Words of a teenage escapist.

So this is like a somewhat lengthy (read: messy) overview of what happened while I was away doing college errands. It was an eventful four days for me and I'm posting in bullets because I can't trust myself to be coherent when it comes to these kinds of things. I hope you don't mind. This is actually very long and might bore you but I had fun while writing this and if you're interested to know the things that happened, please do read~

May 31, 2014

• My mother and I woke up at 3 a.m because we were taking the first trip to Ilo-ilo which was scheduled at 6 a.m. Since we live an hour away from the pier and we were supposed to check in an hour before the departure, it was necessary that we were up and ready long before the break of dawn. 
• When we arrived at the pier, we had the terrible misfortune of finding out that our trip got cancelled so after asking for a refund from Supercat, my mother and I were in near hysterics. The Parents' Orientation was going to start at 8:30 and the next trip was scheduled at 9. Good thing we bumped into Anne Mary's and Kathleen's parents so we were able to buy tickets from Ocean Jet instead. We were right on schedule.
• Upon arriving at the Ilo-ilo pier, it was only close to 7:30 so the adults decided that we should have breakfast first. The Parents' Orientation was going to be held at the UP Ilo-ilo City Campus instead of Miagao so we were able to have a quick breakfast at the Jollibee situated right in front of the university. Sometime when I was trying to finish my spaghetti, Leanne texted me that the orientation was already starting so we all filed into Kathleen's dad's car and drove to the venue.
• When we got there, I got to say hi to a handful of friends that I got to meet during my frequent visits to Miagao in the past. We were a bit late so I ended up standing during 3/4 of the orientation (which lasted for around 3 hours I think but we left early around 11:30 so I can't be too sure) because there was only one chair available and I offered it to my mother. I can't really say the orientation was interesting, I spent most of it staring off into space.
• After the orientation, we drove all the way to Miagao. I spent most of the hour and a half car ride sleeping but when we arrived at Balay Lampirong (the dormitory where Anne Mary and Kathleen were staying for the Summer Bridge Program), I instantly woke up and hugged them because I missed the both of them so much ;_____; They introduced me to some of the new friends they'd made during their two weeks stay there and it was mostly awkward at first (but boy the next few days were anything but awkward!!!).
• We drove back to Ilo-ilo City (road trip galore) and had lunch there at SM. After lunch, we went our separate ways. Mom and I headed to the hotel to check in then we trekked over to Robinsons and had dinner there plus Mom bought a shitload of bags and wallets on the insistence that "You can't find these back in Bacolod" thus we had to carry five shopping bags back to the hotel OTL
• I immediately slept upon reaching my bed because I was so darn tired.

June 1, 2014

• My mom woke me up at around 7 because we were going to attend Sunday mass at the church in University of San Agustin (where she went to college). After the mass, we sort of walked around the university while my mother reminisced about her college days. She kept on telling me stories and I listened while she droned on about the buildings and the boys who courted her and all that jazz. Then we had breakfast at a nearby cafe. After that, we went back to the hotel, freshened up, and gathered all our belongings before checking out. Anne Mary, Kathleen, and I had agreed to meet up at SM around 12 noon so that we could go back to Miagao together and when I met up with them, I suddenly remembered that I still didn't have money for enrollment (such a fail) and so my mother ended up joining the really long line for the BDO ATM machine. I bought pizza and a watermelon slush for lunch that I ate and drank on the ride back to Miagao. Our parents were there in the terminal to see us go and I'm so glad my mother didn't cry. She doesn't really like it when I'm away from her side for more than a day's time.
• Since we were commuting with huge amounts of money in our bags, we kept on nudging each other each time one of us was on the brink of nodding off to sleep. By this time, I was already feeling the excitement at the prospect of meeting new people and making new friends. I was going to be staying at Balay Lampirong together with other incoming freshmen who were also staying there for the enrollment and the Psychological testing and based on the stories Anne Mary and Kathleen had told me prior, I was expecting a lot of fun (and I did have a lot of fun! I really really enjoyed myself!! hehe)
• When we arrived, I was assigned to a room with three other girls. They were nice but we didn't really get a chance to talk much since I spent most of my time either at Anne and Kathleen's shared room or outside the dormitory. One of Anne and Kath's roommates was a kpop fan! She was a fan of Sistar and Topp Dogg although she said that she likes EXO too ^__^
• While we were waiting for our charge slips from Balay Kanlaon (the dormitory where most of us will be staying once classes start), this is where I was introduced to most of the people. They originally thought I was half-Korean at first, much to my amusement. Then they interviewed me and asked me a bunch of questions, most of which I just laughed at because Neryl and Gico are hilarious!!! (aw I miss them already)
• Then we took showers because apparently, they turn the water off sometime around 7:30 and then we had dinner at Heaven's Bliss, a small eatery that's just a 10-minute walk away from the dorms. After dinner, we ~chilled~ around in the lobby with the other freshmen and talked, exchanged stories, and I got to know more people. I really liked the atmosphere there. The people were really nice and easy to get along with. It makes me even more excited for what college has in store. At around 11 p.m, I said goodnight and went to my room. My roommates were already preparing for bed as well so we turned off the lights and promptly fell asleep.

