FIRST WEEK OF BEING AN ISKA \m/

“ISKOLAR NG BAYAN…ISKOLAR PARA SA BAYAN”

June 10. This was the day when I and my stuffs transferred in our apartment in Batong Malake. My family accompanied me. As they leave me in the apartment, there’s a part of me that wants to go with them because it’s really the first time that I’ll be away from my family like what I’m reiterating on my previous posts here. The longest time that I was away from them was when I attended the Youth Encounter/ Retreat in Canossa Retreat House in Tagaytay last August 25-27. That retreat was required for all the senior students. During those three days, I don’t felt any home sickness, even if I have no gadgets to use there because the gadgets were surrendered to the sisters. But, this is a big deal; I’ll be away from them from Monday afternoon up to Friday in the afternoon every week during the semesters. Just the fact that there are many forms of communication relieves my worry if ever I’ll miss them. After my companions and my roommates’ companions leave us, we were left in that room with nothing to do; we’re just like staring at the wall and the ceiling, chitchatting for a while, then back to do our own stuffs. Good thing that I and my roommates came from the same school. As a matter of fact, two of us are classmates for 5 yrs. That lessens the awkwardness and boredom inside our room. Before we went to sleep, we made a schedule of our bathing order every day to avoid conflicts and hassles with our class schedule. That ends my first night in Los Baños.

June 11. As we walk around the campus, my excitement intensified. I gained friends in my bloc during the campus tour, but my feet hurt, maybe, because I wasn’t used to walk that far. Just another trivia, my house in Santa Rosa is just a 3-minute walk away to my high school. Can you imagine? It is a very BIG adjustment for my limbs. But, I know, soon, I will get used to it. Today isn’t a boring day unlike yesterday. After the campus tour, my high school classmates visited us on our room. We were just chitchatting and talking about random stuffs, majority of our topics was our unforgettable high school memories. During the night, as I reflect, I still really can’t believe it. Two days remaining before the start of classes. Well, for us freshies, it would be on the 14^th since the convocation is scheduled on the 13^th. 

June 12. Independence Day. Happy Independence Day to my fellow Filipinos out there! If you have spare time, you can read my older post here entitled “Freedom: FREE from world’s DOMination”. It’s about having freedom. Thank you! J. Anyways, this is my 3^rd day in Los Baños, little by little, I’m getting used to the way of living here. J I was supposed to go back to Santa Rosa yesterday, but my parents said no, the fare doesn’t matter, but they are worrying that I will just get tired going back and forth, and they want me to be familiar with the way of living here. So, I explored the campus and tried almost all of the “must-tries” here in UPLB. 

June 13. We woke up early and prepared ourselves for the AlmOSAlan. Luckily, we were one of those early birds, so we were able to avail most of the free foods serve there by the different organizations. During the convocation, I and my classmates didn’t get bored. As we were very enthusiast on getting to know our school board and staffs, moreover, our enthusiasm escalated as the different performing organizations here in UPLB showcased their talents. The performers really boost our honor to be in this prestigious university because they are people whom you can be really proud of, they’re not just gifted with great minds but their talents have really something to offer. During the afternoon, almost all of my HS classmates visited us in the apartment. Can you imagine? There are two double-decks in our room. But, all the beds were occupied by us sitting on the beds. The floor was also occupied. We were that many. We were chitchatting and talking of our high school memories and first week experiences as Isko and Iska.

June 14. First day of classes for us, freshies. Whew =)). My very first ever class in College was Math. J. Good thing that my prof was kind, approachable and funny, same as with my classmates. That ease the nervousness that I feel during that day. I enjoyed the “introduce yourself” part of my subjects during this day. Each subject has its own gimmick not to have a boring first meeting. J. We didn’t meet in PE1 because Ma’am Enriquez had a meeting to attend to.

June 15. First week- CHECK! Though I was loaded during the morning from 7 am up to 11 am, and have to go to Vet Med AVR from CAS A2 MPH2 for just ten minutes. I didn’t feel much haggard. After the 11 am class, I went straight to have a lunch. Whew. I have so much break time from 11 am-2:30 pm, good thing that one of my classmates called me and asked me to accompany him as he eat his lunch. Afterwards, I proceeded to my apartment and already packed my things, as I am excited to go back to Santa Rosa after five days of being here. After how many hours of waiting, my last class for the week, ENG 1, pursued. I really enjoyed the very first ever meeting of ENG 1, with Sir John Mervin Embate. With no biased at all, not for the sake of getting good grades or whatsoever. I enjoyed the aura of all the people inside CAS 106. It feels so light and with no tension at all. We are enjoying, but, at the same time, learning. That’s the studying environment that I really like the most. There’s a saying that “Save the best for last.” True enough, it is.J. At around 4 in the afternoon, I and my companions already left Los Baños, we were very much excited to go home, as a matter of fact, when we saw the famous landmark of Santa Rosa, Enchanted Kingdom, we really felt relieved and thought that we’re very near to our place, but it will still took 30 to 45 minutes. As I walk on my street, I’m not used to walking on it anymore; my eyes are looking for the yellow and white lights of UPLB, the many people roaming around the campus even if it is 9 pm already. And, as I enter my house, I felt “home sweet home”, my family members hugged me; my three dogs were competing to get my attention, they licked my face. Oh how I miss them alsoJ. I missed also my bed, pillows and comforter, my air-conditioned bedroom. After hours of telling to them my first week experience, I cleaned my body and sleep immediately to regain hours of sleep lost.