is an Ateneo education worth it?

just after several weeks after graduation, there have already been two articles bearing and discussing the same title as this blog entry. reading up on them as well as the replies that followed agreeing/dis- on each given point just made me think about it myself. is the ateneo education i received really worth it? for me to even attempt to answer the question, honestly, already has its biases. of course, towards the positive. that it is indeed worth it. after spending my first couple of months in the institution already made me love it. not simply for its people, the ones i've met and haven't, but also for its teachers, what they stand for and what the things they teach stand for.

we often hear from them and from other ateneans how ateneo students are taught to always strive for service and excellence. true enough, right from the very moment you step foot onto the grounds of the ateneo, you're already given the feeling that you have and want to do as good as you possibly can knowing that its a bulwark of the intelligentsias, the cream of the crop, partly the best and brightest youth of the country. that although you did not enter the school to compete with other people, you know that you have your own inner battle to fight. you know that it's not gonna be easy. you know its gonna bring out the beast in you (at least from the stories you've heard from upperclassmen and some graduates). and perhaps that's one of the first things you learn right away. the value of believing in yourself and the value of hard work.

if you're an ateneo graduate, you would have instant thoughts, good or bad, agreeable or not, the moment i say the words philosophy and theology. first philosophy. i have always loved the course not only for what it teaches but also for what it makes you do- think rationally and critically. it extracts brain juice up to its last drop. many of us dread the somehow unbearable and almost always incomprehensible readings given to us. having gone through four philosophy classes in my last two years in the ateneo has tremendously developed my way of thinking- the depth by which i look at things (with even more criticism) and the way i try to and do understand things. this might not apply to everyone, and im quite sure about that, but im quite sure though that i'm not the only one who's experienced philosophy this way. there are way more of us out there.

second, theology. i really never appreciated the subject until i took the last of it under one of the living legends of and in the ateneo. it was at that time when i started giving value to it and the three other theology classes i had. by the way, the last i had was the theology of the catholic social vision and the one before that was theology on social commitment. (pardon me if i got the titles wrong.) and the former was under bobby guev. those who have taken the class under him would understand what a blessing it had been to be part of that class. the way he taught things was with an abundance of passion. he never lacked it. and the different (and new) ways he taught us to understand and look at some of the biblical stories, the story of creation and the story of the prodigal son, wowed many of us. moreover, how he linked them to reality, the philippine context, made us appreciate the things he taught even more. and he's not even a jesuit priest. i know this is my experience and not everyone had the same opportunity as i did. point is, not so much the teacher one picks out of the many, but instead what each one of them teaches his students. i do not think any other institution gives as much value to what our philosophy and theology classes as ateneo does. i dont think any of them gives as much value to being of service to society as ateneo does. if any one does, well, i don't think they do it as good as the ateneo does.

now to answer the question, is an ateneo education worth it? i think so. for the reasons stated above. not only does it tell you the value of being of serivce to other people, but just as important, it teaches you how to think rationally and to look at things with more criticism. and that kind of thinking allows you to look at philippine society with the depth of criticism it much deserves and to develop action points towards resolving or at least reducing the problem. finally, maybe the best among all, or again maybe just as important, the ateneo education provides you with the self-confidence and persistence that would allow you to tell yourself, i can do it. and those are not just empty words.

