the rain. the kid. the kid dancing in the rain.

when was the last time i danced in the rain?

yesterday afternoon.

it started when i decided to tip-toe my way to the ME Department to check on my ES12 grade. i passed. that kind of pass that gives no allowance for a single mistake. i needed 12 out 20 from the last exam. i got exactly that. after four takes *such a shame. but, hey! we passed! and for the first time in this blog would i be mentioning about the rain. dancing in the rain.

i just wanted it to be dramatic. that kind of thing i haven't done for anything else that happened in my life. so i danced. i made splashes with my Chucks. and i was drenched. my orange jacket soaking in the rainwater. i extended my arms to welcome the shower all over me. would that be a polluted rain, for all i care. it was freedom, finally, from dose. and having made it to the cut-off added to the reason to celebrate.

and i broke the strap of my lavender adidas sling bag. and being this i'm-sorry-mom-i-played-in-the-rain kid, i didn't care. i picked it up in the middle of the street, not minding if the light already turned green. i was just worried because my laptop was inside that bag. i was a kid that knows nothing but play. i just clutched it and continued my dancing.

and when people asked, i just told them, sometimes we need that kind of drama in life. and so much for the drama, the rain has stopped and turned into a cold blow of wind. so much for the drama, as i was finishing my bacon, footlong, two servings of rice, two servings of pancit canton, pepsi and smoothie *oh! smoothie in the rain. why not? i was shivering. that kind of chill that made me worried that my lungs are gonna collapse any minute and that the cholesterol deposit in my arteries are solidifying to block the passage of blood. so much for the drama, the chill was torture.

and i never looked forward for a hot bath in my whole life the way i did on my way home. kuya, can we turn the aircon off and turn the heater on instead?

URC Finals

well, this news is long overdue. but i owe *i think to put a closure on that URC thing.

we ranked 5th out of the 10 finalists during the eliminations. and, unfortunately, we didn't make it to winning any of the top three prizes during the finals.

more than the frustration with not winning, what really got me was the inconsistency with the program schedules and venue. we were already in the P&G (fifth floor) Room when we found out about the new contest venue through that piece of paper posted on the door saying that it was moved to the Engineering theater in the third floor. instead of waiting for the elevator, we just opted to use the stairs. boo!

another catch was with the schedule. it was posted that the registration would be at 1:00 pm and the contest proper was at 2:00. our group arrived at 1:30 thinking that we would still have the time to set up the projector, the new posters and the rest of the details. but it turned out that the only time we have left was that minute i rushed to the cr, changed into my sleeves, put on the sweat shirt *to add a bit more of formality. and at the same time, i stuffed a tablet of Icebreaker and started with the presentation as a judge was already standing-by. boo!

i was just keeping my calm all throughout. well, they served a sumptuous merienda, but, even though i ate a lot as my form of revenge, still, that didn't compensate for the disappointment i had.

another thing. i just think and feel that it is expected of the judges to have read about the different studies prior to the competition proper, rather than asking the presentors even the most basic concept of the study.

i am maybe sounding wrathful, but, i am really totally fine now about the whole URC thing. and everything doesn't end there.

URC

When everything else seems to be all disappointments, i made sure that at least in one thing i'd make myself that achiever that i used to be.

i may not be your theory-bookish-A-type-UP-engineeering student, but i am sure and certain to claim that i can be useful when it comes to Research and Development and application.

our thesis Tin Whisker Formation in Relation to Stress Relief Bake Time, Temperature and IR Reflow is sure to bring us places. i made sure of that. making it sure. ranking 2nd in the faculty judging of the CE department and making it as one of the top 10 finalists in the whole engineering, there's surely a long way ahead for our study. for us.

we are maybe not making it to the Graduation Ceremony as graduates, but, we may least make it there as winners of the Undergraduate Research Competition.

*with fingers crossed. sana.

ES 12

roughly 6 years ago, i chose to go to the prestigious University of the Philippines - Diliman full of hopes for greater knowledge and a liberating society. and yes, for moving on (i left ******* a letter saying that i'd be away and that i might just move on and get over my feelings for him).

my first failed subject was Math17: College Algebra and Trigonometry. i got my classcard on my birthday. i sort of expected it, but still, the shopping money my mom sent me, though it was a lot, didn't compensate for the frustration. my parents were worried. so, i went home.

i won't be going thru all the details of my failures in UP. i'll just tell you this, it became an unintended habit. i never failed to fail one subject every sem. well, at least, those subjects were the ones normally failed by the students. and that makes me the normal/average UP student.

now, i am supposed to graduate this summer, with all other things going well, this Engineering Science 12, which is Dynamics, threatens to hinder it. it is already my 3rd take of this subject. and when i am supposed to be an expert with it by now, i am still finding it hard. ok, this course doesn't really have a history of passing rate that would make you confident. just last sem, it wasn't even 50% even when they curved the passing score. so, it won't be a surprise if the same thing is going to happen this semester.

well, to not make 'em all evil, they gave an exam which was so easy! very actually. problems with just around 5-step solution. but the catch there, you should have thought of an approach that wasn't taught to class. turned out to be the overall mean of the exam was only 40-50%. then, of course, professors went like, we already made the exam so easy, what happened. oh yeah! how sweet! what are we? a social experiment?!

i know that there's still a possibility that i won't make it, but, i was at least at peace with the idea that i still have a summer. but, hearing that they won't be giving out summer classes of the course, wtf?!

i would surely bother myself making a petition letter and obtaining signatures to support it, just in case...i won't make it. and if they won't be persuaded...hmmm...

• probably, a bomb threat to the department
• bribery?
• make use of connections perhaps
• a mobilization might do

it's up for them to decide. the hell, they won't be giving those classes for free! we'll pay, duh!