CC goes Coca-Cola

The Creative Circle or CC never fails to amaze me. From a small group of talented social work students of BUCSSP, CC is continuously evolving into something else and into something better. I believe it also continues to break expectations and go beyond the perception of other people. I guess pushing for the formal creation of this group is one of the best things that I did when I was the president of the Human Welfare Advocates way back 2011.

Just today, they qualified for the Grand Finals of the Coca-Cola Regional Dance Showdown (not really sure though of the name of the competition) and is in fact the official representative of Bicol University (and of Albay as well). I believe that they need to step up their dancing skills and push themselves to the limit in order for them to win. I know they can and I know they will try because that's what they have been doing eversince - improving and becoming better.

But I hope that the university and some Albaypeeps will also give them the support they deserve especially moral and physical support on the day of the competition (September 18, 2013 at JMR Coliseum) considering that if the criteria for judging will not be changed, audience impact amounts to a very big 20%. Kaya sana talaga sumuporta ang mga tao.

Of course, my support to them will not be change. 100% pa rin at dadagdagan ko pa ng dasal para sana mas maging effective!

Go CC! Go CC! Go CC! Kaya Yan! Laban Lang! :)

Proud Bueño!

That proud moment when your university - Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, is being given recognition by the Professional Regulations Commission and the Board for Social Workers as the Top Performing Social Work School in the Philippines. :)

#2013RegisteredSocialWorkers

Some of the newly registered social workers from Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy!

#OneProudBueñoHere

The Placers from Bicol University College of Social Sciences and Philosophy together with Professor Tania Lana, Professor Annelyn Mendoza and Board for Social Workers Member Mr. Jesus Far.

FIELD INSTRUCTION 2 DIARIES: 2

A day after (January 16, 2013) I wrote my first entry in my FI 2 Diaries, I wrote the second and the last entry and here is it:

All the while, I thought things will eventually fall in it's proper places. Something like a bad start with a happy ending. But i was wrong. Expectations have been broken. Positivity is winding down and every passing day becomes a struggle to hold on and survive. I thought this journey is something exciting, something genuine, something worth while and something worth remembering. But reality tells me otherwise. I don't and I won't stop the fight but will you blame me if I say that the only reasons why I hold on to this ill-fated journey of mine are my peers, friends, family and my need to get my diploma?

:'(

Field Instruction 2 Diaries: 1

During one of the most trying times that I experienced during Field Instruction (or OJT for other degrees), I tried to pour my emotions out through writing. I entitled it Field Instruction 2 Diaries. Sadly, I only came up with two (2) entries due largely to the never ending requirements that I need to accomplish and comply. Nonetheless, i decided to put the two entries here and so here is my first catharsis dated January 15, 2013.

It's the third week of the year and pretty much, it's my eight week here in the area as a community organizer. Akala ko things would change along the with the change of the year. But since things are not getting any better especially with my community organizing experience (CO), I decided to start writing a series of write-ups. At least, I can devote my free time before going to dreamland in writing something that I can share to my fellow students and would-be FI 2 students and at the same time, in order for me to maintain my sanity. However, this is something I would call as a bitter experience.

Well, my seventh FI week started not good and things and turning to worse and from our supposed transition to CO related work and tasks, we are back as data gatherers or surveyors or interviewers. Akalain mo, pinagalitan kami ng minamahal naming supervisor dahil sa tingin niya ay hindi kami flexible and we lack sense of urgency. Should we be informed earlier na nandito kami sa area as data gatherers or surveyors or interviewers and not as CO workers, eh mas matatanggap ko sana ang mga pangyayari. But last time I checked, we should be here because we need to organize the community. Ano ba talaga?

I never imagined my CO experience to be this worse. Sayang ng opportunity to learn. Wala naman akong magawa dahil nakagapos ako sa isang sistemang pagnagreklamo ka, ikaw ang masama. Napadpad ako sa sitwasyong wala akong magawa kundi lulunin at lumulon.

