I just wanna be on the beach.

The heavy rains and all this flooding have finally gotten to me.

I miss the sun. I miss summer. 

The Stranded.

They say college is a time for first, and i guess that includes getting stranded thanks to heavy rains and flooding. The experience of getting stranded in Taft was one hell of an experience, really. Not to mention being stuck with my blockmates for more than 12 hours. It was scary. It was fun. It was one hell of a day, hopefully not to be repeated. Looking back, i'm still not quiet sure how things got to how they were. I doubt anyone even really expected the typhoon to hit us so hard.

Taft Avenue at 10pm.

[11am-2pm]
The day started out normal and went by normally with the daily routine. Wake up, go to school, hang out, science class, lunch, math class, but then anthropology class came. The last thing I remembered that made a semblance to a normal day was seeing my Antropology test score. 28/30, second highest in class.(let me brag a little) But then after that, things went by pretty fast.
  
[2pm-3pm]
A black out struck in my building. No elevators, no lights. Oddly enough, the generator didn't work. At first the professor opted to wait it out for awhile to see if the power would go back on and she refused to let us out. That left the block literally in the dark chatting, eating, joking, playing music and taking photos, as usual. Our professor finally caved in and let us go eventually. I guess there's that anthro free cut we were craving for so long. We of course ended up having to go down the stairs from the 10th floor in the dark, but thank god for cellphones that double as flashlights now.


[3pm-6pm]

In the Pedicab!

When we got down, i'm not sure how it happened, but then we went on "adventure mode" as my friend, OJ, would say. My friends and I found suddenly ourselves in two pedicabs going to my Enzo's dorm, sort of near by.  The pedicab even passed straight through Taft avenue. It was the best and worst pedicab experience ever. It wasn't even raining so much then, but then it did start to pour on our way to the dorm.We even passed by some flooded sections on the way there, with manong telling us to raise our feet up. We eventually got there safe and sound, only thing was manong charged us 20 pesos each because of the minor flood we passed by. Though guests weren't allowed in the room of dormers, that didn't stop us. All seven of us hung out in Enzo's dorm room eating, singing, playing and even drinking booze OJ had bought outside. But we were of course found out, the guard knocked on our door and demanded we leave...ehhh...didn't happen. We only went down on the second time the guard came and shouted at Enzo. Apparently, we made history. It was the first time ever that someone brought people up to the dorms. It wasn't a big deal for us really, or even Enzo. We just laughed it off. 


[6pm-10pm]

The Stranded!

OJ!

We were supposed to go home after that, but then in peeking outside, the floods were already surprisingly to high to get a pedicab, walk back to school or get to the LRT. We were stuck there. I volunteered to have my car try to come pick us up since my driver was just in school waiting, but that plan failed. He couldn't find the place and the floods in Taft were getting too high. In fact, 4 of us actually had a car around, but also couldn't make it to us. Rains were just too hard, and Manila was underwater. My driver texted that Taft was one big parking lot underwater. So the seven of us had no choice but to play to waiting game in the dorm, but this time in the function rooms. While it was fun playing with the Ipad, trying to learn how to dance and do stunts, and talking endlessly about things, especially love. Two of the girls of the group started to panic and forced that they try to brave the floods and get to school and the LRT. Even though the boys refused otherwise, they went through with it. Luckily, OJ, being such a father figure to us, went with the two girls just to help them. It wasn't long though since they all came back wet, telling us how it was impossible to cross the floods. And once, again we were stuck there. The dorm people must hate us so much, cause though we were stranded and scared, it never showed, we. were damn noisy. We sung songs, drank some more, danced, told stories and shouted. My friends said that i guess we were better off being together stuck in the dorm, rather in school or away individually trying to get home. We thought that i guess there's a reason why we were all there, that God brought us together there. 


[10pm-11pm] 

Welcome to my crib!

When we started to worry again, luckily Enzo's driver finally came with his Pajero to save us. It was lucky that he wasn't staying in the dorm that night and going back to his house in Marikina due to the holiday the next day. My driver was still off stuck in Taft, but my mother told me to hitch a ride with my friends and stay in OJ's house in San Juan first much like my other friends. According to my mom, even if i did get to my car, i'd just get stuck on the streets of Taft like everyone else. Enzo dropped us off at Metrobank where OJ's driver was, and we left for OJ's house. Enzo left us and went off to Marikina and our other friend, Tentay, got dropped off Ministop to wait for her sister and father also stuck in Taft. Luckily, our drive home was safe and the traffic wasn't bad at all since we passed by mostly dry land.


[11pm-3am]
We reached OJ's house safe and it was great having the comforts of home really. OJ took care of us well. We were horribly sabaw by then though, and of course laughing and intense singing went on through the night, with accompanying drums and guitars this time. The stigma of the love talks earlier in the evening had obviously not wore off since the songs sung were mostly love songs sang off the top of our lungs. We even watched some good old childhood cartoons, and reminisced memories we had together in the one month we were blockmates, including OJ's party in the same house a week ago. We finally had dinner by 2am, and much like a family, we sat and ate together. Not long after that, I was fetched by my driver and OJ brought the two girls home in Katipunan, and Mitch stayed the night with OJ. I had to explain most of this to my parents when i got home, of course.


It was really one hell of an experience really. I never actually thought, i'd get stranded in Taft. I'm just really thankful we all made it safe, and i'm really thankful for my awesome friends who made the experience awesome though it was scary. Spending more than 12 hours together really bonded us together. Though, it was a one hell of a great college experience, it's something i hope we don't have to experience again, but if i had to go through it again, i wouldn't want any other group of friends to go through it again with me. They've become like family to me now.


Credits to Chynna and Tentay for the photos. :)

Talking to the Moon.

