1. I made it through that 'where and what college' phase and while I wanted to become a Communication or Fine Arts major at first, fate has brought me to the field of Creative Writing in Filipino. I have come to accept it wholeheartedly and I am enjoying indulging myself into these kinds of things right now, but I have to be honest that there are still 'what ifs'. What if I took up Communication? What if I took up Fine Arts? But life is good right now, or stressful, I suppose.
2. I made it in my dream school. Boom. The big world has just decided to welcome me with open arms. Nothing is more rewarding than the feeling of finally having the freedom to call yourself "Iskolar ng Bayan."
3. Can you believe I wrote my first musical when I was sixteen? That is definitely getting in my biography. It won't be the best musical I will ever write, but it was a good start. It did not only conquer the scripts and lines department, the musical itself conquered choreography, direction, organization-- it made its mark in every department given.
4. Walked down the aisle in white-- a white toga, alright. BITCH I MADE IT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL! Not that high school was one big suffocating (more suffocating than college, aleats) struggle, but it had some struggle in it and for all I know, it made me ready for life outside the four corners of the seafoam colored classroom that had been a familiar sight.
5. Besides the achievement with my first musical, I am also a proud 'big sister' of a company of artists who conquered a National Convention in Baguio. We made it through the finals and were able to showcase it to schools coming from different places in the country. It sent an overwhelming and lovely feeling: I loved everything about it-- the place, the company, and the process of doing all of it.
6. The funny part about being in the time frame after after going through a 'heart break' brought about a ton of happy crushes. Nope, it didn't mean I made a move with these guys but it was definitely a time when I liked guys and the next week, it's prolly normal again. It's a feeling that says "It'd be nice if that guy would like me back but I don't think dating them would work out." (God, the things I talk about.)
7. I traveled to another country and I found myself venturing the streets of Hong Kong with four of my closest cousins. It was the best kind of getting lost, of wasting your polaroid camera shots on fancy sceneries and looking up to see amazing buildings and paintings in museums It was the good kind of getting fat and waking up to a new day to see more new wonders of a place foreign to you.
8. I entered college in August-- that is an unusual thing. Adjustment period, as far as I know it, is almost finished. I've had my fair share of 'freshman' challenges the past week and it has been, so far, a big roller coaster ride.
9. New school means new people. I met a lot of great kids this sem. I can't describe about how blessed I am to have been given new awesome friends. Meeting those new people make me feel good about this stay in the field of Creative Writing.
10. College has opened me to a lot of reasons to open my eyes and live for others. The community that was introduced to me this year just showed me how there REALLY is a lot going on around us. Now, it is okay to be not afraid to speak out and say what you need to say.
11. I learned to play the ukulele! I can't believe I learned how to play an instrument even though it's a bit late for me already. I'm not at a doddleoddle level but I am definitely enjoying it and I can play a bunch of cute songs. This is definitely one of my biggest achievements yet.
12. I used to think about focusing my writing with english before I went to college. But thanks to meeting this community of true-blooded filipino literary artists, Filipino literature, for all its being underrated at this time of the century, is beautiful.
13. My work ethics and study habits have changed for the better. I've been one of the chillest people when it comes to academics ever since I was little and now, I find myself using my spare time on school work. I still know how to chill, yes, but the library has been a place to study for me now, not chill.
14. I'm quite proud to have finally decided that I want to have this book blog with me as time pass by. It doesn't only give me a friend to share my feelings on everything literary, but it's a stress relief thing to be able to read and write about something.
15. Here's to more poetry, more poems, more words, more books, more opportunities, more life-learnings, and more clothes to wear!
16. My sixteenth year in this world was such a magical experience in different ways. It was a hard number to let go of. I don't know but I felt bitter on the 6th of November. Something about 16 was special, but maybe it was because it was a great year for me. And I am thankful.
17. I'm going to be legal next year. It means I can think on my own means and I can have my "own" game. But that doesn't mean I will be any less Mic. There's still a year left before that, and while it's a horrifying but exciting thing to think about, I am going to face this year with a "bring it on."
(Have a picture of me with a weird smile. I'm 17.)
-Mic