The CSB Experience 4: The Break I Call The "Final" Termbreak (The Final Termbreaker)

I'm thinking of whether or not I call this blog my "termbreaker" or a "termender" but I realized that it's more fitting to call it the former especially that I have something in mind for a proper final "termender"

Anyway...like I said, I'm stoke that this coming Janaury 17th, I'll be entering my 12th and final term in DLS-CSB. It just dawned on me when last Thursday (Jan. 6), I went to the registrar's office in SDA to claim my enrollment assessment form (EAF) for the following term and inquire about the certain requirement from the reg that I need to complete before they let me graduate from school altogether.

Once I got my EAF, I saw what was written on my graduation status, it reads: "GRADUATING?: YES". l was like, "Really? Gagraduate na ako?!" Then I looked over the 3rd calendar that comes with it and saw that commencement exercises for the term's graduating batch will be held on 2nd July 2011! I was really smiling like crazy foolishly. I just can't imagine that,  "WOW!"...I'll be done with school sooner than I could realize.

The sense of nostalgia kicked in when I noticed that my EAF was green...as in GREEEEEEN!!! It just so happens that the color of my current EAF was the color of my very first one back when I was still a freshman. A lot of memories suddenly started flooding back into my mind, remembering how much of a naive guy I used to be (and I continue to be but on a lesser degree) as well as serious, snotty and a know-it-all who tries too much to make a mark before deciding to let it all go for his sake.

As I write, I'm starting to have tears coming out from my eyes. It means a lot to me and to my family that I finish what I started and I know a lot my batchmates are having that same feeling.

Even if it seems like it is the end, I fear it is not..just yet. I still have 10 more units to accomplish, 10 more units that I need to finish before the higher ups would even let me march down the aisle and lay my hand on that diploma with my name on it. out of the four classes I enrolled in for the next term, 3 are the most critical: MMABIZ2, PORTFOL, and most important of all MMPROJ2.

The last one I need to plan ahead because it is important that I need to finish this as soon as possible. My biggest dilemma is that after what happened on my panel for PROJ1, I'm forced to recast all my castmembers save for one. Thus the challenge for me right now is to find find my cast as soon as possible before it's too late.

I have to make sure that I am going to march my way out of Benilde in July 2. I have to make sure that I do.

And I thought this last term wouldn't be eventful...I thought wrong.

:)

A Look Back to 20@'10!

I can't help describe how exactly 2010 fared for me. A lot of stuff happened, both good and bad, interesting twists and life-sized developments I never expect would happen to me. I'll see if I could run all down the events that made marked my 20th year of life so awesome @'10.

JANUARY
-The then seemingly-unending second term of the previous school year (2009-10) finally concluded. The students of CSB got to move on from a term that was marked by natural disasters, term extensions, wrongful decisions from the higher-ups, and a lot more than we could imagine.
-I discovered someone's true colors and I was pretty disappointed to what he/she has become.
-The long-awaited Montessorian reunion 8 years in the making finally materialized in the form of RECONNECTIONS.

FEBRUARY
-I applied to be a part of the RT30 Countdown (99.5RT's weekly chart show) as an intern which I got in eventually (On the same day I was applying for a similar job at their next door neighbor, Mellow 94.7).
-On the day of hearts, Jeco posted a very awesome pic showing me, MR, Dianne, Chamy, Yoko and him taken exactly a year ago. It was really sweet and awesome which inspired me to write a blog about it the same day.
-Knowing I won't be in school long, I tried for the third time applying to be a part of the school's frosh orientation program.

MARCH
-I went to a retreat with a bunch load of my friends and would be friends in Tagaytay. No tear-jerky sessions occurred throughout the whole ordeal but we forged new friendships and reinforced new ones (in memory of Dims). LOL
-It's not everyday you're friends with almost the whole batch of the SDA Chef's station. I owe that to Nikko and for his introduction of their signature dish: COFFEE JELLY. Piaya times baby!

APRIL
-This one's a shocker: I was let go from my internship in RT30. But my relationship with RT didn't end there because...
-I applied to be a part of RT's The Farm, a radio-training program. I got to meet some really awesome people indeed.


MAY
-The seemingly unending school year finally drew to a close and just when we thought we're only going to get 2 weeks of vacation, we finally had a whole month off!
-Something for a change, I took up the courage to meet my idol. It paid off.
-It's time for yearbook pictures and when I got to see my pictures, I wasn't satisfied with the results so I asked for a retake a month later.
-FOP time! I was shuffling between FARM training and orienting froshes for almost 2 weeks straight, it was nerve-wracking hehehe.
-The launch of The CSB Experience 4: The Final Experience.

