How a startup bootcamp shifted my perspective on college life

If you asked me a few months ago how I felt about my freshie year, I’d say I’m really happy with how it turned out. I’m grateful for the people I met, the orgs I joined, and the projects I got to build. Coming into Ateneo, one of my goals was to get involved in orgs, contribute something useful, and grow my skills. And I actually got to do a lot of that. For a while, I really thought org life was the main path to growth in college. And honestly, I still think it is for a lot of people, including me.

But recently I joined this thing called the ASES 0 to 1 Startup Bootcamp, and it shifted the way I see things. Not in a “drop everything” kind of way, but more like... there’s a lot more out there than I realized.

Let me backtrack for a sec.

the “goal” i had at the start

When I started college, I told myself I’d really try to get involved. I got very active in org life and joined the core teams for projects like Blue Hacks and Seniors’ Send-Off. One of the most fulfilling things I got to do was build student tools like the QPI calculator, the enlistment helper, and the Tuition Fee Viewer. I just really wanted to make stuff that people would actually find helpful. Those projects ended up being used by thousands of students, which still feels kind of surreal.

I was also working toward a leadership position in CompSAt and poured a lot into that goal. I stayed active, joined projects, attended events, and tried to grow alongside the people around me. In the end, I didn’t get the position I was hoping for. It stung a little, but weirdly enough, that opened up space for something else.

how i ended up at ases 0 to 1

This all started really casually. I was just standing at JSEC when Eduardo Zablan came up to me and said, “Hey, you’re Alexi, right?” He invited me to join his team for this thing called the ASES 0 to 1 Startup Bootcamp, and I just said yes on the spot.

0 to 1 is a startup bootcamp by the Affiliated Stanford Entrepreneurial Society (ASES). It ran for three weeks and had in-person sessions with panels, team ideation, startup talks, and pitch nights. I joined the bootcamp not really knowing what to expect, but it ended up being one of the most perspective-shifting experiences I’ve had in college so far.

The biggest difference? It wasn’t just Ateneo people. I got to meet students from UP, DLSU, UST, UMak, FEU, and more. And they weren’t just there for the vibes. They were pitching startup ideas, working internships, talking about side projects. It made me realize how Ateneo-centric I had been. So much of my college energy was focused on org work and academics. And while that’s not bad at all, I realized I hadn’t really been looking outside.

That’s when something clicked.

the mindset shift

One of the biggest realizations I had during 0 to 1 was how narrow my scope had been. I had been building momentum, but mostly within one ecosystem. I wasn’t really thinking about what’s happening beyond org meetings, campus events, and class projects.

There was this panel with Alexis Collado and Dexter Ligot-Gordon from Swarm. One thing that really stuck with me was when they said, “Your network is your net worth.” I’ve heard that phrase before, but this time it landed differently. They explained how growth doesn’t just come from learning new skills. It also comes from putting yourself in different spaces, talking to people with different experiences, and being open to forming even the lightest connections.

They also talked about weak ties. These are those casual, low-pressure connections you make at events or over quick convos. At first they seem small, but they can open unexpected doors. I started realizing how powerful that was. I used to think that value only came from strong, long-term relationships. But even small moments of interaction can stick. And compound.

This shift changed the way I approached everything. I became more curious, more open, more down to just sit at a table with strangers and see where the conversation goes.

sip n scale and seeing the bigger picture

One of the most memorable parts of the bootcamp was an event we went to after called Sip n Scale. It wasn’t some formal dinner or super structured program. It was literally just people standing around, talking to each other. No stage. No agenda. Just a bunch of startup founders, mentors, and students hanging out over drinks and food, sharing stories and ideas.

At first I kind of just stood there not knowing anyone. I felt a bit out of place, but eventually I found a group and joined the conversation. Then it just flowed. We talked about what we were working on, random ideas we had, and what excited us about tech or design or startups or even just life in general.

What hit me was how different everyone was. Some were older, already working internships or building real companies. Others were still students like me. Some were into design, others into healthtech, edtech, AI, agriculture, whatever. Different schools, different paths, different ways of thinking. But somehow we were all in the same space, learning from each other.

That night shifted something for me. I realized these weren’t just student leaders from orgs. They were interns, startup founders, researchers, designers, builders. And they all started from the same point I did just figuring things out as they went.

That was the moment I saw college differently. It’s not just org life and acad life. There’s internship life. Startup life. Side project life. Other-stuff life. All of it’s valid, and all of it contributes to who you become.

And maybe it’s a little late to fully pivot. Which is completely fine, I still care a lot about org life and I’m really excited to be working with the orgs I committed to this upcoming school year. But now I know I want to make time for other stuff too!

our final pitch and what i’m working toward

Toward the end of the bootcamp, we got to do our final pitch. Our idea wasn’t the one that won, but I still had so much fun with it. More than anything, I really enjoyed the process of pitching. It reminded me of how much I actually like speaking when I give myself the chance to be confident.

That experience made me realize something else. I want to be able to do a talk this year. Like actually speak at an event or be a panelist or a workshop person or something. It’s one of my personal goals now. Just getting better at talking, sharing, and being a little more fearless with a mic in front of people.

Public speaking used to scare me (it still does). But after that pitch, I saw how fulfilling it can be to share something you believe in.

where i go from here

I’m still in love with org life. A lot of who I am now was formed in org spaces. And I’m still planning to be involved and show up this year. That hasn’t changed.

But I also want to open myself up to more things outside. I want to take on internships, side projects, maybe join more external bootcamps or startup events.

I realized that there’s no single "college experience”. It’s made up of a lot of pieces. And I want to try collecting more of them.

final thought: give yourself surface area

If you’re in orgs now, stay in them. Learn. Build. Meet people. But also, don’t be afraid to step outside every now and then. Attend that talk. Say yes to that random invite. Join a project that’s completely out of your lane.

You don’t have to leave the bubble, you just need to make space for things outside it too.