the first 3 days of college

(photo by Joy Reyes via Facebook)

seriously, i feel like i'm in high school, except i have loads of free time, less subjects and... well, a tighter and bigger bunch of friends to hang out with :)) not to mention i get to go home at around 4, which is totally cool~ 

downside, i'm getting darker and darker in color because of walking under the sun each and every day. i somehow can never remind myself to bring my new umbrella... i don't get it either >_> i mean, i even picked out a pretty shade of cyan and i still can't remember to pick it up from the table outside. sheesh~ 

but that's just a side effect -- i can't pretty care much about being dark anymore: the prospect of going to school seems more heavier than that :P 

my first days were of course, filled with introductions and anxieties. especially when you're first subject's math, you definitely have to give it your best shot.

unlike other 'first day experiences' i've heard from my other friends, my first day consisted of getting pep talked about the 'diagnostic tests' in both math and filipino (filipino had it in for us -- they didn't do a pep talk, they just gave the whole thing) which we needed to score good in, unless we wanted to go to the basic class instead of being in the regular one. that pretty much got me scared, especially for math since they're giving us until the end of june for a review, so i've been frantically getting my blockmates to help me out. we've even had our first study session at the new rizal library :P hardcore~

come the next day, english and lit weren't so bad -- in fact, i can say that i pretty much enjoyed it. so much that i even volunteered to become class beadle for lit (i just want to relive my jap elective class rep status all over again while i have the chance, you know?). i picked lit, not english, because i seem to like lit more. not because of the teacher, but because when i looked at the syllabus, my mouth broke out into a grin. 

right now, i want to thank all my english teachers from 1st year to 4th year, and all my creative writing teachers: they've already given me half of the reading list :)) spoon fed much? definitely yes :P i even laughed when i saw the words 'house of the spirits' because damn, it's REALLY haunting me :)) 

physics -- i like the teacher. i hope she likes me too. and i hope she reads my comments/suggestions... i wrote her a letter as to WHY i chose physics as my nat sci :P my cousin and i are physics classmates though... wonder how in the world am i going to live up to the last name~ i know he's good with physics... so i just have to try HARDER. again, i hate being compared, so i'll make sure i do everything in my power to keep people quiet. i mean, i cut my mom off when she starts comparing me with him because it annoys me -- she hasn't done that in YEARS and just because we're in the same college, my parents are dumping the fact that i have to BE good for the family name's sake. sure, i know it's for my own good too, but i can feel that it's more towards that than anything else. 

the answer: be on the dean's list. you wait for it. i DO have plans on landing as one. i'm not sure how i'll go about it though :P 

but for now, it's happy mode with my blockmates. there are still a few people who i haven't talked with ever since Orsem, so i'll just have to find the time to get to know them better. here are some things i learned while roaming around campus with them:

1. i've always thought that walking with a guy (or a bunch of em) was taboo and pretty much awkward. now i don't think so at all :)) it's pretty much normal to be hanging out with them, eating lunch with them and just kidding around. 

2. the rizal library is a haven -- aircon, internet, fluffy seats and you can sleep there too! 

3. sweating to the point that you think you're starting to smell is perfectly okay :)) no, i'm not kidding :P i've seen upper class men basically dripping in sweat and it's considered normal. 

4. sir. rivera really is back at the ateneo... hmmmm~

5. being beadle has its own tiny privileges 

6. the DSWS is a golden place -- they sell second hand books and you get it for almost half the price ^U^ 

7. gonzaga hall (or the 'caff' as TJ says it) is one of the busiest places in ateneo. i'd rather avoid the place... unless i need something to eat.

8. first day filipino diagnostic test really is THAT hard: even our TNTs admitted they never finished that test :)) 

that's it for now :) hopefully, i survive the next weeks ahead! 

--shing