At the end of the day, I just realized how 'doing what you love' differs from 'doing what you need/forced to do.' Iba talaga kapag gusto mo ang ginagawa mo. Mas masaya ka! Mas productive ka at mas magian ang pakiramdam mo. But things are different if you only do something because you just need to do it. Dun na ako sa puntong ginagawa ko nalang ang mga bagay-bagay dahil kinakailangan at hindi dahil gusto ko. Haaay! I remember dreaming of my CO experience as something worth remembering. Something more real, something good, something funfilled and something which can be called as a lifetime experience. :(

Testi

I had been lucky to be a part of the organizing team of the 3 out of 4 testimonial rites that was conducted by the Social Work Department since 2009. In fact, I acted as the head of the organizing team twice. As always, tasks were arduous and things were being given attention and being checked to the last and smallest details. Yung tipong dapat ay no stones are left unturned. Organizing such activity (which was simultaneously being conducted with the Acquaintance Party of the department) is very much stressful and tiring. And I can say that it's the biggest activity of the department with the end goal of making your guests and honorees feel special.

As years go on, the simple joy of being a part of the organizing team and attending the said event as regular attendee ignited a dream in me and to my classmates as well. That is, to attend the said event not as a student, nor an organizer but as an honoree. I would like to admit that I even dreamed of speaking in front of the department sharing my experiences and my journey towards passing the board exam. Of course, just like how we did it, at first I dreamed of a Testimonial Rite in a comfortable venue with an atmosphere of joy, gladness and appreciation with all the students in the department together. Feeling ko, kaparehas ng ilan (kung hindi man lahat), eto yung isa sa dalawang mga pangyayari na matagal kong (or naming) inantay at inabangan.

Pero siyempre, I know for a fact that dreams do not come true most of the time and as early as March 2013, I laid down my expectations regarding the testimonial in order for me to avoid being disappointed in the end. Okay na ang simple basta masaya at basta sincere ang atmosphere - that's what I said to myself. But as time progresses and the date for the activity is nearing, the information I got regarding the activity made me realized that this dream is now dead. In fact, when my classmates would ask me if I would attend, i would either keep quiet or answer a straight NO. But in the end, I still attended the activity. Not because I really would love and I really want to attend. I attended because of the respect and courtesy that I still have for the department. Come to think of it, last naman na ito. After that, sabihin na nating, I'm through with the department. Tapos na and I'm thankful for that!

Marami pa akong gustong sabihin pero I guess I have to end here to avoid saying things that may put me again in the spotlight. I just hope that the organizers and the department itself will hold an honest-to-goodness evaluation of an activity once fit for professionals and would be professionals (except ata kung barrio meeting or gathering ang theme ng activity). But before others react negatively to my statement, let me validate it. What I am trying to say is that I hope they (the organizing team) will give more effort on the next testimonial rites to come. Simplicity is fine or simplicity is even beauty but simplicity is not the avoidance of things that we think are grandiose, it's about making things comfortably easy for everybody without sacrificing the basics (eg. a truck for passers with simple designs made of recycled materials, proper coordination and information dissemination, a humane venue for all attendees, a nice and better program perhaps and such other things).

Well, yun lang naman ang sa akin. Simple na yan para maintindihan mo/niyo! >.<

Motorcade Truck

Lo and behold, ang pinakamagandang motorcade truck that I've seen in years with matching 'College of Social Services and Philosophy' streamer hanging on the front. This is epic. Just epic!

Sir Jori says...

After posting my 'catharsis' in facebook regarding my failed attempt to land a spot in the Top 10 of the Social Work Licensure Examination, a former professor of mine, sent me a private message and pretty much reminded me of the things that i should have given more attention to. I just thank God for giving me a teacher like Sir Jori! Though we're not close, i guess the fact that he sent a private message indicates his care to his former student. Kudos to Sir Jori and may his kind multiply a thousand folds. :)))

Operation Initiate

During my whole stint in college, i always wonder when will the alumni (as a group) visit or even give something in return to the department. Of course, since my mother was a alumna herself, i know of some reasons why that's why i understand why in the world would they not want to return especially that i also experience perhaps some of the experiences that brought them to that decision.

