#133: From the ACP to the Fiesta Break!

Whew!

More than a week has passed since our Pre-Final Exams, and I'm actually sort of excited to see the results of our remaining tests. I know I didn't get a perfect score in -ehemm- Math, but hey, at least I know I got a lot of the items right. That in itself is worth being proud of (in a not-so-conceited way).

Anyway, last Sept. 13, Ateneo held its Alternative Class Program (ACP), a day where you get to choose a single topic (eg. blogging, cooking, cardistry, etc.) and attend a lecture about it, instead of having a regular class day. I had a dilemma while choosing because there were a number of topics that I wanted to learn more about, which would help develop my current interests and hobbies.

On the first day of the registration, I roamed around Xavier Hall to see ALL the topics available, even though it was sort of crowded in more places than one. In the end, I chose Blogging, Journalism, Digital Photography, Cartooning, and of course, Voice Lessons. But what I didn't know was that each student was allowed only ONE topic. That disappointed me sooooo much! What a waste of class time! I was hoping for the ACP to be for the whole day, and that we could choose more than one lecture to attend. I mean, there were morning and afternoon sessions, so it wouldn't really be a hassle for students who have the desire to learn more and do more. Given the conditions, my choice was hard at first, but satisfying in the end: Voice Lessons.

I learned soo much from our speaker, Sir Reburiano, and gained knowledge of breathing techniques and how to distinguish great music from the good, down to the worst sounds. I found myself agreeing to most of his sentiments, which got me even more interested in the topic. It got me thinking, "Hey, we actually have the same beliefs regarding music!" I'll leave the details out and save them for the reflection papers required to be submitted next week. :)

All in all, though there were a number of cancelled topics and a sudden change of schedules and venues, the ACP was a good refresher for students who are constantly busy with school work. I really think the ACP should be held more than twice a year, and that it should be for a whole day. Imagine the knowledge a student can acquire in that period of time!

Now, moving forward.

As mentioned in the title, this week is for the Penafrancia Festival, which means more vacation time! Yeah! Sadly, however, that also means MORE projects, more homework, and more reflection papers to do before classes resume on the 20th. Add to that the sudden switch-back-to-serious-student mode and it'll be one heck of a first day back.

One thing I must leave you with, folks, is the fact that no matter how tiring life can get, there will always be that single moment or day in the week that will make you feel at peace and relaxed. It may not be noticeable, but it's bound to be there. We all just have to look for it harder. :)

Happy vacation week, fellow Ateneans! Enjoy!