#lu 1

First of all, I would like to apologize for my inactivity. I was supposed to write a post about my first week in college, but I was busy adjusting to a new routine and workload, and I didn’t find enough motivation to write. Nevertheless, here I am now, ready to tackle some of my realizations and significant experiences over the past two months. 

1. Freedom

While there was a shortage of freedom in high school (at least for me), there seems to be a surplus of it in college. For someone who came from a small, private school in the South, I couldn’t help getting culture shocked with the college system. For the first time, I had the freedom to enter and exit campus whenever I wanted to. (The guards by the gate are only there to inspect bags, not prevent you from cutting class.) Because of this, my block mates and I were frequently eating lunch or hanging out in Robinsons Manila during our break times. Other than this, UP’s non-existent dress code gives me the freedom to show up to class in stylish outfits or ratty, old shirts and sweatpants. Nobody gives a sh*t apparently. 

2.  Time Management 

Ok so time management is really important in high school, but I realized it’s even more important in college. Compared to high school, I’m spending less time inside the classroom, but my schedule for the first semester is quite inconvenient for my routine. On most days, I start at 10 AM and end at 4 PM. However, I leave the house as early as 7 AM, so that three hour period before my first class is not so productive. To compensate for this (especially on weeks when org activities keep me in school until 7 PM), I try to squeeze in some work during my lunch breaks. I also allot more time for studying during the weekends. With less hours in the classroom and long breaks in between, it can be easy to waste time. 

3. Buddy Stuff

I wasn’t able to update this blog regularly about the memorable events of my first semester, so I thought of summarizing them in one post. 

1. Freshmen Welcoming Assembly 

All incoming freshmen of UP Manila were gathered in the Girl Scout of the Philippines Auditorium along Padre Faura for a welcoming assembly. There were performances from different college and university-wide organizations, speeches from guest speakers and UP Manila’s Chancellor, and of course, a mini rally from the UPM’s student council. It felt surreal watching other UP students run up to the stage, carrying banners and placards while demanding for free education. For the last fourteen years of my life, I attended a small, private school located in a safe, peaceful village. This day marked not only the beginning of a more challenging academic journey, but also the end of comfort and familiarity. This feeling was underscored further after the assembly, as I crossed Taft avenue for the very first time, exposed to the heat of the sun and the smoke of pollution, walking past beggars and street vendors, just to attend my afternoon classes in Rizal Hall. 

2. Handog 

Handog is an annual event for freshmen, consisting of a Mr. and Ms. Freshie pageant and several inter-block competitions. This was the first event that required our block to work together, so it was quite difficult to assign committees and coordinate with each other. We had people selling Spanish bread to raise funds for our pageant reps while others participated in the inter-block competitions, shooting and editing videos and creating publicity materials. The actual event was definitely memorable because of the performances of the pageant reps, but what made it even better was the fact that the two blocks of INTARMED bagged many awards. 

3. All Orgs Fair and UPCM Org Applications 

During the All Orgs Fair, UPM organizations set up booths in Rizal Hall (aka CAS) to promote their org. To be honest, I did not really check out the fair. I wasn’t interested in joining university-wide organizations. However, I did check out Christ’s Youth in Action because I want to deepen faith and find a community of people who share my values. All the members I’ve met so far are friendly. Even though I’m not as active as I would like to be, many of them still greet me when we see each other around campus. Aside from CYA, I also checked out the organizations of my mother college, the College of Medicine. Most, if not all, CM orgs host a small event where CM students can get a glimpse of the org’s activities, members, and application process. I was not able to attend all, but I signed up for the organizations which interested me, such as Medical Students’ Society and PAGSAMA. Aside from this, I also signed up for the VolCorps of the Medicine Student Council (MSC). Yes, quite a handful, but since I’m still an applicant, the load is not heavy… yet. 

