four years is not enough.

…and I just wish I could go back to being in college. But now, it’s time to search for a decent job that would fit my skills (despite having a part-time job).
Okay, college has been a rollercoaster ride—and at the same time, an unforgettable journey that lasted for four years. From rough sketches to giant canvas boards (not to mention, the friends I made in and out of the Beato Angelico), my life was never the same the first time I set my foot on the University of Santo Tomas campus.
I can still remember that one day in September 2007—it was the time when I took the UST entrance exam. It was also that day when the Growling Tigers lost to the Green Archers in a semi-finals game (that was Season 70, though—kapanahunan ‘to nina Jervy Cruz, Dylan Ababou, Japs Cuan, and the rest of the big men from the tiger pack)—so by the time I was taking the test, I was praying that the Growling Tigers would bring home the bacon. Then again—even though they were in the fourth place in men’s basketball that season, I have always been proud of these guys for enjoying a great game. (On a random note: Japs Cuan is now the assistant coach of the Tiger Cubs, while Dylan Ababou plays for the Ginebra Kings.)
Okay—let’s go to the entrance exam results. Months later, I got accepted in the advertising arts department of the College of Fine Arts and Design. Of course, I felt so happy about it—but a bit bummed about not having a slot in the communication arts department in the Faculty of Arts and Letters (which was my second choice). Despite my secret dreams to be an AB student, I decided to take advantage of my art skills and become a Thomasian artist (which was a dream come true when I graduated last March 26).
In the course of my four-year stay in CFAD, I learned a lot of things—which was beyond plates and other drawings. It was during these times when my life was filled with colour, adventure, and a bit of unexpected moments.


Yet, there are also instances when I felt I was at the lowest point. One of which is when my block was reprimanded by our professor because we didn’t read our books for that day’s lesson. The worst part here was these: we had to make a letter to him signed by our parents, the department head, the discipline coordinator, and the guidance counselor. Of course, we were so bummed about it—but good thing we didn’t get sued for this. In fact, most of us passed the subject—and even graduated with flying colours despite the incident. HAHAHA—cheers to us, ad2-kalan. :) (Not to mention, I just can’t believe we changed a lot since we were freshmen then. Plates and all that stuff, hahaha.) There are also other unfortunate incidents that happened in the course of my college life—but then again, all of these add up to my unforgettable college experience. True enough, it has been the best four years of my life.
So, I’d like to thank everyone (ranging from ad2-kalan, 4ad6 stars, P.E. classmates, irregular classmates, the orgroom people, fellow 2012 CFAD batchmates, friends from other batches and colleges/faculties, and all my profs from frosh to senior year) who made my art student life easier than I ever thought. I know, being in CFAD is imbued with unending plates (take note: my fellows from the college of architecture said this!)—but that didn’t stop me to reach my greatest dream: to be an artist.
Then, I’m going to list down what I learned from art school:

• Fine arts isn’t as easy as you think. If you think that fine arts is all about drawing and art stuff, think again. In my experience, there are instances when I had to cram my plates the night before the submission date. And, it’s not just that—I still had to take minor subjects (P.E. classes, literature, and the like) in order to supplement my stay in the University. In fact, these subjects aren’t offered for nothing! :P
• In the field of advertising, there are many options to choose from. Advertising management, photography, fashion design, illustration—you name it. Not to mention, an advertising practitioner can also deal with marketing stuff (yes, this is the reason why we had to take up advertising practice classes).
• Lastly, I learned how to look at things at a wider perspective. In college, I met lots of people who are exceptional in figure drawing, photography, advertising concepts, and other art-related stuff. Some of them became my friends, while others inspired me to do well in the field of art.

Oh, well. It’s been one hell of a ride, and I still can’t believe I have survived four years of college life. Now, as I plunge myself into corporate world, I’d like to post my graduation picture before I end this post. CHEERS TO 2012 GRADUATES! Have a great vacation~ :)
P.S. Some of the photos used in this blog entry are from their respective owners. :)