I'm not entirely sure about the date but I knew I took my University of the Philippines College Admissions Test in around August, four years ago. I remember waking up at 3a.m. eating milo oatmeal for breakfast. I remember not feeling any pre-exam jitters or anxieties. If anything, I felt entirely calm. But still, I was excited for my first time taking an actual college entrance exam.
I remember my lolo taking me to UP Diliman that morning. When we got there in just an hour's time, it was still dark. It was drizzling. Palma Hall. That was my exam venue. A lot of people were grouped outside the threshold waiting to take their chance at the first step of admission. I recognized some faces who were my classmates for Advanced MTAP (Math Teachers' Association of the Philippines) classes in high school. Being the painfully shy and awkward kid I am, I decided not to say hi since they might not recognize me too.
Being quite antsy already from waiting, I remember walking over to a nearby waiting shed and bringing out one of my review books. I tried to read at an attempt to make sense of the Physics equations and geometrical shapes swimming around the pages. Yeah right, like THAT'LL help.
I remember munching on snacks I bought with my grandfather en route to UPD. I felt so sleepy that just shading the circles exhausted me. I remember feeling quite chilly because I forgot to bring a jacket with me.
I remember so many details about that day. Taking the test that out of 70,000 hopefuls aspire to pass only about one-third of that figure actually do so. Well, at least that's what I've heard.
My classmates and I got our results from our guidance counselor. Upon ripping open those little envelopes, our hopes didn't seem as crushed as we would have thought. We laughed about it. I got an expected GWA of 2.40! Well waddaya know ;)
If my memory serves me right, I think there was a tiny little part of my that cried and hurt a little when I found out I didn't pass. But that little part of me that fluttered into oblivion was filled with something else.
Oh hello, UST.
:)
