Fenomenal by The BEACON Publications

Fenomenal

The Official Summer Publication of The BEACON

Vol. I, Issue I April-May 2015

SPOTIFYING TO SCHOOL By Trisha Ortega

Couch

Potatoes,

UNITE! By Franco Cananea & Fatima Mandangan

#Summertime Sadness

THINGS They Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Tell You on How to Survive AdZU By Kent Kerby Bayona

TABLE OF CONTENTS 03

I Hate, er, Heart Summer Classes By Mia Carro Falcasantos & June Karlo Suan

Back to School Bookends By Pristine Janielle Padua

Darkness and DroughtWoes:Ten Things to Do By Christianne Dawn Sicat

OPENS IN CINEMAS THIS JUNE By Irene Wahab

Declassified: 10 Things They Dont Tell You on How to Survive AdZU By Kenty Kerby Bayona

SPOTIFYING TO SCHOOL By Trisha Ortega

Heaven for Loiterers By Fathima Ahamed Kabeer

08 09 11 13

A Gastronomic Tour of The Block By Ciara Obillo, Christine Oboy, Merzsam Singkee Yaya Meal Plus Unli Social Climbing and Bottomless Elitism By Franco Cananea FRESHIE SQUADS By Aseya Khadija Calo

COUCH POTATOES, UNITE! By Franca Cananea, Fatima Mandangan

ACPC: LIVING MAGIS By Irene Wahab

OPEN LETTER TO ACPC

PART TWO: ALEX MEETS ALEX

ABOUT THE COVER

hen outages outrage you, the darkness and the calescence consume your season. The frolicsome in the sunshine becomes a distant ideal and all you are left with are lingering, haunting memories of a summertime sadness. Model: Shorwayn Chua (Bs Bio III) Creative Team: Bianca Zamora, Lea Alessandra Lim, Mark Phillip Ycaza

Editor in Chief: Trisha Ortega Associate Editor for SINAG: Pristine Janielle Padua Associate Editor for Reveille: Aseya Khadija Calo Internal Managing Editor: Irene Wahab External Managing Editor: John Xyrious Dela Cruz Creative Director: Bianca Alyana Zamora Features Editor: Franco Rivas Cananea News Feature Editor: Kent Kerby Bayona News Editor: Fathima Ahamed Kabeer Head Cartoonist: Ioneebel Garcia Head Photographer: Lea Alessandra Lim Deputy Internal Managing Editor: Ciara Mae Obillo Deputy External Managing Editor: Christine Therese Oboy Associate Features Editor: June Karlo Suan Associate News Features Editor: Christianne Dawn Sicat Associate News Editor: Fatima Mandangan

s how eagles are born on a nest of twigs and stones, so do ideas take form, take flight from the unlikeliest of places. For EXCELLENCE AND COMMITMENT KNOW NO AIRCONDITIONG OR INTERNET CONNECTION

Finance Officer: Arjay Jumawan Communications Officer: Jessanell Sevilla Physical Property and Maintenance Officer: Julius Elciario LAYOUT ARTISTS: Dwight Anthony Yu, Ray Andrew Santiago, Jamie Catherine Go, CARTOONISTS: Daniel Alted Nebrija, Patricia Denise Apolinario, Hazel Rosie Bayaras, Roderick Mendoza Jr., Christopher Tabula, Fahad Alfad PHOTOGRAPHERS: Darrylene Clemente, Yves Xaviery Valerio, Ivan Emmanuel Bokingkito, Ryan Covarrubias, Mark Philip Ycaza WRITERS: Keith Joshua Dumpit, Ella Janelle Galea, Loren Marie Justo, Neilson Nick Alinsangan, Amira Solaiman, Mia Carrro Falcasantos, Almyrah Anudin, Aeon Rhys Abad, Jorace Martini Dayrit, John Dexter Canda, Leonette Anne Sadioa, Gillian Rome Manalo, Merzsam Singkee, Al-ameen Asmad, Mark Joshua Macaso, Therese Margarette Duterte, Ivon Macapla Moderator: Marion Guerrero

The BEACON. Surprising. Informing. Moving

edi tor ial NO SURPRISE

ummer in Zamboanga City has been in years a dreadful season as this is the time of the year when the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (ZAMCELCO) is rendered virtually inutile to stem the power shortages wrecking havoc on the local economy and plunging a highly-urbanized city into darkness –complementing an already unstable peace and order situation. This year, not to be outdone in misery-making, the Zamboanga City Water District enforced water rationing.

As expected, these two agencies came prepared. From their airconditioned offices, they pontificated to their beloved consumers an array of reasons, blaming everyone but themselves. After all, in this city, ‘taking responsibility’ is such a strange, lonely phrase. It does not command the same empathy, or paranoia, as the words ‘rally’ and ‘Bangsamoro’ do. This phrase has made it to English dictionaries but never to City Hall. Rather than generating feasible resolutions to address these lingering concerns, City Hall was unrelenting in promoting its escapist-themed summer festival, ironically dubbed “Summer na Zamboanga.” No surprise here, as it has been a favorite habit of the City Hall to depend on the national government in a wait-for-further-instructions mode. Such invertebrate mentality paired with a reactionary stance is the perfect formula for atrophy. As in how leech-like tricycle drivers go uncontrolled and shooting incidents unresolved, “Summer na Zamboanga” will persist as a most painful paradox. In a touching tribute, the tactless fiesta culminated in a dance party at the Paseo del Mar –the seaside monument to Zamboangueño political superficiality. For in Zamboanga City, though beset by power and water woes, you will find dancing fountains and garish Canton lights. No surprise there. •

SU MMER CL A SS SA D NESS 03

I Hate, er, Heart Summer Classes By Mia Carro Falcasantos & June Karlo Suan

ou know what’s cool? Like really, really cool? Summer. Classes. Summer classes, yep. It’s this magical time where you get to spend the only two free months of your year in school again because spending a good 3/4ths of the year isn’t enough. Wow! Amazing, right? More school! Exciting. It’s like we students don’t need rest or anything. More stress for us! Yay! Summer classes are just like regular classes but in summer. Having those two free months taken away from you is actually similar to eating fried chicken but the crispy skin you painstakingly peeled off and saved for yourself was taken away by someone else and eaten, right in front of you (with the crunchy sounds of heaven). I mean nah, it’s not sad at all. It’s not like the idea makes me teary or anything. It’s not like having a summer free from responsibilities is something I was so looking forward to. It’s not like that at all. Anyhow, I can still see my friends, you know, friends who are as happy as I am about the whole predicament. In fact, so happy that some even went ecstatic and berserk upon hearing they had summer classes after making La Presa, Laboracay, La Biga plans. Very happy indeed. I wouldn’t even know what summer is without its partner “school” now. My definition of summer is waking up at six in the morning after sleeping past midnight and chugging my daily morning dose of three cups of coffee. Waking up early in summer to attend a 7:30 class is way more advantageous than getting enough sleep and waking up at noon. I mean, what’s coffee for if I had enough sleep? The coffee industry would suffer if I didn’t take my daily dose in the morning and two more on midday. That’s not even counting my cup last night. Anyone with a sane mind would prefer being sleep-deprived and caffeine-induced early in the morning than waking up at noon. I mean, man, that’s just lazy. Now, during summer class, every time I take a break from the beloved projects and assignments given to me, I like to lean back, relax, and scroll down the beloved wall posts and pictures posted on Facebook. Beach pictures. Party pictures. Adventure pictures. Oh look, some of my friends getting all drunk and wasted. Oh hey, another friend is exploring a cave and oh another one posting gourmet meals. They’d think I get jealous of

