d-press 101

 

I NOW REALIZE……ONLY AFTER GRADUATION

 

1. Days after graduation, feeling mo magkakasakit ka (seryoso!) dahil wala kang magawa sa loob ng kuwarto mo – wala ng katakot-takot na HOMEWORKS, wala ng babasahin for recitation or next discussion, wala ka nang inaayos na schedule for tomorrow’s or next week’s academic or extra-curricular-related activities, wala ka nang inaalala na may meeting ka pala with your group mates, wala ka nang inaalalang project at DI-MAKATAONG DEADLINES at WALA KA NG ACADEMIC EXAMS!……yung tipong WALA KA NG NI-RE-REVIEW PER CHAPTER TAS COVER TO COVER!!!….At isang araw, ma-re-realize mo na lang, CLEARANCE na at HINDI KA PA TAPOS SA THESIS! (Sad reality it is!)

 

LOGIC: Kung hindi ka pa tapos sa thesis, e di walang clearance!

 

2. I now realize…..only after graduation…..karapat-dapat ka na ba talagang tawaging ‘Alumni’ ng La Salle? Tanggap mo na ba na tapos na ang buhay mo sa undergrad at officially alumnus or alumna ka na?

 

3. Makakahanap ka kaya ng trabaho na related sa field mo? (ouch!) O baka maisipan mo na lang mag-abroad o mag-call center?

 

4. Confuse ka pa kung papasok ka sa Graduate School – pero ang katotohanan, wala ka lang talagang pang-enrol! Hihihi!

 

5. E kung isulat mo kaya lahat ng complaints mo sa department n’yo pag-pass mo ng evaluation, tingnan natin kung ‘di mawarik ang buhay ng mga propesor do’n!!!

 

6. I now realize……only after graduation….na isa na ko sa mga unemployed na Pinoy (pero tingin ko ‘di pa kami kasama sa statistics kasi April lang ung graduation namin e!)

 

7. ……..mahirap pala pag wala ng klase…..kasi wala ng baon! (ouch!)

 

8. MALAMANG hindi mo matatandaan ang karamihan (o kahit kaunti man lang) sa mga itinuro sa ‘yo ng mga prpesor mo nung mga panahon ng discussion n’ya…..hindi mo maiintindihan ang salitang ‘academic learning’ at ang kalikasan nito…….hindi mo ma-a-absorb ang mga itinuro sa’yo nung days ng business math, advertising, algebra, trigo, physical science, scriptwriting, film production, mass media law, philosophy, Public Relations, PE, ethics at kung anu-ano pa…..hindi mo lahat magagamit ‘yan sa trabaho dahil ang matatandaan mo, ang VALUES na itinanim ng propesor mo sa kukote mo!

 

 

 at…….

 

 

 

 

Hindi natatapos ang buhay sa eskwela…….

 

 

 

 

FRUSTRATIONS on GRADUATION

 

1. Segue: I was a DIE-HARD fan of UAAP 65^th season……DLSU-ADMU match is definitely incomparable…..and I was a BIG FAN of ADMU Blue Eagles…though I never knew that in the near future, I will be a Lasallian – true green blood Lasallian!……………Well, that was a thing of the past.

 

Way back when I was a second-year high school student, majority of our class decided to take on what we called “adventure trip in the bangin” – as in we literally slided down the slope, crossed a small river, and trek again in the bangin the mere fact that there was an EASY and NO-SWEAT PATH TO THE VENUE! Wala lang, adventure trip nga e ‘diba?! And what the group paid for it was the ‘first-time’ experience in the bangin. That fateful day (as far as I remember) was the very first time I cut classes because we assumed that the coming weeks will be no-regular classes.

 

And here’s the story: The moment we reached the venue, you would literally see the rear of the College of Business Administration Building (I didn’t know it then). The venue where we are in was actually utilized for agri-business purposes – a huge open-wide space indeed! And I together with the rest of my classmates were doing all these tripping like shouting ‘Hi’ and ‘Hello’ to those Lasallian students who came in at the CBA porch. And honestly, that moment, it seemed to me that it really feels great to stand at that high balcony facing a mirror-image of a rich-green pasture. Wow! And then the other day, another trip with those Lasallian students: I was hardly shouting to them, ‘Mga talunan kayong mga taga-La Salle! Boo! Mga talunan!’…..’Go Ateneo! Mga talunan kayong mga taga-La Salle sa UAAP! Ang yayabang n’yo! Go Ateneo Blue Eagles!’

