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Feature: Chat Now, Print Later
It is 6:47 AM; you’re running down the hallways though you shouldn’t be. You pass by many teachers who are on their way to their designated classrooms. Yet you don’t greet them because you are rushing towards the library with a heavy backpack. You see the library getting closer and closer. But then you notice the inside of the library is all dark and the door is locked. You realize, there’s no way for you to print your homework now.
These kinds of moments are what Christian Sarabia of Batch 2020 hates the most. But he noticed that he isn’t the only one. He was in Grade 10 when he noticed that everyone needed a printer and people were desperate for their requirements, usually their theses drafts, to be printed.
In UPIS, there are only three library printers available to cater to all UPIS high school students. During lunch, the library gets crowded because many students print their requirements before their next class. But Christian realized what if the requirement is to be passed during the first subject? Where, then, will students print their requirements? No one actually thought of tackling a printing business before and students kept on asking for “printing favors” from their classmates.
In consideration of the time and resources other students put in to fulfill these requests, Christian conceptualized his very own Printer Bot, a printing service with the help of the Messenger app.
An illustration of an alien with a red bowtie. The Printer Bot Logo was made by Alixandrea Athena Aera Dizon. Photo taken from: https://www.messenger.com/t/printthispls
Printer Bot is a feature on the Messenger app that Christian programmed to process information regarding students’ requirements, including page count, if the requirement is back-to-back, if it is colored, and/or if it is to be stapled or not.
“So naisip ko na gumawa ako ng bot na kahit tulog ako, you can send your files to Printer Bot tapos kino-collect nung Printer Bot lahat ng ipi-print ko the next morning. Gagawin ko na lang is ipi-print and i-staple if need i-staple,” Chrisitan said. (So I thought of making a bot that, even when I’m asleep, you can send your files to and then it’ll collect all of the files that I will print the next morning. All I have to do is print and staple if needed.)
Printer Bot replying automatically to a student. Printer Bot collects data using messenger. Screenshot taken by Ned Pucyutan
Though it is a bot, Printer Bot is not automatic. The Bot only collects data and it does not automatically print your requirement after you send your files. Christian has to turn his laptop on first and manually print all of the files as he gets ready for school.
According to him, of course, there are struggles with this kind of business. First and foremost is the payment issue. Sometimes, students forget to pay Christian after their requirement is delivered to them. On his part, Christian himself prefers not to accept payments whenever he doesn’t want to carry coins, making him earn less. Moreover, the delivery itself is quite a hassle for Christian.
“Ang hirap magdeliver. Sana nga may station na kung saan ko pwedeng iwan lahat ng pinrint ko tapos kayo na lang kukuha,” Christian explained. (It’s hard to deliver [the printed requirements]. I wish there was a station where I could leave everything I printed and the customers are the ones to get what is theirs.)
Even so, Christian is still happy because he gets to help students such as himself who find it hard to print their requirements on time. Also, he finds it amazing that he gets to provide printing services for people who rarely interact with him. Because of his business, he has met new friends and has made new connections with people.
Printer Bot is one of the rare services that students must support and try out. It is highly convenient for it is just a few taps or clicks away on our phones. Printer Bot is for everyone in need of a printer and it can be accessed via m.me/printthispls.
“Actually medyo nahihiya ako kasi batchmates lang nao-offeran ko sana mga lower batch din.” Christian said. (Actually, I feel a bit shy because I only get to offer [my services] to my batchmates. I hope I could offer to lower batches too.) //by Ned Pucyutan
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