Tag Archives for G!

The Christmas Chills

Photo editing courtesy of Marji!

Excuse me for stating the obvious but one of the reasons why Christmas is a great holiday is because it’s the season for thoughtful gestures and selfless service for one another. For me this year had the most get-together’s and Kris Kringles which I blame for the holiday weight i’ve already gained and my already lacking of funds.

We already spend so much time with our friends so what makes these hang outs so special right? But I can’t deny, even though we’re pretty much doing the same thing as the rest of the year – eating, drinking, chilling, there’s something about this holiday that leaves you with the afterglow of love and appreciation for one another.  Maybe it’s the point that barkada’s make to take time out of their busy schedules to spend some quality time together that makes the difference.

I’m not one for gifts – receiving or giving them whether it’s at Christmas or birthdays. I’m usually apathetic towards them which is why I don’t mind whether I receive them or not. I  don’t even get excited at the prospect of them either. But thanks to the Kris Kringles this year, I have to admit i did feel somewhat tingly inside. It’s kind of nice to say what you want in your wish list and have someone make an effort to buy it for you, even if it’s as mundane as a set of earphones or a pack of your favorite chocolate.

On the gift-giving end, it’s also nice to return the favor for someone. I guess sometimes we, or at least I find it difficult to say what I want without the fear of sounding selfish or demanding because it might be too expensive. Although it’s kind of a materialistic gesture, this year’s exchanges reminded me that there are actually people willing to give it to you, because they love, or at least like you enough.

Another pleasant surprise were the thoughtful gestures and gifts that came out of nowhere.  A resolution of mine for next year is to be more thoughtful. Compared to other characteristics, there’s so much more value in genuine kindness. It not only comes from your heart, but it will move that of others as well.

Anyways, it’s Christmas eve tonight. And although the break has just begun for me (because Ateneo ended so late) I already have so many get togethers, friends and even gifts to be thankful for. I already have the Christmas chills and it’s not even Christmas yet!  Thank you to those below : )

It took forever to finally agree on a date and place for my Bacolod/CDO friends. But the endless debates and FB threads was worth it to reach a consensus. Our first Christmas together and hopefully not our last.

Thank you Marji for my hot black skirt!

Whether you love it, or hate the gift like Shoti (on the right who’s questioning his sister’s gift to him), as cliche as it it sounds, it’s the thought that counts!

The URock Christmas party at the house of Halili – another first for me. Although NU is now defunct, as I said before URock lives on in our hearts. Hopefully this continues despite the station being closed down.

The g Christmas dinner at Banapple! You’re always bound to have great conversation amongst writers.

Thank you Lexie for my National GC and Javi for my Starbucks one. GC’s always make my Kris Kringle wish list because you can never go wrong with them.

ACOMM Kris Kringle and party. I’m so glad i got to know this crazy bunch of com majors this year.  Here’s the current eb and core together!

But here’s the potentially future EB of ACOMM? Hmmm.

For next year’s elections we have to work some issues out, but no matter what happens, we’ll always have each other’s asses. Right, lauren? Haha!

You always work well with people you respect which explains my wonderful dynamic with my Projects dept. ladies

This was probably my most unexpected kilig moment of the holidays. I dropped by my INTACT freshman block christmas party and they gave me and our advisor a gift! Super sweet! A couple of them even texted me afterwards and they said thanks for being a great facilitator! As difficult as handling and motivating a class can be, it’s moments like this that remind me why I enjoy doing it in the first place. : )

Here’s another unexpected gesture. The girlfriend of Jobim, who’s our HS guy bestfriend, cooked a delicious dinner for Christmas for us, the girl bestfriends. And they gave us gifts too! She’s a keeper, and so are good, old genuine friends like the ones I’m so lucky to have in my life. : )

Blockmates by choice

The story of block TR is one that I was really excited to share. I’m really glad I had an opportunity to get their unique story out on g!

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Disclaimer: Reading this article may cause a sudden urge to B.B.T.F with your block.

Blockmates are the kind of package that the Ateneo signs, seals and delivers directly to your college doorstep during OrSem. But are your blockmates really your friends by choice, or is the “friendship” merely bound by circumstance?

