HOW WE ARE AS NOVICE CAREER PEOPLE?

Jeff, a former classmate and a good friend of mine sent me a text message earlier asking me if I can join him and some of our former classmates (Lloyd, Camz and Kring)to watch a movie. After all, he would be the one to treat us. Oh, talk about earning already! :D

I also had another agenda so I went to downtown and join them. Little did I know that they came from an Ukay2x spree to shop for business attires that Kring would be using for her 6-8 month training in BPI Makati. Wow, surely her cum lau de status when she graduated paid off! Kring's bag was full with her good finds and there were also bags containing the shoes and some more clothes she will also be using during her training.

Since the movie will start at 4:30pm and I arrived minutes before it, we still had the time to chat and talk about what's happening in our career. Aside from Jeff who is now earning from his web development job and has the money to treat his friends now, the others are also finding their place in the real world. Lloyd should now be called Sir Lloyd, being a CS Division teacher in our alma matter. Camz has already worked as a PCOS technician during the election and is currently searching for a work. And on June 30, Kring will be setting foot to Manila to undergo the BPI training.

As for me, I am starting out with my first online freelance writing job this Monday (thanks to Jeff!). I am hopeful that I can really feel 'employed' and be of service to the company I'm working for.

Time flies really, really fast. It's definitely the start of the real battle in which we spent our more or less 16 years of existence to get ready for it.

I can still remember the days when I went out with almost the same people to watch a movie since we were so stressed out after exams. Now, there's no academic exam to take. What's here is employment. There's no longer a desire for high grades, only high salary.

But what's constant is the insatiable hunger for learning we possess. Every day is filled with lots of lessons to gain. And although we are no longer wearing our college uniforms, we will forever remain Ateneans by heart even outside school -- full of magis and striving to be the paramount persons we can be.

LIFE AFTER AdDU

After being left behind by our batch mates when they graduated last March 20, me and my group mates then knew that we have to continue living our lives as students and pass our two remaining subjects (Practicum 2 and Philosophy of Religion) to also graduate in six weeks time.

We worked our butts off just so we can finish college with flying colors (haha. this one's exaggeration, i know. we're not lau de's of some sort but still, thank God for the passing grade!).

Philo 106 demands time for us to read every single line in the article. So I really did my part. :)

In Business Plan, which is our only remaining major subject so we had to request for tutorial (automatically, +60% in our tuition fee!), we exerted all our efforts to do field research on existing competitors, compute all possible expenses, estimate our inventory, project our income and do accounting to balance the Balance Sheet. T.T

We really took the subject seriously and come defense day, we did present the business plan just like pros do.

And after that, tadaaaa! College life is finally over. Yes, after eight regular semesters and four summer classes, we find ourselves bidding good bye to the University that created such huge impact in our lives.

Now, a week and a day after 'graduating' (the marching rites will be on March 2011 so there was not yet any feast or celebration here at home) and unemployed, things have been slowly sinking in.

I wake up in the morning with no classes to attend to. I have so many time in my hands. I can now spend my afternoons by having my much-desired siesta way back school days. I can now watch teleseryes and afternoon series and be amazed how I like watching Impostor partly because Maja's character is also named Maris. hahaha! Epic win!!

Also, I now think of employment (waaah!!). As much as I would want to chillax because I claim I need it after being so stressed out during my last year in college (3rd yr and 4th yr majors + ATENEWS EICship!!), still, I can't help but think the real reason why I went to AdDU to get my tertiary education -- to land on a high-paying and brain-stimulating job!!

For now, I'm out in the open, looking for a job that would suit me. And hopeful that all of my efforts spent in school would eventually pay off as I claim my place in the real world.

:D

P.S. Now, I can say that I have every right to post this picture! :)

What's in my name?

Right after having our weekly consultation on Business Plan Financial part with our very cool and gorgeous teacher, Suppie, Justine and I decided to push through with our plan of watching the newest comedy Pinoy movie, Here Comes the Bride, since we find the trailer hilariously funny. :)



photo taken from here


Luis then tags along with us and by default, becomes our unofficial driver. (Thanks by the way for the lift and the mango squares. They're yummy!)

When we finally arrived in GMall, the movie has already started but we still bought tickets and went inside the cinema house.

And just as we wanted, we laughed out loud at the funny scenes and found the plot very interesting.

It just caught my attention that the character of Angelica's chubby best friend who would later on play as the maid of honor goes by the name of Maris.

