Signed Blooms

The milk tea craze in Manila started a few years ago. Until now, it really is a very popular drink/dessert in the metro, especially for young people like me who are not that much fond of coffee.

From the tea-est to the milkiest, here are some of the popular milk tea fixes that have branches all over Manila.

Happy Lemon

Happy Lemon's might not be that of a big hit now compare to its earlier days but seriously who tasted a drink from their Rock Salt and Cheese series and wasn't delighted by it? A sip to that heavenly cheese cream always made my day. I just can't get enough of it that I always ask for extra.

Happy Lemon's Cocoa Rock Salt and Cheese with Black Pearl Sago and Bubble Waffle

The photo was way back last February when I got the pearl for free as part of their Valentine's promo. It was also the time when they just introduced the bubble waffle (inspired by the popular egg waffle in Hing Kong) on their menu.

If milk is not your thing, their Special Lemon Cooler (with QQ Jelly) is a must try too!

Dakasi

Dakasi offers sweeter milk tea versions in large portions. My sister is a fan but it's a bit too sweet for me. Their drinks are more on the milky side which I think is deliberately done to target the millenials.

Gong Cha

Chatime

Moon Leaf

Tokyo Bubble Milk Tea

Graduating at the age of 19 felt like I was being thrown to the world of adulthood so abruptly.



Few weeks after the commencement ceremony, my batchmates started going to work one by one. I was pressured to hurry up and get a job too, asap.

It took me two months to receive a job offer from a pretty decent company that provides above average salary for an entry-level position. Graduating with honors meant getting a much higher paying job than your batchmates–or I, at least, had to make up for that expectation.

My first day of work is also my last day as a teen. It's just so cliché that I wrapped up my teenage years with a confused, thrown-in-a-new-world self who felt all the difference of being in her twenties.

I can say it started well. I, together with other fresh grad new hires had to undergo training for like the first three months before doing "billable" work. The training rooms were just like classrooms with a smaller number of enrollees. The familiar feeling of studying and excelling comforted me for quite a while.

Things started to get boring just after a few weeks I started getting formal tasks. That time I realized how the nature of my job pisses me off. I so much hated their process. Despite of being good, even receiving bonuses, I can't feel any fulfillment. That's the point I told myself I can't grow here. I'll just get stuck with these robots who hide under the name of this giant, multinational company. Every morning I walk to work and catch my weary reflection in a corporate attire, I hear a little voice inside me saying this is so not you. You should be out somewhere else where you can explore new things, a place where you can be more happy at.

That winter I turned in my first resignation letter. It wasn't that hard as it seems. During my last day, I went out to dinner with my colleagues whom I already built a good relationship with, given that short period of time. They were actually the only reason I find it a bit sad to leave. The thing I could never forget that night is when one of them says I look brighter that time than she'd ever seen me.

But of course, I didn't want to end up on streets and disappoint the people who believe and support me. Before I resigned, I already accepted a new offer from a company I think I'll fit in.

It's been a bit more than a year since then and I can still say that I'm happy with my job. I love how I'm surrounded with intelligent, cool people. The atmosphere and culture is very similar to that of my university–passion-driven people whom you get intimidated to but also admire, friendly environment where you always feel welcome, and a home to learn more knowledge, to grow.

It felt so great to stop doing work for that shitty, compatible-only-with-IE application and start catching up with new technologies the ever-changing and innovating world of computing science has to offer!

Yes, I despised my first job but I can understand why people are hanging in there, especially those breadwinners who have family to support. Even though the pay is not that really high, especially if you started in an entry-level position, the company offers great benefits. I always joke that when I come to "pera-pera na lang" (work only for money) stage, I might come back there, demand a higher salary and just find happiness from other things aside from work.

But for young people like you (and me), let's not get stressed out with a job we don't like. Don't work just for the sake of it (or for money). You should learn from my mistake. Don't get pressured to get a job right away after grad. Also, failing a job application doesn't always mean your lesser competent than those who passed. It's either impressing others is just their thing or the job doesn't really suit you. You should never get upset because of that.

I do envy one of my friends who says she'll work for her company until her retirement. How happy she might be to be able to say that! I hope, someday, I can also tell myself that and be like "This is it! This is what I want to do. This is SO me. Dream job, indeed!". But not that I want to be an employee forever, ah.