As the first ever officially recognized Transferee Block of the Ateneo, Block TR’s answer already made history.

Read more here.

The write perspective

A friend recently told me that everyone can write, but not everyone can write stories.  Personally, writing may be my hobby but stories are my life which is why I try my best to integrate both.

Frankly, I know that I’m not the best writer out there. All I have to do is read the blogs and articles of  my talented orgmates,  friends and block mates to remind myself of how powerful words can be when used cleverly and masterfully.

As for me, well, I write the way I speak which tends to translate into long run on sentences that pretty much reflects my never ending and often all over the place train of thought.  Insert my penchant for metaphors and smilies with with its underlying hint of exaggeration then you’ve got Rica’s indigestion splattered all over this blog. Over time I’ve learned and am still learning how to hone it into something a little bit more comprehensible.

But despite this I try my best to get the story out, whether they’re mine or of my friends. At the end of the day as I stare (blankly) into my computer screen, sharing is the number one reason why I bother in the first place. Because regardless of the plot, stories, whether they’re mine or of my friends, are what I feel makes life interesting. You can live vicariously through the tales of other people and hopefully learn something from their experiences.

That’s why I get excited to write, not only here but on g, the Guidon’s online magazine, whose awesome faces you can see above. As journalists it’s our job to be story tellers and write as if we’re telling the best story in the world.

Personally, it’s the kind of perspective I believe enables people to eventually close and move on to each chapter in their life with a smile. One day it’s going to become a good story to laugh about with your friends. Because despite all the shit in this world, there can be light at the end of a writer’s pen, or in this case on the blogger’s computer screen.

Is BO’s your cup of coffee?

As much of the coffee aficionado I am, it was pretty challenging to review it for g, Guidon’s online magazine. It’s hard to remember and describe a taste that can only leave a seconds of a first impression on your palette.

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A coffee cup a day keeps the crammer awake— especially for the sleep deprived, whose day-to-day miracles rely on cups of heaven-sent coffee concoctions. Luckily for Ateneans, the recently-opened Bo’s Coffee branches in the MVP Basement and Matteo Up are brewing up a solution to our much needed caffeine fixes.

But is Bo’s our cup of coffee? Relax a minute, and put that cup down— g will tell you soon. Click to read rest of the article on g.

The Beauty of Doing Something + Other g! Articles

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I’ve already blogged constantly about my STATUS internship last summer but I also wrote about it for g! – Guidon’s online magazine. Click here to read more about the beauty of interning!

Also, click the following links to read more g! articles:

Upperclassmen Upper hand

You can really tell the difference between freshmen and upperclassmen especially during the first weeks of school. The girls are overly dressed parading around the campus with their high heels while the boys have silly smiles plastered across their face as they discover the beauties of co-ed education. They travel in packs, marking the cafeteria and matteo up as their own, ultimately making it reek of fresh meat.

The upperclassmen on the other hand are those watching from a distance, amusing themselves with their new found seniority. We’ve lost the pretension of making a good first impression and we’re old enough to walk around on our own. And said with much satisfaction and conviction, we wait until our second, third or fourth year of the  ”first weeks of school” to finally get to utter to our friends: “Freakin’ freshmen.  You’re taking up too much space!”

But whether you’re a freshmen or in my case a junior, there are certain things about the first weeks of school that doesn’t grow old. These things still excite me almost as much as they did 3 years ago:

Thinking of my first day outfit, seeing who lost & gained weight, friends, potential cute classmates, buying school supplies, writing on the first blank page of a notebook, organizing my planner, etc.

No matter how old I get there are just somethings that never change while unfortunately others do – like the dress code enforcement in the library and matteo! But i’ll save my ranting for my g! article.

I know this post is about 2 weeks late but i’ve been pretty busy. But overall it’s been a pretty good. That’s another difference between freshmen and upperclassmen. Our faces already look stressed with org responsibilities and course work while freshmen  faces get to look fresh up until the first month of school.

I can already foresee a hectic year ahead but it’s definitely going to be a labor of love.  Click to see how my first two weeks went! Continue reading →