Days ago, I also discovered that Maja's character in ABS-CBN's afternoon series, Precious Hearts Romances: Impostor, is also named Maris.

And all the while, I thought my nickname is uncommon and that I could never encounter any movie or TV show that has a character bearing the same name as mine, which is apparently a reason why I like my nick very much more than I do with my seemingly old fashioned but nonetheless classic real name, Ma. Cristina. Then again, I thought wrong and maybe I should not be surprised if I would again watch a movie which has a "Maris" in it.


But anyway, the movie was a reachable and relatively cheap form of stress
relieving activity. And I look forward to watching Precious Hearts especially after college. Weeeee. :)

Jobs Fair

One of the things any Ateneo graduating student in their rational mind should be grateful for is the fact that we are blessed enough to have our Guidance Center launch an annual Jobs Fair for AdDU's graduating students. Year after year, Guidance invites more or less 90 companies to which the graduating class can submit their resumes to, let them take exams and screen them in the interview.

For three years, I've seen students from the upper class stress over this event, my own dearest cousin included. I was still in second year when she instructed me to hand her some pertinent documents she'll be needing for the Jobs Fair. She seemed so harassed and pressured so I decided to just do as she wished, afraid to add up to her stress piling up. :))

Fast forward today, it's somehow unbelievable to be the one who is actually stressing over the Jobs Fair. Last Friday and Saturday, Guidance did its yearly task and we, the GRADUATING CLASS OF ADDU 2010, are there to give employment a shot.

Lucky us, IM students, because we need not splurge on an outfit for the event unlike what the others did, though some of my classmates had their hair cut short and undergo some salon treatments. See, majority of the people I know exerted an effort to be at their best during those two eventful days.

So while everyone is so engrossed in putting their best foot forward for companies to notice and hopefully hire them, I made my way to ATENEWS office where I had to edit my resume (which is luckily stored in my email account) since my flashdrive was buried under my pile of trash at home. hahaha! Kidding aside, I did not feel any pressure as I surely took my time. I was not in a hurry to have my photo and resume printed. It seems to me like the Jobs Fair was not something very important.

Actually, for someone who is so sure that she won't be attending that most anticipated day of anyone's last year in college, the Jobs Fair can just cause heartache to me. Imagine having to say that I would actually make my prospective employer wait for me since I won't be leaving school 'til May or October, depending on the availability of Practicum 2 .

So I went around, lacking in motivation and will power but still convincing myself that I had to make the most out of the opportunity given to me. I submitted my resumes to a few companies and had undergone some rounds of interview. The multimedia and IT-related companies present there are looking for programmers and are located outside the city, which somehow made me feel more detached with what's going on. It obviously did not appeal to me at all. But I decided to stay until it's already closing time.

Needless to say, I felt so tired and it felt like I was just forcing myself into something I'm not ready to do yet. So it was only expected not to see me on the second and last day of the fair.

Oh boy, employment is still out of the question. I still have to jump over the hurdle of Systems Analysis and Design and Practicum 2. But anyway, it was quite an experience.

MY LIFE IN PICTURES. :D

it's amazing how life can be captured in photographs. :D



1. a picture of you in your room.
..sa aking comfort zone! :)


2. a picture with a former crush
(69th CEGP National Convention 2009, Lucena, Quezon Province) with Carl of DMMAxim. i think he knows! hahaha! :))


3. a picture of you with a parent or two
..with my papa! :)



4. a picture of you from your younger years.
MINI ME. :P


5. a picture of you in one of your favorite outfits
I've always wanted to wear the Ateneo de Davao OJT uniform. :D


6. a picture of you making a goofy face at the camera
samooook joyce! :))


7. a picture you have edited to make yourself more attractive.
..not my best shot but still, i tried editing it hence, the almost-flawless face! HAHAHA!


8. a picture of you in a club/team you're in.
ATENEWS 2009


BS in INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 2010


9. a picture of a night you regret

3RD YEAR RETREAT..it's not about the night itself, but the decision I came up with during that night..

10. a picture of you showing a new haircut

thanks to HAENG BOCK! new year, new hair. :D

11. a picture of you being truly yourself.

...someone who really loves to smile a lot! :D

12. your most recent picture.
taken just last night. while on SAD mode. :P


13. a picture of you being absolutely ridiculous.
10th Ateneo Writers Workshop, La Storta. i miss these girls. see, we even used the blanket for props! :D


14. a picture of a time in your life that's over, but you wish it hasn't.

haaaay.. IT days! Oops, don't get me wrong. I am so happy to be in IM but I just miss the friends I made when I was still an IT student.Though we still see each other, things are not the same anymore. :(

15. a picture of a time in your life that's over, and you couldn't be more thankful that it is.

