Graduation Day

Finally!

After five years and six months of academic perseverance, I've finally received the proof of my labor on the special day, December 8, 2011. It was the commencement exercises for the 13th batch of midyear graduates from the University of the East (Manila and Caloocan Campuses) held at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center.

This marks a milestone in my personal achievements and as this blog stands to document an engineering student's what-it-takes and how-it-makes. The commencement will take this particular development into my archives that contain the significant events which makes me a step closer to the license that I've been rooting for.

By far, the graduation that we had was the most ceremonious the University has ever had. From the baccalaureate services to the graduation day, everything was grand. For a moment, I felt that the university somehow cared for me apart from the fact that the dean in our college had his negative notes on the ECE Department, from the professors to the students. At the stage, we were forced to receive the diploma from him and pretend that we were okay. If he only knew the department's sentiments...

Albeit the long ceremony, it was still very rewarding to have your name called on the stage, for you to walk like a model on the runway and feel proud that your family is just on one section of the Hall, cheering at you, maybe feeling as happy to see you finally conquering college. I'm even prouder of myself because I was not just a graduate, but I'm a graduate of one of the toughest courses to be invented. I can tell my parents that whatever trials and shortcomings that we've altogether had in my whole college life, THAT day proved that All Is Well That Ends Well.

Sentiments may have been thrown around, naturally. That will be the last day I'll be called a student, me and my classmates will be together as a section, and maybe the last time we'll see each other for a long time. I just hope, that the next time we have a gathering, it will be the Oath Taking as a professional, as a licensed Electronics Engineer.

With all these said, I give Him all the glory, for without Him, I am nothing.

A Holiday Snip

Since today is a holiday, I'd like to snip in something just to break the momentum on reviewing too much. I'd also like to make kwento about the things that I've already finished prior to graduation, and here is a rundown.

1. The last day was technically around the last week of October.
2. After the Exit Interview, days after (around November 8) I had the photo shoot for the Graduation picture and the creative shots.
3. I furnished everything which had something to do with my grades, also things needed for my name to appear on the list of the candidates for graduation.
4. November 14: Start of the Review orientation.
5. November 16 and 18: Diagnostic Exams. Here, we were evaluated of the totality of what knowledge we accumulated in college.
6. Monday, we had the fitting for the graduation dress with the hood and the cap.
7. The official review stared Tuesday after the Diagnostic exams, this is when I learned that I luckily got the 5th top spot out of the more than 100 reviewees.
8. Thursday, after the review classes, I headed straight to the Mall of Asia to meet up with bloggers (the Leah Sayomac (ate Leah), Ate Madz, Sendo, Jeff (poipagong), the Bino Bautista, Kikilabotz the Blogger and Ms.Yvette. Okay. It was a fun meet up and I did enjoy, big time.
9. Monday, moved out of our house in Pasig to the apartment that we rented for the review located around España.
10. Filled out the form for the yearbook today.

AND, next week, December 8, is my graduation day! Yehey. After more than five years of studying (hard, lol), I'm finally setting foot to PICC and this time I'm wearing a black toga with an orange hood around my neck. Definitely another proud moment. I hope that good vibes will continue to ooze like creamy chocolate so everybody'd be happy.

But before I forget, I need to study, again, for the first evaluation exam which will be done next week, Tuesday and Wednesday. The best of luck!

Licensure Examinations

Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, that is 29th and 30th of October 2011, is this year's second leg of the licensure exams for the Electronics Engineering (ECE) graduates.

This particular exams is halfway close to my heart, since had I not stopped for a semester, I'd be joining the thousands tomorrow who will be taking the boards. Unfortunately, that is not the case, since I'm still awaiting graduation and there are several requirements before one is enabled to take this test.

However, it's defined as halfway close because most of the people from my batch, like my ECE batchmates in UE Manila and UE Caloocan and other high school batchmates who took the same course will be having this ultimate test starting tomorrow. That means: I'm equally as anxious, nervous, and slightly temperamental.


