CSB has three campuses in total: the Taft Campus, the SDA Building and of course, the Angelo King International Center a.k.a. AKIC Campus. Now, AKIC is CSB’s 2nd oldest structure and usually it houses not just the classrooms for SHRIM students (as the SDA Building is for SDA students), it also houses the CSB Hotel where the students of SHRIM (School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management) do their practicum (I presume).

    Now, a couple of weeks ago, driven by my curiosity about the campus, I decided to tour myself inside. Too bad, the walking distance between the Taft Campus and the AKIC (Estrada St.) is longer as compared to that from the SDA to Taft (in Pablo Ocampo St.). As I arrived, I asked some of the DO at the front where the student entrance was. They directed me to go on the building’s right side. And there you have it, the student entrance. Although, there are other entrances to go inside the AKIC, these are for hotel purposes so there’s that.

    First stop is the AKIC’s LRC. Well, it not a walk in the park since I easily got lost by how I was clueless on going my way. I heard there was a Cafe at the top most floor but since it’s Friday evening, they’re closed for the weekend. Beside the LRC extension was a hallway leading to the classrooms of the SHRIM students, many clad in uniform (thank heavens, the SDA don’t require us to do the same!).

    Next stop was the Weights Room which is practically new since it was opened very recently. At first I don’t know where I’m going and found myself at the parking garage of the CSB Hotel which occupies about half of the AKIC by looking how muc space it occupies in each floor. Actually the Weights Room was at the other side of the parking garage inside the Third Floor. Hehehe, talk about sweating while walking just to get there!

    Though, I haven’t explored much of the AKIC, I’ll be expecting myself to visit the campus more often in the near future.

    Grabeh! Never did I realized that I would reminisce the painful loss I have suffered when I found out that I was not accepted in La Salle-Taft all over again. Just now, I went to DLSU to buy myself a Bible and the moment I went inside, I was in a different world, so different from that of DLS-CSB.

    Actually at present, I have been in La Salle thrice (with the most recent was this Thursday July the 19th). I was in three different situations in three different times. The first time was when I came to La Salle as a weakening applicant who went with my just-graduated Lasalista sister on a Saturday, a day after Typhoon Milenyo wrecked havoc in Metro Manila. I wasn’t able to have my application passed as I was lacking my birth certificate so, as feverish as I am, we crossed Taft Avenue and caught a jeepney ride to Binondo and walked our way to Recto (across scary Tutuban rail station cum mall). Before that, my sister made a short tour of what’s La Salle looks like. I remember some dead leaves were all over the Marian Quadrangle and one of the trees nearby fell down because of the storm.

    The second time was when I came back there as an aspiring entrance examinee. Many of us were at the North Gate. My place of examination was one of the rooms in Miguel Hall (coincidentally the first home of CSB, the 1st Benilde Hall). I was able to see what LA Salle looks like on this side of the football field. Too bad I didn’t passed.

    Now the third time was just recently. My normal dismissal time that day was 2:30 PM and the second floor of CSB was full of hype as people are buying tickets for this Campus Stop-Over concert to be hosted by Rated Oh host, Sam Oh, slated the day after (Friday the 20th). Unfortunately, I can’t come since I’m going to the CSB Open where I’m pitting against Lasalista DebSoc Freshers. By the way, the bibles at the CSB bookstore ran out so the lady at the cashier suggested that I would go to La Salle’s own bookstore to see if they have copies there.

    I did and just as I entered the South Gate, I caught up with Sember with a bunch of other Lasallians coming out as if they’re going to some event (many going to the Rizal Sports Complex which later turned  out that today’s La Salle’s game against FEU at the UAAP). Asked why I’m here, I told her my reasons (shocks, I forgot to say that BFF Maan is as mataray as ever). Then I went to the visitors’ kiosk and got a permit (I surrendered by ID card for it). The guards gave me directions on the whereabouts of my destination. On the way, I saw Jeco the second time around (with the first time when I saw him with his new friends trying to eat out at S.Ex.), this time with longer bangs (just as my old Vietnamese lady barber would say “No bang, no bang?”). I was surprised to see Jeco with his elongated ahir but thank goodness hindi pa kasing haba nang buhok ni Geoff Trinidad ng Batch 03 (no offense). Well, I asked him if where I can find SPS, the place where I can find  the bookstore. He pointed in teh direction of the relatively young Yuchengco Building.

    Shocks is the word, I can’t help but amazed myself. It’s been really a long time since I’ve been to La Salle and to the quadrangle. It’s wider than CSB’s own Plaza V (although I think it wide enough). I feel so envious since We don’t have fancy buildings with Corinthian-like designs and that their buildings are all in one compound (almost). Shock is the word for I was amazed that even their cafeteria at SPS looks so “superior”. As I’m writng this, my sister just told me that they several canteen and the one I saw at SPS is not the only one in that bldg.

    I was able to get insde the bookstore, it’s wider with windows facing the outside word. Other than it has a wide range of La Salle merchandise, it is a full-fledge bookstore with books actually outnumbering school supplies in terms of area distribution. I was able to buy a copy of the Bible and went my way out.