On June 16, 2011, for the first time in my life, i was lucky enough to witness a lunar eclipse, a blood moon none the less. Ever since i was a kid, i've always wanted to see an eclipse, and it's finally i can cross that off my bucket list . Funny thing is, i didn't really know then that there was an up coming eclipse, and i wouldn't have found out if not for twitter two hours before the eclipse.

On that night, I stayed up with my brother until 4am just to watch the eclipse. I never really intended to stay up that late, after all, i had a really long day ahead of me. I kept convincing myself that night to only check it out for awhile at 1.30am when the eclipse would begin, but stubborn me gave in, partly because the moon seemed to normal then it call it a night, and partly because the moon with the starry night just hooked me in. 


It was beautiful, really. It wasn't that epic moment i imagined back when i was a kid. It was far different from that, maybe better. It's one of those look up sometime moment. I had always loved the night, the moon, the starts and all that, but it's been such a long time since i've soaked all that in and just, well...looked up. It felt liberating to get lost in the moon and the night sky.

It grounds you really, how you're so small in the universe, a tiny spec on a floating rock in space. It reminds you how beautiful the world is, how the the little things are the real phenomena of life. It reminds you that there are just more important things in life. In that moment, problems seemed petty and little mattered. 


I slept that night with heavy eyes, hearing the roosters crowing, but fulfilled. Pause sometime and  look up.


I just wish i could have taken better photos, but then again not bad for a digital camera. Just click here for a great GIF of the eclipse i found on tumblr, and here for my brother's photos.

The New Grind.

I should be writing my essays and papers or better yet, reading those long readings, but instead i'll think i'll just got ahead with my over due blogs about college. I guess somethings never change, much like procrastination. 

It's been some time since i've started my new college life. The 25th will actually be marking my first month in college. While DLSU may not have been my first university of choice, it's admittedly been fun. College is college, i guess.

The first time i've actually gotten excited about college was back when i first saw my new schedule. My classes seemed interesting, making me feel good about taking up a Liberal Arts course, rather than give in to something more "practical". Plus, who wouldn't love all that free time.

To clear up the confusion, here's what those classes mean: 

MATAPRE – Math Appreciation
INTROP – Introduction to Anthropology
FWDANCE – Physical Fitness and Wellness in Dance
NTROPSY – Introduction to Psychology
SCIENVB – G.E. Natural Science Environmental Track (Bio)
CITIGOV – Citizenship and Governance
INTGLOS – Introduction to Global Society 

So far, my classes and professors have been okay, if not great. Boring is probably the worst as it goes, aside, of course, from the expected heavy readings and tons papers we must all bear. So far, i'm relishing in my decision in choosing AB Psychology as my course. I'm loving it so far. Sure, i'm unsure of what the hell i'll be doing in the future, but for now i'm just enjoying it. 


But what's really made college so great so far is the people. The people i've met so far have been amazing. From my fun blockmates to my helpful upperclassmen friends to people you encounter around, and yes, even those random people who introduce themselves to you on Facebook, they've all been so great. I think i would have died in college if it weren't for these people. They've introduced me to so many new things. They've made afternoon hangouts the best. They've made the daily rat race fun again. It's only been less than a month, but i'm pretty much sure i'm going to have one hell of a ride with these people. In fact, they deserve a future blogpost of their own. 


I'm honestly still not sure if i love my university, but one thing's for sure, i love the people in it. 

DLSU 100!

Happy 100th Birthday, De La Salle University! 

Dear, DLSU. I know right now, our relationship is on shaky ground, but today I will be singing your songs, dancing to your beat and cheering your name! D-LS-U! ANIMO LA SALLE! 

113th.

MALIGAYANG ARAW NG KALAYAAN! 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, PHILIPPINES!

If you're a Filipino, let me ask you, how long did it take you to realize that today was our independence day? Though the streets of Manila and the whole Philippines are covered in our nation's flags, we don't really celebrate our independence day as we should. The Philippine independence day is underrated. 

Apart from the independence day mall sales and promos in restaurants and theme parks, let's really celebrate independence day for what it really is. Let's remember why we celebrate independence day on June 12, and how we raised our country's flag for the first time in history.  

College.

Time moves fast. It was around this time last year that i was worrying and panicking over college applications, and now suddenly, I'm now on my third week in college.

When you're a high school kid, you can't wait to get out of there and experience college. You start to have those dreams, goals, plans about the future, and that all starts with college.College is your first real life changing decision you'll have to make in your life, after all. 
 

 
None of my dreams and plans about college came true. I didn't get in the University of the Philippines (UP) or the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), my two dream schools. There was always something about UP that drew me to it, maybe it was the liberal feel to it As for ADMU, let's just say I grew up in a very blue family. Maybe it was because I felt that these two universities really excelled in the arts and the humanities that made sold them to me.
 
I ended up in De La Salle University (DLSU), and while I'm sure DLSU is a good university, I felt it wasn't for me. But what can you do when you don't really have a choice? I beat myself hard over not being able to get in my dream universities. I took it pretty hard. I needed something to really look forward to in the future, I thought college would be the answer to that. It felt different after all that happening. It was bluntly a horrible experience from my schoolmates, classmates, family and worse, myself. 
  
But you know, I'm on my third week of school, and it isn't as bad as I'd imagined. Sure, part of me still dies at the thought of not being where I dreamed to be. It's awkward when there's an ADMU-DLSU game, and you're the only one from DLSU. I still yearn for the (literally) green pastures on the other side. But, hey. The people have been amazing and the experiences are great so far. College is college. 
 
I'm still planning to apply for a transfer to UP and ADMU, just to keep the doors open, but who knows, I might end up staying. (just think about the emotional attachment) 
After all, a lot can change in a year and I do plan to make the most of my first year in college, moving or not. 

Okay, I just needed to get that off.