There has to come a time when I should move on from the overwhelmed phase and just push through with the tasks required of being a law student. But let me just say it again, and rant for the last time (I hope), that the amount of material we have to read every day is just overwhelming. A few days ago, I got myself my copy of 700-pages long worth of reading materials to be discussed for two subjects within just two meetings. Is it even possible? I spent almost an hour sorting them out and stapling them. I didn’t finish reading them before class. I ended up making a blunder in front of our Constitutional Law 1 professor.

A few days ago, in Criminal Law 1 class, it was a lazy afternoon after lunch break and I was so sleepy from reading the night before, that I didn’t realize I snoozed of for a few minutes. It wasn’t until my seatmate nudged me that my recitation card was picked and the professor has been looking at me and has called my name twice already. Fortunately, I was able to pull the recitation off. But still, that was embarrassing.

At least, going through the experience with a set of wonderful blockmates saves it. Everyone, especially the very diligent ones, is very helpful to others, (like me, hehe), who are sometimes left behind with the lessons because of, well, various reasons. And all the lunch-outs, night-outs and karaoke indeed do a lot to boost one’s morale after a depressing performance in class.

There’s now so little time to do any other leisurely things, since I also have my tasks in the University Student Council, and my other affiliations, among my priorities. Which, explain why I haven’t been blogging, nor blog-hopping, or anything else leisurely for that matter.

Tags: academics, UP Law

Before I stepped into the UP College of Law, I’ve had quite an adequate number of warnings and advices from friends, acquaintances and brods who were already in law school or were already lawyers. After a week into school, even though I had expected everything, I am still overwhelmed. I am confronted with a day’s worth of readings and cases more than I ever read in one semester. The readings list for just one subject suggests that I will have to read more than I ever read in my four years as an undergraduate in BA Film. Not that my undergraduate course was readings-intensive in the first place. Nevertheless, I feel like I’m going to have to study like I’ve never studied before. I have been warned well. What I’m getting myself into isn’t a joke.

I’ve been enjoying it so far. Funny, or perhaps I’m speaking too soon, all the initial readings actually caught my interest. The thought of having a professional grasp of this field excites me in how I can pursue, well, romanticized as it sounds, the pursuit of truth and justice in things I believe in. I can’t yet quite adequately answer the question as to why I’m doing this, but it may be borne out of a personal feeling of frustration at a legal system that is largely at the hands of those with the economic and political capital, to protect the status quo. Finally, I thought. I’m going to learn how to engage controllers in a level where I shall not be dismissed as a mere young idealist who know nothing about laws and whatnot.

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Tags: blockmates, UP Law

A few days ago, I passed by the UP College of Law to submit my transcript of records and my certificate of graduation as part of my enrollment process. Before I left the college secretary’s office, I was handed a contract of sorts which I apparently had to sign. It was a contract that requires me to take 12 additional undergraduate units in English and Social Sciences within the year, else I won’t be able to continue as a law student.

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Tags: academics, UP Law

A few weeks ago, I went to the UP College of Law for the interview portion of my application process. I was really apprehensive. I was among the last applicants to be interviewed from among the almost-300 who applied, and I was thinking the panelists would have probably heard everything from all the interviewees, and there’s probably nothing else I would say that would please them.

Just a few days after that, the list of eligible enrollees came out and I was fortunate enough to be included in it. One of my brods asked me why I didn’t blog about it. With all modesty, I didn’t want to make it too known, as I am not too keen on attracting too much attention and expectations that I don’t want to be pressured to fulfill.

A few days ago, I submitted my letter of intent to enroll at the UP College of Law. I’m excited, yes, but I’m really also quite anxious about it. I’m graduating from my undergraduate degree in Film this Sunday, and honestly, if I didn’t get accepted into UP Law, I wouldn’t know what to do after. Here’s to four (or more) years of studying in UP!

Tags: application, graduation, UP Law

I passed by UP last Monday to do some errands. I didn’t have any more undergraduate classes left, only a handful of final academic requirements. I met with some friends at the Batibot in Mass Comm, and hung out for an hour or so. I also quarreled with my thesis partner one last time, regarding our written thesis.

Last Friday, I passed my last academic requirement ever for my undergraduate years in college. It was a final paper for PI 100. After sending it by email and receiving my grade, it felt quite anticlimactic. Was that it? Am I done with BA Film & Audio-Visual Communication? I don’t have anything else to do to complete my course? I had expected it to feel liberating of some sort. It wasn’t quite like that.

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Tags: college friends, thesis, UP Law, UP Mass Comm