 

 

Isn’t it exciting and memorable?

 

 

 

And you know what’s the real story?….. L

 

 

For four years of studying in DLSU, I’ve never been able to go up and stand at that porch for a millisecond, really! One of my biggest frustrations indeed! Just to stand up there even with an escort and wave my hands to somebody or may be nobody never happened…..as in it didn’t happened! Isn’t it memorable? Well that was a lot more frustrating!!!

 

Bakit hindi ko nagawa ‘yon? In an attempt to do that on my sophomore year, wala lang, natakot lang naman  ako na baka mahuli ako ng Discipline Officer (DO) na ewan ko nga ba kung mahuhuli talaga ako. But I was just a bit scared since there were rumors at that time that it became off to students because of DOs roaming around that building! Until the time came when I was too busy with my acads and extra-curricular activities that I forgot to pursue such….and mind you, my college was in the East Campus and BA was at the West….do I mind?

 

Holy S**t!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waaahhh!!!

 

2. Frustartion: I’ve never been to any UAAP Men Basketball Game!

 

3. Nagbago na’t lahat-lahat ang pangalan nitong classy at sosyal na kainan na ‘to sa may Cultural Heritage Complex, mula sa pangalang La Buena Comida hanggang sa naging La Cacita na s’ya ngayon, hindi pa rin ako nakakakain dito! Aguy!!!

 

4. Beware! “Slightly” creepy!

 

Our org had this construction site beside the College of Engineering, Architecture & Technology (CEAT) building and of course, we assumed that it was “our” place since we’re the only group who’s inclined to set construction for theatrical plays and other events in the campus.

 

When you’re at that site, it’s really inevitable to stare at the newly constructed CEAT Building – from top angle down at the ground parking area – nice architectural design. And if you are the type of student who feels a little intrigued what’s inside the 5^th floor, you’d probably do the same thing as what we did.

 

The two of us, sophomores then, decided that some time may be a good time to go up there at the 5^th floor of the CEAT Building especially at around 8:00 in the evening when last classes/sessions officially end. Creepy little things…….

 

And finally, when the most-awaited day came (last day of FINAL EXAM WEEK – 1^st sem), she never showed up! I only texted her that afternoon assuming that she remembered what we have agreed on. Ayun, kumusta naman, hindi na natuloy ang pag-akyat sa 5^th floor ng CEAT!

 

 

5. Isa pa sa mga frustrations ko, hindi pa ako nakakapag-jogging sa Oval ng tipong nag-jo-jogging lang – alam mo yung feeling na hindi ka nag-jo-jogging dahil PE n’yo lang at kelangan mong pumasa!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REMINISSS…….

 

1. Bago ka officially ma-admit sa program (Communication), kailangan mo munang dumaan ng interview. At ang naging interviewer ko ay former Chair ng Communication Arts Department, as in katatapos lang ng term n’ya at hindi ko akalin na matapos ang apat na taon ko sa La Salle, matapos ang mismong Baccalaureate Mass, s’ya mismo ang nag-ayos ng hood sa toga ko bago ang class picture taking.

 

***Noong araw ng interview, totoo pala yung idioms na ‘butterfly in the stomach’ at ngayong graduate na’ko, she acted like a stage mom after the mass.

 

2. I’ll never forget this clever Dean of Student Services when she corrected me of using either “Attached” or “Herewith” but never “Attached herewith is the list of….” That was a useful remark anyway!

 

 

3. First time that I encountered the word “geodetic” engineering.

 

4. First time kong makita si Oble ng malapitan nung freshman ako….

 

5. “Inaway” ako ng prof ko at nung mismong araw na ‘yun, sabi ko sa sarili ko…..….’ipapabugbog ko s’ya pag labas n’ya ng campus since matanda naman na siya e’…….Naalala ko na lang sabi ng blockmate ko no’n, ‘hayaan mo, mamamatay din yun!’ J

 

6. …..Para ka palang sumali ng fraternity pag sumali ka sa Performing Arts Group (PAG) Hahaha! Missed those days!