June 2, 2014 (hoo boy)

• The day I was dreading: Enrollment Day!!! dun-dun-duuuuuuuun
• I woke up at 5 a.m to the sound of Kyungsoo's acapella singing because I was told beforehand that there is normally a long queue for the shower room and truth be told, there were already people lining up when I got there along with Anne Mary and Kathleen.
• After our early breakfast, we arrived at the CAS Building sometime after 7:30. We talked to some people while waiting and after half an hour, we were ushered to a classroom where we were with our fellow Redbolts! Redbolts is the student organization under the Social Sciences Division, meaning that students who major in Political Science, Economics, Sociology, History, Community Development, and Psychology fall under this category. During Sportsfest and other school-related activities, we are one team (Kathleen is a PolSci major, Anne is an Economics major). We were somehow oriented by upperclassmen during our stay in the classroom and I got to talk to four other Sociology majors. After some time, the first ten were called out and my friends and I were lucky enough to be part of the names called. And this is where the whole enrollment process began and it drained the life out of me. We had to go back and forth from level to level, room to room, basement to the 3rd floor, again and again to have our forms printed, signed, stamped, registered, etc. etc. I didn't even get to eat lunch because there was acid in my stomach from the stress of it all. But at around 2 p.m, we were done!!! So basically, we spent around 6 hours for enrollment and then another 30 minutes to process our student I.Ds
• And can I just say that Kuya Dan (an upperclassman who helped me and Tonet during enrollment when we couldn't find our program advisor) was so dreamy??? He looks like Jongdae! There was a time that he asked us if we were going to be okay on our own or if we still needed him to guide us. Of course we shook our heads because we didn't want to bother him anymore but inside I was screaming, "YES PLEASE STAY WITH US, DON'T LEAVE MEEEE" huhu I am shameless. And he patted me on the shoulder and congratulated me when I was done with everything and the smile he threw our way /swoons
• Anne Mary, Kathleen, Neryl, and I still had to have our dorm contracts signed by our legal guardians so after enrollment, we had to go to Ilo-ilo SOBS SO TIRING. Manuela and Tonet also went with us because Tonet lives in the city while Manuela was staying there for the night. So the six of us rode the jeepney back to the city. Tonet was the first to go her separate way but she was kind enough to text me that if ever I needed directions going to Tita Helen's office, I could just contact her and ask for help. I was so grateful to her ;____; Anne Mary and Kathleen were next and we told them that we were going to meet up in Robinsons after they were done. Manuela went to accompany me (sobs thank you Manuela!!!) to Tita Helen's office and I don't exactly know my way around Ilo-ilo but we got there safe and sound and I was able to have my contract signed with no problems whatsoever. Afterwards, we rode the jeepney to Robinsons and met up with Anne Mary, Kathleen, and Neryl.
• Now here's the fun part. After buying our dinner and saying goodbye to Manuela, we went to the terminal where we were supposed to ride the transpo going back to Miagao. We were surprised to see Dennis there (also an incoming freshman) and so we decided to stick together. But we couldn't get in the vehicle because there were so many people!!! We decided to wait for the next trip but then we were told that it was scheduled to arrive after an hour. It was a little after 6 already and we didn't want to have to go home late so we decided to ride a jeepney going to another terminal where we could hopefully hop on a Ceres bus that would pass by Miagao. So we did just that. But when we arrived at the other terminal, there weren't any buses SOBS. We were in near panic mode because holy shit how were we going to go back to the dorm but then the woman seated next to us advised that we could ride the jeepney all the way to Guimbal and then just ride another jeepney there that would take us to Miagao. So we followed her words of wisdom and when we got off at Guimbal, we waited for around 15 minutes until a Miagao jeepney finally arrived. During those 15 minutes, Neryl kept on shouting, "HELP US! MAYOR OF GUIMBAL, HELP US GET BACK TO UPV! UPV UPV" and it was hilarious!!! It was a good thing the five of us were together because if I was the only one at that time, I would've cried my heart out on the street. Getting lost isn't exactly ideal, but it's ten times more bearable when I had my friends with me.
• When we got back to the dorms, we shouted in glee and then ran to the shower room because it was close to 8 already and we all felt sticky and gross. We were fortunate enough that there was still water running and we got to freshen up. We stayed in the dormitory lobby for quite some time and had light-hearted conversations over potato chips with the other incoming freshmen before we decided that we were tired so we went back to our respective rooms around 9 and I fell asleep instantly. I had a long day and rest was badly needed.

