Sugar Rush

It’s over. I sigh with relief and sadness. Relief because the nervousness, before the tabs and motions are released and during prep time when I don’t know what the motion is about, is over. And I can now drink coffee! Been avoiding it for the whole tournament even if I was super sleepy. Why? It’s because I don’t want to die of anxiety attacks and high-level nervousness.

But then again, despite the nerve-wracking motions and opponents, I got to appreciate competitive debating and the high I get after a grueling round. The greatest feeling in the world is the feeling I get after a (what I think) well-delivered speech. And after a day packed with four or three rounds of debate, it’s great.

The best part with competitions is that I get to meet great and fun people. Debaters from the different universities in Visayas and Mindanao. They’re great fun! =)

And of course, what will stay with me is the bond that I made with my fellow debaters from S.U. DebSoc. I got to discover who they really are and I appreciate them fully as debaters and friends. What I like with DebSoc is that we treat each other like brothers and sisters. It is also during times like these that we all join hands and just surrender everything to God. And of course, the school spirit which is, by the way, beautiful.

Yes, we didn’t bring home the trophy but we brought home the most beautiful thing on Earth. And that’s friendship and the love for debate. Silliman fight!!!!!!!

Yin and yang. Up and down. Left and right. Black and white.

All these suggest that there is a certain balance in nature. And we are all aware of that. But do you know the Furby and Tambaloslos theory? I guess you haven’t heard of it but I’m sure the explanation is something you have observed and probably have already agreed to.

Furby (photo) has eyes that “swell”. In my case, whenever I cry, my eyes swell so much that I could actually compare myself to Furby. You see, when a person cries so much, he/she should be happy as happiness is just around the corner. =)

The tambaloslos is a creature/monster who laughs a lot and because of this, his mouth stretched to a bigger size than any normal mouth. The tambaloslos represents a very happy person to the point that this person would always laugh.

The theory here is that because of the balance in nature after a person goes through sad times, there will always be happiness beneath that frown. If I’ll paint a picture here using the two creatures, it goes like this.

After being Furby for quite some time (a result of crying too much), the next day, that same person would evolve into Tambaloslos and would laugh like there’s no tomorrow.

So if you’re sad remember the Furby and Tambaloslos theory. It’s true and it’s tried and tested by yours truly. =)

Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, Bottega, Hermes? Mercedes Benz, Forbes, Dior, Lacoste? Multi-million mansions, trip to the moon, European tour? Or a whole day at the spa? Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong. None of the above are the true greatest luxuries. Wanna know what it is? Hmm…I’ll give you a clue. Hmmm…..let’s see. It’s something you take for granted, live by it, and realize its importance when its gone. Guessed it already? O sirit na?

The answer is TIME.

I just realized this today. Because I am just like any other college student who live by the clock and churn out half-hearted requirements because I procrastinated yet again. What a valuable subject BC25 is then! Because after sleepless nights and wishing I did it earlier, I realized that time is the greatest luxury anyone can ever have. Why is this so? Its simply because time doesn’t come back after you lost it. It’s not something you earn back after a stupid purchase.

My greatest happiness are books. And I’m telling you, even if I have the greatest books ever written and I don’t have time to read it because I have to make a homework due tomorrow, these books will be worthless.

After days of hurriedly looking through old newspapers and searching websites for sources for research, I was so happy to have the time to just visit photo sites and relax my eyes with rich colors and perfect lighting and perfect storytelling in one picture. I’m telling the truth. It was a feast for my eyes. Then I had enough time to go to the periodicals section not to search through old periodicals for homework but to borrow the latest issues of Time magazine and Newsweek. It was heaven just to flip through the colorful pages and read something light or catch up with in-depth analysis on the latest event. It was relaxing and I had fun.

Then one more luxury I realized was there all along but I didn’t have the time to look up because I was too busy burying my head in dusty periodicals and smelly old books. As I sat down in an individual study carrel to devour my prize, I looked outside to open window and saw a beautiful orange sky and beneath it, the green soccer field and the usual quiet afternoon in Silliman University which I haven’t fully appreciated until now. But I’m happy I did.

So its true then. That we won’t know what was there until we are deprived of it. Time…we just can’t have enough of it. =)

…on BC25, not drugs. Anyway, thank goodness I got to pass my two essays for BC including the what-happened-the-day-you-were-born essay. It was hard searching for stuff to write but it was kinda fun, too. I’m telling you, it’s kinda wierd to read a newspaper circulated on your birthday. Really.

