Windang Week 14 November 2009

The first week of classes have passed, and all I can say is: WTH

First of all, a few of my classes are postponed until next week, and because of that I got them all mixed up. I thought my WF class was on TTh and vice versa. I also did a lot of errands which I really should’ve done during sembreak but I was too excited to begin bumming again that I didn’t think of them. So there. I did a lot of run-arounds with offices, banks and other stuff, all the while being inefficient and indecisive. I did a lot of bad decisions (knowingly or otherwise) which cost me a few attendances missed.

Let’s just say I would like to forget this past week. This isn’t a good start. I hope the next ones would be better.

 

It never fails 10 November 2009

A glitch in the matrix, perhaps? No, actually it’s more like a long-running tradition. On the first few days of classes, there really isn’t much to do other than wait in vain for professors. Through personal experience and by experience of others, I can attest to this. Well, except for a few abberations like a certain non-lazy LA prof a friend has told me about. All you can do is hope for at least one of the following things:

(1) somebody announces early on that the prof isn’t coming (and says when the actual first class will be)

(2) you have classmates you know and/or can chat with to pass the time

(3) you have some sort of entertainment with you (book, music player, portable gaming console, a singer & dancer…)

 

Also, if you have another class after this first one, then you might as well plan in advance where to spend the rest of the hours outside the classroom (especially if hope#1 occurred). A mall, an internet shop or a nearby cafe/restaurant should be good options.

Thankfully for me, I ran into some 2nd year friends (on their way to Trinoma, probably because they had the same fate as I) who told me that some my afternoon class and the one tomorrow morning are postponed until next week. Amazing! Time to go home, then.

Expect many more first day posts to be like this. :p

Status: unknown 3 November 2009

As with any college in UP, the first day of Advising/Enrollment is dedicated to the Graduating students and Freshmen.

I’ve already graduated and has just started attending school in another college.

Um… so what’s my status again?

I think I’m on Freshman standing, but my CRS page says otherwise. Oh what the heck. I trooped down to CTID on this first enrollment day and asked Ate Tess.

me: Ate Tess, ano ba ang standing ko?

AT: *checks computer* Ah, regular.

me: ganun? Pero pwede ba akong magpa-advise ngayon?

AT: hmmm… ikaw.

me: ok! *writes down name on list*

 

Haha so that’s that. I was able to have my advising done today. But the trouble was, I wasn’t able to enlist in the ID subject I was lacking because I was on “Regular” status so I could only enlist starting tomorrow. Oh well. I’m going back tomorrow anyway, so it wasn’t a hassle.

I had one FAIL moment, though. I didn’t know I had to have my grades in a slip of paper countersigned by Kuya Sam at the enlistment room before I went to my asviser. So I had to go out and back again. Other than that, the day went by pretty smoothly. Before lunchtime I was on my way to SM North to have lunch and get a haircut.

Ended without much of a bang 16 October 2009

After the week-long break from school due to freaky weather, classes in UP resumed but it didn’t exactly pick up where it left off. Profs spent entire periods with discussions about the preceding week, student experiences, and sharing. In ID114 we even discussed the issues that have been brought to attention because of recent activities from environmental to political to solutions designers may do to avoid such things happening again.

Some exams were waived, final requirements lessened. So for the final week I had a, ID10 group paper, an ID114 18th-19th century furniture long test and an ID24 scaled interior model and presentation.

ID10 was easy enough, since all I had to do was delegate parts of the paper to my groupmates, edit, compile and send it to another groupmate for printing.

The ID114 exam had 2 centuries worth of coverage, and these periods were particularly confusing for me. Most of Western furniture in the 18th and 19th centuries were “copies of” or “inspired by” past motifs or designs, and they’re pretty difficult to differentiate. We had readings, sure, about an inch thick wad of photocopies which I read only the night before. Crammer resurrection, anyone? The exam wheezed by, and I was able to properly answer most of the items, although I couldn’t say I nailed it. I think I was the one who got nailed. haha

The last requirement to go was ID24 where we had to present an interior model of a room in the Asian house assigned to us. My group had a Chinese courtyard house. We basically made a model of the photos of the house we got. Our group was scheduled to be the first presenters, and up to the last minute  we were superglue-ing the final details. Thank God we finished right on time! Because of our last minute construction, our presentation was weak, but to tell the truth we were the more fortunate ones. Also, the final product made us so proud

So that was the final week of my first semester redux. How will my next semesters fare? Will I revert to crammer extraordinaire? Or will I be a grown-up professional? Maybe both? We’ll just have to find out. But for now, I take my leave! See you next sem!

Productive Time 29 September 2009

I passed by OVCSA this afternoon and confirmed what I heard on the news earlier:

Classes are suspended this week and will resume on Monday, October 5, 2009

This gives students (as well as faculty and staff) the opportunity to DONATE, VOLUNTEER and HELP the victims of Typhoon Ondoy in any way we can.

Here’s a helpful compilation of ways to help.

And another helpful list!

Let’s go!

Also, from Chancellor Cao, end of classes has been moved from October 8 (Thursday) to October 13 (Tuesday). Integration period is moved from October 9-10 to October 14. Final exams for graduating students is moved from October 12-14 to October 15-19. Final exams for other students is moved from October 12-20 to October 15-22.

… honestly, I have no idea what “Integration period” is… HAHA

kalokang Ondoy ka 28 September 2009

Classes are suspended due to the unforseen OMG-that’s-a-lot-of-water that Tropical Storm Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) has dumped upon NCR and its surrounding provinces.

Excuse me while I stare at the TV in awe.

This view outside my window is nothing compared to the waterworks elsewhere in the metro.

Indoneeeeesiaaaahhh 27 September 2009

It’s been raining since Saturday, and I haven’t done anything much besides this ID24 plate.

The class was given a typical bedroom layout and we had to choose an Asian country and design the room in accordance with our chosen country’s look.

I chose Indonesia.

Does it look Indonesian enough?

I was trying to layout the perspective, pictures and material swatches on a 15″x20″ board.

I got a Wood laminate flooring sample from the nearby Wilcon Depot. But guess where I got my other material samples?

hahaha

The ex-home’s ex-home 25 September 2009

After ID114 class this morning had to stick around until 5 for exhibit dismantling. I figured that I should use the free time wisely and do some research for a plate I had to do for ID24. After doing some errands at SC for my boyfriend’s dad, I had lunch at Rodic’s (TAPSILOG!) for the first time this sem. It was the same old taste, which is GREAT. I finished eating early, therefore I had some time to waste before CHE Lib reopens at 1pm. I decided to pass by the Eng’g canteen to get some Nescafe Freezz. I got my dessert/drink and it was still too early. I milled around the building, climbing the stairs to the lobby, walking around, until I finally decided to go upstairs and visit Arki’s old home: 4th and 5th floor.

The College of Architecture officially moved to its current location during the summer before my fifth year. For four years of my life in that college, we were neighbors with the College of Engineering in Melchor Hall. It was fun, because a lot of my high school classmates and three of my cousins were in the same building. The classrooms were large and airy, the halls were wide and there were a lot of places to hang out.

The last time I went back to this area, it was still empty and unused. But now, as I climbed the staircase, I heard voices from the fourth floor. When I finally arrived, all was revealed:

Wow! There are people! And tables! What is this??

C: Unravel The Mystery 23 September 2009

Exhibit launch day! Do a time-space warp through the history of Western Furniture!

More photos

The product of a headache nursed by expensive coffee 22 September 2009

In-class plate with a partner. Text and drawings were provided by prof.