weeks before my first day as a college student in ust started, i caught myself reading a tumblr with a url: tipsforustfreshies which has helped me in the course of my first academic year, still slightly unaware of the complexities of life and in need of new experiences. i decided to make a list that may or may not help incoming ust freshies in welcoming their new life as college students:
on your last year as college student, you’ll be looking back at your freshmen homeworks and papers, laughing at how mundane and simple your life was then. deadlines that have stressed you over before are incompatible to the amount of workload and anxiety in your last two years of college life. (well, way to go, self. for belittling those nights, but to make you feel any better, it just means to take things lightly, it’s your first year, enjoy your new home for 4 years or so at your most innocent and carefree state)
ask your ates/kuyas slash sophomores for old books that will be of use in your classes. buy these used copies and save yourself a shit ton of money. mostly this is applicable for philosophy, theology and phil/world lit classes.
dapitan is your home for cheap photocopies, book binding and fast printing services. go for asturias st. for a bigger set of options for these services. chao dao, for a cool and stress free printing service but would mostly be filled with people as it’s one of the few printing establishments with air conditioning services.
in need of free internet? the library is the way to go. every library section has its own set of computers that are free to use through your school id. my favorite part: the science and tech located at the second floor and for mac users and a cooler environment: go to the internet section at the ground floor.
group studies inside the campus can be mostly directed to the discussion rooms in the library (be sure to come as early as you can as these rooms get occupied at once) and for a quiet environment: mother teresa is your haven which is located beside the comfort room of the seminary gym, or the rosarium/lover’s lane for oral and dance practices.
artworks? plates? basically school supplies? drop by p.noval area in joli’s or jomar’s and find yourself in a crammed space of art and school supplies but are (usually) (in my case) definitely complete. dapitan has its own stores for cheap school supplies too, in case you happen to pass by.
well just imagine the horror of enrolling yourself and the need to wear a uniform. i suggest fixing your online myuste accounts and use the online enrolment feature. i wish i could’ve discovered this earlier, i’ve used this option for 4 semesters now. it’s actually hassle free in my part, although you have to get your reg form in the dean’s office and your new academic sticker in tan yan kee but hey that’s easy peasy.
pay as early as you can before exams week for tuition fees on downpayments. this is to avoid the fuss of lining up which can be pretty long as most people cram this part and 1st-2nd year profs can be pretty strict with test permits.
these are in no order but i’ve found them satisfactory in a way or another (together with some of their best dishes in my own opinion):
mang tootz (banana-rhuma), red cinammon (cordon bleu), SEx (pork sisig express), wing vibe(wings and rice), amor(for your bread needs) - i have yet to add food places to this list as my friends and i have unlearned the art of discovering new places to eat
generally for college life:
enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. attend university events (mostly they invite bands) and witness the showcase of talents of different students in our university. this might grow on you, it did to me, but i enjoyed this on my first year college where everything seems so exciting.
the thomasian ritual, the ‘di ka thomasian kung ‘di ka pa nakakalusong sa baha’ is fairly true. four years in college and more than four times of welcoming the rain and flood with happy but disgusted legs. unusually, i find myself delighted at the experience but mostly disgusted by the thought of the dirt of the flood waters. for dormers/renters, i’m in no doubt that you’ll find yourself being stuck in your room/house for days while surviving canned goods and a cut-off electricity. stock food and in our age, powerbanks will be your saviour.
join college and university-wide orgs and engage yourself in different aspects of the thomasian culture. try to be active and fulfill your duties well, not only will it be good on your resume but you’ll definitely meet friends outside your little block.
generally, its not allowed to wear shorts inside the campus while civilian and open shoes inside colleges aren’t also allowed but you’ll get by, just learn to hide yourself and act normal as you pass the gates of the campus and the swiping machines.
