A Letranite and a Thomasian

NAME: Miguel, Janine Ann J.
APPLICATION NO: 04664
COLLEGE: College of Architecture and Design
COURSE: Advertising
STATUS: Passed


Today, January 28 is the release date of the result of USTET, the University of Santo Tomas entrance examinations for incoming freshman students through their website www.ust.edu.ph

Luckily, my sister passed the said examination, yes.. feeling Thomasion na siya.. well, I'm happy for her. You see, its a good university offering handful of opportunities for learning and exposure to her chosen endeavor, and of course UST will have another Thomasian to nurture with faith and knowledge.

Sabay naming tinignan yung result sa internet, sa bawat pagtype niya ng application number kasabay din ang kaba at samu't saring assumptions. Pag pindot ng enter key hayun... di muna namin nakita yung result dami pa kasing data na nakalagay.. Humaging sa paningin ko yung "PASSED" sabi ko ayun no.. pero di ako sigurado.. tinaas niya yung sidebar and voila! its true.. she passed the advertising major because according to them that she meet the required examination score and grades.

Waaaahhhh... ako pa yung tuwang tuwa. literal. niyakap ko siya habang tumatalon. Looks like I won the 400-million lottery price. Ganun tlga. Tuwang tuwa ako para sa kanya. Ewan ko ba. Parang ako yung nagexam e.. hays... stage ate?

Well, honestly 4 years ago I also took up the same examination for Journalism and political science majors. But unfortunately I failed the Journalism part and I'm waiting list on political science part. Maybe because of my poor grades when I was in high school, I got several low grades as I focused more on extracurricular activities like being a volleyball varsity and scouting troop leader. Yeah, maybe time management is not my cup of tea... so what? I regret nothing because I freakin' enjoyed my high school life! although I didn't got the chance to study in my 1st choice school (UST) I can say that I'm contented and also learned so much out of textbooks. And now, I am a proud Letranite! heart and soul... This is my fate and I will make most out of it.


ARRIBA LETRAN!!! well...



Maybe that's why I'm very much overwhelmed when Janine got it. Frustrated ang drama? haha... maybe...

Katalsikang laway sa dagat

An experience that I could add to my treasure box.

Last Thursday, January 24 Sir Manolo Quezon our Copy Editing and Proof Reading professor treat the journalism class for lunch in Harbor View somewhere in Kalaw St. Manila. We had so much fun and I'm so busog grabe.. fiesta? crispy pata, inihaw na pusit, nilasing na hipon, kinilaw na tanigi, malaking hito, super sarap na fried rice, chocolate cake and ripe mango juice. Kamusta naman yun? grabe parang bibitayin? Sarap! yun ang tanghaliang matatawag; plus the breathtaking view of Manila Bay and yung hangin na parang dinuduyan ka... the best. Mapapa "haaay.." ka na lang tlga.

Before we got there, some of my classmates decided na magkitakita na lang sa Letran kasi hindi ko alam how to get there. The meeting time is 9:00 am but nalate ako nakarating ako ng 10:30, hayun iniwan na nila ko. Lesson learned. Kaya sumakay na lang ako ng Kalaw kasi sabi nila dun lang yun, ito naman si mamang driver hindi din alam kaya binaba niya ko sa mismong Kalaw. The thing is yung Harbor View is dulong dulo ng street, literal. Sea side tlga ang drama, so lakad galore! la lang naman, tirik na tirik lang naman yung araw and I brought with me my laptop kaya sobrang bigat ng dala ko. Parusa tlga. "Wa Poise"

Pagdating ko dun, nauna pa ko sa kanila. But when I was their, whoooo! it's worth the walk. Presko kasi, ang daling makarecover sa pagkakahaggard. Well, that day was our deadline for the submission of our project, the book: "The Good Fight" we copy edited and proof read it from the original book and made a new one. The book is an autobiography of our professor's grand father, the late president Manuel L. Quezon. Sir Manolo wants to publish the book and the 8 of us will be credited as its editors. Mahirap siya pero when we saw the finish product, nakahinga naman kami ng maluwag. Thanks to Kuya Joey, you're really heaven sent. Marami pong salamat.

More than the mouth-watering meals and breathtaking views, the storytelling and sharing were the highlights of the day. I learned so much from everybody that day, most especially from Sir Manolo, such a brilliant mind. Nung araw na yun din we got the chance to know him closely, his life. He shared so many things na never ko ba nabasa sa mga textbooks. I really prefer experience rather than theories and discussions.

Journalism students with Sir Manolo at the set of "The Explainer"

We talked about the most useless subject we have taken. Iba-iba kami ng sagot, most of them answered Algebra, ako sinagot ko Rizal but most of them disagreed, Sir Manolo just smiled. Napa-isip ko bigla, "oo nga pala, importante pala yun, walang kwenta lang yung nagtuturo." kaya sabi ko na lang "joke lang!" hehe... Then i raised my point that a certain subject becomes useless if the students learned nothing from it. It is in the hands of the teacher, how he or she present and teach the subject as interesting as watching a movie. Minsan kasi kahit mga guro hindi din nila alam yung tinuturo nila, or worst hindi nila pinaniniwalaan yung tinuturo nila. Sad but true.