A great time for prayers
I know, Lord, that I have done so many wrongs in the past, but please, forgive me of my sins. With the presumed forgiveness, I also wish that you grant my ECE friends all the strength, courage, confidence and intellect that they need to muster in order for them to successfully pass this milestone of an undertaking. They cannot do this without your help, Jesus. Amen.

Last of Weekday Classes

Praise be to God!

At last, I can now grasp graduation like a solid thing! Konting konti na lang. Though there were times when I procrastinated and felt tired of the responsibilities and requirements, I was still able to emerge above all of those as a victor.

Today, October 14, 2011, is my last weekday class for college. Like, yeah, last day! I've waited for this day to come for like, more than five years ago? And now, it's here, everything in college is inevitably about to end...

Fun. After more than five years in college, I have met a lot of friends and people, all with different perspectives and personalities. Five years of happy days and adventures. Five years of never-ending inquiries and quests for seeking enlightenment from this rough engineering pavement. Five years of paying effort and five years of knowing that which effort is equally exchanged with knowledge for the future. Five years of laughters, and...

Tears. Probably, the roughest thing about my college is always being short to scholarship requirements. Yes, talk about high grade requisites and the Grade Consciousness (GC). There were also failed and uncompensated efforts along the way. Five years of always trying to get things above par but always coming short. Five years of watching the Warriors fail for the championship attempts. Five years of knowing good people, and letting go for the separate ways along. Five years that will be missed without the company which will take their own paths, too, after college.

This last day marks yet another milestone in my life. A reminder of things that were done, and things to be expected. For now, we have to celebrate, thanks to the blessing that I got from the scholarship that I obtained last semester, I was able to treat these two lucky classmates to pizza.

Thanks be to Him.

Why So Bagal???

Nakakabadtrip itong Wi-Tribe. Dahil malapit na matapos ang aming billing period, sobrang baaaaagaaaal na niya!

What I don't get here is, we are still paying for the days before the notice reaches our doorstep, but the service has already gone to a level that's ebbed so low. Technically, the download speed is just unforgivable. It's a shame to even call this an internet connection.

See, dahil sa sobrang bagal niya, nakapaglaro na ako ng Snake while waiting for my Youtube stream to load. Kadiri, 'no? By the way, kung nagtataka kayo kung paano nangyari 'to, ganito lang 'yan. Kapag nag-loload yung video at 'buffering' stage siya [meaning 'yung may umiikot na bilog-bilog], then just press any of the arrow keys. Kailangan nakapress yung mouse sa loob ng video para gumalaw yung bilog at maging Snake. Otherwise, kung hindi doon ang last click, kahit anong press mo sa keyboard, it won't work.

I'm trying to learn this song again, nahihilo na ako sa music sheet kaya tutorial na lang sa Youtube.

Sigh. I hate this. It always happens when I need the connection the most. Pasalamat sila na I don't feel like word-beating anyone today or else talagang makakatikim 'yang mga 'yan over the phone. Tsk.

**

'Di ako nakasama sa mga classmates ko na bumisita sa ABS-CBN nung Wednesday. As per the recommendation of our professor sa Broadcast and Acoustics subject, si Engr. Cabarrios na Director ng NTC, libre sana ang tour at pwede manood ng show. Ayun, nakanood sila ng taping ng Gandang Gabi Vice. Hay. Sayang. 'Di ko nakita na ginawang participant sa actingan with Ara Mina yung classmate ko. Laughtrip daw eh. Next time na lang siguro...

'Di rin ako nakasama sa ECE Night na dapat ay ginanap sa isang bar sa Timog kagabi. Sayang ang chance! Last time ko na siya gagawin sana, 'di pa ako nakasama. Hay nako.

**

Oh, why so random? LOL. Masaya din pala ang ganitong post. Nakakalabas ng sama ng loob.