June 3, 2014

• Still woke up before the break of dawn because long shower lines. After taking a cold shower, we had breakfast and then readied our things for the Psychological testing. The test was scheduled at 8:30 but we got there early. The test was okay. Because Anne and I were the first ones to finish, we went to Balay Kanlaon and I submitted my contract. I was still due an interview with the dorm manager so Anne went back to the CFOS Building to meet up with our other friends. 
• I'm in Room 29, Locker C!!! I'm going to be rooming with three other people: one Sociology major, and two Community Development majors. I didn't get to meet them and when I went alone to check my room, it was actually pretty creepy because I was the only one on the 2nd floor at that time and Balay Kanlaon is said to be //haunted//. What's worse is that my dormitory wing is kind of secluded and dark but at least I'm right beside Kathleen's room (she's in Room 28) so if ever I get the chills, she's just next door hehe
• Afterwards, I went back to Balay Lampirong to log out and to gather my personal belongings. I was going home that afternoon with Manuela. I got to say goodbye to some of the new people I've met and then I bumped into Jam (one of the people I got to be a bit close with) and she asked if she could go home with me and Manuela back to Negros. Of course I said yes and we went to Balay Kanlaon because my friends were there submitting their contracts. 
• Saying goodbye to the new people and friends that I've met was sad but at least I'm assured that I will see them all again in August! My heart felt heavy when I hugged Gico farewell because he was one of the people who truly made the experience worthwhile despite all the stress and anxiety. 2 months though, just 2 months!!!
• We rode the jeepney back to the city. This time I was with Manuela, Jam, Gea, and Dave. We had lunch at the KFC in SM (except for Gea because she had to go home to her relatives' house) and then we said goodbye to Dave afterwards. He just lives in the 3rd district, Cabatuan I think, which is just an hour ride away from Ilo-ilo City. The three of us took a taxi to the pier and then we waited for some time before the fast craft arrived and we reached Bacolod sometime before 5 p.m.
• And then I was home sweet home. Truth be told, the past few days were very very very busy and tiring but I'm so glad I got a taste of freedom and independence. I got to enroll myself, live on my own (with friends of course but no parent supervision! hurrah!!), and meet new people from all walks of life. Even though I had trouble speaking in Tagalog (because a lot of the people spoke in different tongues/dialects given that they were from all over the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, everyone was from everywhere!), I got to experience first-hand what life is going to be like 2 months from now. And am I looking forward to it? You bet I am!!! :)