Sembreak, Baby!

Sembreak? What's SEMBREAK (asking as if no one knows)? Sembreak just simply means no worries, no sleepless nights, no paper works, no quizzes, no assignments, and lastly, no allowance for a short span of time. Well, we, Thomasians, are lucky to have a three-week sembreak. And it just started today.

But before the sembreak starts, I have to end my very first semester at UST as my first sem has been closed last Friday. This just also meant that I have to bid goodbye to my professors from the first sem. 

To Ma'am Marina Gamo, thank you for opening up our minds to the Philippine society. Though we had so much paper works and reporting on your subject (Socio101), we still enjoyed your class. 

To Sir Alain Santos, ETAR had been a blast. We've experienced the challenging changing of seat plans after every exam for we have to adapt with our new seatmates. I've learned so much with the Philippine economy. Thank you, Sir. 

To Sir Dennis Sy, hmmm, what should I say with my Theo1 class? Thank you for helping us to strengthen our Catholic faith. Sorry if there were times when I was caught sleeping during your class but why was it always me whom you've seen sleeping when, in fact, there were many others who also did? 

To Ma'am Nancy Tabirara, I'll miss your quotable quotes and soft-spoken voice. Though we didn't meet very often, it was my honor to be one of your lucky students. Thank you, Ma'am, I learned on LIT101A to speak for myself during your recitation. 

To our adviser, Sir Emer Gonzales, thank you for making Philo1 so comprehensive to us, freshies, even though we had to read so many selections and your exams were so confusing. Sir, thank you also for emphasizing that I was "The REAL". It was a great honor to be described like that by a professor just like you, Sir. I will forever hold that line "The REAL". 

To Sir Lino Baron, Histo101 had been so much fun to us, even though there were so many names to be remembered. You are one of a kind, Sir. We may have seen you frown many times but we've also seen you smiled during your class. I won't forget "gago" (sorry for the word), "bourgeoisie", "bourgeois", "croissant" and the line "I will make tusok tusok..." (1JRN3 knew why). It was fun learning with you, Sir.

To Ma'am Au Tuble, Journ100 has been a roller coaster ride. We had so many reports in class which included videos to watch and numerous questions to be answered. Your exams were so tricky. I won't forget that line that you've said to us one time, "Ipapatapon ko kayo sa CA e...." Ma'am, thank you for sharing your knowledge regarding the History of Philippine Journalism and your UST experiences with us.

To Ma'am Jo Nolasco, sorry if our block was always noisy during your class. Nevertheless, I've learned to share my knowledge with others so that they can easily understand what the topic was all about. It was such a great feeling knowing that I was able to help others. You've also taught me to be more responsible than I was before.

To Sir Ted dela Peña, PE was really OH so tiring. Track and field was the reason why my injury had returned but I enjoyed running from here to there. Your activities were strenuous but they pushed me work harder. Thank you, Sir, for all the drills and technique that you've taught us. 

Madams and Sirs, I just wanted to extend my deepest gratitude for your unending support, for the advanced knowledge on your specific fields that you've shared to us with a hundred percent of willingness and for the good times we had during the first sem.

I may have some difficulties with adjusting on college for the first sem but I thank God for He is always there to guide and comfort me. I've learned to manage and to survive in the first sem; therefore, I can also survive in the following ones and would be able to graduate at UST. I will make it happen by 2016.

Some of my photos from my very first semester at UST