But i guess whatever reasons we have, there is still something that binds the generation of graduates that the department produced in its 34 years of existence - it's the department itself, the profession and the memories that we develop as we traverse the sometimes bumpy road of social work education. So, i decided to create a facebook community page dedicated into grouping the graduates of the department. A page which will serve as an online venue for the alumni to share something like their experiences or perhaps adventures and misadventures related to the profession and to their lives. A page which will serve as a virtual world for us to rekindle bonds and build new relationships as products of the department.

So eto na yun:

Pero gusto ko din (kung ako lang ang masusunod) na tawagin yun as:

given that the department's domicile is named as Agoho Building. Kaso i think i am right in saying that it was just recently ng napadpad ang department sa Agoho kaya baka hindi rin makarelate ang prior batches. But regardless of the name, i just hope that my initiative will work and eventually, alumni from different batches will be a member of the said page. I have my fingers crossed. :)))

Cheers! :)

I dreamed of reaching the top and i failed. Not only did i dreamed but i also gave my best shot but my efforts were somehow futile. I was disappointed with myself and i have no one and nothing to blame except myself. I was scared about what other people might say. About their expectations that i failed to meet and about what they will be saying. That was my initial reaction.

But now, i'm over it. I accepted things as they were and as they are. Perhaps there's something greater that is waiting to be realized. The horizon is wide and far ranging and instead of flooding myself with disappointment, fear and ill-feelings, there are countless reasons why i need to celebrate what had happened like the fact that BUCSSP remains as the Top Performing School of Social Work in the Philippines and of course, the fact that almost all of my friends (of course including me) passed. 

So sa lahat ng nagturo, gumabay, umagapay, dumamay, tumulong, nagmahal, nagpasaya, nagpangiti, nagbigay ng inspirasyon, naghatid ng motibasyon, umasa, nagdasal, nagpamisa, nagpakain, nagtweet, nagmessage, bumati, nakiramay, nakibahagi at nagpugay sa akin -- SALAMAT at SALAMAT ng marami!

With love na may halong pagmamahal,

Russ Daniel Oliva Baldoza, RSW

Human Welfare Advocates No More.

          I spent almost my whole life in Naga City. Though I was born in Polangui, Albay, I grew up in the Maogmang Lugar which I humbly call as my happy place. Basically, I became conscious and got in touch with reality in Naga. I developed my skills, forged and started relationships, earned life experiences in Naga. Also, the me I am today is the product of my stay in Naga during my developmental years from childhood to adolescence. My happy place is infamous for its Participatory Governance which was started by the late Secretary of Interior and Local Government and my personal idol and inspiration, Sec. Jesse Robredo. It is his leadership style, which is now fondly called as “tsinelas leadership” which I would want to emulate ever since. From my limited comprehension of his leadership style as well as observation during his term as mayor, I guess his “tsinelas leadership” means getting in touch with the people you serve, with the members of your organization and most especially, you walk your talk. Aside from that, tsinelas Leadership for me entails that as a leader, you walk among your people, you guide them but you don’t dictate to them the things that they should do.

                On the other hand, since my first year in college, I was bombarded with the different knowledge and skills expected to a social worker. Aside from that, every now and then, professors would remind us that we have to have the attitude also that social workers are expected to have. I am proud to say that somehow, I learned and I managed to remember some things worth remembering. Among those things is the Principle of Self-Determination. The Principle of Self-Determination is one of the many principles that social workers are expected to adhere. In this principle, social workers are expected to respect the person’s capacity to decide for what is better for himself or to his group. Also, social workers are expected not to dictate or influence the decision-making process of individual unless otherwise the decision of the person is perceived as something that will inflict harm to himself or to other people around him.

