Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

     I would've said that this event was boring if I weren't one of the contestants. Honestly, it was so hard for me to focus on the matter at hand when all I could think about was how funny the word SQUAB was. Of course, there was also the pressure of representing our block together with two others, but we just had fun and laughed at our mistakes. It was a pretty great experience.
     We only made it to the semi-finals, I think. I don't really remember, but anyway, my point is, even if we didn't win, I guess I was still relieved. I wasn't relieved that we lost, I was relieved because it was finally done. I didn't have to answer more random questions and I didn't have to contemplate whether the answer we were going with was right or wrong. I have to say, though, participating in this event with Marlou and Tophee was actually really enjoyable because we didn't take it seriously. During the whole thing, all we did was ask each other what our guts were telling us and we usually went with that. The whole thing was smooth and tension-free, well, for me. It was really fun to learn new things too, but I didn't pay enough attention to remember any of it. Oops. Oh well! Anyway, the event made me realize how fun every competition would be if no one took it seriously, BUT!!! When it comes to competitions that can affect our grades and reputation, I am not willing to say that it's okay to lose. Competitions are fun, yes, but there are certain competitions that we just can't afford to lose.
     I'm not confident enough to say that we can win more competitions in the future because we have a tendency to slack off and there are too many things going on within our block that needs some EXTREME FIXING but I hope (really, I do) that we will be able to enjoy the future competitions and win a decent number of them. (If only things weren't so complicated in our block :----))

Sana Dati


     First things first, I do not like romantic movies. AT ALL. I get bored easily because there are so many movies these days that reek of banality. It annoys me when the characters fall in love with each other as soon as they meet, like GIRL, WAIT FOR HIM TO TAKE YOU OUT.
     In the movie, Sana Dati, all I could think about was how irritated I was. Honestly? It was cliche and I found it way too predictive. She falls in love with some guy and the guys dies and of course, of course, OF COURSE, said guy's brother shows up  ON HER DAMN WEDDING DAY. I also have one thing to ask: Why did she even tell the guy's brother to run away with her?? Umm?? I would've appreciated it if she just let him get to know her since that was what he wanted, but no, she had to ask him to go with her because she wanted "get out of there." That is not what she should've done. That was the love of her life's brother, for Christ's sake! I mean, WHO EVEN DOES THAT? Then in the end, she says, "I love you," to the guy she married??? I was so annoyed, God, I honestly wanted to slap her in the face.
     The only good thing about is movie is the message it tried to give the watchers. It wanted us to realize that when you love someone, you can never replace them in your heart. No matter what other people say or who they shove in your face, you will never feel the need to replace the person you love because you simply love them for who they are.
     It's funny how people constantly try to tell you who you should love, don't you think? When are people going to realize that when someone is in love, nothing can get in their way? No one can stop them from loving someone.

Turn Left, Turn Right

     Destiny is an old hag. I'm sorry for the comparison but it just is. Sometimes it plays with you in the cruelest way just so you can say that all the unfortunate events were worth it. Sometimes it gives you what you want just so it can take it back and leave you to realize that you should've been more grateful. In the movie Turn Left, Turn Right, destiny played the role of the villain-slash-fairy-godmother. Though all the close calls were frustrating, it was still a great movie because it was able to capture our attention and teach us a few lessons.
     From the beginning of the movie, it was already very interesting. It was somehow told in two different perspectives - one from the girl and one from the boy. Of course, just by that, you will be able to tell that it is a love story. What's impressive is that though it's a love story, it is still filled with so many twists and turns that none of us got bored. Love is a very common theme for both books and movies, but this movie in particular proved that not all love stories are alike. Every scene left me screaming and wanting to pull my hair out, which is,believe it or not, actually a good thing because it means I didn't fall asleep halfway through the film. The characters also piqued my interest because they weren't your usual Adam-and-Eve. I liked how both of them were just normal people and not the type of pairing wherein one was rich and the other was poor, or one was famous and the other was a loser, or one was special and the other was not. Stories that are able to pull off the normal-normal pairing are rare, so this movie earned a big thumbs up from me.
     The way life works is very surprising and sometimes even frustrating. The movie was able to show us the importance of waiting and trusting our future because someday everything will work out if we just let things be.

Jon Santos in APC

     February 11, 2015 - the famous Jon Santos gave our school a little visit. I wasn't sure whether I was really out of date or really not paying attention because it was quite a surprise to have someone as well-known as him be in our auditorium. At first I thought he was going to put on an act to entertain us or something, but no, it was just a simple talk about a simple person.
     He gave us 10 steps - steps that could help us grow and achieve our goals - and I want to expand three of those steps:
     1. Listen
         You have to listen not only to other people, but also to yourself. Lend your ears to those who have something good and useful to say. However, you don't have to listen to all those negative things; all you have to do is keep your ears open for those who care enough to give you a good talk. You also have to listen to your heart and your mind. It is important to let yourself be heard, and who would be a better person to hear you out first than yourself?
     2. All Learning Will Enrich You
         When you learn something, take it to heart. I'm not talking about the usual, everyday things you learn, like reading or writing or how to  operate a machine - no, I am talking about those things that you only learn at rare times. You have to keep in mind that when you learn something, it can help you in the future. Everything you learn will play an important role in your life.
   3. Baby Steps = A Step Worth Taking
       There are times when we get a little impatient with small progress, but sometimes, baby steps are the steps that'll take you higher. With every step you make, no matter how small it is, it will lead you to something greater. You may be moving slow because of the small stepping stones, but a little closer is better than nothing at all. Someday we will realize that a certain tiny step was the right step and it would all be worth it in the end, even if it took you a long time to get to where you want to be.
     It's amazing how someone can be so many people but just one person all at once. Jon Santos is a very talented man and I admire him for going towards what he wanted. I am very grateful because he was able to teach us these steps - and more. He truly is someone more than just an entertainer.

