MEComposing

I've always wanted to be a UP student. First of all, because of the prestige it suggests (or used to suggest) and the fact that a much older friend of mine entertained me with lots of stories about attending UP (mainly of having classmates coming into class with wings... literally). I was all too eager to embrace an institution that embraced individuality and non-conformity so long as you have the potential for greatness.

I wasn't bright enough for it after all, believing our guidance counselor in high school that we'd only be wasting money and effort trying to get in. She told us (and I stupidly believed her) that UP only gets people from public schools, and since I was attending a private Catholic school, I just decided not to 'waste my time and money'.

Maybe she should have used the word 'prioritizes' instead. Or maybe I shouldn't have been intimidated, believing I wouldn't get in. Maybe I was also very scared that I actually didn't have it in me to get in, and not trying also meant I wouldn't fail. Whatever.

And when I found out I could actually transfer there when I was in my second year in college, with most of my subjects to be credited (I forgot the term we use for schools with such agreements), I dared not leave one specific friend who stood by me through all our peer group drama. Maybe I was still scared that time... or too unwilling to adapt all over again.

So I just went on to graduate 22nd in the whole graduating class (third in our course), took up masters in measurement and evaluation for kicks a year after, didn't finish that after attending 36 units worth of classes... and then pursued mountaineering for the kicks lacking in my life instead.

Blah. Blah. Blah.

But now, I am officially a student again. And a UP student at last, albeit a UP Open University student. Those facilitating the orientation program last Saturday assured us that UPOU students are of equal worth/potential to regular UP students (but yes, they don't expect us to cause campus riots). And we actually have the added challenge of being internally motivated to learn and finish our course.

I have signed up for Masters in Distance Education. Explaining the choice in my essay, I basically said that, "I want to take up Masters in Distance Education because I hope to homeschool my children."

Isn't that being ironic and not at the same time? :)

I actually wanted to specialize in Non-Formal Education but it wasn't being offered in UPOU. MDE was the closest course to it. So here I am... may I rise to the challenge.