So, let’s go back to the main topic. Why am I high on BC? It was not like any homework I’ve ever done. I can really say this time that what I did was really research in its truest form. Imagine staying in the third floor of the library without any airconditioning until the library closed? I’ve never done that! And of course, the writing part was never easy especially since I woke up at 4am this morning just to sit down in front of the computer and start typing after getting only 4 hours of sleep. Then when my classmates and I met in the morning, the running joke is that we were high on BC25. We took in huge doses…stuff like that. Whatever. It’s all in the name of fun and it did relieve my stress when I started laughing. =)

The day would have turned for the worse if it weren’t for certain friends who made me laugh and forget about my being tired. Lunch was fun and stress- relieving. =)

Hmmm…I don’t know what happened to my Pol.Sci.51 prelim. As I was taking the test, I was drowsy and all. And here’s the part that I fear the most. I fell asleep even while writing! And I forgot the defintion of Political Systme! Yikes!

I don’t know if I should blame my “getting high on BC25″ episode last night for whatever might happen to my Pol.Sci.51 prelim.

Then it hit me. Welcome to college life!

I used to read magazine articles about college life. The writer is usually from a prestigious university and he/she would be talking about getting only 5 hours of sleep (which is already considered a luxury), bringing coffee to class and eating food while on the way to school. Or worse, having no time to eat breakfast at all! There would also be stories about dorm life and dorms with and without curfews (I’m currently in a dorm that has none. yay!), and wrong choice of friends. My first year in Silliman University was so unlike the stories in those magazines. Because life as a Masscom freshman in S.U. is like heaven. NO deadlines to catch up because there wasn’t much to do anyway. But now that I’m a college sophomore, it was a major shift. Good bye to full breakfasts, hello grab-and-go munches! Good bye curfew, hello to my own keys! Good bye well-rested life, hello eye bags and late nights in front of the computer!

What is it with being a masscom sophomore that turned my life topsy-turvy? Here are the reasons. One, I’m taking Com21 which is news writing. I had no idea that writing news is hard! Especially the lead. Imagine summarizing the whole story and writing it in one sentence with a maximum of 25 words? Number two, I am taking BC25 which is research writing. Our topic is “The influence of ABS-CBN in Philippine politics”. Waaaah! I’m going to be bald by the end of the sem.

Despite all that, I am having more fun than I did last year. I have more friends and I found a group to belong to. Then there’s debate (I’m excited for the upcoming VisMin debate championship!) and I really look forward to Friday nights and Saturday afternoons which are reserved for debates. In short these times are for debate and debate alone.

Sorry ha if medyo magulo entry ko ngayon. I just wanted to write something to release the stress. =)

I have a lot to do tonight. I have a lot of homework to do. So what am I doing in front of the computer typing this? Hmm…let’s just say that I want to make full use of this blog and what it’s supposed to do which is relieve my stress.

Been searching for hours…scanning the old issues of local newspapers in the library looking for an event that happened the day I was born…October 24, 1990.

Frustration no. 1: I can’t find anything significant that happened in Dumaguete City the day I was born. Sure, something related to politics happened on October 23 and a new airplane started operating on October 25. Argh! Why didn’t these things happen on my birthday?

Frustration no. 2: I have to write 2 essays for BC25 to be passed this Monday. Take note: IT’S A 700 WORD ESSAY! Don’t get me wrong. I love to write. But…

Frustration no. 3: I have a bad cold and I kept on sneezing in the otherwise quiet library because of the old newspapers I was scanning.

Frustration no. 4: I have a lot of things to do tomorrow! Filipino 13 report, religion 11 report, pass reaction paper for movie “The Devil’s Advocate” (which I haven’t done yet!), CAmpus Ambassador written exam, write leads for Communication21, and I want to debate for at least 1 round tomorrow. Argh! I don’t know why I feel so overwhelmed. I used to love being busy…

So, that’s it. My frustrations for the day. More frustrations to come next week, I’m sure of that. Anyway, I have to stop this. Lots to do and I need to sleep. =/

Hmm…not exactly sure if I should thank God for coffee because the caffeine is making me jumpy and I could die from anxiety attacks any minute now! (I didn’t realize that coffee might have been the culprit behind my “nervous breakdown” last night until I talked to my friend and realized that coffee is doing me more harm than good!)

