The Ultimate Guide for a College Freshmen Studying in Manila.

Elementary/Highschool Students are  Humans, While College Students are bunch of Fish.

 Note: ‘Nakakanosebleed’

Oh the anticipation and anxiousness of the new school year without friends or knowing anyone is killing you!!!

So, here I am try’na being your superhero and answer all your questions.

Well I can totally relate to you but it a worse way. I studied abroad and I need to adjust for college add up the time I move to another course and college the second semester. It’s just hard and excruciatingly tiresome.

So here’s an article is divided into four parts. The first one is dealing about the weather, extra stuff like making friends and having inner fears the second one is about the academics and what to bring.

 

1. Weather, Freshmen Fears, Extra Stuff

 

Whether the weather be nice or whether the weather be not, classes will push through.

 

It’s school time again what do you expect?

No friends, college pressure and a weather to deal with.

Let’s talk about the weather first so recently on the news they said that there will be less rain fall because an El Nino is about to occur but of course you need to be sure and safe. Being ready and alert is a must. You don’t want going to your school like a poor lost drowned in wet dog, right? So here are the tips and what to bring.

For wet season, Bring:

1. Umbrella. Buy a durable one if possible even if it’s expensive atleast your only going to buy it once and not every single time it rains. And oh for the love of God! Never forget to bring your umbrella seldom will a cute guy or girl now will allow you to go under there umbrella. Never leave it either because those who don’t have their own might steal it.

Always be aware of it too! I left mine once at CCP at a concert I swear it came from India now it’s lost!  😥 Lucky the person who’ll use that it’s really durable. *cries

2.  Slippers, flipflops, plastic shoes or if you’re brave enough wear rain boots. You don’t want your expensive leathered shoes to be thrown in the trash bin by the first week of school right? Wear it once you leave the campus
3.  Jacket. This is an option there will be times it will be cold or your uniform or shirts will be wet so this stuff is safe.
4. Alcohol and tissue. You might want to remove those black stuff that was stuck on your feet or in your hands or if you’re feeling itchy.

 

Why?

Because there will be some aspiring cockroaches and are wannabee mermaids worst cockroaches you can encounter are the flying ones.

I went to 7-eleven to buy alcohol then the cashier hit me on my shoulder with a newspaper because there was a cockroach on my shoulder.

Imagine the humiliation and the many times I have to dust off invisible stuff on my clothes because of fear.

5. Plastic. When I say plastic a huge one to put your umbrella that’s wet so it won’t be dripping on the school halls. But in my case plastic is not allowed inside the school so just use it outside instead and place it inside your bag.
6. Paracetamol. With the horrible weather bring some medicine your head might ache.
7. CHARGE YOUR PHONE AND BRING EXTRA CASH!

 

This happened to me!  My phones dead and I have money in my bag reserve for the payment of my uniform but I used it instead to pay for a taxi because jeeps are full and few because of the flood. It’s horrible add up the head ache I had.

To walk in the flooded streets or be stranded?

I preferred walking at that time.

It’s GROSS! Tell me about it!

It’s my first time experiencing flood because there’s no such thing in the Middle East and all you can think of is I need to go home! But think about all the urines of rats and garbage Is stepped on at that time.. Nightmare! I’m not trying to be a bitch here but think about those stuff. *fake gag.

Anyway, If your dorm is near  it’s okay you can go Jack Sparrow all you want. But if not, call your parents. See if the school will allow you to be stranded.

As bad as it may sound some people steal the lids of the drainage in the streets of Manila during floods or rainy days because there’s a lot of money on it. Oh their greediness!

If you really want to walk in the flooded streets just pray to not fall into some underground hole.

For the dry season, Bring:

1. Handkerchief. It’s hot you don’t want wiping your sweat all over you uniform or shirt.
2. Fan. Who the hell can take the heat? Well no one! Bring a fan I don’t care what color,shape or size it is just bring one.
3. Perfume/Cologne or Powder. To freshen up yourself of course highly recommended to girls. But you can also use this is any kind of weather.

 

Freshmen Fears:

1. Where To Go?

Directions! Directions!  Know where your class will take place. Go to your school on the first day atleast an hour before your class to know which class you’re going.

Explore the school but not on the first day! Better yet explore it the week before so you want have a map hanging around your nose. If you’re really having trouble ask the guards or if you find a student who looks kind enough to help you out.

1. Never be late on the first day!

In bold and italics if you still didn’t get this I’m gonna pull your eyeballs from your sockets

Some professors are kind but some are just too strict one minute late and skedaddle!

I had a prof and he’s time is from 10-12nn you’re only allowed to be late until 10:15 and at 10:16. Sorry my folks! You just missed a discussion and a graded test!

1. Terror Professor and Bitchy Classmates

I didn’t have bitchy classmates though. Thank God!

There are two things you need to know:

1. Don’t screw up with a professor.
2. Don’t screw up with a classmate.

Just Don’t! pffft!

First impression almost always last for a professor you see. I have this annoying and talkative classmate in my first day first subject in college and I’ve heard about the teacher being a terror but that classmate is just so clueless or I don’t know if he’s acting. He messed up with the teacher the whole class. I swear to God that’s my forever nightmare!

For a classmate, if you’re mister/miss popular, Queen Bee or the most intelligent person in highschool forget that thing! This isn’t highschool anymore. This is the real thing! All of you are back to zero. You don’t want creating enemies out of your new classmates or you’ll be a loner yourself and gain haters.