Napunta naman yung topic namin sa history and tracing the family lineage. Sir Manolo shared na madami pa lang "Quezon" mostly in Bataan pero as time passed, yung iba naiiba ng spelling like "Quizon", "Queson" at marami pang iba. In some cases, di natin alam na minsan may ibang tao na di natin kamag-anak na kabilang sa same family lineage. Sila sir kasi particularly his Dad Manuel Quezon II, is up in finding their ancestors, tracing the names back from Spanish and Chinese roots. Napaisip ako, ako kaya hanapin ko kaya mga ninuno ko? ano kaya matutuklasan ko? na kamag-anak ko pala si Bill Gates! wow.. dream on. Silly. He also said that if anyone dare to trace his or her roots, best people to talk to is the mormons. Sila daw kasi ang may pinakamaraming records of people's names kahit nung sinaunang panahon pa. Nagiikot sila sa iba't-ibang parish churches to get the names, kaya when those churches were destroyed, yung records nasira lahat.

Another topic is about Spam. yes. According to sir, canniblism in South East is very prevalent back then, so what the early missionaries did, para di na sila kumain ng tao, binigyan sila ng pagkain na kasing lasa at pareho ng texture ng human flesh, and you know what was that? ita SPAM! napanganga na lang ako, kasi favorite ko kaya yun, yung alat nya malinamnam! sarap.. hays.. kaya if ever kakain kayo ng Spam isipin niyo na lang na laman ng tao yun para makapag diet kayo. funny.

Kung saan-saan na napunta ang usapan namin from the simplest to the complex. Sir Manolo shared his life back when he was young. Nakakamangha tlga, but I prefer not to include it here baka di niya gusto mapublicize pa ng lalo ang buhay niya. hehe..

After this, I can say that I can learn indeed outside the four corners of my classroom. Even the simplest conversation (talsikang laway) means a lot.

Come What May

Madaming nagtatanong sakin di ka ba nagsasawa jan sa boyfriend mo? 5 years na rin kayo this year.. Anong secret niyo? Paano niyo yan nasasabay sa lahat ng activities niyo sa buhay? and so on... Ngayong araw may taong nagtanong nanaman sakin.

Well, isa lang din ang sagot ko sa kanilang lahat, isang malupit na "Hindi ko alam". OO, hindi ko alam kung paano nangyayari yun, sa araw-araw na ginawa ng Dyos kahit kailan sa buhay ko di ko magawang maramdaman o maisip man lang na magsawa, ako ah--ewan ko lang siya hehe... I really can't tell why. Yung tipong kahit everyday na kaming magkasama, at the end of each day mamimiss mo pa rin siya. Corny? yes but its definitely the truth.

Siguro one factor na rin diyan yung pinagsamahan namin, yung foundation na binuo namin when we're starting. We started as good friends, we don't take things too seriously--puppy love nga daw eh. We just let it happen smoothly, hindi pinipilit, kumbaga pinapahinog muna. We enjoy the company of each other, the things we like doing together like cooking, watching movies, mag-stroll ng pagkalayo-layo. Kakain sa fastfood pag may pera,pag wala sa karindirya o kaya sa kwek-kwekan, nakaka ilan kaming order ng extra rice! pang halimaw talaga ng labanan sa chibugan, grabe.. yung tipong susuka ka na sa kabusugan. Yung ganun, walang pressure. Walang hustle. Naalala ko pa nga when we're on our first year as a couple, hindi lang kami magkita ng 2 days, it felt like it was 2 years. Pambihira, wala pa kong teyoryang nababasa tungkol dun.

Sa labas ng simbahan dati yung lagi naming pinupuntahan pag wala na kaming magalaan. Wala lang, uupo lang dun titignan yung mga taong dumadaan, di namin namamalayan kung saan sa napupunta mga kwentuhan namin. That is our therapy, after a long day we just talk with each other about everything under the sun and we're ok.

And now, that we have come this far-well wala pa nga sa kalahati ng buhay namin- we're still the same. The sweetness, the childishness, lahat na... walang nagbago. Ang nagbago lang siguro mas kilala na namin ang isa't isa, mga limitations namin, mga sumpong, mga bagay na nakapagpapasaya at nakapagpapaiyak sa isa't isa. Ayoko man lumabas ng hopeless romantic and cheesy,,,, sorry but that's me.

If anyone will dare to ask me, kung gusto ko na siya makasama habang buhay? Siguro for everyone its too early to tell diba? pero ako... I can say that I have found Mr. Right guy for me. My best bud. The reason behind my smiles, my tantrums, my sakit ng ulo.. hehe... The reason why I know the meaning of love and sacrifice. Sana nga, dito nanaman papasok yung never ending debate about destiny, do we have our destiny prepared by God? or we make our own destiny? hay naku.. basta ako, I will follow what my heart and mind tell me, kung saan ako masaya kung saan ako comfortable. I won't do stuff that can ruin what I worked hard for. I know I will never go wrong.