that? What did they think I’d do? That I’d save those pictures and stare at them all day and all night while getting drunk and wasted too by drinking my coffee that I’d like to pretend is gourmet? Another fun thing about summer classes is the fact that uniforms aren’t mandatory and students get to wear whatever they want. OOTD season, baby! I mean, why even stress about your outfit? I don’t. I’ve never even screamed in frustration when I realized I have nothing good to wear; or dug through my mountain of clothes and pace around my room whether I should go with one outfit or the other; or revise my whole get-up when I realized my shoes don’t match. Never. I promise. And no, I’m not sweating or lying, no. It’s not like I’m one of those people whose insecurities govern their life. I’m not insecure at all. Who’s insecure? Not me, surely. On the other hand, I also like looking at my friends’ summery clothing with their sunglasses and slippers on. Seriously, who needs sunglasses when I can wear my ever so handy reading glasses! I can read my books! Who needs slippers too when you can just wear shoes. Sand won’t get stuck between my toes, oh wait, what sand. Did I also mention that I adore the requirements given to me? Rather than tanning under the summer sun and having that healthy brown sheen, I’d rather have the pasty white glow that the dark indoors offer while doing my assignments. Asian dermatologists hate me. Anyway, why have your toes in the sand when you can have your fingers on the keyboard typing that 5-page, single-spaced essay due tomorrow? Oh requirements, the anxiety you give me brings me to tears.

classes bring so much joy

See?

Summer

Lana Del Ray made a song for it –Summertime Sadness –and ZAMCELCO and ZCWD agree! •

ust when ZAMCELCO decides to be the Batman of the city, Zamboanga City Water District decides to be its Robin. Days go by when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sweating like gay bears due to power failure. Add to that, water supply is so limited, the closest thing we have to a bath is crying and letting the tears slowly cascade our drying skin. These days are days when we curse and swear more than Gordon Ramsay in Hellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen. Here are ten things to do, or might have already been done, to keep us preoccupied during the dark and dry days:

By Christianne Dawn Sicat 05

1.Reach the high notes to songs One of the things to do when it turns dark is the famous rendition to the classic ‘singingin-the-shower’ act that we all know and love. Whether hitting the right notes or not, singing at the top of our lungs when ZAMCELCO fails us yet again and Water District left us with only a dipper-high bathwater supply is an absolute must in every Zamboangueño’s guide to surviving the Dark Ages. Shout-out to the brave souls out there who have busted a lung singing to Beyonce’s Listen or Celine Dion’s Alone.

5.Shadow Play When it’s late at night and our darling ZAMCELCO decides it’s best to wake us up from a night of well-deserved sleep, for some of us, there is no going back to bed. Here is a tip to get through the blackout-blues: turn on the flashlight and put on a show! Make shadow-figures in the dark, tell a story with your fingers or just plainly move your hands in front of the beam. No matter the corniness, it sure beats sleeping in the dark and sweating it out (and no, not in that kind of sleeping and sweating).

2.Listen to the next-door-neighbors’ chismis When the lights go out and there’s not even a drop of water anywhere, even the sound of a needle dropping on a concrete floor is clearly audible. It’s no surprise why it is almost always inevitable that sooner or later, word goes around about who the latest chick is who just recently got knocked-up, or whose wife has gone and decided that life would be better off without her jerk-of-a-husband or where a family of six is planning to go on their next ‘big” vacation.

6.Try to understand In all troubles, understanding is crucial. Another thing to do in getting through a round of darkness and waterless-ness is simply to try and understand why things happen the way they do and why ZAMCELCO is what it is: a big pain in the ass. Quiet yourself down (after the incessant screaming and cursing at our beloved power cooperative), count to ten, try to put yourself in their shoes and think about what if you were in their position. This often, often leads to more hatred and loathing.

Keeping yourself busy and updated with your neighborhood’s latest buzzes is next on our list, because in the dark and dry, somehow, the whole world can hear (and because neighbors decide that it’s best to talk loudly on the phone outside of their houses).

7.Family Bonding The thing about blackouts is that it brings the family closer together, most of the time by force. We couch-potatoes-and-sorry-excusesfor-children leave our bat caves A.K.A. rooms, drawn out by the lack of electricity and internet, settle around the living room (‘round-thecampfire style) and ‘bond’. As with all families, the definition of bonding is never the same. Most prefer discussing grades and finding out what their children are up to, while others go for the more Filipino style of passing down family secrets and explaining the family tree. Hopefully, you don’t find out you’re not an only child.

3.Sleep the grief off Of course, let us not forget that the immediate thing we all do is swear and curse and wish that ZAMCELCO stops messing with our lives. Then, we mope around and wallow in the despair that is our city, and currently, our life and what karma have we done to deserve being in the dark. The best way to channel your grief is to take a siesta in the hopes that your waking moment is a moment when the lights are as bright as the gates of heaven. Beware though because you may end up waking up real wet you’d think you’re Sasha Grey. 4.Eat (or eat, again) Everybody’s favorite hobby, time of the day, thing to do, boredom-buster and everything else in between! When ZAMCELCO strikes again and the only sound audible around the house is the dropping of water with a 40-second delay from your faucet, the ultimate life-saver and remedy of every water- and electricitydeprived Zamboangueño is wiping out clean the cupboards of anything and everything edible, no matter what time of day or how often. The expression of “when no one else was there, food was” has never been truer.