JUNE
-Jenny from the Block passed away. :(
-I attended my last Mediamax orientation.
-The trip to Singapore finally pushed through and it was 5 days of pure awesomeness!
-I had my Frosh Nite experience re-lived when me and the rest of the Sessionistas reunited to welcome the new batch of Benildeans. (Mga di pa nagbabayad, bayaran niyo na ako :D)
-OMG, the pet project of The Farm was a huge success.
-Hours before heading off for OMG, I decided to pay a visit to Max FM, where I got to be DJ for an hour with Johnny Chase/Mondo while waiting for Quich Lorraine/Raine.
-I started The Pursuit.

JULY
-Graphika Manila, FINALLY! After three years of trying, fourth time was certainly a charm.
-Extra-ordinary did I manage myself into hopping for my class' Malarayat field trip due to extra-ordinary circumstances.
-I got word from an industry insider online about Max FM's pending format switch and I wasted no time visiting the booth for one last time.
-Kadugo!

AUGUST
-Me and a load of callers kept Raine company on her unexpectedly final day on the air and I got it on tape! YESSH!
-My ears turned red on the biggest mess I made but managed to clean it up.
-I bid my Teenage Dream goodbye as I turned 20 @ '10. Unfortunately, the planned 20@'10 reunion among my GS friends did not materialize. Too bad :(

SEPTEMBER
-September marked the day I officially marked my one term extension in school and at the same time, a critical period for me to pass every single subject I have for the second trimester.
-I was an orientor again for the 2nd term's FOP. But due to some misunderstandings, me and a few others ended up orienting not so-frosh students, but it was still fun because I really had a good time talking with members of the school's Deaf community.
-Got my wish into visiting the U92 booth in Silver City and met The Brewrats!
-I started to understand more and more about trade secrets that aren't secrets to everyone else.

OCTOBER
-I had a strong reaction with Studio 23's recent scheduling changes as of late when they had their signature US programs pushed to late night in favor of a daily nightime movie block on primetime. I ended up having a "creative argument" with 23's Program Manager Vince Rodriguez (who we share an unknown connection with Cheenee in more ways than one). Up til now, I still disprove of what they did in favor of airing two daily movie blocks. It's a betrayal to long-time viewers like me.
-I never thought I get to be heard on the air again but Oct. 28 proved me wrong. A reunion with my fellow Farmers, a concert happening at the Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill, and meeting famous faces front and center....What more can I ask for?

NOVEMBER
-I started production for the pilot "episode" of my thesis film, An Almost Affair starring Demy Cruz, Shiena Labay, Sam San Jose and also starring Paw Castillo.

DECEMBER
-The cousins came home after living in the US for 9 long years thus the yearly Christmas celebration of the Sibucao clan was more than the usual this year.
-I got myself a sorta-new Nikon D40x which was owned originally by my sister's college friend. Only problem is that it doesn't have a USB cable for me to upload my pictures to a PC.
-I started another creative argument with another guy from ABS...This time with the channel head of MYX, Andre Allan Alvarez. LOL, bigtime na nga!

That's all folks!

The CSB Experience 4: Crash and Burn

Right now, I'm at this point where I am truly bummed. Stressed out as I keep on thinking I still have to give my all to whatever is left for this term while at the same time, I'm thinking of what will happen come the next trimester.

I'm at this point in my academic life na talagang nakakaramdam ako ng burn-out. Excited na rin kasi na mabigyang tuldok ang buhay eskuwela ko. For my journey has an end date, July 2011 but it could still change if for some reason I did something that will held me back for at least another term.

I don't want that to happen. The first time I failed a subject, I immediately retook it the following term while carrying over the one I'm supposed to take to the summer, my first Benildean summer to be specific. I want to finish in time, that's a goal I want to reach but things didn't turned out the way I hoped so I as forced to extended one more term.

Jeco and Ericson are about to end their respective journeys on February 2011. It made think of what will happen if I actually get to finish my run on time. Then again, I realized that these two took double, if not triple, the effort of completing the requirements to finish in time. If that means having the need to overload, they will do it. At least it paid off for them.

I could always have that option open but I don't want to rush things too much. I don't want to force myself on doing too much in less time. I could multitask but not to the point of selling my soul to the Smoke Monster (hahaha, LOST reference. Miss ko na sina Kate, Locke at Jaaack).

