I was cleaning up my workstation when I saw the old data CD where I archived all of my personal files from my very first personal computer. It had a copy of the old diary I kept during college, which was actually printed into a book that I allowed people to read (if you are severely bored enough, go to my profile, find my email and contact me, I'll seriously send you a soft copy for free!).
One of my favorite entries in there was a copy of the actual Statement of Application for Majoring in the College of Arts and Letters in the University of Santo Tomas, written exactly as it was submitted to the Coordinator of the Behavioral Science Department. I'm posting a copy below for you guys to enjoy, or read.
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January 4, 1996
Heeding my friends’ advice to enroll in what they considered as “real” college, take up a more suitable course, I left my Bachelor of Christian Education with musical emphasis at XXX (haring ulan: sorry, actual name of seminary withheld because I respect that institution too much to taint their good name by advertising how they actually allowed someone like me to be part of their studentry) after nearly two years to temporarily set aside what I then considered to be my true calling. I came to realize that I could always go back after finishing a four-year course in what seminarians called a ‘secular’ university.
Thanks to a lot of prayers, I managed to pass the transferees/shifters examination here at UST. I wasn’t expecting to do well, let alone pass the admission test, I’ve read nothing but the Bible for nearly two years, and life at the seminary totally screwed my understanding of numbers. Some of the test questions given didn’t make much sense to me that they might as well be written in Japanese.
I wrote ‘AB, College of Arts and Letters’ in my choice of college to enter. I figured it’s the only, and I do mean only place I’d fit in. I came to AB with the initial intention of taking up Communication Arts (I hope my mentioning that doesn’t affect my chances of being admitted to BES), after all, close friends say after all things considered that it was my destiny. I was going through that phase you get the severe case of identity crisis, not knowing where to go and what you’re actually good for, so I took their advice. I mean, what if these nerdy friends of mine were actually right (and if they’re wrong, at least I have them to blame the guilt on). So far, life here at AB has been good, it could have been better though if the enrollment for irregulars doesn’t take ten years to accomplish.
What really decided me to take up BES was when I took up Bes 101 under Dr. Salvador last summer (’95). Except for all the Literature and English subjects, it proved to be the only subject (after two semesters) that really grabbed my interest. Dr. Salvador gave quizzes in moderation, so I didn’t mind reviewing much of the technicalities of psyche, mainly because I was actually learning something I liked. And when the summer class for Bes 101 had drawn to an end, I wasn’t really satisfied with what the introductory subject taught, I wanted more.
And so it hit me—bam!!! I’ve found my other calling besides Christian Ed, playing loud music, writing songs and bad poetry; I finally found my true major. I was overjoyed (plus a tear fell).
I can even justify why not the other majors:
It’s not that some of the students are too sossy or trying too hard to be cute in COMM ARTS as some people say. I had good public speaking training during high school and I’m really confident as a speaker. As General Secretary of an ecology group in Muntinlupa, I used to conduct small environmental seminars in slum areas, and formal workshops. Plus I also do lectures in my Dad’s congregation on basic Christian Ed, so I think that’s all the Comm Arts I need.
I love writing articles and bad poetry, and I also have this fetish for classical literature, I was the Features Editor of our school paper back in high school, so JOURNALISM and LITERATURE did cross my mind. But then again I don’t want that as a profession. It’s just a little hobby of mine to write, something I do for fun and learning. It’s how I bluff my way out of mediocrity.
ECONOMICS, POLITICAL SCIENCE, and LEGAL MANAGEMENT are too technical and theoretical and are therefore considered by that little voice inside my head to be boring. And I hear that one of which requires a “calculus” subject, which is synonymous to the word “flunk” in my dictionary.
ASIAN STUDIES is too much fuss over dead people and other countries. I can get my fill of information of other Asian cultures by reading books. Besides, I hate maps!
I enjoy reading philosophy books and studying the teachings of those dead Greek philosophers, and I believe if one has a firm grasp of comprehension in philosophy, that individual is less likely to be moronic (or at least it won’t show much). I enjoy having conversations with philo-majors, they’re so intellectual and so…um, philosophic. But then again I don’t intend to teach philosophy, be a lawyer (sorry dad), or be a priest (I’m a Protestant).
And lastly, I hear SOCIOLOGY is lots of fun to study, but no offense, I think I prefer BES a whole lot better.
You see, if I’m not admitted, I HAVE NO WHERE ELSE TO GO!!!
Aside from that, I love dealing with people (think about my being a seminarian and an environmentalist, that’s people oriented stuff), I’m sensitive to the needs of others (ask my girlfriend, she’ll attest to my exceptional thoughtfulness), and am sufficiently emotionally stable to withstand tremendous pressure (so far, holding a high powered firearm to the skull of my younger sister has occurred to me once or twice, but then it never did actually happen. If you know my sister you’ll know what I mean. Patience becomes more of a godly attribute rather than mere human virtue when living with her). I’m good at oral and written communication skills (all that public speaking and poetry stuff is actually true). I’m extremely attentive to details (quality is what matters most), and in spite of what my girlfriend tells me, I know I am emotionally stable and mature; and finally I do have this strong sense of justice and fairness (one of my favorite TV shows back then was “Dark Justice” and as a child I wanted to grow up to be a vigilante once).
If a strange force is acting upon your decision making, telling you that I am to be admitted to study Behavioral Science at AB, it shall not only answer my life long inquiry of 'Why am I like this?', prevent the decline of civilization, salvage the disrupted ecological balance of nature, and contribute to the summation of human knowledge, but it will also make my parents very happy!