    Now, I feel so belittled with all that I have seen in DLSU but nevertheless I shouldn’t for I was not accepted anyway. It’s their loss not mine. At least now, I’m lucky being a Lasalista and a Benildean (We’re One La Salle remember?). I never regret enrolling msyelf into CSB for the first term, I had really so much fun. At least’ I’m enjoying being an MMA major, just think if iI was accepted and my course would be AB-ComArts? Besides, La Salle was not really my first choice but was UP’s. But at least as a Lasalista, I can get myself inside DLSU.

Truly my Lasallian Experience is wonderful!

    On my earlier post of  “I’m Busy With 4 Things and I’m Hoping To Add 2 More”, I said that I was already involve of being in four positions at once, 1) as a member of the Council of Presidents’ Block Commision (wherein the rep of DV2 was elected as our  chairman), 2)Block president of DV1,  3) as  member of MediaMax, and 4) as a member of the CSB DebSoc. I was  then planning to join on two more orgs/teams: the CSb Press Corps and the CSB TKD  Varsity. On this post you will get to now my shocking decision (shocking isn’t it?).

    First, on with the Press Corps thing. Well,  I was able to make apply, not as a cartooonist  as I earlier planned, but as a writer for their literary section. I  gave some of my  pieces that I’ve previously wrote during my last year in high school  (which by the way are nearly a year old now since  the works I passed where written around August  of 2006 for my  Journalism project).  After that, I made myself updated with the haps on the SPO (Students’ Publication Office) hoping they would post on their  bulletin board the results of the auditions.

    I believe I have an edge for creative writing although my greatest weakness is my tendency to make personal  short story narratives too long like the one I’m writing right now. I’m also prone to grammatical errors for I  keep on forgetting to double check my draft beofre printing it (Goodness, they must have noticed by errors on my works!). By the time the  announcment of the new staffmembers were announced, I rushed out to see my  name on the list. Unfortunately, the list only included tghose who applied for cartoonists and lay-out artists (I decided not to  apply as a cartoonist for  they may judge my  style in making comic strips, as compared to the more good ones and the photoshop ones they have in their domain). I feel so inferior and kept myself saying that it’s just a partial list and that the office would post  the other new staffmembers name  a while later. Days after the posting of the first set of staffmembers,  nothing came  out.

    Horrified and nervous. I’m afraid to get inside the SPO to ask about the results . So I decided, I  may not stand  chance so I conceded my plan  on applying for my college’s school publication.  What a pity , isn’t it?

    Next was my plan to join the TKD jins’ squad. Well, I made it inside the  Sports Dev. Office after class and met with the coach. I asked him about my inquiries and concerns although with a tone of nervousness (ano ba namang itong hiya-hiya, sabi ko walang hiya-hiya dito, kung gusto ko eh di go for it. I’m betraying what I have just said!). TKD practice are on a n MWF basis from 6-9  in the morning at the La Salle Sports Complex behind the Bro. Andrew Gonzales Bldg. of  the Manila campus (DLSU). They  also train  lower builts like me, a low-degree yellow belter who was supposed  to  join a promotion test last June but failed to do so (I may have  been promoted to high degree yello or low blue if I did).

    This was all good to hear except that with  my super flexible  schedule, I can’t aford myself to wake myself up  too early so I can make it to practice at  six am.  Well, i can wake up early, the problem rises is the fact that I live in Valenzuela, kilometers away from Manila . Although the coach said it’s okay if I can attend only twice, it is still difficult since  my schedule  for MWF (I have only one period in the morning at WF) is uncompromisable with my Th schedule. I have to regain lost hours of sleep due to exhaustion and stress.

    I can’t really describe how it is difficult but the thing is, I can’t afford to commit to CSB’s TKD team without risking losing my hours of sleep. I’m really serious on my health since I’m close to having insomnia with me doing cramming and finishing at close to 3 in the morning and usually when I come home, I try to go straight to bed and rest but because we have no miad in the house, I have to do some chores before dinner time. At thursdays, I go to the gym after I come home from school. Going to the gym is one way to make sure that I my body can adjust to my new college schedule for the first term. I really can’t say how I can’t say why I decided not to join the TKD other than for time constraints but my body is feeling the effects of on my shedule having to go to school at different times, almost not able to eat breakfast (Often times at McDo), and getting home tired and hungry (I go home as early as 4 but no later than 8).

One reason maybe is that I’m already commited on 4 school related groups, the CoP, DV1, Mediamax and DebSoc. I have the tendency to busy myself busy even if I’m actually perfoming two of them (both are physically and mentally exhausting). baka bumiogay na ako kung tututloy pa ako sa TKD. Another is my impending return on my violin lessons at my high school during weekends. I made a commitment to go on learning to play the violin and as much aspossible continue with my Taekwondo training (I’ve started doing so since the summer of last year). Since I have violin on Staurdays, I might plan to go back semi-regularly to my Taekwondo training at SJA. But that’s on a semi-regular basis as I have mentioned just now. There’s a possibilty that I might find difficulty by the coming fo second term.

    I still wanna try out to the TKD varsity but only at the time if i’m able to get myself out being block president and concentrated on two things, my orgs plus my violin lessons and if my schedule permits, maybe if I have classes which allows me to go to school as early as six, a few hours before my class could actually start. well that’s a possibility but when the time comes, my motive still remains intact although my plan to join the Press Corps will have to be put on hold for a while until I can make myself a better writer.

Such as what i have said (kahit nakakakalito basahin pero sana makuha punto ko) on my earliy post, I am still the one who can make a decision and the time wil come for that really soon.