of love my mom and I have is companionate love. The love we have is deep, built on trust, care, and commitment. Our bond is a strong emotional connection that has been growing since the day I was born. It is not about passion or attraction; it is about companionship, knowing that whatever happens, she is always there for me and I am always there for her. She never judges me and continues to support me through my best and worst moments.

Whenever I’m with my mom, I always feel loved. I always feel seen and comforted. Every time we’re together, I feel relieved knowing she’s always there for me. Not just as a mom but as my best friend. Someone I can vent to, tell about my day, talk to about the new guy I like, or complain to about how annoying my dad made me feel just a moment ago, haha. My mom is someone I can go to crying and leave with a happy face.

My mom helped me become the person I am today because she taught me what was good and what was bad. She taught me what was supposed to be and what was not supposed to be. She taught me what I should accept and what I should not. She told me what was worth my time and what was not. She taught me what I deserve and what I do not. My mom taught me everything she wished she had known before. All the protection she gave me shaped me into the person I am today: strong, resilient, and beautiful within.

I love you, Mama.

I am grateful for my family in all the ways there is. I am grateful for the love and support they always give me especially when it comes to the things I do, whether in school or other things I want to try.

I am grateful for the trust they have on me even though I may have lost it a few years back. I am grateful for my Mom’s understanding. I am grateful for my Dad’s hard work. I am grateful for my Kuyas’ treats, especially with food. I am grateful for my little brother’s friendship.

I have still so many things to be grateful for and will want to keep forever. But I guess most importantly, I am grateful for their care. For always having my back even during hard times. For never turning their backs no matter how disappointing or sad I may have done.

Thank you, Dadad. Thank you, Mama. Thank you, Koy. Thank you, Kuya Cedie. Thank you, Poi. I love you guys with my whole heart.

Recognizing both the blessings and challenges my family and I receive; it has helped me see how each of those experiences whether good or bad has shaped who I am today. By understanding that even our disagreements and our bad habits have reasons behind them, I have learned to be more patient, understanding and forgiving. This has allowed me to manifest cura personalis, by showing genuine care and empathy towards each and every one of them. At the same time, acknowledging our blessings, like the love, support, and care we share, reminds me to be grateful and to practice magis. To do better not only for myself but for the sake of my family. I want to bring with me what I have learned from my family. Unity, understanding, and perseverance, I can use to become a better person who can love, serve, and care for others more deeply.

1. Was the subject Personal Development helpful for you? How did this subject help you know yourself more?

Yes, Personal Development was really helpful for me. It made me understand myself better, my emotions, my habits, and the reasons behind how I act or think in certain situations. It also helped me become more aware of my strengths and the areas I still need to grow in.

2. What were your key takeaways from the subject?

My key takeaways are that self-awareness is very important and that growth takes time. I learned that understanding yourself is the first step to improving your relationships, your mindset, and your future goals. I also realized that it’s okay to not have everything figured out yet, as long as you keep learning and growing.

3. What two topics were your favorites and why?

My two favorite topics were Developmental Stages and Person and Social Relationships. The Developmental Stages topic made me realize how much my past experiences and childhood shaped who I am today. The Person and Social Relationships topic, especially the Triangular Theory of Love, helped me understand more about the different kinds of love and how relationships grow and change over time.