 

7. Nakakayamot pag binibiro kami ng mga prof na kaya lang daw kami kumuha ng course namin e dahil mahina kami sa Math! Hindi naman lahat ito na ang last choice e and I should be defensive kasi ito ang first choice ko without considering thar I’m the usual weak student when it comes in Mathematics. And take note, hindi ka tatantanan ng Math kahit ano pa ang course mo……at sabi nga ng isang prof namin, walang pinagkaiba ang minor sa major subject – parehong may tendency na bumagsak ka d’yan!

 

8. Maaalala mo ang isang gabi sa buhay mo na………humiga ka sa hall way ng JFH at……………nakipag………kwentuhan ka na lang sa classmate mo kasi kinabukasan wala kang homework! Ang sarap ng petiks paminsan-minsan!

 

9. 1^st Recollection tapos kinabukasan ng 6:00 a exposure trip at Mowelfund, ABS-CBN and GMA….

 

10. Recollection and Retreat will always be memorable- 1^st recollection and then exposure trip the day after; 2^nd reco – the day before was the major concert of Lasallian Pointes n’ Flexes Dance Company in Insular Life, Alabang, the day after recollection was the 1^st day of a week-long major production of Teatro Lasalliana; 3^rd reco – the day that I refused ‘to direct’ the Lasallian Centerstage – a big concert-event of the CIHM; and finally the Retreat – 2 weeks after (if I’m not mistaken) was our Thesis Defense!

 

11. Ang thesis, bow! Ang thesis na mukang MAS MAHAL PA SA BUHAY MO!

 

12. Maaalala mo na ‘baka’ isa sa mga rason kung bakit ka pumayat no’ng college days mo e dahil sa palakad-lakad ka sa 27-ektarayang kampus ni De La Salle!

 

13. Gumawa kami ng docu – as in very first docu ng group namin na pag pinanuod mo….tingnan natin kung may maiintindahan ka dahil may mapapanuod ka na talking heads for at least 8 minutes – ang masaklap, hindi kami nag-cut no’ng editing! (malay ba namin, first time e!)

 

14. May mga tao kang ma-e-encounter sa hinaharap na na-encounter mo na pala ilang taon na ang nakakalipas – at biglang may shocking revelation/s sila sa isang hindi inaasahang panahon at lugar. Yung tipong SM Mall tapos katatapos lang ng concert. *wink

 

15. FIRST EVER SILENT FILM ……

 

16. THESIS DEFENSE

 

17. Bababa ang grades dahil sa extra-curricular activities….

 

18. A month preparation for the PERFORMING ARTS GROUP GRAND PRODUCTION – so siyempre haggard ka and then 2 days after that grand production, after mong mag-over night at magpuyat sa ULS ay Graduation Pictorial na! Totally chaos! Anong itusra mo no’n?!?

 

19. Gusto kong maniwala sa sarili ko na nakakita na “talaga” ako ng taong sinasaniban – ganun pala yun, tumitirik yung mata tapos matigas yung katawan J

 

20. Maaalala mo yung araw na wala kayong pinag-usapan ng mga block mates mo buong araw kundi tungkol sa trabaho (career talk ba!)….yung tipong hindi n’yo na alam kung mag-ko-call center na lang ba kayo, tatambay muna ng ilang buwan o MAG-AARTISTA na lang dahil alam mong mahirap ang trabaho sa Pinas.

 

21. Matatandaan mo ang mga araw na parang bi-nrain wash kayo ng mga prof n’yo o inimpluwensyahan ng bonggang-bongga ang mga pag-iisip n’yo tungkol sa discipline na pinili mo kung kaya mas pinili mong kumuha ng career sa PR imbis na sa dati mong pangarap na maging broadcaster – na mas ginusto mong maging film maker kaysa maging TV reporter – na mas pipiliin mo ang career sa Advertising dahil gusto mong gumawa ng Advocacy Campaign at bigla mo nalang “i-ta-trash” ang pangarap mo (since high school) na maging isang batikang TV documentarist. L

 

22. …….na higit pa sa pagsulat, pag-i-interview at pag-ri-research ang matututunan mo sa paggawa ng thesis……..marami pang iba…….

 

 

23. Bigla mong mapagninilay-nilayan………………

meron kang na-miss isulat dito sa entry na’to at hindi mo na ma-recall – gusto mong mag-reminisce sa mga events nung college life mo kaso ‘parang’ nakalimutan mo na….so hanggang dito muna!