4. HS Uniform Day 

This is not an official event organized by UPM. My blockmates just decided it would be fun to show up to class wearing our high school uniforms. It helped that there is no dress code in UPM. It felt good to wear my white blouseb and school skirt again, and it was also entertaining to see how my blockmates looked in their old uniforms. Looking at the photo we took as a batch made me feel super nostalgic for my high school days!!

5. Histo 1 Field Trip

From what I know, all History courses in UPM require one field trip per semester. In our case, we had a field trip to Batangas, visiting the shrines of famous heroes such as General Malvar, Apolinario Mabini, and Marcela Agoncillo. The scenery was beautiful (sorry this is all I could say, I’m not good at describing things lol), and the shrines were very informative. Also, having chips and packed lunch while riding in a bus made me feel nostalgic again for my high school days! After the field trip, we were required to submit a two-page reaction paper a few days later. It was worth 30% of my final Histo grade - already had four 75′s in our daily quizzes (RIP), so you can imagine the EFFORT I put into writing that paper. 

6. TRP: Tao Rin Pala 

TRP is one of the most-awaited annual events in the College of Med where students showcase their talents for dancing and performing. CM organizations and LU I & II students are required to perform a dance number, while LU III-V compete in a chorale competition. I don’t like dancing or performing (at all), but I REALLY enjoyed TRP. Since I applied to two orgs, I had a total of THREE dance numbers. I was even placed in front for all three, so you can imagine my initial apprehensions about the whole thing. But during the actual performances, I found myself smiling at the crowd and trying to pretend I’m a good dancer. Aside from this, it was fun watching the other performances, especially those of the upper levels. It amazes me how students in med proper (with a schedule of 8-5 every day) found time to choreograph their performances, much less rehearse regularly. I was also amazed by the efforts of the MSS members to organize the whole event. TRP was probably the highlight of my first semester tbh. 

7. Oblation Run 

I wasn’t aware there was also an Oblation Run in UP Manila. On its scheduled time, my blockmates and I positioned ourselves in front of the CAS library on the second floor. Soft screams and laughter could be heard once several naked men started walking along the hallways holding placards. Somehow, it felt like my official induction into UP (LOL). 

8. Lantern Parade 

          Ever since I read about the tradition of “buddy picking” from the blog of another Intarmed student, I’ve been looking forward to the day I get my own buddy. It has long been a tradition for incoming LU II students to orient the Intarmed freshmen about what to expect during their first year. Aside from this, each LU I student is given a “buddy” from the LU II batch, who will act as their mentor/guide throughout his/her journey in the UP College of Medicine. Perhaps the most helpful – and quite frankly, the most exciting – part about this system is that the reference materials accumulated over the years (notes, transcriptions, handouts, books, etc.) are passed down from buddy to buddy. The challenges of Intarmed don’t seem as daunting when you have a supportive buddy and a wealth of reference materials in your possession.

         From the beginning, it was obvious that Buddy Picking is a big deal for Intarmed students. Weeks before the scheduled day for Buddy Picking, our Freshman Block Coordinator from iMed Batch 2023 (the batch one year older than my batch) required us to answer a personality test and submit the results to her. I assumed this will help them match us with a buddy whose personality is compatible with ours. As the scheduled day neared, our FBC posted a file containing a short profile of all 40 students from Batch 2023, which identified some of their quirks and hobbies, as well as their favorite songs and their “life peg”. It was fun browsing through the profiles, and it only added to my anticipation. A few profiles caught my eye right away, but I didn’t know how the system will work then. Was I supposed to choose my buddy? Will it be assigned based on personality type? Will I get the chance to meet all 40 of them? I had no way of knowing until the actual date.

