Ai.Live.Love.Learn.LeaveALegacy: welcome to adult life

In a span of two weeks, there have been gazillion changes:

AM A STUDENT!

Bellarmine Bldg. is where our first class in Cogni (actually in MA) was held. And it was only the first :P because the succeeding classes are being held in the Social Sciences building.

The Leong hall is where the Psych Dept is located...

And last but not the least, the Soc Sci Bldg. It is where all our Psych classes are being held. Actually, Soc Sci has past positive memories of good thesis endeavors :)

A single step to my dream of becoming a Clinical Psychologist! Now, I am officially a student in one of my dream schools. It might not be a school abroad but i guess, this is way way better that I expected. I feel blessed. I can't imagine myself studying abroad given that i still need to learn more! And i mean MORE. The first two weeks of school made me realized that maybe the training during my undergraduate studies is not enough. Ateneo, its mission, its way of educating students, and its physical environment are all familiar to me--but maybe not all. Despite having most of my Pathways and volunteer experiences in Ateneo, being a student here now is a lot more different. Being a constant visitor vs being a student in Ateneo imposed greater challenges. Sometimes I bump with people whom i used to know in this school, but there are still many many things that need to be discovered in this new venue of learning. This is a big change. I am not an ordinary student whose focus is the academic requirements and/or the school extra-curricular activities. I am a student and an employee at the same time, a teacher actually. Many do that, and i thought it was easy--but it is not! I am still adjusting but i guess, this aspect of my life and this new change will be better... will be alright.

This semester, I got a violation warning at the registrar's office for wearing a sleeveless blouse. I wasn't oriented yet as to the Dos and Donts in Ateneo, so i was shocked that I was given that warning in the very first day of my graduate student days. Well, i don't actually call myself an official student until my first day of class. It sure was a not-so-good start for a graduate student who is starting a step to the career that she wants. But come to think of it, it is not only the warning violation that seemed not so right as i come to a new campus. It was also the validation test that Max and I took. We learned that for the second sem, we were the only ones who took the exam. We were given a month to review our used to be 5-unit experimental psychology subject. Fortunately, we both passed the exam. One of our teachers before said, "take the exam and show admu that intelligence is not only exclusive for the ateneo students." Well, as days unfold, we learned that some of our schoolmates back in college who took the same validation test didn't make it. The unfolding of that fact resulted to a mixed emotion: we are glad that we passed it, but we are saddened by the thought that our alma mater isn't that competent in that aspect.

I am currently taking two classes: Cognitive Psy on Tuesdays and Group Therapy on Fridays. The classes compensate each other. It's a balance of thoughts and feelings. Every week, we are asked to submit a thought paper (or was it every other week?) for Cogni class and a reflection paper (that's every week!) for the Group therapy class. The first is a lecture and with sometimes toooo loooong class discussions, while the latter is a therapy in form of groups, thus "requires" us to share insights, personal experiences, and open-up issues most of the time. That, i need to learn... to trust myself in sharing and to trust my listeners of what I am about to share...

Another thing about these classes: we were expecting a known teacher for our Cogni Class but we ended up with a different one.. He's good but I think it would be a lot different if its with the other teacher. Also, I am hoping to start afresh in this new endeavor but it was a mistake to expect that. My point, not all of my classmates are new to me. Also, not all new classmates are total strangers. Some knows some people whom i already know--goes to show that this world is really small, the world of academe nonetheless!

AM A TEACHER!

Another change: New set-up in work

I was not only referring to the physical set-up but to the dynamics in my current work.

Well, actually it was last June since my new work set-up occurred. I used to be a preschool teacher in the morning then a Galileo teacher in the afternoon. Now, I am a Galileo Enrichment teacher, period. But there are still some new set-ups in work. My colleagues, especially my boss, are mostly caring and thoughtful nowadays. They were before, but they are extra thoughtful and caring nowadays. And, i don't get anymore stress coming from the issue boss-closeguyfriendthing, because the issue simply died come November. Other than that, I also have some students who stopped going to Galileo. I will miss them. But I am welcoming new students. I guess, this is one of the essentials i learned from working in Galileo: embrace change -- the coming and going of students.It was hard at first because i have learned to set my everyday mood in teaching these kids. Now, that that thing has changed, i have to adjust.

