Laking tuwa ng tatay ko nung nalaman niyang pinili ko bilang 1st choice ang BS Public Health sa 2nd campus choice ko, ang UP Manila. Onting pambawi dahil sinunod ko ang pangarap kong maging film major sa Diliman. Sana makapasa. Pano ba naman kasi eh talagang nasa dalawang pinaka-bigating campuses pa ng UP matatagpuan ang mga napipisil kong kurso. Hayy nako. Sana talaga tama ‘tong mga ginagawa kong hakbang. Sana hindi ko ‘to pagsisihan balang araw. Pero sabi ko nga sa sarili ko: “kung hindi makapasa sa UP, okay lang. kung makapasa, eh di mas okay!”. Tsaka hindi naman ako yung tipo ng tao na superior ang IQ. Hindi rin ako kabilang sa honor roll. Isa lang akong hamak na average student. Idagdag mo pa yung pagiging dakilang tamad ko. Pero sa awa ng Diyos, hindi naman umaabot sa puntong pasang-awa yung mga grado ko sa report card. Basta yung utak ko sakto lang. Walang kasiguraduhan na papasa ako. Marahil hindi ko kayang makipagsabayan sa mga estudyanteng nag-aaral sa mga eskwelahang science-based ang curriculum. Pero meron akong pangarap at naniniwala ako na iyon ang magdadala sakin patungo sa rurok ng tagumpay. Kaya sa mga frustrated senior high school students na katulad kong nangangarap at nagnanais na makapasa sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, I-PUSH NATIN ‘TO!
UP Centennial Logo (Image courtesy of http://deuts.net/archives/2007/100-years-of-academic-excellence.html)
Most people roll their eyes or exhale heavily when I answer their question of which school I came from. As if being a UP student was an unforgiveable sin. Sometimes I just say, “Somewhere in Quezon City” not because I am partially ashamed but because I just don’t want to experience any tension. I don’t like telling people I studied (or am still studying) at UP.
During one of my trainings, I was introduced to a board of directors as a graduate of UP-Diliman. I noticed that the officers suddenly made this here-comes-one-of-those-arrogant-people-again look. It was really uneasy for my part. Sometimes I want to hate the former and older UP students of why others have now stereotyped us as arrogant. Sometimes I want to hate other people for being so judgmental and all. Sometimes I question myself if I have been a show-off to the people around me. Have I been boastful of my academic background? Have I ever claimed that I am more intelligent than any other person—friend or stranger? If we’ve been together for a long time now, kindly tell me.
When people get amazed upon learning that I took Chemistry in college, I always tell them that I literally “crawled” for four years just to reach the graduation rites. I know I am neither brave nor intelligent. (Recall the line from the UP Cheer: “matatapang, matatalino”). But certainly, for saying sake, I’m not also someone who lacks self-esteem. I never bought a UP statement shirt. I have not even memorized the UP hymn except one time for an examination. Sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve to be a UP student if being a UP student is defined only as intelligent and brave.
But I love UP—maybe not as much now as before during my undergraduate years. But I will always be thankful for the opportunity of studying in a prestigious school. For four years, it had been my home. It was where I gained the most number of friends. It was where I ate the most number of Garlic and Vinegar Chippy bags, foot long sandwiches and pancit cantons. It was where I drank the most number of 1 L Nature Spring purified water. It was where I dropped my weight from 240 lbs to around 160 lbs. It was where I learned to be on my own. It was where I learned so much about life.
Wait, I’m already getting sidetracked.
When I try to recall my friends especially those who got laude standings, I cannot remember anyone who has even bragged about it. In the four years we’ve been together, they were very humble and, not to mention, helpful when I really can’t understand certain principles in Chemistry. That is why I could not fathom why there are some who continue to stereotype all UP students as extremely boastful.
Some people talk to me with an IN-YOUR-FACE-YOU-UP-STUDENT attitude whenever their school wins over UP in whatever event: on being the top school in the world or Asia, in international or local contests, in licensure examinations and in cheer dance competitions. Oftentimes, I ask them if I have ever belittled their school. But most of the time, I just let them pass hoping that in the end they’ll realize that with what they did or say, they’ll figured out who between them and I acted the more arrogant.
Related Article:
The Pros and Cons of Being a UP Student
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
EK Encarnacion has been studying MS in Environmental Science at UP for more than two years now. So make that a total of 6.5 years of having UP as a second home. Learn more about the author and like his Facebook and Twitter Pages.