                Tsinelas leadership and the Principle of Self-Determination - two different concepts with different origin, one from the public administration perspective while the other from the social work perspective yet they bear the same message: giving the people a chance to raise their voice and determine what is good for them. Throughout my imperfect “career” as a student leader in college (especially when I was the HWA President) and even in high school, the two concepts I mentioned are my top two tenets. The tsinelas leadership which implies simplicity, getting in touch with the member of my organization and walking my talk and the Principle of Self-Determination which gives the members of the organization to opportunity to identify, decide and implement things that they think will be beneficial to the majority of the members. When I was the president of HWA, my battlecry is to empower the members of the organization by reminding them that they are the organization and to involve as many students as possible in the different processes of the organization in such a way to remove the notion that the organization is equal to the officers. Aside from that, some of the important decisions of the organizations were also opened to debate and discussion before finally leaving things to voting. For example, from imposing a theme selected by the officers for a specific event, students were asked to nominate their desired theme, present the idea and most importantly to vote for the theme that they think is the best and beneficial. Good thing that the my fellow officers in the organization shares the same battlecry that I have wherein at the end of our term, we can say that things (though not perfect) have somehow changed such as students’ passivity was transformed to pro-activeness and some became more assertive with regards to their ideas. We tried to institutionalized things by changing the organizational structure of the organization which placed to the top the General Assembly as the highest policy making body of the organizations to make sure that the members (collectively) will still be powerful than the officers and officers will be accountable to the members of the organization and that the decision of the assembly will most of the time (if not always) will be followed or prioritized. My perception then was that we were able to start what I called as “WEvolution” where students became more involved, more empowered and happier of their status as members but I guess that was only a perception – my perception.

                Sadly, things changed and some are continuously changing. I guess I have to remind myself that change is the only constant thing in the world. But what is sadder is that the gains that we have a year ago was slowly being erased and that we are slowly sliding back to where we begin. The existence of the organization and the purposes for which it was established is not anymore being respected. Today, all decisions regarding the organization, crucial or not so crucial, fall into the hands of the omnipotent beings in the department who can simply overturn the decisions of the General Assembly for whatever reason or reasons (mostly subjective, baseless and biased) without lifting a finger. The guidance and supervisory function of the faculty was elevated to decision-making while the members of the organization have no choice but to accept the decision of the faculty regardless of its fairness to the members. The fate of the organization is now rested upon what the faculty dictates which destroys the concept of STUDENT organization. I am not questioning the capability of the faculty to decide for the organization dahil naniniwala naman ako na walang magulang ang gugustuhing mapasama ang kanyang mga anak. But at the end of the day, it is the students who lost their chance to develop better decision-making skills, better assertiveness and better identity as an essential part of the organization and of the department. It is the students who lost their chance to enjoy the privilege that the principle of self-determination offers and it is the students who lost their chance to be heard.

                Gone are the days when the organization can determine the concept of the activities that it wants to implement freely. Gone are the days when members of the organization could vote, suggest and comment on what they want freely. Gone are the days of empowered students. Gone are the days of students’ self-determination. Gone are the days of the Human Welfare Advocates that was established for the students, by the students and of the students. Gone are the days that the Human Welfare Advocates can be branded as a student organization. Self-determination and Participative Governance in the Human Welfare Advocates died and along with it, the very essence and the very reason of existence of the Human Welfare Advocates died. Until the important people in and out of the organization will not redefine their roles in the organization, nothing will change and the Human Welfare Advocates will forever be dead.

#mntXMAS

we conducted our group's Christmas party last December 16 and it was a blast! reminiscing the parties we had since first year, i decided to 'combine' it and presto, the Mababangis Christmas Celebration through the years! MERRY CHRISTMAS MNT!

Six Odd Ideas That Are Not Really Odd for BU

i've been a BUeño for almost six semesters now or three academic years. since the first year of my stay in BU, i've been exposed to a lot of things, both good and bad, admirable and disgusting things about the regarded premier state university in the Bicol Region. good thing such as the drive of the administration, staffs and students to make things better for BU despite its limited resources and bad things such as the mentality to only fix and beautify things when there is accreditation or a visiting VIP and the lack of facilities that still hounds the university in fully attaining its vision as an excellent academic institution.

i can say that in my case, i don't have anything to say about the kind of education my department is giving me and all the social work students. though the funds for books acquisition which is needed to update sources for social work courses is not being given by the administration, the department was able to find ways to do such things. plus, i believe that most of my professors are utmost competent in teaching the courses which is the very reason why the BUCSSP Social Work Department is one of the top social work school in the country today with the Mindanao State University as its prime competitor. anyway, my satisfaction about my department is not in anyway related to this post because this post is about some of my ideas that are not really odd which i can say might help BU and the BUeños in some little or perhaps big way. however, most of it are extra-curricular related. let me start!