If I could ace my other remaining units this term, I'll be left with 10 more units to finish. Imagine back then, I have to take as much as 21 units for ever term and fast forward to now, it has all come down to this remaining 10.

I'm already feeling the pressure of finishing school as soon as I can. But I know I have friends and family who will always have my back. It pays off everything I worked hard for these past 3 and a half years.

I can assure to myself, and to you that I will not CRASH and BURN.

The CSB Experience 4: Internal Defense, Internal Struggles (The Conclusion)

Feeling so much of a haggard today brought by last night's internal defense. I got home late and I slept late. It's a good thing I only had 1 class today. At least I was able to find ample free time to make up for lost sleep.

Last night was just simply awesome for the fact that Proj1 is no longer gonna keep me from reaching the end of my life as a student (I'm hoping it'd be the same with BIZ1). Since I started The CSB Experience, I have always stated that I am fearful of any little thing that could hold me back from fully be done with school. Although there is still one trimester left for me to complete, I can't help but think that the end is near.

What happened at panel opened my eyes to stuff I thought I could never do. It made me wonder of the things I could possibly do as a profession once I venture off to the real world.

My video-hypernarrative thesis project, entitled "An Almost Affair" which focus on marital issues (fronted primarily by the issue of infidelity) which I sought to give a different take on the typical love story so as not to reinforce stereotypes typically seen on television dramas. In addition, I want my film to possess the look and feel of a soap opera to make it appealing to my intended target market.

After presenting my contents to my panelists, they commented that I seem to have a tendency on making stories that are too depressing and somehow, tragic. It's something I can't blame them for actually.

 Other than that, they suggest recasting all but one of my actors, replacing them with ones who looks and acts like my 20-something year old characters. One of them said that I'd be better off not marketing my project as a "mini-soap opera". I could still stick with the "look and feel part" but the format itself, I need to ditch altogether. They think it won't work, seeing the risks that I might face once I undergo my external defense several months from now.

I try to defend my stand on the matter but they keep on talking and commenting that I really didn't have much of a chance to explain further. It didn't help that my mind's psyched out but at least i was able to compose myself. They mentioned I have a liking towards using big words so they were discouraging me from using such as it might lead to complications.

In the end, I passed with flying colors but I have to keep in mind the things that I must change for the next few months. It's shame though that I won't be able to ultimately use the existing footage, especially the ones I shot in Vatel Restaurant. Me and my cast have put a lot of effort, energy, sweat and all that shiz so i could produce the footage I need to present for defense and I was hoping I could still use them beside continuing production next year.

This poses as a challenge for me to step up the plate as this is a project that will, as I mentioned time and again, make or break me and will prove crucial on the decision factor if I am going to end the school with a bang!

GO LANG NG GO!

The CSB Experience 4: Internal Defense, Internal Struggles (Gotta Pass 'Em All!)

Huhuhu, I feel like crying a bucket of tears today. In less than a few hours from now, I'll be defending my thesis project in front of panel and I really hope that the feedback would be positive.

I have heard of stories about people who failed there internal defense because they  weren't able to present all of their requirements to their panelists, others because they were late, while there those who simply failed to defend their projects effectively.

One by one, every student from my batch are being interrogated, spliced up and ripped open by these cruel panelists hoping that the days, the months and the hours spent on completing at least half of their respective projects have all paid off. I have to make sure that I was able to check on every end and every corner to make sure that I didn't leave anything unnoticed.

Right now, I still have to photocopy a couple of documents for panel, and provide a soft copy of all my raw files to them. I hope it all pays off.

If I get rejected by them (Sir Rene, Ms. Lai, and Ms. Karen), I swear I'm going to kill somebody! (LOLz)

I just have to remember what I always tell myself for motivation: Go lang ng go!

The CSB Experience 4: Almost There!!!!

Can I just say how freakin' happy I am right now? As in seriously, I never thought the day would finally come when I FINALLY have the opportunity to pre-enroll online for the very last time! Alas, due to some unforeseen circumstances, I have to put my excitement on hold til tomorrow.

Grrr...I just couldn't wait any more longer!

Parang kailan lang, pumasok ako sa CSB bilang isang freshman, isang frosh...At ngayon, bilang na ang mga araw ko bago ako lumabas dito bilang isang graduate. 1 term na lang ang natitira, out of 12.5 terms na kailangan kong tapusin. 10 units na kailangang kunin at matapos sa lalong madaling panahon.

