Photo Shoot, Photo Break

This is a pre-summer special post.

College life wasn't that easy. Every student has their own issues and concerns.

Surely, money tops these. It's very difficult to budget allowances - for food, school contributions, death aid, school fines, cellphone load, drinking sessions and luxuries. It also creates a controversial aspect in the society as students submit themselves to prostitution to earn for tuition fees.

Emotional distress follows it. Students are involved to different triggering situations. Break-up in a relationship is an obvious example. Students tend not to mind anymore their lessons. Instead, they are at a corner, leaning on the lower wall and crying for their nonsense partners. Another situaton is that when one is forced by his or her parents to take a course he or she doesn't want.  Both of these situations can lead to - aside from having no inspiration - suicidal tendencies.

Living in a boarding house or dormitory can also be included. Yes, it has a benefit. That is, learning to be independent. But there are more disadvantages. Aside from the usual home sick, are the tasks you are supposed to carry out - from cooking your own food to laundry. And when you're febrile and sick, you have to care for yourself alone.

Because of these stressing moments in college, I think we can also employ what we are learning in school. That is to promote, improve and enhance our coping mechanisms - the 12 S in managing stress: self-awareness, self-debriefing, speaking-out, scheduling, stress reduction exercises, smiling, siesta, socialization, sports and recreation, songs and sounds, sensation techniques and spirituality.

It's good we have friends and barkadas too. To laugh with and be partners in crime. Bwahahaha! For us Mae, Cleo and the gang are:

Food. On weekends, we try to meet. Go to one place. Either to a friend's house or just around the city. And have something to eat and gulp. Hmmmm. One time, we had our lunch at a friend's place. After it, we had a singing session. I mean, that videoke fever! La la la la la! We had also this favorite restaurant. And a favorite dish. The grilled chicken. In our almost everyday lunches here, there's no need to calculate for our bills anymore because we already know the exact cost of the foods served to us. And after examination-marathons - well, we call it like that 'cause in a day, we can have three long examinations straight with no break or interval - is a celebration at Chowking. We order lauriats. Plus extra rices. And lot of chili oils. Wooooh. This isn't completed without our tons of laughs in different pitches. Hahahahaha! And take note! We also have gossips and asaran mode in between.

And the other one is...

PHOTO SHOOT!

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Magical 2

A relief from nature.

I rested on my nest soporifically,

And never veered for something else.

Tatty feathers were scattered,

But they didn’t cause to bother.

The next thing I can remember,

Was the sun stroking radiance on my face.

“Holy crap,” I tweeted,

And I immediately stood up.

Still dizzy, still weak,

To start a new day of challenges.

Now I realized, crows weren’t that effective;

That I woke up indolently, after the light sets in.

Now, I dismantled again the tradition,

“The early bird catches the worm.”

I left my scruffy nest;

I forced myself to move.

My wings were paralyzed;

And that convinced me to walk.

I reached the park I always passed everyday,

Still the same as yesterday.

But this time, I felt my soul being shattered.

My heartbeat raced with my breath.

My body lost some balance,

My sensation was being played.

Then, inspiringly, the sun intensified;

Its tentacles touched every single leaf.

Meritoriously, I was relieved.

As this lifeless moment turned to such enlightenment.

The above photo was also taken at the park behind our school. The place is definitely a heaven. I really love the trees when the sun illuminates the leaves and the cool wind tickles them. Indeed, refreshing!

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Magical 1

An escape from reality.

I sauntered forlorn, out of my mind,

In an ever loathsome park;

Trees erratically grown and escalated,

In foliage of filth ashes.

It was a place absconded, never hugged.

With a mind-numbing fog.

Then I glimpsed an iridescently feathered;

Circling within my radius of vision,

And that it cheers the worn forest.

Swiftly, it perished in my sight,

So I intoxicatingly paced and scurried around,

Then the clouds cried along with my feeling,

Watering the dusts in the trees,

And giving that delight to surge.

The rain already wrapped up,

And disappointment did not came to bother,

As the sun peeped and spread its hands,

To crash its blaze to the drizzles left,

That is enough to illuminate the greens,

And unhook their veiled beauty.

The light came to intensify,

Bestowing its spanking new photograph,

In this world of repugnance.

“What a place!” I screamed,

Several echoes arose.

But it seemed to be a familiar voice,

It was my friends who replied.

Then I realized I was just in my dream.

The above photo was taken at the back of our school. The park has a lagoon inhabited by fishes. Number of trees are around, from mahoganies to bamboos and some trees with falling orange blossoms. With its tranquility you can only hear the chirps of local birds. With its beauty, you can see gamut of butterflies flying around. Now, this is what we call P-A-R-A-D-I-S-E!

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