first, if there is one part that BU continuously failing, i think it will be the part where BU inculcate to its students the love for their university. for instance, i find it very disgusting that during the four year stay of BUeños in the university, 90% - 95% is ignorant about the hymn of the university. worst, i find it very very disgusting that even some of the staff (both teaching and non-teaching) are also ignorant about the university hymn. i don't know, but i guess it's more than the VMGO that matters which i think is just included in the curriculum for accreditation matters. i mean, unlike other student from other universities, if they can, they will shout to the bottom of their lungs that they are from their university and that is not happening in BU. students are being apathetic and they do not develop the love for the university. is it the attitude of the students alone or it is also the system to blame? the system where the students (though we are supposedly being regarded as the most important part of the university) cannot feel that they are an important piece of the university puzzle. i dream of the day that BU and BUeños will do the things that the students of UP, ADMU, other Manila universities and even ADNU does when their school emerge victorious from competitions, that is to shout and sing their school hymn or march while raising their right hands. i dream of the day when BUeños would shout in chorus Go BU! Go BU! Go BU! i dream of the day when BUeños will be very proud wearing their school shirts or shirts inspired by being a BUeño. and here my first idea enters, why not create a 3 or 2 unit course, Know your University during first year where students will be taught with the VMGO (instead of having it every start of the semester), hymn and all other BU things that can help the students get more understanding about their university. i know it will not develop the student's love for their university 100% but somehow, i know something might be changed. (This idea was inspired by UNC's Know your University course given to their freshmen students)

second, i suggested informally to a USC officer whom i know personally about an event which can be called BUnyag which is very much the same with UST Freshmen Walk wherein their freshmen students will pass through the Arch of the Centuries on the start of their UST and college life. well, BU doesn't have an Arch of the Centuries but BU now have its four pillars. why not create an event that will serve as a ceremonial baptism to all the freshmen students of Bicol University through passing under the four pillars. Its one way of welcoming aside from the usual welcome party for freshmen. (picture below taken from the official website of the university)

third, NCF is Tigers, STI is Olympians, ADNU is Golden Knights, AUL is Phoenix, DWCL is Falcons, BC is Maroons, ICCA is Cardinals, Sorsogon State College (SSC) is Whale sharks (if i am right) and BU is unidentified. though having a team nickname or moniker is not in anyway a requirement for a university, it doesn't mean that BU cannot adopt such. my idea is that BU to adopt a team moniker because in one way it can engender the team or school spirit that BU obviously lacks. i think for originality and rareness sake, why not adopt BU Volcanoes (though it is the name of the PH Rugby National Team) inspired by the presence of the majestic Mt. Mayon.


fourth, Fun Run for Social Work Department which i am preparing to make things happen. naisip ko lang idagdag. anyway, perhaps the better idea is that conduct activities that will promote the university more. :)


fifth, since it Christmas, this one is Christmas related. hmm. Christmas in BU is simple but is also a color-filled one because of the different Christmas decorations of the different colleges in Bicol University. however, i think why not BU make a Christmas related activity aimed at promoting the advocacy and expertise of the different departments or colleges in the university. however, this suggestion is for the BU Daraga Campus only where my college is located. hm. why not conduct a Paskuhan sa BUDC which will be filled with inter-college Christmas activities highlighted by Christmas displays to be located in the vacant land in stretching from the front of Arcilla Hall up to CBEM which can be seen from Rizal St. and can bear the different departmental advocacy and expertise just like what i mentioned awhile ago. plus, maximizing the vacant lots and an opportunity for IGP for the two colleges, it would be better if booths selling different merchandise and foods as well will be put in place along with the Christmas displays.

sixth, etong last ang isa sa sinuggest ko talaga while i am a csc representative last academic year at tinawanan ako ng mga kasama ko. sabi ko, bakit hindi tayo gumawa ng Dr. Ricardo Arcilla Student Excellence Award to be given to the top student of the college at tinawanan nga nila. anyway, ang iniisip ko lang naman ay since one of the very few things that the CSSP is known is the Arcilla Hall, why not name an award or recognition after the first BU President. After all, it's during his term that the roots of CSSP was started through BUCAS. one way din yun ng pag-encourage ng students to aspire in coveting the award.


