cramming galore

major boo.boo.
when this sem started, I told myself I wouldn't cram because that's what ruined my grades in the previous sem - er, year. i guess things haven't changed though because here i am, frazzled, panicky, wondering how on Earth I'm going to fit every thing I have to, want to, got to do in the ridiculously limited time span of 72 hrs.

whew. cramming ng bonggang bongga.
if you want, you can check out my agenda-slash-wish list for the weekend.

To Do's
(in (ideally) chronological order)

SATURDAY

11.00 AM
Eat lunch at AnT Kakai's.
pista daw sa ilaha so go lang.
I miss my cousins anyway.
Besides... free lunch!!!
(In your faces, economistas!)

1.00 something PM
Show up at Kumon.
submit papers before Teacher Malou thinks I've surrendered...
after barely one week into the program.
bummer.

2.00 something PM
Get my waiver from Ate Meh.
MUST! can't go camping without it!

3.00 something PM
Read a bit of my PA 11 readings.
would anybody care if I said I'm way behind in terms of classwork?
no? well, my teacher would.
thing is, she doesn't know.
YET.

4.30 PM
Meet UPK at KFC Katips.
the mems are going to lead us apps to the 'probinsya'
where our FR will be held.
i've heard our 'probinsya' is in Ortigas Mansions though.
bonggacious much?

Basta Gabii
FR - FI UP Kagayhaan.
postponed last sem so ngayon lang aarriba ang event na 'to.
i have no idea what the mems have planned.
i know they're serving chicken pesto though -
as long as there's food, payts!

SUNDAY

6.00 something AM
Be at Aurora Tower, Araneta Center for Youth Camp.
such an ungodly hour in the morning.
if I miss this, wala na, goodbye GRF.

Basta Morning
GRF Youth Camp.
I don't know what Miss Annette from GRF planned for us.
must be exciting though.
ANNND. it's free.
YUP. totally free.

MONDAY

sometime before 5.oo PM
Still in GRF.
probably snoozing in a bus.

7.00 something PM
Purchase Psych 7 in NBS Katips.
so I can read Chapter 3: Da Brain.
bloody hell! it's PhP 600.

Basta Gabii
Finish reading PA 11 readings for Topics 1 AND 2
AND
Finish reading Chapters 3 AND 4 for Psych 101.

O dibz? Bonggacious galore.

My Least Favorite Time of the Year

November 6, Wednesday

Enrolling in UP is perhaps the best way to prepare one’s child for the real world. I won’t exaggerate and say that there are long lines of students waiting beside closed doors whichever way you look, but I’m telling you the scenario is something close to that. This is my least favorite time of the year. Of course, the prospect of starting the new semester excites me hugely, but there’s something about the UP enrollment process that I dislike greatly.

I think it’s the fact that I rarely get the subjects I really want to take.

Same thing happened this year. I didn’t even get De Dios for Econ 109. I did, however, get a fair amount of units during the first online pre-enlistment. Funny thing is, I forgot to enlist for PE – yet again. This is why I don’t have a PE class for the second consecutive sem. And no way am I making up for it during the summer.

Here’s a censored list of my teachers for this semester:

Econ 106

Course Description: The second most notorious Econ Major in the history of the UP School of Economics

Professor: Rumored to be kind and compassionate in terms of grade-giving, but also infamous for not being as good at teaching as her also-infamous counterpart

CWTS2 -Econ

Course Description: Outreach Program class. The batch got divided into several teams, each team working on a different site. My team’s assigned to GK Laura along Commonwealth.

Professor: Had her for CWTS-1 last sem. She’s very nice; you just have to research her requirements for an UNO-worthy reflection paper. An upperclassman noted that she never visited our CWTS site.

Geog 1

Course Description: For this subject, one of my friends had to fill in a blank map of the world’s countries – and name all the important bodies of water in the planet.

Professor: Heard she’s UNOable. Nuff said.

Psych 101

Course Description: A lot of my friends took this so they must find it interesting, too.

Professor: Never heard. Nice last name though.

PA 11

Course Description: Again, no idea what this is about. This, however, is a pre-requisite for higher Public Administration courses so if ever I decide to become the next Senate President or whatnot, this will come in handy.

Professor: Never heard. Really.

Pol Sci 14

Course Description: I have no idea what this is but Nina suggested it.

Professor: Famous guy, even my mother knows who he is.

Philo 11

Course Description: Logic. Supposedly.

Professor: Oh, hell. They tell me he’s a terror teacher. But I’ve gone through so much just to prerog his class that I don’t have the heart – or energy – to just cancel it.

Amazing roster, don’t you think?

The higher the goal, the harder the climb,

But taken each day, one step at a time,

The goal is accomplished, the dream is attained,

AND THE PRIZES?

The wisdom and strength that are gained.

~ bookmark

It didn’t say anything about getting good grades.

Your jaded iska,

sandybeaple

PS. I had a good dream a couple of minutes ago, right before my alarm rang. I might

even write a story about it or something.

Phoenix

October 30, Thursday

If you’ve read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey from cover to cover and back again, you might be familiar with Habit 2’s Go for the Goal Key No. 4: Use Momentous Moments. In case you’re not, here’s an excerpt to help you understand my point better:

Certain moments in life contain momentum and power. The key is to harness these moments for goal setting. Things with starts and finishes or beginnings and ends carry momentum…

Often tough experiences can carry momentum. Are you familiar with the myth of the phoenix bird? After every lifespan of 500 to 600 years, the beautiful phoenix would burn itself at the stake. Out of the ashes, it would later rise, reborn. In like manner, we can regenerate ourselves out of the ashes of a bad experience. Setbacks and tragedies can often serve as a springboard for change.

If the last semester wasn’t a major setback, then I don’t know what it was. I welcomed my sophomore year wholeheartedly, excited as usual that a new AY was about to start (drat my Aries-ness!), but I ended it with low spirits. Really low spirits. Like OMG-did-that-sem-flit-by-or-is-it-just-me bottom. And yeh, my grades are bad.

Of course, I haven’t seen them yet so I’m merely assuming the worst.

Nevertheless, the loss of hope is something that we Aries people are not known for. Pioneering, impulsive, enthusiastic – we tackle change head on. And I swear, by witness of this blog entry, that this incoming sem, Second Sem AY 08 – 09, will not be a disappointment like its immediate predecessor.

I’m writing this merely because, “A goal not written is only a wish.” So there.

What caused this change of heart, you might ask? CD’s. Containing video clips I should have seen right after my high school graduation. (If you’re wondering why I’ve only seen them now, blame the dusty drawer where the stuff was hidden for the past two years.) The first CD has the short vid that Jee Ann made for me; it’s set against the song Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson. The second CD is the raw footage of KHS Batch 07’s actual commencement exercise c/o my Uncle Aping. I swear – and for once I am not exaggerating – they made me smile. And clap my hands like one of those seals I saw in Ocean Park.

Ten minutes. That’s all it took for me to remember why I’m studying in the first place. Why I’m trying so hard to combat laziness. Why I should want to be my best. What I’m fighting for, kumbaga. It’s to make the people I love proud, because I want them to be proud of me, because I want to do them justice.

We do well always and everywhere to serve you.

If you’re Roman Catholic you should know where that comes from.

Your Fawkes-wannabe,

sandybeaple

PS. My husband came out on TV Patrol to encourage US citizens to vote. So if you’re from the US and you’re reading this (which is highly unlikely, methinks), vote! :X