Monday, December 05, 2005

Minsan...

Maybe it's because of that tribute album that has been recently released (Ultraelectromagnetic Jam...sounds nice, does anyone have it?), but I've been listening to Eraserheads songs all week. Most of their songs remind me of college: the U.P. experience, to be specific.

Pare Ko is the ultimate "bigo" song, perfect for inuman sessions: the alcohol gives you an extra oomph to shout out that essential curse in the chorus ("Diba? T*&#i^a, nagmukha akong tanga! Pinaasa nya lang ako..."). Magasin doesn't tell a story that anyone can particularly relate to. Unless your ex is a superstar/model/sexy star. Hehehe. But it's a fun song to sing, don't you agree? ("Iba na ang iyong ngiti, iba na ang iyong tingin...") Shirley tells the story of everyone who has fallen inlove, albeit crazily (is there any other way?), too quickly, or without any apparent reason ("The next week mag-syota na sila; magka-holding hands papunta sa C.A.S.A.A.....Ganyan ma-inlove-love-love-love-love...").

Other lyrics that most can relate to: Ligaya ("Tatlong oras na akong nagpapacute sayo, di mo man lang napapansin ang bagong t-shirt ko..."). Sembreak ("Sana ay may pasok na para at least meron nang baon..."). Torpedo ("Pasensya na kung ako ay di nagsasalita. Hindi ko kayang sabihin ang aking nadarama...")

There are a lot more. Most of the songs I mentioned are about love and admiration, but in some ways, they are also about friendships forged inspite all of the heartbreak. O wishful thinking ko lang ba yun? :p Minsan is the song that focuses entirely on friendship. Listening to it (it's my current song addiction!) I get senti everytime (Trivia: Only U.P. people know that the "Kalayaan" mentioned in the song isn't Kalayaan Avenue, but Kalayaan Hall, the dormitory for U.P. Diliman freshmen). I remember U.P. I remember Arki. I remember my whole college experience...all the good times, and all the bad times (although, I cringe everytime I remember those...).

Getting to interact with people from other schools has only convinced me that absolutely nothing compares to the U.P. experience. It's a one-sided sort of observation, as I haven't experienced college life in other schools; but I guess everyone is entitled to be fiercely proud of their alma mater. And now that I've already graduated, the feeling of nostalgia is fueling that U.P. pride even more.


Only In U.P...

...do you have to travel 2 or more kilometers to your next class, in the Ikot, Toki, or - if trip mo pumasok na basa ng pawis - on foot. I remember back in freshman year, my block had to go from AS to NIGS. We waited in line for 15 minutes, only to find out too late that we were riding the wrong jeep. Eh ang lapit lapit lang pala ng NIGS, nagjeep pa kami. :p

...do you have rallies encouraging you to boycott your class. Noone ever follows that, anyway. What, waste our tuition money by not attending class? The horror! Hahaha. (I was being sarcastic, by the way...)

...is registration/enrollment a one-week affair. Kung tumaba ka during the sembreak/summer, papayat ka rin during reg. Staying in line (in the unforgiving heat!); running from one building to another; going from one end of the campus to another, and then running all the way back again...all of this, and managing to get only 10 units.

...do you get to hang out at the tambayan during your 6-hour break between classes. Bakit ka pa uuwi diba? Mas masaya sa Arki eh.

...do you get to try out most (if not all) of the eating places in a 6-kilometer radius. Katipunan, Philcoa, SM North. Kahit West Avenue dadayuhin namin, para lang sa Keema and Shawarma. Hehehe. Food trip!

...do you get to wear ANYTHING! Pumasok ka man na nakapambahay, so what?! Nobody's gonna care! Pero shempre kung may pinopormahan ka, ibang usapan na yun...

...do you feel like you've entered a whole new city altogether. Inside the campus, you'll find a health center, a shopping center, a church (both catholic and christian), a post office, a movie theater, sports centers, a hotel. It's all in there. Airport nalang ang kulang. Hehe. A self-sustaining community, not just for students. Puwede ka nang tumira sa loob ng campus. Hehe.

...do you have the Lantern Parade! It's the most emotionally-charged day of the year for us: Christmas is only days away, it's the last day of the school year, there are dancing lanterns on the street, and thousands of people watching. What's not exciting about that? I think they changed the format this year, though. Olats! Next year sana ibalik na nila...they're messing with tradition!!! Grrr.

...do you have ducks waddling around the Lagoon. :) Block mascot! Hehe.

...do you have those really huge acacia trees all around campus. You have to admit, they're beautiful. Hard to imagine U.P. Diliman without them. Kaya masarap magpaka-senti sa AF tambayan noon eh...view mo kasi yung treetops. Green against a startling blue sky. Nice.


O. Wala kayo jan.
U.P. the best. Hehe.
(Yung ibang taga-U.P., baka may gusto kayong idagdag sa list...)



* * * *
minsan sa may kalayaan tayo'y nagkatagpuan
may mga sariling gimik at kanya-kanyang hangad sa buhay
sa ilalim ng iisang bubong
mga sekretong ibinubulong
kahit na anong mangyari
kahit na saan ka man patungo

ngunit ngayon kay bilis maglaho ng kahapon
sana'y huwag kalimutan ang ating mga pinagsamahan

at kung sakaling gipitin ay laging iisipin
na minsan tayo ay naging
tunay na magkaibigan

minsan ay parang wala nang bukas sa buhay natin
inuman sa magdamag na para bang tayo'y mauubusan
sa ilalim ng bilog na buwan
mga tiyan nati'y walang laman
ngunit kahit na walang pera
ang bawat gabi'y anong saya


minsan ay hindi ko na alam ang nangyayari
kahit na anong gawin
lahat ng bagay ay merong hangganan
dahil ngayon tayo ay nilimot ng kahapon
di na mapipilitang buhayin ang ating pinagsamahan
ngunit kung sakaling mapadaan baka
ikaw ay aking tawagan
dahil minsan tayo ay nagingtunay na magkaibigan