Lovesick: Book 2

02

Chapter 2
Days in College

The first month of my freshman year went on in a blink of an eye.

The next thing I know, natapos ko na naman ang pag-rread ng Pride and Prejudice bago matapos ang buwan. Pagkatapos kong i-review ang paper ko, nag-shower na ako, nagpalit sa aking comfy-pj-reading-night, nanood ng rerun ng Gilmore Girls season 2 habang kumakain ng aking leftover takeout food from earlier, at pagkatapos ay sinimulan ko na ang bagong librong gusto kong i-advance read sa literature course namin.

Most of the time, our outputs are only drawn to writing essays, making and analyzing poems and short stories, and commonly delving more into its significance to our current generation as writers. Right now, I'm reading The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot. It made me curious about World War I and Van recommended this to me. This is why joining organizations will really help me not just for advancing our classes but also for learning more of the art of socializing.

One big thing that differs from being a Senior High School student to a college freshman is how professors don't spoon feed. Technically, I shouldn't have been shocked about this since during Senior High, we are already trained to see college as a different ground. It's just that experiencing it now is like unknowingly jumping into a cold water.

Karaniwan sa kanila, mag-llecture ng kalahati o buong oras, magbibigay ng materials na kailangang aralin at gawin, pagkatapos ay see you next week na, then voilà, may grades na sa output and performance ko.

Putting it to words made it seem so easy, but sometimes, I don't feel like I'm doing enough or maybe I'm just burnt out.

So I distract myself from other things to ignore that fact.

Bago ako lumabas sa Lit Library Building, tinapos ko na muna ang kalahating chapter ng Sunburn Summers. Sa tuwing kinakailangan kong tumakas muna sa mabibigat na obligasyon dala ng pag-aalala ko sa acads, dito ko na muna ibinubuhos ang aking oras.

Pagkatapos ko nito ay saka na ako dumeretso sa Metro papunta ng Katipunan. Nag-aya kasi si Jun na kumain malapit UST at doon na rin kami magkikita nila Marv at Louis. Didiretso na rin ako sa Taft para makipagkita kay Van para doon gawain namin sa org.

In a very unexpected moment, I bumped into Marvin just before I punched my Metro Card. He's holding Normal People, the same book I gave him, wearing his training clothes, and his earphones. Kung hindi pa kami magkakabanggan siguradon hindi niya pa ako mapapansin dahil sa lalim ng kaniyang mata sa librong binabasa niya.

"How was it?" I casually ask.

He's smiling, while I couldn't hold my emotion after just bumping into him. "I'm halfway to it," he nods.

Nauna naming nadatnan si Louis sa kainang itinuro sa amin ni Jun sa group chat. Saka naman sumunod si Jun na nahuli pa sa amin.

"Kung sino pang dumayo, 'yon pa ang nauna," unang bati ni Louis nang dumating na si Jun.

Jun is wearing his nursing uniform that looks worn off already even if the day is barely over. Hanggang ngayon, gulat pa rin kami ng squad kung bakit ito ang kinuha niyang program. Kahit hindi makwento si Jun sa kaniyang career path, nursing is the least expected from all the possible choices he could have.

Dahil siya ang nag-aya, sa kaniya rin kami nagpalibre. Sinamahan siya ni Marvin mag-order at pagbalik nila kasama ang pagkain ay pinagsaluhan na namin ito na para bang hindi kami nag-lunch kanina pa.

"So, bakit mo nga kami pinapunta dito?" I haven't finished my plate yet but I feel like I'm already full.

"The truth is, I need a favor... pwede ko ba kayong kuhanan ng dugo?" his puppy eyes sparkled that reflected to us.