DIVERSIONS and DISTRACTIONS

every so often some event just happens to disrupt the "tranquility" of my academic studies, occurences often random and unplanned...to translate: kis-a sa akon nga pag-eskwela may ara gasinabad nga mga wala diri wala didto hehehe

being in a liberal academic environment has it's share of sudden "what the hell?" moments. You might be sitting quietly inside your classrooms when suddenly screams of indignation could be heard right outside the corridors, with the "tibaks" (UP slang for "activists") making "baka" (protest, as in "makibaka"), and then there would be a tibak propaganda officer entering your classroom with urgent summons for you to join their cause. there was one time the tibaks were calling for students to join them on a march to Mendiola for a demonstration against the HSA among other demands and concerns that they had (political killings, the "commercialization" of UP education, the whole shebang). I told myself, "You must be kidding, and layu-layo ng Mendiola..." and so the tibak P.O. gave his rousing harangue and left...nobody followed...

another time there was this convoy going around honking their horns while classes were going on, another protest perhaps...nobody seemed to mind, everybody seemed used to these disruptions...ako medyo ga manol-manol pa..."spontaneous" protests and mass actions are not very common here in the colleges in Bacolod...bilib ako sa mga student activists here who really believe in what their fighting for and I am just amazed at the different tactics they employ (from mass rallies to spraypainting garbage cans and walls)...but still, layo gyapon ang Mendiola ah...hehehe...goodluck na lang sa mga tibaks...keep up with the "distractions"...

From the unplanned "distractions" we move on to the "diversions" that I am a willing participant in. Now if those tibaks announced that there would be a book sale offering countless titles on world history, philippine history and classical literature -- with FREE books for the first hundred attendees at Mendiola, I would've jumped from my seat and joined them. To hell with diokno! To hell with classes! (but since when nagka-booksale sa Mendiola?, dreaming again!).

I mentioned in my previous blog post that the malls have been extensions of reading rooms in the library for me. Since the main lib closes at 5 pm, and there are no tambayans or lounges that are free for all (not exclusive for clubs and orgs) around UP, I have to find a suitable place to continue my readings -- with wide spaces, relatively quite atmosphere, kag kung pwede aircon? hehe -- and the malls are my refuge during these times. Lapad na, lapit pa kalan-an kag CR, but then I have to contend with the noise around me and the other "distractions" (PDA couples -- prev. blog pls). I am amazed that I am able to conduct a thorough reading of a book i've borrowed from the lib in the foodcourt of SM North -- the noisiest place i've read in so far. There was even a time last saturday that a barkada crowded around the next table where i'm sitting (imagine the seats in the foodcourt of Rob Bacolod, I'm occupying one side, while they were on the other side, and spilling over to my side). They were a bit rowdy but I ignored them (a great effort on my part). Suddenly I heard one of them say to their other friend, "'wag ka ngang maingay, may nag-aaral diyan sa tabi mo!" hehehe who studies during saturdays in the middle of the mall, by the way?

Come Sunday all academic pursuits are forgotten for a few hours. I go to mass at the Church of Holy Sacrifice, roam around the Shopping Center, go to the mall (SM North, or Trinoma, where I'm composing this blog at the moment), sniff around the bookstores (of course, Powerbooks...where else?), log on the internet...surf-surf, blog-blog...then if my budget allows it, a movie to cap off my afternoon... ahhhh relax ta anay ah...the hours pass by and you don't seem to notice it...then it's time to go home and face my tasks as a student...

Each day is just a balancing act between the "tasks" and the "diversions". And then there's the "distractions" that come once in a while...hay, hwat a layp.


Stand Alone 1.08