I am prepared what future might bring, As long as I have my faith, my family and my fendrick este kendrick pala.. hehe...

We met when I was 15 and now I'm 20 we're still together, holding hands.. come what may.

Age: 20teen

In 20 minutes, iiwan ko na ang mundo ng pagiging teenager. I'm turning twenty and I'm trying to tell myself that I'm not getting older 'coz I'm only twenteen. haha... fool.. Sa loob ng dalawampung taon, maraming nangyari sa buhay ko, marami akong nakilalang tao, maraming achievements at marami ding kabiguan, maraming pagkakamali. Pero sa mga karanasan na yun masasabi kong marami akong mga bagay-bagay na natutunan. Mga bagay-bagay na magagamit ko sa pagpasok ko sa bagong yugto ng buhay ko. Mga weapons ko sila para maiwasang magkamali ulit.

Matanda na nga ko. Pakiramdam ko kwarenta na nga ko e, di ko alam kung bakit. Sobrang mature ng pag-iisip ko na kahit ako mismo hindi ko na maintindihan. Siguro sa mga nangyari sakin sa loob ng dalawampung taon; pinatibay, pinatigas at pinahinog ng mabuti para sa matagal ko ng hinihintay na hinaharap.

Halo-halo ang nararamdaman ko-- masaya, dahil binigyan nanaman ako ni BOSSING ng isa pang taon para mabuhay at maglakbay sa mga nilikha niya; malungkot, aside from the fact na matanda na ko, I feel empty kasi hindi ko kasama mga magulang ko, ang mga dahilan kung bakit ako nandito. Buti na lang nandito ang isa kong kapatid, ang mahal ko at mga kaibigan ko, they're my driving force. Somehow I survived, until now.

Pansamantala kong puputulin ang aking pagdadrama kasi inaantok na ko.. may pasok pa ko bukas.. haaay....

Thank you Lord. Amen.

First Entry for '08

Whew! its 2008 indeed... di mo talaga namamalayan ang pagdaan ng panahon no? syempre we're busy doing things that makes us busy. Well, another whole year to face ahead of me and another year had passed with full of mistakes but I'm proud to say, I have no regrets.

First time experience ko ang magluto ng pagsasaluhan namin for New Year's eve.. ang saya pala na nakakapagod tapos feel mo after you finished everything ayaw mo tikman yung niluto mo.. bakit kaya? may theory ba para dun? haay.. and the thing is nadagdagan nanaman ako ng timbang at lumaki nanaman yung tyan ko. That's what I hate during holidays nawawalan ako ng self control when eating.

Nagyaya mga kapatid ko sa Star City on new year's day, nagdalawang isip ako kasi feel ko jam packed ang tao dun lalo na nung araw na yun. Kinulit ako ng kinulit hanggang paggising ko kaya hindi na ko nakatanggi. We got there at 5pm and...and...and.. I was right! and daming tao! pambihira, 'di mahulugang karayom kumbaga. When I saw it gusto ko na talagang magbackout, nanghina ang tuhod ko, but no, hindi pwede ang layo kasi ng nilakbay namin to get there tapos hindi kami tutuloy? ano yun suicide? What I did was, si Janine ang pinapila ko and we waited her sa labas- siya kasi ang atat magpunta dun - Pagpasok namin sa loob hindi pa rin nagbago ang eksena, kung gaano kadami yung tao sa labas, triple pa ang nasa loob! kamusta naman yun? To think that we availed ride-all-you-can ticket? pambihira... result??? PILA GALORE. yeah sa bawat ride na sasakyan namin pipila muna kami for like 20-30 minutes para makasakay sa isang 2 minute-ride. Kaloka talaga yun. Mama ko naman lang magawa kahit masakit na ang paa't likod sige pa rin! hehe...

Pero we enjoyed kahit papano, hindi na lang namin iniisip ang hustle but sa bawat pila ay bonding naman hehe... nakauwi kami mga 1 am, ubos lakas ang labanan at ang mga kapatid kong atat, hayun bagsak! hehe... ilove them all!

This picture taken at the balloon wheel ride, yeah the ferris wheel thing . Kala mo lang natutuwa ako jan, but the truth is haggard na talaga ako, sa kakapila! Ang point ko lang ay hindi ipakita ang mukha ko but the countless people sa baba.

Me and my sister at the Magic Carpet ride. I'm beginning to enjoy the night as my stomach went uspide down after each crazy ride! Susulitin ko na hehe...

I hope this year would not be only a new year but a changed year for me. Maiwan na sana ang mga kaengotan at kamalasan ko. I'm turnng 20teen this thursday... haaay... may all the faerie godmother exists come at my room the night before to stop the clock from ticking! yoko pang mawala sa teen stage! may ganun?!