8.Mosquito Body Count The dark brings out the worst in everyone. Considering that ZAMCELCO has yet again done its duty in making our lives a miserable mess, those pesky mosquitoes have to get in the way. Behold, a mosquito holocaust! Just remember that when the lights come back on, wash the blood off your hands and ‘bury’ the little insect bodies, in the event you have any water. 9.Re-think life decisions Are you heading in the right direction? Is this course what you really want? Are you really happy with him? Is she happy with you? It’s a long time before ZAMCELCO gets their act together. That’s enough time to think, don’t you? 10.Repeat until lights come back

Do it all, again. (cue Last Friday Night, Katy Perry in braces)

Part Two of Alex Meets Alex

y e y e Th Th s g s n g i n i Th Th YYoouu oonn ll e U ll T e Z U t T d ’ Z t n d ’ A Doon Suurrvviivvee A D S o t o t w Hoow H C Declassifie

ona

rby Bay

t Ke By Ken

ollege is a quintessence of life: it is one hell of a great ride but sometimes it sucks big time. What makes college a bigger eyeopening highway is that it makes you realize that you’re not the know-it-all star you thought you were in high school. More so, you get to appreciate the simple joys in life such as a 71 rating on a test you came prepared for. But fret not, nothing is too late. You may Google how to survive college, and they yield thousands of tips and lies. However, no one tells you how to survive Ateneo de Zamboanga University. AdZU is not the typical ecosystem for culture-shocked high school graduates—it has its own sets of norms that would make your culture-shock a communicable, terminal disease. No, they don’t offer services to treat that at the infirmary. Do you know that what you are paying as a school paper fee includes medical services and a legal guide? So here are some things that people don’t tell you how to survive college to prevent that disease from spreading like legs, I mean, wildfire. They are unspoken everyday things, but without them, please, you may carry on with sucking at life.

2 3

Learn to do things alone.

College is an avenue where you realize that the wishbone promises you made with your high school BFF would turn out to be just like what happened to the wishbone you used—broken. You’ll learn that there will be moments when a supposed group work would turn out to be a task done by you and you alone, and your groupmates somehow vanish in thin air at the time you need them but somehow manage to reappear at the time of submission just to check if their names that you so wanted to omit are included in your output. Learn to be independent because it’s not always the case that no man is an island.

If you don’t have an ID, just be pretty.

I cannot personally vouch on the effectiveness of this as for almost four years in Ateneo, the guards always check me twice even if I have an ID. Nonetheless, it’s better to look pretty than to look suspicious because I swear lady guards will grill you with so much questioning as if you’re 18 pounds of beef.

because nobody wants to stay in college forever. This is not high school where you may just absent yourself anytime you like as long as you have that lame excuse letter written in an intermediate paper with a forged signature of your mother. Besides, every unit is expensive. Make use of your money wisely.

Befriend someone smart.

Do not print at the Computer Laboratory.

Yes, I already told you to learn to do things alone, but not all the time. Some people are born smart for a reason, at least make use of that fact. Socialism! Since the dawn of our civilization, Treborzhas been the stronghold of fast and cheap printing. Don’t be fooled by its smoker’s pub face as inside hides the saviour to every student’s thesis/FFP reflection paper/ literature reaction paper printing problems. Try not to go to the computer laboratory for printing because of its firm belief that paying four grand is not enough that they have to charge 5 pesos for every page.

Being a beadle is something like, “many are called, and few are chosen.” Or just one. I can attest to this strategy with my Math 101 class because I admit to myself that I am the dumbest person when it comes to math, like 4+7 should be solved using a calculator because, well, just in case. So if you can’t trust your brain, there are other ways, darling. Some of the privileges of volunteering may be additional points in the final grade, an exemption in the first quiz, and whatnot. Being a class beadle is such a respected vocation!

Take calcium.

Join organizations.

Find a me-place.

Minimize your late and absences,

Volunteer as class beadle.

Yes, you’ve read that right. Ateneo has no footbridges from one building to another. We don’t like weak knees here, soldier!

It’s nice to have friends from your organization. Sometimes, they help you with your assignments. Sometimes, it’s where you’ll find someone to fall in love with but ignores you anyway. The odds are high, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Well, Ateneo is not that big, but I’m pretty sure there’s a place for everyone. The pews of the church, the logs under the acacia trees in the backfield, the bathroom cubicle (note: it’s a meplace, not we-place), inside the broken elevator or the drainage. We don’t mind, it’s your personal space after all.

Stay safe.

Don’t fall in love.

College is the time for raging hormones. If you really can’t hold it, guys, just remember that not every lady can dodge the bullets you shoot. Ladies, remember that it’s not all the time that you’re wearing a bulletproof vest to protect you from bullets. That’s already enough reason to make you think twice. Falling in love sounds like a nice thing, but then again, look at what happened to Titanic. So love something that won’t make you hit an iceberg and freeze you to death; like food and sleep and movies and internet—they all understand your plight. Anyway, this is not counted because this is already the 11th.

Open Letter to ACPC Freedom of expression is never absolute. The aforementioned statement is a challenge to all student journalists, me included, and to all members of The BEACON Publications. Every time we write articles and cover stories and events, we are threading a very fine line between what we believe as the freedom to express our opinions, and what others believe to be slanderous and preposterous conclusions. Yet, more than being a student publication geared toward campus press freedom and journalism, The BEACON Publications is composed of students characterized by Atenean ideals, which harks on the need to step back and admit to our shortcomings and disappointments as a student publication. The opinion article “To CPC is to Believe,” written by Neilson Nick Alinsangan, in the year-end newsmagazine issue of The BEACON has unfortunately been marred with errors of fact. Thus, The BEACON Publications, particularly the entire Editorial Board of the previous administration, wishes to sincerely express its regrets over how the aforementioned article may have hurt or offended members of the Ateneo College Parents Council (ACPC). Such lapse of judgement on our part is a call for reflection on our identity and responsibility as an organization. As editor in chief during that period, I take full responsibility on the unintended repercussions of such an unfortunate episode. The dialogue between the ACPC and The BEACON Publications has been fruitful and meaningful at best. And we have learned, coming from the ACPC, to always look first at the good side of the person and of the story. We are not a perfect student publication. We have our own struggles and challenges but we never turned our back on them. As the official student publication of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, we will keep growing and learning. The BEACON Publications is always open to those who want to be heard. We are Your BEACON. Your Voice. Your Light. John Xyrious Q. Dela Cruz Editor in Chief Emeritus

Heaven for Loiterers

ACPC: Living Magis

By Fathima Ahamed Kabeer

By Irene Wahab

ou’re ou’re bored bored and and clueless clueless as as toto where where toto go. go.Your Your next next class class is, is, say, say, an an hour hour and and aa half half or or even even three three hours hours away away and and home home just just seems seems too too far far away away toto go go toto and and return return back back unless unless nature nature calls calls requiring requiring you you toto drop drop something something as as explosive explosive as as the the 9/11 9/11 attack. attack. Where Where can can we we go go toto given given that that the the closest closest thing thing toto the the metropolis’ metropolis’ walking-distance walking-distance cozy cozy coffee coffee spots spots are are milk milk tea tea stores stores with with annoyingly annoyingly overrated overrated “some “some word word with with aa ti/ty/tee ti/ty/tee syllable” syllable” name name scheme? scheme? The The BEACON BEACONhas hasrounded roundedsome somein-school in-schoolspots spotstotokill killtime timeor orififyou yousimply simplywant wanttotostay stay atatsome someplace placethat thatisn’t isn’tthe theclassroom. classroom.