Chants and Cheers Competition

     A competition is supposed to bring out the best in you - not the worst. In a competition you learn who your real team is and the ones who are willing to drag you down just because they aren't striving for gold. Teamwork is very important when it comes to these types of events and honestly, that was one of the biggest problems we faced while preparing for the competition.
     It is plain to see that ABMA151 is divided in terms of cliques; there are groups of friends who only ever-so-often interact with the rest of us, and those who choose not to mingle at all. This is the cause of all the uproars in our block. Due to the lack of unity, we had a hard time practicing and getting all our nuts together to actually perfect our performance - although I have to say that, in the end, it wasn't that perfect, but it turned out better than expected.
     There were countless times when some of us had to voice out their anger and frustrations because of the lack of motivation and enthusiasm. Some of us are competitive, and I must admit that I am one of those people who will not settle for less. Meanwhile, there are others who want nothing but a passing grade. It is hard to lead people when they do not want to be led and that was another problem we had. A few of us needed a little push in order to wake up and realize that their laziness and lack of cooperation were affecting the whole block.
     ABMA151 is not a perfect block. It is not the type of section that you would consider "one." We all have our differences, pet peeves, expectations, etc. Others

may think that a group of people who share the same classroom everyday would already have a strong bond, but bonds take time to build. However, when things get serious and priorities are settled, I am confident to say that we are stronger together.
     ABMA151 is not a perfect block, but we sure are one hell of an army.

APC Anti Smoking Campaign

     Everyone knows that smoking is bad for our health. This fact was reiterated to us countless times but it is obvious that there are some people who just can't help it. As a student of Asia Pacific College, I am quite aware of the number of smokers in our school. It seems that the school's very own Anti Smoking Campaign  is being ignored by the students themselves without them knowing that there are so many things that could happen to you when you smoke, and none of those things are positive at all.
     First, you get addicted to it. I have seen so many people try smoking once and never stop after that. All it takes is one puff, and before you know it, you're as addicted to it as all the others. You may not smoke one pack a day, but every stick of cigarette you finish is all you need to become one of them. It doesn't even have to be an actual stick; E-cigarettes are just as dangerous.
     Second, you poison yourself. With every inhale of smoke, your lungs get weaker. With every exhale, you poison everyone else around you. Secondhand smoking is as troublesome and dangerous to both our health and our surroundings. All that smoke has to go somewhere right? Well, it goes straight to our lungs. Breathing it all in could cause so many illnesses. One inhale equals a thousand minutes in your life. You are practically waiting for your lungs to collapse.
     Third, you kill yourself. This has to be taken literally because it's true. You know it's going to kill you someday but you still do it anyway, because Y.O.L.O. (You Only Live Once) right? This is the biggest consequence of smoking and you have no right to complain about every sickness you suffer because you are doing it to yourself. Who are you to blame others - more importantly God - for something you brought upon yourself?
     The Anti Smoking Campaign must be taken seriously because no matter how scarcely you smoke, you are still punishing yourself by taking away days in your life. There are better ways to relieve stress. Asia Pacific College should be a place where students can inhale fresh air instead of polluted smoke. Do not drag other people into your mist.

Philippine Media and The Millennials

     January 26, 2016 —We were all gathered at the auditorium for a seminar. As the usual student, I wasn't all that interested, but soon, a certain video was played and it immediately caught my attention. The video that was shown wasn't your average video of sneezing cats and tripping people; it was a video about secrets and truths. Watching the video made me realize two things; 1.) the media is more powerful than we think; 2.) our generation is ignorant when it comes to the media and their sugarcoated stories.
     After finding out the truth about Marcos and Ninoy, I was more than stunned. I felt like everything the adults taught me when I was young has all been a lie. The video had such a strong impact - from the graphics to the sound effects, it was all so strong that it was impossible to ignore the whole thing. The content and purpose of the video was to give reason to Ninoy's death, which actually seemed like the truth to me. Although a lot of people wont believe such things, I tend to look at the dark sides of the story, because that's usually where the truth is. It is very hard to change what you believe in, therefore a lot of people might still hang on to the things that were taught to them since the beginning. It only shows how much hold the media has on us. The media blatantly covered up the whole truth. thus resulting to the citizens' ignorance. Because of all the sugarcoating, we were all blinded.
     The generation today, as we all know, is a very narrow-minded one. All the technology and expectations led us to believe in whatever they tell us. We do not want to dig deeper and find out what really happened because we are too busy judging and trying to fit in. We do not even try to open our eyes to what's really happening. Where did all the smart people go? Are they all too busy with their phones? Are their heads stuck in their butt holes? How are we supposed to help our country if we don't even care?
     It's sad to think that the media and the generation these days are very different from before. It was apparent in the video shown to us that we are all sleeping on the truth. Is it really that hard to dig a little deeper now? Is it really easier to just ignore everything that doesn't affect us in a way it affects others? Well, I'll leave you to answer that.
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