I'm also worried because there's still no guarantee if the third trimester of the school year will be my last. There is still the question of whether I'm going to pass the classes I'm taking right now, especially my MMPROJ1. I fear I might not succeed on passing them all especially that I highly regard every term I've been in as a critical point, where one simple action could make-or-break my entire future.

I know I'm making a big deal out of it but it's true. I just want to finish college so badly so I could find myself a job and start make a living for myself. Lalo pa naman na nasa isip ko na malapit nang matapos ang paglalakbay na aking sinimulan. Isang deretsahan na lang at mararating ko na ang katapusan.

Kung hindi lang dahil may pending clearance pa ako sa Accounting Office, ma-eencode ko na sana iyung mga magagandang slots na puwede ko pa makuha. Ayoko nang tumagal, gusto ko na wakasin ito.

I'm almost there at the end of the road.

J.I.A.: Overnight

As much as I was homesick back then during my year-long stay in a foreign country, adjusting to new surroundings was a really difficult task. There are things that I have to get used to like speaking English all the time (at least we could still speak Filipino within the household), getting used to the colder-than-cold climate and unseasonably unpredictable weather, and yes...overcoming culture shock.

Eventually, somehow it all paid off. I was able to gain new friends and learned a lot of stuff along the way. There were a lot of firsts: My first Thanksgiving, my first Halloween, my first Kwanzaa, and among so many is my first sleepover at a friend's house.

It was a little around March or April 2002, spring was at its full blossom, the temperatures hovering between 44 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. There was a new student in our class, Koji. He's been in with us for a good number of weeks already, it didn't really took long before all of us in the class got really close with him.

One time, I was having this idea of having a friend sleep-over at my apartment for some "getting-to-know-you" bondings. It was actually hard, asking someone about it, because I don't know how I could blurt it out. By some unexpected twist and I don't remember exactly now how it happened, I was able to get Koji convinced of having one of us sleep-over at the other's house. Although I was hoping he could sleep at my place, turns out I was the one who's going to his place for the overnight. Both our moms agreed to what the two of us cooked up and set the day of the sleepover at Friday.

On the day itself, I couldn't help myself feeling all excited. Maybe because then I was thinking "Yeah finally, I'd be able to do those things kids do on TV...SLEEPOVER!". My stuff were already prepped up and packed. I just need to get back home right away from school so I could get them and wait til Koji and his mom arrives to pick me up.

I was able to meet his mom, and she's a really nice and cool person. I thinking though that like Jonathan (our other classmate who lives just a couple blocks from my apartment), the Takagi's are just the two of them. Turns out Koji has siblings who weren't around at the time and his dad is out working.

They live in a quiet neighborhood near Hutchinson..seemingly a secluded and peaceful place, except for the occasional noise coming from the main thoroughfare. for the rest of the day, we played soccer at the front yard and we were joined by a neighbor's kid.

We had dinner that night where Mrs. Takagi cooked up some rice meals (note though I may not be a hundred percent accurate of what I'm writing here. I'm trying to dig up as much dirt in my mind as I can). As they were telling me stuff about themselves, I also share to them mine. It's a quite the cultural exchange I must say. I learned a lot of new stuff about Japanese culture and hopefully they learned a few stuff from mine.

Curiously, later when we were watching baseball (a game I will never seem to understand except for my bunso), Koji asked me this very odd question: Why do I act like an adult?. I was actually surprised he said that. He even expounded that the way I speak the way I see things, the way I know current event, it's something not typical for a kid my age.

Trying to be open-minded about it, I kinda explained to him it's something not uncommon considering that it all falls down with the way kids are raised in different countries. Back home, I don't engaged much on after-school extra-curricular activities (except for Fridays) and in addition, kids back home are always, in one way or another, in the know of current events.

It's very complicated, I pointed him out and the discussion ended on that note.

The following morning, I was pleasantly surprised what Mrs. Takagi prepared for breakfast. MILO: The Olympic Energy Drink! Turns out, Milo or the way they pronounce it, "Mi-roh" is also sold in Japan. They, in turn, were surprised as well on how I prep my own Milo drink. I poured a tablespoonful of Milo powder into my glass and poured water in it before stirring it.

That gave me an idea.

I showed them what my mom taught me on consuming Milo a different way. On a small plate of rice, I poured several teaspoonfuls of Milo powder on it and mixed them all up. The result: MILO RICE.

The sleepover was a big success and in effect, it became a learning experience not just for me but for Koji I guess as well. I don't know how he thought about it but I'm sure it made his day.

Such a highlight of my stay in the US is something I won't ever forget.