>> Superbackfield

If you are the type of person who loves to be noisy, loves the warm days or cold ones, loves how noise can travel so far and come off as a whisper or who simply loves a shady place to run around tossing a Frisbee disc, go to the Superbackfield and claim a kiosk. In case you were wondering, Superbackfield is the area on the further side of the open field bordering Nuñez Street. It may be a bit farther away from your next class, but with the trees and the full view of the back of the Xavier Hall building (XH), this is one of those spots that you have a little of both worlds. Come windy days, the rustling of the leaves will make this a favorite spot and the komerebi is a sight to see. Since it’s far off from building that you can illegally play cards and gamble and be as noisy as you please.

>> Fr. Jose Bacatan, SJ Library/Sleeping Inn You stayed up late doing research, assignments, reading your favorite novel or even catching up with Aquino and Abunda Tonight. These times well spent resulted in five hours of sleep tops. Wouldn’t you just love to catch up on some sleep? Then the college library is just for you. Located on the second floor at the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) building, this is not just a favorite spot to review notes or cram but for cat-naps, too. It’s always normal to find students hugging their bags with bubbles floating atop their heads and dreaming peacefully.

>> Sauna Atenista / Cafeteria

Long lunch breaks? Or the type who just loves to eat during spare time? Head to the cafeteria! It may be a pocket-sized 100-seating area for a school with at least 3000 students, it is still packed with different kinds of food to satisfy your cravings. Be it fruit shakes to shake off the warm weather, sweet pastries for the sweet tooth or rice meals for lunch, there is undeniably a variety of choices. Indulge into your food and before you know it, it’s time for your next class!

of Broken Dreams / >> Boulevard College Garden Serving as the courtyard of the College Building, the College Garden is the perfect spot to just stare as the world goes by. The place is surrounded with cherry blossom wannabes you can take photos of. Don’t be deceived by its beauty and Japan-esque exterior because right along the side of this garden is the School of Management and Accountancy’s office. SMA students often sit on the benches, waiting in vain as they try to make the cut for a Management test or get an approval for their feasibility paper, thus the brand

he Ateneo College Parents Council (ACPC), is an organization inside our university, that some of us might never even heard of. In their 22 years of existence, they never deemed it necessary to be recognized. However, that does not mean they do not deserve it.

outreach programs) must be approved by at least a majority of the 21-member-board before disbursement. All these are made possible by a Php377,000.00 per semester fund. Initially, they only receive half of this amount, up until just last school year when the organizational fee attributed to them rose from Php 50.00 to Php 100.00.

College students’ parents and guardians, who are all members of ACPC, chose individuals among themselves as their representatives, forming a collective body to run the organization. ACPC is an organization formed to conform to the CHED mandate, on how all schools should have an organization spearheaded by the parents of its students. It is to be an organizational arm that links parents to students, parents to co-parents, parents to the faculty and administration, and parents to the government.

You may not have heard of it, but ACPC provides a student loan assistance, administered by the Scholarships Office, where students can apply a maximum of a Php2,000.00 loan. This loan is payable within the semester, and is free from interest. It is designed to address those students who are in need of a financial aid.

One of their tangible projects is the Php135,000.00 financial assistance they provided for the covered walk from Gate 5 to MPCC that protects us from the wrath of drizzles, rains, and UV rays. They recently donated Php50,000.00 for the Pitik Bulag project. Moreover, they currently provided Php50,000.00 for our much needed armchairs. Along with that, they also offer several kinds of financial aids to students. Each semester, they appropriate funds for the tuition of their scholars (7 in total this upcoming semester) –a benefit which does not extend to children of ACPC officers. They also shell out Php5,000.00 for Transportation Subsidy, Php5,000.00 for Xerox Subsidy, Php2,000.00 for Mortuary Assistance, Php25,000.00 for Pan Cada Dia, and Php 50,000.00 for Student Loan Assistance. They also set allowance for rewards as an incentive for those who will graduate with Latin Honors, and a Php3,000.00 subsidy for each college. All of these, among others, are embedded in their by-laws, which means that it is carried out automatically. All other expenses (e.g.

“Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

>> Club Organization Offices

While not every club has a distinct room assignment, the different organizations have their own hangouts. The El Consejo Atenista (the most obvious hangout spot) is just by the ground floor of the Xavier Hall and two blocks away The BEACON office. The SACSI office near Gate 3 is the place for all the volunteers with so much heart to serve the outside community. SALT has its hang out spot in the Admissions Office. So many organizations, so make sure you join one to not just have a place to go to, but to make college a memorable one.

>> Hallways and Classrooms

An endless choice to what you prefer. If you like the soft breeze and sunlight on red, try the college building hallways, or if you like a little gray with an eerie sort-of-feel, then the LRC is for you. Or just find an empty classroom, be it the one for your next class or any other and talk and laugh with friends. Sleep even. Finish those assignments, eat your lunch or merienda and simply just catch up on the things you love.

>> Computer Laboratory

In days when your fingers itch to scroll through our news feed or retweet Senyora Santibañez’s post, and you just can’t get a connection because of AdZU’s strict rule on wi-fi usage, the most obvious go-to place is a computer laboratory. AdZU houses three—two on the third floor of the Xavier Hall and one in the library. It might not have the most up-to-date technology and the comforts of your room, but it can provide just as much entertainment. But this is only possible if you’re lucky that classes in the laboratory don’t coincide with your free time.

Having mentioned all these, it is apparent that ACPC has done a lot and is doing a lot of things worth of gratitude. Some have put this gratitude into words. Jessanel Sevilla, a BSAc student and ACPC scholar has this to say, “Being one of the Board of Council isn’t a simple role to accomplish. It astounds me how committed these parents are in carrying out their responsibility as part of the Council without expecting something in return.” Mari Flor Pamalison, recent graduate of AdZU and now employed by the High School Unit recalls, “Sa aking kalagayan, na ako ang nag-aaral at ako pa ang naghahanap-buhay, napakahirap talaga pero naging madali sa akin ang lahat ng ito dahil sa ACPC.” “When children are in college, it’s the time where they start to spread their wings. As parents, this is the time when we shouldn’t completely let go of our children. It’s the time to build stronger and open relationships. Do not prematurely cut the umbilical cord,” said Lindy Lim, ACPC Immediate Past President and current Vice President. •

Couch Potatoes,

REVIEW

Unite!

By Franco Cananea & Fatima Mandangan

A Gastronomic

Tour

While you’re enraged at how Kylie Jenner in Keeping Up with the Kardashians gets so confused as she can’t make a decision of which set of false eyelashes to wear to buy soda over at Target, or crying yourself to sleep every night the same way I do because you can’t wait for the second season of How to Get Away with Murder, or real pissed at how Once Upon a Time, just like its Filipino counterpart Wansapanataym, has a plot so shallow you’d think it’s another JaDine or KathNiel movie, we’re pretty sure you would like these series to keep you company.

