By Patrick Altavas Images by Hagin Moreno Busto Have you ever been thrown into a game without knowing any of the rules and so you make the rules up as you go? Well that’s what life studying at the University of the Philippines (UP) was, at least for me. Most likely, your first glimpse of UP would be when you take the UPCAT, and it’s a waiting game after that. You muster up all the patience in the world and hope you get to see your name on the list. And when you do, you’ll get that sudden jolt of satisfaction knowing that this is where you’ll start to find your actual purpose. On the first day of class, you take a huge deep breath and take the whole campus in, and you realize you’ll be spending four or more years in this place. The University of the Philippines-Diliman campus in Quezon City is indeed a sight to behold. It basically feels like a park, where you can be one with nature, as you enjoy the many cups of coffee that will help get you through college. It is indeed a wondrous place. Some may argue that the facilities are quite old, but I personally think that adds to the overall authenticity of the setting. You marvel at the antique sense of it all, only to realize you’ll be late for your next class, which is apparently a 30-minute walk away from where you are. When you get to class, you’re most likely soaked in sweat, because you probably didn’t know how the ikot jeepney works. In class, you immediately notice how the cultures between students differ, which some would say lead to having some sort of culture shock. Sure, you’re so used to the people you met in high school, but you aren’t probably used to other people, with the way they talk and the way they dress up. I guess that’s one of the key things about UP, though. It’s the people. Well, the diversity of the people, to be exact. Every person you cross paths with has their own unique story. They’re from all walks of life. This is a place where you are truly free, to a certain sense. You have the freedom to choose your organizations, your PE class, the way you dress (with still a modicum of propriety, with hope), and, to some degree, the classes you want to take. TWIN BUILDINGS The Malcolm Hall and the Benitez Hall are born from the same design. When you get around to attending your classes, you’d soon realize how intellectually superior almost everybody is in comparison to you—but you will have your own moments, don’t worry. I entered BS Chemistry with very little background on chemistry, and the first semester was intimidating, as if I was thrown into the ocean with no floaters.  It does get better. You’ll learn to understand how each subject works, and you’ll manage to anchor yourself on your passions or dreams to get through the day. It is one bumpy ride: you have to learn how to handle your time, how to procrastinate even, and discover the value of coffee, particularly in your most desperate moments. Soon enough, when you get comfortable—which was around second year, for me—you’d start to know how the whole “studying” thing in college works, and you begin to become comfortable with things that seemed alien to you at first. I’d like to think that the thing UP throws at you doesn’t get easier throughout your stay, but instead you get more tolerant and wiser with each passing day. Before you know it, you start to wander off with your friends into corners of UP Diliman that you probably didn’t know existed. And then, you start to experiment with the different food venues and stalls recommended to you by upperclassmen. A TOUCH OF MODERN The College of Science Building You’d basically have the time of your life, until you realize that you’re almost at the end of the line, that you’re almost going to graduate. Time flies fast, I know. At this point, everything you’d be doing would probably be focused on finishing your thesis. If you’d take BS Chemistry like I did, this wouldn’t be a walk in the part. This is, after all, the only barrier left that would keep you from your glorious sablay, your symbol of pride and success for having made it out of UP alive. When you do finish your thesis, and see it bound together between two green hard covers with your name up front, you can’t help but feel a certain sense of pride. All those sleepless nights have been worth it, and you breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you’ve gone through one long but worthwhile journey. Near graduation, you look at the campus, stare at the faces of the people around you, take in the sight of the trees, savoring just how cinematic everything is. You notice that tree inside the campus of UP Diliman that releases cotton fluffs, which go very dramatically with the rays of the sun as each fluff dances with the wind. Yes, it adds to the emotion that you are feeling. You start to think about just how far you’ve gone and where you will go to next. Depending on what your plan after college is, which in my case is to pursue studies in medicine, the next path might be very different from the one you’re about to leave behind. One thing is for sure, though: You can never forget the years you spent on this campus, at this university that helped shape you.