unemployed; law school; booze; multiply; and prison break

as of march 25th, i am officially part of the statistics. graduate and unemployed. for the longest time, i was confident that getting a job was gonna be easy. i was even partly proud. i thought everything would go my way. that in no time, i.e., right after graduation, a job is already waiting for me to start. apparently, i was wrong. up until now, i still am living through the full support of my parents. no share whatsoever from my part. i suddenly had the change of plans or POV. it's like now, i don't mind being in this situation. i have formulated a new plan for myself. perhaps i can say it's a more concrete one. but still not concrete enough. assuming that i wont find a job anytime soon, which by the way doesn't make me feel as bad as it used to anymore, i thought why can't i stay here with my parents and family for a year? i mean for sure they wouldnt mind as long as i do my part. on my part, on the other hand, i certainly don't mind. given all the comforts that i get for being home. much much less spending, much much more ease and comfort. anyway, after that, i leave. go to the states, canada, or autralia. or just about any english speaking country, to spare me the hassle of having to be by myself AND to struggle understanding what i'm being told. my plan pretty much ends there. yeah, that's already what i consider concrete. it spans a year or two of my life. so now, i don't really have much to worry about. except maybe what ill do when i go abroad. study (which wouldnt be so much of an option because from this time until then, i would be jobless hence would be unable to meet the work experience most MBA programs are looking for as the one of the primary requirements for the application) or work. but i would have to first acquire working visa. which takes long. i dont know exactly how long. but just loong. oh well.

i'm back to considering going to law school again. what i realized is that, i wanna go to law school just for the title. not really something i would want to take seriously. i just wanna be strongly informed about the law. and not to be simply fed tidbits of it by the occassional discussions and debates of politicians on tv. i want more. at least when i know about them, i can pretty much look at things with even more criticism. hmm.. it's gonna be more like an ego booster lang. but still i want it. i mean if ever i pursue that, i'd be late by a year. but doesnt matter. another question: if i were to pursue it, should i learn phil. law or US law? haha. partly i wanna go to a US law school. this is what i hate about blogging about it. just strengthens my inkling to go study law. crap. and i thought this discussion was over.

being the official bum just like almost everybody else, i always find myself sleeping over at my cousin's place in manila. surprisingly, i always get the reason to be in manila. at least once a week. i dont know how long it will go on but as of now, things are goin that way. and i can say, i really enjoy it. my cousin tom and i just kill the night with booze every single time. well we dont get drunk. or at least he doesn't. (and he's YOUNGER.) coz i think im always close to that but never yet to puking. i wouldnt wanna make a scene in their house just like i did in the last block party. at least in the party, many people were there to clean up my mess. and hose me down. what if it happens to their place? i dont think my cousin's gonna do an excellent job hiding the pitiful traces of the night to my aunt, uncle, other cousins and the grandparents. so it should never happen. that should become my training ground to learn to control alcohol intake. i've been thinking lately that his mom and grandma might already be thinking im the one getting him into drinking. well, i'm not! and funny enough, it's not him either. i guess it's more of an implied thing. that whenever i go visit and sleepover at their place, drinking's gotta be part of the activity for the night. wait, it's supposed to be, ...gotta be the only activity for the night. hahaha. san migh light, dry ice, strong ice, red horse, mudshake capuccino, mike's hard lemonade, and/or gin. and, well, of course, kwentuhan's all part of it already. but those times we just drink and make kwento are really relaxing fun times. one of the few things i really appreciate. and also look forward to. well at least i found a good companion in my cousin. when i told a friend about the whole drinking thing with my cuz, he/she said it's cool or more of astig to find a (drinking) buddy in your cousin. true enough.

aaahhh multiply. it's become the new friendster for me. one website i consistently check for updates. especially replies to photos and to other replies. i didnt' think that putting up pictures on the internet was gonna be fun. it all started with blue roast. yeah just that recently. i took so many pictures that i easily accepted the idea of putting em up on multiply and let people see 'em. also from the same thing came another brilliant, funny idea. create a "story album". i already am preparing something for it. something me and cousin did. actually the idea came about through an adventure/misadventure in their place. clue: an encounter with a roach. might be gross if you were to look at it alone. but having found something to do about it made it... funny rather than disgusting or even scary. hahaha. wont tell anything further. just wait for it. hahaha. ill put it up there in multiply.

i've found a new addictive show. gahd, it sends out thrill, excitement, and even STRESS. breathtaking in some parts. it's called prison break. basically about prisoners plotting a way to break away from incarceration. go watch it. trust me its good. wow. now my favorite. if only it had as many episodes as OC already. the most recent they have is ep16. so yeah, it's a very current show.

that's it for me now. i'm off.