Happy 65th Founding Anniversary

This week, we celebrate University of the East's 65th founding anniversary. There were supposed to be a lot of fun [we actually had a taste of it, Monday] but Pedring spoiled all of it and shut us to our homes yesterday.

The supposed week-long foundation celebration is generally a run from Monday-Thursday because most of the upperclassmen got no classes on a Friday. With this typhoon, that leaves us with two more days of celebration. Well, still not bad.

For this very particular foundation week, this is my second time to celebrate in the Caloocan Campus after I transferred there two summers ago. I remember the first month that I've had at school was filled with dullness and inactivity. Everyone had their own worlds. The Caloocan campus is more like a campus in the province because we are super isolated from the metro, plus the fact that the branch caters to the CAMANAVA, Bulacan and Pampanga areas so technically, the people would have a general effect to the atmosphere.

Three months after, I became used to it: a thing that I never thought would happen. Actually, there was much enjoyment because the group had more bonding and the learning process was a bit different, but challenging.

Getting back to the topic, I've signed up for a number of contests so as to use my time for the week wisely. I joined University Feud, Palig-Science, PalaECEpan, Mobot Race and MoboScoccer. The only trouble though is that each has a registration fee and that leaves me broke. Seriously.

The stuff that excites me are the booths, [most of them the food booths] for since we are a little bit secluded, we only get a chance to experience these on this week. Another is the henna tattoo, I'd like to make a part two of the henna that I acquired last year.

I know that rain means blessings, so its vindication: God bless the university. Happy anniversary, cheers!

The Great Storekeeper

Howdy lads and lasses!

Yesterday, I took half of my day to manage the computer shop which became a part of my investment, the savings from my call boy job (kiddin').

Actually, this is the very first time that I'll be managing something. Even way back at high school or on my first three college years, I was never really assigned to perform the team/group leader most of the time. Often, I'm the assistant to the team leader or the best member, which eventually turns out to do most of the job than the leader itself.

However, in managing something, you have to take the whole responsibility and make your mind work all the time. Mind plus body plus sanity: everything puts up the formula to working it out greatly. I must admit that doing it the first time nearly made me give up on it. There were a lot of factors and a lot of detractors, not to mention the rule-breakers, gatecrashers, et cetera.

Now, I'm back here to do the job again. Until I enroll for the summer classes. I really miss school, my blockmates, the stuff we do, the experiments, the field work, the resistors, capacitors, integrated circuits, the wires, the diodes, transistors, everything! I hope to make the time faster but at the same time, make the time remaining a worthwhile one.

Good afternoon. Its hot outside.

So-so

Good day!

This morning I decided to throw a little time to see if I can fool her with my morning text message when we were still in the 'we' condition.
Sa totoo lang naman din kasi, mahal ko pa rin siya.. But my pride leaves me nowhere.. I can't start the talk ngayong di na kami [except kanina] dahil ayokong ang labas e parang hinahabol ko xa.

When I woke up, I saw her gm containing a few randoms on her History subject, na magd-drop na daw xa, ganung stuff.. I texted her, wag xang magdrop. I waited for some reply but she didn't give me any.

Pumasok ako sa school after watching my favorite cartoon shows, then I got to UE around past 2pm, dahil nga late na rin ako nakaalis.

When I got in my Economics class, konti lang ang tao, mostly ung mga HRM students lang. Pero naglesson parin si Ms Pinlac.

Nag-quiz sa Materials Science, at nagdiscuss ng past lesson sa Electromagnetics. Tinetext ko si Bianca once in a while dahil pinuntahan niya ung ka.mu ata niya na taga-UE din.. :)
After classes, 5pm, kumaen kami sa Jolibee nila Arlene, Erna, Fiona, Claudine at Jad. I recieved a text message from her, na reply dun sa pm ko kaninang morning. Tipid na tipid na 'bakit daw'..

Hay buhay.