How did we met?

JUSTICE’S POV

So how do I start-

Imagine I was in a classroom, standing infront new faces, trying to come up with interesting phrases to introduce myself as this witty, easy-going girl that people would want to be friends with.

The only thing is, this usually happens during the first day of classes, and I said imagine because this girl was absent. So I had no account on everybody else’s first day of school.

 I had my own first day of school.

Freshmen year of college, in a course I’ve been dreaming of studying- everyone was loud, well what do you expect? It’s a Mass Communication course.

To sum it all up, during my first day and everybody else’s second day, I had met loud and fun to be with people who were all easy going.

Now let’s talk about principles- we have different principles in life, that’s one fact. But despite the differences, it was one great thing to find a common ground in which we can argue not against each other but argue with each other. And that’s how we started this. Fia, Tricia, Elaine, JM, Nelson, and Kassy- these are people with a lot of questions.

Questions and drive on breaking gender stereotypes we’ve seen around us.

And alas, we have this news site.

ELAINE’S POV

Diverting  my  specialization in the academe of  Science and Mathematics since grade school days to Mass Communication in college have been the most challenging yet empowering decision in following what I desire and passionate about. Overcoming my fear of being compared with persons that I am most proud of, from all the criticism being thrown at me and having to continuously work on breaking stereotypes, were all accumulated from my interests and appreciation in the field of communication.

Although there were situations wherein my patience and dedication with my desired course in college was tested, especially when I ditched my college interview to take a required aptitude examination in my former school became my first considered frustration towards achieving my chance to get myself enrolled in a course where I could hone and showcase my personality without inhibitions. Fortunately , I was able to take the interview because of my perseverance. With little knowledge about who were the persons I’ll be with, entering a room full of some familiar faces but most were foreign to my eyes. Not trying to fit in but silently observing with a hope to be socially active as what I wanted to be as a freshmen. As a shy province girl seated at the back row of their room wearing a Wonder Woman printed shirt just to feel empowered on my first day in college, timidly smiling at those who met my eyes. I gazed at my other classmates enjoying each others company, they seemed very delighted of one’s presence and so was I. Staring at these people was quite overwhelming for me, I honestly didn’t know who should I’ll be seated with or talk to. But I just thought of my reason why I chose my course and that is to further develop my social communicating skills.

 In most of our subjects we were required to introduce ourselves but in this particular subject of ours, which is a major one, we were tasked to tell something peculiar about ourselves, at first I was unsure whether to tell my classmates about this unusual habit of mine but since this is the only thing that’s peculiar about me, I stood up taking a good deep breath before talking just to calm my nerves and spoke about my talent to understand the language of cats. Seeing the awed and confused look on their faces made me felt like I’m on a hot seat. After I stopped talking I can clearly remember one of my classmate asked me why I chose to be in the College of Communication and my answer was because I saw a lot of cats roaming around the area of the college enticing me to be with them. My classmate laughed and I felt so proud of myself making him laugh at that moment. Eventually  I was able to make acquaintances with most of them and even got a nickname as the Cat Whisperer of our class.

Aside from my cat communicating skills, through a span of time I have developed my social communicating skills with various individuals in my surroundings even more. Accumulated from our activities and a special bond with the most amazing group of people I got to be with. Currently in my second year  of being a communication student and still with these special individuals in our class, socializing and showcasing my potentials to others were the result of the continuous bond that I share with them. When I showcased my athletic side and entered pageantry, they were the ones who cheered the loudest from the crowd. The strength I have now comes from my core that radiates positivity for me to get fuelled up to foster optimism all resulted from a great support system , my extended family, BAB 2A.

FIA’S POV

I can still feel how my body was unfamiliar with the morning breeze. As I woke up at 5 o’clock in the morning, I felt like I was on the other part of the world. No more soft rants by my mother, messy morning encounters with my siblings, and no more small talk with our neighbor while enjoying the aroma of my morning comfort— the ever sensational three-in-one Nescafe Original. Everything was new to my senses.

The fizzy water dripping through my body shocked my sleepy nerves, sending me an alarm to wake up and embrace the reality of my 8:30 a.m first period class; in different place,in new school, with foreign faces, far from home, away from my comfort zone. As I rode the jeepney along the way, I was bothered by different fear and ‘what ifs’. I just calmed myself with the thought of I am in my dream school today, even not in my ever dreamed course.

I took long steps on the wooden stairs of the iconic Quezon hall going to QH202. My chest started to pound faster and faster as I met every gaze of different people inside the room. I offered a small smile to those who said “Hi”.

