Head in the Sand (Erudite Series #3)

Kapitulo 1

Daddy said he'd teach me to commute, but he forgot and returned to Batangas.

Technically, I didn't need to commute to far places. I just really wanted to learn how to go to Quezon City, Mandaluyong, and Makati alone because those are where my friends live. My friends are my old block mates, we got close during the first sem—I often went to their houses after class, and I even sleep there.

UP Manila, on the other hand, was a walking distance from my condominium. I didn't need help with going to school, only to go to my friends. But Dad forgot.

Nainis ako ng kaunti dahil mahalaga 'yon, pero sabi ni Daddy sa susunod niya na lang daw ako tuturuan. Kumain na lang daw kami sa labas imbes na pumunta sa mga bahay. Pero hindi ako mahilig lumabas, kaya nga mas gusto kong magpahatid sa bahay ng mga kaibigan ko, e. I guess... I really have to eat out with my friends if I want to be with them after class.

Today was enrollment day. I enlisted last night and was able to get all the classes I wanted to take. Most of them were afternoon classes because the last sem taught me to never take morning classes if I wanted to have a decent amount of sleep. I was a night owl, so I didn't like waking up at dawn to prepare for a class.

I wore white shorts and a blue top. Sinuot ko ang ID ko at tinignan ang sarili sa salamin bago nagpasiyang maglagay ng kaunti makeup. Mukha pala akong zombie.

After walking and arriving to school, I saw my friends sitting in RH lobby. You'd think mayroong mga couches or chairs dahil lobby 'to, pero wala. Sa floor lang kami lahat nauupo rito, sa floor ng RH, aka Rizal Hall, the CAS building of UPM.

"Enrolled na kayo?" tanong ko matapos tumabi sa mga kaibigan. "No, we were waiting for you, e. Pero hinga ka muna, kakarating mo lang, e." Si Franko.

Most of my friends right now were shifting to other programs. William was going to Bio, still in this campus, may Bio rin kasi sa UPD—but he preferred to stay here. Si Lara naman, sa UPD lilipat, plano niyang kunin ang Journalism. Habang si Franko ay mananatili sa UPM tulad ko, lilipat nga lang ng Nursing.

Lahat sila, hindi nakapasa sa priority program after taking the UPCAT, kaya ngayon ay ginagalingan nilang mabuti sa acads para makapasa sa requirements ng programs nila. Iba-iba kasi 'yong GWA na need per program, e. Tapos, minsan, need din na nakapag-take ka na ng certaing pre-requisites para makapasok. Tulad ng Psych sa UPD, dapat you've taken Psych 101 bago mag-shift; need din na 1.75 or better 'yong GWA mo. Sa ibang programs, depende na, minsan kada year, nag-iiba rin sa sobrang daming shiftees and tranferees.

Ako lang talaga ang matitira sa amin sa program na 'to.

Iniwan nila ako, mga mang-iiwan.

Kidding aside, I know how hard they want to study in their programs. Dalawang future doctor at isang journalist 'tong mga 'to, e. May mga pangarap talaga sa buhay. May mga ipinaglalaban.

"Tara," aya ko para matapos na ang enrollment namin at makalabas na kami sa napakalumang building na 'to.

Pumunta kami sa ilang rooms sa second floor to confirm our enlistment, tapos sa theatre para ma-verify na enrolled na nga kami. It was a pretty quick thing to do since most of what we needed for this sem was done online.

Paglabas ng theatre, dumaan na kaming GAB para lumabas ng school.

"It's 11, lunch time na. Sa'n n'yo gustong kumain?" tanong ni Lara habang tinatago niya ang enrollment receipt niya sa totebag niya.

I saw the Oble and a ton of students around it. May mga nakaupo sa chairs and tables.

"Sawa na ako sa RobMan," sagot ni William. "Same," si Franko naman.