Summer just kicks off here in Manila and it's been really hot for these past few weeks. T'is is indeed the perfect season for some coolers!

These questions are like haunting, right? Those are the first two questions Sophie got from a man named Alberto Knox. These are simple questions that become complicated the more you think about them. It’s like the more you try to find an answer the more you can’t think of a valid, concrete one.

Sophie's World is like my "all-people-on-earth-should-read" book. It was just the "perfect" book, well at least for me the first time I read it. (I was then a high school student, turning 15, like Sophie.)

Just imagine how Gaarder allows the reader to play an important role and be a part of the story. Oh, man! It's just amazing - asking yourself those haunting questions like Sophie did, and reading Sophie's story together with Hilde (in Hilde's world) while reading the latter's story at the same time in your own world—it's just insane! It's like you've become so eager to see what's written on the last three pages to end this whole craziness but you can't because you know Hilde feels the same way but she bears it, reading words after word, page after page, and you want to prove that you can bear with her and thus can do nothing but try to cease all the excitement you feel inside.

However, I think only those who love philosophy or at least once wonder about the mystery of life will bother to finish reading it. It's the kind of book that is very interesting for those who are into it but is very, very boring for those who are not.

I'm sure fans of Sophie's World think that those who read it but did not come to like this book are kind of odious. Haha. And I'm not excluding myself. It's like screw them 'cause they don't give a damn about life, Philo and stuff. Haha. But yeah, we have different interests and we should respect that. But still, it's just...hmm...a shame.

Well, after all it's my "all-people-on-earth-should-read" book. I'm sure you'll feel the same way for your own too.

"It might sound like Augustus trying to justify himself to Hazel but still, I hope, someday, I can look up the sky and say, "Aha, I lived a fruitful life. I'm thankful...deeply thankful."

It has been more than a week since the commencement exercises. It wasn't the best graduation ceremony ever and surprisingly, way less fun than what I've expected.


College Recognition

Imagine sitting alone on the last row of the seats allotted to graduates with no seatmate to talk to for the entire program! Take my sablay off and I'm no different from parents and guests who were arguing for seats. Poor me! And not to mention, that at least two of the other graduates and I was wearing the same dress. Haha. It's a relief that I don't know them.

Commencement Exercises

I admit that the commencement exercises is a bit better than the college recognition (and so is the medal). If it wasn't for those tactless people sitting at the back, the event could be much better. And also, being called after the cream of the crop, isn't a good thing really. Everyone thinks I kinda looked pitiful considering the difference in our cheers. Hahaha. I didn't notice it when I was on stage so it didn't really bother me until they told me that. I guess there are times when you wish to graduate without the laude thing after your name.



But still, graduation is a good thing. That sense of accomplishment makes everyone feels fulfilled, not just the graduates but their parents as well.

And because we're now graduates, we can have our photo taken with Oble without having to worry about the curse of delayed graduation. Seems like a tradition for me. We also had our photo taken with these famous sunflowers that blooms during graduation time.

Yes, it is a good thing though it haunts us to find ourselves and be more independent. And because our degree program spares us from taking a board exam, we start to wonder what to do now...where to go next?

"UP Life? Yes, it's full of uncertainties...but that's what makes it so exciting! Happy graduation! Congrats to all of us! Aja, aja! Gambatte!"

That was the last paragraph of the acknowledgment section of my SP docs I was writing a few days ago. Yes, that's right! Magsasablay na ako! I'm part of the BIG day and only God knows how happy am I.

Submitting hardbound and CD copies of my thesis last Tuesday cemented my name on the list of this year's graduates.

Final Requirements for Graduation

Yes, they're all green, one of my favorite colors, ang kulay ng tagumpay for Batch 2014 UP Manila Computer Science graduates.

After four years of barely surviving UP life, I finally MADE it. It's been a rocky and tiring journey, indeed. To those who've been part of this joy ride, thank you. 진심이야.

The university will not set my calendar from now on. Form 5 will not dictate my schedule anymore. Woaah... [insert my name here] is all grownup. But let's not concern ourselves about those matters in the meantime. I just want to enjoy the present to its fullest.

I congratulate all the graduates. And to those who are still struggling, this post is for you, too. You're almost there, I know that. Konting push na lang. Aja!

God has always been good to me that I received much much more than I deserve. Thank You.

행복 해요... 정말 행복 해요.