A
Blogger shares, when she has time:
This exchange of emails are by 3 law students. The first one is Bones. 26
years old, and one of the brilliant writers from Ateneo (pre-law). He
wrote to the class’ yahoogroup to announce that he is not pursuing
lawschool. The second one is Ces, the girl in the block who graduated magna
cum laude from UP’s Department of Philosophy, now with a probee status but
staying put. The third one is me. I just felt I had to post it in
my blog. I post ones that matter and make sense (well, atleast for
me)… and can relate to most people like us - "struggling law
students". I also post it to non-lawstudents, to have a glimpse and
a feel of what kind of world we are in - the struggles we face but make us
better persons, everyday. 
Bones:
I
have always had two dreams; one is to live a complicated life, to
become a man with immense power, entwined to the very fabric of
Philippine and world politics, the other is to live a simple life, to
become a man with above-average wealth, entwined to the lives of my
future kids. The first is a dream to be a boulder falling from a
mountain, high-impact, creating great changes early. The other is a
dream to be a pebble falling from the same mountain, low-impact,
gradually making changes, little by little, wishing that it’ll turn
into an avalanche.
Last
Friday, as many of you know, I came face-to-face with a monumental
turning point. I fell below the required yearly grade point average and
was not eligible for enrollment. Though I am still entitled to an
appeal, I have decided that I will not pursue that anymore.
These
past few days have been tough, swinging from one decision to another.
Some friends I have consulted while some I asked to pray for an
enlightened choice. I must reassure you that I was never sad nor
regretful, which probably contributed to my decision. To those who texted me their support, thank you, to those who kept asking ‘musta’� I tell you with a smile that that’s such a stupid question.
To
those wondering what I will do now, I plan to write. I plan to change
the world with my pen. I’ll eventually look for work, but I must first
know if I’m cut out to be a writer.
UP
Law will forever be a part of my life, the parking lot, the corridors,
the library, & the classrooms have become my second home, something
a proud Atenean like myself would have never imagined. I am proud to
say that my blood is as much maroon as blue, but only as to law schools
are concerned, I will never cheer for the UP Maroons.
To
my block, I beg you to remain the same, our arguments make us stronger,
our differences keep us closer, we need no sack race to unite us, for
we are already one. I’ll still be here to support you in your
endeavors. I’ll still be a shoulder to cry on, a belly to drink with,
and a face to laugh at.
With
this, I would like to wish you all luck, and remind you that we still
owe Ate Con a hefty amount of cash. Also, I still honor the bet on
Digoy, and will deliver on it when we have the inter-A party, if I’m
still invited. Moreover, I would like to acknowledge that Tere does
have a "boyfriend," Armi is a girl, and Jen is a UP student. And so, I
relinquish my seat in the first row, my place in the EJT, and my claim
on courting Kalin, though I might reconsider the last one.
I
know that someday, when you are marching to get your diplomas, or
studying for your bar, or about to sign the roll of attorneys, a part
of me would be envious, but a greater part will be full of pride for
your accomplishments. I ask a simple thing from you though, all you do,
I ask you do for God’s Greater Glory. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
Response of Ces:
bones,
today, i was looking for you in class. and now, i have
read your mail. YOU ARE STRONGER THAN THIS. this is
what i have learned last semester, when they wouldnt
let me enroll because i flunked 5 units out of sixteen
with my 8 units without grade. I had to beg ma’am beth
for my grade online which she didn’t give until the
last day of enrollment. i almost didn’t make it. It
was a friday too, when I learned they could not allow
me to enroll. I cried my eyes out in front of Jeifan
and Rom. And i went from one decision to another just
like you. I thought, "KUng walang law, walang
problema. Quit na lang"…
I went absent for a week, just crying back home in
Bulacan. I told the block I’m leaving. what were the
chances anyway that the persons grade i was waiting
for would be a three? The week’s wait would be
torture. I had decided to leave but I didn’t. This was
what my mom told me. "ANAK, PANGARAP MO YAN. KUNG
BIBITAWAN MO NGAYON NA MAY PAG-ASA KA PA, YOU WILL
LOOK BACK AT THIS MOMENT KNOWING IT WAS YOU WHO GAVE
UP ON YOURSELF."
I got in last semester but that’s not the end of my
problems. Alam mo bones, my GWA right now is 2.8854,
inc. ako sa Oblicon. I have to take the Oblicon exam
before the 20th, get a 2.5 for Oblicon so i can make
it to cut off grade. pumapasok pa rin ako.
kilala na ako sa College Sec dahil sa problem ng
grades ko. dati, hiyang hiya ako kasi from undergrad
magna cum laude, i have to beg for my own grade this
time in law school. Ngayon hindi na. Kahit pa sabihin
ng buong batch na ako ang pinakulelat na estudyante ng
batch 2009 (huwag naman sana :P) hindi ako mahihiya.
Mas mura naman ang pride kesa sa pangarap. Kailangang
maging matatag.
Kaya Bones, I beg you to please reconsider this
decision. I hope to see you in class soon. please,
pumasok ka until magka result yung appeal. kaya mo
yan. susuportahan ka namin.
muah!
My response:
I texted you awhile ago and I had not read your email yet at that time
but now I have. Bones… I am not you, who am I to say what is right
for you. You know what is best for yourself, you have a mind of your
own, and only you can tell if what you have written down is a sure
thing… but if there is still some part of you who wants lawschool,
bro, continue with it.
You are a good student… you can
recite. Grades do not completely determine how you perform, who you
are… it is a mix of factors - favoritism, appeal, malas, luck. But I
know you. I know you can make it.
Its just strange that I who
was completely in drop out mode in the first semester, not coming to
class for a week, crying for days for the feeling of not making it,
rebelling and coming to class without reading anything at all is the
one who is still here continuing what I started. But I gave myself a
shot in the second semester. Slowly, I was desensitized to the 5’s, to
embarassments, to coming to class without reading the case I am suppose
to recite… because slowly and unconsciouly I became a fighter and a
better person. I hope this also happened to you.
Sorry also for being pissed with me in crim 2, I am not really a very
good writer and I write slow. But, when I recall, I am just glad those
things happened because I realize we could still work and get a good
grade :).. and I slowly see the real you.. a person who is masungit..
but despite, you are still lovable. I also like you because of your
objectivity.
Bones I am transferring to the night class with
a lot of reasons. Firstly, I seriously want to get focus with my
business "Lapis Papel Atbp" which I already had since 2003..
originally, I was pissed with lawschool that I want the load to be
lax… but since nakaya ko naman ang second sem, nag-iba na reason ko
sa pag night class. I am still waiting for the landlord (of the
barbershop of UP shopping center) na babaan sa 15 thou ang rent… pag
nag "oo" I will be opening my second branch soon. I also want to prove
myself (as you told me when we were in the corridor, when I was about to
drop persons) like you. I hate the feeling of not making it… and I
probably would regret not continuing with it when I know that only
fear, stress, failures and depression are stopping me.
I wish you well Bones, think about it really hard alryt? 
we’re here for you.