2 Broke Girls: For your dose of oxygen-depleting laughter 2 Broke Girls is a story about two girls, Max Black (starring Kat Dennings) and Caroline Channing (Beth Behrs), trying to make it out of their two-dollar net worth alive. Max, being a natural third-world lady, has a passion for baking cupcakes. Caroline, on the other hand, is a stereotypical rich blond princess-of-a-billionaire Malibu Barbie who lost all her money when her father was busted to have been earning so much money by defrauding his clients. The latter has a great business background as she comes from Warton University, an Ivy League school. Together they try to create a cupcake empire in the hopes that they rise out of their being broke, whilst working as waitresses in the Williamsburg Diner.

What sets this sitcom apart from, say, from another CBS-brewed sitcom like How I Met Your Mother, is that 2 Broke Girls is all sorts of funny. Let’s face it, HIMYM’s humor is made for a person whose intelligence is above sea level and the jokes thrown are too American. 2 Broke Girls, however, is sarcastic, sassy and relatable, with jokes more hilarious than Donald Trump’s “hairstyle,” and sarcastic remarks so educational, we landed a space in this newsmagazine. With additional characters like Polish socialite Sophie Kachinsky (a personal favorite), the all-time horny diner cook Oleg, 5-feet bullied diner boss Han Lee, and black cashier/crack addict Earl, the 2 Broke Girls cast is one family who will give you twenty minutes of extreme laughter.

The ck o l B

Pasion de Amor: SPG+++ Just when things couldn’t get any steamier in the Philippines, ABS-CBN has decided to make it more sweat-triggering by doing a remake of the phenomenal Colombian series Pasion de Amor. With stars Coleen Garcia (Jamie), Arci Muñoz (Norma) and Ellen Adarna (Sari) playing as the Elizondo sisters, and Ejay Falcon (Oscar), Joseph Marco (Franco), and Jake Cuenca (Juan) as the Samonte brothers, we’re sure to get a lot of scenes showing much skin and muscles and curves. This might be the closest thing yet that the Philippines has to the sexually explicit content of Game of Thrones. The Samontes, though orphans, are very family-oriented and sewn to each sibling of theirs with love. All the drama began when Olivia, the only sister of the Samonte brothers, fell in love with married haciendero Bernardo Elizondo. Gabriela Elizondo, having learned of her husband’s adultery, plotted a plan to put an end to the lives of Bernardo and his mistress, which she successfully does. This enrages Oscar, Franco and Juan, driving them to avenge their sister’s death. This is where our sweat turns to vapor and our libido fuels up—the brothers seduce their way to love with the sisters returning the favor by being as tempting as the snake in the Book of Genesis. Love, being the greatest weakness of Jamie, Norma and Sari, is what will get the brothers to manipulate the three flowers in the hopes that they make things right for their beloved sister. But the viewers are begged to ask: would love be the machos’ doom instead? Only by tuning in will we find out.

House of Cards: Politics, drama and everything outstanding

ne Obillo, Christi By Ciara Mae erzsam Singkee y& M Therese Obo

House of Cards is an online-only (XoXo –PLDTMyDSL) American adaptation of the BBC series of the same name, created by Beau Willimon, produced by David Fincher, and distributed by Netflix (If you haven’t heard of Netflix, it is an internet streaming media available in North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand.). After learning he won’t be appointed to a coveted Cabinet position, House Majority Whip Francis “Frank” Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his wife Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) plan revenge on the administration he helped elect, including the President of the United States. One aspect of the show you’ll definitely enjoy is the monologue– although you have to be really switched on and completely focused to ensure you don’t miss a beat because what’s said is never repeated, only referenced further down the track. Having spent two seasons in pursuit of power, the central couple, Francis and Claire Underwood – now the President and First Lady – found a completely new set of complications and challenges in retaining it. However, like any other series, there were negative reviews on its latest season. Some critics say that this season isn’t as full of twists as the previous two, that this season is slower than the other two and is narrower in scope and focus than the previous two– but the pace of this season is perfect! It slowed things down to reveal the dynamics of Frank Underwood’s relationships. The other seasons never really explored why Frank had the relationships he had with the other characters. House of Cards will continue to amaze its viewers with the political battles that are dished out between the president and seemingly everyone else. It will always be impossible to tell what’s going to happen next.

raving for delectable meals that would make you full and satisfied? Do you want to have those meals without exhausting your budget? This article provides you with a review of the most popular eating spots around the streets surrounding the Ateneo de Zamboanga University.

Flavorite Cuisine Popular for its savory and delicious cheeseburgers and palabok, eating at Flavorite Cuisine, located along Nuñez Street in front of Gate 5, is an opportunity you would not want to miss. With a budget of one hundred pesos, you would have the opportunity to taste what is deemed to be “the best burger in town.” Not only that, but the aforementioned restaurant also offers an array of meals, snacks, drinks, and meriendas that will leave you full and satiated.

Roebucks’ Eatery Craving for authentic and delicious home-cooked meals? Do you want to have those meals without draining your pockets of all the money that you have? Then Roebucks’ Eatery is the place for you. Located in front of Gamers’ Spot Internet Cafe, and beside City Inn Hotel, Roebucks’ serve various dishess that will make your mouth water. With a budget as low as thirty-five pesos, you can enjoy a full meal knowing that what you’re eating is worth the price.

warrants an enjoyable experience that will leave you with a full stomach.

satti, complementing with either beef (twenty-five pesos) or chicken liver (thirty-five pesos).

Keyo’s Little Kitchen

ThirsTea

Keyo’s Little Kitchen is known for its delicious servings of Sulu’s finest cuisines. Aside from traditional dishes, they also offer super-affordable meals. With only seventy-five pesos, you can choose from the following rice bowl meals which are accompanied with drinks already: chicken teriyaki, calaman ceviche, sweet and sour fish, honey glazed chicken, beef tapa, garlic buttered shrimp, and chicken pianggang (known to be the kitchen’s bestseller).

ThirsTea is popular for its affordable milk tea. With a budget of forty to one hundred pesos, you have a variety of milk teas to choose from depending on the price. Aside from milk tea, you may also enjoy other kinds of scrumptious drinks available such as smoothies, fruit teas, Yakult-infused beverages, and frappe. Getting a lift from your drink will make it more fun by writing your message on their fancy sticky notes and posting them on the wall.

