Got Nowhere Else to Go.

And so the Olympics will end tomorrow. I will be watching the Closing ceremony, when I haven’t even watched the Opening. Typical of me to be so behind the times.

I was so excited for the Olympics the whole summer, and now it has come and will soon go… At least I got to watch some diving and basketball. It’s too bad I wasn’t able to do so for Tennis and swimming.

And at least Beijing is in the same time zone as the Phils.

The pen is sharper than the sword.

To quote one of my friends… “IT’S OFFICIAL!”

I will be majoring in Development Journalism, isn’t it exciting? I will finally be able to do something I really want to do: Write. Of course, Journalism isn’t JUST about writing, but it is the closest I can get to being with writing.

I submitted my papers early this afternoon. We were given such a strict deadline, you’d think it was a matter of life and death.

Okay, never mind that last statement. Because when you’re a student, especially here, nearly EVERYTHING is a matter of life and death and weighing the chances that you’ll survive. Thank goodness I got to finish everything in time.

I remember when my parents asked me why I wanted to pursue journalism. I was so defensive of journalism then because I knew they wanted me to take up Science Communication, although they reassured me that they would support whatever I chose (parents are such freaks at times. I didn’t believe them when they said that. Besides, they’re so good in manipulating me. I’ve got years of experience to prove that.)

So then they asked me, “Why development journalism, out of all the choices?”

And you know the first thing I said to them? With my determined eyes and nearly cracking voice? “Because… Because… Writing is… Basic…”

If you are not a development communication student, you’re probably stumped right now and asking yourself, “Where’s the humor in that?”

Well, there is an inside joke to that. See, we had a seminar last week on all the majors, and the Department of Development Journalism (DDJ) cited the fact that “Writing is basic” as a major reason for the edge of Journalism. And my batchmates and I who were convincing others to join us in Journalism kept repeating to people that very phrase. So I guess it got stuck in my head or something.

But the real humor to what I just shared is the way I stammered. It was almost as if I was going to cry, but not really, because I just didn’t know what to say that would make them see that the WRITE WAY IS DEVELOPMENT JOURNALISM!

I had to chant to myself, “O, wag kang iiyak. Lax lang!”

In the end I enumerated a bunch of crap about job opportunities, and it being my ‘ultimate’ passion (if I even have a passion in anything else), and others.

But I feel great, having chosen Dev-Journ.

I really. Really. Do.

Would you believe the discussion we had today minutes after my dad, brother, and I came home simultaneously? Let me tell you all about it first.

Apparently, my dad has just acquired application forms for the Ateneo: the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET) Application Form, and an Environmental Science Faculty Application form or something of the other. My brother plans to take their college entrance exam, which we all encouraged him to take. But it looks like they’re really serious about it, like if my brother gets in with a scholarship (sometimes I think even without one), they’ll make him enroll there. Which is the craziest thing, if you ask me.

Next to the other thing I realized tonight.

While we were browsing through all the forms and brochures, my dad told us he wanted to apply for a teaching position there (part-time), which is why he got a form for it. He said it would add to his income. Then he says this really crazy thing to me as I was scanning their courses: “Maybe you can apply for a scholarship and move to Ateneo.”

I was taken aback. Like I said, it was crazy. I don’t know if anyone saw my reaction (I don’t react the way stereotypes do. When people are scared, thrilled, or excited, they scream; I don’t–I don’t know how to scream. When they’re shocked, their jaws drop and they gape; I seldom do that. The most I’ll do is stare with my eyes wide and either be silent or shout, “What?!” When they’re… well, you get the point. I’m above normal. *winks*). I just paused what I was doing and shifted my gaze from my dad to my mom and back, as if looking for verification.

I got it later, when my mom spoke up and said nearly the same thing.

I’m not sure how serious they were. For all I know, they could’ve been joking. But no way am I transferring to the Ateneo de Manila University. That would be dimwitted; most people would kill to get into UP. Not to get out. Who do I know that gave up his slot in UP just to be in ADMU? Nil. It’s nonsensical.

Just because the wind suddenly blew in a different direction and turned things upside down, they’re considering new things–completely new things, for that matter.

And the way they said it… Jeez, it was like they were talking about the most mediocre of topics–it was like they were giving me an order, though mild (e.g., “Plant a tree today!”).

…which is very insulting, considering how far I’ve gone. I worked my ass off to get here, and now they want me to go back to square one? What kind of crap is that? They obviously do not know the emotions I associated back then with just passing the UPCAT. It was my dream–my ticket to their being proud of me. And how much effort did they put in back then to make me realize that it was either UP or nothing? That the “only way is UP?”…

I just can’t believe they said that. I would rather die than transfer to ADMU, no matter how I admire their school next to UP.

When I was in high school, I loved reading Meg Cabot. It was so easy to see the pictures she was painting in her books because I could either relate, or simply understand. My best friend and I would borrow the books from our more fortunate classmate who had a collection of said author’s books. I was always behind by one book [with my best friend] because 1) she started on the addiction first; and 2) she reads faster than I do.

Right now, I’m catching the addiction again, because of some site I happened upon that had a whole archive of Meg Cabot, Nicholas Sparks, and Agatha Christie E-books. I didn’t download the Agatha Christie E-books, because I first read the synopsis of one of the novels, and found them way too creepy for my taste. Besides, at that time I was alone and it would’ve scared the hell out of me if I went on reading.

Anyway, I’m falling in love all over again with Michael Moscovitz. I soo love his character. Who wouldn’t fall for him?? He’s got everything: the brains, the brawn, the personality… I even admire that guy who played him in the movie–who was it?–Robert Carmine/Schwartzman (*wondering if I spelled that correctly*) because he really grasped Michael’s role in the book/movie. I wish he acted more, though I think he’s a very talented musician. I love that song featured in Princess Diaries 1 (Blueside – Rooney), especially the bridge part.

I plan to “reread” the All-American Girl series (I only got up to the first book in HS) and start on all the other Meg Cabot books someday. I’m just too busy right now and cannot afford to ruin my life over book addiction. That’s my problem with books sometimes. Most people can’t even get started on one; I can’t take my eyes off reading them.