Sweet 16. :>

I am the left brain. I am a scientist. A mathematician. I love the familiar. I categorize. I am accurate. Linear. Analytical. Strategic. I am practical. Always in control. A master of words and language. Realistic. I calculate equations and play with numbers. I am order. I am logic. I know exactly who I am.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Taking Chances


It’s unquestionable. The University of the Philippines (UP) is the premier university of the country.
An annual approximate of 70,000 students from Aparri to Jolo and even overseas dare to take a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the form of an admissions exam-the University of the Philippines College Admissions Test (UPCAT). Like the 70,000 or so, UP has always been my dream school and for as long as I can remember, my eyes were fixed on UP-and only UP. Last 2010, I grabbed that chance and was rewarded handsomely. I am now an iska.
Alas, I am stepping into a bigger world and yet I am at a complete loss, trying to figure out what to do with my life. There is another world right in front of my eyes, luring me close until I finally decide to take my first step and cross the threshold that divides us. That world is a perfect metaphor for UP. You see, although I was unperturbed by the stories about the naked men running in December, the frat wars, the rallies, and the professors who apply the ‘dart grading system’ in their classes, I was still uncertain if I have what it takes to stay in the University. UP may be the best but it is still infamous for bordering on the extreme, whether it be in its students, teachers, or even the happenings inside its tree-fringed campus. Cliché as it may sound, but to whom much is given, much is expected. I had faith that I passed the UPCAT for a purpose that may be beyond my understanding. However, I had my own share of fears. I doubted my intellect-if I could call it that-would have a chance against classmates whom I know are nothing short of geniuses. But my experiences prove otherwise. I realize now that if I did not take my chances with the University, I would forever be an outsider looking in.
 There is something about being in UP and being among thousands of other iskolar ng bayan that compel me to actually persevere. Gone were the days when I strut through the halls of my high school, with my head held high, confident that I am one of the beautiful people. On the day of the advanced freshmen registration, the poise and swagger I basked in all throughout high school whisked themselves to the unknown; in their place came insecurity and anxiety. Everyone graduated with the highest honors- from a science high school, no less- or triumphed in a competition I can only dream of entering. I am now in the company of the genius, the gifted, and the dazzlingly beautiful. While I breathe the same air as they do, I cannot settle for mediocrity, only excellence. I have to prove myself capable of withstanding whatever UP life may throw at me
 My three months here in UP came as blessings in disguise because they dispelled my immediate concerns and misconceptions about being an iskolar ng bayan. First, I realized that UP students are not genetically modified geniuses. I now kill myself just so I can have grades everyone's envious of. It's pure blood and tears. And a gallon of coffee on hell weeks, too. Others, well, let us just imply that to say they burn the midnight oil is an understatement. Likewise, as for the stories I mentioned earlier about frat wars and such, newspaper headlines and other accurate reports would attest that they do occur in UP Diliman. But this is what I say: what is life without a little danger? I was never conscious of this myself before now, but yes, if being an iska means fearlessness, then I am proud to say that I might be maroon-blooded after all.
It is daunting, to be honest, but perfectly understandable that family and friends have warned me of student activists who, armed with “pitchforks and torches”, march in the streets and wreck school property. It was only my family and friends’ typical overprotectiveness, their desire to shield me from the dangerous, dangerous because it is foreign to them. I raised my eyebrows then but now I laugh. Taking on the role of an iska (in training) opened my eyes to the world far beyond my comfort zone. UP students have not only been taught to memorize the various jargon in textbooks but also to deeply internalize and see for themselves the current situation of the masses. It is so humbling to be connected to such people, even classmates, who are destined to be movers and shakers of Philippine society. This sense of national consciousness and moral obligation reminds us of the crucial role we play in society and dictates that we wear our passion with pride. Only by immersing one’s self in the masses’ situation can we truly understand their plight and champion their democratic rights. Advocate-that’s exactly what I should be.
It is common knowledge-at least for me-that UP graduates have constantly ranked high if not topped the board examinations given by the Philippine Professional Regulatory Commission. It also comes as no surprise that quite a lot of household names in the entertainment industry: Ely Buendia, Eugene Domingo, and Lino Brocka; media: Bernadette Sembrano and Mel Tiangco;  and the government: Jejomar Binay and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have all earned their degrees from only the best university. The UP diploma remains the ticket to a high-powered career that offers benchmark 5- to 6-digit salaries. Knowledge-intensive labor markets in both the local and global arena are tilted in favor of UP graduates. Hence, when all things end accordingly and I somehow manage to survive my five years with the naked man, I would look forward to working for employers, companies that would welcome me through their doors. I believe the University has and will continue to prepare its students for the bright future that awaits them; thus, its graduates will not only be able to stay in their jobs but also excel and contribute a positive change to society. And when it’s my time to say goodbye-for the time being, of course-to the University, I will be confident that I was geared well enough to acquire a competitive advantage in the labor market, here and abroad.
Many who have heard of my new-found fondness for Oble cautioned me of the disappointment of eventually discovering that the university has only been romanticized by the myths of the long past. But as my role as an iska in training entails me, I am determined to walk through life with my sense of individuality intact and with a brain brimming with inspiration. Nevermind what other people throw at me because I now understand that only experience can offer me the satisfaction of proving them wrong.