Finding Possibilities in Difficulties

Earlier during the recognition program of the Faculty of Management and Development Studies of the University of the Philippines Open University, I was given the opportunity to give the message on behalf of the graduating students.

I will be forever grateful for the chance given to me. I hope I  live up to the expectations for an Iskolar ng Bayan. 🙂

Allow me to share the speech I delivered earlier:

FMDS officials and staff, dear professors, fellow graduates, families and friends in attendance, good morning. 

It’s fascinating to be here, standing before you all, particularly my classmates and professors whom I only interacted with online for the past two years. It’s funny that we only get to meet and bond on our day of recognition and graduation. A few weeks ago we were just joking among ourselves in our FB group what award we would give each other. I got the “Master Procrastinator award”. One had the “Master Crammer’” and another had the “Comments only during school season” award. Such is the testament that today education and establishing relationships know no boundary. And we are blessed that UPOU and our professors are here to help us take advantage of how modern technology can revolutionize education. 

Managing How to Work, Study and Travel Simultaneously

The other week, my classmates and I were joking on our Facebook group what we would award each other for our upcoming graduation this July 25. One classmate said he would give me a “Master Procrastinator Award”. I was appalled so I asked him why.

He replied, “Because every time I am cramming for our paper or an exam, I would see in your posts that you are either in Korea, El Nido or some random beach. You don’t seem to be bothered by school or work at all”.

Am I one?? (Image credits to keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk)

I was surprised that some of them had a perception that I am a “procrastinator”, so I clarified that when I am on travel, I bring my iPad and laptop. I study while waiting in airports and ports. I write papers at night or during the wee hours of the morning. I always put my phone on roaming to make sure I don’t miss anything work or school-related while I am overseas. Simply said, I multitask.

I always get questions related to this: How do you juggle things? How do you manage to keep up at work and school and still get to travel? So I thought I’d share of some of “tactics” of how I managed to do all three for the past years:

1. Multitask but do so efficiently. This is inevitable. I am not someone who can let go of my day job just to prioritize school or travel. I don’t have someone who I can say I can lean on  in case I get into financial trouble. I don’t want rely on scholarships either because in the Philippines, more of often than not, stipends are delayed. I also still send money to my family back home every once in a while. Multitasking is not ideal, but to be able to do all things I want to do and have to do, this is the compromise I make.

I am lucky enough that my classes are online. So while on travel, I can still participate in class discussion late at night or write papers at dawn. When I have something important for work that coincides with my travel, I usually check my email at least three times a day to make sure my workmates would still get the information they need from me.

School Girl

Back in my college days in UP, when a classmate or a friend labels you jokingly as a “school girl”, it means that you were too focused on your studies that you almost don’t have a social life anymore. I had been called as such several times primarily because even though I was active in dormitory activities, I didn’t have any organizations. During my free time I was either found in the library or the dormitory.

 I felt sad when I was called as such back then because I thought being focused on my studies was actually never a negative thing. Also, I had my reasons for not joining any campus organizations. I was a working student and just balancing work and studies was already difficult.

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What is Normal

Back in Manila. Back to normal. Back to school. Back to work.  Eighteen days of Christmas vacation  felt like two years. It’s good to be back in UP but I’m strarting to dread it already just thinking of the papers I need to pass, the exams I need to take, and the thesis I need to do. And there isn’t a later. The word and resolution should be NOW. 

Ah. One good thing about being back in Manila is the decent internet connection. I can now upload pictures that should have been uploaded weeks ago. BUT I’m so tired already. I’ve been traveling for the past two days ENDLESSLY. From Cam Sur..I have been to Lucena, Batangas, Paranaque, then Quezon City. Aargh. I think I’ll just do the uploading later or another day. I still have loads of schoolwork, articles, and studies I need to write and review. Ciao!

Acad Days Again

I am trying to appreciate Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios. 

Yes. Acad days have started again and I have to enjoy the remaining sem. I find it weird that I’m reading a non-chemistry subject. I only have two chemistry subjects this sem. The other one is thesis, so technically one chem subject only. Im starting to miss my lab days. Now, I’m spending more time in AS than in my beloved institute. Hao. Hao. The good old days. 

Anyway, I’m studying Mi Ultimo Adios for my PI 100 class. Uhr, I’m reading way too early but I have nothing to do so that’s it. I want to do some advance reading for my German and Archaeology classes but I don’t have a copy of the texts yet. 

I’m still bored. I don’t know why. Haha. I miss all the academic hype. Wah. How come I’m like this?? 

To end this entry, here is my schedule for the second sem:

Tuesdays/Thursdays:

7:00 AM – 8:30 AM PI 100 <Haha! I am a 7 am person. Sorry>

10:00 AM -11:00 AM PE 2 Duck Pin Bowling <What a loser. O_O I still have a PE subject on may last sem>

11:30 AM -1:00 PM. MS 1

Wednesdays/Fridays

8:30 AM – 10:00 AM. Archaeo 2

10:00 AM – 11:30 AM. Chem 125 lecture class

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM. Chem 125 lab class

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM. German 10.

Plus the flexy Chem 200 <thesis>. That would be 18 units all in all. A bit heavy for a graduating student but hey, I’m just on time on my curriculum. That’s because I never had summer classes. Ang makapal na ako. *Evil grin* Besides, I won’t ever trade my two summer vacations for  “6-units-load-only sem”. 😛 

Reminding Myself and Everyone Else

As if the posts of my blockmates aren’t enough to slap me back into reality.

Anyway, CRAP. It’s supposed to be a four-dayvacation plus a free day in the lab… so that makes it five days. I have five days to finish all my school work. And now, I only have two days. Damn. I’m still in scratch. Grr… not that I am not doing anything. I am have my sources ready but I can’t seem to find the motivation to start. And… reading endless books and journals is starting to freak me out. Anyway, just a run down of what I need to do…

*Two formal reports form Chem 146.
*Three formal reports for Chem 112.1
*Do Bradford assay of thesis samples
*Find a suitable gluatathione cosubstrate for thesis sample
*Study for Chem 146 exam
*DO some catching-up  in Chem 112
*Start doing paper for Chem 196
*Prelabs for Chem 146.1

Now. That isn’t a very long list.. but damn. Just making one FR in Chem 112.1 would eat half of my brain. Grrr. So good luck to me and to all my fellow busy people. Haha.

Oh… my phone charger wanted to do some scenes. It decided to fail today. So, I spent a freaking Php 450 for just a Motorola charger. Damn.. that would have been two books.