I can still recall how intimidated I am with the presence of Tricia. I felt that she was a competitive one yet today, I discovered that she has a kind and humble heart. The guy who barely speak in the corner then, he was Nelson, whom I later discovered that he came from Antique. His ‘kinaray-a’ accent really amazed me. There’s this girl who held a kitten as we were transferring to COC building, she’s Elaine. I found her weird for she told us that her greatest skill was that she understand the language of cats. Well, I haven’t had an encounter with Justice Savvanah on the first day of school, yet I found her name very interesting. Joseph Michael was one of those I admire before. He spoke fluent English with conviction plus his good looks.I must say that he’s an asset. Lastly, who would forget the ever bubbly Kassy, whom I saw as one of the rich kid of the class? I admired her even before on how confident she was of herself.

Well, I can’t fully recall how we became closed friends nowadays. It all started with awkward encounters, with shy moments and hesitations. Today, I am looking forward for more “ganaps” in life with these amazing people.

KASSY’S POV

Nervous yet excited–that’s what we usually feel during our first day in a new school year. You find your friends and talk to them like you haven’t seen each other because summer break just ended. You look at the newbies and talk to them like you’ve known each other for ages, engage in something new, and plan your new year. That was high school, and now we enter a new chapter of our life, the last chapter before getting on adulthood, the place where we will learn who we are as a people, finding our paths and figuring what we will be in the future–the college life.

Hi! I’m Kassy Michael Tan, a simple girl with a big goals and dreams. My motivation in life is my fuel to get to another day, hoping someday these plans and aspirations will come to pass. I’m not very studios as a student, but once something catches my attention, I will not stop until I gain expertise on how to do it. I love to learn new things through watching television and I find myself doing it, eventually. I love to cook and bake for my family and friends. I’ve been interested with cooking because of my grandmother as she always cooks delicious food and taught me how to cook. My special dishes are adobo, sinigang, nilaga and other typical Filipino food. Some more in the list are carbonara, chicken cordon blu, and mashed potato, and for the dessert I enjoy making inday- inday, “bitso-bitso”, black sambo, oatmeal cookies, salads,and mango float. I’m also fond of acting, but cooking is my first love. I’m a very clingy person; I love to hug and kiss my friends, tease them and hear them laugh whenever I crack a joke, though they’re not very funny at times. I’m the kind of friend that will always be available anytime if you need me; my door will be always available for you to enter. Also, I’m the type of friend that doesn’t easily forget the stories that you tell, although I easily forget the lessons that we tackled in school. Upon entering the gates of West Visayas State University, I was anxious and scared. Those ridiculous array of emotions were the sole entities in my heart. As I enter the room, I was hoping to see some familiar faces that I’ve encountered during interview and I’m lucky that I’ve found them. As I meet new people, I keep wishing that we will be friends that would love each other like we are brothers and sisters, because now, they are my new found family.

NELSON’S POV

I have my gaze on the clear window of the car as I familiarize myself on the roads that were taking. I have my puzzled look as I try to feed those butterflies on my stomach. A hand tapped my shoulder. “Are you ready?”. That was my cousin. She drove me to my new school as a college student. Yes, you’ve heard it right! I am in college and I am with my cousin for my first day of class. I am a Probinsyano boy from a small barangay in Antique and I am kind of new in this urbanized environment. I am just a typical student trying my luck on this prestige university. She dropped me in front of the gate. I try to find the building where my class is through asking random students on my way with my kinaray-a accent. As I am taking my steps, I can hear my heart beats faster. I sat on one of the empty chairs in the corner of the room. I saw my classmates talking to each other. I tried to reflect on myself. “Do I look different?”. I am kind of hesitant to start a conversation. Who would expect that this timid guy is a broadcasting student? I can feel the inferiority as I heard my classmates talked their experiences in Newscasting in TV Patrol Panay, volunteering in radio stations, broadcasting in the contest during their high school, hosting in their school events and writing in their school publications. I tend to blame myself for failing in entrance exam of the university as a nursing student and also for leaving my previous university in province that I should enroll as a engineering student. I suddenly hear a voice that made out of my illusions. “Introduce yourself”. That was our teacher. Everyone was facing on me. It feels like I am standing in the spotlight with the sound of my heartbeat. I look on everyone’s face. I saw them smiling. It brightens my thoughts that I should open myself. After speaking, there are group of students invited me for lunch that made me feel grateful. We went into the canteen, trying to reserve seats for each other. We shared our reasons for entering the course. That was the time that I felt there are some willing to listen and know me better. Those conversations started our bond. It made me realized that I am on the right track and I am starting love this craft. Through them I learned how to live my purpose and work on my weaknesses. I truly believe that God’s plan is always better than mine. As time passes by through the laughter and even the struggles we shared, being with this people and this college I can say that this is one of my best and it was my best decision.