..2ND YEAR, 1ST SEM. I just suck in Physics and volleyball..:))

16. a picture with your oldest friends.
GODDESSES_OUTSIDE_OLYMPUS
4th year high school. 4 years ago. :)

2008 sembreak bonding


17. a picture with your newest friends.
..with OJT partner, Joyce. kung kelan kami ng-OJT, dun pa tlaga kami ng-bonding. :))


18. A picture of you when you were anything but happy..even if you weren't smiling and did your best to hide it.
because it's already Christmas break!! thanks Heavens!!


19. A picture of you that you had no idea was being taken.

hahahaha! TWEETIE, verga mode? :))

20. A picture of you when you were a different person than you are now.

I was once blissfully innocent and naive. :P

21. A picture of you in a fashion "DON'T".
alangan naman bathrobe lang suot ko diba? hahaha!

22. A picture of yourself that you hate.
Harana's playground toys can make you scream and dizzy...and UGLY!! hahahaha!


23. A picture of someone you love.
a picture of SOMETWO i love? nyahaha! :))


24. A picture of how'd you like the world to see you.

CLEAR AND FOCUSED

25. A picture that describes how you'd like to spend everyday.

carefree...

26. A picture of a time when everything is changing.

...because I was falling in love...

27. A picture of you looking drunk.
drunk of coffee. sheeeesh. :P

28. A picture that makes your heart hurt.

WIRES on BREADBOARD. huhuhu. natapos nlang ang sem, wala pa rin ako masyadong natutunan sa Computer Architecture. :'c

29. A picture that makes your heart smile.

yeah! gilift ko sa Interpretative Dance!! I miss you, Summer 2009. :D

30. A picture of one of the best times of your life.
haaaay. need i say more?

BIDDING 2009 GOODBYE

Year of the Earth Ox

Definitely a very remarkable year for me. I've been through a lot and the lessons I gained nevertheless transformed me into a much better (and more workaholic)person. It had been a constant struggle of setting and putting my priorities in order, achieving my dreams, getting what I really want, letting go of the past, learning from pain and getting up with my two feet once again. My tears and laughter were manifestations that I've felt almost every possible human emotion which makes me say "It's one of my best years ever!!" :)

Here are some of the things I owe to 2009. :)


1. I realized I actually look good with a short hair. ;p

2. I was able to focus on my major subjects! SAD and OJT, I still have you to inspire me to do well in school. ;)

3. I got to travel to Lucena! All expense paid by ATENEWS! :))

4. I made a lot of great friends this year!! ( from CEGP, ATENEWS, CS Division, AdDU and a whole lot more!)

5. Ehem, I became EIC for ATENEWS! XD But then again, as the popular line from the movie Spiderman goes, "WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES..."

6. It opened my eyes to the real status quo of the society. And with this knowledge, I MADE MY STAND! :D

7. It taught me so much about getting my life back and building it all over again.

8. It made me realize that LIFE GOES ON. The world waits for no one.. we all have to go with the changes.

9. I MOVED ON.

10. I AM EVERYDAY A BETTER PERSON BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR!

Ciao, 2009!! Hope 2010 will only get better!!! THANK YOU LORD FOR THIS YEAR! :)

CHRISTMAS insight. :)

It has been my 19th Christmas for the record.

As always, it's my favorite holiday. I actually revealed this in my column for the Nov-Dec 2009 ATENEWS issue but since it's gonna be released come January, I'll reveal it again here. :)) I love Christmas not only because it gives me a break from my draining, disheartening school life but also because I could feel that for once, people try to be happy and make other people happy, too. Gift-giving, decorating, partying--those can attest to what I just said.

On second thought, it must be everybody's favorite holiday. Although it can't be denied that it entails spending lots of money (whew, some even say they spend their 13th month pay to the last cent just for Christmas!) , it is definitely worth it. After all, it's for the family and friends whose presence really matter.

However, with recession and all sort of calamities the country encountered this year, I can't help but wonder how people still flock to the mall when we've been through a lot. Seems like the recession don't hit us that much.

It's a good thing actually, considering that we are still able to buy nice stuff for Christmas. Only that we should be practical enough to spend on things that would really make our celebration more essential, and scrap the unnecessary. :)

Oh well, Christmas still shines even brighter because we realize it's for Christ. :)