FlorSattiHous FlorSattiHous, famous for its spicy, hot and mouthwatering satti sauce, is deemed as one of the go-to eating spot around The Block. They serve

One Tomato On a diet? Craving for delicious meals without ‘cheating’? One Tomato is your place! With their calorie-counted, vegetableloving servings, it’s a guarantee that you will enjoy yourself without compensating your diet. With only a hundred pesos, you can favor yourself with any of these bestsellers: California Maki, Korean Bibimbap, Chicken Teriyaki and Cow Girl Annie Sal •

REVIEW

omeone once said that “music helps us escape the reality we live in,” and everyone could attest to that. To help you face the inevitable reality that the school year has officially begun and the long summer days spent frolicking in the beach are over, The BEACON has prepared a special back-to-school playlist just for you. It’s time to fish for those trusted earphones and bustle along with these beats that could surely wash your summer sicknessaway. Brighter Days by Saint Raymond Walking along the halls of the College Building for the first time after an eventful summer vacation, or in the case of others, after a very wearisome summer class, may spiral a mix of emotions among the students. Take in the buzz of excitement in the air while nodding to Brighter Days by Collum Burrows, better known by his screenname “Saint Raymond.” Brighter Days is an ingenious collection of catchy lyrics and instrumental riffs that could appeal to music lovers of all ages. Jumpstart your school year with this optimistic song and there will surely be brighter days ahead, or at least we hope there will be. Worth It by Fifth Harmony Fifth Harmony’s Worth It is the perfect song to hook up to on overcast Monday classes with three long tests coming your way. Conquering a very stressful day requires a lot of confidence and attitude and the song gives off just that. A long lineup of schoolwork on a single day won’t shake us because with this motivating urban-pop song we know that we can face all these challenging schoolwork that may come our way. Believe in your capabilities for you are definitely worth it. Hopefully, the diligence that you displayed during the weekends would be worth it as well! Hold My Hand by Jess Glyne However, not all all-nighter sessions result to happy endings. We all know how depressing it us to burn your midnight candles over an upcoming major exam only to find out that you still got a failing mark despite your efforts. Instead of just lurking in the sidelines and feeling sad for you poor little self while clutching that beaten test paper with your right hand and dubbing your eyes with a Kleenex with the other, grab those overused earphones and hum along to Jess Glyne’s Hold My Hand. Its empowering beat and encouraging lyrics would get you dancing on your two left feet in a matter of seconds! Hold My Hand makes us feel like we can do anything – may it be finishing a truckload of requirements overnight or getting a perfect score on your next dreadful Calculus exam!

Junction Located in front of City Inn Hotel along Gov. Alvarez St., Junction offers a variety of meals at a low cost. With only 39 pesos, one can order a full meal comprised of a viand, rice, and soup. These budget meals, paired with the cool ambiance provided by the place,

Sun Goes Down by Robin Schulz ft. Jasmine Thompson After a tiring day at school, every student wants to head back home and catch up on some sleep. What better way to prepare for one’s long-awaited reunion with the comforts of one’s cozy bed than tuning in to Robin Schulz’s and Jasmine Thompson’s Sun Goes Down while traveling home? The saxophone riffs radiate a dreamy and warm vibe that could ease your body from all the day’s tensions in a jiffy. If this magical song wouldn’t make you feel refreshed at the end of the day then we don’t know what will. Cool Kids by Echosmith For the scared freshman whose only wish is to belong in his new uncharted world known as “college,” Cool Kids is the perfect jam for you. Echosmith’s hit single talks about one’s desire to be noticed. This song does not only appeal to socially challenged students, but it gets everyone grooving with its indie feel. College is the avenue for one to start anew and be whoever you want to be. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be like the “cool kids,” dear freshman. However, always remember that the best ticket to everyone’s acceptance is by simply being yourself.

I Really Like You by Carly Rae Jepsen We’re all familiar with this very cliché scene in romantic movies: the leading actor sees his beloved and the whole world just stops. Now, don’t forget to queue in the famous cheesy love song for an added effect. If your life were a movie, Carly Rae Jepsen’s I Really Like You would be the perfect background song whenever your crush makes a cameo appearance within your peripheral vision. This very cute and beguiling pop song makes you want to follow your crush to his/her next English class and just fantasize about how life would have been if you two were dating. Who knows, maybe with just the right amount of luck your crush might notice you too, just like in the movies. Photograph by Ed Sheeran Photograph by Ed Sheeran is the song you should listen to while relaxing at the backfield kiosk during your free cuts. The song’s soothing melody and vibes, together with the backfield’s peaceful breeze, could easily relieve you from the stress and workloads you heaved from your previous class. Hit the repeat button as many times as you like and you’ll feel so revitalized for your next class in aninstant. All Night by Icona Pop The weekend’s just around the corner and what better way to welcome these long awaited days than by listening to Icona Pop’s All Night. Icona Pop is famous for its buoyant party songs and this single is the perfect tune to listen to on Friday nights in anticipation of the great weekend ahead. The sparkling beats and instrumentals make you desire to rave in your favorite club with your ever-energetic squad and transform your weekend from a zero to a ten. Now, raise the volume on those speakers and just forget about all of your schoolworks, even just for three minutes. Want to Want Me by Jason Derulo Sing along to the lyrics of Jason Derulo’s Want to Want Me with your friends during random feel good moments at school, especially during activity hours on Mondays and Wednesdays. Actually, there’s no need to look for a respectable reason for you to listen to this song. Whether it’s for killing time or for lulling you to sleep, Want to Want Me’s verses, falsettos, and upbeat retro dance grooves make it the best feel good pop song. Lights and Thunder by Krewella Waiting for your dreaded grades could be such a thriller. Beat the anxiety and worry by tuning in to one of Krewella’s famous electronic pop singles entitled Lights and Thunder. The lyrics “Silence seeming cold like winter till we get our souls, we can’t breathe.We are waiting for the lights and the thunder, we are waiting as our dreams turn to color,” visualize the two possible scenarios that may come up upon seeing our grades: it’s either our world clashes with a storm or blooms like a prism of colors. Stay Stay Stay by Taylor Swift To our major subjects that we try so hard to love but can’t seem to love us back, we dedicate Taylor Swift’s ‘Stay Stay Stay’ to you. Every student can relate to the song’s very catchy lyrics that go “Stay, stay, stay. I’ve been loving you for quite some time, time, time.” Imagine singing this song while bawling over your textbooks that seem to be talking to you in an alien language, what a very dismaying sight. Despite all the hardships in college, never give up because T. Swift says that “it’s best if we both stay,” – in our courses of course.

REVIEW

pens RIVAS ALONE

Yaya Yaya Meal Meal + + U U nli nli S S ocial ocial Climbing Climbing & & Bottomless Bottomless E E litism litism

in Cinemas, this June! By Irene Wahab

ummer has officially ended. Long gone were our days of complete confusion over the current day of the week. We’re back to getting up early and being productive. On the good side however, we’re in for a reunion. The first week of class is basically for catching up. So lace up those boots and bring your friend/s or lover to the movies while I lay some movie choices you should look forward to for the month of June.

JURASSIC WORLD

Cast: Christ Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson Director: Collin Trevorrow The fourth in the Jurassic Park film series, on how genetically engineered dinosaurs are walking the earth, and by earth I mean some really humongous theme park. In the first movie, people are running away from these creatures, but apparently 22 years later, they would turn 180 degrees and pay loads of money to be near them. It’s basically the modern-world depiction of a dinosaurinhabited world. The trailer pretty much showed us the entire flow of the movie. The Indominus Rex, which I bet is the main attraction of the park and is probably the biggest dinosaur there currently is, sets himself free and goes berserk, along with all the other supposed to be anachronistic animals. Well, you can picture the chaos that would cause. If you’re looking for a 130-minute ride with hybrid dinosaurs, then this is definitely the movie for you. Don’t expect much on the storyline and just enjoy the visuals. Oh, and don’t worry about the commotion. Chris Pratt will save the day.

