High School. For some it’s the best time of their entire school life. Easy-going classes. Prom. Barkada. Crushes Galore. Never-ending Gala. For some it’s a sad drama and embarrassment caused by baby fats that won’t go away or pimples that won’t stop from growing or that crazy growth spurt. High School was such a bliss that came and went… then came the time when we thought we had to make it all serious: COLLEGE.

Entering PUP was such a tough work. Starting from the entrance exam where thousands of students came from north to south just to be one of the great "Iskolar ng Bayan”. Some came alone. Some came with almost their whole family tagging along. Some came with their classmates who were also taking up their own PUPCET. For those who haven’t researched about the university before trying to get in, they must have been culture shocked. It’s not because the Test Masters ate those examiners who wouldn’t finish on time, but because of the loud shouts of the students rallying, wandering around the main building halls. Shocked as some might have been, the dread of waiting was crueler with its sleepless nights of worry and anxiety. It’s not easy to enter a university with good standards and less expenditure. Clueless of what would be more worry on how to stay when we got in.

The first day of class was fascinating, no matter how nervous one might be."Oh! It’s a completely different campus…” And we thought we would be spending four years of studying trying to focus our concentration on the lecture than the hopeful shouts like on the PUPCET days. Hasmin Campus is like a haven for PUPians, Sigh. Wearing jeans and ordinary shirts, we came to find our rooms. Some were mistaken between the Graduate School and the Hasmin Building…Hey! We are freshmen after all. Some carried on easily, quite surprised by some professor who looked more like a classmate than an educational authority. Some came late… or absent on their first classes since the schedule wasn’t put up right— or wasn’t even put in their registration cards… Sigh Again. But as bubbly as we are, and as accommodating our faculty is, having friends and fitting in just came out naturally.

Groups of beautiful model-like students. Groups of people who like to go to videoke whenever they had time. Groups who are so serious with their studies that their forehead crease almost all the time without them knowing it. Groups who want to fool around with their guitars, drums and microphones. Groups who decided that their favorite subject is the break time or lunch. Groups who either go to the nearest arcade or talk about the latest score of the Basketball and Volleyball Games. Groups who like to talk about girls or guys they like. Status Quo was something that we had. Still, the first tour to Caliraya, Laguna; the first class project we had where we had to make costumes and booths, the first time we had a real batch show together in World Escapade; the first, real educational seminar in Amadeus; the first MICE of each class and overall seniors in The Other Side of the Dice; the success of each… all of them happened in the most memorable, sensible and blissful way. The sweat, the arguments, the scolding, all the hard work… it seems really childish when we look back now, the ways we thought "I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to go to class.” "I like the former uniform more, the new one makes me look fat!” "It’s so hard, why do we have to do these?!” "I don’t like to work with xx” "Prof. xx is really annoying asking us to do this and that.” No. They are extremely futile, foolish even. Because when we think about not having to experience all of those, then College Life wouldn’t be as satisfying as it is.

College. It’s our first step in accomplishing our goals, in reaching for our dreams. We worked hard to graduate. Some did so earlier for finishing with flying colors on their mind. Some might have done it later just for the sake of graduating on time… but still, we all did. Time passed so rapidly that it’s over now without us noticing it. The campus, the faculty, the school and classmates, the projects, the tours, the events… yes, we will all miss it. Because entering the PUP CTHRM, being one of the Tourism and Transportation Management students, and being able to spend and finish our four years here has proven us… we decided right. Now, we will race on with the hope that since we have decided right on our first step, we will do well in the future with God, our family, our friends and our Alma Mater by our side.

Have an abundant life ahead! So long!