      `  On the morning of July 22, I arrived at the gates of UP Manila a few minutes after 8:30 a.m., dressed in sports attire and filled with both nervousness and excitement. As advised by our FBC, I asked one of the guards for directions to “Tipunan”. His directions led me to a wide parking lot located between the College of Public Health and Paz Mendoza, where I immediately spotted a large group of people – some wearing sports attire and some wearing casual clothes – huddled around a large tree with a raised platform at its base. I learned later on that UPM students go to Tipunan to eat lunch or to practice for class presentations. As I approached the large group, I realized that the people wearing casual clothes were the older iMed students from Batch 2023. Not long after I arrived, our FBC separated our batch into groups and announced that our first activity for the day is Amazing Race! With the first clue in our hands, my group – together with one student of Batch 2023 as our “runner” or guide around campus -  took off immediately, albeit a little slowly. (It was not supposed to be an intense competition.)

         I’ve had my share of experiences playing the Amazing Race (after all, can you actually name a more popular team-building activity?), but what made this one stand out were the challenges at each station. Our runner explained that each station somehow represents an experience their batch went through during their first year. For instance, one station required us to sing karaoke, which was apparently an activity that their Kom professor required them to do. For every clue we received, we also got a slip of paper containing symbols of baybayin, the earliest alphabet of our ancestors. We needed to decode all the symbols and arrange them into a coherent sentence to finish the race. This is good practice for when we need to decode more baybayin for Kom. (Is it just me, or is Kom starting to sound so hassle?!) Aside from reflecting the experiences that await us in LU I, the Amazing Race also served as a prelude to the Campus Tour we had a few days later. As we went around UP Manila from station to station, guided by the clues we acquired, our runner also taught us shortcuts around campus through PGH and pointed out a few important buildings, construction sites (the progress of which were apparently delayed by a sinkhole, or at least that’s what they say), and popular hangouts within campus. In between stations, he also told us about different events we should look forward to, such as Handog and Himedsikan. Overall, I found the activity very organized and well thought out. Seriously. After the race, not only did I meet new people – both from Batches 2023 and 2024, but I also had a better understanding of the UP Manila campus, student events, and LU 1. Kudos to Batch 2023 for making one of my first college experiences memorable.

         We were brought to a small auditorium in Calderon Hall, which was beautifully decorated by Batch 2023, for lunch. After eating, we were asked to introduce ourselves one by one in front of our potential buddies from the upper batch. I already met a few of my batchmates during the several orientations in Buenafe Hall, but there were still many unfamiliar faces. In terms of attendance, that was the most complete we’ve ever been so far. Only two of our batchmates couldn’t make it. I listened closely as my batchmates introduced themselves and shared one fun fact. Usually, you can tell a lot about people from the way they speak and carry themselves in front of a crowd and the personal information they choose to share with others. Some fun facts were very amusing, inducing bursts of laughter and cheers from the room. Afterwards, Batch 2023 introduced themselves briefly while their profiles were flashed on the projector screen. Of course, their introductions in the flesh gave me a more accurate representation of their personalities than a mere profile. But thankfully, we were all given an opportunity to get to know them a little better through speed dating.

         Basically, we had one minute to speak with each iMed 2023 student present, after which he/she moved on to the next person. As an ice breaker, different questions were also flashed on the screen (GWA or Jowa? Captain America or Iron Man?). This activity gave us an idea of which people we can jive with or relate to easily. It moved at a fast pace (I’ve never met so many people in such a short amount of time before!), but it helped me decide the right buddy for me. I felt even better about my decision when I discovered that the personality type of the buddy I was considering is compatible with my own. During the final activity, a few students of Batch 2023 discussed each LU I subject in detail, including the teaching style of some professors and the upcoming events for freshmen. (Again, I am amazed with the effort our upperclassmen put into this event.) Afterwards, I finally got to choose my buddy.

         Overall, I really enjoyed Buddy Picking day. It was draining, both physically and socially, but it was a great introduction to college life. I got to know some of my batchmates a little better as well. Still, I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed it as much if it were not for the careful planning and intense effort that Batch 2023 dedicated to this event. A year from now, it will be our turn to organize this event and to pass down the knowledge and wisdom we’ve attained from our year of experience.  But before that, I am looking forward to the experiences ahead of me in LU 1, both the good and the bad.