INSIDE OUT

Cast: Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black Director: Pete Docter An animated film produced by Pixar and released by Disney, from the minds of the same wondrous people who gave us Up, Toy Story 3 and Finding Nemo, is surely something no one would want to miss. Seriously, it’s a grave mistake to not watch these movies. No, you’re not too old. Nobody is.

“What’s going on inside his head? Her head? Their head? My head?” Inside Out gives us one possible answer. Apparently, we have 5 individual characters in our heads that are each dominated by a single emotion – joy, fear, anger, distrust, and sadness. These brain-dudes, in some creepy but clever kind of way, are us. And they too, are growing just as we do, and are apparently on some kind of contest to solely control our mental state. The plot centers on a young girl, who’s just starting to blossom into adolescence and as we all know, that’s where all the confusion takes place. The plot takes a twist when Sadness and Joy got lost in the vast space of her brain and is therefore unable to be present in her time of adjustment. Imagine how that would be. I’m betting that this is going to be another tear-jerker to which everybody can relate. So, if you and your friends are in for some laughs and some tears to exercise those emotion minions in your head, then this movie will not disappoint you. See you there.

TED 2

Cast: Seth McFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman Director: Seth McFarlane Reasons to watch this movie: (1) Who doesn’t like talking teddybears? Bet Mr. Bean would be jealous. (2) Amanda Seyfried. Those eyes. (3) Inappropriate humor. No, don’t deny it. I know you all like that. Ted 2 is a sequel (obviously) of the 2012 movie Ted, starring Seth Macfarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson and Tom Brady. Sorry, but Mila Kunis is not available this time. Ted (the teddy bear), got married to his girlfriend, who is by the way, human in all angles. They decided that to be a real family, they should have a child which obviously is not biologically possible given the fact that the husband is well, a stuffed toy. So, Ted runs to his bestfriend, John, for help – sperm donation. Still, Ted could only qualify as a parent if proven as a natural person in the eyes of law and the questions of soul and conscience takes its way to court. We all could guess the ending. This is something one should watch if he wants to take some of his free hours to just feel good. Just something to cheer you up. Yes, it could just all be blank humor. But the important thing is, you’ll laugh. So watch out for this, don’t let it pass you by. And oh, if you still haven’t seen the first movie, go watch it now.

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE Cast: Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil Director: Theodore Boborol

Xander and Agnes left their well-loved characters to give birth to new ones, debuting their tandem on the big screen. Just the way you are, is a film adaptation of a Wattpad story entitled “The Bet.” The movie teaser released on the finale of their hit prime time series, Forevermore, gave us a hint on who they’re next screen identity would be. Enrique plays the classic heartbreaker, while Liza portrays the typical nerd. The heartbreaker loses a bet, and as a consequence, he is tasked to make the nerd fall in love with him, and then break her heart. A cliché storyline, but with the charm of Enrique and Liza’s chemistry, this sure would be a blockbuster hit. After all, we’re never in it for the plot. We’re in it for the moments. So, for those of you who haven’t quite gotten enough of these two, this sequel of their forever is especially made for you.

REVIEW

ne simple chicken adobo with rice meal was all it took for the little spark that was discrimination to spread like wildfire. Former Miss World-Philippines and fashion designer Maggie Wilson-Consuji, together with her son, mother, and son’s nanny, vacationed in Balesin Island Club during the Holy Week. Balesin is an expensive members-only resort. Being the exclusive resort that it is, it is home to some rich locals and foreigners, talentless just-a-prettyface celebrities, Pork Barrel-funded families, and some 21-year-old pea brain princess who simply has to milk funds from her daddy and her account’s exploding with cash in four seconds. Maggie was irked at how the waiter attending them refused to serve her mother the meal of her choice because it was a “yaya’s meal.”

sculpted by the finest and hungriest slave-craftsman when in reality he’s occupying the pyramid’s bottom bunk nearing the earth’s core as a mummy wrapped with the cheapest supermarket Kleenex. Given the chance, a Filipino would hop aboard the first trike that would make him look as if he’s Jay Z but with a fuller bank account and higher debit rating when in reality he’s just a knowit-all on trying to be fancy because he’s bought himself Gretchen Barretto’s “My Repertoire on Social Climbing” on OLX.ph. Let’s just look at the signs! I mean just take for instance how It Takes Gutz to be a Gutierrez is acting as if it can really give the world’s most watched reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians a run for its billion-dollar money even when it’s shown on a television network that dubs The Vampire Diaries in Filipino.

The management of Balesin admitted to the existence of the said economy meal. They added, “Of course we treat yayas as guests but the ‘yaya meal’ was requested by members who don’t want to pay the full guest rate for their help.”

Elitism in the Philippines is as rampant as HIV that we have to have a label for what our nannies eat. Come on! Adobo with rice is now labeled as yaya meal? Is that where we’re at now? All this time, what we would’ve considered a showcase of love and affection from our parents is all but an act of feeding us yaya meals.

Right after Wilson brought to Facebook her rage with this issue, netizens expressed their thoughts as to how this yaya meal is a manifestation of discrimination of status. Being the Filipinos that we are, and since most of the Filipino population in social media consists of people with minds comparable to those of zoo penguins, they failed to realize that they themselves brought about the discrimination. There’s only discrimination if we believe there is. In my honest belief, you can go against me or you may be with me, there is no case of discrimination of status. We only think there is because we think lowly of our yayas. Had the meal been called “the CEO meal,” would the social networkers buzz about how this is an issue of discrimination? I’d bet my fingers that not a single soul would. We think highly of them that when we label anything from or for them, it’s just some act that isn’t a violation of any social norm. Yaya meal, however, with the negative idea that the term yaya connotes (for no logical reason as yaya is how we really address our nannies and help), is a term morally wrong that an inclusion of it in an exclusive resort’s food menu deserves hundreds and thousands of discrimination-related tweets. What’s the real deal with the yaya meal then? I believe this is all a matter of elitism. It is in a Filipino’s nature to act as if he’s a pharaoh seated on a gold seat

By Pristine Janielle Padua

There is nothing discriminatory about the term yaya meal. What bothers me is that there is a need to have a segregation of which belongs to what kind. We’re distinguishing meals now according to which person with what occupation gets to eat them, and that just borders as elitism. Is there a required tax bracket now to eat a certain basket of food?

