graduation.... and the calvary that precedes it
Sunday, March 9, 2008
clearances signed, finals done, requirements completed (well... almost)... only the graduation left to look forward to..?
it's not that simple. before they get to enter what undergrads may call heaven, they must face the horrors of a super high speed 4th quarter -- the graduating batch only get a month's worth of time to finish the curricula for the nosebleed-inducing subjects such as physics, math, economics and finish the research paper for the oral defense.
last quarter blues:
1. a test a day keeps the student awake, therefore @.@ ...
2. (for pullout people)
student: ano nang nangyayari sa klase??
classmate: kakatapos lang namin sa thermodynamics, taxes, factor and remainder theorems, may ipapass na project sa tle, reaction paper sa cle... kaw nalang gumawa ng chapter 3, noh? magrereview pa kasi ako sa test bukas sa math at filipino. tas pinapasabi ni ms neri deadline na raw ng civac output sa friday... papasok ka na ba?
would someone bombarded with such a list want to enter the classroom after being pulled-out? quite a daunting task one must take in exchange of participation in other activities (more about pull-outs in an upcoming post). let alone trying to cram all the classroom discussions into one's head just to keep up.
3. hectic schedule due to activities in clubs, EOP, exposure trip, prom... although quite enjoyable, sometimes these days are better off spent in classrooms than having to endure a 300 kph discussion.
4. the research paper. need i say more?
5. clearance, clearance, clearance... although this has been done from first year, the weight of the requirements are just a teensy bit heavier.
6. the finals.
----------------------
after all that comes the boring practices... a whole day devoted to singing, eating, sometimes cleaning, listening to music or mr sarmiento's rants, etc. seniors even wished they had classes instead.
in all fairness to the undergrads, it has been said that junior year is the most daunting year of all. i don't dispute that; i quite agree. i could argue that the topics they have covered this year were much more advanced than what we had, yet there's always that thing about improvement. in reference to that quotation i've heard earlier today, "nothing is constant except change."
i am in no position to say that junior year is much more fun than senior year as i have spent little time in both junior and senior classes (another post again...). whichever it is, the memories one has made in this part of our journey called life are to be cherished long after the mortarboard has been tossed and the diploma displayed somewhere.
-----------------------
the graduation rites does not signify the end of one's affiliation and responsibility to a school. rather, it signifies that one must move on to bigger dreams and tougher challenges to affirm that affiliation and continue to fulfill that responsibility of bringing honor to one's school. sure, it would be painful to part with the home and family one has gained in four years, to face the dread of never seeing those faces again. it's only painful if you let yourself be hurt. a drop of optimism never hurt anyone. one will not lose his high school and biological family through graduation if he keeps them in his heart and gets himself motivated to make them feel they have done a good job.
i do look forward to the 28th. i do look forward to the long ceremony. i look forward to turning over a new leaf and getting a chance to prove the impressions on me wrong.
a different shade...
-blue
it's not that simple. before they get to enter what undergrads may call heaven, they must face the horrors of a super high speed 4th quarter -- the graduating batch only get a month's worth of time to finish the curricula for the nosebleed-inducing subjects such as physics, math, economics and finish the research paper for the oral defense.
last quarter blues:
1. a test a day keeps the student awake, therefore @.@ ...
2. (for pullout people)
student: ano nang nangyayari sa klase??
classmate: kakatapos lang namin sa thermodynamics, taxes, factor and remainder theorems, may ipapass na project sa tle, reaction paper sa cle... kaw nalang gumawa ng chapter 3, noh? magrereview pa kasi ako sa test bukas sa math at filipino. tas pinapasabi ni ms neri deadline na raw ng civac output sa friday... papasok ka na ba?
would someone bombarded with such a list want to enter the classroom after being pulled-out? quite a daunting task one must take in exchange of participation in other activities (more about pull-outs in an upcoming post). let alone trying to cram all the classroom discussions into one's head just to keep up.
3. hectic schedule due to activities in clubs, EOP, exposure trip, prom... although quite enjoyable, sometimes these days are better off spent in classrooms than having to endure a 300 kph discussion.
4. the research paper. need i say more?
5. clearance, clearance, clearance... although this has been done from first year, the weight of the requirements are just a teensy bit heavier.
6. the finals.
----------------------
after all that comes the boring practices... a whole day devoted to singing, eating, sometimes cleaning, listening to music or mr sarmiento's rants, etc. seniors even wished they had classes instead.
in all fairness to the undergrads, it has been said that junior year is the most daunting year of all. i don't dispute that; i quite agree. i could argue that the topics they have covered this year were much more advanced than what we had, yet there's always that thing about improvement. in reference to that quotation i've heard earlier today, "nothing is constant except change."
i am in no position to say that junior year is much more fun than senior year as i have spent little time in both junior and senior classes (another post again...). whichever it is, the memories one has made in this part of our journey called life are to be cherished long after the mortarboard has been tossed and the diploma displayed somewhere.
-----------------------
the graduation rites does not signify the end of one's affiliation and responsibility to a school. rather, it signifies that one must move on to bigger dreams and tougher challenges to affirm that affiliation and continue to fulfill that responsibility of bringing honor to one's school. sure, it would be painful to part with the home and family one has gained in four years, to face the dread of never seeing those faces again. it's only painful if you let yourself be hurt. a drop of optimism never hurt anyone. one will not lose his high school and biological family through graduation if he keeps them in his heart and gets himself motivated to make them feel they have done a good job.
i do look forward to the 28th. i do look forward to the long ceremony. i look forward to turning over a new leaf and getting a chance to prove the impressions on me wrong.
a different shade...
-blue
Labels: school