AM A NEW HOUSEMATE!

These are my youngest siblings, Patrece and Ecai.

I wont be seeing my siblings play like this often because i'll be staying away from home. Working and studying away from home and seeing them every weekend or every other weekend would be the case. I actually managed to do that 9 months ago, but now is different. Now, I am totally in a new environment. I am occupying a place near my school and work. The three venues are actually all walking distances from each other but one of my greatest concerns nowadays is food. I can't eat food from outside (e.g., dinner outside and take-outs) all the time; that's just not practical and not recommended for some health reasons (if it would be fast-food most of the time).

Adjusting to a new place was the most difficult thing for me these days. When I first came into my dorm, which is an all-girls place, i felt awkward sleeping my first night in that new place with total strangers. After almost two weeks, i slowly get to know them, at least in a superficial level: demographics.

Another concern that I have right now is my laundry. I don't know yet if I can manage to do it on my own or shall i bring my stuffs to the laundry shop like the other boarders do, or shall i bring my laundry at home and wash it there... So many things that i need to do independently. When i was in my aunt's place, i do my own laundry but not all the time. Sometimes, my aunt do it for me.. Now, i have no one else to count to, except myself.

AM A VOLUNTEER

Kuya Dale, me, Max, and Daryl after we conducted the first half of our CHANGE and TIME workshop to the inmates of the New Bilibid Prison

Kuya Dale, Me, Max and Louie

There are also some new changes in my volunteer endeavors. The demand of work is much much heavier now compared before. There are new volunteers also: Daryl and Lian. Well, they are not brandly new. They are volunteers since around June. But it is only now that they are being active to the organization. However, as some people become active, others become MIA.

AND LOOK WHO HAS A BOYFRIEND??!

She is not single anymore... so how do i feel? I panicked! haha. especially when Iren commented that, "20 years old na ko no..." What more pa ko? But all in all I am so happy for her. :-) I am glad that my sister managed to go out of the four halls of Assumption and find a partner--literally and figuratively. Grabeh, bilib na ko. partida, she's staying in the dormitory of AC lead by the nuns pa. Haha! galeng! I just hope that she won't get hurt, or if she does, she would be strong for that... But more so i just hope that my conventional parents would accept this new change. :D

P.S. I also learned that some of my college friends got into relationships,too. Shockings? No, more of surprising actually. One, someone got into a same sex relationship. Its fine with me, but it is still surprising esp with the kind of a personality that that friend of mine has. Two, someone got into a long distance relationship despite the demands of studying beyond studying. Three, someone manages to be into both same-sex and long distance, saan ka pa? Truly, the world is unexpected. :) All in all I am so happy for all of them! :-)

Although there are lots of changes, which some said, signal the adult life, I am open for it. But truth be told, it is not easy to adjust. Each aspect of life that changes demand great effort. But despite the gazillion changes, there are still constant things...

I am with my most constant companion, best partner, and an awesome great friend Maxine. Just realized that we have really really lots of things in common. Well, that's what real friendship is... finding commonalities despite differences.

going somewhere? nope. just having dinner after MA class :D

Then, i found this other constant awesome incredible friendship with Gijik =). So we formed this trio. Actually, my groups mostly consists of trios... I may not see Gijik as often as Maxine, but she is there, always, as if the gap of time and distance doesn't matter. That's Jik!

And I always thank God that I have these BFFs forever.. We don't consider each other, each other's best friends but we know that we are the closest friends that each others can have! :D You never know what are the ups and downs that we all got into... :)

icko, anne, luz and me

Of course, one of the best things that happen to me is to be involved in Pathways and to know these wonderful people. Our friendships may not be as deep as the friendships that I have with the above groups, but our bonds are unique and irreplaceable. They have been my co-volunteers first, but the test of time helped us go beyond that--we are dear friends to each other! :)

von, len, joms,mark, wenky, me, aileen, and eloisa

And the last but certainly not the least, my parents are still the same sometimes annoying yet always loving parents whom whether I like it or not influence my well-being. :)

my beloved family =)

I am guilty of being a not-so good ate and daughter to them sometimes, for depriving them time; that instead of spending my time to other responsibilities/works i should have spent it guiding my siblings and knowing them deeper... and i may not say it to them as often as possible but i do love all of them! :)