Written by Yann Magcamit and Leez Escalona
They often say that college is not the place where you get spoon-fed and treated like royalty. Let’s cut the crap. Here are some of the things that you probably won’t hear at orientations.
- “Have an umbrella with you at all times; never let it out of your sight. Buy yourself a fan, too.” (Ramona Kabigting)
You will lose it even when we tell you not to. Let’s be real. Ateneo is a pretty safe place to be. We’ve got a K9 unit and a whole bunch of guards all over campus; but if there’s anything you’ll lose in this campus, it’s your umbrella.
- “Don’t be afraid to take the professors they call “terror profs”. Part of the experience of full learning is being able to experience and see why they have that legendary status. Your life might change as you know it.” (Christian Bermejo)
Don’t you dare dishonor Fr. Horacio de la Costa
You know what’s weirder than umbrellas going missing? Slots for the classes taught by “terror profs”. They actually run out faster than the Easy-A professors. Calm down. It’s not a glitch on ProjectBlue. Perhaps magis are at work, but if there’s anything you’ll be bragging about more than your diploma at the end of it, it’ll be about surviving their classes. Some people may not even care if you graduate, but they will care if you pass Fr. Dacanay’s class.
- “LST (Loyola School of Theology) has the best/cheapest food AND an amazing view of Marikina!” (Antonio Alinea)
Gonzaga and JSEC are always the go-to spots of Ateneans when it comes to food, but if you’ve got time to spare, we recommend going to LST – you’ll regret graduating from Ateneo without ever trying out their food. No canoodling allowed, though; it’s right beside aspiring priests. This is definitely the place to leave space for the Holy Spirit.
- “Eat at ISO and Manang’s. They’re worth the trip.” (Charles John Uy)
Since we’re talking about food, here are two must-eats during your Ateneo stay: ISO’s sisig and Manang’s liempo. One bite and your life will never be the same again.
- “Use your cuts wisely. They’re given to you for a reason.” (Rej Bagonoc)
YES. Ever cut one class to study for another? That’s a thing you can do. Just don’t let it get out of hand. Fun fact: if you work your butt off and get onto the dean’s list, you’ll get unlimited cuts–but let’s be real, you’ll hardly use them if you want to keep your grades up. You only have a few cuts. Multiply the course unit and the number of times you meet in a week. Those are all the cuts you can have unless your professor states exceptions. Spend them however you want, but keep track of your cuts, so you don’t get withdrawn from a class.
- “Don’t be afraid to reach out and build your network.” (Terence Guzon)
Ever heard of the 80/20 rule? Let me put it simply: little things make big things happen. Now, while you snicker at the previous sentence, we’ll get this out of the way: as much as we want to take college seriously and get it done with, have a lot of fun with it, too. Someone told us this once: college is amazing because you never know if the person you’re sharing beers with might be the next celebrity architect. Heck, the person puking in the bathroom stall might be the lawyer that saves you from jail! So yes, meet people, be friendly, and establish your connections. You’ll be surprised by how knowing the right people can help you get the ground running after you get your diploma.
- “Be careful when buying at the vending machines at sec walk because they don’t have powder sometimes and you’ll basically end up paying for hot water instead of Milo.” (Andrea Chan)
This might be shallow, but trust us when we say that it pays to be cautious – especially when it’s 8 AM and you’re grumpy because you aren’t woke yet. When you’re cramming Fr. David’s famous 20 page paper, this vending machine will not help you beat that energy gap. Four out of five students have it, you know.
- “Take your core subjects seriously (especially Philo and Theo). You’ll find they’re really useful in understanding a lot of adult things.” (John Marti Duya)
Ever sit down in Philo class while skimming through your readings on existentialism and know they meant senioritis? Students throw “existential crisis” around, but wait until you get to senior year. You must’ve asked yourself several times how these core subjects relate to your course. Even if Philosophy doesn’t seem to fit the things-you-need-to-know for the course you’re taking, you’ll end up going “#relatable” for this one.
- “If travelling from Gonzaga – any point in SEC – CTC/SOM, use the skywalk instead para di ka ma-trap sa SECwalk traffic.” (Yann Magcamit)
This is based from personal experience, and you better take her word for it: the skywalk is a blessing. SECwalk traffic can be the runner-up to EDSA and C5’s. If you don’t want to be late for your class, access the skywalk instead of battling it out at SECwalk.
- “You don’t have to compete with others. You’ve got your own pace; you’re good enough. Do more of what will make you happy; don’t do more because everyone seems to be doing more.” (Bianca Rodriguez)
It doesn’t get any truer than this. College is where you’ll get to focus on your individuality while trying to be a person for others. Yeahp. Cura Personalis, guys. Loving yourself is important but it can get out of hand for some people.
Keep going at your own pace and stay grounded.
Have any advice we didn’t cover for your fellow Blue Eagles? Hit us up with your advice and comments below!