Falling into Place by Amy Zhang

When by Victoria Laurie

Liz Emerson runs her Mercedes off the highway, leaving behind all her worries and woes – foremost is her anxiety that she’s failing Physics, all because she couldn’t grasp Newton’s Laws of Motion, which moments before “losing” control of her car and crashing into a tree, still plagued her. As she convalesces in hospital, flashbacks and foreshadowing happen throughout the novel, providing snippets of the petty life Liz had in high school – we’ve all been there. If you’ve enjoyed Jay Asher’s Thirteen Reasons Why, then Falling into Place is a great read when you’re into the topic of suicide.

Yet another book about death, When is a mystery and somewhat paranormal novel about Maddie Fynn, who sees numbers on foreheads of people – ‘death dates’, she calls them, and just like a fortune teller, she employs this unusual skill to make a living and help her mother make ends meet. When one day a client’s son goes missing just after she tells his death date, and later on ends up murdered, Maddie gets involved in a homicide investigation that soon finds the crime to be the work of a serial killer, and yet more people disappear and die. Resigned to being the common denominator in this series of killings, as well as being considered one of the suspects, Maddie sets out to clear her name and find the killer once and for all.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

What is the real catch with this yaya meal then? If members can afford to waste so much money for an exclusive entry to Balesin, why is there a need to request from the resort’s management to implement a standard and way cheaper meal for the help? Why can’t these socialites do away with the yaya meal and just let the yayas choose their food at their own volition? Why can’t the help scoop their own tenderloin steak or lobster thermidor piece by piece? Maybe because our help can’t take a proper 1:1 aspect ratio photo and slap some overrated filter and post on Instagram with a politically incorrect hashtag #foodporn? I honestly do not know. I do know, however, this is a matter of segregation of statuses because it is innate in us Filipinos to try to be the most elite we can be. That’s ironic seeing that we’re stuck in a third-world nation. But, as the jeje saying goes, “Walang basagan ng trip!” •

Theodore Finch never ceases to think of ways he could die each day, accidentally or otherwise. Violet Markey never fails to count down each day until graduation, when she is free of all the grief tying her down in the wake of her sister’s death.When one day they meet on the ledge of their small town’s bell tower, they aren’t sure who saves whom, only that they start reconsidering the way they live their lives from that moment on. All the Bright Places reads like Eleanor and Park meets The Fault in our Stars, and if you’re a fan of Rainbow Rowell or John Green, you are sure to enjoy the insights in this book.

Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class, get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out. And yet this novel has fourteen different point of views, none of them Lea nor Gabe’s, and all of them agreeing that they would work out. True to its title, this novel really is a little something different.

Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.While most of us have probably watched the film adaptation of this novel, just like Gone Girl, this book is still worth the read. Reading the book may very well come in handy if you’re taking Philosophy or Religious Studies in the coming semester – quoting passages about God or nature in your reflection papers might just get you bonus points (some Jesuits and teachers abide by Nature and Conservation Laws in teaching good stewardship of God’s creation *wink)

Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan Josie Sheridan is a sixteen year old genius. She speaks the languages of friends (cool), boyfriends (nice), high school (OMG!), college (OMG 2.0!), and French, among others. And yet one thing she could not understand, besides trying to formulate an equation of how many rats she’s inadvertently eaten from canned goods – is love. And just like the rest of us, she tries to fluently speak love, but not without embarrassing herself in the process. Love and Other Foreign Words is a witty, funny, and coming of age novel reminiscent of John Green and Rainbow Rowell’s style of writing. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn If you have watched the movie and haven’t read the book yet, it’s high time you acquaint yourself with this thriller. I need not say more. The book was just as good as the film.

If you’re looking for an interesting sob story this summer, Chinese Cinderella is the perfect book for you. An autobiography depicting the hardships of the author under the hands of her own father, stepmother, and siblings before and during the Second World War, Chinese Cinderella is sure to keep your tear ducts working this semester.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon The Shadow of the Wind is an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love. It also has all the elements for the perfect coming of age novel. It is about Daniel, an antiquarian book seller’s son who on his tenth birthday was brought to The Cemetery of Forgotten Books to choose a book which he must take stewardship over. Years pass and Daniel tries to find books by the same author of the book he chose, someone named Julian Carax. Incidentally, someone is out to burn all his works, and Daniel finds himself wanting to know more about him. This novel has great quotable quotes you can use for reflection papers too.

Freshie Freshie Squads Squads A

comes from the ZamboSur or ZaNorte or Sibugay probinsyana/probinsyano and PROUD friends with almost all people happy-go-lucky and loves to joke around athletic/musically-inclined/intelligent/ artsy/dancer, this freshie has it all or one or a combo of the three, multi-talented hard-working, diligent, and competitive in nature lives in the campus dorm or just a few blocks away from school has toned and slim bodies without hitting the gym radiates a tanned glow i.e. moreno/a generally good-looking because they have a positive and easy aura tambayan places: Backfield/Library/Cafeteria

By Aseya Khadija Ratag Calo

nother school year has begun and I’m pretty sure we’d give up on the seventh month or so. Let’s track back to the now, however. A new academic year just means a new set of faces in an otherwise old university– the “virgins” of college life, our freshmen. Whether we’d like to admit it or not, we’ve categorized our freshies to fit into a certain group with characteristics of its own. Here are a few of them: the underrated and socially inept dude/girl in the sidelines has a friendly but timid nature would often hang with fellow awkward penguins whilst doing something “out of the normal” for the judgmental school chums The “It’s all my fault, I’m sorry” squad stutters in recitation one you will either want to avoid for being annoying or take care of for being vulnerable has an underlying talent that will surprise everyone does not make his/her existence known Tambayan: Home

the person’s name that everyone, even the upperclassmen, talk about after a week in classes typically rich to afford being a hottie looks as if he “woke up like this (flawless)” a pretty face or more than just, ideally perceived as the latter, and actually more likely are someone who caught you staring and pretends not to see and not make it a big deal extremely hygienic and fashionable used to getting what they want and know just how to do it looking perfectly desirable even just standing there #InstantCrush but way out of your league tambayan: gym/cold places

raises hands to every single recitation opportunity tends to be the “teacher’s pet” academically-driven The “my grades mean everything or else my life is ruined” squad has a soft or hard copy of the book to every subject can be annoying or inspiring extra sensitive to criticism and failure does homework and studies at least eight times ahead of time and lives with false humility by “unconsciously” bragging “’Di ako nag-aral para sa test na ‘to!” goes out with friends, family, and boy/girlfriends ONLY IF school stuff have been dealt with (this would only hold true if this freshie ever goes out at all) tambayan: Library/Home

has long been addicted to online gaming more intelligent than most people give credit for gets trash-talked by upperclassmen players—a normal and loving initiation in the café spends a chunk of his allowance in ePins, paying hours, and paying lost bets happy fellow and joker that hangs around with his boys has a bad or not seriously taken reputation, judged as delinquent, but probably has the best attitude if given the chance to express himself lazy but gets the job done, crams expertly risk-takers and gamblers in nature generally naturally good-looking tambayan: Timeout, etc