Okay. So what are the bad stuff? Here goes…

1. Coffee can make my teeth more yellowish, hence, tramping my “cute smile” (according to a friend).

2. Caffeine can harm my vocal cords! (I should have known that earlier!)

3. My jumpiness. ‘Nuff said.

So, if all I’m writing about is the bad stuff that coffee can do, what’s with the title??? Don’t worry. I’m getting there. =)

Despite the bad stuff coffee can do to me, I still loooooooooove coffee.

Reasons:

1. It’s aroma is so enticing.

2. The taste is just heavenly. It’s the perfect drink to start your day!

3. It perks me up.

4. It makes me listen attentively in class even though I only had 5 hours of sleep.

5. It has antioxidants that make my skin healthy (according to those coffee advertisements).

6. It’s coffee!! Who doesn’t get addicted to coffee when you’re in college?

My point is, life is bad enough with coffee. Imagine life without your favorite cuppa joe. What will happen to you when bad days happen more often than it’s supposed to? It’ll be horrible. Anyway, we won’t realize that coffee is needed in our lives if no one discovered it in the first place, right?

Bad day or not, coffee is just like God. God is someone we can turn to in times of need. He can comfort us better than a cup of your favorite caramel macchiato. But remember, we don’t turn to God just so we get comforted. We turn to Him because we need Him.

Let me ask you a question. Are you willing to pay 150 pesos just for a cup of coffee? I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s the case even if you argue that the quality of coffee is so worth it. Tell you what. You’re paying for the relaxing ambience.You’re paying for the place. In short, you go to your favorite coffee shop because you want to get a cup of coffee and enjoy the place.

So, you don’t just go to God and ask for comfort but you bask in the comfort of His presence.

Enjoy your cup of coffee today! =)

All of us have an addiction or two, right? I just wanna share my addictions and what gets me excited. =)

1. Debate

–Though I am still a “struggling debater”, I am positive that I am addicted to debate (to the debaters out there, you know what I mean!). Writing down the motion may be the worst part especially when you do not like the topic. I’ll catch myself saying, “Why am I letting myself undergo such torture?”. But when I get in the debate, standing up there and talking for 7 minutes actually feels good. But then again, there will always be debates that make me want to run and faint. =(

2. Coffee

–I am a coffee addict. I loooove coffee! ‘Nuff said.

3. Books

–I just love reading. =)

4. Writing

–That’s why I enrolled in the College of Mass Communication. Writing, for me, is as essential as breathing. There are times when I really want to write and if I can’t, it’ll drive me crazy. So, a pen and a small notebook are mainstays in my bag. =)

5. Music

–Good music brightens up my day and puts me to sleep at night. Who doesn’t love music, anyway?

I’m writing this not because I just feel like writing it, but because I am trying to make a decision. It’s a now-or-never decision and I can never make up my mind. This is not fun at all. =(

Sitting by the window in a coffee shop, watching the rain pour down while calmly sipping a cup of my favorite coffee with the day’s paper laid out in front of me.

“Zubiri leads in latest count,” the frontpage screams but I couldn’t care less.

Amidst thousands of people passing by, you stood out as you always have.

You were with someone else, laughing.

You were having so much fun that you didn’t seem to care being drenched.

I put my coffee down and tried to sit comfortably.

I just can’t believe what I was seeing.

As my heart sank, I reached for the warmth and comfort of my coffee cup.

But all I felt was bitter coldness. =(

“How old are you?”

That’s the first question almost everyone asks me when we meet for the first time.

I am small for my age and I think I really do act younger than 16 (maybe even look younger than 16). Heck, the immigration officer in Indonesia even easked me if I am a high school student (I’m already a  college sophomore, for heaven’s sake!). It’s my eternal frustration to be mistaken to be younger than I am.

Why is it a curse? Some people can’t really tell me everything. Their excuse? “You’re too young to know such things.” Yeah, right.

Why is it a blessing? I’m young and I look younger! I don’t have to worry about premature wrinkles yet and I don’t have to spend too much on anti-ageing products (I hope my young look would still be with me until I’m in my early forties). Seriously, anti-ageing products are flying off the shelves. People want to preserve their youthful look for as long as they can and they spend millions! I don’t want to search for the fountain of youth. I don’t want to write it in my goal list in the future. Plus, when you look young (therefore, fragile), people will go easy on you. teehee =p

I may look at being young as a curse right now but I’d like to appreciate it for as long as it’s there. Because once it leaves me, it will never come back again. My eighteenth birthday may be my most anticipated birthday (someone promised me to tell me a lot of things once I turn eighteen. That is, if both of us will still remember after two years) as I can vote, drive, etc. But while I’m still young, I will be young and cherish it. =)