TRICIA’S POV

I can still remember the feeling of walking around the corner of Fajardo Subdvision Sambag Jaro Iloilo city, I can feel the heat of summer slowly burning my skin as I wait for the jeep to pass by. It is at this point that I wish I am in a cool place, swimming and enjoying the ambiance of mother earth. The hustle and bustle from people passing and vehicles reminds me that I am here in the busy street of Iloilo City, where traffic and tall buildings are everywhere, with no trees in sight to relieve us of the heat from Mr. Sun. Then I remembered my hometown and look at the pictures from my phone. I realized, I miss the beautiful scenery, no signs of traffic and of course the breath of fresh air. Given the chance to take a vacation, I will surely go to Basang and Hurom-Hurom Cold Springs, where I can enjoy the summer with my family, friends and loved ones. Those things was popping up in my mind before I realized that this is the day! The day of being a college student. The day to meet new people, to build new friendship and to start another journey. The day where I can finally say that I am living now with my dream. I can’t explain the feeling of being now a part of my dream school. Meeting new faces is what exactly excites me during first day of school. I can still recall the moment when I sit on my chair then I saw a guy wearing a stripe shirt and just sitting quietly on his seat. Then I found out that his name was nelson and I was amaze with his kinaray a accent because he was born and raise in Antique. Also I can still remember how Fia approached me in a way of being pissed . I dont know why she act like that. But it was before because now, Fia and I became really close friends. For Kassy, Elaine, and JM i don’t even remember how we met but I found them as determined and passionate kind of person. For Justice , I find her interesting because of her name. Also I was intimated with her presence because of being smart, good at public speaking, talented and etc. But it was just only for me , because now we became close friends to reach the point of being open to each other, to take randomly trips, to share problems and many more. Meeting those people was never been a regret. Each of them has a place in my heart. We can’t deny the fact that we are all different , we have our flaws and imperfections but we have something in common that puts us into one.

JOSEPH MICHAEL’S POV

Every journey starts with a single step and as I step towards the portal of entering college all of what I’ve thought change as I embark the beginning of discovering the realm behind successful people I knew in society. I can still reminisce how it all starts and now seems like a short leap aheads the future. All was in perfect serene as the dawn, I hear those obstreperous beep and yells around me as I walk through and seeing unfamiliar faces makes me feel excited for the next days to come, but our mouths was zippered and afraid to spill out words, I look around me and examine the creatures that surrounds me; everyone looks so mean, but some wore smiles on their faces. It was during at this time where I began to question myself if I can handle to be with these people.

The story started on day 1, they say that first impression matters and so that’s what I hold on to. I was sitting on the corner when I notice this girl right in front of me, a girl wearing braces and speaks a different dialect from Aklan, I thought she’s kind and approachable and I ain’t wrong with that, I asked her name and replied “Hello! I’m Tricia”.

I can still recall listening thoroughly to this girl introducing herself in front of the class, she speaks in good accent and has a good speaking skills, upon hearing hear name I’ve heard “ Fia”, not the same name to our Miss Universe Pia and it starts with an F.

As an avid pageant fan, I began searching for some ladies who have potential to become a beauty queen, as my peripheral vision went at the right side in front of me, I saw this girl who has a mesmerizing beauty, nice skin, and has a talent in singing and she’s Ma. Elaine Jean Dimaano Villasis from Miag-ao.

I notice that there is something new, it feels new to know that there’s only a few guys in the class. It was when I notice this guy with his karay-a accent, he was cute, charming and shy that time. There is indeed diversity among each one of us here I said to myself. And I started to aksed “ Who am I?”,

These people let me realized who am I, I am not just a typical student, but I am a classmate, a brother and a friend to all of them. How can you imagine that all of that started at that not too spacious room. I couldn’t believe that I become so close with these people that makes me inspire to make them smile and laugh at school.

WHAT IS OUR STRENGTH AS A GROUP?

Coming from different towns, provinces and even the environment where we developed as individuals, being able to collaborate with each other embracing one’s own unique skills and respecting one another’s views and opinions. At the same time widening our horizons towards understanding and celebrating the colors of divergence, the strength or our group continuously fuels up our spirits to break stereotypes as men and women.
Our group has a female athlete and male in pageantry. By this, we believe that we are capable to create relatable content through our own unique experiences.