So always remain humble and kind even if you are mentally killing the person in your head.

1. How to Make Friends on the First Day?

You can make friends even the month before going to college. The social media is wide ask for the once under your course and section and make friends with them while meeting them online.

But on the first day hangout outside or inside your classroom and make friends with the first person you meet. Ask several questions about them don’t make the conversation awkward by asking weird stuff you don’t want shooing them away,

 Never be late on the first day!

You need atleast an hour to thirty minutes meeting and talking to these people…

Why am I saying this?

YOU NEED TO EAT WITH SOMEONE FOR LUNCH!

You don’t want to eat alone for lunch, right?

Some schools have tables in their cafeteria and students are not allowed to eat in the classroom.

Nothing is sadder than eating with your piece of sandwich and drinking your water. Alone!

Try to make friends also with higher years they can be of great help when you’re having trouble in your major.

1. Budget

 

Some will have allowance enough to supply the hungry people of Africa while some will have an allowance really low.

Choose a place where you can eat, that is safe, clean and has a good hygiene and most especially choose an eating place where the food is not expensive. There are small food stalls, ‘karinderia’ or food court near your school where you can afford to eat.

Also don’t forget to eat home-made dishes. You don’t want to eating in the red and yellow bee or in the old red head clown for the next four years of your college life,right?

Plus knowing the nearest and affordable place to eat will help you save money which can help your parents too!

 

EXTRA STUFF:

Attend the school events they can help you in your grades and you can meet more people from your school.

Join an organization. I’m sure there are several orgs that are into your liking that can help you in your extracurricular grades. But don’t focus on extracurricular too much focus more on the academics

Know that when you make friends be sure to choose the trust worthy once other will just use you for money.

Partying always is not a sign of being cool. Study first party hard later or after you’ve finish all your requirements and exams.

Some of the friends you’ve had on your first day will not be on the same group on your second month but other people from other groups of your first day might be your friends instead.

Milk Tea!! The keyword to a stressed out college student. Trust me most college student like to have milk tea on stressful days to relax. Try it once in awhile! It’s a secret passion! Ooops!

Always properly wear your uniform some college are strict when it comes to following school uniforms.

For my school skirt day on Monday and Thursday, leather-ed shoes with heels and wedge is not allowed nor flats on both of the said days. You can only wear your flats if your wearing your uniform pants.

 

1. ACADEMICS

 

1. Planning

The other day I had a talk with the guidance she told me to use a planner to organize my schedule and the stuff I need to do for school so I’m pretty much excited for the school year. Planner can help you be reminded of the things you need to study, pass, answer or review for a certain event in class.

 

1. What to bring?

 

1. Ballpen. You may have loved bringing in pencil when you were a child but trust me that’s only needed by music students or fine arts and architect students nowadays. On test a ballpen is a must use blue or black to be safe.
2. Correction Pen. Most professor don’t like erasures but if you have to on your notes use this.
3. Highlighter. It’s an option if you want to.
4. Cattleya Filler/Notebook filled with fillers. The second one might be expensive but you need that anyways. Some professors would like students with color on their notebooks to identify the section of the notebook he/she is checking most especially on lab notes for Bachelor of Science students and also a record notebook if needed for after experiment observations.
5. YELLOW PAPER IS A MUST! Just like how your grade school quiz paper is important that’s how important is your yellow paper. If you’re the lazy one you ask for your classmates of course but goodluck if the teacher says ‘No giving to those who don’t have yellow papers.’
6. ID!How could you forget! Some schools who are strict prohibits students who forgot their ID in entering the campus without their ID’s
7. Index card 1/8 (colored for some white for my college). Professors use it for attendance stuff or grading you in class.
8. 1×1 photo. Some professors need this for attendance stuff again.
9. *THE CONVOCATION CARD. This is required for the people studying in my school. This is your life guys! Without this you’ll not be cleared at the end of the year.

I heard you have to complete all the events this time but not sure. I still have to confirm that. I attended one event at school but failed to let it be signed so I cleaned the gym together with the others. Trust me you don’t want doing that! Don’t wait for your late friends let it be signed as soon as possible. Wait before the booth opens so you wont have trouble getting into that looooooong line. *yawns!

 

1. Say NO Procrastination!

 Isn’t this what we do before?

Trust me you don’t wanna go back there!

 

When you were in highschool procrastination was okay but now that you’re in college trust me it’s a no-no.

Learn from the expert.

Who doesn’t want to procrastinate?!

NO ONE!

I myself is guilty of charge and look at what it has brought me!? Not so good scores.

My life as a highschool student was spoon feeding style.

But now that I’m in second year, I regret doing that in the first year.

That’s the main reason why the planner is needed!

Do the assignments or projects required for you to submit in the next two months the night right after it was announced your stuff will be piled up and you’ll be cramming on your submission day and end up with a trashy assignment.

 d. Say NO to FA

 

As much as the subject is boring or you hate it or whatever reason you can think of never try to fail subject through your constant absences.

One professor told us to use our absences wisely.

We can’t just absent a subject just because we don’t like it. What if there will come a time that you only have one more absent day left then you’re FA but you’ve been sick after that for the next three days. Goodbye Grades!

You might want to rethink about cutting classes or being absent again on that day.

 

Well that’s pretty much it. Those are the stuff I have encountered on my first year experience. You can comment down below on what you think and if you have any questions or if you have violent reactions please use constructive sentence!

P.S. This post might contain wrong grammars if ever sorry!! :)))