well, yan lang naman po ang naiisip ko for now. i believe there is nothing wrong with sharing ideas. sayang naman kung mananatili lang sa utak ko. after all, i am a BUeño and in my own little way, i want to help BU become a better university. :)

eerie twenty-fourth

today is november 24, 2011, thursday and there seem to be an eerie (at least in my perspective) atmosphere in Bicol University. classes in MP/CAL building are said to be suspended tomorrow, the fences, gates and even buildings are re-painted, light bulbs were replaced with new bulbs, the facade of MP Building was well-lighted at night same with the four pillars of the university - all because of the ISO visit and the visit of President Noynoy Aquino for the Inauguration of the Climate Change Academy of Albay which is located at Bicol University.

well, the eerie thing was because of the unusual cleanliness of the university and the extra-ordinary politeness of some of the rude security guards of the university. naisip ko tuly, sana everyday ISO visit. sana everyday AACUP Accreditation at sana everyday bibisita si PNoy para mas maganda, maayos at mas malinis ang beyubs.

i wonder why this kind of mentality is still being observed by BU up to now. hindi ba pwedeng kahit walang bibisitang VIP o accreditors, maayos ang BU? I wonder...

experience

11/19/11
been to the beautiful town of Casiguran in Sorsogon province to facilitate a personality development training for children and youth beneficiaries of the Green Valley Development Program and World Vision Development Foundation, Inc. the experience was exhausting and the hardest sa lahat ng training na nagfacilitate ako. but the tiredness is all worth it seeing from the children's faces that they learned something. plus, mas masaya dahil kasama ko ang mga kaibigan and i have received my first token as a facilitator. haha. :)

my RANT

kami ang MnT. We're friends since first year college up to now and this is what i am proud and happy of. our growing and strengthening friendship despite our differences is something to be celebrated. well, everything's fine within the group i suppose. there are no internal problems because we value smooth interpersonal relationship which honestly becomes bad at some point. however, we have proved that we can stood with whatever stands in our way. so far, so good!

however, when we talk about external matters, there's a different atmosphere and it's a different subject matter which for me is complicated-but-not-complicated. it's not because a problem with classmates or batchmates but it's more of a problem with how some people with authority bestowed upon them misunderstood and prejudged not only some individual members of the group but the group in general. judgement that unfortunately do not only affect the group but the whole batch as well. anyway, this blogpost is abouy my rant and my rant only. this is me speaking as me and not as a student of social work but as the normal and ordinary me who want to speak my mind. matagal ko na rin gustong magsalita but i choose to keep silent and instead just write a blogpost. buti na lang i am always reminded with the principle na "intindihin mo na lang dahil ikaw ang nakakaintindi" though sometimes i wonder how long shall we understand. 

just last tuesday (if i can remember), two MnT friends have a conversation with a person with authority due to some business in between them. after their conversation, they were asked to share or were given the approval to share whatever she have said during the conversation full of lashing and unfounded generalization and judgement in my own opinion.

"Birds of the same feathers, flock together," "pare-parehas kayong immature," "hindi talaga maganda tumulong lagi" and "kaya nagbago ang blocking para mapaghiwa-hiwalay kayo (referring to the group)" are among the other things that she said. i found it judgmental on her part. maganda din naman na ang pagkakamali ng isa ay kasalanan ng lahat but to label all including those who don't do immature acts is very judgmental on her part. i found it ironic that the people who should be the epitome of professionalism are the ones who are not keen in observing what they have been telling their learners since the start. worse, her message on how helping can be bad is way out of proportions. nakakainis!

sabi niya we're immature, because every time she sees us, we're smiling and laughing our lungs out despite the stressors around which includes mountain high requirements? because where being childish and we're guilty of it but that's our coping mechanism? because we're happy and not in vain or misery? we're branded as immature albeit we can live up to the expectations given to us; albeit we perform extra-jobs or carriages that not all students dare to carry; albeit our active extra-curricular life which somehow can be justified by the positions that MnT members hold, to wit: (includes posts being hold on a concurrent status with other posts)

