Abstract
This study examined students' Personal Experience Narratives (PEN) as learners in the new normal. Five (5) college students from one of Kabankalan City's private colleges were selected to participate in the oral interview. The spoken interview narratives were written down and subjected to analysis utilizing the personal experience narrative approach. These PEN were explored using a path diagram that depicted the aspects influencing the Personal Experience Narrative. The findings showed that all five (5) participants found the modular distance learning program to be difficult and full of pressure. The participants’ experiences also led to the discovery of three (3) common codes – (1) The Academic Pressure of students in the New Normal, (2) The Creativity and Independence of Struggling Learners, and (3) Astonishing Insights gained through Personal Experiences. Additionally, it was discovered that the participants believed that persistence in one's studies, grit, patience, and access to the internet were crucial to the success of modular distance learning in the new normal.