• 5 are presidents of either the class, college based organization or creative circle
• 2 are vice-presidents of either the class, college based organization or creative circle
• 2 are secretaries of a college based organization
• 3 are treasurers of either a university based organization, college based organization or class
• 1 is an auditor of a university based organization
• 3 are members of the editorial staff of the ally
• 1 is a muse and title-holder
• 5 are facilitators of college based organization

yeah. i know maturity cannot be measured by the number of position one may hold but i think it has a bearing. perhaps the good question is that, what is the maturity that she wanted? ewan. i don't know if i am making a point here. naisip ko pa, it's just the start of the second semester and ganito na. shall we be expecting a hell-semester? anyway, sa pagkakakilala ko sa grupo, hindi kami nagapapapekto ng sobra sa mga ganitong bagay pero we also know how to burst-out just like everybody else. i know that someday, somehow, we'll prove those persons who judged us wrong. sigurado ako!

umpisa ng laban?

MY FIRST "HOMEWORK" FOR THE SECOND SEMESTER!

but not technically though, it's somehow a requirement for an extra-curricular undertaking i had way back July. haha. anyway, good thing i was able to produce a 25 pages reflection/insight paper for my art therapy experience. haha. well, joking aside, 3 pages lang ho. at nilabas ko na ang saloobin ko!

second semester schedule

second semester is up and running. this time, all my subjects are MAJOR! first week of classes, pagod na ako sa list of requirements! haha. anyway, i'm up for the challenge. i know i can do this! haha. ALL WILL BE WELL FOR SECOND SEMESTER!

second semester worries

the second semester for this academic year is dawning. new set of classmates, new professor, new and harder course or subjects to attend to, same old notebooks, new schedule that i personally don't like so far and i guess a different me. i don't know but i guess i should step up my game in academics thinking that mama personally said that she wants me to graduate with a laude honors. sabi ko, ayos lang yan ma miski mayo basta maggraduate but she insisted. i said i am worrying because i think my grades for the first semester are low and thus, i will not be eligible for academic scholarship. worse, if i have a grade below 2.4, my and my mother's laude dreams will be forever gone. personally, i told myself that whatever happens, it's okay with me. pero ibang kaso kasi kung nagsabi na ang magulang mo na sa graduation day mo ay may laude honors ka. this is the first time my parents demanded such things. noon wala naman, saan at anong kaya namin, okay na sila. things change nga naman talaga. rock on! pero ang sa akin, i'll do my best that's to achieve a laude honor. pero ngayon pa lang ay tanggap ko na kung wala. pero habang may pag-asa pa, the flame of optimism still burns inside me.

moreover, with the advent of the second semester, i'm preparing myself for lonesome times. i mean, having breakfast and lunch alone which though i personally dislike, the new schedule and the situation will compel me to do so. inaasahan ko na ang mga oras ng kalungkutan lalo na at hindi ko kaklase ang mga kaibigan kong madalas kong kasama. pero classmate ko ngayon sina angelo and melvz. we were supposedly the los lakwatchero brothers because of what we did last summer (if my memory serves me right) which was to have movie marathon, and lakwatcha of course! pero things changed. hindi man nila alam or hindi man nila napapansin, i feel aloof when i'm with them. ni hindi ako minsan nakakasakay sa kanila dahil may mga bagay na alam nilang dalawa na hindi ko alam. tipong, magkasama nga kami pero parang hindi rin. perhaps, masyado lang silang nagcclick at napag-iwanan ako. haha. actually, i would have wanted to ask angelo kung bakit hindi na kami ganun ka-close ngayon kumpara nung dati pero i don't have the guts and i can't find the right timing. aaminin ko, nalungkot ako at first pero natanggap ko na. ewan. wala na akong masabi. yun lang naman ang naisip ko ngayon. ACCEPTANCE and good thing that hindi ako yung taong sinisiksik ang sarili. haha.

moving on, what i am actually worried about this new semester is the prospect of me having many lonesome times. yun lang naman. pero still just like what i had mentioned a while ago, i am still optimistic that there are ways to reduce that lonesome times of mine. tingnan natin. maaga pa para magsalita ng tapos. GOOD LUCK FOR ME THIS SECOND SEMESTER! >.<